Karate helping to deal with a heart condition:
Karate fighting, Cardiovascular workout, confidence, rebuilding stamina, fun, self defence, over 50s but not only, over 50, is it too late, exercise, nerd, okinawa karate, shorin ryu, full contact karate, heart, aging
OK, the title might be a little misleading — but to me, the dojo members are like extended family, and my son is family, so you could say Karate is a family affair for us. π
This week we were lucky enough to train with — tongue in cheek — the “Granddad” of our dojo: Sensei Nohara (10th Dan), President of the Ryukyukan International Karate and Kobudo Federation. He came to give a seminar, and I think he brought the Okinawan weather with him, as the dojo was distinctly hot and humid! Due to my condition, I couldn't train nearly as much as I wanted — but opportunities like this don’t come around often, and they’re not to be missed. π
We trained again on Saturday, marking the first time in five years that both my son and I had been to the dojo twice in one week. That session was a bit of a struggle, thanks to the after-effects of a rather large and spicy pizza the night before! Still, I managed much more of the lesson than I expected, and my son picked up a few more drills than I did — which led us nicely into a Father’s Day follow-up.
My Father’s Day suggestion to him was:
“Go beat me up — then I can do the same back.”
Given that he's bigger than me and a higher grade, it felt like a fair challenge! π€£
We began with a drill I wrote down two weeks ago (see below), then moved on to material from our previous session — before I inevitably ran out of steam. We practiced kata up to Pinan Shodan, and I shared a few ideas I’d been exploring from a White Crane form I’ve been working on. Honestly, it was some of the best father-son work we’ve ever done. We both finished soaked in sweat, and with grins to match.
2.Attacker strikes pads to sides of defender’s head
→ Defender: backhand palm strike to pads (head)
3.Attacker throws a roundhouse punch
→ Defender: triangular frame block, protecting head
4.Attacker drops pads to simulate a knee strike
→ Defender: bridges onto attacker’s shoulder and pushes down
→ Then: two knee strikes, followed by release
5.Attacker raises pads for an elbow strike
→ Defender: bridges to pads, delivers two elbow strikes
→ Then: releases bridging hand
6.Defender grabs attacker's wrist (opposite side of bridge)
→ Former bridging hand slaps attacker’s head
→ Body rotates in direction of pull, extending and rotating attacker's arm
→ Slapping hand moves to attacker’s elbow, forcing it downward
→ Rotation continues into an arm bar
7.Attacker is taken to the ground
To all the dads out there — Happy Father’s Day, and I hope you get time with your loved ones to sweat, laugh, and share a few bruises in good spirit. And to all the mums, thank you for putting up with us.
Thanks as always to those of you who read this. – REY, 15/06/2025
Going back to the dojo after a long time was a major shock to the system. Much as I had kept practicing my kata as part of my mindfulness and breathing exercise, it was no preperation for the loss of stamina, and having to learn again how to pace myself to last a lesson given my health issues. Along with such exercise also come the aches and pains of using muscles vigourously for the first time in ages.
Nontheless it was a great feeling to be back amost friends, and now in the same class as my son. Before Covid he was a cadet, and now he's 18 and was even keener than me to get back into the swing of things than meπ. We've just finished the third lesson back, and of course the biggest realisation after practicing solo for so long, is how much I missed the pairs work. Some of it was familiar as basics never change, but a fair bit of the drill work was new to me.
Some of it I remember from the online lessons during Covid, but of course ultimately it's no real substitute for practicing with a partner. It's one thing to think you've grasped the dynamics involved, it's another to actually get to practice them on a person, rather than on a pad or thin air. Especially with a willing partner to practice with at home!
The drill I want to practice to get the dynamics right is the one I've documented below. One habit I intend to keep up from previous blogs is to document some key elements of practice to act as an aide-memoire, once I've checked them with my Sensei.
