Looking at the Kobudo of Shinken Taira - part 4

 
When Taira Shinken published his "Encyclopedia of Ryukyu Kobudo - vol 1"'It went into great detail about the Kobudo.

Here are a few photos and the section on the Basic Movements With the Bo.

Looking at the Kobudo of Shinken Taira - part 3

To allow us to grasp the depth of Okinawan kobudo Taira explored I believe this allows us to see of bit of it. I do not know if anyone studied all of these kata. I am only showing the url's for these videos. You must copy them and then place the link you wish into your pc to pull the Youtube video up to view it.

 

Patrick McCarthy – Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts 1 – Koryu Uchinadi
     P110 – A Capsule History of Taira’s Kata Syllabus

I’ve tried to find the Kata of Taira Shinken listed by McCarthy Sensei via Youtube search. If my efforts aren’t totally correct at least these video’s suggest the range of weapons Taira was working on.  I’m hoping I’ll receive further assistance to complete this list more accurately.

From Kangeawa Gimu

Nichokama  -   Juichi Kuda Nichokama    

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KazCl6eeAdU 

Suruchin -   Suruchin Kata shinpi Goriinto Ryuha   

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUnbWwCgKxc

 Tenbi -   Tinbei Rochin
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZM6JhUrRo8  

Tekko-jutsu
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kupmlbhq9mM
 

From Yabiku Moden

Bo jutsu of Chinen Shikiyanka   

 Chinenshikiyanaka no kon   
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2KqEMoyUK8

Bo  Sushi (dai/sho) -      Shu Shi No Kon Dai 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MHax1lCRRA

     Shu Shi No Kon Sho  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksEZ6MoawZw

Bo Tsuken  Chiken No Kon (Tsuken Bo, Chikin Bo) performed by Sensei, Indishe Senanayake
         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kglUlxgDYy0

Tsuken Sunakake (eiku-jutsu) -      Chikin sunakake no eku  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWRk9gzNyHI

Sakugawa (dai/sho) -      

Sakugawa no kun dai

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yBPLAIk9qU

     Sakugawa no kun sho
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9KL9g9R2os

 Yonegawa Hidari bo       YONEGAWA NO KON (Hidari Bo) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJer8BnWicU  

 Shirotaru -       Oshira Shirotaro Bo
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tN5l4az78yo

Sai jutsu of Tsukenshitahaku, Kojo, Tawata and Yakaa

    Tsukenshitahaku no sai
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh6KDqtiG9c

    Kojo sai
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGcOBu1f-Sg

    Tawada no sai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU0RvBKjfnI

    Yakaa no Sai
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0y503g8ZWRM

Tuifa-jutsu of Hamaniga and Yaraguwa
    Hamahiga no Tonfa
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FJC2RR9Zo0

    Yaraguwa no Tonfa
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN-KbmtJTWY

Nunchaku Jutsu from Yahiku sensei
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJyTCRfc5YI

From Mabuni Kenwa

Bojutsu of Sueyoshi, Urazone and Sesoko
  Sueyoshi   -     Murakami Katsumi – Sueyoshi No Kon Dai http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgK0KbZS714  

  Urazone          ???

  Sesoko -     Shorin-ryu Shubukan – Sesoko no Kun 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAtn2WQdjU0&t=38s
 
 Saijutsu of Hamahiga and Hantaguwa
     Hamahga no Sai –
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgJNjRQ9wek

     Hantaguwa no sai
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR1R5l06Ogs&t=32s

Bojutsu of Choun and Soeishi
    Choun no kun 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZRDy6JsE4I

    Soeishi no Kon Dai, note from Joe Swift, “Murakami Sensei told me that Inoue Motokatsu taught it to him as "Sueyoshi no Kon Dai”  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgK0KbZS714

Sai jutsu of Chantanyara

    Chantan Yara No Sai
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrPtHW9Y7n0



1960’s Taira Shinken 平 信賢 | Ryukyu Kobudo | Sai Kata ~ Colorized
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot32q8mJUUE

1960’s Taira Shinken 平 信賢 | Ryukyu Kobudo | Bo Kata ~ Colorized
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEe9rLJ3QZU

