20,000 Friends

When I listened to the advice of Mario McKenna and began my blog my only intention was to create a repository for my students of my personal history and notes on my ongoing studies into Isshinryu and my other martial interests. I'm not looking for students, I don't offer clinics or join organizations. The purpose of Isshin - Concentration the Art is just that a repository of my studies for my students.

On the other hand I have never been adverse to sharing this material with anyone and that is why the blog is open.

Along the way Blogger updated to the point it keeps statistics on viewership and I discovered how many individuals have found my studies and thoughts of interest. Then today I noticed I just hit 20,000 views so I guess I need to have a Texas Ranger look into this, hence why Walker is on the opening photograph.

I've been fortunate in my friends more than anything. The very gifted instructor's who've shared with me have made a great deal of my research pay off because I've discovered the older writings actually describe studies I've been working at for decades.

Recently I've had a friend comment he often has to print out my posts to read and think about them because I have so much material in them. Well that works two ways, many times they're the results of weeks or months of research and study. But I have found such value in my studies I don't want my students to miss what I see and share.

Another friend commented that there is a contingent that thinks I'm being creative (i.e. lying) such as the story about Sutrisno Sensei standing on my shoulders before I finished attacking him. Personally I could care less what other think. Sutrisno Sensei's students were as amazed as I was when it occurred. The truth is I've never done anything but accurately report on all of my internet postings. My senior students have trained with all of my instructors and have seen enough to know how accurate my descriptions are.

Blogger like me and keeps trying to have me money-tize my blog, but as nice as money is, that is not what it's for so no advertising.

Well enough of me getting on my soapbox. I only hope those visitors have found something that drives their imagination to sweat harder and that I can leave a legacy of my studies for my own students.

And if you see that Ranger checking around, play nice for remember, 'One Riot, One Ranger'!

Thanks for the interest.

John Kerker's annual clinic in Chicopee Mass

Each October John Kerker visits Whitley's Budokai dojo in Chicopee Massachusetts.
I was able to attend yesterday and it was a pleasure to see John in action again.



Here is a brief clip of John in action.

Attending a martial clinic – the student’s options

There are many options about how to productively attend a martial clinic.

First what is the purpose of the clinic:

1. To share specific information use for your study, such as a new kata, technique applications or sparring practices.

2. To train with another instructor of your system.

3. To train with another instructor outside of your system.

4. Will the information shared be required as part of your ongoing study?

5. Is the information deeper knowledge such as in-depth technique applications.

6. Will the information gained not be part of your ongoing studies?

7. Are you attending with the permission and encouragement of your instructor(s)?

8. Are you attending because of personal interest without the knowledge or your instructor?

Some, All or even other purposes may be involved in your training.

Everyone attending a clinic is a student, even the instructor of the clinic.

The instructor is always learning how successful they can transmit the information to a new group of students.

Specifically if the clinic is on technique applications the following may be in play:

The host instructor, if the material is new to them, are learning and evaluation how that information may be worked into their program. The instructor may be focusing on underlying principles as much as the detail of the techniques.

Senior students involved in their program research may be working to retain as much knowledge of what was shown as possible. They may be focusing on as much detail retention as possible.

Dan Students may be working to gain greater understanding of their own or other arts. In that case how the underlying principles shown match the techniques studied.

Kyu Students are trying to keep their head above water. Often more dealing with confusion as the clinic moves from technique to technique.

Regardless of whether the clinic is for learning kata/forms or kobudo/weapons the new techniques and repetition of same I’ve found a series if principles that make it easier to retain what is happening. They are a good way to learn at anytime, but because of the time compression of a clinic, you may find them helpful to scope what is taking place.

First always focus on the stepping of the instructor. Because of the placement of you eyes focusing on the hands and arms is natural, but in most cases the learning involves movement and you first have to get yourself to the correct place in space for the rest of the technique to work. If you get the stepping first the rest of the technique (or kata section) is much easier to learn.