Response to grab (single handed)
1) Place nearest hand on grabbing hand, open handed slap to the side of the head with opposite hand. 2) Move slapping hand across to other side of the neck and hook it round the neck. 3) Release grabbing hand and slide your other hand over the grabbing arm and under the armpit 4) Hook hand under the shoulder to break the grip, then step back with leg on slapping side. 5) As you take a step back, push the head down and lift the shoulder up 6) This should put the head below chest level and give enough space to get in a knee strike
Of my original introduction to Karate through Shorin Ryu never included Sanchin, but through my interest in the history of Karate, I always had a hankering to have a look at that kata and Tensho. I learnt Naihanchi as the fundamental kata of my style, but there were three kata named as fundamental to Karate in the first official meeting of Masters in 1936: A nerd blog, the birth of Karate
First came Tensho; when I asked for a Mentor to show me how to use Karate as a form of breathing exercise, Noah Legel offered to help using that kata. I didn't learn the sharp breathing normally used with Tensho, and indeed Sanchin, rather slow, deep in through the nose, out from the mouth breathing to accompany the "draw in" and "push out" elements of the hand movements. This was to help me cope with COPD, and I still use in any kata I have picked up since based on the Goju style. Tensho and Breathing Kata
Then Covid hit, I had been lucky to chat with PJ Broomy before that, due to us both having heart issues. Covid gave us the chance to train together through some formal online lesson, and then develop on a more personal basis. PJ kindly agreed to show me his style of Sanchin (Bukai, not strictly Goju), which I happily took on board. My latest video of this kata is shown below.
Bu Kai Sanchin
Post Covid, I still have strong fears of going into crowded places due to my co-morbidities, COPD and hereditary heart problems. As a result, I decided to ask Russ Smith if I could study some of his Five Ancestors lessons (very much a precursor to Karate). Some of the basic moves there suggested something similar to Sanchin but different. (The double outward block. followed by a strike particularly). So I used the Sanchin embusen to practice these.
5 Ancestors basics on the Sanchin Embusen
I suppose the next development was inevitable, in practising, I merged the two together. Sanchin embusen, final arm positions and punches, with 5 ancestors turns and arm crossings (traps rather than blocks, which resulted in the below hybrid version.
5 Ancestors basics / Sanchin Hybrid
Probably of no practical value other than to keep me practising, but isn't that the same goal for us all? Whether it be for competition, body mechanics, self discipline or health, we all have to have our motivation. Health is mine.
Thank you for reading, and thank you for Ben and Alison (my first Sensei), Noah, PJ and Russel for getting me this far.
I have a penchant for trying to learn kata and forms both for mental
stimulation. I started to try to work out Ho Chien Wat out of curiosity,
as I thought it was a beautiful form with definite elements of sharp
contrast. In doing so, I found that I was learning something that
was both potentially good for breathing and, for me, good for exercise if
performed as close as I can in the manner I originally viewed.
Where I am with the latter version of the form now is shown below.
Ho Chien Wat to the Best of my Ability
What I did find in the early stages though, was that although I studied
the form many times and wrote down as much details as I could from what I had
viewed (Anatomy of a Form: Ho Chien Wat), translating
that into a decent approximation of the form. Then I got a chat from my
friend PJ Broomy about doing one of our occasional chats/training
sessions. I had an idea that trying to explain it to someone else from a
similar background would help me work things out, so I asked PJ if I could show
him what I was up to.
The below videos were made after the video session and can be contrasted
with those of the earlier blog. As to how it worked, I broke the
form down into the three elements: Salutation, Mid-Section (repetition) and
Final Sequence. Then I showed PJ the movements to each part slowly. The mid-section,
was not as long as it looks here, as I just did the RHS then LHS progression
once.
Ho Chien Wat salutation
Ho Chien Wat middle section
Ho Chien Wat final sequence
Showing and trying to explain what I was doing I found helped my own
understanding of the movements involved, and feedback received, helped me to do
some fine tuning. I spent four or five days taking on board the
better understood version, and finally felt comfortable in using the form in
the same manner I use Tensho, for slow, deep breathing connected to the
movements.
Ho Chien Wat slow
Given that I sometimes don't have a lot of room to practice in, I had
also worked out a static version of Tensho, for specifically just relaxation
and clearing the mind. I have now developed a version incorporating Ho
Chien Wat with a part of Tensho. As this requires more focus to perform
than Tensho on its own, I find that this is even better for clearing the
mind. the exercise itself is shown below.
Static Slow Breathing exercise
With more confidence, I found I wanted to use Ho Chien wat more often as
exercise, and with that came the quicker articulation of the form as shown in
the first video. I make no claim to understand the form as a tool for
fighting, that I acknowledge would take years of work. However, as a tool
for deep breathing, mindfulness and exercise, I believe that there are clear
benefits to the form, for me at least.
Hope you enjoyed reading.
Thank you to Russ Smith and PJ Broomy for their support and input.
The Motobu Udun dii has basic forms called Muutu dii. There are two kinds, called ichi (one) and ni (two). The first is done with clenched fists, the second with open hands. The images below show Muutudii ni performed with open hands.
