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
I really enjoyed Jesse Enkamp's video series "Karate Nerd in China", and was fascinated by his finding of "Incense Shop Boxing" as the descendant of "Monk Fist Boxing", mentioned in "The Bubishi". This lead to one Jesse Enkamp's follow up videos:The Oldest Kata in Karate, featuring Seisan.
When I got the chance to join in with a lesson by PJ Broomy, by video link, I found out that one of the katas taught in his syllabus is Seisan, and it's opening was fairly similar to another kata I had learnt as a way of practicing breathing techniques, Tensho. An idea was set in my mind to learn the kata with a fourfold purpose:
To be able to join in any other lesson with PJ by having a common kata
As a piece of living history
As mental stimulation
To add another kata that could be used for practicing breathing techniques
PJ promised to video the kata for me, and duly it arrived a few weeks later via Facebook messenger, and during the video PJ said that he was not certain of the provenance of the version of the kata. During his video, Jesse had mentioned that although there were versions of the kata in virtually all styles of karate with similar starts and end points, there were many different mid sections, due to lots of the middle part of the Chinese form being cut out or greatly altered, so that set me a Nerd challenge:
To identify which form of the Kata practiced by other styles resembled the one I was learning
Firstly to the kata itself, I have been trying to learn it for about three weeks now, and can mostly remember the framework of the kata. though my knowledge of the precise techniques and phrasing is very much a work in progress and I can only go through it slowly. However, it is still enough to be able to use it as an extra kata to do deep breathing exercises to, thanks to my earlier learning of Tensho.
Now on to the Nerd part, I decided to search Youtube for the versions of the kata practiced by the various styles (the full set is in the playlist links at the end of the blog, but three in particular I thought to be reasonable base prospects:
1) Aregaki Seisan
Jesse Enkamp mentioned in "The Oldest Kata in Karate" video that Aregaki Seisho peformed the kata at a demonstration for the Chinese Sapposhi at the Ochayagoten in 1867. My search unearthed a video of the Bubishi translator himself, Hanshi Patrick McCarthy, performing the kata:
A very intricate kata, but not the one I was trying to learn ð.
2) Matsumura Seisan
I seem to recall from a number of sources that Seisan was a kata favoured by Matsumura, but unfortunately I can't remember them. However I do remember reading an article by Scot Mertz:
"Bushi Matsumura Sokon" (Oct 2018), in which he mentions that Matsumura made two trips to China as an envoy in 1826 and 1860, though the first is attributed as family legend. However it is suggested that on the first trip he studied both traditional and military martial arts, and might have been first introduced to the idea of "forms" or "kata".
One of his students, Kyan Chotoku, certainly taught the kata. The Shorin Ryu family of styles lay claim to this version of the kata, but there are many versions, some bladed and some more front facing. I chose the below to represent this form, as it explicitly lays claim to follow the Matsumura version:
To my untrained eye this appear to be similar to, but slightly less complicated than the Aregaki version, so again not what I was learningð.
3. Goju Ryu Seisan
Myagi Chojun the founder of Goju Ryu, went to China himself firstly in 1915-1917, then again in 1936. Apparently he went for a third time as well, but I can't find the dates for that. He studied originally with Aragaki Ryu Ko (no relation of Aragaki Seisho) for two to three years (1899 to 1902) then for 13 years with Higaonna Kanryo (1902 to 1915). Whilst in China he studied at least Chuguko Kempo and Whooping Crane Gu Fu. <sources http://www.ogkk.eu/historymaster/masters/chojun_miyagi.htm,
Where he learnt Seisan is never confirmed, though apparently Higaonna, Kanryo taught a version (possibly that of Aragaki, Seisho), and the form obviously existed at the time in China. So plenty of potential and varied sources for Myagi, Chojun to have learnt it from, as with Matsumura Sokon.
The video I chose to look at was that of Higaonna Morio (no relation to Higaonna Kanryo):
I also recognise that Paul Enfield does a mean line in interpretation of the kata, but way too technical for me at my level. ð
If anyone knows more about the history of the kata from the Aragaki, Matsumura of Miyagi lineages, would love to find out about it. ðð. I will leave the other versions out at this stage, simply to avoid the possible information overload it might might cause me. If there is enough there for another blog, would love to share that too.
The month of November, going into December you could say has been a testing one. Work has been manic, having had to work the last two weekends and again this weekend, I have managed to train at least once a week, but sometimes that has been it in some weeks, apart from short snatches of kata or drills here or there.
Naihanchi Drills 0511
It has been somewhat challenging at home too, with the ups and down of mood and tension that goes with four people being at home all the time. The separation needed doesn't always materialise and things can be magnified many times over as a result, but we have to keep on going.
Naihanchi after the lesson 0711
That said, I did manage to fit in a lesson with PJ Broomy at the start of November, and led to something a little different later on. From my own dojo's perspective, we have been concentrating mainly on kata, the Naihanchi pad drills and fundamentals, mostly online due to the lockdown (all online for me of course).
