Tai Chi Masters from China Performed in the Park in 1959

 

I just ran across this video. It contains many skilled individuals from several different styles of  T’ai Chi.

 

 

Tai Chi Masters from China Performed in the Park in 1959

Ernest Rothrock's Shaolin School in the 1970's

 

Ernest Rothrocks’s Shaolin School when I first met him

In the 1970’s

 

 

Ernest Rothrock on the far left,

Dave Belsky in the middle, he later became owner of the Wilkes-Barre school,

Gay Aston on his left,

Cindy Rothrock on the far right

Teaching the young, an instructors perspective.

 

From the perspective of someone who taught the young through the Boys and Girls Club between 1979 to 2016.  I understand what you are commenting on. Of course I only taught for free, just wanting to pay back to my community what adults did when I was young. 

When I first taught I was expecting teens to come, but discovered most at that time were not interested in karate. Many of my students were young. But regardless of who the students were I only taught the karate I studied. Never play classes to make money as many schools I have seen do so many times. 

In fact one time I had a young girl join our program, he father brought he to our first class, and at one time he had trained to black belt in a different system. He chose our program because it was not a play karate program as were many others he  looked at. 

After observing what was being taught to his daughter (who was 7) after class he approached me to state,  “I can’t believe it you were actually teaching her karate."  

I replied, “Of course I was that was what I was trained in.”

It is invariably true almost 100 % will not stay more than a few years, an those who reach black belt when they move forward in life, as young people do, will almost certainly place karate aside.

 

I have had instructors who had huge and good commercial programs express the same experience. Young people move on in life and rarely include karate in their path. 

But the value is there for each and every one of them,  Not the karate, which is real, but the value to their lives, which is beyond measure. For everyone of them, whether they stay or not, gains the knowledge that they can really learn if they apply themselves to the training. The confidence of that effort is beyond price as they keep it for life.

An Interview with Sensei Toshihiro Oshiro

 I just found this in my files. No idea where I saved this from but I believe it if of interest.

An Interview with Sensei Toshihiro Oshiro
Oshiro Toshihiro: The Way of Yamanni-ryu
by Dong Tran

Dong Tran: When and where were you born?
Toshihiro Oshiro: I was born May 1st, 1949 in Haneji, Okinawa, Japan.

DT: When did you begin training in karate? Did your youth revolve around martial arts?
TO: I started when I was sixteen. But in actuality, when I was eight or nine in elementary school my sempai already taught me karate and bojutsu. So you can say I already began at age eight. But it's not similar to the way you practice in the dojo today; it's more like kids playing baseball or basketball, that kind of thing.

DT: Was it called Shorin-ryu then?
TO: No. I wish I could remember the kata they taught me. It was a mixture of Pinan and Naihanchi katas but I don't know who made that kata. After WWII many Okinawan karate practitioners were prisoners of war and one of the stockades was near Haneji so I guess one of them taught karate to our town people.

DT: Who was your first karate sensei? Did you also train with Nagamine Shoshin sensei? Did you teach at his dojo?
TO: My first and main karate sensei was Shima Masao sensei. One year after I joined his dojo, he recommended that I go train at the hombu (HQ) dojo. When I made shodan I became assistant instructor and then instructor. But leading a class is not the same thing as teaching. They are two entirely different things! Shima sensei taught me from the Fukyu gata to Chinto. At headquarters, Nagamine sensei, Kushi sensei, Yamaguchi sensei, and Nakamura sensei taught me Chinto kata. Nakamura sensei, especially, taught me Chinto kata very deeply..

DT: When did you meet Kishaba Chokei sensei?
TO: I met him when I made brown belt. It's not like the modern ranking system. In those days we trained day and night, seven days a week. I achieved brown belt in one year. Shima sensei's dojo was jointly started by Shima, Taba, and Kishaba senseis. Then Taba and Kishaba senseis went to mainland Japan so only Shima sensei ran the school. When I made brown belt, Kishaba sensei came back; that's how I met him. That's when he started teaching us. But Shima sensei was my main karate sensei. My foundation and technique came from him. From Kishaba sensei I gained a lot of knowledge and polished my technique.

DT: Where did you train?
TO: Training was very personal. If sensei saw that a particular student really wanted to practice, after class he'd bring the student to his house and teach him more.

DT: When did you meet Chokei sensei's brother Chogi, your Yamanni-ryu teacher?
TO: Shima sensei always talked about Chogi Kishaba sensei and Chokei sensei also talked about his brother, how he was a really good bojutsu practitioner. When Kishaba Chokei sensei came back from mainland Japan, he didn't have a place to stay, so he lived at his brother Chogi's house, which was where I used to come to practice karate with him. It took eight years before I finally got to see for myself Chogi sensei's bo technique and how different it was from other people's.