Second find a good partner to work with. Don’t let the clinic become a social event by extra chatting. Don’t let it become a that reminds me of this technique practice so you start performing other things. If you’re learning kata keep challenging each other to work the next section better than before.

Third, understand the role of short term memory and long term memory in retaining information. By short term memory you can perform today but if that knowledge doesn’t transfer to long term memory tomorrow you will have no idea what was learned the day before. You can help move from short to long term memory. If you understand the movement/technique, look around for someone nearby who is having trouble and take a moment to help them get it. This requires you to verbalize the movement section and aids the shift to long term memory.

You can also return to previously studied material at breaks later in the clinic. A break in time and then recalling the technique also helps move the knowledge into long term memory.

Fourth, ahead of time determine what you need to get out of the clinic, that can help you focus on what is most important to you during the clinic’s events.

You will not retain everything. The clinic instructor likely has many years behind his technique. If they’re teaching a form you can only get the shell of the movement, not the depth of years or decades of practice. Even if you loose the form you have gained by knowing what it felt to do it. If 100 techniques were shown and you only remember one of them that’s a 100% growth in understanding you had before the clinic. Even grasping the underlying principles behind technique usage from the instructor is valuable if you can’t retain the actual techniques. Those principles provide fuel for greater study.

On taking notes.

If you’re experiencing the clinic instruction for the first time, it’s better not to worry about taking notes during the clinic. Instead wait until late that night or the next day to do so. Notes from your long term memory will be more valuable than notes from your short term memory that you later may not understand in content.

When you’re more familiar with the instructor, the topic of the study or are performing as a researcher for your school you may work on keeping running notes of the study. I personally have my own shorthand method for capturing technique application study. It involves standard codes such as RFF RP (Right foot forward right punch) and the use of simple drawings to show motion paths, etc. Working with a partner after we seem to understand the movements, I step aside to work on some notes allowing my partner to work with another . Those notes should be re-written that evening adding detail. The initial shorthand notes never show the complete story of the movement. Then the notes become a long term reference of the day’s efforts.

It’s important to understand your notes will only be of use to you, others will not have the context to reconstruct much of them for their own use.

Video of the clinic.

On the whole a video record of a clinic will be un-watchable, even with a large amount of editing. The clinic instructor is likely not working at their level of performance but teaching to the general level of the members of the clinic. This does not make for great video and can be deadly dull to review unless you are extremely focused on what is shown. My suggestion is if you have the ability, video what you are doing in the clinic. That video will bring up your own memories of performance and help you learn in greater detail.

Good luck!

A Friday Visit in October

It was a dark and rainy night when I drove down to meet Jim Brumbaugh and Romney Taylor south of Derry to direct them to my house. They had spent the day driving from Ohio and Buffalo, New York. respectively, to meet me and then attend a clinic with Liu Chang'I to study Feeding Crane. The clinic to be hosted by another friend, Fred Lohse on Saturday and Sunday in Watertown, Massachusetts. We have been friends for a long time on the internet but this was the first time I met Jim and Romney.

Jim

Romney

It was a very good time. I answered Jim's questions about the use of the knee release and body alignment principles in application study. Romney enjoyed watching my instructors movies of training in Agena Okinawa, as much seeing the Motobu dojo performing Naifanchi kata in the Isshinryu mode (stepping first to the left) as well as in their standard mode (stepping first to the right). From there we discussed man diverse martial issues. Before they left for the clinic Saturday Morning as it was October I gave them a brief instruction in one Ghost Technique, so they'd have something for Halloween.

Fred

Liu Chang'I

I also visited the clinic for a bit to see Fred and watch Liu Chang'I and his Feeding Crane power development techniques. The clinic was very well attended and I met another internet friend for the first time, Narda Wakoluk, too. The techniques demonstrated by Lui Chang'I were awsome too.

Unfortunately I could not stay long but I know I gained by the chance to place faces to the names.

