A study in Chinto

Thoughts on Miyagi and Rank

 

I just ran across something Gary Gablehouse posted some time ago, a quote by Miyagi Chojun, Sensei on Martial Arts Titles.

 

"I believe that when Dan ranks are awarded in karate, it will inevitably lead to trouble. The ranking system will lead to discrimination within Karate, and karateka will be judged by their rank and not their character. It will create inferior and superior strata within the Karate community, and lead to discrimination between people."

Which is even more interesting when you think about what Miyagi Chojun did to move the study of karate forward.

 He studied and shared within the Okinawan martial arts community. He traveled to China to try and understand the Chinese Martial Arts, he was an innovator for his own style of karate training. He worked to gain recognition of the Okinawan Martial Arts in Japan, receiving recognition

From the Japanese Martial Establishment for his efforts and he observed first hand how the use of rank was working within Japan.

 I recall reading how Funakoshi Ginchin remarked how many with rank were coming forward at martial events. Individuals he had never heard of. I think it was within such context that Miyagi’s opinions were framed.

 On Okinawa, at that time, you were just an instructor, or a student or adept training. Rank was not unknown on Okinawa. Rank was a social function. Most or all of the karate-ka in the 1800’s were from noble families, it was something done with the structure of that society, Even when it was proposed for the schools I expect most of the students were from that stratus of society. Your family rank or status did not change because of your karate.

 Then when the export began into Japan, the structure was applied to be more Japanese in nature. After all I was for the University system that the art was taught, and there the structure of rank made it seem more like what individuals knew.

 

The idea must have appealed to many Okinawa’s as Miyagi had requests to grant rank to students. However he declined to do this with karate.

 When he died soon after the War, one of the first actions by his students was to ignore his suggestions and adopt rank.

 Now the tradition was when you became the instructor, as there were no rules written, you had the authority to make your own decisions. So changing to having rank in karate was not incorrect, just different.

 But is Miyagi’s suggestion was followed, how might the shape of karate be different today.

 

I just happened to run across this quote by the late Don Draeger in H.E. Davey’s book “Unlocking the Secrets of Aiki-jujutsu”. (which has a great deal to say about the Japanese martial arts.). Don Draeger was renowned as an authority on the martial arts of Japan.

 

 

As it happens it was sheer happenstance that I ran across that quote by Don Draeger. But I am not going to let chance stop me from using it.

 

It does seem consistent that Miyagi knew what the contemporary Japanese martial establishment was saying about the kyu-dan business developing within Japan. And that gave him reason not to go along with it. Also as he was from a family of distinction, it is reasonable to assume he didn’t find value in changing things.

 

That others didn’t see things his way also seems to be that they were concerned that the Japanese mainland was going that way and they felt that it would make sense to do it.

 

Of course speculation on my part.

 

The use of Kyu did IMO prove successful. It was a useful tool to develop beginners.

 

As for the rest, I recall Funakoshi started promoting people with one year training, back in the beginning of his time in Japan. Then things changed, I imaging to fit the then current Japanese University structure and then grew into what is today.

 

Setting that aside, the Okinawan must have been impressed at some level with what it showed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Last Gasps

Back at the beginning

My time as an instructor is drawing to a close. Only a few short classes to go. I have done my best to pass my system of training on to my senior students. They are instructors themselves and have placed their own stamp onto the program, and of course will continue to do so.

 

Not that I have been taking it easy for I put just as much effort into my adult classes as ever, documenting the lessons too.

 

Our Isshinryu is grounded in what I studied with Tom Lewis Sensei and Charles Murray Sensei. Some of the other studies I made are also subsidiary studies in the program.

 

I will continue my research into the origins of karate, and many other topics.  I continue to remain a karate-ka and train daily.

 

I have created a blog for my students, which share some of my research should any future student find it useful. Some of our studies are saved on YouTube. Some open, some just for them. I have done my best to pass along what I have seen to them.

 

I remember some verse I wrote long ago:

 

I’ve been the beginner learning my right foot from my left.
I’ve been the student learning the tools of my craft.
I’ve been the practitioner increasing the scope of my skills.
I’ve been the adept taking responsibility for the breadth of my art.
I’ve been the instructor.

I guide the beginner.
I focus the student.
I encourage the practitioner.
I explore with the adept.
I draw out the instructor.

My vision is without bounds.
My abilities are less.
History but one tool in my arsenal.
My studies have been vast, but my grasp of the circle is small.

I’ve found friendship and betrayal, joy and sorrow and loneliness.
And the utter certainty that I cannot pass my entire vision along.
None can walk my way, and their efforts are driven by their own needs.
Especially as I cannot take their freedom but can point the way.