DT: Had you heard of Yamanni-ryu before that?
TO: I had never heard of Yamanni-ryu before. The first time I heard that word, it was from Kishaba sensei himself. But other senseis knew about Yamanni-ryu; I was just a young kid and didn't know about it.

DT: Was Kishaba sensei actively teaching Yamanni-ryu at that time?
TO: I don't know. The only thing I knew was that every time I came to his house for training, I was the only student.

DT: Did Kishaba sensei accept you right away or was there a testing, waiting period?
TO: I was allowed to practice with him because I was recommended by his brother.

DT: Were you also working at the time?
TO: I was working then in the Police department.

DT: Is Kishaba sensei the sole successor to Masami Chinen sensei, the founder of Yamanni-ryu, or are there other teachers?
TO: I believe there were other Yamanni-ryu instructors. They learned from Masami Chinen or his grandfather Sanda but I heard that only Kishaba sensei knows all the Yamanni-ryu katas. Other people may have studied from Masami sensei or Sanda sensei but how many people can really say they learned from them? No one can claim Menkyo Kaiden because there's no such thing. The word doesn't even exist in the Okinawan language.

DT: Can you tell us about a typical training session with the Kishaba brothers?
TO: I never practiced with them on the same night. I would train at the dojo, for instance, from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. then go to Kishaba Chogi sensei's house for bojutsu. Once in a while I practiced at the hombu dojo then go train with Chokei sensei afterwards. The sessions were separate. I used to train bojutsu with Chogi sensei in his veranda. It was dark but there was some light. I could see what he was showing me but mostly I heard (his bo cut the air). His technique was so swift but he would not break it down for me. He would only do the same technique over the same way. When teaching kata he would break it down but wouldn't explain anything. He would only say, "Do this!" I haven't learned all his techniques yet. I think he has more to teach.

DT: Did you have to do a lot of training and research on your own?

TO: Yes. Of course Kishaba sensei taught me a lot of kata, techniques, and history but technically I had to research for myself and do a lot of self-training. The foundation and 99% of my knowledge and technique came from Kishaba sensei but I had to practice a lot on my own.

DT: Most of us are used to being spoon-fed. Can you tell us how Kishaba sensei taught you Sakugawa-no-kon?
TO: There was light in his veranda but still it was very dark. Now I wish I could see what he did but I'm surprised I could follow the sound of his bo. He just told me what to do. The first time he showed me the kata it was very different. I think he slowed it down for me.

DT: At the time, there were no basic or intermediate katas; you went directly from Suuji-no-kon to Sakugawa-no-kon. Is it why you feel today it is necessary to create more basic katas to introduce the student to Yamanni-ryu slowly?
TO: Right. As far as Ryubi-no-kon is concerned, there was already a basic kata by that name but it didn't work. When I had to teach in the US I had to create a simple kata. You know how hard Suuji-no-kon is, even though it looks simple. I adapted the existing Ryubi-no-kon to Yamanni-ryu and showed it to Kishaba sensei. He approved it because he knew the Okinawan katas were too difficult and we needed introductory ones.

DT: Did Kishaba sensei also teach you the secondary weapons or did you have to research on your own?
TO: He never taught us the small weapons. He said there were only katas for bojutsu and karate in Okinawan martial arts. For everything else (sai, tunfa, etc...) We would have to study ourselves.

DT: Can you tell us how Kishaba sensei taught you saijutsu?
TO: One day I ordered a pair of sai that was very well balanced, with a good shape. I brought them to Sensei's house and asked him to teach me. I knew there must be a way to control the weapon (even if there was no kata). Sensei really liked those sai so he took them and we went upstairs for our regular bojutsu practice. Halfway up the stairs he turned around and swung the sai-just once-in front of my face and said: "This is how you are supposed to swing the sai." That was the only time he showed me. He said that as far as the small weapons were concerned, I had to study on my own. And that's what I did.

DT: When did you come to the United States?
TO: In 1978. I came because one of my karate sempai, who owned a dojo in California, had passed away. They needed a replacement instructor, so I came.

DT: When you came here, did you begin teaching Yamanni-ryu right away?
TO: For five years after I arrived in the US, I taught only karate. Karate was the main curriculum because I felt bojutsu was something I did just for myself. I didn't teach anybody until one day I went to a tournament and saw how people practiced bojutsu. Somebody asked me to do a demonstration and when I did people were really surprised at how different it was from their styles. Interest picked up and that's when I started teaching Yamanni-ryu.