Founder of modern Ryukyu Kobudo master Taira Shinken demonstrates some nunti techniques.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2f8vB-9O54

1960’s Taira Shinken 平 信賢 Tonfa Kata | Ryukyu Kobudo ~ Colorized
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6AdvZLmmuE

Taira Shinken - Manjisai-jutsu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqoqxUxNPe8

9-Foot-Bo (Kyushakubo) by Taira Shinken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXcuMko2TPQ

Taira Shinken - Nunchaku-jutsu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxQgG90Zd14

平 信賢 • 先生 • 琉球 古武道 ▪ Shinken Taira Sensei • Ryukyu Kobudo "Sakugawa nu Kun Dai"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8br5beRT_k
 


HamaHiga No Tonfa
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz9xJKI0Zy0
Shiakatsu no Kun
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc4N1hOLLkA

Old video about Ninjutsu by Masaaki Hatsumi

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

Of course the old show KUNG FU taught me not to be afraid of Ninjas. LOL

Then there is this video.

 Hatsumi Masaaki Junan Taiso & Hicho Jutsu Bujinkan Soke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQEFndpKUpU

 

Keep laughing, IMO.

Looking at the kobudo of Shinken Taira - Part 2

After seeing Taira Shinken's videos let us see the differences between him and his students in Japan and in Okinawa.

Taira’s Japanese student Innoue
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISsE21V_B3c

 

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CPr1PshSk4

 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6vheci_7JE

Taira’s Okinawan student Akamine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm5jGQezsmQ

 

Note the variance of movements between the Japanese school and the Okinawan school.

Looking at the Kobudo of Shinken Taira- Part 1

 

 

Understanding what Taira Shinken meant to Okinawan Kobudo and then comparing Tatsuo Shimabuku's Kobudo kata  to what Taira taught. I will do a series of blog posts to try and show what is available.

This is not meant to be a historical record rather a way to view him performing a few of his kata. Note he suffered a leg injury as a young man,that injury affected his motion for the remainder of his life. Meaning his performances were knowingly not necessary the correct performance for his students. Still seeing his performances does show us something about what he was doing.

Taira Shinken was originally a student of Funakoshi Ginchin. He later trained with one of Funakoshi's other students Yabiku Moden which was where he begin his kobudo studies. In time he began to seek out other Okinawan kobudo instructors and added their kata to his studies. Over his years he accumulated many kobudo kata, Then he began creating other kobudo kata to expand what he thought kobudo could be used for.

He had groups of followers in Japan and on Okinawa, In time hey each went slightly different ways.

Taira went out of his way to share kobudo to other instructors. Such as with Kenwa Mabuni of the Shito Ryu and many instrurctors on Okinawa. He was known share those instructors should take one of their basic kata and add kobudo techniques to make it easier for those instructors students to learn the weapon handling. It those cases he oftrr only shared a few kata. His purpose was to develop understanding among Karate-ka of what Okinawan kobudo was about

.

He did publish one volume of an intended 5 volumes showing some details about his kobudo. He never completed the 5 other volumes.

I have a .pdf file of the book by Taira (translation) that is also helpful. The book is 'Encyclopedia of Okinawan Weapons'' by Taira Shinken.

Taira Shinken demonstrates:

Sai, Tonfa, Nunchaku, Bo, & Nunti
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKkMRkYF8QY 

 

1960’s Taira Shinken 平 信賢 | Ryukyu Kobudo | Sai Kata ~ Colorized

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ot32q8mJUUE

 

1960’s Taira Shinken 平 信賢 | Ryukyu Kobudo | Bo Kata ~ Colorized
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PEe9rLJ3QZU

Founder of modern Ryukyu Kobudo master Taira Shinken demonstrates some nunti techniqes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2f8vB-9O54

1960’s Taira Shinken 平 信賢 Tonfa Kata | Ryukyu Kobudo ~ Colorized
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6AdvZLmmuE

Taira Shinken - Manjisai-jutsu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqoqxUxNPe8

9-Foot-Bo (Kyushakubo) by Taira Shinken
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXcuMko2TPQ

Taira Shinken - Nunchaku-jutsu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxQgG90Zd14

