Uechi-Ryu Zankai - My Anamnesis - Part 8

December 28th, 2007 at 23:45 · Filed Under Essay, Karate, Philosophy, Training Journal 

A great advancement in my teaching/coaching experience occurred when I switched from one karate style to another and finally to Uechi-Ryu. My journey has taught me a great deal about teaching. My current teacher, Seizan Sensei has been my good guidance and I have learned a great deal from him too.

Recently, after the last grading test on December 21, I received valuable feedbacks from my teacher. It is extremely easy to learn movement of kata in Uechi-Ryu compared to any other styles. The main factor is the minimum techniques and stances. The most fundamental and frequently used stance is Sanchin-dachi, followed by kiba-dachi and zenkutsu-dachi. Sanchin-dachi appears 98% in all kata. There is only one blocking technique in Uechi-Ryu, the versatile Wa-uke or circular block.

The wa-uke looks very easy and simple by making a circular motion with the arm. The easiest and simplest thing requires most effort to understand and the most difficult to master. I have been trying to teach the basic concept about wa-uke to my students. Even the most senior student has difficulties to understand my teaching.

We often hear a saying, “Empty your cup… to taste my tea.” or equivalent. It is necessary for those who switch over from other style of karate to Uechi-Ryu. They need to unlearn what they have learned. They have to put all the techniques behind. One most important thing they need to put behind is their attitude before they can open their mind and let the knowledge be absorbed like a sponge.

Besides an open mind and/or attitude to willingly accept new knowledge, skills and techniques which look contrary to their previous training, another important requirement is open up all the senses/feeling during training and learning. Senses or feelings, include vision, hearing, touch, macro and micro movement, instinct, and heart. Feeling is a necessary factor in training which most students and teachers have overlook.

Training with feelings can accelerate the understanding of a technique and concepts behind it. Even my most senior student cannot feel or at least describe her feelings during training or practice. Most karate trainings are merely repeating mechanical performance and lack emphasis on feelings. Feelings are most important in the understanding of Uechi-Ryu concepts.

I will write about effectiveness of training by open up all your senses in a series of articles here. I will also write about advanced wa-uke concept in another article. But these articles will only be available to my students and Zankai fellows.

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Comments

6 Responses to “Uechi-Ryu Zankai - My Anamnesis - Part 8”

  • Uechi-Ryu Zankai - My Anamnesis - Part 7 on December 28th, 2007 23:48 1

    [...] Previous [...]

  • Feeling - The ultimate learning - Part 1 on December 30th, 2007 14:06 2

    [...] Uechi-Ryu Zankai - My Anamnesis - Part 812.28 [...]

  • 龙 on December 31st, 2007 9:02 3

    In Taijiquan, there is a lot involvement of feeling, particularly in “Push Hand” (推手). When practicing push hand, it trains the ability to feel the opposing force. That’s call “Force Listening” (听劲).

    Feel is the most common necessary sensory capability one has to develop, improve and sharpen in internal system martial arts.

    You are on the right track of your training/teaching. I see Uechi-Ryu as an internal system when I watched your grand master, Toyama Sensei, performing Sandairyu kata.

    As you mentioned about the different performance (Sandairyu) between Toyama Sensei and your teacher as well as others, my explanation is that your system actually train from external (a mix of internal) to internal (all or mostly internal) at advanced level.

    龙

  • Adrian Hoe on December 31st, 2007 9:48 4

    I may not have enough time to develop such movement in Sandairyu. I had a good chat with sensei last night and we talked about Toyama Sensei’s Sandairyu.

    Wait till I get the book and read about the Tiger style to have more details about Shuu Sensei’s teaching. I am not sure the Tiger style in that book is passed down from Shuu Sensei. I will take the book to Okinawa with me and verify it together with Sensei and Toyama Sensei.

  • Adrian Hoe on December 31st, 2007 9:49 5

    Younger people may have the chance in their life time to develop such movement as in Toyama Sensei’s performance.

  • Uechi-Ryu Zankai - My Anamnesis - Part 9 on January 4th, 2008 12:51 6

    [...] Part 8 of this anamnesis closed for the year of 2007. [...]

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