The Taiji Take on Naihanchi

[Wastelander]

So, every now and then, I like to search YouTube using kanji/kana instead of English, just to see what I might otherwise be missing out on. Since I don't speak/read Japanese, except for a few words/phrases, I'm pretty limited when it comes to making use of Japanese material, but Google Translate does help. Over the weekend, I searched for ナイハンチ, which is the katakana for Naihanchi, and I came across this hidden gem:

The man demonstrating in this video is Ikeda Hideyuki, and he is primarily a Taiji (Tai Chi Chuan) instructor. Honestly, I could have figured out he was a CMA practitioner just from watching his kata, even without him wearing the Chinese-style shirt. Clearly, he has some training in Okinawan karate, as well--he runs Naihanchi in this video, and Seiunchin in another, and has a black belt rank in Uechi-Ryu, according to his website. Still, it seems that Taiji is the lens through which he views things, and it definitely comes through in this video. Interestingly, the applications he shows are quite similar to ones I've learned in Shorin-Ryu and KishimotoDi.

[sensei8]

Very nice find, indeed. Thank you for finding it, and for sharing it as well!!

[Drew]

That's really cool, the ones that use the outside foot position are similar to sukuinage. Say, if you like searching in kana, you might try using google.jp instead of .com some time. I've found some great stuff that way.

[bushido_man96]

I enjoyed watching this. He has some interesting views on some of the techniques there. I really liked the circular motion in the single had block he did, and the slower demo of it.

Thanks for sharing this.

[hansenator]

Thanks for posting that!

[Montana]

Similar to what I do for Nahachin Shodan, but about 1/3 as long and the techniques are different.

For example, the first technique with the open hand to his right side...his hand faced the camera, whereas ours faces up,.

[Wastelander]

Similar to what I do for Nahachin Shodan, but about 1/3 as long and the techniques are different.

For example, the first technique with the open hand to his right side...his hand faced the camera, whereas ours faces up,.

Yes, he seems to have cut out a few techniques and, at least for the video, only did the first half, since the second half is just the same thing done on the opposite side, anyway. Still, it's certainly recognizable as being Naihanchi Shodan! We also use a haito-uchi hand position for that part, but you have to pass through the haishu-uchi position to get there, so I don't consider that to be a major difference.