DT: It has taken a while; are you happy with the foundation you have laid so far?
TO: As far as introducing Yamanni-ryu to the public, I hope I did a good thing for Okinawan martial arts. Some people have said that karate has changed into a modern version while ancient kobudo has not. I hope that through Yamanni-ryu they can get a glimpse of the old karate. I don't know if I have done a good job. Maybe if there had been a more capable person (than I) and he could have taught Americans and made Yamanni-ryu more popular and raised people's level of martial art...I only know I did my best. But I'm happy with what I've done and seen. Even though there are people who are just using Yamanni-ryu's name, there are those who sincerely want to learn it, and that makes me very happy.

DT: You have given seminars and clinics abroad as well. Recently you have been to France. Do you feel Yamanni-ryu will grow on the international level?
TO: I think so. In other countries people want to learn Yamanni-ryu but it's difficult for them to get instruction. I was lucky to have been invited to France to teach last month. This was the first time Yamanni-ryu was introduced in public in Europe.

DT: What are your hopes for the future? You have begun using kendo bogu (armor) to practice tournament-style kumibo. Do you want to incorporate this into the Yamanni-ryu syllabus?
TO: The introduction of kumibo and intermediate katas was not my idea but rather Kishaba sensei's express orders. He requested the kumibo practice but the technical implementation was my own. For the future of Yamanni-ryu I believe that the sport/competition aspect of it will make it easier for the public to understand up to a certain level, but at a higher level, people will have to do the martial art, the Way of martial art. However, if we do only the martial art, people might not be able to do Yamanni-ryu and it might disappear.

DT: Thank you, sensei, for granting me this interview and sharing your views with us.

Dong Tran first met Oshiro sensei in 1986 and has achieved the rank of nidan in Yamanni-ryu in 1998. He brings Oshiro sensei out to New Jersey for an annual workshop in June. His dojo, the Asian Arts Center, is located in West Caldwell, NJ. His web site is: www.asianartscenter.com

just some thoughts on menkyo kaiden

---

I'n not here to change anyone's mind, because it seems people have their minds made up already. I will, however, contribute a little to this older conversation (i just came across it today) with a bit of my own thoughts.

Quote:

If Kishaba Chôgi - who maybe studied under Masami Chinen in whatever meaning you may interpret "study" - should have such a written diploma it may be allowed to ask for it's existance and what it states (Shihan Menkyo, or Menjô etc.). Also there are maybe more hints on such a diploma, like "the person learned Bôjutsu for a long time" or "... reached this or that level" etc. It should be in your mind to provide such an information, if it exists (as Miyagi Chôjun did not give our diploma or ranks, it would also be intersting to know how long Kishaba trained under him, if he continued training with others).

I trained in Yamanni Ryu with Oshiro Toshihiro for almost 20 years. I also trained with Kishaba Chogi for the three years I lived in Okinawa (1994-1997).

I remember a conversation I had in Kishaba's dojo one night. During one a mid-class break in one of Kishaba's classes, I asked sensei about the menkyo kaiden.

We were all sitting in a corner of a room, and Kishaba answered me with a very short reply, one in which I could not understand at all, given that it was a mix of hogen and very masculine Japanese. It was up to another member of the group to explain to me in more simple terms (I forgot who it was), but the gist of it was that at the time Kishaba was training with Chinen it was not a given that people got menkyo kaiden in Okinawan martial arts: that tradition was more a practice seen in Japanese martial arts than it was in Okinawan ones. Okinawan martial systems traditionally did not place such a deep emphasis on records, certificates, and licenses.

Oshiro, in fact, said a similar thing in an interview with Dong Tran. (http://www.oshirodojo.com/kobudo_int_dong.html)

OSHIRO: "I believe there were other Yamanni-ryu instructors. They learned from Masami Chinen or his grandfather Sanda but I heard that only Kishaba sensei knows all the Yamanni-ryu katas. Other people may have studied from Masami sensei or Sanda sensei but how many people can really say they learned from them? No one can claim Menkyo Kaiden because there's no such thing. The word doesn't even exist in the Okinawan language."

I am not saying that okinawan martial artists never received these papers, as it has already been pointed out that some of them did. And I am not asking any of you to believe what has been said to me. I myself have no reason to doubt the knowledge and honesty of the poeple I trained with. Even so, given what they've said, I am wondering how many people received these menkyo kaiden in Okinawa prior to World War II, when schools started to get more students and organizations were forming in a big way.

if it really wasn't a common practice, then it might not be so unbelievable that a smaller more secretive style such as Yamanni Ryu didnt give them out, as they were looked upon merely as pieces of paper.