平 信賢 • 先生 • 琉球 古武道 ▪ Shinken Taira Sensei • Ryukyu Kobudo "Sakugawa nu Kun Dai"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8br5beRT_k

The Tsuki-fication of Bojutsu

 The video shows excerpts of Taira Shinken performing kata. In it, I highlight the points in which he does not perform a chudan-zuki, but where a tsuki is done today. The kata used here as a reference are:

- Shushi no Kon Sho
- Shushi no Kon Dai
- Sakugawa no Kon Dai
- Sueyoshi no Kon
- Chinen Shikiyanaka no Kon
- Soeishi no Kon

There is a simply pattern in it: Basically, everywhere Taira performed a Shomen-uchi folllowed by a Chudan-uke, a tsuki was added in between. Exceptions verify this rule.

In short, Taira Shinken did not perform the kata of bojutsu with so many tsuki as is done in today's Okinawan Taira-lineage. Therefore, he didn't learn nor teach the kata with as many tsuki as done today.

Therefore, the tsuki must have been added in the postwar era, probably since the 1960s, by Taira's students in Okinawa.

This is what I refer to as the "Tsuki-fication of Bojutsu."

That is, adding up all the bo kata of Taira lineage on Okinawa, and even though some kata are already lost, today there are more than 130 tsuki in the kata, when originally there were maybe ten. Also, the kind of tsuki is different: Taira did a sliding thrust (nuki-zuki), and mostly to jodan level, while today's tsuki-invasion is a mid-level both-handed thrust (chudan-zuki).

His students Okinawan and Japanese carried on his tradition. Here are examples showing the differences.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx6QgMXN69s

 

Bajiquan

 

Note this Chinese Art uses the vertical fist.

The national art is fierce - Bajiquan

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrT7J4ZYwiI

 

Mario McKenna on Tou'on-ryu Kicking Techniques

 

 While these photos of the article can be difficult to read, if you place your cursor on the photos and click they will go to a picture of that page which can be enlarged making it easier to read.

 

Mario McKenna visits Derry, NH

  

One week Mario McKenna was visiting friends in Massachusetts and found himself free for a day. He contacted me and I drove down to Cambridge and picked him up for a visit to me for the day. 

 

After taking him   to my home, lunch and watching some martial video together I took him over to the Boys and Girls Club to let us have a bit of a workout. Of course it was the hottest day of the year, as as the club was closed there was no ail conditioning that day. But we did not let that stop us. Here are my notes of that day.


1. Asking whether we do To-ki-tie  I and Michael demonstrated the Lewis/ Isshinryu version.  Mario’s opinion – this was the most advanced version he’s seen.

NO Tomari No Rohai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_w9qwWi1Dw
 

2. Watching my Tomari Rohai Mario explained that I turned it into an Isshinryu version – something expected of course.


  a. First for the initial section this group actually uses a rolling hip pull back and thrust forward on two different planes.  Mario demonstrated how to do this and explained how in 10 years never really got it down. Essentially the hip rolls in two planes during the execution. As the hand pulls back the hip pulls back and the rolling thrust of the hip forward occurs before the strike is completed (sort of an add on force of the koshi movement).


 b. For the initial strike, the open hand (fingers raised goes out) and then must fold to an initial knuckle strike that goes straight inward, finally rolls to strike downward.


 c. For the Step Back to crane stance. First the right forearm rolls into an inner block, and then the hands separate to the high low block. The right rolls in and then down as one motion. IMO very Chinese as you’re using the drawing rolling inward motion do draw the attacker forward, then sweep them aside with
the separated hands block.


 d. Following the Step Back, you have the simultaneous Stomp – Press Down and Throat grab/strike. With the throat grab the lead hand must strike sideways (sort of an eagle claw throat grab) instead of the palm strike to the jaw I was doing.


 e. For the vertical open hand parry, first parry, then clearly press down and grab (an arm from above), and only then throw the uppercut strike into the lower ribs. These movements must be kept distinct.


 f. On the forms ending after the crescent kick, when the left foot draws back the right open palm comes into the right forearm, and a rolling crane strike (an arm break) similar to Goju Sanseiryu / Supreimpe ending.