I remain the beginner as my body must be faced anew each day.
I remain the student learning the tools of my craft.
I remain the practitioner seeking to increase the scope of my skills .
I remain the adept trying to hold the sea in my arms.
I am the instructor.
I am senior.

Perhaps I’ll be like Prufrock.
“I grow Old, I grow Old,
Shall I wear the bottoms of my trousers rolled?”

 

Some how that pretty much sums it up.

 

 And as it turns out perhaps I will roll up those trousers.

 

I as a new black belt, with my first black gi

The Power of Aikido

In1960 Lancer Books published Thomas Makiyama’s book, “The Power of Aikido”.  Other books published by Lancer were ‘Combat Judo’ The Kashi-No-Bo (Stick Fighting) Technique’ and Super Karate Made Easy. Each of which was a paperback book. This was a time before there was much public awareness of Oriental Martial Arts.

 

Listing the Chapters shows the depth of this publication

 

          An introduction to Aikido

          A brief history of Aikido

          An Explanation of the word “Ki
          Aikido for Women

          1 Proper Posture and Stance for Aikido

          2 Special Aikido Forms Concerning Co-oridination and Balance Exercises

3 Special Aikido Forms Concerning Standing and Conditioning Exercises

4 Executing an Inverted “V” Wrist Elbow Lock Combination Throw

5 Methods for Defense against Blows from Overhands

6 Methods of Defense against an Opponent who holds one of his hands to grip or hold onto only one of your wrists

7 Methods of Defense against an Opponent who employs both hands to grab one of your wrists

8 Methods of Defense against an Opponent who holds you by gripping one lapel, or similar holds

9 Methods of Defense against an Opponent who grips your lapel with both hands or similar holds

10 Defense methods against punches to the body

11 Examples of Defense Methods against Various Tactics and Forms of Striking and Grasping

12 Methods and Examples of Defenses against an opponent who attacks with a club or knife

 

This has to be one of the earliest works in America describing Aikido. It is a good book, even more surprising for the time in which it was published.

 

Thomas H. Makiyama (1928–2005), born in Hawaii, was an aikido teacher and founder of Keijutsukai Aikido and the Keijutsukai International Federation (Keijutsukai Kokusai Renmei), based in Tokyo. The organization teaches Keijutsukai Aikido and Keijutsu (a specialized method of defensive tactics for law enforcement personnel).

Thoughts on training the young

In many senses I have been a pioneer for training youth. This is a general observation from those times not specific toward any particular style.

When I began many program taught kids, but they were mixed into adult classes. Often they were the children or siblings of the instructors. Many times they learned karate at a very skilled level.

 

But generally most of the instructors I knew thought I was daft. Real karate was something you did with adults.

 

I remember visiting some programs that had youth programs, and the instructor let them run around playing, actually functioning as a baby sitter.

 

All I had was the Isshinryu I had studied, and all I did was teach karate, not play. My wife was a physical education teacher, and she taught me a great deal about understanding the pace of instruction for youth. The ages were between 7 and 21, all working together. Which coincided with the ages for membership in the Boys Club and Boys and Girls Club.

 

And as in every dojo I have known, students passed through the program, many not staying. Just a handful making the Black Belt. The average time for the young was 7 to 9 years, and then they left town to get on with life as young adults do.

 

Of course the longer I taught the more I wanted to have those who trained that distance to become qualified. I also wanted to make the program have more meaning for the rest of the students, the short timers.

 

Age is not a restriction to learning, nor are any other factors, in time everyone gets better, in time. That is different for different people. Many of them who have the most difficulty in the beginning become the better students over time.

 

Often hearing I will have trouble with ‘that’ one, I simply pay no attention to that, and just teach, Being at the Club has an advantage, I do not have to punish them. If a handful of pushups doesn’t settle them down, we just dismiss them from the class, and send them downstairs, to play or whatever. No one has the right to disrupt others who are training. And this happens extremely rarely, as they know we will do this.

 

As I am focused on their becoming skilled in the next 7 to 9 years, there is plenty of time to get them perfect. Less than skilled performance at earlier ranks is not the purpose of training. By the time they are preparing for their Sho Dan examination, we have addressed their earlier imperfections.

 

Now times have changed. Many schools are using the income for teaching the young as their primary income flow. There are very few programs which have remained adult only programs. Many schools also have ‘kinder kids’ programs, of differing sorts. Programs that are not karate. Change is the world.

 

What has not changed is that entering a martial arts program is often a one time and out event. I have seen very few of those who chose to stop training ever successfully return to training.

 

I am not referring to those who have to stop for medical reasons, or events outside of their control. But for most people (and regardless of age) when they chose to set training aside, they have chosen to do that forever. There are reasons for that, but that is not what I am addressing now.

