My experiences with Patrick McCarthy and Koryu Uchinadi

 Written 11-12-2018

 

There are a variety of the forms in Koryu Uchinadi (KU) or the system created by Patrick McCarthy. They are not traditional forms, but one’s created following various older traditions, and IMO for visual effect,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_ioRnw-Pq4

 
This is what the group in Londonderry are part of, it is being taught around the world. (Later that school management changed and followed another tradition.)


But technique is just technique. Different but in reality hardly superior to other technique. But if they get you thinking that way, they have run.


One of the big things Patrick McCarthy based his discoveries on was the principle he ‘discovered’ of the 36 Habitual Acts of Violence.


1. Swinging punches
2. Straight punches
3. Downward strikes
4. Upward strikes
5. Swinging kicks
6. Straight kicks & knee strikes
7. Head-butt/spitting
8. Biting
9. Testicle squeeze
10. Augmented foot/leg trips
11. Single/double-hand hair pull from the front/rear
12. Single/double-hand choke from the front/rear
13. Front neck choke from rear
14. Classical head-lock
15. Front, bent-over, augmented choke (neck-hold)
16. Half/full-nelson
17. Rear over-arm bearhug (& side variation)
18. Rear under-arm bearhug (& side variation)
19. Front over-arm bearhug (& side variation)
20. Front under-arm bearhug (& side variation)
21. Front/rear tackle
22. One-handed wrist grab (same & opposite sides-normal/reversed)
23. Two-handed wrist grabs (normal/reversed)
24. Both wrists seized from the front/rear
25. Both arms seized from the front/rear
26. Single/double shoulder grab from front/rear
27. Arm-lock (behind the back)
28. Front arm-bar (triceps tendon fulcrum up supported by wrist)
29. Side arm-bar (triceps tendon fulcrum down supported by wrist)
30. Single/double lapel grab
31. Single/double-hand shove
32. Garment pulled over the head
33. Seized & impact
34. Single/double leg/ankle grab from the front (side/rear)
35. Ground straddle
36. Attacked (kicked/struck) while down


However a earlier concept of this was the way Shimabuku Tatsuo developed his Kumite many years before. There is nothing really unique under the sun.


The Shimabuku Kumite Which comprised techniques divided into a different grouping of sections.


1. Defense from wrist holds 4
2. Defense from Middle Level Lunge Punch 5
3.  Strike Defenses Against Twist and Vertical Punches 2
4. Defense Against Low and High Level Front Kick 5
5. Using Opponents Arm Against Him 4
6. Defense Against Lapel or Colar Hold 4
7.Defense From: Full Nelson and Rear Choke Neck Breaker 4
8. Defense From: Rear Bear Hug 2
9. Defense Against HeadLock 4
10. Defense from the Devil’s Handshake (Arm Bar) 2
11. Defense on the Ground 5
12. Knife Defense 5


There is no Right answer, just different ways of organizing techniques.


What is important to consider, is to know what others, especially ones in your area, are using for their program.


The KU program also uses a set of 2 person drills (complex) that Patrick McCarthy developed over the years. They lean heavily towards grappling and ground fighting. More towards a sort of modern MMA. McCarthr participated in such fights in Japan long before MMA was developed.


The Local group is also connected with a MMA style, a natural fit with their KU focus.


They also do some sword that Patrick McCarthy taught them.


Knowledge of a group allows you to understand what they are offering and can eliminate any confusion should your paths cross.


This was done by individuals (both Ken and Mindy Akiyama who later married) who started with Richie Benard. They began there as kids. Mindy had been one of the competitors at a few of the tournaments we held decades ago.


And later did compete in international competition. Ken then trained in Europe when in the Army, and there he met McCarthy.


Returning to the US they bought Richie’s School in Londonderry. But later broke their contract with him, closed the House of Samurai, and opened their current school.


Personally individuals have the right to do what they wish, but when they entered the business contract with Richie to make a living, and then choose to break it, I am not impressed with anyone doing such.


I do not know  the contract details, Perhaps those details favored Richie and were unfavorable to them. But when you pledge your word to sign a contract….


Then again except for some clinics, they really did not train any length of time with Patrick McCarthy. Those schools around the world associated with him are very impressive at what they do. But how much is actually what he has, or something they are using, I can’t say, Ken Akyiama  is impressive in what he does do.
 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AY6klMTDMI 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcldqE9S8eI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeEWH4rw0S8

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFzF5nLqAiU

 He does seem to include many of the current trendy martial commercial studies. I doubt they are using the complete KU program. Their mixture of things is probably unique to themselves.



However, I, myself, am only concerned with Isshinryu Karate, and of course my other studies.


A followup note on Patrick McCarthy.

I have been aware of him for a long time. First through his many books, and his translation on the Bubishi.


We first met each other when I first joined the internet, trying to break up a pubic dispute with him and Jim Keenan on a Bubishi translation. I did get them to stop.

"When I joined the internet he was one of the people I first ran into having a large argument with Jim Keenan, who would later become a friend in the area, who was also a Japanese and Chinese translator who worked for the deparment of defense. They were having an argument over the translation of his new Bubishi then published by Tuttle. I got in the middle chastising them for arguing in public, Jim Keenan was also originally Isshinryu but trained in many Chinese Arts and studied in Israel, with the founder of Krava Maga. Which is very different from the pap versions taught over here."

I just observed him for many years. Often seeing how mercurial his attitudes could be, at times he would really fly off the handle.


It time we met fuller. He asked me do make several French translations of Martial Books on the Bubishi, and other topics.
He did use my work in his group (which the members paid for the privilege of joining), rewarding me with some award for my translations, and never told me that, I was not a member anyway nor interested. I found this out later when someone shared their copy of his magazine for the group)


Once, when touring the US for clinics he was giving, he did call me at Workscape where I was working, and we had a phone discussion.


I found what he was doing interesting, but not what I was interested in.


A number of years ago, just prior to my stuff occurring, I did meet him. The Aykima’s who were running the House of Samurai, invited me to a clinic they hosted with him. I was expecting Richie to be there, but he was not. (this was just before they broke with Richie).


So for two days we spent time together. He had some incredibly impressive students from the Flordia school with him, assist him. They were incredibly in shape, went full out all day long and never showed it. He was doing a full court press on me, I in turn was trying to describe what I had experienced. So of course both of us did not listen to each other, each having agendas.


We had many individuals in common, but had not met. For one thing he used to compete against Cindy Rothrock, And he had a huge number of stories, many of which tied into articles I had read about him for years, and years.


So he has his wife send me a lot of videos’ from Australia, which I never watched having seen what he was doing live. Never my cup of tea. Then after leaving gave me the bum’s rush to join with him. Which of course was not what I met with him for.


When he understood I wasn’t interested in changing to what he was doing. He dropped me like a hot potato.


Never bothered me a bit.


So what he does, is what he does. He has trained with many major martial artists on Okinawa. Uses their names to promote what he does, and follows nothing of what they taught. He is all about promoting what he is doing.

 

Friday, August 13, 2010
Meeting Patrick McCarthy
https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2010/08/meeting-patrick-mccarthy.html