Kata Focus - Naihanchi

Naihanchi was most likely created by Bushi Matsumura.
It is a unique Kata, with a linear embusen involving only stepping side to site.

Many have interpreted this as fighting against a wall or in a narrow space, with attackers coming from the sides.
In reality, the Bunkai can be applied against opponents attacking from almost any direction and there is no need to be standing with you back against something.
So the "against a wall" or "in a narrow space" is simply a misconception.

Where many Kata involve completing techniques or combinations in groups of three, this Kata only involves one technique and/or section at a time. The whole Kata is completed twice, the second time being a mirror of the first.

There are three versions of the Naihanchi Kata in total, but it is thought that Bushi Matsumura only created one. We don’t know whether Bushi Matsumura made all three as one long Kata and Anko Itosu (Matsumura’s student) just split it into three; or if Matsumura made Naihanchi Shodan and Itosu, or someone else, made Nidan and Sandan (based on Shodan).

The meaning of the Kata’s name (Iron horse) actually comes from an old Okinawan name for the Kata ‘Nifanchin’ which directly translates as ‘Iron horse’. ‘Naihanchi’ directly translates as “internal divided conflict”. 

Choki Motobu's Naihanchi

Gichin Funakoshi renamed these Kata Tekki (Japanese for ‘Iron horse’). 

One theory is that the name probably comes from the stance used, Kiba Dachi (horse stance). 

Another theory is simply a description of powerful strong nature of the Kata itself. Both theories are equally possible and both could be true. 

Choki Motobu has said that Naihanchi comes from an older Chinese Kata that is no longer practiced there, but there is not much evidence to support this. While Naihanchi isn’t an overly complex Kata, Motobu has said that it is “all that one needs to know to become a proficient fighter.” Motobu was famous for testing his karate abilities by engaging in brawls on the streets.

Shorin-Ryu

Another Shorin-Ryu

Isshin-Ryu (Angi Uezu)

Choshin Chibana
(Naihanchi Shodan)

Choshin Chibana
(Naihanchi Nidan)

Choshin Chibana
(Naihanchi Sandan)

Shotokan (Funakoshi)

Koryu Uchinadi
Interesting variation "Naihanchi 360" 

Comment below to share any thoughts or opinions you might have.  :)

Thanks for reading.
Derm

Ͼ

Information Sources (to the best of my memory):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naihanchi

http://www.usadojo.com/articles/iain-abernethy/Naihanchi-Karate's-Most-Deadly-Kata.htm

http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=221

http://www.ikigaiway.com/2010/exploring-the-value-of-naihanchi-kata-and-putting-it-into-action/

Miscellaneous Thoughts on Budo

Today's post is a collection of some of my own thoughts with a brief explanation regarding Budo training.

They are in no particular order and have no intention or meaning beyond the words written.

These thoughts obviously would have been influenced by things I was reading and conversations I was having at the time I recorded them.

Having said this, these words are my own thoughts and opinions. It is understandable that others may have differing opinions; no offence is intended for any person who may disagree with the following.

Why does it matter if you are better or worse than anyone else?

We tend to focus very highly on relative things and treat them as absolutes. Being better than another random person doesn't necessarily equal absolute greatness and being worse than another doesn't automatically mean you're terrible.

It is far more important to come to realisations on your own, rather than being told by someone else. The only way you can do this is to be thinking deeply, even meditating, on the subject. Never simply go through the motion and expect others to give you the answers.

We are intelligent animals, our natural capability for reasoning and problem solving is amazing. A big part of our intelligence is our drive to streamline tasks, simplify them and make them more efficient. It's the main reason for the invention of tools and technology. Unfortunately, sometimes we're so adept at trying to simplify things that we're also lazy, hoping others will do the work for us, or simply not getting the task done at all. This is an intrinsic part of human nature (to varying degrees, some people are of course more lazy than others).
So when it comes to actually putting effort into thinking and analysing something, many people will simply take the easy way out and wait for someone else to do the work and/or provide the answers.
This is not the way of the warrior. The most effective way to understand something and/or learn something new is to be putting the effort into understanding it ourselves. Only with deep thought, reflection and analysis can we find the way.