It resembles the Sanchin of the GΕjΕ« school, but according to Master Uehara Sekichi, it is very different from the kata of the GΕjΕ«-ryΕ«. In fact, in this school one performs this kata with clenched fists, and, in this case, one performs Muutudii with open hands. In addition, Sanchin is accompanied by a particular breath called ibuki (forced breathing), whereas in Muutudii is natural. In addition, in the GΕjΕ«, the toes are oriented inwards, according to an "internal hachimonji position: uchi hachimonji", but in Muutudi, they are roughly parallel. And also, the general posture or the way to lock the knees is also different.
Master Uehara learned it from Master Motobu ChΓ΄yΓ», but as in other schools there is no Muutidi, I initially thought in the past that it was a creation of Master ChΓ΄yΓ». However, several decades ago, I heard disciples of Master Uehara from the 1950s say, “Back then, we called him Sanchin!” ", I then came to think that perhaps Muutudi is Sanchin". In this case, this would mean that originally, the Sanchin of the GΓ΄jΓ» school was done in a form close to an execution with open hands and with natural breathing.
The current Muutudii is carried out according to the model: move forward three steps and turn around, move forward again by three steps and turn around, and once again move forward three steps. I learned from disciplines of the time that this form was established around the time of the first Motobu-ryΓ» Sashiki Demonstration which took place in Sashiki (now NanjΓ΄) in 1974. Until then, it seems that the The execution model consisted of starting from one wall and moving towards the opposite wall, and when you reached it, you turned around and moved forward again. In other words, it was not a kata with a fixed form.
According to Higa Kiyohiko who had learned with master Uehara in the years 1950–1960, there was this format, but also a fixed form and his father (Higa Seitoku) had learned it. So would this mean that from the beginning, there was indeed a fixed form for Muutudii? As Master Uehara taught different movements to different disciples, this is a plausible version. Otherwise, there is also a Sanchin transmitted by Matsumura SΓ΄kon, called “ShΓ΄ Sanchin” [“ShΓ΄” being the other reading of the pine character “matsu” which happens to be the first sign of Matsumura’s name].
So, was there a Sanchin in the shurite?, many intrigued people will ask.
In fact, in addition to Master Uehara, the current sΓ΄ke, Motobu ChΓ΄sei, heard from Mr. Miyagi ChΓ΄jΓ΄, a person originally from Okinawa who lived in his neighborhood, a testimony according to which Master ChΓ΄yΓ» taught Sanchin.
(Photograph: from left to right: the family of Motobu ChΓ΄sei, Uehara Seikichi, and jumping a person Miyagi ChΓ΄jΓ΄: Osaka, 1976)
It seems that Mr. Miyagi learned a little karate from Master ChΓ΄yΓ» for a short time. And according to him, the latter then taught Sanchin. Furthermore, this same Mr. Miyagi told the legatee of our school the following thing. “Among Master ChΓ΄yΓ»’s disciples, there was a truly gifted young man who was extraordinarily powerful. When he made Sanchin, the grass that passed under his feet was torn out.”
This is how there was indeed a Sanchin in the shurite. However, why did this kata suddenly disappear? This is another mystery in the history of karate.
For the last few months I've been sticking to practicing the basics from the first two lessons of Russ Smith's five Ancestors lessons, as I have had other things on my mind. However, a vide recently appeared in my FB feed of Russ executing the Ho Chien Wat form. It immediately grabbed my attention as something I would have to take another look at. So much so that I found myself taking notes on the form, as I knew i wanted to try it myself.
These are notes, along with videos of the first run through, for comparison with the notes. It is very much a work in progress, but I thought it might interest one or two people, so I decided to share it.
Long Salutation
Step out with Left foot into opening stance, relax.
Move hands inwards, pointing flat, fingertip to fingertip, palm own.
Form fists, while turning hands inwards so facing thumb tip to thumb tip
Draw Right shoulder back, Right fist following upward to chest level. Left fist moves upward to chest level across the body.
Hands open rapidly palm up, then turn over and push down quickly with Right should moving forward so torso is front facing, hands open and palm down, pointing inwards.
Right shoulder moves forward, hands move upwards, fingertips up with arms bent at elbow to shoulder height. Right arm in front of Left, Right palm facing outward, Left palm facing shoulder.
Hands sweep out rapidly to either side, arms bent at elbows, to head height. Hands hook into Crane posture, arms angled outwards to approximately 25 degrees.
