A Terrible Resolve

[sensei8]

I'm still working on my memoirs entitled, Empty Chairs, here's a tiny excerpt...

Takahashi Sensei’s hands, over the many years after earning his Shodan, became eerie-like in their speed and power. Tameshiwara had become no match for Takahashi Sensei because, after some time, even the stones, rocks, and even the trees began to fear Takahashi Sensei. Saitou Sensei loves to tell the story about this one particular Tameshiwara session with Takahashi Sensei…

 

“When Takahashi Sensei was a Yondan, I had one day decided to test his mettle in Tameshiwara. I placed before him one simple stack of two roofing tiles. I then instructed him to break these with whatever weapon of his choice, and if he breaks them, I’ll then add one roofing tile at a time, and I’ll keep doing this until he can no longer break the complete stack. If he’s unable to break the entire stack before him, he’ll have failed.

 

 

 

Two became three, then three became four, and before I ended the session, Yoshinobu Sensei had not left one unbroken tile. When I was finally forced to stop him, he had just went through a stack of seventeen roofing tiles.

 

Those last few stacks were completely decimated; the lower one-third of each stack had virtually exploded. I didn’t stop him because I was afraid that he wouldn’t be able to succeed with the task at hand, or that I was starting to doubt his abilities, or that he was starting to show diminished and questionable power. No! It was because I was afraid for him, and that’s why I ended it, not for me, but for him. He would’ve done whatever he felt necessary before he’d ever fail, and that word frightened him intensely.

 

So much so that he would’ve literally killed himself before he’d ever fail me, his future students, his family, and himself. I started sensing that within him shortly before I intervened on his behalf. What I sensed was unsettling to me because just after he tore through fourteen roofing tiles, and for the first time since this particular session had started, he stared at me, but we didn't just make eye contact, his stare went right through me; his stare somewhat frightened me.

 

Just as soon as the next stack was readied, his eyes returned to each stack with a purposeful focus like I’ve never seen from him before. Fifteen…Sixteen…Seventeen…these final stacks weren’t broken with an alarming determination; they were attacked with a terrible resolve!” ~ Soke Fuyuhiko Saitou

This terrible resolve is within every MAist, and imho, it should be. However, it needs to be remain controlled until that time is required of it and when it becomes necessary in the face of danger, whether that danger is immediate or forth-coming.

Train with a determination that's unmatched and unequal across the board, Train as though one is expecting that untold danger, and not as though one's waiting for the next MA tournament.

My Dai-Soke was trained that way, I was trained that way, and Dai-Soke trained himself that way until the day he suffered a stroke.

I hope that none of us ever have to unleash a terrible resolve upon our attacker(s), but if you do, then you'll be ready because you trained for that very moment.

Edited August 24, 2012 by sensei8

[Chunmonchek]

Sensei8,

It sounds like your memoirs will be a "must read".

While I've been around Okinawan martial arts a bit, I don't know anything about Shindokan. Where can I learn more about it?

Chris

[evergrey]

OSU!

Haha, it's funny you should mention this story, Bob, because I was just told a story the other night after class by a shodan that practically grew up at the dojo!

She told me about one time when she had some project for science class. She decided to see which style could break the most bricks. Of course she was a kid and there isn't really a comprehensive way for a kid to test this, so she just went around to a bunch of different schools, gyms, and dojos and asked the instructors if they would take part. She recorded how many bricks each teacher broke at once, and she went to her own dojo last and asked our Shihan.

He said, "okay," and stacked up 17 cinder block caps, which are 2 inch thick slabs of concrete maybe 16 inches long and 6 inches wide. He said "hold onto this bench, I'm going to stand up here to break it," and proceeded to smash through all 17 bricks in one go. Heh!

He's really amazing at that focus, and that LOOK. Back in his full contact days, my Sensei watched him chase a guy off the mat three times without even touching him, he was so good at turning that energy on and radiating "DANGEROUS AND CAN SEE THROUGH YOUR SOUL."