Martial Arts is a journey of self-improvement & self-discovery – not a journey of belts, medals or thuggery.

I like this one - it rhymes.
Simply put, true Budo is much deeper than what is there for others to see. It's a deeply personal journey, for you and about you. It's not about what others see and it's definitely not about being able to beat the snot out of another person.

I think Budo is misunderstood throughout most of the modern world.
The Following is a list of things that true Budo isn’t about (in my opinion):

-         Sport

-         A “Fighting Style”

-         A Hobby

-         Seasonal

-         Competitive

-         Children’s After School Past-time

-         Only Practiced in the Dojo

-         Antiquated Pointless Traditions

-         A Business

-         Goal Orientated

-         Just Punching & Kicking

-         A Way Of Gaining Notoriety

-         A Way of Getting Tournament Medals.

While some of these are indeed part of Budo, but I think none of them are what it is truly about. As I mentioned in the previous thought, Budo is deeper than what is there for others to see. Some of the things listed here are absolutely involved, but these are just what people see, it's not what Budo training is meant to be for.
I fully appreciate that different people will have different reasons and motivations for training. Many are only interested in some certain aspects and aren't interested in deeper things. People should always be free to make their Budo about what they want, but in absolute terms, there's more to it than the above.

I honestly believe that Budo training is about learning to face who you truly are and making that person the best they can be physically, mentally and spiritually while simultaneously inspiring them to become a true warrior, standing up for what is right and good.

In reality there is no time required for any grade. We are all different and as such vary on time taken between each grade.
I could write a whole massive post about this one and one day I might.
Each grade level is meant to represent different stages in development. Every single person is different and will progress at different rates at different times. We all have different strengths and weaknesses, we are all natural at some things and have difficulty with other things. What you do well others don't do well and vice versa.
What you pick up easily, others might have great difficulty with.
So it's literally not possible to have a criteria and time-frames that everyone will follow. Anyone who says that it takes "this amount of time" to grade from "this grade to that grade" is either deceiving their students, doesn't understand how people learn and/or actually has no standards (so they grade people after the time-frame regardless of skill development and understanding). This is the reason why it's also not possible to compare one student to the other and maintain a reasonable standard.
YOUR journey is YOURS and others are not going to be following the same path... it's YOUR path alone.

These aren't the only thoughts I have had regarding Budo (Believe it or not).
In the coming weeks I'll share some others, make sure you keep and eye out for part two!


Comment below to share any thoughts or opinions you might have.  :)

Thanks for reading.
Derm

Ͼ

Kata Focus - Bassai

Bassai (or Passai) is found in various martial styles from Japan, China, Korea and Okinawa. It is unknown exactly where this Kata originates, although there are many theories. 

Bassai is one of the oldest Kata (with the only possible exception being Seisan). 

Bassai is prominent in both Shuri-te and Tomari-te, it is known that Bushi Matsumura taught this Kata and today there are two main versions (among others), ‘Matsumura Bassai’ and ‘Tomari Bassai’. 

Anko Itosu was a student of Bushi Matsumura and mainly studied Shuri-te, but it has been said that Matsumura told Itosu to learn the Tomari version of this Kata from Kokan Oyadomari. This means that in general, the students of Itosu (including masters such as Gichin Funakoshi, Choshin Chibana and Kenwa Mabuni) taught the Tomari version of this Kata, rather than ‘Matsumura Bassai’. It should be noted that later down the track some masters made a point of learning both versions.

There are two types of Bassai taught by Itosu, ‘Bassai-Dai’ and ‘Bassai-Sho’. 

