Body Mechanics

[oneya]

So what is interesting for me is that (I spent several years cross training in shitoryu) is that in Wado we do our stuff during transition. In Shitoryu we did it after we stopped moving. In other words we were posing.

But when you get to Inoue Sensei or in this particular case Rika Usami, the lines start to blur. Yes she is still waiting until she gets there - sort of - but again...the line starts to blur.

Bob

Isn’t that the whole point of wado kata right there Bob. The old meijin didn’t just randomly wadoize the ryukyu kata in the abstract, he engineered both an upload and download ‘energy to power paradigm’ to feed the intent. There is no need for bunkai in wado kata so the kata becomes the delivery service for the payload. Attack and defence being the same thing we can also upload energy in the defensive movement and download its power in the counter attack. We pause only after the attack is finished in wado kata, the same as koryu tamashigiri.

Yoshimi Inoue is one of the great ambassadors of Japanese martial arts and all his students are a credit to his teaching. Back a while ago in 1988 we – my brothers and I – exchanged wado ryu Rohai’s seductive study of spirals and gravity manipulation with Mie Nakayama’s winning Matsumura Rohai kata behind the scenes at the 88 world championships in Australia. As you are well aware Yoshimi Inoue’s student Mei Nakayama was the world kata champion at that time.

Over the years we have also cross-trained with 7th dan Goju Kai, Shoto and Okinawan Goju ryu fellas and in each case Ohtsuka meijin’s ‘motion being the delivery of intent’ was always the difference.

I have seen very few non wado folk ‘blur the lines’ and not many of those blur it as well as Inoue sensei.

oneya

[Gusei21]

Hi Reg,

I am going to steal your phrase '‘motion being the delivery of intent’ for my seminars.
It sounds way cooler than my 'do your stuff during the transition'. :)

I hope people understand what Reg is saying. This is why in Wado we CAN punch with our body and block with our body.
We don't punch with our hands and block with our arms.

And if you watch one of Inoue Sensei's clips - I can't remember which one - he does a shuto uke using just one hand. It's amazing.
So fast. With power. And he is not even bothering to use his other hand for balance or to aid the technique in any way.
But what he is doing is generating the delivery of the force through correct grounding and cross body connection. In other words he is using his body correctly. His entire body moves without moving forward. So his entire body is connected, in motion, triggered by intent, managed from his tanden.
Not many karate people can do that. I've only met a handful. In fact when I think about it I only know one other who does that really well and that is Takagi Sensei.

Again I am only talking about body mechanics here. Nothing to do with inashi, nagashi, whatever. I'm talking basic kihon fundamentals. But not so basic. Extremely difficult and my lifelong obsession. Very frustrating and next to impossible for me to do. Perhaps someday...but probably never.

[oneya]

Be my guest Bob.

although I think: "Motion serving the delivery of intent" has a little more clarity.

Oneya

edited for clarity.

[claas]

Now the famous Ellis Amdur has written about his training with Akuzawa and Aunkai in general.
http://kogenbudo.org/akuzawa-minoru-the ... s-a-sword/

A very good and interesting read. I usually copy some part for further discussion, but will respect Amdur's wish in the end of the text not to.

The text covers some analysis about Yagyu Shingan-ryu, as well as comparing to a variety of other experiences and observations. It also reflects Amdur's personal thougts about Aunkai and Akuzawa very well. A must read for anyone interested in this topic.

[Acesty6]

collaboration of tension and relaxation is to difficult it is now an obsession for me learn of those