More Naihanchi, drills and kata 1411
One of the signs that I, and fellow students of a similar grade, are making progress is that we have now started to be shown Naihanchi Sandan and perform it in lessons. At the start of the Covid-19 crisis, my only kata to perform was Naihanchi Shodan, but zoom lessons have by their solo nature for practice have included kata as a strong element of our lessons.
Kata and Naihanch drills 1911
Our Sensei also keep asking us to provide performance videos of our kata, so that they can check on progress individually. This has resulted in a good amount of feedback, which I like to think has gone a long way towards the progress. Along with lots of practice of course.
2111 Lesson Part 1
One of the lessons we did, I videoed my part for the whole session, as a sample record of what we are doing and guess what, it was fundamentals plus the Naihanchi drills. The good thing about this is that it allows me compare what I do now against what I was doing when I started ☺☺☺
2111 Lesson Part 2
The good thing about that, is I got to realise the improvements I have made over time. They are only small ones on a day to day basis, but over two or more years they mount up to quite a lot of progress. As always though, there is still room for improvement. That's an attitude I always want to keep, as nothing I do will ever be perfect.
2211 Lesson Part 3
Sometimes, when work is demanding and home life is problematic, an escape is needed. Karate easily provided that during the summer months, with space in the garden to train and get away from all the other issues for a while, but then comes autumn and winter. The weather isn't so clement and night draws in.
2111 Part 4
The first victim was kobudo, as space indoors even during the daytime, doesn't allow for the use of bo and nunchaku, the weapons taught primarily in our dojo. Them the number of lessons I could attend dropped off, due to me having to work my full and sometimes extended hours, to meet project requirements and catch up on basics. Due to family needs, the space available later in the day is far less than the earlier hours.
2111 Part 5
I found myself drifting back towards online life and gaming, which before karate had always been my release. But it is nowhere near as mentally challenging or gives the self discipline and physical outlet I need to cope physically with my medical needs or mentally, to combat the current circumstances. Fortunately a friend had inadvertently offered a lifeline.
2111 Kata after the lesson
When the "Karate Nerd in China" came out in December / January, I was an avid viewer, and the series piqued my interest in the "oldest kata" in karate, Seisan. My lesson with PJ Broomy at the start of the month had me frustrated, because I couldn't join in directly with the kata part. They do Tekki Shodan, but not as a part of their core, but they do Seisan.
Seisan, first part
PJ kindly shared a video of him doing the kata, with detail, so I set myself a challenge: To learn it. I did this with a twofold purpose, it could be used as a breathing kata to add on to Tensho, that I already practice, and to know I kata I could do if I do another online lesson with PJ's dojo. The history also fascinates me, so I think it will be the source of two further blogs: Nerd meets Practice and then a pure Nerd blog, in truth the first one is part way there. That's another challenge, the mental stimulus.
2811 Kata cool down
So now I'm back to training more and today is the last weekend scheduled I have to do project work, so there is light at the end of at least two tunnels (the other is more personal, so not for here). I have even gone back to the tai cho kata form of Naihanchi Shodan, inspired by Robey Jenkins, and added Noah Legel's Tensho to the mix for cardio and relaxation.
2911 kata - Naihanchi Shodan and Nidan, Tensho
So my motto has to be "Never give up, never give in" and I want to say thank you to my son Brendan, and my Sensei Ben and Alison for the source of determination and perseverance, and my online mentors, Robey Jenkins, Noah Legel and PJ Broomy, for the direction in how to adapt what I do ☺☺☺☺ Also, a big thank you to all of my extended dojo family (Hanshi Nohara, Senseis Craig, Darren and Graham, Elsha, Jack, Sam and all) for giving me the reason to continue ððð.
3011 Rotating the strike
0211
Early morning lesson with PJ Broomy Following along with a regular dojo class
0511
Kata, Kihon Gata Naihainchi pad drills #1-3
0212 Early Morning kata
0711
Kata Kihon Gata Naihanchi pad drills #1-2
1211
Fundamentals
Punches, receiving techniques, kicks, shuto, hisa-geri, uke Kihon gata, combinations Kata and performance
1411
Kick, punch called combinations, turns and combinations Naihanchi drills 1 and 2 padwork Kata
2111
Fundamentals, punches, receiving techniques. kicks, etc. Naihanchi drill #1, elements and drill Kata
0312 Kata Tai Chi Style
2811
Jamie Clubb lesson, sprawls, spear take downs, going to ground, knee control, breaking grasps, going to the back, etc.
3011
Kata Rotation and elbow strikes, round the clock moving the nearest foot and round the clock with back foot as the pivot Naihanchi drills
0312
Kata The four basic kicks, turning ushiro geri on an uke, mai gei and mawashi geri in self defence Naihanchi drill one with variations, including turning to get sight of a second attacker and being taken to ground on the knee strike and recovery.