Bassai-Sho is the smaller and is solely designed for defence against an opponent wielding a rod or stick.
The theory is that when Itosu was young, his father would tie him to a pole and attack him with a Bo (wooden stick) in order to teach him to defend himself.
Later in Life, Itosu created ‘Bassai-Sho’ and ‘Kanku-Sho’ based on their larger counterparts for Bo defence as a result of this childhood experience.
I have also read this story regarding different masters too (Matsumura for example), so it's difficult to know exactly how accurate it is, as is the case with many legends of the old masters.

It is thought that the techniques in Bassai originate in either in ‘Five Element Fist’ Kung Fu or ‘Leopard-lion’ style Kung Fu, but this is only speculation as the history of the Kata before even Matsumura is unknown. 

The name ‘Bassai’ (meaning ‘to extract from a fortress’ or ‘remove an obstruction’) comes from Gichin Funakoshi, originally from the Okinawan ‘Passai’. 

Gichin Funakoshi renamed many Kata in order to make them sound more poetic and meaningful for the mainland Japanese.

Shotokan - Bassai-Dai

Shotokan - Bassai-Sho

Wado Ryu

Chosin Chibana (Shorin)

(with nice Okinawan music)

Tang Soo Do (Korean)

 Tomari Bassai

Matsumura Bassai

Comment below to share any thoughts or opinions you might have.  :)

Thanks for reading.
Derm

Ͼ

Information Sources (to the best of my memory):
Books:

Karate-Do Kyohan: The Master Text By Gichin Funakoshi

Web:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passai

http://www.theshotokanway.com/bassaishonotes.html

http://www.theshotokanway.com/bassaidaikatanotes.html

http://www.downloadkarate.com/karate-articles/bassaidai

The Martial Mind

In Budo it's all about the training.

The training of both mind and body.

It's very true that the body is easier to train than the mind. The unfortunate result of this is that quite often the mental aspects of training we're sadly lacking.

The thing is, mental training is probably more important than the physical.

There are a few ways of training the mind that a martial artist should develop. Some of these include the endurance to keep going when you want to stop and the character development to be a better person.

A large part of mental training and indeed an important aspect of being a true warrior is the development of the martial mind.

Primarily, as martial artists we should constantly seek to develop the martial mind, the mindset of a true Budoka.

In every situation it's best to get in the habit of asking yourself “Is this is what a smart martial artist would do?”

It's all about having a certain attitude and outlook in any given situation.

One aspect of the martial mind is when we're not switched on during training. In a real self-defence situation you don’t have the option to take your time or be lazy. For this reason we should keep a focused mind when training. 

Very Focused Budoka

Be switched on and serious about everything you do in the Dojo, even little things like getting up or walking to the other side of the Dojo are best done with conviction. You may need little skills like these to work for you when you don’t have the option to do it at just any old pace. The enemy doesn’t care about little aches and pains, actually they will take advantage of them.

Another aspect of the martial mind is simply awareness, known in Japanese as Zanshin.

Gichin Funakoshi said “When you step beyond your own gate, you face a million enemies”. 
At all times, it's best to put effort into keeping your head up and being aware of the people around you, whether you are in a crowded place or on your own. 

If someone (or a group of people) looks dodgy, firstly you need to know that they're even there, but then you need to be aware enough to keep an eye on them. Don’t be taken by surprise, all the training in the world won’t help if you’re struck down before you even know what happened.

One other aspect of the martial mind is that you’re always training. 

You can apply the technical aspects of Budo to almost any physical action, so why not use that and get into the habit of using everything to make yourself better/stronger?

Gichin Funakoshi also said: “Apply the way of karate to all things. Therein lies its beauty.”

If you’re walking down the street, closing a door, getting out of bed, brushing your teeth, lifting some random object or even just standing still you can apply the things we do in training. 
If you do this, your training will go from only being a couple of hours worth each week to something like 80 to 100 hours worth of training each week. Can you imagine how much you would get out of that much training?

If we want call ourselves a martial artists, we should also work towards having the mind of one.

The martial mind is a very important part of your training… have a little bit of focus and determination… become the Budoka you want to be!


