What we did...

What we did on Tuesday 28 August 2012

Review of Kata Tenshu, Tenzen and Channan with corrections and suggestions for working better renditions.

Sometimes I have to think carefully how to word what I write.  The above sentence would seem to be easy enough, yet again I was forced to reflect that my intuitively preferred word "performance" was actually incorrect because we do not perform our kata or our art.  Our art is not some demonstrative point scoring pastime that is measurable by appearance alone.  Our art is practised for oneself as a functional working tool, not to impress spectators.  As soon as the practitioner recognises and understands this  the better his or her karate will become. 

What we did...

What we did on Sunday 26 August 2012

Group 1:  Walking, getting up off floor, step adjustment for balance, squats.

Group 2:  Practise of all regular and core kata.  Identifying all returning loops in the basic kata.  A returning loop is a hand technique that goes first the one way and then by way of a looping action goes the opposite way; an S shaped movement.  For example:  a) I receive a right high punch by bridging outwards with my right back hand on the outside and simultaneously roll the hand over to grip the wrist and draw the attacker in.  b) I receive a right high punch by bridging outwards with my right back hand and then roll the hand over and come back in on the back his neck to control the attacker's head downwards.  c)   I receive a right high punch by bridging outwards with my right back hand, he fires off a second punch off the left arm and I switch direction picking up the punch and 'crossing' him up, shutting his right arm down with his left... There are many other examples including those in which a change of direction of the hand goes through a returning loop for the sake of functionality.  Curiously our kata show very few overt returning loops, curious because I use them far more than our kata would suggest. 

Hakutsuru and Shintai

What we did on Friday 24 August 2012

Kata Hakutsuru part one; overview and some basic applications.

It is rare that we teach Kata Hakutsuru because it is the last kata in our system and only taught to those able to embrace its principles, particularly in respect of the relaxed, fluid nature of the movements with its impulse ‘slingshot’ style receptors and counters. 

It is time for us to do some more group analysis of the kata which has its idiosyncrasies that deserve far more study than we have given previously.

Shintai Undo Kata Do: Review and consolidation of the Spherical Model which is now complete and reconciled with the movements of the Cubic Model. These exercises would seem best suited to having a relationship with Kata Hakutsuru.

The Spherical Model

Here is the final plan for the basic Spherical Model:

Starting and finishing point
Bottom	Clockwise	Forwards	Anti-clockwise	Backwards*
Front	Inwards	Forwards	Outwards	Backwards
Left	Inwards	Anti-clockwise	Outwards	Clockwise
Top	Backwards	Anti-clockwise	Forwards	Clockwise
Back	Backwards	Outwards	Forwards	Inwards
Right	Clockwise	Outwards	Anti-clockwise	Inwards

*Move through one quarter turn to pick up the starting point for the next set

Clockwise and Anti-clockwise refers to vertical circles on a longitudinal axis
Outwards and Inwards refer to horizontal circles on a vertical axis
Forwards and Backwards refer to vertical rolling circles on a transverse axis

Clockwise, Outwards and Forwards are Yang actions
Anti-clockwise, Inwards and Backwards are Yin actions

After learning the basic set there are many ways of exploring this model including the addition of an equatorial line of latitude, opposing hands, following hands and working the left and right spheres on different planes simultaneously.  A challenging way is to start (for example) doing the first set with the right hand, then moving on to the second set while the left hand starts the first set and following all the way through with the left hand one set in arrears of the set being described by the right hand.  The basic spherical model is your clue to understanding  the spherical model.

Next training session

Tuesday 21 August 2012 is cancelled because the floor is being renovated.
The next training session will be on Friday 24 August 2012

Shintai Undo Kata Do

What we did on Sunday 19 August 2012

Shintai Undo Kata Do development:  

The above illustration is my representation of the basic trajectory around the cubic model.

Reconsideration of starting points.

Only those of you who have been working with me consistently on this enterprise will know what I am talking about, but don’t be put off for all will be revealed in the fullness of time.  By the beginning of this month (August 2012) I had recognised that thinking of going around the cube describing Us, Ns, Ds and Cs, whilst serving its purpose was not entirely accurate even if useful to a point.  This model carried with it the suggestion that the arcs were semi-circular when in fact, to be more precise, they form a three quarter circle.  Andrew consolidated this train of thought with his insightful viewpoints on our August all day seminar.  Coming from the corners of the cube may only serve to confuse an already complex mind game.  As soon as one places the points of reference at the points where each circle conjoins with the next, everything becomes much easier to unravel.  Going around the cube (which is really a sphere) necessitates six three quarter circles going (in the basic or starting sequence) from the front at 3 o'clock to the top, left, back, bottom and right.  From there shift one quarter turn counter clockwise around the front face of the cube and begin again until you have worked around four times.  Then go to the top face of the cube and so on all the way around.  

