Montana

EXACTLY!

If he's Shorin Ryu, we don't use hips to generate power. Just an FYI. If I was testing him for a dan rank and he used hips, he'd fail. What's the reasoning behind this, if you don't mind me asking. I generate power in my techniques using my hips, so that's why I'm curious. Using your hips in punches and kicks does generate more power, but it also throws your weight off balance or can leave you exposed if you miss. We generate out power in Shorin Ryu Matsumura Seito (we call it Kenpo now) with speed and technique. Balance is stable, and if you miss you're still stable. Tomato-tomatoe

AGREED! You'll do what you practice. It's ok to take it slow and easy while you're getting comfortable with the movements, but once you have them, I, as your sensei, expect to see the speed and power that's supposed to be there.

If he's Shorin Ryu, we don't use hips to generate power. Just an FYI. If I was testing him for a dan rank and he used hips, he'd fail.

I started my Shorin Ryu Matsumura Seito journey in January 1975 under Sensei Denny Miller. I tested and received my shodan from Sensei Kuda Yuichi in June, 1978 on his first trip to America. The katas I learned from Sensei Miller and Sensei Kuda were Pinan 1-5 Nahachin 1-3 Passai Sho and Dai Chinto Now, I have never met Sensei Alexander nor worked with any of his people. I understand from others that have that he is very arrogant and a "know-it-all" kind of guy, so I wouldn't get along with him anyway. Years ago I bought a few of his basic kata tapes to share with my students for their home studies, but found them flawed and very poor quality, and returned them to him. In order to return them, I called the number from ordering and spoke directly to Sensei Alexander. He accused me of copying the tapes and trying to rip him off, which I didn't do. I explained to him that his students doing the kata, IMO, were sloppy and not very good, and that really set him off on a rant! lol So anyway, my opinions on Sensei Alexander aren't that he is an authority on Matsumura Seito.

I got the belt a few days ago, exactly as I ordered it. no complaints other than the website was a bit misleading on how fast it was supposed to arrive. it was a custom order, so I guess that's what took the extra time. I'm happy.

the belt is supposed to be here today, but of course, it's not. They did send me tracking info, and as of right now, that info says: "Moving Through Network In Transit to Next Facility" Soooo, there it is.

Agreed. I got a tracking number today, so apparently it's on it's way. It was a waste of $10 doing faster shipping IMO.

We'd do about the same thing, but with balance. That guy is soooo off balance I'm surprised he didnt fall down! Also, being off balance, he's losing most of his power. He'll hit the guy, then he will fall backwards.

OK, FINALLY got a response. The belt ships out next Monday.

Hi all. I have a problem. I ordered a new belt with custom embroidery on May 24th. I paid an additional $10 for faster shipping as I had an event coming up. I "should" have gotten the belt by easily the end of May, and it's June 2nd now. I've called the company 3 times, but nobody answers. I get a message that says "Nobody's available to take your call now, please leave a message and we'll call you back". No call back yet. I've also left a message on their "Contact us" page of their website. Again, 3 times. And again, no response yet. Generally they have good reviews that I've found, but you sure can't tell from my experience with them. My bank says the funds have been taken out for the belt ($55)

I don't mean to start a flame war, but to which groups do you refer when you say they have bastardized the style? A legitimate question: I mean where sensei start to change the system dramatically. In this instance, some Shorin Ryu sensei start adding breaking into the system, which Shorin Ryu doesn't do (traditionally). Kicks higher than the belt are also not in the system, nor flying, spinning, flashy garbage crap.

I understand that, it just seemed, after a 15 year absense, that what I was seeing was really, really bad, including from the sensei's. Total lack of power and good technique. There were a lot of people doing "sword" kata. Horrible was the first thing that came to mind.

I'm retired now due to medical reasons, but I was a student of Shorin Ryu Matsumura Kenpo under that late Kuda Yuichi. Although I only competed once in a tournament, I enjoyed judging and refereeing them for over 25 years. I judged empty hand kata, weapons, just about everything except breaking (buncha crap IMO). Last month I had an opportunity to judge again at an open tournament locally, and boy, was I DISAPPOINTED in what I was seeing! There were a few really good (IMO) martial artists with great technique, but I'd say that 90% of what I was seeing, whether student or sensei, SUCKED! No power, bad stances, sloppy, SLOPPY technique, and just plain incompetence! Are the arts dead???

The way it was explained to me was this (for Shorin Ryu anyway). Students wear all white gi until they get their Shodan. At that point they can wear either black pants/white jacket, or black jacket/white pants. ONLY the head sensei can wear all black in the dojo. Why? Dont know. Now, I taught for a long time, students always wore whitye, I wore whatever I liked. For years I had students askign if they could wear black, I always said no. Then maybe my last 10 years of teaching I got to think "What difference does it really make?", so I announced that aybody could wear black, or white gi. No mixing. I sold a heck of a lot of black gi's that week!

I studied Matsumura Seito as taught by Sensei Kuda Yuichi for about 20 years, then Sensei Kuda made some minor changes to differentiate what we were doing from some others that were really bastardizing OSensei's Seito.