Comment below to share any thoughts or opinions you might have.  :)

Thanks for reading.
Derm

Ͼ

5 Books Essential for All Ryukyu Budoka!

Ryukyu Budo isn't only about learning techniques and patterns, it's more than just the training and doing what Sensei said, it's deeper than tournament trophies and coloured belts.

While we all might have different motivations and reasons for training, a large part of this must be about the acquisition and improvement of knowledge.
Ultimately Budo is all about personal development, both physically and mentally.

For the early years of Budo training, you might get sufficient knowledge from what Sensei and others talk about during class, but if you wish to advance past being a mere beginner you need to actively seek more/deeper knowledge elsewhere. Luckily for us the internet is great for this; particularly Wikipedia, relevant Facebook pages, YouTube videos and blogs. These online sources are handy but all that information originally comes from either the Dojo or that other classic information source 'Books'.

Books are sort of like eBooks or some PDF files, but are made up of many thinly sliced trees with ink in the shape of the words physically printed on them!!! Then it's all stuck together and bound.

It's crazy the things people came up with in the old days!


Anyhoo... Below are 5 books that are essential reads for any serious Budoka!

BUBISHI

- By Patrick McCarthy

Patrick McCarthy is one of the world's most respected Karate/Kobudo researchers. Technically the Bubishi wasn't written by Sensei McCarthy, it's more accurate to say it was 'compiled' by him.
The Bubishi is an ancient text regarding Budo training, originating in Ancient China. Versions of this book were used by some of the most notable Masters and has directly influenced the techniques within the Kata of traditional Karate.
Some of the Masters that are known to have read in used this book are: Kanryo Higashionna, Chojun Miyagi, Gichin Funakoshi and Kenwa Mabuni among others.

THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS

- By Miyamoto Musashi

Musashi's classic book on 'strategy', written by him in the later years of his life, is basically the culmination of his thoughts and lessons regarding the way of Budo. The book is divided into 5 separate smaller books (the 5 rings):

• The book of Earth,
• The book of Water,
• The book of Wind,
• The book of Fire and
• The book of the Void.

The whole text is only short compared to some other books and it is actually a relatively easy read, but is so packed with information and insight that it can be read 10 times and you can still learn something new. It is highly recommended that this book is read several times to truly understand what Musashi is saying.

 

SHIN GI TAI

- By Michael Clarke

This is probably the most comprehensive Karate book I have ever read!
Michael Clarke has extensive knowledge and experience from his long Budo career. The book itself is in three sections: Shin (mind), Gi (Technique) and Tai (Body). In each section he basically coverers as much as his can. If you wish to gain a firm grasp of the way of Ryukyu Budo and everything that is involved, this book should definitely be at the top of your list!

 

THE ART OF WAR

- By Sun Tzu

Another classic book on strategy, The Art Of War was written in ancient China by a military general/philosopher. In spite of what the title suggests, this books doesn't glorify war or violence. The overall message is that the goal is always to end the conflict the best way possible, with the least amount of casualties possible. It highlights the fact that the way of the warrior is to end war rather than to make war.
As this book is so old and was originally written in Chinese, it has been translated and interpreted many different people over the years. This means that you can read different versions of the same book and reach different conclusions from the same text.

OKINAWAN KARATE TIMELINE & 100 MASTERS 

- By Hokama Tetsuhiro



Hokama Sensei is probably the world’s most knowledgeable and respected Karateka alive today. He is a 10th Dan, holds two doctorates in Karate, is President of the Okinawa Goju Ryu Kenshi Kai Karatedo Kobudo Association and owner of the world’s first Karate museum in Nishihara, Okinawa.
He is also the nicest and most humble guy you’ll ever meet!
This Book is exactly as the title says. It's split into two parts, the first part is a brief timeline of the history of Ryukyu Budo and the second half is details of 100 of Ryukyu Budo's most prominent masters.




Comment below to share any thoughts or opinions you might have.  :)

Thanks for reading.
Derm

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