CredoTe

Oh... I didn't realize that, Bob. I apologize. All the Kiba Dachis I've seen were at tournaments and they seemed way wide/long; so much so, that I didn't see the practical use because they looked too immobile to do anything... Maybe your Kiba Dachi is closer in dimensions to Shiko Dachi or Jigotai Dachi..?

Welcome to KF! I look forward to hearing about your MA journey!

Absolutely... The philosophies behind training are totally different with respect to these two categories. If a Roman legionnaire or centurion was placed in a gladiatorial arena, he would most likely be destroyed. Likewise, though, if a gladiator was placed on the battlefield amidst unit tactics, he would most likely be destroyed. Similarly, a good caliber self-defense/MA practitioner that's placed in a UFC fight with a highly trained athlete will most likely lose. If that same self-defense/MA practitioner met the same UFC fighter on the street in a situation, he would have a much better chance of defeating the UFC fighter ("much better chance", mind you; never a guarantee; and, the UFC fighter is still a highly skilled machine! Which usually means....RUN AWAY! As you hint at in your "escape the cage"...lol) Of course, a wrench is thrown into it all if either party in either of my scenarios spends time training in the opposite philosophy... (legionnaire could train to become a gladiator and vice versa, etc)

Just to be clear, I wasn't trying to suggest that the teaching of Koryu schools was a public affair, far from it. They were actually quite secretive, with members often having to take a keppan or blood oath swearing never to divulge the teachings to anyone (amongst other things). The mokuroku or catalogue of techniques was kept very secret and often in code - known only to members of the ryuha! All this was there to support the transmission of the tradition from master to student on a perpetual basis. This was quite different to the ways of the okinawan traditions. K. I think we're running into each other on account of our own ambiguities... I'm not trying to suggest that Koryu were publicly taught, either. Only that, while, yes, the Okinawans were a little more peaceful and laid-back than mainland Japanese, they still had just as much necessity for secrecy. Although, I believe Okinawans' reasons for secrecy were a little different than the Japanese Koryu. From what I've read on the matter, and please correct if I'm off , Koryu were trained/taught in secrecy more for the preservation of honor and pedigree of family/clan than for civilian survival, which was the Okinawans' motivation for secrecy.

Some people call it an "oblique kick." Conveniently, I made a quick-and-dirty, not-thought-out-in-advance video explaining it here: Of course, as sensei8 said, it is just one of many applications . And yes, all techniques really are only implied until you use them--that's a good way of looking at it! That's close, but, imho, it's not the same as Nami Ashi. It might appear close, but it's not. What you're demonstrating is that your kicking leg is coming up first, and then out towards target, but in our version of Nami Ashi, for the most part, said leg is coming right from the floor, from Kiba Dachi, as its used in the Naifanchi series, across to the opposite legs thigh, at least that's how we execute it, and our hips must stay level, and not coming upward. That is what I meant by "implied" rather than "explicit." When we practice Naihanchi, our hips also stay level during nami-gaeshi/nami-ashi, and the foot comes to the thigh. The foot going to the thigh tells you where to kick when you torque your hips and extend the kick. This is just part of our bunkai method, of course, so that doesn't necessarily fit everyone's style. Agreed, Wastelander. Part of the differences in application between styles can be attributed to differences in stances taken during execution. Bob mentions Kiba dachi; in Matsubayashi-Ryu, and from observances Kyobayashi-Ryu too, we do not have a Kiba dachi. Naihanchi is executed in Naihanchi dachi, which, by its nature, is nowhere near as long/wide as Kiba dachi, but is still deep. This enables mobility and control of tanden, thus enabling the bunkai you demonstrated in your video. For those that practice such waza and bunkai in Kiba dachi, the bunkai you showed might not be feasible because of the longer/wider stance. Too much shifting of tanden would occur, which would throw you off balance, off target, etc... Just food for thought...

This.I remember the first time I sat on a testing board (much more ran one) and I remember how nervous I was (both with being on the board and being in charge). It's surprising how easy it will come. Just relax and do what you do. Agreed... What they said... Good posts, bushido_man and Zaine...

Hmmm... That's a good idea... I may have to talk with my CI about your suggestion and see what we come up with...

Some people call it an "oblique kick." Conveniently, I made a quick-and-dirty, not-thought-out-in-advance video explaining it here: Of course, as sensei8 said, it is just one of many applications . And yes, all techniques really are only implied until you use them--that's a good way of looking at it! Good demonstration. Yes, many applications, even of the same shovel kick, as mentioned. Shovel kick can strike, block, etc...

Now, that's an "Aha" right there; solid post!! Yes, very much "Ah Ha!" moment... And, yes, ps1 is quite accurate with that post.

Yes, great find, great share! I agree with Bob; the movements look very similar to what's found in Tuite / grappling applications of Karate...

No, definitely not. I should have clarified, rather than ending my comment with what I did. No disparage intended regarding community centers...

