Many of you may be wondering what I have been up to in karate. Have I stopped training? Hell no. I have been reading a lot about human anatomy and meridian pressure points these days. I find them enlightening. I became interested in human anatomy after working on a project building a gynecology website.

Using the knowledge that I have learned about human anatomy, many questions about Uechiryu techniques have been answered. These techniques are extremely dangerous and deadly when applied with medical knowledge.

What it is left now is training and more training to attain surgical precision strike in applying these techniques.

欲取敵首腦，先破其弓，後摧其心，可得也。無弓心浮者，避而取之。

Joints are important to our movements and acted as a power transmission center along the transmission lines of our limbs. In martial arts, especially internal system such as Wing-Chun, punching power is generated from elbows. Wing-Chun is mimicking many animals and among them are mainly crane and tiger. Crane being the foundation and essential form of Wing-Chun, it is also one of the three main animals in Uechi-ryu.

Sifu Hoe (my uncle) has been training Tiger style boxing since young. He has many years of training in Tiger style boxing. He also practices Taijiquan until now. According to Sifu Hoe’s teaching, the important factor in Tiger style boxing is to lighten up your upper body but have a firm stance and powerful hips for movement and striking. His description matches Ikyuro perfectly but with deeper knowledge and details. The striking power is generated by forearm, from elbow down to the every finger tips. The upper arm and shoulder are locomotive and transmission lines.

Although the power is generated by forearm, power generation using dan tien (the human body center of gravity in the lower abdomen situated 3 inches below navel) and stance can never be ignored. The ground is the ultimate power generator.

So, we know what being the power generators. The question now is how. How do we generate power using joints? I will discuss in details later.

I learned about Ikyuro or oneness or moving stance / striking together at the same time for deep impact. Locking at specific joints and contraction of muscles at specific areas during striking is essential to generate sharper and more powerful impact. This has to be performed with good stance.

When you focus on the muscles on your calves and thighs, you can suspend your entire body weight and sink it down to the ground via both legs. This suspension provides power generation and stability at the same time.

My understanding of Ikyuro was never complete before I research into Kosonken or tiger style boxing. Tiger is one of the three main animals in Uechi-ryu.

In Tiger style, 六合归一 or 6-in-1 or 6-become-1, is the emphasis of power generation using 6 elements, 3 externals and 3 internals. The 3 external elements are body, foundation and stance. The 3 internal elements are 精 (jing) or essence, 气 (qi) or energy and 神 (shen) or internal organs, bones fresh and blood.

If you have watched carefully the Sandairyu performance of Toyama Sensei, he has all these 6 elements in one body, one mind and one soul.

As a karate instructor for more than a decade of coaching and teaching experience, I have observed many different human behaviors in children, adolescent and even adults. I have very hard working students and also very ignorant and “lazy” students. Lazy not in terms of physically lazy but in mentally and attitude wise. Lazy in terms of seeking short cuts to achieve black belts as their peers do. I had students who trained with me and at the same time trained in other martial arts. With me, they had only achieved 1 grade higher then white belt for one year of training but they had achieved junior black belts in the other. They started their trainings in karate and other martial arts almost the same time. Black belts they are but yet can they kick or punch like black belts.

Two factors influenced the younger students.

1. Parents attitude in transferring their responsibilities to 3rd party in their children’s physical and mental education.
2. Ignorant parents and their egoism to see their children achieving some standards, in this case, black belt as their peers or neighbors’ children do.

I have parents who are very concerning about their children’s progress. But none of them consistent enough to stay concerned throughout entire year. They become concerned when grading test is approaching. This attitude reflects onto their children subconsciously.

While older children and older adults are easier to train (but not much easier then the younger children), I have formulated some training-playing methodology to help my younger students to train. I called it cognitive training. I will let them play a simple game of jumping, for instance, to help them develop muscles on their legs and hips. They usually enjoy the games very much.

As to older students, especially adults, explanation of bio-mechanism is crucial but always not taken seriously by most adult students. Only a few will absorb my explanation and apply into their training.

I wrote a similar but not identical article here. It is about learning to use the muscles.

Repetitive practice of wa-uke together with the understanding of its fundamental concepts and applications, a simple technique becomes a secret technique. Complemented by the understanding of the concepts from Kosonken (tiger style boxing), this secret technique becomes more devastating and deadlier.

My research continues to unlock more secrets of Uechiryu and Kosonken as the time goes by. At the mean time, while waiting for more new exciting discoveries, let us practice this simple and yet secret technique.

I am having muscle ache on my stomach, arms and chest due to the heavy workout last night. So, today not much of practice for myself. As usual, after checking the students’ Sanchin, we went on dantai no kata for Kanshiwa and Kanshuu, then Kanshiwa bunkai.