Hands open up, fingertips upwards, rotated outwards about 30 degrees at wrists. Arms come down, elbows bent until forearms are parallel to the ground at waist height, hands rotate out to 45 degrees on descent.
Right hand rotates outwards and clenches into a fist, as Right shoulder is drawn back, Left hand moves upwards across face. Right fist is pulled fully back to chest height and Left hand continues to cover with open palm.
Body rotates so torso is front facing, hands are extended outward together, Right first in Left open palm until forearms parallel with floor in front of body.
Right fist opens so fingers pointing outward, back of RH still in palm of LH. Open hands (thumbs out) move out to shoulder width, forearms slightly angled upwards, with hands at a slightly steeper angle.
Body rotates to Right, Right shoulder back. Arms maintain their position but move slightly downwards, so that when Right shoulder is drawn back fully both hands are parallel to the ground, with the Left arm being across the front of the body.
Body rotates so torso is front facing, hands rotate outwards and up (thumbs in), ending up with hands in front of shoulder line and forearms slightly angled up, hands about 30 degrees from vertical.
Forearms drop slightly, until they are parallel with ground. Hands tilt outward slightly to about 40 degrees from vertical, settling into Guard position.
Mid - Stepping sequence
Right step forward (RL in front)
Right step forward, wide gaited stance, knees slightly bent, hands palm open (thumbs in) facing forward.
Hands turn in, palm down. Right shoulder and arm pulls back, hand drawn up to chest level with the Left arm being across the front of the body, also at chest level.
(*All sequences ) Body rotates rapidly, torso to the front. both arms push fully out in front, hands open and parallel to the ground.
Hands close to form One knuckle fist, index middle knuckle prominent. wrists rotate inwards, so backs of hands face floor.
Hands open out, and arms move outwards in a circular motion. Hands rotate outward and move with arms until the circle is closed and arms cross if front of face.
Left hand moves in front of Right as they the cross and move forwards and down (back of hand to back of hand at moment of crossing). Hands move into crane (hooking) hands as the come in line with the shoulders.
Hands pulled inwards and upwards, forming fists whilst elbows remain bent until fists reach above head height with arms fully extended.
Hands come down to head level, elbows bending slightly and fists turn inwards before opening up into splayed hands with clawed fingers.
Hands come down and inwards, in line with shoulders and level with chest. Arms are bent at elbows and fingers turn outwards, closing with palms forward (thumbs in) and at angle and pushing forward at the same time. Settle into Guard position. (48 seconds)
Left step forward (LL in front)
Left step forward, wide gaited stance, knees slightly bent, hands palm open (thumbs in) facing forward.
Hands turn in, palm down. Left shoulder and arm pulls back, hand drawn up to chest level with the Right arm being across the front of the body, also at chest level.
Sequence repeats as from * above until next step forward.
Right step forward (RL in front) - repeat RH move sequence as for previous RL in front
Right step back (LL in front) - repeat LH move sequence as for previous LL in front
Left step back (RL in front) - repeat RH move sequence as for previous RL in front
Right step back. (LL in front) - repeat LH move sequence as for previous LL in front
End Sequence
Right hand moves down and back, behind the body line. Left hand moves upwards in line with shoulder with wrist turning inwards.
Right foot moves outward and forward, until toes in line with Left heel, Right arm continues moving in an upward arc with Right shoulder going back. RH ends up alongside Right ear, fingers splayed and pointing forward, palm pointing away from ear. LH continues moving up in line with face and pushing across open palmed an vertical, to outside the Right shoulder.
Weight moves onto Right foot, hands move up in line with top of head (finger tips LH, blade of RH), winding up for strike. Left foot drags inwards and back behind heel line of Right foot, shoulder width gap between, then pivoting to Left on balls of feet to 45 degrees off forward facing. At same time LH sweeps down palm down to waist height, whilst RH strikes across at neck height, palm up, in a bladed strike. Both strikes to 45 degrees in line with body.
Left foot steps out into wide legged 45 degree stance, knees bent. LH moves down and back, behind the body line, continues moving in an upward arc ends up alongside Left ear, fingers splayed and pointing forward, palm pointing away from ear. RH moves upwards in line with shoulder with wrist turning inwards then continues moving up in line with face and pushing across open palmed and vertical, to outside the Left shoulder.
Weight moves onto Left foot, hands move up in line with top of head (finger tips RH, blade of LH), winding up for strike. Right foot drags inwards and back behind heel line of Left foot, shoulder width gap between, then pivoting to Right on balls of feet to 45 degrees off forward facing. At same time RH sweeps down palm down to waist height, whilst LH strikes across at neck height, palm up, in a bladed strike. Both strikes to 45 degrees in line with body.
