Well it started out as Sanchin

 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.

REY 09/06/2024

Kata with Sai

I haven't formally been trained in Sai, but some time back, attending a session online with Sensei Tuari Dawson wetted my appetite.  Since been given Sai as a birthday present, I have occasionally used Sai with kata to see how they might fit.  This year however, due to personal circumstances, most of my practice and training has been solo and I found myself picking up the Sai more often.

Sanchin with Sai

I started off with Sanchin, which for some reason seemed to fit, and have been doing that for a couple of months now.  However, on my birthday, a message from one of my FB friends took me back to a video shared with me a couple of years ago.  It was of another standard kata, but done with Sai.  The first time round, I hadn't recognised it, but it was essentially Pinan Nidan.  Well, not quite.  

Pinan Nidan with Sai

I have tried it out a few times, and this weekend if formed the basis of a discussion with PJ Broomy.  Two things came out of this:

Firstly the kata is actually a blend of Taigyoku Shodan and Pinan Nidan
Secondly, I need to work on my Sai manipulation, as I still have a lot to learn.

PJ has kindly guided me to some YouTube material by Tuari Dawson, so time to get studying....

September to December Karate Diary

September to December 2021 was quite a rough period for me, but karate practice as ever was a part of my routine to keep going.  I worked it in with my mental health techniques as well, in the form of Kata for mindfulness and relaxation.  Below are a few sample videos and the playlists for Shorts, Solo Practice and Lessons for this time. 

September to December 2021 Shorts

September to December 2021 Solo

September to December 2021 lessons

Neko ashi dachi and Kokutsu dachi, compare and contrast.

I am lucky enough to study with two Sensei from contrasting styles, which occasionally allows the comparisons I am making here.  The two kata in question here are Pinan Shodan and Heian Nidan, by root the same kata but by practice somewhat different.   Pinan Shodan is a kata originally created by Itosu Ankoh, for introducing ito the Okinawan school system.  Heian Nidan is the version developed by Funokoshi Gichin, to help introduce Karate in the Japanese mainland.

There are many contrasts between the two, but I wish to concentrate on the transitions, as these seem to me the most fundamental difference,  I have discussed this with both Sensei, and this is what seems to be their consensus.

Kokutsu dachi and Shuto

Heian Nidan is conducted in Kokutsu dachi.  The weight is mostly on the back foot, but the front foot is also firmly planted.    By the interpretation  have, this is where facing an attack, you rock back, but need a solid framework to counter the threat.  Any attacking from this stance is done more naturally from the upper torso, or requires a transition to bring the lower torso into play.

Neko ashi dachi and Shuto

Pinan Shodan is conducted in Nekko ashi dachi.  Although again the weight is on the back foot, the practitioner should be "sitting down" in posture.  The front foot is then free to use in attacks without transitioning, however the framework is less stable until an attack is made.  Nekko ashi dachi lends itself to sweeps, knee strikes, foot traps, throws or sprawls.  If the next movement is forward, after the likes of a knee strike or sweep, the stance leads to the opportunity to press down on the opponent and take them to ground.

Pinan Shodan

All in all, although Itosu Ankoh is said to have taken much of the offensive capability out of Okinawan karate, it seem to me that is was more done by Funokoshi Gichin, in his interpretation of the kata for the Japanese audience of the time.  I have included my work in progress versions of each kata for the sake of completeness.

Heian Nidan

Than you for reading, hope you find it of interest.

May to September Karate Diary

 

May to September was a torrid time, but although I stopped formal lessons for a while, I didn't stop practicing.  For the record, I documented it all, although I didn't do any blogs, so here are all the videos.  The shorts seem to be popular, as well as the video (in training) of my son catching me in the crown jewels lol.

May to September Shorts

May to September Practice

May to June Lessons

July to September Lessons

A little bit of improvising

I haven't done much paired work during covid, due to the space limitation of often working inside.  My son Brendan, agreed to try out a couple of techniques I had solo proacticed with my own Dojo and with PJ Broomy.  On trying them out, we founf that due to body mechanics, a couple of improvisations seemed to work better for us than the original starting points.

