Staying Power

 When I was young, a long time ago.

 

When Mario McKenna suggested I start my blog as a reference for my students, I was not sure what it would become.

 

I had accumulated a great many training experiences with many instructors and had incorporated many of them into our training.

 

But as we are an Isshinryu program, first and foremost, there were many studies that never fit the time we had available.

 

Then there were many personal experiences I wanted available for their future reference.

 

And I had accumulated much knowledge  about a great many other things, that might have some future value for them. So I began accumulating all of them here. And over time it has grown a bit.

 

No specific order, just what strikes me at the moment.

 

As the blog automatically tracks the number of people who view it, I started to notice there were more and more following it, individuals from all over the world.

 

Much if it frankly makes no sense unless you have trained with me. I did not figure out I was giving any secrets away. If anyone takes the time to actually work out what we are doing, they deserve access to the material. For all the rest, frankly they probably will not take the effort to understand it.

 

So I did not restrict viewership, believing on sharing what I have seen

 

Apparetly others have been interested in viewing my thoughts. To date the viewership has reached 300,290.

 

That is something I never counted on. But almost never do any of them ever ask any questions, perhaps……….

 

So I move forward, every day. I am now much disabled, trying to preserve as much of what I have seen as possible.

 

And the beat goes on, and the beat goes on.

 

Mabuni's writings in the 1930s

 

Mabuni Seipai Study 1934

by Mabuni kenwa

 

Published 1934

Usage Public Domain Mark 1.0

Topics Karate, Mabuni Kenwa, Seipai, Bubishi

 https://archive.org/details/MabuniSeipaiStudy1934

 

Between themselves Funakoshi and Mabuni were engaging in a pretty neat bit of social engineering.

 

Look the average Japanese were not martial artists and their books were not written for them. The Japanese Martial establishments were not looking to replace their arts with Okinawan ones. But the University system would have been impressed that there were literate descriptions of these arts, even if they didn’t understand them. Making a more reasonable case to consider adding them to their programs. No doubt they did not research that these arts were not shared this way on Okinawa.

 

Then as Funakoshi shared a vision of Itosu’s arts, Mabuni decided to first focus on the Hiagonna Naha traditions.

A brief description of karate,

A book on Sanchin and Seiunchin then one on Seipai.

The briefest explanation of bunkai. Mario McKenna has explained to me in ‘Goshin Kempo Karate’ published in 1934 Mabuni Kenwa originally uses the term "bunkai setsumei" or "breakdown/apart and explanation".  Not a serious study of what a kata could be used for, but a simple teaser that it existed in the training.

Funakoshi incorporated some sections from the Bubishi, without translations, showing a link on older traditions. With his book Seipai Mabuni did the same with other Bubishi sections. And no explanation what they were, but some older tradition.

Not surprising, even Japan acknowledged some Chinese roots.

 

Basically a show and tell that there was a serious tradition here.

 

So they could point to those books for the Martial Establishment to acknowledge they existed. More importantly those works helped them gain University ties.

 

The books while accurate, were not really intended for students. They had been taught on Okinawa, and although changes were being made for University students, the core value of direct experience still held sway.

 

As time passed of course later generations trying to have links with their past, incorporated these exercises as drills. That is not necessarily bad, But you should not assume that they were more that that.

 

As we look on such books we should consider them in this light. Not assuming they have a greater place in history. We get to see what they revealed, but are left to question what else was not said.

Japanese pdf versions

 https://www.karatedo.asia/publications-kenwa-mabuni/?fbclid=IwAR0Y3Nj1Zb8fMzi9C8N-LFSPMg0kFoFSk0uVDe0-Gcpgr79NC4sdDd4s9Us

Free thinking

So other night I was thinking about a sudden attack, someone rushing in with a left strike followed by a right strike, considering what I could do in my current disabled state. My karate still works abet differently.

So I started thinking of things I might do. When Chinto’s opening came to mind. It occurred to me to shift my center to the left and form the rising ‘X’ block to the left interior of the strike. But I would use the ‘>’ of the ‘X’ for the block. The use of all the sides of the ‘X’ block something I had explored long ago.