Tonight, only adult students were coming. None of the kids, including mine came for training. My muscles were aching and not much practice for myself. A perfect time to talk about some concepts. I talked about concepts, not so much of Uechi-Ryu but the fundamentals of tanden (or Tantien in Chinese) and the body structure and skeleton alignment. I also demonstrated explosive 1 inch power punch (of course with controlled amount of energy not to hurt anyone). I continued to demonstrate and to explain the concept of Taijiquan and the differences between the external and internal system. I gave quite a lengthy talk about both internal and external weight change and of course, the scientific explanation of this underlying fundamentals. Martial arts is also martial science which involves human anatomy, physiology, bio-mechanism, kinesiology and physics.

I find it important to let older students to know about this so that they can understand the concept and learn to utilize their body more effectively. This fundamental knowledge is also crucial for them to understand not only Uechi-Ryu system but also other martial arts. The knowledge is also an eye-opener to not be superstitious about Qi, Tantien and the myths about Taijiquan as seen on Youtube as well as in discussion forums.

If I say I have not learned Taijiquan before but am able to explain and demonstrate the Taijiquan concepts, will you believe it?

This appears to be a short anamnesis but I will continue to write about this fundamentals in more depth.

After the training, I took an orange, and 5 pieces of crackers with sweet coconut jam or kaya. More carbohydrate and sugar. Yeah sugar, good for my brain to work on blogs and trouble-shooting some hardware problem for my client. Here starts the night of the day!

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In my retrospection, 2007 had been a great year. A year full of events and incidents. A great year which I embarked on a new chapter in my karate exploration, a totally new direction and a new experience for me. I had visited Okinawa last July/August, a dream place where most karate practitioners would visit and seek further knowledge and experience. I had witnessed with my own eyes for the first time and had broken the myths about karate on Okinawa. I had achieved, to some extent, from Jukyu to Ikkyu after a month long of “severe” training on Okinawa and received recognition and approval (to teach) from both my teacher and my teacher’s teacher. I learned the meaning of “severe” from my new teacher. Upon my return from Okinawa, I set the course on track, a big responsibility for me to teach what I had learned on Okinawa to my students. I opened the first Okinawa Karate-Do Uechi-Ryu Zankai Malaysia Dōkōkai in November. All my students had been tested and a hierarchy had formed before the year ended with Christmas Carol and Nikainen-undō (Training on New Year Eve pass midnight, bridging two years).

I have a rather successful year despite of some sour events. What else do I want more? It is time for me to let go those mistreatment I received. It is time for me to let go the hatred and grudge (did I have any?). It will be nice to let these burdens off my shoulder. This way I can even progress further as I can already see.

I am not only learning a great art of Uechi-Ryu from my teacher, I am also learning the fine Okinawan Budo art from him. I wish to thank him and also those people who have been supporting and assisting me. Once again, thank you all and may you have a happy, prosperous and successful new year 2008.

At the end of 2007, I had seen the challenge for me to teach the concept of Uechi-Ryu, particularly, wa-uke, binkansa and yawarakasa. It is really abstract and hard to be explained and understood by words. So, I begin my research and writing an article (of many parts) to assist my teaching. Part 1 of the article was written two days ago. I foresee it will be many parts of it like this anamnesis. I hope to compile these articles (posts including the comments) into a research paper or book later on. Maybe 10 years later when I have got more time to sit down for word crafting.

Speaking about word crafting, I learn a great deal from my teacher too. Perhaps, my blog will train me to become a writer/author one day.

The last 6 months of 2007 were really exciting and fruitful. I learned a great deal along the process and I find myself with more knowledge and skills. Oh yes, and experience. I would like to thank those people who were the causal factors which slingshot me into this marvelous learning paradise!

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I recalled in a tournament 18 years ago, where I was enraged by the referee who did not award me point when I gave a uraken-uchi (back fist strike) to my opponent every time he threw a gyaku-tzuki (reverse punch) to my mid section. I struck him with uraken-uchi to the side of his head but he could not even touch my gi. I had the advantage of long reach than him. I was 6’3″ and he was about 5’5″. I became more frustrated and angry as his punches did not touch me but awarded point. I don’t deny his gyaku-tzuki was perfect in posture, movement, power, speed and timing. My uraken-uchi struck harder every each time he was awarded wazari (half point). The last few strikes were the hardest, if they all landed on the vital point such as the temple, he would be traumatized. I struck on his parietal with surgical precision. Parietal is the largest and hardest skull bone which covers both sides and the lateral of the brain.

I never met my opponent since after the fight until I met two of his friends at a National Sports Science Workshop in September 2004. We talked about the old days and mentioned about this guy. Both of them told me that this guy said to them how powerful my uraken-uchi. He was feeling dizzy and disoriented after the fight.