Gohakukai Tomari Rohai
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8elbtgefTQ
 

3. Toon Seisan Kata (toe-on pronouncation).

 a. Mario first ran the Toon Seisan

 b. Then he focused on the leg technique done in four directions
   i.  First lunge forward (and leaning forward) with a double hooking strike into the opponents ribs.
   ii. Chamber both hand  (retain the lean)

   iii.Raise the entire front leg as a unit (retaining the lean)

   iv. Then Stomp the entire leg down in a forward driving motion (check the .avi to verify if there is a double punch or not too)

   v.  Mario then proceeded to demonstrate it as a smash into Michael’s leg dropping him. It can target the lower leg or the inside of the hip.
   vi. Mario mentioned this application was somewhat similar to Isshinryu’s pawing SunNuSu kick.


 
4. Mario demonstrated two bo forms and a tonfa (hama higa).
He agreed with me Chantan Yara No Sai was likely all anyone needed.

5. My son Michael demonstrated
 a. Bando Stick (1/2)  - I then demonstrated the complete form
 b. Seisan Kata
 c. Lung Le Kuen
 d. Nijushiho   I then demonstrated the Sutrisno Nijushiho Bunkai.

6. I demonstrated
 a. Chosen No Kama Dai (Sutrison origin)
 b. Shi Shi No Kon No Dai (Isshinryu)
 c. Chia Fa (Isshinryu)
 e. Tanto Drills (Sutriosn orign)

7. Specifically Mario was able to review
 a. Ernest Rothrock/Fred video
 b. Tris Sutrison video’s
 c. Sherman Harrill Video’s

8. I presented him with a copy of the Yamaguchi Goju Waterfall Black Belt.

Mario responded when I sent this list to him.


In a nutshell, yes the movement of the Tomari Rohai is a double-hip action done through the entirety of the kata - much like the Sochin clip I gave Russ and Dan Kogen .  

Aragaki Sochin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW93zVdDIcI
 

It is very difficult to do correctly and consistently.  Needless to say when I practiced Tomarite in Gohakukai - we started off with Naihanchi doing this type of motion and it made the transition through the other kata easier.

Mario


Thanks for that confirmation. Extremely interesting, I was playing with it this morning, having that reference Aragakai No Sochin.mpg where I can see what's happening.


I understand the hip action somewhat from my tai chi work on the hip roll, though different from the Gohakukai motion. What I see is different from most of the other style hip technique i've seen. The technique chambers, the hip rolling starts, the strike/technique starts, the hip rolling completes and then the strike/technique completes.


It seems to me that they're using the roll to get the  body alignment as correct as possible and completed before technique delivery to be structurally behind the strike/technique.


But because I don't have the system wide usege of it, I don't believe I'll explore it in my tomari rohai work, so in that I guess you're 100% correct I'm doing an Isshinryu (ore more correctly a Victor Smith isshinryu influenced) variation on the gohukukai tomari rohai.


Still is interesting for me. I appreciate your commentary.

Victor

Charles Murray's comments on Bob Bremmer's Seisan

When I was a student under Charles Murray I recall him describing his training in Agena under Tatsuo Shimabuku. Shinsho Shimabuku told him Bob Bremmer was Tatsuo's best student performing kata. I then found this video on You Tube and shared it with Charles for comments. This was his reply.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1APcI-1U8hM

 

Vic - 

  In reviewing Bremmer's video again last night (that you posted) I was reminded of a couple of things.  One is that notice that he takes his stance and locks into it before he does any hand movements -- not stepping into his stance and executing his blocks or punches at kind of the same time, like we do. 

Also notice his stance itself.  My Okinawa notes were that the difference between Seisan and Sanchin stances were only that with Seisan you are tight from the waist down and that with Sanchin you are tight all over.  That appears to be just what Bremmer is doing.

Anyway I found this interesting because though I remember Shinsho telling me to do things like Bremmer is doing  as part of Chinkuchi training, I had thought that I was remembering this wrong until last night when I relooked at the video. 

And since Shimabuku Sensei was so big on Bremmer and him being #1 and Nagle #2 and him being one of only 3 Isshin people proficient with Chinkuchi, watching this video again has given me something to think about.

