More on Okinawan Toe Kicking

Recently these very good videos of RH Gutierrez M.D. discussing the Okinawan toe kick of Aragaki, presented this material in a very clear manner.

Now the toe kick is used by various Okinawan systems, but there are various ways to approach it.

 

A series of great articles at FightingArts.com by Christopher Caille does a very good job discussing this, and is worth your time reading this.

 

http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=419

http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=407

http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=424

 

This is something I have discussed before:

 

http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2014/01/okinawan-toe-kicks.html

 

As time moves on I am sure there will be more on this topic discussed.

 

 

 

 

 

Regarding Jion Kata

I discovered this article I had saved hard copy from a while ago. I no longer know who this represents, but it contains good information on Jion, an older Okinawan kata.

The Isshinryu Combinations of Tom Lewis

When I began, there were the basics I was shown how to do my first night by several green belts. They are the same ones Charles Murray studied when he started.

 

Although I became gradually aware from several books, that they were not the same as others were doing, I had no interest in reinventing the wheel and kept to them.

 

Even when I trained at clinics in the 90s under Harrill Sensei, they were not a topic that was covered, accept on time in 2004. And then I was focusing on the applications he showed.

 

As I didn’t train with others in Isshinryu only when I joined the internet in the late 1980s did I discover there was much variance in what others were doing.

 

Original Upper Body Combinations

 

1.    RFF Right Punch

2.    RFF Right Uppercut

3.    LFF Right Punch

4.    LFF Right Uppercut

5.    RFB Left Low Block, Right Punch

6.    RFB Left Side Block, Right Punch

7.    RFB Left Arm Block, Right Spear

8.    RFB Left High Block, Right Punch

9.    RFB Left Open Hand Block, Right Uppercut

10.                       RFB Left Bridge Strike (Nose), Right Punch

11.                       LFF Left Low Block 5 Punches

12.                       LFF Left Side Block 5 Punches

13.                       LFF Right Roundhouse Punch, Left (Same)

14.                       LFF Left Open Low Block, Right Shuto

15. Break Bear Hug

 

Original Lower Body Combinations

 

1.    Front Snap Kick

2.    Knee Strike (45degrees)

3.    Front Kick (Side)

4.    Cross Kick

5.    Side Snap Kick

6.    Heel Strike (Knee)

7.    Knee Strike

8.    Rear Kick

9.    Side Kick (45 degrees rear)

10.                       Squat Kick

11.                       Side Kick (on  Floor)

12.                       Front Thrust (from floor)

13.                       Double Jump Kick

14.                       Roundhouse Kick

15.                       Side Kick (Rear 45 degrees), Rear Kick

 

 

These are still the combinations I use. All sets.

 

Still, we should try and look at what the past was.  Recently I discovered Tokumura Kensho  doing the Isshin-ryu Basics. Tokumura is an original student of Shimabuku Tatsuo, and while he move on to other systems of study. Here he reconstructs how he trained long ago.

The video has been blocked from being shown on other sites, but it can be seen here  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vol62pCCK5Q.

  

For myself I focus more on the kata, where the basics must be done correctly. But each instructor will follow their own lead.

Thanks to those who have shared these videos.

Inside the Eagle's Claw

I originally wrote about Eagle Claw in this article for www. FightingArts.com

 

Then it was edited to this form and a 2^nd article added.

http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=131

http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=132

 

 

The instructor /The parents / The kids

Taken from my 1985 instructors manual.

 

A true lesson

 

This brings to mind a story. At one time, of course long ago, I too felt grab defenses were not too serious for attacks. One day I was working with one of my women students and I said something to that effect to her, then she spoke her piece to me.

“Victor, what do you think I, a woman, have to deal with, Men grabbing me, my arms and my body. Where it is likely something you don’t have to deal with frequently, it is the reality of my life.”

I learned a lot from her discussion with me. Everyone is not larger, many are the smaller in a confrontation. Younger or older as the case may be. Then others are more likely to commence with a grab to immobilize them. Likewise in some parts of the world, that is how attacks commence.

So I realized it is not so much what I need. Rather it is what the student needs. And everyone needs proficiency in their grab defense practice.

From Goju Kicking to Isshinryu kicking

This is a very interesting video. Younger Hiagonna Morio sharing Goju kicking practices. Which are much similar to Isshinryu's kicking practices. Just discovered this on YouTube

 

 

Note the similarity to Dan Kicking drill I developed long ago, to use Isshinryu techniques  more effectively in our own practice.