Uraken-uchi is my favorite technique because of the advantage of my long range and height. I developed a powerful uraken-uchi and was able to strike hard without drawing the hand backward closer to the body. 18 years ago, I had already developed controllable uraken-uchi with various level of power.

After the tournament, it took me almost 15 years to develop precise control which I am able to deliver an uraken-uchi to opponent’s face with superficial tingling sensation without any obvious injury. Today, my uraken-uchi can strike like a sledge hammer or as soft as a pat on a baby. I have yet to master control as I don’t feel satisfied and am still continuously seeking perfection.

How to develop control and precision in a strike? Well, feeling is the most important factor in acquiring such skill.

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.

秋风轻拂又一载，回首笑看众愚痴。
奴面不如花面好，江湖恩怨今秋了。
云鬓斜簪春欲放，仰首挺胸迎彤霞。
龙虎鹤功悲新竹，学问功名笑野梅。
老夫高歌轻俗世，秋风伴我饮一杯。

－－贺文耀 2007年12月26日著。

Here’s his gardening wisdom:

When the Gardener plants a seed in good soil and waters it, it begins to grow. First it must soak up the needed water, expand, and push through the hard seed shell. This is painful, difficult, and exhausting work. Did you know of the plant’s nervous system? This is the most painful stage of a young plant’s life! Many seeds just give up and die before sprouting.

This was when you decided to leave the old association, based only on words made many miles away by me, a stranger. You could have just quit karate (“died”) or “stayed in the shell”, but you didn’t. You “soaked up” my words and essays, and decided to break through the shell.

Then the seedling must push up blindly toward the surface of the soil, not knowing what lies ahead, or how far it might be to the surface. Hopefully the soil has been softened and moistened by the Gardener, and hopefully there are no rocks and stones in the way. But despite the greatest efforts of the Gardener to prepare the way, sometimes there are, and the new seedling has to wind around them or push them out of the way. To a tiny new sprout, sometimes even a grain of sand is like a huge boulder! But it must push on, or die.

This was your final decision and preparation, your commitment to making the trip to Okinawa, your arrival, and the anxious hours before actually beginning your work.

It was like holding your breath as you swim through an underwater tunnel, with no way back – how much further, how much further, when will you reach the end and break the surface, how much further…?

Now the tender new sprout reaches the soil’s surface and breathes in the fresh air and begins to absorb sunlight! What a joy! The gentle breeze, the warm sunlight, the uncountable stars at night as the tiny new shoot sleeps and grows using the day’s stored energy. But it is still tender, and easy to injure. It must be protected and nourished through this critical stage of development.

This was your training here on Okinawa, and your realization that all I said to you was true. This was your beginnings of study with me and your fellow students on the Nagahama Dojo, and the encouragement you got whenever you made progress and growth in the system. This is the excitement you felt when you first met Toyama Sensei and finally had an opportunity to perform for him, and met his approval for your performance. This is the culmination of your studies in one short month that cemented your resolve to “plant your roots” in UechiRyu. You have seen the sunlight and now you strive upward toward the source of your energy and growth. And this is my commitment to take care of your development, and see that you have all possible opportunity to reach your potential.

The promise and commitment of the Gardener to the plants in his care. So it was from Toyama Sensei to me.

Now the plant is growing with strong stem and branches, new leaves and increased absorption of sunlight and water. It’s well-formed root system digs deep and cannot be pulled up easily. The bark on its stem grows tougher every day, and stronger each week. Small bugs can no longer assail it. Birds are no longer interested in pulling it from the ground for use in building their own nests – the “sprout” has become too tough. However, not having seen even one season of growth yet, it is still in its youthful stages of development and needs the attention and ministering of the Gardener. There are still some plant-eating animals that can cause mischief – but the Gardener gives what protection he can until the plant is a full-grown tree, which will take some time yet.

The plant is far from mature enough to produce fruit for creating more like itself. That will naturally take several seasons. But it has the start that few of its kind have in the wild, unattended and surrounded by weeds and rocks that stunt its growth and rob it of vital nourishment. It can look down now at its beginnings in the soil, and laugh at what once seemed to be huge boulders and heavy barriers in the way of its growth; they now seem like tiny grains and pebbles, and small light twigs. They no longer bar the way; they add to the nutrition of the soil and the protection of the roots. And so those things that once caused pain and fear are to be appreciated.

My greatest challenge came two days ago when I received a feedback from Sensei about our video performance. Suddenly, I realized the greatest challenge is lying within the concept of the system. It is the hardest to teach to a student. Although I realize most of the concept taught by Sensei on Okinawa, I find myself have not completely absorbed. Even if I have absorbed, I am not able to apply the concept through kata.