Student

Webster defines student two ways. First ,a scholar or learner who attends a school and Second, one who studies, an attentive and systematic observer.

It has been suggested the acquisition of sho-dan (or black belt) in karate is really recognition that the karate-ka has become a student of karate. I define that they have become one who studies, the attentive and systematic observer of their art, and the purpose of their studies is themselves.

Towards the end of our time together Charles Murray once told me “Victor, the first 20 years your art is the reflection of your instructor(s). After 20 years, your art is a reflection of yourself.” As time passes I’ve come to see that as more true than not, but how that comes into being isn’t a factor of the color of your belt, your titles or even the fact you keep training (but the last is still vitally important).

I find what is really important is that you have become a student of karate, defined as your studies have made you the attentive and systematic observer who in turn learns how to act on those observations.

I remember each step of my journey so clearly. Except for my instructor and wife nobody came up to congratulate me for getting my black belt. Almost immediately thereafter I became my own instructor and the most important tool was remaining the student.

I started studying other arts and learned how to remain a beginner. I began studying other’s actions, in word and deed and observed those actions consequences. Having learned how to stand I began to crawl.

I learned reading a book wasn’t enough, you had to try it on, walk in it’s thoughts, live it. In time, and it always took much time, something might be found helping guide my study.

Becoming the attentive and systematic observer became the key to being an instructor.

Becoming the key, the attentive and systematic observer.

Student.

Bunkai V Application Potential Realized

At times it’s very frustrating to me that the past is not documented. As much as we know of the components of earlier Karate training how the more advanced abilities were developed remains undocumented.

The central question is ‘What was Karate?’, for what use was it intended as the instructor developed the student.

Without a clear record I find there is much definition that reflects the various author’s desires but with no substantial historical proof. On the whole Okinawa was a quiet place so how far did the practice go beyond hard work? What were the studies instructors used to move beyond kata practice, makiwara and application study? Were there other practices?

Instructors such as Kyan Chotoku were known to just teach kata and not applications. Was that the case? Was is because deeper study wasn’t needed, though in Kyan’s case he wrote “When practicing a kata, it is necessary to know its meanings….” (from Nisaburo Miki’s “Kempo Gaisetsu” (outline of Kempo) 1930). Was it that the applications were only taught to those who became advanced enough to actually perform them correctly?

I see no clear answer to those questions. It is as logical as any other answer that karate was just karate.

We do know that there was a significant body of opinion that karate wasn’t meant to be used except for protection, and in my opinion that did not mean to fight. Karate contains the tools for any type of attack but there must be an understanding of what level of attack is possible to build for it’s usage.

If there was a clear picture of the attacker’s to be faced what was the training program to move beyond kata technique potential to become kata technique potential realized?

There is part of me that questions that karate had a specified role beyond it’s own study. There wasn’t a situation of daily violence that required karate. Karate wasn’t used for developing the king’s bodyguards because the Japanese had removed the king to Japan in the 1870’s. Karate was not used for military training. While some karate-ka became police, karte was not specifically a police training program.

That karate or older arts may have been used for such purposes in the past, from the 1850’s onward when ‘karate’ developed, without a clear cut defined need, it is likely that the instructor developed the student according to their own abilities and the personal effort they placed on the student’s own studies.

In any case I don’t see Karate as taught was designed for quick skill development.

Personally I find skill of technique delivery the most important requirement for application study. Where the kyu is developing technique potential only after they have developed technique skill is it appropriate to begin to study how those techniques disrupt an attack.

While there are a lot of ‘bunaki’ video’s out there, especially on YouTube, many of them do not evidence high level of skill in the performer. That could be by design, keeping knowledge in reserve, but when you come across those who show otherwise it makes you think about what the others are showing.

Likewise many with skill are not sharing their techniques, or if you see them teaching a clinic, where the level of what is being shared is appropriate to the audience you won’t see their skill either.

Let me share several examples.