 

Nobida

 

 

Tribute to Roy Blackwell

 

Roy Blackwell was my first black belt student.

 

He began his training under Charles Murray who was also training me, when Charles began a youth program in his church in Providence Pa. When Charles returned to the USAF the Blackwell brothers continued their training with me.

  

A photo I took of some of the students of Charles Murray back in 1978,

 

When I began my program for youth at the Scranton Boys Club, they assisted me with the program as they continued their own studies. Often they accompanied me to get additional training at the many schools I visited.

 

Roy continued the training and eventually reached Black Belt, prior to moving with his family to Texas.

 

At times he would visit me for varying times and eventually reached 3^rd dan.

 

In Texas he chose to join the USMC reserves.

 

In life he faced many trials and eventually succumbed to them, passing away.

 

I would like to remember Roy best through these photos

 

Mike Toomey (my 2^nd black belt), myself and Roy

 

  

 

 

 

Myself and I preparing to participate in a karate camp war game.

Some Lessons an Instructor Learns the Hard Way

 

 

My senior student was Roy Blackwell. He actually began training along with his two brothers in the church program Charles Murray started in his church. When Charles returned to the USAF the Blackwell brothers kept training with me and when I began my program at the Scranton Boys Club they greatly helped me launch that program.

 

As the years passed  often whey you train siblings as one  pulls ahead of the others in skill, the other brothers turn to something else and only Roy remained training.

 

When he entered his Junior year of training his parents put it to him it was either Football on the School team or dropping karate for that time. Roy chose football and discontinued karate training for that time. At that time Roy was a brown belt and I did understand why his parents made him make that decision.

 

Of course my program continued at the Boys Club, they for an upcoming Parents evening I was asked to provide a karate program for the parents to see.  I proceeded to design a program.

 

Just before that program, Roy’s football year ended and he was very eager to return to the karate training with me.

 

 

 So he got into the training and practicing with the rest of the group for the program.

 

It was just the standard overview of what the kids were studying in our Isshinryu karate program.  Toward the end I was going to perform a simple head board break for all,   Really a simple pop break with my forehead. Then have several of the youth perform a dynamic self defense skit I had originally put together for the Blackwell brothers for a tournament several years before.

 

In actuality, a very simple set of drills for the youth to perform before their parents.

 

The night of the program Roy came up to me with a begging request. He wanted to do the head break. It really was a simple break and I knew he had the body mass to do so. However I also knew it was a bad idea.

 

I really did try and dissuade him from that request. But he pleaded so hard eventually I gave in against my better judgment.

 

Then the demonstration began.

 

You know some group and individual kata performances, several sparring demonstrations. Group basics, etc.

 

As it was winding down I announced Roy Blackwell was next.

 

I decided to have some fun with it. (which as it turned out was a very bad idea).

 

’ I told the group Roy had just returned to karate, choosing to stop to play football for his school team. So for deciding to stop karate training I think it would be reasonable for him to pay for that choice and have him break a board with his forehead.’

 

I stood before Roy, holding the board in my hands.

 

He prepared himself,  then suddenly drove his head forward,  he smashed his head through the board.

 

But as I was holding the board I clearly saw is was not his forehead that broke the board, instead he did a face break.  It was his face I saw breaking the board.

 

I had Roy return to the group and began my explanation of the final self defense demonstration that would conclude the program.

 

But as I was talking I saw Roy had blood streaming from both nostrils. I realized I had to act, and of course it was before everyone there.

 

So as I continued with my explanation I began moving toward Roy. When I reached him I quietly told him he was to leave, enter the locker room and clean his face and place pressure on his nose to stop the bleed.

 

And of course as he was pumped up for the demonstration he wanted nothing to do with that.

 

I had to get insistent before he would leave. He did so.

 

All the time I had to continue talking to the crowd.

 

I selected a replacement from the group. 

 

The demonstration concluded the show.

 

I then went into the locker room to find Roy had stopped his nose from bleeding. I also got an explanation from him as to what happened.

 

It turned out Roy had a new girlfriend in the audience.  He had her come there to show off his karate.

 

I learned a very big lesson that day,  Never,  never…. never let a student suggest you change your planned program for them.

 

 

 

 

The Cartoid Choke

Saved from from 

the Journal of Asian Martial Arts

Volume 3, 2009

Probably the best article on the Cartoid Choke I have seen.

Of course it does take work to read, 

but it is worth the effort.

Just click on the first of the screen prints

and it allows you to view each screen

print in order.