The concept in Uechi-Ryu Zankai is simple but rather complicated to understand and to apply. For instance, applying “yawarakasa” and “binkansa” at the same time. Not to mention applying both together with “chikarazuyosa”. For all these three elements, they need a mind with opened senses, to be able to feel and to control every muscles and bones. A better understanding and the capability of manipulating body central of gravity are vital in the process of learning, understanding and applying.

This may not sound too difficult for me due to my prior understanding of bio-mechanics and kinesiology from the cross training of karate which I received many years ago. I also would like to thank those teachers who cross trained me and helped me to understand the concepts (of other styles). Without them, I would have been struggling harder by now.

I have taught my students how to move and how to do kata, alright. Yet, I have not been able to realize the conceptual model in their understanding and application. This is the greatest challenge in my entire karate coaching career.

冯驰先生说：

中华武术自宋、明、清以来，发展迅速，流派林立。一方面拳种繁衍，一方面人体内外整体观的武术理论已逐步趋于完整，无论南派、北派、内家、外家，莫不一致提倡内练气，外练形，内外兼修，以提高武术的养生作用与技击水平。

内家拳，作为中华优秀的传统武术，更注重“气”的锻炼。如内家拳中的太极拳云：“养气为君骨肉臣”，“以心行气，以气运身”，“气遍身躯不少滞”，“气沉丹田”、“气宜鼓荡”等；形意拳云：“精灵养根气养神，养功养道见天真，丹田养就长命宝，万两黄金不予人”，由此可见内家拳对气的重视程度，他们并且摸索出一套完整系统的训练方法，大体分两步：一步是养丹田之“气”，养气之法通过调身如：头领颌收，劲部松直，涵胸拔背、塌腰敛臀、护肫圆裆、松肩垂肘等来达到“气沉丹田，通过调息“气沉丹田＂，行之既久，常若一团气力坚凝于腹脐之间。二步是运“气”，运气之法是通过丹田鼓荡，“周天运行、螺旋缠绕”等使“气”运到身体各部位，以备养生与技击。

为什么如此内家拳如此重视“气”的锻炼？究其原因是因为他们认为“气”是高能量物质，是人体运动的原动力。武术中的高级劲台太极拳中的弹抖劲，形意拳中的中寸劲等都是“气”发放的结果。其实这是一个天大的错误。造成这一错误的原因很简单，就是由于当时科学不发达，技术落后，对人体的解剖知识，生理机能不明，单凭身体的感觉得出的结论。也正是这种结论的错误，才造成了中华武术史上最大的误区。可以说，几乎每一位练武者，特别是内家拳锻炼者都受到了不同程度的误导，走了不少弯路，有的甚至终生不能重返拳学正轨，真是可惜可叹！

既然掉进“气”的误区，就要跳出“气”的误区。要想跳出“气”的误区，首先就要弄明白“气”的真正含义。真实“气”的真正含义有两层：一层是通过所谓养所得的丹田之“气”，实际上就是腹腔内的压力，是自然的生理因素所致，而不是什么高能量物质，也不是武术中的弹抖劲、寸劲的根源。可能有人会问：为什么通过养气能感到丹田气足了，爆发时丹田的鼓荡能感到身体的力量增大了呢？原因是在养时通过调息，锻炼了腹压肌的收缩力，当腹压肌再收缩时，使腹腔内的压力比原来增强，这样我们的感觉好像是丹田里的气足了；当爆发时由于丹田的鼓荡，一些腹压肌拉长收缩，被动牵引脊柱产生一定的力量，但这种力量对技击来说是微不足道的。那么说丹田“气”（腹腔压力）没有什么用途了吗？其实不然，丹田之气有一个很大的用途，就是当腹直肌、腹外斜、腹内斜肌这些对脊柱运动力臂长的肌肉收缩拉动脊柱运动时，如果腹压肌中膈肌动力产生的腹内压能当好支撑点，就能使脊柱、特别腰脊产生动抖运动，这才是武术中弹抖劲的根源。通过腰背的主动弹拌运动与产生的力量非常大，与丹田鼓荡被动牵引脊柱产生的力量悬殊很大，作用差别也很大。二层是所谓运至全身的“气”绝不是与呼吸有关的气，更不是什么高能量物质，而是遍布全身的神经纤维和神经末梢。太极拳中“以心行气、以气运身、气遍身躯不少滞”的气真正含义实际就是大脑发出指令，通过神经纤维的传导，达到全身的神经末梢指挥全身肌肉的松紧协调。可能有人会说：为什么通过全练功，身体有麻热胀、蚁走等得“气”的感觉？其实这是人体自然的生理现象。凡是学过人体生理解剖知识的人都知道，人体的各种体育运动，都是神经支配骨胳肌收缩的结果。人体骨胳肌大小共有六百余块，大部分是小肌肉，而在平时的运动中起主要作用的都是大肌肉，这样一部分小肌肉如果长期用不到或锻炼不到，神经支配这部分肌肉的能力就会降低或根本就不能支配；另外，每块骨胳股都由很多肌纤维束组成，并且每一肌纤维束都有神经支配，即使经常运动的骨骼肌里也有神经支配不到的肌纤维束。通过练功使支配不到的肌纤维束的能力得到加强，在这一过程中，由于神经接通或神经支配能力的加强，都伴有电位变化，形成电荷移动，使身体有麻热胀、蚁走等得“气”的感觉。