I was at shodan for NINE YEARS! No, it's not because I'm slow, but rather because I lived so far away from anybody in my system that could teach me, or test me. I didn't have the time or money to travel all over the world and train/test. It was GREAT when video cameras came out so I coukld send videos to higher ups and get their help. I did take me 9 years to eventually scrape together a train ticket to Minnesota and tain with a 6th Dan that tested me for Nidan. 4 years later for Sandan in Seattle.

There is a slight twisting of the torso during the double punch to either side.

There's Okinawan Karate, Japanese Karate, Korean Karate, American Karate, African Karate, etc. Pick a country, they have their own ideas of "karate" But historically, Karate, as an organised system, began in Okinawa. Funikoshi took it to Japan (Shotokan), Japan took it to Korea (TKD), yadda yadda yadda. In each case, it was a watered down version of the origional. Shotokan developed from Okinawan karate, but only took the hard elements, adapted it to the Japanese mindset of more disciplined and warrior like. Wehn it went to Korea they added a native system into the Shotokan that emphasised more kicking, less hands. Each country took what they saw as good from a system, discarded the rest, then made changes to it to make it their own.

Well Grasshopper, hee's a little known fact that a lot of people don't know. Blocks aren't always blocks. They're more often strikes. In my chosen system, what you see as a basic block, is a block and counter strike simultanously. You don't usually learn that right away because people tend to forget the block part and go right to the strike. Remember, katas weren't developed by beginners. There are lots of things (called bunkai) in kata that it takes a long, long time to fully understand.

Yandan (4th degree) in Shorin Ryu Matsumura Kenpo 3rd Dan in Tae Kwon do (Honorary, I've never taken one class in it) Long story.

Ooooohhh, you guys are gonna hate me! lol OK, when I was working up the kyu ranks, our first few tests were about demonstrating the basics. Blockes, kicks, and punches, then doing one kata. Not perfect, but competently for the belt you were testing for. The higher the rank, the better it needed to be. No exercises, no papers. Unless you fell on yoru face, you pretty much were going to pass. Higher kyus get tougher. More kata, self defense techniques and kata. usually 2-3 kata, pme new one that is for your testing level, and 1-2 from your past, picked randomly by the testing sensei. Black belt testing was pretty much the same, but VERY picky on good technique, speed, power, balance, etc. I had to do 3 kata in front of the head of the system, Master Kuda Yuichi. But you know what, I didn't even know I was TESTING! It was just a normalk class, Sensen Kuda asked each student in turn to stand up, do this or that, then sat down. BOOM! I got my shodan! I taught and tested my own students for over 25 years, pretty much the same way my sensei did it, until the last 10-12 years or so. I started stressing students that they are tested EVERY SINGLE DAY while they were in class. The test started at the bow in, and the bow out. They were beign tested on speed, power, strength, accuracy, knowledge, attitude, skill, etc. Of course, like most ogf us, you ask your sensei "When will I test?" I just told them you're being tested today, and the next, etc. Now, my actualy tests went liek this. I, watchign them every class, have determined that they have reached the nest bell level thru their efforts, so I would stop class, have the students sit on the sides, call whatever student up and have them show me something they've been struggling with, and their current kata. When they wee done, I would bow to them, and hand them their next belt and certificate. Easy Peasy. Who knows better that their ready than their sensei that sees them training?

I'll just put in my $.02 here for the heck of it. I taught Shorin Ryu Karate & Kobudo classes for over 25 years, mostly in schools, basements, gyms, etc. Not once did I ever have insurance, business license or anything else other than a certificate of rank on the wall. I've had the opportunity thru those years to talk to many, many different sensei from many different systems. Some taught commercially, most taught as I did. Not one of those sensei, nor my superiors/instructors, have even ever heard of anybody being sued because of a martial arts related injury. Not ONE! I have a release of liability that specifically states that they, or their parents, fully understand that tey are entering an activity that has the potential to get them hurt. Before they begin their first class, I sit them down and explain that they will be attacking other students, and be attacked by other students. They can get hurt! In 25 years, a few brokent noses and teeth knocked out, knees damaged, etc, not one person has ever threatened to take legal action on myself, or my school. I realizw laws vary from state to state, country to country, but this has been my experiences.

Just another observation. Many of you are saying "more hips". We also do Chinto in Shorin Ryu, but we don't put hips into anything. Punches, kicks, blocks, etc. No hips. Why (you ask?) Because twisting your hips over commits your techniques. Sure, it adds power to them, but if they miss their mark it leaves you vulnerable to a counter strike. Anyway, about the kata itself, as a 25+ year tournament judge/referee, I'd say that is a solid kata, good technique, but needs a bit more power. I don't agree that waiting until 2 weeks prior to the tournament to start adding power. You have the technique, use the power NOW! My opinion. Wow, first post in a couple of years! lol

100% agree! Dillman is a fraud. His claims of learning all the "secret techniques" from Soken Hohan are totally false. Dillman met OSensei Soken in a motel room for a few hours along with one of OSensei's top students, Sensei Kise. They talked for about an hour, then OSensei and Kise left. According to Sensei Kise, No training happened, and they left with a feeling of disguest for Dillman. This comes from students of Sensei Kise that I have trained with.