Shorin Ryuu

Well, the way it's done is slightly different. For Naihanchi Sandan, the first move is into a naname zenkutsu with a "left middle block" and then you shift into a naihanchi dachi with a "double block" (right hand middle block, left hand down block). Of course, they're not actually blocks, but just to use common terminology... If this sequence was omitted, then it wasn't being done properly. There is such a thing as variation in how things are done and then leaving out moves entirely. Before nit-pickers and argumentative types (like me) chime in, he's in the same system and organization I am. What's more, we trace our lineage through Chibana Chosin and Itosu (Itosu being the one who made this form), so there is less room for customization in that respect.

The jumps in Kusanku Sho/Dai are actually the newer way of doing them, so I don't prescribe to that sort of application for them. The older way doesn't take you airborne when you do them (leaving me to believe it's more of a takedown). As for the chin, because of our varying explanations and ways of doing the moves themselves, I keep it down because lifting it does two things: causes your potential energy to shift up dangerously (since I'm not jumping, I don't want to do this) and it makes you vulnerable. Just to make sure, we're talking in the beginning and not the end, right? In the end, it's face forward (much easier to visualize than using the chin). As for jumps in general, I've had a harder time buying into the "leaping high to avoid a blow". I can buy into a shuffle or in more drastic cases, a movement designed to gain great distance, but a full-blown jump up in the air leaves you far too vulnerable and isn't quite practical. If you can jump that high, you can jump backwards or in some other direction. If you're out of range or off-line, you're momentarily safe. If you simply rely on vertical height, you're risking far too much using something with only a small chance of success in the first place.

No, I'm willing to bet that instructor never existed.

Gee, that's just because you're...Oh, right. Can't say that here. Sounds a lot like the place we just left, no?

Yup. One of these days, they should just sticky one of these questions, as it comes up very frequently. That, or stick a thread demonstrating the use of the mystical "Search Button" that is rather lonely all the way up there...

Yeah, something similar. Again, it's not even if the person knows five techniques really well or five hundred techniques really well (or just okay). The circumstances will always have infinite variations from one to the next, so you can't even focus on just knowing five techniques really well. You just have to think about the principles behind them. Knowing five techniques really well isn't quite exactly the same thing as knowing the principles behind them and not learning more simply because you don't need to...you can adapt it to create an infinite amount of techniques...well, whatever you need to. There IS probably a limit to how many practical variations you could do, somewhere down the line. But using the word technique itself shows a bias in direction (or an invitation for a foray into semantics). Saying you only need to know five techniques well is saying those techniques will work because you know them well. Again, just a slight difference in emphasis. The exact statement of what you say may mean what I am saying, and it may not (depending on who says it and what their opinion is). I'm either refuting you (and that classic argument) or coming up with a better way (in my opinion) of saying what you intended.

Edit: Please delete. Not sure how that happened.

The "deadliest move" does not exist. Obssession with techniques rather than principles often creates this fallacy in thinking.

Nice poem and message, greenbeltgirl_15. And now for some Japanese flavoring... The winter wind blows, Birds announce the new morning, Time to train again. For the sake of future growth, the sacrifice of my time.

Just a random question more for my curiousity than anything else. Kumite988, do you use Kiba dachi (new way) or a naihanchi dachi (old way) when you do it?

Actually, he's talking about Naihanchi Sandan. Naihanchi Sandan was an Itosu kata. Many systems picked it up, regardless of whether they trace through the Itosu lineage or not (for example, Hohan Soken learned it from Chibana Chosin). I never had any more difficulty learning Sandan as opposed to the other two. The best way to learn kata for me was to do it once or twice all the way through (to give you an idea of where you're headed) and then break it into parts. Maybe because it isn't an exact, direct mirror of itself (although it is pretty close)? It always helps if you have some sort of idea what each move is (even if it is real basic, just for the early stages). You have a friend you can practice it with? That always helps.

*Echoes what everyone else said* One more thing. If you're serious, try and remember one thing about each person, and ask them about it whenever you seen them (obviously, this can be overdone). It helps them know you actually know who they are and something about them (even if it is only one thing). It'll also help you to remember their names if you associate them with something.

Best of luck to you. I'll actually be visiting Hendersonville, NC from June 19th-June 24th. I'll pretty much be at Kyoshi Perry's dojo all day long during the Monday through Thursday period. I also plan on attending the August Camp as well. Maybe I'll see you there?