在上一册文章里，龙说：“气是无型的…” 不代表以仪器所测量到的一些生理现像并不足以构成一个完整解释‘气’的理论。往往好多练武之人，不去做进一步的深入了解，而“人云亦云”把误解一代传一代。

只要一提到“气是假的”，就会受到很大的震荡。这是人类迷信和固执的心态。就好相说“神是不存在的”。丹田和气已经到了一种精神信仰的地步，好比宗教。把他们的迷信给打破了，他们就会很痛苦，而且会很执着的回应以保护他们对丹田和气的信仰。我的文章不是要给这些人痛苦，而是要给那些开明，勇于脱离传统，勇于探索之人做参考。至于那些执着迷信之人，要是不能接受，就请一笑置之。

而丹田有上丹田，中丹田和下丹田。有三丹田，五丹田之说。这里所指的是下丹田，也统称丹田。丹田多指人体脐下三寸处，也称“小腹”。这里头除了小肠，根本什么都没有。而这人体脐下三寸处，正好是人体重心所在。前文所说的“其心不正，亦邪”。其心就是指人体重心。如人体重心不中正，那人就会失去平衡而跌倒，也会影响健康。有肥胖之人的小腹是凸出的，俗称“肚腩”。因为肥胖之人的小腹是凸出的，其人体重心不中正，也比常人显得笨重和容易跌倒，健康也比常人差，之所谓：“其心不正，亦邪”。

腹腔上面是肺，而肺和腹腔有横隔膜把肺和腹腔分离。横隔膜是造成肺和腹腔里的压力的型成。“丹田内转”是解腹腔里压力的变化，使肺部压力相互形成。腹腔压力的变化，把内脏均匀的分布开来，也造成肠的蠕动，增强肠对营养的吸收，废物的排出，是以有养生之说。

人的祖先是猿猴，以四脚行走。腹腔里的内脏，均匀的分布，如图里的黑猩猩。其重心中正，力大无穷。可能就连几个太极高手一起上，也未必是黑猩猩的对手。难到黑猩猩也会上乘的内功／气功不？道理很简单。人的先祖慢慢开始进化，改以两脚行走。这时，内脏开始受地心吸力影响而往下移，腹肌开始退化松懈，造成“其心不正，亦邪”。气功就是呼吸法，改善人体构造，内脏的分布，回归大自然原始的动物本能。这时，“意守丹田”就是指在意识的控制腹腔，横隔膜的运动和内压力，再慢慢的进入潜意识的控制。这时“心正而身亦正”。如仔细观察图里黑猩猩，就能看到它那强壮凶猛的身体是受其重心所支配 － “心正而身亦正”。这也是为什么武术以动物为基础的原因。

“以身变手，以气变手，以意变手”有何解？手是型体上的构造，看得见，摸得着，这是“以身变手”。如果没有神经的电子讯号和血液（压）的流动，那手就没有作用了，这就是“以气变手”。有了神经的电子讯号和血液（压）的流动，那手就起作用了，那还的有在意识或潜意识的支配或控制，那才能随心所欲, 这就是“以意变手”。“以身变手”并不是只是型体上的构造，看得见，摸得着这就草草了事。手和身是相连的。手就是身，身就是手。而手的运做，要靠身体和重心（丹田）的支配和控制，以达成最理想的运动，那就是“运动经济学” (motion economy)。

话说回来，人的呼吸有分先天和后天两种形态。胎儿在母亲体内是用脐带呼吸。所吸之物是带有氧气和养分的血液。所呼是带有二氧化碳和废物的血液。这些血液在胎盘里进行了一系列复杂的运转。胎儿这时是用逆腹式呼吸。逆腹式呼吸方法是一种能够增强人体气机顺畅、调节人体功能、平衡人体阴阳的一种呼吸练习方法。平时我们的呼吸特征是：吸气时腹部凸出，呼气时腹部凹进。而逆腹式呼吸方法则相反，体现在外形上的要求为：吸气时腹部凹进，而呼气时腹部突出；逆腹式呼吸具体方法，取站、坐姿均可。慢慢用鼻腔吸气，同时腹部内收，胸部上提，横隔膜下移，肺部吸满了空气之后再徐缓吐气，呼气时腹部慢慢鼓起，渐渐恢复到原来的状态。逆腹式呼吸有以下好处：