 

Thus blocking with the ‘>’ of that block, to the inside of that strike. Then separating my hands, turning the left hand over to make a pressure block with the left palm and move the strike away from me. At the same time the right hand would begin the separation from the block of Chinto kata, and together with the movement of the left hand, the right would strike down to the top of the opponents head, or smash a palm into their eye socket or strike into the carotid sinus at the side of their neck with a shuto. Simply the easiest target of opportunity.

I liked this solution. The synergy of both hands separating resulting in another force enhancer making the stroke to the head/neck more powerful. Allowing follow-up as needed.

 

Another thought came to me. As the ‘X’ separates the two hands, the left hand could strike into the armpit with a fingertip strike as the right shears down to strike into their face/neck. Another potential force enhancer, the use of a strike into their chest to accompany the head/ncek strike.

 

Nor did I stop there. What next came to mind was a similar way to use Sanchin.

 

 

Against the same right strike, also use the interior line of defense and raise both hands as to make an ‘X’ block with the forearms formed as in Sanchin kata’s first movements. Time that to intercept their strike with the ‘>’ of the ‘X’ as you rotate to the left. Then continue to separate both arms, the left arm pressing outward against the strike, and the right forearm striking into the face of the attacker in a descending strike.

 All you have done is form the opening of Sanchin kata, deflected their strike and struck into their face with the shearing plane of your right arm. Again the synergy of both arms synchronized becomes the force enhancer to make everything more powerful.

The formation of the ‘X’ is a momentary movement in the opening of the kata.

One is not better that the other, they are just options of choice from your kata.

It then occurred to me they were similar ways to use the movement from Yang Tai Chaun known as Play the Lute.

Which took me to Wansu kata. The section after the right front kick where you assume a kamae with both hands.

 

In fact that is also where the opponent leads with a left strike and your right hand intercepts it as it parries the strike down and off center, while the left hand strikes out into the face/neck with a left shuto strike. Simply the reverse application from the Chinto one.

The same applies to the same movement in Sunsu kata.

 

 

Of course the opening on Sunsu kata used the same potential as the opening of Sanchin kata, previously discussed.

And regardless of attack, the technique works on the interior line of defense and the exterior line of defense with almost no alteration to the technique.

So I found an interesting relationship between Chinto kata, Sanchin kata, Tai Chi Chaun and even Wansu kata.

As I was originally not taught much for specific kata applications for any Isshinryu kata, and originally not even for tai chi as I just studied it as a form at that time, I do not have any specific rules that bind me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thinking outside of the box

One of the things that attracts me to kata application principle is when new application potential arise when you think outside of the box.

 

I realize many people visit my words, but the parts of the blog which I consider most important are the descriptions of techniques from our actual training. Most people will never take the time to work them. That is real work. Especially as over 290,000 visitors have shown not one request for clarification.

 

It really is something those why have had actual training, can use this to jog your memory as you have done these applications.

 

Remember when I showed the destructive potential for the inside of the horizontal Elbow strike from Wansu kata.

 

Let me use a portion of the Wansu Kata as performed by Andy Sloane, because of the clarity of the technique.

 

 

The standard way of looking at the technique is as an elbow smash to the face or chest of the opponent, But when you consider what the inside of the elbow technique can do something else emerges.

 

I wrote about this quite a while ago.

http://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2016/02/black-belt-class-log-01282003.html

 

These days I spend more of my time thinking so.

 

Not bound to standard Isshinryu applications, because in my day we did not study them.

 

I intend to share some other thoughts soon.

Hard Sweat, nothing like it.

Way back in time

Mike Cassidy and Young Lee

being schooled in a Chinese technique

by Ernest Rothrock, Laoshi.

 

 

 

1982 Boys Club Youth Karate Tornament

In 1982 I held a youth karate tournament 

at the Scranton, Boys Club.

 

 

Iconic Okinawan Karate Photos