I am not mathematically minded enough to work out how many of these trajectories are actually the same but with a different starting point on the same trajectory, and which ones are significantly different.  So my task at the moment is to go through all 48 starting options until I gain sufficient familiarity and understanding to recognise differences and what they are.  

Formal kumite, takedowns and 'flurries'

What we did on Friday 17 August 2012

Formal kumite practise and analysis.

Intro study posture and balance.

Takedown, knockdown, throw, decking.

Flurries, including takedown.

Gross motor movement.

Result: Compromise sparring ongoing at a slow to steady pace without a break to develop relentlessness.

The so called ‘formal’ kumite or what maybe should be better called Yakasoku kumite (association of the hands by agreement) has been bugging me for a long time now.  I maybe shouldn’t be so pedantic in wishing for there not to be overlaps in our training procedures; it results from a wish for reduction and to cut the vast mass of material back all the time to a manageable amount – but without loss…

Tony made a very good job of introducing takedowns into Kata Channan, a number of which reproduced those in the second half of the formal kumite.  Ever since I have been less than happy with part two of the formal kumite,  because of the repetition.

So on this session I asked for a review of the formal kumite takedowns on balance with those shown or implied within Tsukami Waza and Kata Channan.  It must also be born in mind that every technique within every of our kata has, even if not shown, an implied take-down to conclude.  The results of this review cum analysis may take a few sessions to reveal themselves.

…and talking of grappling and tornado hand techniques, there is confusion about similar names.  You should note the following:

Tatsumaki:  Tornado

Tsukami:  to grip, to grapple

Tsumasaki:  tiptoe, tips of the toes

There is also confusion about the terms ‘takedown, knockdown, throwing and decking.

Takedowns refer to the act of receiving an attack and then purposefully depositing an opponent on the ground.  This can be any way, by means of joint locking techniques, a knockdown, by throwing, unbalancing etc.  In Shinseido these are all ‘takedowns’ or what I tend to call, by way of slang, ‘decking’.  The term takedown does not imply that you have to go to ground too, although you could as a subsequent ‘policing’ control.  My philosophy is simple; I like to wear pretty colourful shirts and have an aversion to dirtying my clothes.   I would not wish to soil my clothing by rolling around on the ground, or even kneeling upon what could be a dirty wet surface.  I prefer to remain on my feet and have the attacker lie on the ground, preferably in a state which disallows him resuming an attack.

I am very much in favour of continuing a counter sequence relentlessly until the attacker has capitulated or is incapacitated to such extent that he cannot continue the assault; that, after I have already taken all reasonable care to avoid and prevent such assault in the first place.  Many martial arts train in an automatic stop after one or two counter techniques that form part of a well rehearsed but short drill.  I have had a number of students who had difficulty in engendering an ongoing ‘flurry’ (of techniques) mindset as a result.  Members should practise identifying available kyusho (vital or vulnerable points) during the execution of such a sequence.

We also recognised that in a real assault situation our fine motor movement may be compromised.  This should always be borne in mind when practising counters and takedowns, especially those that result from some complex joint locking procedure.

We thought it a good idea to extend our wakai kumite (compromise sparring) to embrace relentlessness and takedown, nor as a finale to a long sequence of counters, but at anytime the opportunity avails itself.

A mixed bag...

What we did on Tuesday 14 August 2012

Exercise 1.   Falling or ‘heavy’ hand technique.  Moving and advancing to the outside (body change - taisabaki), centre-lining, allowing the lead hand to ‘fall’ into the bridge (whilst retaining the passive cover hand in front of the sternum), ‘bounce off’ principle using the attacker’s arm as a bounce off platform projecting the back wrist to the head (jaw line).  Finish the exercise with a reversed back wrist or palm thrust

In respect of the Centre Line theory, the following should be noted:

Mother Line - A vertical axis line through the body from the crown of the head down through the perineum and into the floor.