• 扩大肺活量，改善心肺功能。能使胸廓得到最大限度的扩张，使肺下部的肺泡得以伸缩，让更多的氧气进入肺部，改善心肺功能。
• 可以改善腹部脏器的功能。它能改善脾胃功能，有利于舒肝利胆，促进胆汁分泌。腹式呼吸可以通过降腹压而降血压，对高血压病人很有好处。
• 吸氧量加大，令大脑氧充足，对安神益智有好处。吸氧足，气血就活跃，有利于伤病加快复元，经常练此呼吸法伤病的确是比一般人好得快！
• 由于比普通的腹式呼吸增加了对腹部的压力，因而血流加速，血中的酸素浓度提高。其结果就是免疫细胞机能的活性化，间接性副肾机能的强化，以及因此而被提高的免疫力。
• 现代生理学认为腹式呼吸加大了腹肌和横隔膜的运动幅度，起到了增加肺的换气量，按摩内脏，促进新陈代谢的作用。从现代气功学的角度来看，腹式呼吸能强化腹部混元气的聚散开合，而腹部混元气的多寡以及运化则直接关系到躯体形态的变化，肥胖就是由于这一部分气的运化失常而引起的。因此，炼功减肥着重于腹部气机的锻炼。

逆腹式呼吸法是胎儿和初生婴儿的先天呼吸法。此呼吸法也被称为“道家呼吸法”。原因是道学里认为：“逆则生，顺则死”而形成的养生之道。此言有理。胎儿在子宫里不是呼吸空气。出生时哭，是要把肺里的液体排出然后呼吸空气以让肺部由呼吸液体转换呼吸空气。那时肺部还未成熟，不能用顺腹呼吸或胸呼吸，要不然必死无疑。这是大自然的神奇之处。古人运用文学和智慧，以六个字，“逆则生，顺则死”来形容养生之道。试问这六个字要是给一般没有文学和医学知识之人仕，又会得到什么样的解说？

在婴儿出世后的第一或第二月，婴儿慢慢的转去“顺腹式呼吸”。待婴儿的肺部渐渐的成熟，婴儿也改用“胸式呼吸”。

气功里的呼吸法也采用这三种，以达到先天和后天呼吸法的好处。 吸氧足，氧气在肺部活跃的进行转换，带有足够氧气的血液也活跃的在人体各器官进行转换，那就是所谓的“气血活跃”。

当掌握了这三种呼吸法，最高境界是以呼吸之时，胸部和腹部都能不动。这时呼吸仅靠横隔膜。呼吸时，胸部和腹部都不动是武术最高境界的需求之一。呼吸时胸部和腹部的起伏，是武术里的大忌。和高手过招，他能观察胸部和腹部的起伏，就能掌握你的呼吸。就在吸气之时，一拳打在身上，好比打在充满空气的气球，立刻爆裂。肺里有很多小小的气囊，当充满空气的时候，一遇外力的打击，里面的空气会发生震荡。要是气囊里面的空气压力过高，那时小小的气囊就会像气球般爆裂，轻则伤，重则死。是以气功或呼吸法是武术的根基。

我在呼吸法上有所掌握，也能做到呼吸时，胸部和腹部丝毫不动，也能发力和发劲。我可以感觉到发力和发劲时毫不吃力。

丹田和气功是古代生理学，生物学，生物力学的结晶品。那好比“阴阳”或“两仪”就是现代的二进制 (binary) 学说。冯驰先生所说：

由于当时科学不发达，技术落后，对人体的解剖知识，生理机能不明，单凭身体的感觉得出的结论。也正是这种结论的错误，才造成了中华武术史上最大的误区。

正如我前文所说，在古时，可能是读书人创作了武术，然后以文字记载，又当时不知所谓何物，就以一些文字比如丹田之类，以求记载。那为什么读书之人会创作了武术的呢？读书之人缺乏劳动以至身体机能衰退，而创作了有如气功之类呼吸法和五擒戏之类的运动法，进而演变出武术之学。而武术也有源自文武之家。武家创作的武术，多以武将军或是属下创作而多以练外功和硬功为主。目的是在极短时间内练得功夫用以杀敌。而古时武将军，都是文武双全，能以特出的文学来记载武术心得。后人却以迷信和愚昧的智慧来解读博大精深的武术文学。可哀！

练武最重要敢承认错误，纠正错误。盲目的和一些执着迷信之武夫，“人云亦云”那有何足道？那又跟莽夫有何分别？

武术是建立于生物力学和物理学，以生物体内物质运动和物理学里的运动和惯性原理，来达到以其的效果。

气功是有的。可惜它被人给神秘化了。气功是呼吸的运动。气功讲究的是在于有系统的呼吸训练法，务求锻炼肺部的自然呼吸和放松，以至促进内循环，增强生物电磁。有效的控制呼吸，能达到《意》，也就是潜意识，来控制身体内分泌，比如，肾上腺素。

