isshin ryu's 1974 black belt hall of fame Gary Alexander

[pepto_bismol]

I watched 3 tapes with Gary alexander, his chinto form, a knife form, and some street applications. While watching the first tape I was excited, 1974 hall of fame, isshin ryu 10th dan.

I was looking at his form, watching from the first slow, sloppy punch, to the sloppy pivet, the the raise of the leg and the drop, supposed to be side kick, groin kick, leg raise? I couldn't understand what this guy was doing. His stances were terrible, his techniques were sloppy, and it looked like he had no power at the end of his punches. Not only that but the training partner on his tape kept switching from 3rd dan to 2nd dan on his belt.

The street applications were like "kick to groin" "punch to the neck" "punch to stomach" weak, with no application. I took my uncle in, my training partner and martial artist of over 30 years and he couldn't believe how terrible it was.

My question to anyone who knows anything about Gary Alexander. Was he ever good? He must of been to make black belt hall of fame, right?

Was it just a bad day? Is he getting old? Is he legit? I mean I read a lot about them and I still can't believe how bad that was.

Am I just missing something? Can somebody please explain this guy to me?

[John Bishop]

Well, he definetly legit, being one of the early karate pioneers in American. Even won a few tournament championships in his time.

As to what he looks like now, he's 67, so he probably looked a lot better when he was 27. Regretfully, videos and DVD's were not readily availiable when some of the great martial artists were in their prime. So, we've got some video of them from their 60's and 70's. Not really a good example of thier past skill level.

[patusai]

I saw the Shimabuku super 8 MM and they were not spectacular either however when you consider the age...now that I am 50+ I better understand that there is young man's karate and not so young man's karate

[isshinryu5toforever]

Most of those old, old video are horrible. Shimabuku didn't think that the camera could move so he continually shifted his feet and changed the angle of his punches. Old video are no way of gauging what a person could do. You'd have to see them live.

[ArmorOfGod]

From what I have seen of him, you about got it right.

His moves and stances are terrible, even a joke, and that is even considering his age.

He is often in the magazines wearing his black gi and black army boots thowing bad looking kicks looking quite silly.

As for his claim to his martial arts hall of fame: which one? Right now you and I could make a "hall of fame" and appoint people to it.

AoG

[patusai]

Most of those old, old video are horrible. Shimabuku didn't think that the camera could move so he continually shifted his feet and changed the angle of his punches. Old video are no way of gauging what a person could do. You'd have to see them live.

I never knew that about the Shimabuku movies. Thanks

[jay46]

Most of those old, old video are horrible. Shimabuku didn't think that the camera could move so he continually shifted his feet and changed the angle of his punches. Old video are no way of gauging what a person could do. You'd have to see them live.

Just the other night my sensei was talking about these movies from Shimabuku Sensei's US visits in the 1960's. He mentioned that it is theorized that the lackluster performances on these films is intentional, a kind of payback for an unintentional insult. It is unfortunate (maybe even a crime ) that the only videos of him are those made during those visits and the grainy washed out 8mm of him in Okinawa.

Regarding Gary Alexander. I see him at tournaments and I have sparred one or two of his students. He has a presence. You know when he's in the room. He looks like he could tear you in two without much effort in spite of his age. He may not be much on kata but he was (and may still be) one tough fighter according to the anecdotes I've heard.

[isshinryu5toforever]

I don't know if his performance was intentional. In one set of tapes he does forget part of Hama Higa and then just simply bow to end it. I have the 1966 tapes on my computer, I don't see a lackluster performance, I see him slowing everything down and changing stances to make sure the camera can see the angle. I see him exagerating certain chambers and techniques to make them more obvious to those watching. Who knows what was going on in his mind though, only he did.

[Unyu Ni]

Gary Alexander is a legend. Does that mean he's good at what he does? Probably, but what is it he does? Be a big white guy who has a mean streak and likes to use his waki-waki karate to prove that big guys can hurt people. I've never been impressed by him at all. Just because something is claiming Okinawan karate doesn't mean its worth a damn. All things are not equal, from people to MAs styles.

I do know that his bro, who use to be an Army active duty "spook" type, somehow got the DOD to invest in studies concerning no-touch K.O.s and making a goats heart stop, via long distance just by thinking about it. Yep, two more geniuses who have that Jedi mind trick on weaker wills going for them.

As for Tatsuo. IMO Isshin is a nominal style created by the most nominal of the Shimabuku brothers. From the faulty fist form to the diluted forms. Neither here nor there. If you work with anything long enough you can make it work though.

Just opinions.

[isshinryu5toforever]

I obviously don't know you or your rank, but I still find it disrespectful to insult the style of many people on this board. I would rather we not turn this into an argument about why or why not a style is any good, or if the founding instructor was the best martial artist out of his brothers. It's a discussion about the validity of one man, who doesn't necessarily represent an entire style. It would be nice to read posts on here without constantly having to read insulting commentary from individuals about other styles of martial art.