Anyway I thought I would share that with you.  Also it appears that much about Chinkuchi came from Goju Ryu versus Shorin Ryu so that might explain the emphasis on tightness in the Seisan stance.  So just thinking.  Hope all is well there with you and the family. -- Charlie

 

When I was training with Charles, he described his training in Chinkuchi with Shinsho.  But soon after that he left to resume his career in the USAF. I never attempted to train that way myself, keeping to how I was trained.

 

 However training with a lot of people on my time, I am of an opinion there are many superior methods to use Isshinryu and drop an opponent. As long as that works, I do not hold one method better that another.

 

Still this may give some insight at what Tatsuo was working toward.

Kawazu-gake as an application for Nami-gaeshi of Naihanchi

 
Posted on January 9, 2022 by Andreas Quast    

Kawazu-gake 河津掛け is one of the techniques found in sūmō and jūdō. Literally, it means “Kawazu entanglement.”

Meaning

The notation of kawazu 河津 has no meaning that can be interpreted in terms of the technique’s execution. Rather, it seems to be a mere phonetical use of the characters for the town of Kawazu.

However, an old notation is kawazu-gake 蛙掛け, i.e., “frog entanglement.” If you look at the technique from this perspective, you can at least recognize the underlying visual language.

Sumō

Elementary and junior high school students in amateur sumō are prohibited to use the kawazu-gake, and if used, the match will be immediately canceled and has to be retaken. On a second attempt by the same player, disqualification follows immediately.

In professional sumō, the kawazu-gake is a technique rarely seen. Notwithstanding, I have found the following example:
河津掛 / Kawazu-gake

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/gJYSqiKFIrM

Jūdō

The kawazu-gake is a technique known to both Kōdōkan Jūdō and the International Judo Federation (IJF). In jūdō, the kawazu-gake is categorized as a “sideways sacrifice throw” (yoko sutemi waza).The IJF abbreviation is KWA / P26.

The kawazu-gake is prohibited by the rules of both the Kōdōkan and the IJF since May 1955. The reason is that the knee of the receiver is easily injured when the technique is carried out fast and hard.

Despite its prohibition, kawazu-gake is included in the name lists of throwing techniques of both the Kōdōkan (1982) and the IJF (1995).

The kawazu-gake is perfectly suited as a counter technique in case the legs get entangled. Typically, it is used when the opponent attempts entries such as for ōuchi-gari or uchi-mata. For execution of the technique in judō, see the following video:
河津掛 / Kawazu-gake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml_eSxz8OMo

 

Others

While the kawazu-gake became prohibited in amateur youth sumō as well as in Kōdōkan and IJF jūdō matches, it continued to evolve in Sambo, which originated in jūdō. The execution is a little different though, as can be seen here:

サンボの河津掛け（投げ）Kawazu gake One-leg entanglement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hiKIGIh99Q&t=10s

 

Advanced forms of kawazu-gake are also used in freestyle wrestling and in professional wrestling. For instance, Japanese wrestler Rikidōzan once prevented Lou Thesz’s attempt for a back drop by countering it with kawazu-gake. Later, Japanese professional wrestler Giant Baba devised a derivative technique called kawazu-otoshi or “frog drop,” which became known as the “Giant Buster,” and in reference to pro-wrestler Nikita Koloff it also became known as the “Russian Leg Sweep.”

Application in Karate

The kawazu-gake and its derivatives are perfectly suited to be used as an application for the nami-gaeshi as found in Naihanchi.

In case of matches with protective gear, you can see an example here from Nippon Kenpo.

2019日本拳法総合選手権大会 成年男子の部 決勝
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbX8vW57qw8&t=42s

 

© 2022, Andreas Quast. All rights reserved.

Charlie Murray and comments on Kusanku Sai Kata

From a post by Charles Murray  
at Legacy Martial Arts of Cleveland
5-6-2024

Kusanku Sai (2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFDcDYIRbgA 

Hi all.  To help set the table for tonight’s, 6:30 “For Black Belts Only” Class we will be doing Kusanku Sai Kata, which is one of our requirements for Ni (2nd) Degree Black Belt rank. The history of this kata is:

Kusanku-sai 公相君サイ:  This kata was created by Sensei Tatsuo Shimabuku himself.  He based it upon the Kusanku kata he had learned from his primary Sensei Chotoku Kyan.