Shihan hasn't been to the dojo in a couple months and I really miss him. I don't know what to do with myself without somebody yelling at me, lol!

I have to say though, when you've been stared down by someone like that enough, lesser men have a reallllly hard time being intimidating, haha!

But he doesn't bully and he is one of the kindest people I know. Er, don't tell him I know that, lol!

I think that a truly great person in the martial arts has not simply mastered the ability to destroy- he has also mastered temperance, and the ability to NOT destroy when he knows that he could.

OSU!

[sensei8]

OSU!

Haha, it's funny you should mention this story, Bob, because I was just told a story the other night after class by a shodan that practically grew up at the dojo!

She told me about one time when she had some project for science class. She decided to see which style could break the most bricks. Of course she was a kid and there isn't really a comprehensive way for a kid to test this, so she just went around to a bunch of different schools, gyms, and dojos and asked the instructors if they would take part. She recorded how many bricks each teacher broke at once, and she went to her own dojo last and asked our Shihan.

He said, "okay," and stacked up 17 cinder block caps, which are 2 inch thick slabs of concrete maybe 16 inches long and 6 inches wide. He said "hold onto this bench, I'm going to stand up here to break it," and proceeded to smash through all 17 bricks in one go. Heh!

He's really amazing at that focus, and that LOOK. Back in his full contact days, my Sensei watched him chase a guy off the mat three times without even touching him, he was so good at turning that energy on and radiating "DANGEROUS AND CAN SEE THROUGH YOUR SOUL."

Shihan hasn't been to the dojo in a couple months and I really miss him. I don't know what to do with myself without somebody yelling at me, lol!

I have to say though, when you've been stared down by someone like that enough, lesser men have a reallllly hard time being intimidating, haha!

But he doesn't bully and he is one of the kindest people I know. Er, don't tell him I know that, lol!

I think that a truly great person in the martial arts has not simply mastered the ability to destroy- he has also mastered temperance, and the ability to NOT destroy when he knows that he could.

OSU!

Solid post...especially the last paragraph!!

[sensei8]

Sensei8,

It sounds like your memoirs will be a "must read".

While I've been around Okinawan martial arts a bit, I don't know anything about Shindokan. Where can I learn more about it?

Chris

Not many know much about Shindokan, however, it's active student body of nearly 11,000 means that it's not hiding under some rock waiting for someone to accidently stub their toes up against it.

I've several posts here at KF briefly describing why Shindokan not out in the wide open for all to see, observe, examine, and learn. Therefore, I'll re-touch a bit on it here.

Shindokan Saitou-ryu was founded in 1950 by Soke Fuyuhiko Saitou. Both our Soke and Dai-Soke were both born and raised in Okinawa. They both came to the USA in 1956. Shindokan is based on Okinawa-te and Shuri-te. We're 85% hands, and we're 15% feet, and our stances are more upright, and in that, Tuite is right in the center of everything that we do. We're not dependent on Tuite; it's our preferred weapon. In our brand of Tuite, we incorporate grappling as well as Kyusho jitsu. We practice the "old ways" of Okinawan Karate-do as Soke and Dai-Soke taught us.

Both Soke Saitou and Dai-Soke Takahashi have passed away, 2008 and 2010 respectively. Since then, the Hombu has gone through a lot of changes, both good and bad. Presently we're trying to bring us out of the archaic ways of our Soke and Dai-Soke, in which they both firmly believed in no advertising; word of the mouth ONLY, and that means no print/video ads, no phone book listings, no published works in any venue type, no internet exposure, no big fancy outside signage, no nothing, and no brand management whatsoever...just demonstrations and word of mouth. Change, no matter the size, takes time across the board. Will the Hombu ever come out of the yesteryear mindset and join the present? I've no idea, it is my wish and my dream, but habits are hard to die, as is change.