 

On the whole, students who remain a month tend to stay 2 or 3 years.

I became more interested in having that experience be something that could be useful to them. And in doing this I was just going to use karate instruction as designed to teach them something of value.

 

What karate means to me as that we accept that our own efforts give us additional abilities. Ones we did not have before we began training.

 

Each student learns themselves that their efforts affect their ability. They see new students starting and they can do things the new student can’t do. They learn how their choices to learn increase their ability. Then we do reference this is not true just in karate, but in everything they learn Linking it back to their studies in school, for one thing.

 

But they are also learning how to make decisions. That to is part of what karate training makes one do. Decide to continue to train and learn new things. And in time, most will find something else is more important to them. Then they learn choices also have a consequence.

 So when they choose to move away from karate training, that is also a choice that they make. All life is making choices. Being able to choose what is necessary for yourself is an important part of growing up. That their training helps them make such a choice, is something to be proud of.  Regardless of what stage they make the decision.

 

To me, this the most important lesson you can share with them. Of course when most make the choice, they could have gone on to be credible students. It is not for my satisfaction they should make their choice. But for their needs.

When I was a boy, many adults ran programs for the young around town. Summer Park programs, Youth fellowship programs, Youth center programs, choirs, little league and etc. They were not for themselves but for the greater good of the youth of the town. I realized that what I was doing was for much the same reason.

 

No I do not consider what youth (or beginners of any age) doing karate, rather preparing to learn karate, which by the time they reach Sho Dan.

That does not mean they are not learning real karate, for they are. Rather until they have prepared their body and mind for it. They are in formative stages.

 While I do like karate, it is not the only to train the young.

 

And I often think that people do not realize the instructor is not the most important person in a youths life. First are the parents. Their getting them to class, and picking them up after class are more important. That they are spending time with their kids, has a far greater influence on them in the long run.

 

IMO parents, school teachers, ministers all have far greater importance in the long run.

 

Of course part of my program is to move forward in my own Isshinryu. Those that participate in that are on a different track.

 

Time has also brought about another change. Parents often see karate is an activity for their kids. I have had mothers and fathers approach me about their kids as young as 3 an 4, who are interested in them training.

 At that time I suggested dance class. The parents looked terrified.

 

But here is my logic.

 Karate tends to be a one shot experience for most people. If they start younger there is less chance they will continue with it. Then the experience is past.

 

On the other hand I am convinced there are other activities that offer more for the young.  Those who share other activities, have influence in that activity and share an impact in time, but are hardly the only influence in kids lives.

 

When my son was young (5) we enrolled him in dance class along with his sister (4). Dance is great movement education for the young. When I was young I too was in dance class for a few years. Finding the best movement education for the young means more in the long run.

 

Another superior activity for the young is youth soccer. Everyone is getting stronger by running. Swimming and pre-gymnastice also come to mind for the complete body workout they provide.

 

IMO, there is no right age to begin, Of course as a rule students tend to learn faster if they are around 11, but I have seen plenty of exceptions to that too. As karate tends to be a one shot experience, and I do like karate for youth, having them begin older makes them appreciate what they are learning IMO more.

 

A more complex idea than many think of, instruction of the young, and also real karate.

 

 

The Sword of No Sword

Life of the Master Warrior : Tesshu

The Sword of No Sword

 

 

This book is about Tesshu Yamaoko, who was the headmaster of the Muto Ryu of Swordmanship, a follower of Zen Buddahism and known for his Calligraphy.

 

My own interests do not go towards the study of sword, but this biography are interesting reading. His life, the examples of his calligraphy outstanding, and his writings are compelling. It was worth the time to read this.

 

I have included some examples of the photos from the book.

One technique from Sherman Harrill

 

 

In June of 1995 I attended my first clinic with Sherman Harrill. Over the next 10 years I assisted Garry Gerossie hosting some seminars, and I attended other seminars he had in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

 

Remembering those times I went to the collected notes I made from those clinics after his death.

 

As an example I am selecting Chinto kata, I recorded he had shared 105 possible applications for that kata. There was a lot more to his karate than just what was shown.

Here is what I recorded for application 105 from those notes.

 

  Chinto – Close

 

1.    Attacker RFF Right Punch to the head

a.    LFF Left open hand parry to the attackers biceps (on the side), then left hand grab the back of the attackers head at the hair

b.    Right hammerist to the side of the head

 Attacker then throws a left punch

c.     Right cross block to punch

d.    Right front kick

 

The shorthand description is my own. Any mistakes are my own.

 

Here is a photo of Sherman Harrill from 1997 with my original instructor, Tom Lewis.

 

 

 

 

Today his teachings are still with us, via the ongoing sharings of John Kerker and his other students.