肾上腺素的一般作用使心脏收缩力上升；心脏、肝、和筋骨的血管扩张和皮肤、粘膜的血管缩小。肾上腺素能使心肌收缩力加强、兴奋性增高，传导加速，心输出量增多。对全身各部分血管的作用，不仅有作用强弱的不同，而且还有收缩或舒张的不同。对皮肤、粘膜和内脏（如肾脏）的血管呈现收缩作用；对冠状动脉和骨骼肌血管呈现扩张作用等。由于它能直接作用于冠状血管引起血管扩张，改善心脏供血，因此是一种作用快而强的强心药。肾上腺素还可松弛支气管平滑肌及解除支气管平滑肌痉挛。利用其兴奋心脏收缩血管及松弛支气管平滑肌等作用，可以缓解心跳微弱、血压下降、呼吸困难等症状。这也是所谓的《气》！

气功对生理上有一定的帮助。能以呼吸随心所欲的控制肾上腺素的分泌，就能增强力和劲的输出。《气》是无型的，但是它是有迹可循。当腎上腺素分泌增加之后，供血也随着增加。此时，人体所产生的红外线和电磁波也相对提高。这就是被人们误解的所谓气功。

读了她的文章之后，我和她的看法有同感。 我认为，中国文学是深奥的。中国武术里头的理论，不能用仅是武术的观点去看，而是要从文学和科学的观点去看，研究和分析。中国武术里的文学，并非就是专业人仕如医生，律师，工程师之类就能明了。

比如说，《其心不正，亦邪》所指其重（中）心不正直，就没有好姿态，也就不能得力。被不諳中国文学的武夫来说，意义可就要偏差十万里咯！

再有，《以意催力》是指以潜意识来发动全身所有筋骼，骨头和肌肉的互动而发力，传力。

要知道，在古时，可能是读书人创作了武术。一般莽夫，又怎能写出深奥的武术文学？

以我对空手道（由其是上地流山会空手道）的见解，什么丹田，气功之类的，目的是以呼吸和收缩腹部来达到发力，而力和劲都能随心所欲，也改善人体内脏和内循还，进而提高身体免疫系统，使身体更结实强壮。

肌肉越柔软，它就更能伸缩自如。发劲更能随心所欲。人的肌肉都是往前向后伸缩，如能练到肌肉向横伸缩，那发出的劲更有爆发力，而且是能很轻松自在的一触即发。不过，肌肉向横伸缩只有动物才能做到。能做到这点的人，世上没有几个。上地流山会空手道创始人，当山清辛先生，就以被证实能做到肌肉向横伸缩。他老人家能踢破三片两寸厚的木板，而且轻松到如踢豆腐，不用摆什么架子和大声叫喊。

很多丹田气功什么的，多数受到武侠小说和电影的影响，使到众多人如痴如迷。

作者:常书范

那些全力追求大成拳学终生而无悔的青年朋友，那些抛家舍业出门求学的莘莘学子，哪个不想学到周身松活弹抖，触手发人上墙的大成拳真实功力？纯朴天真的认为只要吃的苦中苦，多练狠练就能练成高深的功力。果真是这样吗？我的回答是否定的。即使你打破千条沙袋，单掌劈开伍块红砖，也绝对练不出松活弹抖、一触即发的整体混元爆发力来。因为你选择的是一条背道而驰的路。肌肉越发达，皮越坚，肉越厚，偏离整体弹抖力也越远。通过我三十余年对拳学、发劲的苦索痴求，身操体悟，应该如何去追求一触即发、有感即应的良好内劲，同时也给不迷信神功奇说并致力于务真求实的明理之士以启悟，这是我最大的愿望。

《唐鉴》卷三开篇即说：“贞观元年，帝谓太子少师肖瑀曰：朕少好弓矢，得良弓十数，自谓无以加，近以弓示弓工，曰：皆非良才。朕问其故，工曰：木心不正，其脉理皆邪，弓虽正（劲）而发矢不直。朕始悟，向者辨未精也。”此文告诉我们：宝弓良弩表面华丽精美，漆之光鲜，拉之弦鸣，如内中之心不正，尚不能发矢正直，劲道随心所欲。而习大成拳者，虽站桩艰苦，试力有恒，如体内脊骨不能中定、垂直，松紧、开合、起落随意相变，劲发时怎能由内及外，正直不偏，力源于脊骨之内，而中正安舒呢？