Agreed Okinawan Kobudo / Tii / Tode, even when practiced and transmitted by the nobility and royal families of the Ryukyuan monarchy, was more for civil defense than for the battlefield, and were done mainly in secrecy. Thus, formal recording of such arts weren't conducted because a "paper trail" would lead to discovery by authority figures. Certain arts were used on the battlefield, mainly Kobudo, but only in time of desperation, and not by a "formal army". Good discussion... Thanks for the additional details of "Koryu"...

As a Matsubayashi-Ryu (Shorin-Ryu) practitioner, yes, I condition my body. Not just my striking surfaces (knuckles, elbows, knees, toes, etc), but my target areas so I can take shots to my body to a certain extent.

Turns, lifted feet, stances, etc. could all imply potential kicks. The most obvious example is in the kata Naihanchi--I think it's called Chulgi in TKD, if that helps? There are sections where you do sweeping motions with the feet that, in addition to legitimately working as foot sweeps, can be the chamber position for shovel kicks. My style also makes liberal use of cat stances throughout our other forms, which take your weight off the lead leg, which frees it up to kick or sweep. Absolutely... Also, I don't know if Kobayashi still includes Rohai in its curriculum, but that's another kata that has some implied kicks.

Welcome to KF! We look forward to your contributions!

Yes, great work! We await to hear your results!

We're having to deal with the cold, hard reality of high rent for small space right now. We have a choice location at the front of a strip mall next to a major chain store, and the strip mall we're in is next to a Walmart superstore. So, rent is pretty high. But, space is barely adequate, and our student body isn't the largest. We're actually in talks with the land management company to renegotiate rent because we're not sure how much longer we can pay it... We might be forced to find a community center or the like very soon...

I understand the core of your message, and I agree with almost everything... Except, while Japanese Karate is a gendai art, the Ryukyuan / Ruuchuu (Okinawan) roots of Karate (i.e. Kobudo / Tode / Tii), were around before the Meiji Restoration. Although, since Ryukyuans are culturally/ethnically different peoples than the mainland Japanese, it is debatable as to whether the Okinawan arts (Kobudo / Tii / Tode) that existed since before the Meiji Restoration should be considered Koryu. It is also debatable as to whether any Karate practiced today in the modern era truly does things as was practiced by Ryukyuan Kobudo / Tode / Tii long ago; however, threads of it do exist (it's a matter of finding someone with the knowledge whom is willing to teach).

I was hoping you would help clarify, RJC. Since I know you train in Okinawa on a somewhat regular basis, I figured you would be able to shed some light on the issue. The information that is disseminating to the US, Canada, etc isn't totally clear on what's going on; which is why my OP is rather vague (besides the final date). Any other details you could provide? How could this happen? Was it that the WMKA heads couldn't prevent it? The hearsay going around here in the US and Canada is that Soke's son was relocated out of Okinawa, and a stipulation of the lease was that a Nagamine had to be there. I have no idea if any of this is true...

Absolutely! As for "operators" and "warriors", I most certainly am both: I'm a computer Operating Keyboard Warrior! Clickety clack! In other words... CredoTe <=== Nerd!!!

Friends in Karate, As many of you may or may not know, information was received from Okinawa that the Nagamine dojo (Honbu dojo) is due to close, as the lease on the building has unfortunately come to an end, and the land is due to be redeveloped. The final day open will be December 15, 2013. It looks like a new home for the World Matsubayashi-Ryu Karate-Do Association (WMKA) will be selected at some point. https://www.matsubayashi-ryu.com

IMHO, it comes back to humbleness of oneself, humility of one's mind. Recognize and admit to yourself what you are and are not, don't try to be something you are not. With the prevalence of Internet, video games, and online video games, it's easy for everyone to be a "virtual tough-guy". In reality, most of us, myself included, would soil our drawers and puke our guts out in fear if we were ever placed in a real war zone in a real combat situation (at which, frozen in fear sitting in our own juices, we would just be blown to bits). A lot of my friends that own guns use the lingo that the article talks about, and it is rather annoying, similar to a trivial know-it-all that attempts to use jargon to look cool. In my case, I own a few firearms, and have been looking for classes that teach practical home-defense tactics, as well as self-defense tactics for conceal carriers for situations in public (i.e. an "active shooter" situation that a conceal carrier could respond to in the event that police/LEOs haven't shown up yet).

Yes! Good luck bushido_man!

Next Step in Tachikata Training: Stance practice to develop Tachikata into tenshin (footwork / movement / mobility). How do you practice footwork / movement / mobility with your stances? What drills do you utilize? What partner work do you utilize? Proper tenshin is crucial in controlling your tanden...

And from: Expanding on these posts, the more "Ah HA!" moments we have, the more we are able to turn rote into internalization. Would the peak of our MA knowledge / experience be that most or nearly all of our knowledge is internalized? At what point are we considered at our peak for knowledge / experience or in our MA journey in general? Does it take an "Ah HA!" moment to realize we're at our peak? Can one continue to have "Ah HA!" moments and/or internalization of knowledge once one's peak is reached? Thoughts?