Notes what a visit with Jim Keenan was like. 12/15/2005

  

We started chatting about what we were experiencing.

 

At this point we had a discussion regarding Isshinryu Bo. I explained how Reese Rigby had received Bando instructions showing how to rotate the arm behind the bo strike not to take the force on the thumb on a side strike.  But now that Reese was with Angi, he was reverting to the older strike.  Jim suggested that for solid strikes into the body, the rotation behind the bo made sense, but if the side strike was actually a strike to other areas, then there was no reason to rotate behind the strike.  Interesting how we can focus on one concept and ignore the other opportunities.  I know that, but it's hard to stop from doing it just the same. 

  

We also had a conversation about the Why of Okinawan karate.  His opinion is I need to study Chinese and Okinawan history for the 1800's to consider why karate sprung on the Okinawan scene.  An interesting thought, as if I don't have enough on the plate. But it does make sense, as I know next to nothing about the Chinese and Japanese history of this time. 

  

It also seems we share the same opinion as to how Okinawan Te was really used, stealthily from behind when the opponent wasn't looking.  That alone makes me want to rethink which bunkai to choose.  If you really were only using it against an unsuspecting opponent, what sane person would try empty hand against a sword!  then bunkai from the front may be a modern sport adaptation. 

  

We then watched some video.  I showed him my Matasumura No Hakutsuru videos and he found the form interesting, although he doesn't know that style. 

  

Then we watched some of my Chinese survey of forms, and he lightly reviewed 4 or 5 Baguazhang forms.  One he found quite close to his own studies, except the practionier used heel/toe stepping instead of his own flat foot stepping. 

  

Then he watched several Tris Sutrisno Bunkai.  Very interesting response.  He did not believe the bunkai were practical, as he put it, Tris was stepping outside time, as the count of technique did not match the attack.  Which he explained the false attacks set up the techniques he used.  Personally, I believe this is the Sutrisno family way of teaching technique, and their 2 person sets close the gap for actual combat drills, but Jim's way of expressing his thoughts helped express why I don't follow the Sutrisno approach to bunkai and have been working so long from my own perspectives. 

  

Well after that we started watching Jet Li in Fist of Legend I. Wow did Jim had fun, he had seen Jet Li a few times before, but didn't know him as such, and he got a charge out of the technique. But most fascinating was him requesting me to back up and then stop the movie so he could translate the Cantonese text to explain what they were actually saying versus the English subtitles.  Jim has a real love affair with the Chinese language. 

  

He explained to me that he has thousands of Chinese martial Arts texts, many quite old.  He has for example read the Old Bubushi (36 volumes) and has toyed with the idea of translating in into English. That sounds like an interesting idea. 

  

When I mentioned my own humble collection and Magazine collection, he mentioned I might find him in a 77 Black Belt, where they made him pose in a Karate Gi as an article about the first American to Teach BaGua.  Wonder if it is possible, I'll ever find it?  Perhaps some year. 

 

Then he left...  I had a lot to think about!