I mentioned these to PJ and was asked to demonstrate, so we did the below video in response.

A couple of grappling teqniques

The first is from lock up, the original interpretation was:

Front leg mawashi geri to opponent's front leg, followed by a stomping kick to the back leg.

Ground the front foot, then Naihanchi leg sweep.

This turned into lock up, trap opponent's front foot with back foot, and deliver front leg knee strike to groint or midriff,

The second is from a guillotine head lock, the original interpretation was:

Pull down grabbing arm, deliver downward elbow to knee then upward elbow.

Head grasp then knee strike.

This turned into poll down grabbing arm, upward elbow and rising headbutt, head grasp and knee strike.

It's fair to say the first tecnique when reviewed, was thought to be genuinely effective, the second not so much, maybe a little too slow.   The suggestions I got to inprove the second one included driving forward and using lateral movement.  We haven't tried this out properly yet, but I'm thinking:

Grom guillotene headlock, pull down grabbing arm and drive forward whilst rotating, using a crashing elbow strike.  Hopefully that should take the opponent's space, destablise and perhaps lead to a drag down with the pulling hand..  I'm hoping I might be able to video that in the near future.

It turned out that the second technique should have actually been used from a reverse headlock, which makes more sense for the downward elbow to the knee, but we had fun and probably learned a way of getting out of a guillotine choke anyway, so by no means a waste. 😊😊😊

Kata, Covid and the mind

 

During the long period of training at home due Covid, karate has been one of my few positive outlets, and kata one of my first go-tos in times of stress, for exercise, relaxation and as mental stimulation.  Now things are looking to settle down, I thought it worthwhile to reflect on how far I have come in my use of kata as a part of my life.

Shorin Ryu kata

In March 2020, I knew one kata fully of my Shorin Ryu style, and had started to learn another.  Naihanchi Shodan was the main kata and was allowed to practice Naihanchi Nidan.  As a result of working online with Robey Jenkins, I had learned to use kata for cardio, and as a result of working online with Noah Legel, I had learned to use kata for breathing exercise.  All the Kata shown here are done in the manner associated of my working with these two excelent teachers.

As a result of having the opportunity to work with PJ Broomy online, I was introduced to the Bu Kai style.  After the formal lessons originally arranged for my dojo, I have had the pleasure of working with PJ one to one on many occasions.  He kindly demonstated a number of kata to me, including the opening kata of his style, along with a number of others.

Bu Kai kata

I've always had an enquiring mind, so I think it was natural for me to look at other kata to learn as a form of mental stimulation during these Covid-ridden times.  A documentary of Jesse Enkamp's, the "Karate Nerd in China" inspired me to want to learn the form of Seisan, which PJ kindly showed me, plus another Sanchin based kata, Sanseru.

Goju Kai/Ryu kata

Few of the kata here will ever be perfected for fighting purposes, but for the purposes I am using them for as denonstrated, they work perfectly well.  They are:

Naihanchi Shodan (core Shorin Ryu, graded since Covid)*
Naihanchi Nidan (core Shorin Ryu, formally learning)*
Naihanchi Sandan (core Shorin Ryu, allowed to practice)
Pinan Shodan (allowed to follow in lessons)

Taigyoku Shodan (Goju Ryu/Shotokan opening Bu-kai kata/PJ Broomy) Heian Nidan (Shotokan, second Bu-kai kata/PJ Broomy) Seisan (Goju ryu, 7th Bu-kai kata/PJ Broomy) Sanseru (Goju ryu, 8th Bu-kai kata/PJ Broomy) Tensho (Goju ryu and Breathing kata/Noah Legel)*

*These are the kata practiced pre-Covid.

Thank you to Alison and Ben Slack, Robey Jenkins, Noah Legel and Paul Broomhall for all their help and inspiration, also Les Bubka who showed me how to use slow kata for relaxaion. Plus any of you who are kind enough to read.