I think that probably refers more to sentimental energy than anything else. I don't see it as anything more than it is (just a belt), but if people really like it, there's nothing wrong with that. It's definitely less smellier than having a pair of lucky socks that you never wash... I highly doubt people actually believe in their heart of hearts that washing the belt would make them any less capable than they are now. Or even mildly believe it, for that matter.

My home is Okinawan martial arts. I'm still pretty open to learning about other arts (all good traditional martial arts are really systematized mixed martial arts if you look at it).

That's not too strange. Most of traditional Okinawan culture is decidedly more Chinese than it is Japanese.

Tsk. Tsk. I always tell people that belts are not used to hold up your pants, they're used to hold your gi closed. If you relied on them to hold up your pants, there'd be a lot warm ankles and cold legs, if you get my drift.

There's always those people that buy satin belts that fall apart and look ragged really quickly. Then there's always those people that have simply had the same black belt for over thirty years... I see you're a fellow Shorinkan student. Who's your teacher? (I see you're in North Carolina...do you get to train with Kyoshi Perry often?) Mine is Renshi Sam Ahtye in San Francisco.

Sometimes we eat at either the Chinese restaurant or the Japanese restaurant nearby if we feel like it after practice. Hmm. I guess we don't really have any extra traditions.

Southwest Center for the Martial Arts 7601 E. Gray Rd., Suite C Scottsdale, AZ 85260 Renshi Chris Hoshiyama It's Shorin Ryu, and not necessarily what you're looking for, but if your other options run out, I recommend you give this a try. I think the instructor is recovering from a car accident, but from what I hear he's pretty good. He's good friends with my current instructor, I believe.

The strict division of karate on Okinawa into different styles (apart from obvious inner-circle family systems, which even then were sometimes shared) is pretty brand new on Okinawa. Therefore, it isn't surprising that many or most of the kata in systms such as Okinawa kenpo are pretty much all Shorin Ryu kata. But that isn't a "bad thing", nor does that make Okinawan kenpo "non-traditional". The only thing that makes a karate style traditional or not is it's kata. All the other stuff (gi, belts, dojo, etc.) aren't truly "traditional". You have to look at the teacher of Odo Seikichi and Maehara Seijiro (whom your instructor says he trained with): Nakamura Shigeru. Nakamura trained under people like Higashionna, Kuniyoshi Peichin, Yabu, and Hanashiro Chomo. All these people were fundamental in shaping the present form of the traditional arts existing today. On Okinawa, it wasn't uncommon for people to study Nahate and Shurite and many masters of various methods were friends (many of them grew up training together and went their own ways later). Nakamura Shigeru used the name "Okinawa Kenpo" because he didn't want to come up with a new name for what he did. In other words, since it was more or less a transmission of the traditional arts of his teachers, he didn't feel like a new name was necessary. You have to remember you're seeing Okinawa Kenpo Karate through the lens of your current teacher. He may or may not be showing you things in-depth depending on your level (I don't know what your level and depth of critical analysis is in martial arts). I haven't met him or seen him, so I can't make comments on his skill level, which definitely dwarfs mine if he got to train with those people. For example, I have several videotapes of Oyata Seiyu, who was a student of Nakamura Shigeru. His kata is for the most part, all Shorin Ryu kata. He does them markedly differently (I'm not sure if I'd do them all his way), but his bunkai/applications for the forms are superb. I wouldn't want to fight with him (or some of his students). So yes, Okinawan Kenpo actually refers to a specific "style" of karate rather than using a generic name for it. Using kata and lineage as a guide, it is traditional. How your instructor teaches it will have an impact on how "traditional" it is, but the style itself is traditional. Once again, dojo, gi, obi...none of these things are "traditional".

Well, it's because the Japanese do not have an "uh" sound. The "ah" is the closer approximation than "Oh" or "su". I'm going to back up JEM618 on this one. The "Sa" sound is short, so it's not as bad as it looks. You're going to want to keep the "ヴァン" as well.

I think so (It's been a while since I've seen Heian Sandan...Pinan Sandan doesn't have those snaps). I was referring to that, as well as the fact that most all of the stepping in the Naihanchi kata can be perceived as stomps or kicks (and indeed, many kata are the same way).

Well, they're not literal, outwardly manifested kicks in the sense you're thinking (maegeri, mawashigeri, etc.).

There's plenty of kicks in Naihanchi (Tekki...). You just have to know where to look.