First I choose Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming and his Tai Chi Chinna video.

Dr. Yang in the early 80’s was among the first suggesting there were multiple applications to technique usage. His book “Advanced Yang Style Tai Chi Chaun Volume 2 Martial Applications” showed how each movement could be used for 1) Chin Na Control (or locking the opponent) 2) Cavity Strike or Striking Vital Points and 3) Downing the Opponent. In the book he most often demonstrated multiple versions of each application potential for each movement.

Dr. Yang further expounded on these concepts with his book Taiji Chin Na and if you view the following YouTube video you’ll see what I mean about skill behind the applications demonstrated.

Dr Yang Jwing-Ming – author of Tai Chi ChinNa http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI-kJ14dtTY

It’s obvious the same applies to karate movement. A solid example is that of Higaonna Morio and his demonstration of Goju Ryu applications.

 

Sesan kata bunkai – Hiagonna Morio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o722Izz1dRc

There are certainly many other good examples to find.

There is not one correct answer but in each case solid application potential realization requires good technique and belief in the application to make it work. The latter is the more difficult to develop.

Bunkai IV – A Look at Application Potential

Dedicated to Sherman Harrill who showed me ‘the stars’ and to John Kerker who keeps the dream alive!

One bunkai from Seienchin Kata in the “Goshin Karate Kempo – Defense and Attack” by Mabuni Kenwa

Translated into French by Tokitsu Kenji (Feb 1989)

Translated into English by Victor Smith (June 2000)

3. When the two hands touch themselves, strongly close the fists, and then lower them slowly

following the trajectory of the parry ‘harai-uke’. (diagram 3)

4. Open the right hand, turn it in order that the palm is towards the top, and then advance it.

Next, immediately return it, back, from the top. Place the left hand on the left hip, with the palm up. Slowly bring back the right hand as far as the hip while at the same time effect a ‘tsuki’ (strike) with the fingers of the left hand while the palm stops turned toward the top (diagram 4 and 5).

1 When the opponent attacks you with a punch to the solar plexus, you back up the left foot a step

and parry his downward parry with your right fist. This is shown in diagram 1.

2. If the opponent attacks you again to the solar plexus with their right fist, with the arm that as

done the downward parry, you parry in kake-te to the joint of their arm, while bringing the parrying

arm up from the bottom. The position is illustrated by diagram 2.

3. You can then attack with the left fist to the chest of the opponent, as in diagram 3.

There you have it Mauni Kenwa’s first ‘bunkai’ from Seienchin (Seyunchin, Sieunchin and all other spellings).

As an Isshinryu stylist it is difficult to separate my study from the other (ShitoRyu and GojuRyu) versions but I believe the application potential analysis I’m offering will move between the different versions with little problem.

The largest difference is the Isshinryu version of this movement is done to the side while in horse stance where the Goju/Shito Ryu version is done to the front while in a horse stance on 45 degrees. Selfish of me but I’ll use the Isshinryu standard for my starting point, but that will make for little difference in the application potential.

Ground Rules -

I am only going to work with the 2^nd and 3^rd techniques (the overturning hand parry and the counter strike) for the main part. In many cases they will offer a complete answer, but in all cases by literally performing the next step of the kata there is the potential for a reap, sweep or takedown. In most cases I’m not going to add that conclusion and leave it up to you if your practice requires it for conclusion.

Following Mabuni Kenwa’s answer technique change is permitted and expected where appropriate. Likewise additional techniques may be incorporated where logical.

For the initial technique in application I am going to keep to the stance from the kata.

Likewise the kata utilizes a palm up spear hand, where Mabuni Kenwa shows a fist up strike (variation of an uppercut). To simplify things that spear hand may represent 1)the spear-hand or 2) a leopard paw knuckle strike or 3) an inverted strike (akin to the uppercut) or 4) a strike or 5) the spear-hand collapsing to a leopard paw strike or 6) the spear-hand collapsing to an inverted strike or 7)the spea-rhand collapsing to a punch (items 5,6 and 7 examples of double multiple strikes or 8) the spear-hand collapsing to a leopard paw strike collapsing to a punch (a triple multiple strike). Each of them represents a different application potential and multiples one application into many applications themselves.

