Gi Patches

The dojo has a number of patches intended for the gi. This picture shows where each should be sewn onto the gi.

Looks like there are a few that I could get that I don't have. Right now the only patch I wear is the Megami.

Isshinryu Information

The posting is a collection of items I found on the internet. The URL preceeds the quote.

EJMAS

Shimabuku Tatsuo combines techniques from Shorin-ryu and Goju-ryu karate to create Isshinryu karate. While an uncommon style in Okinawa, Isshinryu becomes popular in the United States because Shimabuku specialized in teaching karate to airmen and Marines. The name means "The One-Heart Method," or "Concentration."

Martial Arm

Isshinryu History

The founder of Isshinryu, Tatsuo Shimabuku, was born in 1908 and began training in Karate at age eight. He was first taught Shuri-te by his uncle who taught Shimabuku in return for the performance of certain chores.

As his thirst for more knowledge grew, Shimabuku later studied Kobayashi-Ryu under Master Chotoku Kyan and was one of Kyan's leading disciples. He also studied Goju-Ryu under Master Chojun Miyagi and became very adept in the style. Returning to Kobayashi-Ryu, Shimabuku studied under Master Choki Motobu, who was a legend on the island of Okinawa.

Shimabuku soon became well-known for his Karate prowess, winning recognition for his superb kata at large martial arts festivals. He began to study the art of the Bo and Sai under the Okinawan Kobudo master Shinken Taira and his reputation spread throughout the entire island of Okinawa.

At the commencement of the Second World War, Shimabuku owned a small manufacturing plant and also worked as a Karate instructor. The plant was destroyed during the early part of the war and to avoid being forced into military service by the Japanese, Shimabuku escaped to the hills where he worked as a farmer until he was discovered by Japanese soldiers. The soldiers agreed to keep Shimabuku's hiding place a secret if he would in turn teach them Karate. Shimabuku agreed and after the war he continued to farm and practiced Karate in private for his own spiritual and physical benefit.

Master Shimabuku was recognized throughout Okinawa as a leading practitioner of Shorin-Ryu and Goju-Ryu. He eventually took the best elements from each and combined them into a new system which he called Isshinryu, meaning 'one-heart or one-mind' style. Isshinryu was officially born on January 16, 1954. It is an eclectic form of Okinawan Karate which epitomizes the powerful, lightning-fast techniques that, in ancient times, enabled the weaponless Okinawans to defeat the sword-wielding Samurai warriors of Japan.

In developing Isshinryu, Master Shimabuku utilized the sage oriental philosophy of the 'hard' and the 'soft', which emphasizes strength through speed and accuracy. Muscles are relaxed until the point of contact. The system uses a vertical punch with the thumb placed on top of the fist. This style of punch could be easily performed, produced increasing speed, was easily retractable and avoided positions in which the elbow could be broken. The placement of the thumb on top of the fist also acted to strengthen the wrist.

MORE SPECIFICALLY, ISSHINRYU EMPHASIZES:

1. Elimination of fancy techniques

2. Low-line kicks, all below the waist

3. Short natural stances without wasted motion and major body shifting

4. Even application of hand and foot techniques, about 50 percent each in katas

5. Close-range techniques, useful for self defense

6. Snap punches and snap kicks in which the limb is extended 90 percent and immediately retracted (preventing excessive strain on the hinge joints)

7. Hard and soft blocking

8. Blocks with the muscular portion of the forearm rather than the bone

9. Fist formed with the thumb on top of the clenched fist

10. The vertical punch which increases speed and focus

11. Multiple-purpose technique allowing a block to become a blow, and vice-versa.

Master Shimabuku used what he felt were the best kata from Shorin-Ryu and Goju-Ryu. These kata are common to most styles of Okinawan Karate. Each contains elements that are necessary to develop a well-polished Karateka. The only kata that Master Shimabuku created himself is Sunsu, meaning 'strong man' � the Master's nickname. Sunsu embodies techniques from the other Isshinryu kata and is the most difficult to perform with strength and speed.

Proponents of Isshinryu follow an eight-point code. Within the code are some of the basic principles of the Isshinryu system:

1. A person's heart is the same as heaven and earth (harmony);

2. The blood circulating is similar to the moon and the sun (movement);

3. A manner of drinking and spitting is either hard or soft (blocking and deflecting);

4. A person's unbalance is the same as weight;

5. The body should be able to change direction at any time;

6. The time to strike is when opportunity presents itself;

7. The eye must see all sides;

8. The ear must listen in all directions.

On May 30, 1975, Grandmaster Shimabuku died, yet his system lives on as Isshinryu is studied the world over.