Right foot turns inward to face forward, pivot Left foot backwards to present a sharply bladed stance, with Left leg almost behind Right leg, but with Left foot angled outwards. LH remains in place relative to the body, whilst RH moves across to under Left, in vertical line with Left shoulder. Body weight shifts back onto back leg, which bends at knee to accommodate. RH goes back under Left arm, RF drags back into Cat stance. LH pulls back in line with L side of chest, R arm flicks out and up, RH is initially pointing down, but flicks up into ridge hand at the end of the arm extension.
RH moves in from should line to in front of face, LH draws across to RH side of body. R foot takes long stride forward, RH pulls back in line with R side of chest, L arm flicks out and up, LH is initially pointing down, but flicks up into ridge hand at the end of arm extension. So there is a counter point of RF going forward, as LHS of torso twists forward.
LF pulls up, LH comes back RH comes to front as torso realigns. R Elbow bent and RH open at an angle. Footing settles into standard stride length, L arm pulls back until LH in line with LHS of chest, R arm extends as elbow is straightened RH extends into a flat position parallel to ground, wrist bent slightly inwards.
L foot goes back half a foot distance, coming inward to give a more bladed stance, RH rises slightly to above height of LH. R foot pulls back into Cat stance, RH moves across and wrist tilts up so RH palm facing forward at an angle. L foot drags back further into deeper Cat stance, R arm drops slightly and R wrist rotates so RH is pointing downwards. At same time LH starts to move forward, with L wrist rotating so that LH palm starts to face forward with fingers pointing upwards. RH stops at groin height on Centre line, facing palm out fingers down, LH stops at chin height on Centre line, facing palm out fingers up.
LH closes into fist, wrist turning and LH pulling back to RHS of chest, RH closes into fist and R arm rises to cross over L arm, with RH resting to LHS of chest. RF goes back to side of LF, standing straight. Fists pull back to just under chest line either side of the body. Hands draw back further and hands open, palm up, wrists rotate so hands facing palm down. Then hands push down quickly, palms parallel to the ground, fingers facing forward Knees bend slightly as arms extend to full extent. Knees unbend, hands fall naturally by sides.
First Run Through
I tried my first end to end "walk through" of the form on 10th December. Very jerky with some pauses and in a limited space (which meant stepping back and forth, rather than three steps forward, three steps back as the form actually requires), and I definitely ended up on the wrong foot (stepping through with left foot, rather than stepping up and pushing on with right).
Very much a work in progress and different to most Karate kata, but for me it's just the kind of form I find relaxing and will be a good addition to Tensho.
Before I get started, please note I did not learn Sanchin as a part of
the core syllabus from my Dojo. Rather from a friend, PJ Broomhall, who
teaches it as a part of his Bu Kai syllabus. Firstly, I learnt it out of
curiosity, as it is labelled as one of the three "core" Kata of
Karate (along with Naihanchi and Tensho #1). I then added it directly to
my own repertoire as a part of my CBT/Karate routine (#2) that I use to remain
calm and focus.
This routine has three elements, for Mindfulness, Tensioning and
Relaxation. Sanchin, used to develop the "iron body" techniques
of Karate, seemed to be the absolutely natural Kata for the Tensioning portion
of the routine. Not done fully in the style that many Goju teachers
would approve, but at Firstly, least tensioning the arms and legs to make the
arms rigid in the legs "rooted".
My curiosity was piqued about the kata after watching Jesse Enkamp's
China series (#3) on YouTube. There may be some dispute about the
veracity of the claim to have found the oldest Kata, but there can be no doubt
at all about the genuine nature of the Kung Fu featured. SanZhan was the
Crown Jewel of the series. It was claimed to be the root of Seisan, which
is a possibility. What is undeniably true is that it is the root form
that led to Sanchin (#4).
Sanchin is known mainly for its association with Iron Body an Goju Ryu,
but although the Karate kata is simplistic in appearance, its roots tell that
there is much more to it. Although many may use it simply as a body
training kata, it embodies fighting techniques as well. I have been lucky
enough to listen to many talks and train online with many people that I would
probably never have met, but for Covid. Two of these, Les Bubka and PJ
Broomhall, quite happily consider and teach how the Kata can be applied.