The following information was gleaned from a personal communication from A. J. Advincula (1998), one of my Sensei Lewis’ Marine Corps contemporaries who studied with Sensei Shimabuku in Okinawa. 

Kyan no Sai Kata 1958 Tatsuo Shimabukuro
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KndgcufyDk8

Sherman Harril Kyan No Sai  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqYODZFdOgo

 

Before studying with Taira Shinken (his main Kobudo/weapons teachers in the late 1950s and early 1960s), Master Shimabuku only knew the cudgel tradition of Tokumine Bo that he had learned under Kyan Sensei, as well as a Sai kata called Kyan no Sai. (It is unknown whether Kyan No Sai kata was created by Kyan Sensei or created by Shimabuku Sensei from techniques that he learned under Kyan, but since you can find it being done on You Tube I believe Kyan developed it himself.)  

Kusanku was, along with Chinto and Passai, Kyan's specialty, and this may have influenced Shimabuku's decision to create a Sai kata from this form.

According to Sensei Advincula (1998), Shimabuku originally included kicks in the kata, but later removed them. Upon being asked why, Shimabuku stated that when he first created Kusanku Sai, he knew little about Kobudo, but after gaining more experience apparently removed the kicks.  *from The Kobudo of Shimabuku Tatsuo by Joe Swift, 1998

Hope to see you tonight. – Sensei Murray

Grandmaster Tatsuo Shimabuku "Kusanku Sai Kata 1958"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcP2syEL7EU

 

Kusanku Sai Kata Side by Side comparison 1958/1966 

Tatsuo Shimabuku

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGtQDb8_yE0

 

Tatsuo Shimabuku "Kusanku-No-Sai Kata 

1966 Cleveland, USA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=by9Vsm5uO4A

 

Victor  Smith
I was taught Kusanku Sai by Charles Murray in Scranton when I studied with him. It was late 1987. He taught my Chantan Yara No Sai earlier (that was my first weapon kata study with him).

While I was told Kusanku Sai was originally done with 3 sai, and one thrown into the floor, I only did the kata with 2 sai. pretending to throw the sai but retaining it to continue to perform the kata.

I have on occasion seen Isshinryu karate-ka in Pa. perform the form with 3 sai, then at the right moment they would throw the sai into the floor (to the consern of the tournament promoter) to then extract the 3rd sai.

Years later in tournaments in New Hampshire, attending local tournaments I remember a NH Issinryu dan from central NH who used to compete with Kusanku Sai. When doing so he would place a foam block on the floor. Then he did the kata, he was using 3 sai. At the appropriate moment he would throw the one sai into the foam block, then pull the sai which was placed behind his obi on his back to complete the form. I have a video record of one of those performances, See below:

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n8gFN6dOXM

Kusanku Sai 10:33 - 13:13
 
Sherman Harrill once made a point to me that originally when he was shown the form in Agena, the thrown sai was intended to be thrown into the abdomen of the opponent. This was later changed to be thrown into the floor. The reason for the change was that Shimabuku Tatsuo felt, as thee were increasing numbers of students on the floors, it was safer for everyone to make the throws into the floor. Thereby avoiding sai being accidentally thrown into someone's body, as originally intended.

When I lived in New Hampshire, occasionally I would throw the sai to stick it into the ground for my own practice of Kusanku Sai Kata.

A look at Bagua

 http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2016/04/bagua-or-older-name-paqua-it-still-is.html\\

Joe Swift The name is always 八卦掌, the romanizations of baguazhang or paqua chang are beside the point LOL! 

Jim Keenan Before 1977, I had never see 卦 romanized as "qua". As far as I know, there is no romanization that represents the Mandarin sound "G" with a "Q". I wonder if "Paqua" is Black Belt magazine's fault? In 1977, they ran an article about me and bagua. Before the article ran, they sent me a draft, asking me to fix any errors. They had spelled "Pakua" (Wade-Giles) uniformly as "Paqua". I went through and dutifully crossed out the misspellings, put in the correct romanization, and sent it back to them. Needless to say, when the article came out, the misspellings had been preserved.

Jim made 3 different translations for me.