The goal in training is to work towards a very vigorous initial strike requiring a serous defensive opening to control the situation and not allow the attacker to launch a successful 2^nd strike. This requires the defender to have skill in the execution of their technique.

The last paragraph is an example of an underlying principle behind striking. It is accompanied with the principle that the location to strike is any area within the natural range of motion for that strike. I will be using various examples of this during my analysis.

I will break down my analysis by type of attack and then exterior and interior line of defense or counter – offense for each application potential for this Seienchin technique series. I will not share every potential application I understand but on the first few show a greater range of possibilities, that same range can be applied to the other attacks too with additional work. In addition to those applications I share I will offer a matrix of attacks for further study.

Note: many of these technique exercises require control and lower level of execution not to hurt your partner. Practice safely, and in time the skill can be increased as both understand the potential for practice.

01 Attacker Right Foot steps Forward Right Lead Punch

0101 Exterior Line of Defense

010101 As the attacker moves step forward with your right foot in your horse stance and perform a right outer ridge-hand block behind the attacker’s elbow, on their triceps, then turn that hand over and use a pressure flow to move their arm to your right. Follow with 1) a left uppercut to their right lower abdomen or 2) with a left spear hand to their arm pit.

010102 As the attacker moves step forward with your right foot in your horse stance and perform a right outer ridge-hand block behind the attacker’s elbow, on their triceps, using that block to parry their arm towards your right and follow with 1) a right strike to their face or 2) a right palm strike to their face then conclude with a 3) left uppercut to their right lower rib cage or 4) a left spear hand to their arm pit.

010103 As the attacker moves pivot on your right foot and step with your left foot to form your horse stance at a right angle to their strike and at the same time perform a right outer ridge-hand block behind the attacker’s elbow on their triceps. Then turn that hand over and slide it down their arm to grasp at their wrist. When done pull them slightly forward in the direction of their punch and execute the left open hand spear hand strike (palm up) across their triceps tendon. This motion with the accompanying forward pull causes their upper body to move forward and then down as they’ve extended beyond their center of gravity. A question of timing they punch and then put their face into the ground.

** note the use of the 90 degree turn is arbitrary, it may be greater as an additional force multiplier working with the spear hand crossing the triceps tendon to force their head down.

*** a further force multiplier is as their body descends your left leg can then cross stomp into the back of their upper calf top pin their leg into the ground.

010104 As the attacker moves step forward with your right foot in your horse stance and perform a right outer ridge-hand block behind the attacker’s elbow, on their triceps, then turn that hand over and perform a following spear hand thrust into the attacker’s armpit. Then close your right hand grabbing underneath their armpit and pull down (following the flow of the kata). As you do so execute a right uppercut into the side of their rib cage (anywhere on the Thoracic Long Line of Bell). See what happens from having a surgeon participate in the program for 15 years, gives all of you something to look up.

010105 As the attacker moves step forward with your right foot in your horse stance and perform a right outer ridge-hand block behind the attacker’s elbow, on their triceps, using that block to parry their arm towards your right and follow with a right palm strike to their face. As you do so then pivot on your right foot and step with your left foot about 135 degrees ( so you’re now facing 1:30) and as you do so your right open hand flows across their face turning it counter-clockwise till you can then pull down with the pressure of your palm (you’re now using their face/neck as you did their arm). As you begin pulling them down your left open spear hand (palm up) strikes across the back of their neck, a force multiplier increasing their neck turn, and provides a point to crease their neck now bending it back, to bend them backwards in a takedown.

0102 Interior Line of Defense

010201 As the attacker moves step forward inside their attack with your right foot in your horse stance and perform the right hand parry as a rising spear hand into the attacker’s throat.