Therefore, I was both amused and saddened by a member of the Karate
world saying that Sanchin is only intended for and should only be used for,
body training and conditioning. It seems that some of the extended
family still live in denial of the roots of Karate and that any kata derived
from Kung Fu are not just going to be "training" kata. (An example of
a Chinese training form would be the likes of "8 brocades", which
would never be translated into karate #5).
I have the pleasure of slowly learning some aspects of Five Ancestors
Boxing from online lessons with Russ Smith, and some of the material seemed
directly aligned with Sanchin, though less stylised. The material in
question is in no way intended as body training and has an explicit direct
follow on from the deflecting aspect of the crossing arms in a double outward worlds
block.
To show what I mean, this is a video of my amended version of Sanchin,
showing the more attacking potential I can see hidden in the movements:
Sanchin modified to incorporate
Five Ancestors techniques:
1) Turns half front, half back,
followed by leg sweep. 2) Outward crossing of arms open
handed, then bringing down as hooking hand to trap the opponent's arms. 3) In place of a punch, back
hand hook turns into a ridge hand “bump" to the trapped arm, followed by a
finger strike up the line of the arm into the throat.
Whilst this is strictly speaking
neither SanZhan or Sanchin, I don't think that most people would deny the
Sanchin base, or argue too much with the intent of the Five Ancestors
added techniques. Of course, apart from our doctrinally
blinkered brethren. So maybe to let them live happily in the
belief that Sanchin is solely a training/conditioning kata, by referring to
anything derived with purposeful intent as SanZhan?
I have a friend in Australia, Paul Broomall (aka PJ Broomy), who during Covid was one of the online teachers who helped out with Guest Lessons, along with Les Bubka amongst many others. due to some similarities in health conditions, and it seems outlook on life, we became friends, and we have continued to work together online since then. However, last winter and our own personal circumstances since then, we only managed to arrange our first online session together for 14th of May. PJ kindly consented to become the first victim to try out the CBT kata I have been using for the last 18 months or so, so I was both somewhat excited and worried by showing had been doing it and the reasoning behind it.
To recap, that kata in question are Naihanchi (or Tekki) Shodan, Sanchin and Tensho. The principles of CBT being worked on are Mindfulness, Tensioning, Relaxation and Breathing.
Naihanchi (Tekki) Shodan I use for mindfulness, which in CBT is feeling every part of your body, both statically and when in motion. The kata is done at whatever speed you feel comfortable with at the time, but ensuring that you concentrate on how your body is moving and where you end up. It doesn't need to be the perfect kata, neither do any of the three.
The second kata is Sanchin, which I use for Tensioning. This one is PJs, though a variation on the way he does it. He showed me the version where by turning your wrists you can tension your arms to rigidity. I do the same with my legs (I think this picked up in a seminar from Okinawa online, where rooting your feet was said to be important). Sanchin as used by Goju Ryu seems to be used extensively for this, so seemed a natural choice.
The third kata is Tensho, for Relaxation and Breathing. Originally, I was taught Tensho as a breathing kata by Noah Legel, to help with my COPD. Then Les Bubka showed me how it could be used for relaxation (Teisho). Combining the two seemed the perfect choice for what I wanted to achieve. There are two versions that I do,
one for full space and one for limited space. The latter in arm kata only.
However, both work the same for me.
In short, by the third set of hand movements in Tensho, my breathing is comfortably in synch with the arm movements, I find myself feeling relaxed and with a clear mind. PJ seemed to enjoy the exercise.....
=
PJ Broomy's view of what we went through: "A very interesting way of practicing kata. Naihanchi with a focus on mindfulness, Sanchin on muscular tension and Tensho for relaxation. There is no rule saying each kata must be done a particular
way. To the contrary our Okinawan masters have been documented encouraging us
to make karate our own. Bob is doing this and getting more and more out karate
as a result.
Recently we applied Bob’s method to these three core kata in the dojo. Focusing on where the body was in time and space during Naihanchi not only gave the kata another dimension but lead to some very effective bunkai/oyo latter in the class.
Sanchin is known for tension however we focused on proper spine alignment when applying that muscular tension. This also helped induce some fatigue that assisted with the transition into Tensho.
Tensho was performed in a more relaxed manner with a distinct focus on breathing. This is a great way to round out what is an excellent routine for any karateka to do."
As this was the first time I had actually shown someone else, and they did it for the first time themselves (I had no idea he got his dojo to try it out later), I thought it worthwhile sharing the results.
Hope some of you might find it of interest.
REY/PJB 16/05/2023