Shindokan Lineage:

Satunuku "Tode" Sakugawa (1733 - 1815)

Sokon "Bushi" Matsumura (1797 - 1889)

Anko Itosu (1830 - 1915)

Shigekazu Ishikawa (1864 - 1959) (Shuri-te)

Choshu Saitou (1865 - 1962) (Okinawa-te*) (This is the father of Soke Saitou) (*Choshu Saitou's Okinawa-te Instructor is unknown)

Fuyuhiko Saitou (1917 - 2008) (Shindokan** founder; Shindokan was founded in 1950.) (**His instructors were, his father, Choshu Saitou, this is the Okinawa-te side of Shindokan, and Shigekazu Ishikawa, this is the Shuri-te side of Shindokan)

Yoshinobu Takahashi (1932 - 2010) (Dai-Soke; and the first, and only student of Soke Saitou)

Any questions I'll be more than happy to respond to.

Edited May 26, 2014 by sensei8

[Dobbersky]

Looks like an excellent book will be soon available, OSU

Will you go into the philosophy of what Asian martial arts means to a Western man? Etc

[DWx]

Great post Bob. Looking forward to reading more you'll have to tell us all where we can get a copy when its done.

I compete in tameshiwari competitions and its insane what some people will do to themselves in order not to be defeated by the boards. And a lot of the serious competitors do have that look. That thousand yard stare.

I think that a truly great person in the martial arts has not simply mastered the ability to destroy- he has also mastered temperance, and the ability to NOT destroy when he knows that he could.

Totally agree.

Kinda like the old quote: "With great power, comes great responsibility"

[Chunmonchek]

Shindokan Saitou-ryu was founded in 1950 by Soke Fuyuhiko Saitou. Both our Soke and Dai-Soke were both born and raised in Okinawa. They both came to the USA in 1961. Shindokan is based on Okinawa-te and Shuri-te. We're 85% hands, and we're 15% feet, and our stances are more upright, and in that, Tuite is right in the center of everything that we do. We're not dependent on Tuite; it's our preferred weapon. In our brand of Tuite, we incorporate grappling as well as Kyusho jitsu. We practice the "old ways" of Okinawan Karate-do as Soke and Dai-Soke taught us.

Both Soke Saitou and Dai-Soke Takahashi have passed away, 2008 and 2010 respectively. Since then, the Hombu has gone through a lot of changes, both good and bad. Presently we're trying to bring us out of the archaic ways of our Soke and Dai-Soke, in which they both firmly believed in no advertising; word of the mouth ONLY, and that means no print/video ads, no phone book listings, no published works in any venue type, no internet exposure, no big fancy outside signage, no nothing, and no brand management whatsoever...just demonstrations and word of mouth. Change, no matter the size, takes time across the board. Will the Hombu ever come out of the yesteryear mindset and join the present? I've no idea, it is my wish and my dream, but habits are hard to die, as is change.

Any questions I'll be more than happy to respond to.

Sensei8,

Thank you very much for your informative response. Very informative about a ryuha that I've never come come accross.

I find the lesser known Okinawan arts facinating, as they generally have a better chance at preserving the old ways. It sounds like your te is a no-nonsense, practical art. Does Shindokan Saitou-ryu train any of the Naha-te or Shuri-te kata? If so, how do they compare to today's Goju Ryu and/or Shorin Ryu counterparts.

Also, how do you train two-person? Do you train 2 person continuous sets? I ask this as while my lineage of Goju, Toguchi/Shoreikan, trains 2 person sets based on various kata, not many other Okinawan Goju Ryuha do... but some have adopted this type of training fairly recently. It's fairly common in southern Chinese Martial Arts, from which we trace our roots.

Thank you for any further information that you might share with me.

Best regards,

Chris

[bushido_man96]

That's such great stuff. Its inspiring to read, to search for my own terrible resolve inside.

[sensei8]

Sorry, still working on my memoirs, but I'm not close to being done. I never realized just how hard it is to put thoughts of this magnitude on paper. Interviewing many fellow Shindokanists to help fill in the gapping holes that they say that I've left out.

Mommy!!