沖縄国際平和研究所
April 18, 2015 ·
草木で覆い隠された洞窟の中に、火を放つ米兵。火炎放射器は壕内に潜む日本兵を攻撃するのに役立つ兵器のひとつだった。（伊江島 1945年）
 

One of the best weapons yet devised to flush the little men out of their caves. This photo, taken at Ie Island, shows a Marine shooting the searing blast of the flame thrower into a cave that is hidden by the underbrush.
 

The Black 米兵 in the cave which covered with the grass. It was one of the weapons that could be useful to attack the Japanese soldiers in the bunker. (ie, 1945)
 

One of the best weapons yet devised to flush the little men out of their caves. This photo, taken at Ie Island, shows a Marine shooting the searing blast of the flame thrower into a cave that is hidden by the underbrush.


·
Hmmm,

When I started there were only 8 empty hand kata within my Isshinryu system. Too soon I was on my own, but there was no internet back then, nobody to tell me I could not do anything.

So I just studied with many friends and remembered and practiced everything I was shown. I was trained that a black belt did not say I cannot do something, instead just tried. I was shown and I remembered.

Now while I may have learned over 200 forms, I didn’t attempt to teach them. They were just my own study. Along the way I studied with a gifted Kung Fu instructor who was in the same shoes, Though in his case he had over 500 forms he was trying to stay on top of. His answer was each day of the week he worked on a different set of forms.

Now that does not mean you don’t specialize on your own system first. Rather these are subsidiary studies. Then again Isshinryu did not have the Pinan kata, and I never paid that any attention.

Consider Seiean. When I started Isshinryu it was the first kata study. I have given it the most time over the decades. But then I learned a Shorin version, then the Shotokan Hangetsu, the Goju Seisan, the Uechi seisan. Much the same with many of my kata. Just practice, I never had any problem keeping them separate or remembering them.

They were interesting studies. I could judge practitioners more fairly as I knew what they were attempting to do. I picked up many neat variations of movement to work against because of those studies.

They were subsidiary studies, and in time I did set many of them aside, useful in their day, but doing so I did not forget. I remember when I visited George Mattson’s Uechi dojo, on a day he was not there, and when I had the chance I was allowed to try their Seisan practice. Got some interesting looks because I could do the form.    The same occurred in a Goju School when I jumped in a Sanseiryu practice and kept up with them.

That did not mean I was anything competent in those systems, I was not attempting that. Rather I learned something in the process.

When it came to my Tai Chi studies, and then later Chinese form studies, why those forms lengths made all Okinawan Systems look like kindergarten, Which of course they were not.

Examples when force is inserted into an attack

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sZ4JNb1_DI

 

More on Multiple Striking/Meotode

The recent video I shared of Meotode brought the many methods of multiple punching/striking to mind.  But one technique sequence shared by Sherman Harrill sticks in my mind.

 

I am going from memory here. I will do my best to describe it as follows.

The attacker begins with a right strike to your face while stepping forward with their right foot, then follows with a left strike to your body.

Alternatively the attacker steps forward with their right foot as the grab towards your left shoulder,then immediately follows with a left strike to your solar plexus.

Each are realistically just a training tool. Remember reality could be very different and would require you to adjust accordingly. However both are ways to discuss the same attack sequence, just that they begin with different speeds for the initial attack.

The sequence:

A. The attacker steps forward with their right foot as the grab towards your left shoulder

    1. Use the crossing of your hands to allow your right open hand to cross your body and parry their grabbing hand away from you.
    2. Immediately after that hand parries the grab your left closed fist strikes that arm with a side block/strike, at the same time your right foot steps forward.
    3. Then as your step finishes. with the ridge of your close fist strike, rapidly strike into their lower right side abdomen.

Immediately following that strike it glances off to strike again to the upper abdomen immediately below their right nipple. 

That strike continues off the struck area and the thumb of your vertical right fist strikes as it glances off their arms lower  triceps to end up past their leading right arm.  

    These strikes are a continuous strike in 1-2-3 sequence. Two ridge of knuckles strikes and a thumb strike.

B. the attacker immediately follows with a left strike to your solar plexus.
 

     4.  As they begin their left punch, your right hand chambers and as it begins to do so, your right thumb strikes again into their triceps under their arm.
    5. Next the chambering motion of the right hand strikes into the right side of their face.
    6. Immediately the right hand continues the chambering motion to your hip. Doing so it strikes with your right fist ridge of knuckles into thier forward punching arm. Then the chambering motion become complete as the right hand returns to the chambering position.
 

