The karate of Choki Motobu
I recently gave in and purchased the DVD done by Motobu's grandson on the karate of Choki Motobu. I had been curious for a long time and I finally went for it.
The first part of the DVD is Motobu "revisionist" history, including commentary, accounting of events and discussions about the feud between Funakoshi and Motobu. When I say "revisionist" I don't mean its a bad thing at all necessarily. I found it an interesting history lesson as the DVD was clearly working to reverse the commonly held belief that Motobu Choki Sensei was a roughneck and a brawler. However, I thought it also started to border in the opposite direction of pro-Motobu propaganda, but hey its their video they can say what they want.
The video also contains naihanchi shodan and nidan with application (slow and regular motion speed) and the 13 (I think) self defenses of the ryu (also with slow and regular motion, with commentary). There is some interesting stuff in the kata part and I thought that Motobu Sensei moved incredibly well for a man of his age.
Not everything made sense to me from my perspective but it was an interesting video and I learned a lot about Motobu's (the grandson's) karate. The video is high quality in my opinion, production wise. It is definitely different than most karate that you will see on the net or otherwise and worth a look in my opinion.
I just thought I would post some impressions and ask if anyone else has seen the video and has other comments?
Best,
Tim
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Tim Black
That reminds me I need to return it. Thanks
Thanks for the reminder. I have it at my house. I need to return it. A student of mine loaned it to me. Because I teach a version of Naihanchin I received from another Goju Teacher. He thought I would find it interesting. A couple of things did interest me.
1) I wanted to see if there were any parallels in Naihanchi and how Naihanchi is done within Motobu-Ha Shito Ryu. There is. Naihanchi as I learned it begins with a elbow down palm angled up position. Motobu does it arm extended straight out to the side. Motobu Ha Shito Ryu does this also. They are the only two groups I have seen do this. There may be others though.
2) The way he does Buddha hands parallels the way we do JoGe Uke. Most Goju guys bring the lower hands past the hips in form as if it was a brushing /receiving technique. We bring it straight in front of the belt knot. We use it to strike incoming attacks. The Motobu tape showed this also.
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Ed Boyd
I've seen the original Japanese version of this material.
It is interesting somebody edited the video for American audiences.
Did they show Naifanchin being done both ways as the Japanese video did?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR5RStGWKDQ
One time Naifanchi began starting to the right, and the group version was done starting to the left (as does Isshinryu's).
The Japanese tape also showed the opening of their Seisan kata too, very different.
At the very end of this chain is the original Japanese version.
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Victor Smith
Hi Victor:
No the naihanchi only went to the right (his right) but he looked left. Also, no opening to Seisan kata in this version nor was there a group version of naihanchi.
Best,
Tim
Thanks Tim,
That makes the Japanese version interesting doesn't it?
When I saw Naifanchi being done in the two different directions, the version to the right following Motobu Senseis book and the group of seniors doing it starting to the left (similar to the Isshinryu version), it made me take notice what was happening. I might speculate as a training exercise, it may make no difference.
Unfortunately my knowledge of Japanese (Hi, Ohio, yame and being able to count to 10, with a hand full of other useful words) isn't sufficient to understand what was being described, so I could just look.
Sadly, the short opening of Seisan wasn't shown to completion, leaving one wanting more.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWK97DwWJ3Q
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Victor Smith
We train Naihanchi going both directions first as training tools, as speculated. Motobu Sensei changes the first direction periodically.
As a tidbit, one many people over-look, watch the open hand in the beginning... when going to the right, it is right open over left which is the opposite of every version I have seen which contains the classic left over right...this concept is unique to Motobu Kempo.
As a Motobu ha Shito Ryu stylist (Shibucho for Virginia), I have noticed some similarities but there are far more differences. We had the opportunity to demonstrate Motobu Naihanchi for new Seishinkai (Motobu ha Shito Ryu) Soke Sadatomo Harada...without telling him (it was during testing). He remarked "Motobu no Naihanchi, ne"... pretty cool.
If you have any questions, you all can ask him yourself. He is returning to Fredericksburg, Virginia (shameless plug) in July. Info at: www.kenkyukai.org
Motobu Kempo is quite deep, there are many philosophies that do not show up on video. You need to see him in person to appreciate it. On top of all of this, he is also the 14th Soke of Motobu Udonde, and gives an opportunity for everyone to see and practice this rarely seen art.
As far as the opening to Seisan...its not Seisan...that is the beginning to one of the Motode kata from Udonde. Motobu Kempo only has three kata and the 12 one steps... Udonde (which his students study concurrently) contains more kata as well as kobudo.
Best
Rob Rivers
Motobu Choisi Naifanchi applications
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csPRyBtlORQ
The original Japanese video on Motobu
MOTOBU RYU NAIHANCHI KARATEJUTSU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61Ev2Crjygg
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