Vertical Fist

Seisan: This kata is of Chinese and Shorin Ryu origin. It is one of the original kata from the ancient Pangia-Noon style. Its name is derived from Master Seshan. The kata teaches the student how to fight several opponents directly in front of him and how to turn and face opponents coming from different directions. The kata teaches a vertical punch with the thumb on top, instead of the twist punch. It emphasizes the "Seisan Stance" (SHO ZENKUTSU DACHI) of fighting.

Seiuchin: This kata is of Goju Ryu origin. It is a horse stance (as if riding a horse) position in which the feet are about shoulder width with toes pointed out at a 45 degree angle. The back and head are straight and the shoulders in line with the hips. This stance is most effective when the opponent is close and directly to the side of the karate-ka.

Master Shimabuku's Code of Karate

1. A person's heart is the same as Heaven and Earth.

2. The blood circulating is similar to the Moon and Sun.

3. A manner of Drinking and Spitting is either hard or soft.

4. A person's Unbalance is the same as a Weight.

5. The body should be able to change Direction at any time.

6. The time to strike is when opportunity presents itself.

7. The eye must see all sides.

8. The ear must listen in all Directions.

Why the vertical fist?

One of the most distinguishing characteristics of Isshinryu is the vertical fist. Most new practitioners and disciples of other arts wonder why we make a fist in this manner, and why don't we twist or "corkscrew" our punches like most other styles. The answers are really fairly simple and quite well thought out.

For the answers, let's examine the dynamics of the Isshinryu punch. The properly executed Isshinryu punch is launched from the side keeping the fist vertical the entire time. The elbow is kept close to the side and the shoulder is mostly quiet. The punch is targeted at the solar plexus, - not higher at the face or head. Striking with the first two knuckles of the hand and then snapped back - much like cracking a whip. At the completion of the punch the hand and arm are left in a position ready to punch or block again immediately with no wind up. When timed it is possible to land 3-4 of these punches in the time it takes to land one corkscrew punch, and if one believes the laws of physics i.e. Power=Speed x Mass it is easy to see that this punch is not only faster but more powerful that a twisting punch as well, as we are moving the same mass as in a twisting punch but with much more speed.

Biomechanically the punch/fist is also much more sound. Beginning at the fist and moving up the arm: The fist is made by holding the hand open and then slowly curling the fingers from the most distal knuckle until a fist tight enough to completely hide the fingernails is made. Then the thumb is pressed down on the second knuckle of the index finger. This makes an extremely hard and tight fist. Much less prone to injury, and a much more effective weapon.

Moving on to the wrist. Holding the fist vertically during the punch has the effect of distributing the impact to both the radius and ulna. Try a twisting punch and notice the position of the radius - especially when your target is on your opponents centerline - like the face or solar plexus. You will see that much more of the impact must be absorbed by the radius side of the joint where the joint is much "softer". Softer meaning that the joint on this side is comprised of small bones, cartilage and ligaments. Not to mention that the radius itself is by far the smaller, more fragile bone. The forearm is also left in a stronger blocking position. Blocking across the wide, muscular side of the arm instead of a single, exposed bone has obvious advantages.

Moving up the arm. In a twisting punch the elbow is turned outward, away from the body leaving it in probably it's most vulnerable position. When the joint is turned this direction and locked (as would happen if the punch was trapped, or slipped and countered) it takes little more than 20 pounds of pressure to dislocate or break the joint. Twisting the arm outward like this also has the effect of exposing the floating rib and in the case of a punch to the face or head also adducts the shoulder leaving it vulnerable to anterior dislocation and exposing a nice large vital/pressure point in the pit of the arm.

While this is a somewhat cerebral analysis of a simple punch it seems that most of this information is obvious to our subconscious minds. In thinking about this punch I realize that I rarely see even the most trained "corkscrew" puncher use one in a sparing match and even much less on the street. I think that one of Master Shimibuku's amazing talents was his ability to understand the state of Mu-Shin (no-mind) and to utilize it in a practical way. Imagine the power of knowing what the subconscious mind will do and training your body to be even better at it.

Test for Rokukyu

Tonight I tested for my next rank, Orange Belt. Master Ron Joslin did the exam before class.

Turns out that what I though was a Chinese hidden foot move is actually stepping down the line a shoulder width forward and transferring all the weight onto the lead foot and twisting toward the lead leg such that the rear leg touches the other and becomes unweighted with heal up ready for a kick.

The promotion ceremony is next Wednesday at 6:00 PM.