Centre Line - A line that runs down the front of the body between your eyes, down your nose, over your navel and down to the floor.  Having made an evasive movement with the feet in order to offset and line up with tori’s (the attacker’s) mother line, and presuming that in the moment of response your attacker has not turned to face you, any straight counter attacks are delivered to the mother line, not to the centre line.  Only hooking or circular roundhouse counters can be directed to the centre line.

Central Line - The vertical plane between you and the attacker, extending from the mother line and passing for the most part through the centre line.  This is the line we use to protect our centre line.

Taisabaki (body change) and counter attacking to the mother line while at the same time protecting your own central line is fundamental to Shinseido practise.

Exercise 2.   Staying inside body limits.  Simultaneous body change crane wing style trailing hand bridge and lead hand counter.  Any delay in delivering the counter (which can constitute a disabling, weakening or distracting technique will result in the “shots across the card table”  situation in which neither tori (attacker) or uke (defender) has an advantage.

Exercise 3.   Receiving a (right) round house punch or strike with the back of the (left) arm and allowing it to deflect the attack over the head whilst at the same time using the other (right) hand to create a juji (crossed hand position) from underneath to feed the attacker’s arm into a ‘shut down’ situation where you are repositioned on the back of the attacker’s arm.  The receiving (left) hand then takes over in control of the attacker’s upper right arm.

Exercise 4.   Extending the above (exercise 3) process into an ongoing egoless flow drill. 

Exercise 5.   Breaking out of a corner.  Using the strategies rehearsed in the preceding exercises and with the emphasis on ‘shutting down’.

Exercise 6.   The 1–2–3 principle.  Right thrust attack – pick up on the wrist / forearm with the left hand.  Slip the right hand under and take up control of the upper arm.  Finishing with a left hand counter control to tori’s (the attacker’s) head or torso.

Exercise 7.   The unbending arm.  Utilising the concept of stability, strength and projection of energy in resisting attempts to bend or control the arm.  Recognising the mechanical limitations of that process and also practising loose ‘slippery’ snake responses to continued attempts to control your arm.

Exercise 8.  Shinsei’s ‘odd’ personal techniques. Kaeshi waza (Debana no kijiku waza) or attacking an attack with an attack.  Deflection of low and high straight thrusts and directly into a counter thrust with the same hand and arm.  The low response being spiral in nature and the high response being of a hooking nature.

Exercise 9.   Shinseido hooking hands.  Practising receiving and switching to the inside upper aspect of the arms of the attacker and then the outer upper aspect.  Maintain contact throughout (the ‘sliming’ principle).

All Day Seminar: August 2012

What we did on the All Day Seminar:  Sunday 12 August 2012

As always, the Bi-monthly Day Seminar gave us an opportunity to review a lot of concepts and principles.  Many thanks to those who came and made it a great day.

Group 1:  Walking.

Group 2:  Review of all basic kata.

Kata Shintai: Three dimensional statement; Spherical model; Cubic model.

Kata Naihanchi (ni) part one.

A good and productive day.  The elements of the so called Kata Shintai or Tancho are coming together now.  Of all the projects I have embarked upon this has been the most taxing mentally because I am no mathematician.  However, I am good at plugging away at something until I get where I need to be.  What I thought might take six months to resolve may well take a year, but where before all I could see was darkness, I can at last see a glimmer of light that is becoming brighter.

I have the components more or less organised into ten groups as follows.  

1.     Opening Symbolism
2.     The Sphere
3.     Arcs
4.     Spirals
5.     Sigmoid Curves
6.     Lemniscate Loops
7.     Slingshot Actions
8.     Methods of Working Two Hands
9.     Hidden Understandings
10.   Closing Symbolism

Congratulations to Rob Wise

Belated congratulations go to Rob Wise who was awarded Seito Dai: Higher Student Award (3rd Kyu Brown belt) on 10 July 2012.  

Rob has been a consistent and steady worker since joining us and has shown quiet determination throughout.  

Well done Rob.

What we did...

What we did on Friday 10 August 2012

Maintenance of Kata Shinzen

Advanced detail manner of working hands and body; ebb and flow; hip rotation; mechanical functionality; manner of crossing the arms; nature of relaxation etc.

What we did on Tuesday 7 August 2012

Hall cancelled for decorating

What we did on Sunday 5^th August

Review of all work done this year to date.

What we did on Friday 3 August 2012

Kata Shintai