Friday, October 14, 2016

It is just One Movement from One Kata

 
Another look at other fractal technique analysis. This is also part of the logical analysis I use to understand my training. This is nothing new for us, just something  I was putting together for a training review. However, it seemed appropriate for today.
 

The ideas contained in the opening movements of Seisan Kata. Now the different variations of Seisan all contain what is some sort of left side block with a following right strike. (Okinawan versions, Japanese versions). Some from my logical analysis, from my experience with Sherman Harrill and John Kerker, some from the Shotokan of Tristan Sutrisno. One movement sequence, many possible uses.

 

This focuses on Isshinryu technique, but is not limited to that either. It is no attempt to show all of the potential applications.

 
 

 

As used on the Interior Line of Defense agaist a right strike.

 

Against a RFF Right Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

1. Shift to the left 45 degree angle and step in with your left foot in Seisan stance. Strike their Solar Plexus with your right Reverse  Punch.

 

Against a RFF Right Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

2. Shift to the left 45 degree angle and step in with your left foot in Seisan stance. As you do so parry across with your right hand with a motion to draw them forward. Then continue that hand motion in a counter-clockwist strike (akin to a Jing Do movement) to strike their Solar Plexus with your right Reverse  Punch.

 

Against a RFF Right Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

3. Shift to the left 45 degree angle and step in with your left foot in Seisan stance. Left arm blocks outside the strike and right Reverse Punch the solar plexus.

Against a RFF Right Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

4. Shift to the left 45 degree angle and step in with your left foot in Seisan stance. As you do this strike with your left lead punch into their lower ribs and at the same time parry across your centerline with your right palm into their striking arm. Then block out with your left arm into their striking arm, as you do that your right hand slashes back across their core (which is a painful slash) while it returns to chamber. Then deliver a right reverse punch into the solar plexus.

 

Against a RFF Right Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

5. Shift to the left 45 degree angle and step in with your left foot in Seisan stance. As you do this strike with your left lead punch into their lower ribs and at the same time parry across your centerline with your right palm into their striking arm. Then block out with your left arm into their striking arm,

 Then they throw a Left Punch as a 2nd strike

 as you do that your right hand slashes back across left striking arm as use of a strike as a block (which is a painful slash) while it returns to chamber. Then deliver a right reverse punch into the solar plexus.

 

Against a RFF Right Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

6. Shift to the left 45 degree angle and step in with your left foot in Seisan stance. Left hand blocks outside the strike and right Reverse Punch the solar plexus, Then continue that motion by striking up to their chin with the thumb of the right fist into the bottom of their chin, where it is soft.

 

Against a RFF Right Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

7. Shift to the left 45 degree angle and step in with your left foot in Seisan stance. Left outside the strike and right Reverse Punch the solar plexus, Then continue that motion with a right backfist to the side of their head. Following that strike down into their arm with a right descending shuto (or a right descending shocking forearm strike). Then reverse the motion and strike into their neck with the back of the wrist with a right palm up ridgehand strike. Continue with a right palm down ridgehand into the other side of their neck.

( this is a variation of the multiple striking drill we use)

 

 


 

Against a RFF Right Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

8. Shift to the left 45 degree angle and step in with your left foot in Seisan stance. Left outside the strike and right Reverse Punch the solar plexus, Then continue that motion by striking up to their chin with the thumb of the right fist into the bottom of their chin, where it is soft. Then step forward with a right step behind their lead leg, which becomes a reap, striking calf to calf, taking them down and you continue to hold their arm. Conclude the motion with another lff crescent step into their arm elbow being held from their downing to the floor.

 

Against a RFF Right Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

9. Shift to the left 45 degree angle and step in with your left foot in Seisan stance. Left outside the strike and right Reverse Punch the left hip area where the leg joins the hip (alternatively it might be a strike to the groin)

 

Against a RFF Right Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

10. Shift to the left 45 degree angle and step in with your left foot in Seisan stance ending atop their right foot. Left arm blocks outside the strike and right Reverse Punch the solar plexus. This pins their foot to the floor, if they fall it affects their ankle.

 


 

Against a RFF Right Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

11. Inspired by the Uechi. Shift to the left 45 degree and step in with your left foot in Seisan stance. Parry their striking arm across your body with your open right hand. Then block with the open hand left arm  while your right hand returns to chamber.

a. Conclude with a right spearhand into their solar plexus

b. Conclude with a right spearhand into their throat

c. Conclude with a right spearhand into their solar plexus, which then flows into a right descending single knuckle strike into the same solar plexus.

d. Your right spear hand approaches their chest about 1” above  their left nipple but before contact it turns into a descending single knuckle strike to that point. The single knuckle done with the wrist bent descending the knuckle into the opponents body at that point.

 

Against a RFF Right Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

          12. An example how extra movement can be inserted into a

          technique (as perhaps kakushite)

          Step into the strike and execute a left outside block to parry the

strike. Then the left hand becomes a rising bent wrist strike to the opponents jaw. Next strike them with a right reverse punch which then turns into a right backfist srike to their chest (or perhaps their face.

An example of multiple striking. I learned this as an application for the opening movement of the Shotokan Hangetsu kata, a descendant from the Shorin Ryu Seisan Kata.

