Sunday, November 30, 2025

Chinkicki-n or Chinkichikiti by Robert Orozco

  

Hello Everyone,

 

Going through my files I found an old post made my Robert Orozco.

It is worth reading. Among other accomplishments he does read and speak the Okinawan language.




I hope that everyone is doing well.

 

 In the Okinawan language the verb to Pinch is Chinchiki-n and the gerund form is Chinchikiti.

 

Also, the Okinawan verb to grip is niji-in and the gerund form of this is nijiti.  I learned from my teacher that there are parts in kata that contain pinches or grabs/grips of various parts of the body. Included in these were neck pinches as well as side and specific muscle pinches and grips.

 

 Please note that these were not just random pinching/gripping areas as many of them if done correctly will cause serious damage especially around the neck.

 

The first kata that I became aware of these particular things from my teacher was in the kata Shiso-chin which was sometime in the early 90's. Of course, as time progressed I would learn that there was even more of this contained in other kata.

 

Some of the gripping was done with the pinkie and others were done with other fingers. The same was with the pinching. There were various ways to pinch as well and this had to do with various hand formations. 

 

One of the techniques I learned in shiso-chin was a gripping near the clavicle. I later seen other people do this as part of their bunkai but there was a big difference.

 

When I seen other people perform something similar the "uke" would generally lean backward however when my teacher performed this technique the "uke" moved down and forward. I once asked if these meanings were all the same for all four movements since they all contained what looked like a palm strike.

 

However, I was soon to find out that because the movement was performed seeming the same way there was difference based on the side of the "uke" being attacked and this also changes according to the movement of the stance.

 

(Note: There are at least two different types of zenkutsu dachi in Shisochin, the angle of the front foot has a great influence on how much one can or can't turn their gamaku)

 

I will be concentrating on some translations this weekend so I may not post anything until next week. I hope everyone has a safe and peaceful weekend.

 

Respectfully,


Robert Orozco

Higaonna Morio Empi Striking Sequence

  

After seeing this sequence on a Panther promotional tape

This is the closest I have come to seeing Morio Hiagonna

Even showing a part of that drill which was longer.

 Worlds Karate Legend MORIO HIGAONNA Goju-ryu Master 10th Dan (pt.2)

 3:46-4:00

Morio Hiagonna Empi striking sequence

 

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

 


 











That Panther video as I remembered it.

Goju Kicking by Higaonna Morio

 

 

Higaonna Sensei kicking technique

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoUXVJDS6aM


 






Tai Sabaki. The foundation of evasions

 

 



The tai-sabaki [tǐ bāki], literally movement (sabaki) of the body (tai), is the displacement of the body out of the line of attack, is therefore the first response element to override the effectiveness of the attack first and in turn the imbalance of the aggressor.

 

As a first point is the exit of the line of attack, the main foundation for in the first instant counteracting aggression and acquiring an advantageous position over the attack, this security position will allow the counterattack to require less effort and more effective.

 

The second aspect is that the ′′ disappearance ′′ of the attacker's target at the moment of impact causes an imbalance by emptiness, therefore, weakening the attack and creating imbalance in the attacker. Especially if when performing the tai sabaki we managed to find the so called ′′ dead angle ′′ or shikaku. This dead angle is the place where the aggressor has no chance of directly fighting back.

 

This imbalance occurs not only on a physical level, but also on a psychic level, because it creates in the attacker's mind a surprise that will have to process which will take those tenths of second vital to neutralize it.

 

Tai-Sabaki must be fast, stable and accurate. Running a perfect Tai-Sabaki we'll have more time for problem solving. This entails a lot of grassroots work to get to intuit the moment, to be as fast as possible and maintain a position stable enough to perform the counterattack.

 

Attending the maximum of the jujutsu-derived arts, give in first and then win, combined with those that carry the aiki concept, if you pull enter, if you push pivot, tai-sabaki becomes the fundamental tool to carry out those principles.


Tai-Sabaki is not used only as a method of elusive, it is used in the execution of many projections and also in luxations, strangulations, controls... says J. Kano ′′ tai-sabaki control is the key to optimal execution of projection techniques ". Also Kyuzo Mifune asserted that ′′ tai sabaki is the first and final stage in Judo practice ". R. Hernaez for his part said that ′′ if Tai Jitsu weren't called that it would definitely be called Tai Sabaki Jitsu ". With these words they suggest the importance of elusive. Distance (mai) and timing are essential for your proper execution.



In Tai-Sabaki there are two very important principles

 

Irimi: It's a linear displacement going into the attack, slightly out of its line, taking the initiative. It involves getting into the attack. It's hard to assimilate because the natural instinct of defense is to go back, but for the attacker it's a surprise because it's not expected either.

 

Tenkan: It's a circular shift, a 180 o turn, which aims to redirect and / or absorb the attack. It's a quick turn to the opponent's dead angle that puts you in an advantageous position for the answer. The twist itself allows it to merge with the attack and translate the opponent's own attack movement into the defender's power generator.

 

According to Taoist theory we could say Irimi would be the Yang, the action and Tenkan the Yin, the passive.

 

According to where we move, four new concepts appear to us

 

Omote: by the attacker front
Ura: Behind the attacker
Uchi: inside the attack
Soto: out of attack

 

Top Tai-Sabaki according to our displacement

 

Soto / Uchi Nagashi: Back
Soto / Uchi Hiraki: Lateral
Soto / Uchi Irimi: Go ahead
Soto / Uchi Tenkai: Circular
O Soto / O Uchi Tenkai: Great Circular




 


1900 French Jujitsu

  












The Tomari Passai and Tukumine No Kon


Kata TOMARI PASSAI (Old style) - Okinawa Shorinjiryu

 

Demonstration of the kata TOMARI PASSAI (Okinawa Shorinji-ryu),

in front of the late Nakazato Joen sensei

at the Okinawa World Karatedo Tournament 2009, Budokan, Okinawa.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap5JRbz5Hew

  

This is likely how Tatsuo learned it from Kyan.

He used to teach this at one time, later dropped.

 

However you can see how some of the opening

Was an influence in his own SunNuSu kata.

============================================================

沖繩古武道 • Hitoshi Oyakawa –

Tokumine No Kon –

Okinawa Kobudo Joen Nakazato Lineag

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Llnsg_oVWY





 


 



Sherman on how to always strike into an attackers arm.

 

 


Reviewing my notes I made in 2005 following Sherman Harrill’s death and were then placed in my Sherm-Pedia, I always found the principles that Sherman shared,  the most important thing I learned from him. My notes are 15 pages long. This is one of the principles that I understood.

 

1.    You can always Punch Your Own Palm  june 10, 1995. 

 

Working on Wansu applications, Harrill Sensei made a point, without looking you can always punch your own palm. He then used this principle to strike into an arm, where you only had to place your hand on the other side, and 100% of the time you’d strike the arm, aiming for the hand……

 

 

The 10 years when I attended Sherman’s clinics continually I was seeing kata applications that were only shared once. This is an example of how Sherman shared.

 

Sherman arm striking – June 1995

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6gpW6URhHI