1 explanation of the Chinte "Hop"

[cathal]

We don't do the hops. Our instructor learned the kata with the hops when she was young, but changed it when she started teaching. She felt the hops were too feminine.

After the last punch at the end we chamber both fists at the waist, step out with a wide double punch, spinning jump with a shuto (like enpi), then step back and shuto.

That's interesting. Got a video? Also is your dojo associated with a larger organization? e.g. JKA, IKD, etc.

[Wado Heretic]

My personal opinion is that there are two possibilities:

1. It was a post-war innovation by Nakayama, and his peers, in an attempt to ensure the kata was uniform with the principle of the embusen of a kata always leading to ending in the spot from which the kata was begun.

2. It is in fact a historical anomaly evolving from Funakoshi's training in a heterodox version under Anko Asato, which he retained in favour of the more widely spread Itosu version; the version propagated in the majority of karate systems.

I believe the second possibility holds water, as kata have regularly been changed and modified; and Ohtsuka, and Yasuhiro, two of Funakoshi's students who formed their own systems, spent time training with Mabuni and Motobu, and were very much pragmatics with regards to fighting technique. I believe if they saw no use for a hop at the end, they would have dropped it. Hence why the Shotokan variation has it alone.

However, if one follows that reasoning the question remains the purpose of the hop. I suspect the explanation posited in the video posted has some merit; one can very easily "load" more weight into a standing lock, or can be useful in gaining and retaining head control (which is my preferred interpretation, even if it is dangerous to practice, as some of my shorter students have used a similar hop to get head control in a clinch).

Similarly, to the opening of Kusanku, such a grab is relatively natural in a confrontation where one simply wants to try and stop someone hitting them; one simply clinches up or pushes away. So, I suspect that in this particular case, Iain Abernathy has over complicated the explanation. I believe the hop is a way of gaining body control.

If we return to the first possibility, however, why hops instead of steps? A deliberate step back would work just as effectively to return to the original starting point, and would also as clearly emulate using the grip to gain control via using ones body weight.

Thus; I posit a combination of the two above explanations. That Funakoshi taught a heterodox variation of the kata which included a hop, and then Nakayama and his peers expanded it to three hops so as to return to the original position.

The Shorin-Ryu group I am a part of is called Kodokan, so we do exist. Also closely connected with Kyudokan so I reckon it's a naming convention that just came into being. Sadly,I was never able to find the opportunity to ask Aragaki Shihan why Kodokan.

Speaking of the version we do; it doesn't feature any back ward movement at the end. We simply pivot into yoi position, though one does perform a double body cover to return to the correct yoi as you do so, thus if you wish to interpret it as a trap and pull back you can. I believe the Matsubayashi version is the one which features the movements backwards at the end.

Either way; as with any analysis of kata, one can end up putting the cart before the horse. The unusual hop can actually be seen in some kenjutsu, and kobujutsu practices, and I have borne witness to a similar exercise being done by both Judo-ka and Aikido-ka. Funakoshi himself was an exponent of Judo, and many of his early students also studied Judo and Kendo. The younger Funakoshi, Gigo, was also a relatively skilled swordsman. Perhaps one of them saw the advantage of adding such an exercise to the Kata, as in their mind it fit the kata in terms of broad theme.

Anko Itosu stated in his principles that kata contain both fighting techniques, and conditioning exercises. Funakoshi also claimed to remove many dangerous elements from his teachings. Maybe the hops are just exercise. Comes down to how you look at your kata practice.

[sensei8]

My personal opinion is that there are two possibilities:

1. It was a post-war innovation by Nakayama, and his peers, in an attempt to ensure the kata was uniform with the principle of the embusen of a kata always leading to ending in the spot from which the kata was begun.

2. It is in fact a historical anomaly evolving from Funakoshi's training in a heterodox version under Anko Asato, which he retained in favour of the more widely spread Itosu version; the version propagated in the majority of karate systems.

I believe the second possibility holds water, as kata have regularly been changed and modified; and Ohtsuka, and Yasuhiro, two of Funakoshi's students who formed their own systems, spent time training with Mabuni and Motobu, and were very much pragmatics with regards to fighting technique. I believe if they saw no use for a hop at the end, they would have dropped it. Hence why the Shotokan variation has it alone.

However, if one follows that reasoning the question remains the purpose of the hop. I suspect the explanation posited in the video posted has some merit; one can very easily "load" more weight into a standing lock, or can be useful in gaining and retaining head control (which is my preferred interpretation, even if it is dangerous to practice, as some of my shorter students have used a similar hop to get head control in a clinch).

Similarly, to the opening of Kusanku, such a grab is relatively natural in a confrontation where one simply wants to try and stop someone hitting them; one simply clinches up or pushes away. So, I suspect that in this particular case, Iain Abernathy has over complicated the explanation. I believe the hop is a way of gaining body control.

If we return to the first possibility, however, why hops instead of steps? A deliberate step back would work just as effectively to return to the original starting point, and would also as clearly emulate using the grip to gain control via using ones body weight.

Thus; I posit a combination of the two above explanations. That Funakoshi taught a heterodox variation of the kata which included a hop, and then Nakayama and his peers expanded it to three hops so as to return to the original position.

The Shorin-Ryu group I am a part of is called Kodokan, so we do exist. Also closely connected with Kyudokan so I reckon it's a naming convention that just came into being. Sadly,I was never able to find the opportunity to ask Aragaki Shihan why Kodokan.

Speaking of the version we do; it doesn't feature any back ward movement at the end. We simply pivot into yoi position, though one does perform a double body cover to return to the correct yoi as you do so, thus if you wish to interpret it as a trap and pull back you can. I believe the Matsubayashi version is the one which features the movements backwards at the end.

Either way; as with any analysis of kata, one can end up putting the cart before the horse. The unusual hop can actually be seen in some kenjutsu, and kobujutsu practices, and I have borne witness to a similar exercise being done by both Judo-ka and Aikido-ka. Funakoshi himself was an exponent of Judo, and many of his early students also studied Judo and Kendo. The younger Funakoshi, Gigo, was also a relatively skilled swordsman. Perhaps one of them saw the advantage of adding such an exercise to the Kata, as in their mind it fit the kata in terms of broad theme.

Anko Itosu stated in his principles that kata contain both fighting techniques, and conditioning exercises. Funakoshi also claimed to remove many dangerous elements from his teachings. Maybe the hops are just exercise. Comes down to how you look at your kata practice.

Solid post!!