    Again these strikes are a continuous strike in 1-2-3 sequence.   They are a thumb strike, returning backfist strike then a chambering strike.
 

These strikes form a destabilizing motion of pain into the attacker. Drawing their focus of their mind forward with each strike. Leaving them open for whatever response you deem appropriate.

 

Motobu Ryu Karate Jutsu

 Another Great Video

 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-y1CDb314s&t=11s

 

 

A variety of older karate and judo videos

 An Old Style of "Bunkai" - 1965
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSH_yN6h6dY

Gichin Funakoshi 船越 義珍 Années 1923-1924
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NIzogGlC0w

Gichin Funakoshi's two lost throws 船越 義珍 空手道教範
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNU3AJAd7bg

 

Kata ( No tempo de O'Sensei Gichin Funakoshi )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-zwTpBpFTQ&t=12s

 Okinawa Karate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2-PbiYeWC8

 

Shinken no waza 真剣の技 Judo
( Techniques authentiques)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyMBiSJQ6kE

 

OKINAWA KARATE Old footage
This is a very valuable material that Tamotsu Miyahira sensei received from Kou Uehara sensei of Okinawa Goju-ryu.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_fkM5iQw5Y&t=35s

 

Kobudo Kata from 1995 saved by Andre Quast

 Urasoe no Kon 1995
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4-sJImrk1U

Hama Higa no Tonfa by Shiroma Katsuo 1995
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhYuvAOJsgc

Shushi no Kon Dai 1995
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS25pelm6_Y

 

 

Itosu Eight Point Kicking Drill

It is frequently difficult to translate something written into action. The following describes a kicking drill I re-created from my reading John Sells’ original version of ‘Unante’.

Sells Sensei described a kicking drill on page 50:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWsCvvwxW1E

 

“Itosu did not personally favor high kicking or techniques, he is known for a unique exercise called the “8-point kick”. This is called for the trainee to practice kicking at targets representing the floating ribs, solar plexus, junction of the legs and torso, groin and inner thighs in rapid succession.”

Finding that interesting, that evening I started to set up a kicking drill following those sequences. Here is what I tried.

Beginning facing a partner, both in natural parallel stance with both arms upraised, allowing free access to the target.



1. Right squat kick to the opponent left floating ribs.
2. Left squat kick to the opponent right floating ribs.
3. Right front kick to the opponent solar plexus.
4. Left front kick into the opponent left hip.
5. Right front kick into the opponent right hip.
6. Left scoop kick (with the top of the foot) to the opponent groin.
7. Right front kick into the opponent left thigh.
8. Left front kick into the opponent right thigh.

It can be done by one person against a static partner, or it can be done by two partners who alternate kicks. i.e.:


Partner 1. Right squat kick to the opponents left floating ribs.
Partner 2. Right squat kick to the opponents left floating ribs.
Partner 1  Left squat kick to the opponents right floating ribs.
Partner 2  Left squat kick to the opponents right floating ribs.

Continue with the rest of the drill.

This drill promotes inside line kicking techniques.


Notes:
 1. ‘Unante’ by John Sells – published by W.M. Hawley 1995
 2. Squat Kick – An Isshinryu kicking technique with the ball of the foot, about ½ front kick and ½ roundhouse kick. The support leg flexes (into a squat) first. It really is a front kick delivered from the floor at a 45 degree angle.
 3. Scoop Kick – A rising front kick to the groin delivered with the top of the foot.

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Hello everyone,

I'm not sure if this has any bearing on the conversation being held about kicking technique but I do have a short story from Robert Orozco.

"When he visited my dojo, I believe the second time, he told me that Yonamime sensei (his instructor) would have then take off their obi, hold it at arms length, and attempt to kick to chin level without touching the obi. Now, I am not a flexible person by any means, but this was impossible for me to do as well as all of my students.

My instructor has always told me to never kick above belt level and this is what he brought back from Okinawa so this is what I also teach." 

From my blog:

http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2009/02/recreating-itosu-eight-point-kickin.html