010202 As the attacker moves step forward inside their attack with your right foot in your horse stance and perform the right hand ridge-hand parry into the side of the attacker’s throat. The right hand then turns over and rolls the attacker’s head clockwise with the kata motion. As this is done the left hand disrupts the attacker’s balance and turns the complete motion into a rotary throw takedown. Among the options for the left hand are 1) a left spear hand strike into their throat or 2) a left spear hand into their arm pit or 3) a left uppercut into their lower ribs or 4) a left spear hand strike into their groin. With the initial strike to the throat and the rolling head, any of those strikes will break the attacker’s balance making the throw a natural progression.

02 Attacker Left Foot steps Forward Left Lead Punch

0201 Exterior Line of Defense

020101 As the attacker moves forward step forward outside their attack using the back of your right hand of the rising ridge hand block to parry their strike to your left. Then turn your right hand over and grab their shoulder to pull back and down as in the kata. As this is done strike into their lower ribs with your left uppercut. (Optional your left foot can sweep out using a crescent step to cut their left leg out from under them as a force multiplier to the natural throw that ensues.

020102 As the attacker moves forward step forward outside their attack using the back of your right hand of the rising ridge hand block to parry their strike to your left. Then execute a right strike into their face. This causes them to rotate away from the strike in a clockwise manner, the left hand then can strike into the middle of their thigh for a quick takedown as their leg gives way.

0202 Interior Line of Defense

020201 As the attacker moves forward step forward inside their attack and perform a right outer ridge-hand block behind the attacker’s elbow, on their triceps, then turn that hand over and use a pressure flow to move their arm to your right. Follow with a left spear hand strike to their 1) throat or 2) groin. Alternately use a triple strike described above to their solar plexus. Then conclude with a right reap of their lead leg causing them to fall forward after the strike breaks their centering.

020202 As the attacker moves forward step forward inside their attack and perform a right outer ridge-hand block behind the attacker’s elbow, on their triceps, then your right hand strikes their face. Follow with a left spear hand strike to their 1) throat or 2) groin. Alternately use a triple strike described above to their solar plexus. Then conclude with a right reap of their lead leg causing them to fall forward after the strike breaks their centering.

03 Attacker Right Foot steps forward Left Reverse Punch

0301 Exterior Line of Defense

030101 As the attacker moves step forward with your right foot in your horse stance and perform a right outer ridge-hand block behind the attacker’s elbow, on their triceps, then turn that hand over and use a pressure flow to move their arm to your right. Follow with 1) a left uppercut to their right lower abdomen or 2) with a left spear hand to their arm pit

0302 Interior Line of Defense

030201 As the attacker moves reach your left hand forward and raising it and then using the spear hand to chamber as a sliding block for their reverse punch Step forward with your left foot in horse stance and perform the right hand parry as a rising spear hand into the attacker’s throat.

04 Attacker Left Foot steps forward Right Reverse Punch

0401 Exterior Line of Defense

040101

0402 Interior Line of Defense

040201

05 Attacker Right foot slides forward Right jab followed by a left cross strike

0501 Exterior Line of Defense

050101

0502 Interior Line of Defense

050201

06 Attacker Left Foot slides forward Left jab followed by a right cross strike

0601 Exterior Line of Defense

060101

0602 Interior Line of Defense

060201

07 Attacker Right foot slides forward right uppercut followed by a left cross strike

0701 Exterior Line of Defense

070101

0702 Interior Line of Defense

070201

08 Attacker Left foot slides forward left uppercut followed by a right cross strike

0801 Exterior Line of Defense

080101

0802 Interior Line of Defense

080201

09 Attacker Right Kick - hands in left boxer guard position

0901 Exterior Line of Defense

090101

0902 Interior Line of Defense

090201

10 Attacker Left Kick - hands in right boxer guard position

1001 Exterior Line of Defense

100101

1002 Interior Line of Defense

100201