 

Against a RFF Right Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

13. Inspired by the Uechi. Shift to the left 45 degree and step in with your left foot in Seisan stance. That foot is placed behind their lead foot. Then that foot hooks back. The timing is such as the foot reaps them to fall. There are no hand techniques necessary. It is all in smooth execution and the speed of the step.


 

As used on the Exterior Line of Defense against a right strike.

 

1. Shift the right 45 degree angle (outside their strike)  Your hands

Cross and the ‘<’ of that crossing hands is used to parry their strike to your right. Then you chamber your right and strongly block into their upper arm with your left outside block (but being used from outside their attack). Conclude with a reverse punch into their ribs.

 

 

As used on the Exterior Line of Defense against a left strike.

 

Against a LFF Left Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

1. Shift to the left 45 degree angle (outside their strike). Parry their left strike across your body. You chamber your right as you left outside block their strike. Conclude with a right reverse punch to their lower ribs.

 

2. Shift to the left 45 degree angle (outside their strike). Parry their left strike across your body. You chamber your right as you left outside block their strike. Conclude with a right reverse punch to the  middle of their thigh (giving them a charley horse in their leg and dropping them)

 

As used on the Interior line of Defense against a left strike.

 

Against a LFF Left Punch (a simple attack for analysis purposes)

 

1. Shift to the right 45 degree angle (inside their strike). Using the ‘<’ of your crossing hands parry their strike outside your left. Then with your left hand backfist into their face to stop them moving forward. Conclude with a right single knuckle strike into their side.

 

Through use of appropriate body shifting techniques can also be done from both sides of the opponent, and also from their rear.

Guiding Principles

 

 

1. The motion known as the side block can be done within several modes. Either by itself or perhaps in tandem with the other(s)’              

                   a. On the close interior the motion might be a descending                             elbow strike.

b. The motion of the block might be done ‘hard’ to strike into the attacking arm and damage it or deflect it away from the centerline in a big way, moving the opening in the process to a more advantageous position.

c. The motion of the block might be done soft to deflect the strike to the outside.

d. The motion can be done with a downward force to force the attacker down to the ground. This is osae.

 

2. Use of breathing can be inhalation or exhalation.

(The manner of breathing may be either hard or soft)

 

                   a. Inhalation when it is more advantageous to adhere to the                          attackers centerline.

b. Exhalation when it is more advantageous to increase the force of the following blow.

 

 

3.  The attacking limb may be attacked when it moves through a point about 6 inches before the shoulder. It is moving more slowly then, instead of with greater speed  at the strikes end.

          (The time to strike is when the opportunity presents itself)

 

4. The speed that kata is practiced with should be the speed of the defense. There is no need to increase the speed. Knowing where you will intercept the attack makes the job easier. Remember that Slow is Smooth and Smooth is Fast.

 

5. Your tools for striking are as follows. The vertical flat fist, the vertical fist as a vertical ridge of knuckles, the knifehand fingertip stroke, the knife hand fingertip stroke that collapses into a vertical strike, The single knuckle strike, striking with the thumb of the fist (inward and  rising). The backfist, a descending knifehand, a descending forearm, the rising ridgehand, a palm down ridgehand, a side of the hand open hand strike. At different times they may be interchangeable for differing effects.

 

5.a. Use of Jing Do striking where the block becomes a strike, as in the left outside block after contace circling counter-clockwise and then becoming a left palm strike forward (as to the jaw, or shoulder, or ribs)

 

6. The timing of the knee release and chinkuchi are force enhancers to be used.

 

7. The manner of stepping might represent a step, a shift to 45 degrees, stepping on a foot, stepping inside behind a foot, stepping outside behind a foot, a shin kick, a front kick to the leg, hip joint or groin, a dynamic reap or sweep. Each use changes the potential effect of a technique series.

 


 

8. While all of these movements work exactly as done in the kata, you gain more time to perform your defense, as well as removing yourself from the direct line of attack, by shifting to a 45 degree angle.  The advantage is you are outside their line of attack but in optimal position to respond to them.

 

These movements can also be performed by stepping in reverse, or the reverse 45 degree angles. Stepping away does yield more time, but also gives them more time to gain more speed behind their attack. You must consider tactically why you want to place yourself in these positions.

 

          9. Of course this is the easy part. I have shown some of the

potential within one movement. Consider, you have to work out

every possible potential for every movement of the kata you know.

It very much becomes a lifetime study.

 

You obviously do not need every variation possible.  But what you will gain in this attempt is an understand how an attack presents a space that you can utilize as needed. Also, you will how any movement can theoretically defeat any attack. As the studies grow in number the greater underlying knowledge will manifest itself.

 

10. The larger part is not what Application Potential exists. Rather the training necessary to move from Application Potential to Application Realization. That is what this is about.

 

Start slowly and learn the Application Potential. Then have the attacks come with increased speed. Then the attacks start coming from different angles. Then from varied attacks, forcing you to choose potentials to conclude them. Work to standing with no fixed position that could give away your intended response. Then work against multiple attackers (following the above pattern of gradual attacks). Work toward Maximum Unpredictability.

 

There are certainly more aspects to consider than I have expressed here. This is just the starting point.

 

 

I have been working on this for some time, This is part of the study a new Sho Dan would undergo. The following video is from 1991. On it you can see my son who was very young, but it was not a reason to stop training. It might help understand these concepts more clearly. There are also more suggestions here than I have included in this work. 

 

 

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