假若几十万年前外星人曾经到过现在人类居住的地球，当今天他们再度光临时，就会大吃一惊。因为他们会发现过去见到过的那些在树上轻灵敏捷跳来跳去嬉戏争斗的猴子居然能直立起脊骨在地面上行走，竟会用悬在半空中的前肢掌指去制造、操作各种复杂的机器……人类在漫长的进化过程中，最大的变化就是由四足履地爬行转。为两足直立行走，最大的进化是大脑，最大的退化莫过于以脊骨的缩张、开合纵展四肢的机敏灵活的先天本能。

我的弟子送过我一部《百兽图》集，内有古今各代善画虎者的作品数百幅。其中的虎或静或动，或距或卧，或走或跳，或纵或扑，或一爪前伸，一爪后缩；或弓脊缩背，四肢相接，紧凑一团；或伸脊纵背，皮肉分拧，陡长倍余。数百幅虎形态各异，逼真的展现了兽中之王以脊骨的弓缩和展放提挈皮肉骨架运行的种种动作、劲道和劲意。

一只猴子竖蹲不动时其形较短小，但身一纵几乎长大了一倍。因此，山西戴氏形意拳以这种“蹲候桩”作为入门基础功法，其形简意深已显而易见。

蛇之折，鱼之游，兽之搏，禽之扑，百兽万物之运动、力量均源于脊骨之开合。假如你在水中抓住条鱼，刚离水面它便会猛然扭动背脊，脱手而去。一个壮汉不一定能抓牢这么一条鱼。鱼也是脊骨发力。

有一位不谙武事的忘年之交，已93岁了。他是四十年代末从省城大医院遣送回家的，但却是一个脾气和学问抖很好的老人。当时山东农村大多食以野菜，他生活虽比一般人好一点，但一日三餐也常常没有保障，而且有时被抄家，受到一定的精神刺激。生活环境虽恶劣，但它年逾九十却仍耳聪目明，腰脊挺直，丝毫也不显老态，这在当时皖、鲁、豫三省交界的百余里地面上也是一大奇迹。一日，他突然卧床不起，我去看他。他说将不久于人世了。我惊问其故，他说：我昨夜起如厕，一脚踏空，不宜摔坏了胯骨和骶骨。骶骨一坏，腰脊不能立起，四肢百骸运转失灵，僵卧病床不得动，怎能活的长久。进而他说：人的骶骨和骨盒联合，坚固于人体中节，骶骨是脊骨立起的基石，但正常人的骶骨和骨盒是向前倾斜的，脊骨立在骶骨上如站在一个陡峭的斜坡上，时时有向前滑动的趋势，这就是人年纪大了容易驼背弓腰的缘故。我年轻时学习过西方医学的生理解剖，时常有意将自己的骨盒向前上方翻转，以减少骶骨的倾斜度，久之则养成了习惯，所以从外形看我的脊骨总比别人立得直，我总觉得这也是我得以高寿的主要原因。果然老人卧病月余就谢世而去。这位老人虽不动武功，但他的一席话对我以后探讨内家拳起了关键性的作用。通过进一步的学习，我了解到人的脊骨分为颈椎、胸椎、腰椎、骶椎、尾椎五个部分，其中颈椎骨有7节，胸椎骨有12节，腰椎骨有5节，骶椎、尾椎共有10节，人的脊骨从上到下共有34节之多。因为颈椎在人体重心的上方，虽然转动灵活，活动范围较广，但它只能起到四面八方转动头颅的作用，对调整整体内劲的作用不大；胸椎12节因同肋骨相连，转动范围有限；尾椎是人类祖先进化时遗留下的痕迹（俗称尾巴）；骶椎穿越骨盆而下连股骨。骶椎、尾椎在脊骨旋转，张缩、开合的发劲中也只能起到中正下垂，稳定重心的作用。所以在整体内劲的蓄发调节统驭变化中，唯一的五节腰椎骨最起作用。

腰椎处于人体中间，前有丹田，后有命门，左右两侧有两肾相连，是人体一个至关重要，举足轻重的部位，如“丹田内转”“丹田开合鼓荡”“命门后撑”“命门鼓起”“肾里藏花”“出肾入肾”等等。古人对丹田、命门、两肾的锻炼、运动也正是五节腰椎的外围前后。由于古人对人体生理结构知识的局限，他们并没有认识到五节腰椎的潜转内动才是丹田内转鼓荡和两肾的右提左落、命门的鼓起后撑的最根本动力至今大多拳学家还是将注意力放在丹田上。

凭经验，笔者认为：整体的鼓荡、开合、起落、纵缩、神经的兴奋，肌肉的颤抖，脊髓的电磁脉冲、弛张都必须启动于五节腰椎。传统的练功方法则普遍认为：一切力量启动于丹田，将丹田捧到了至尊的神秘地位。实质上，丹田（小腹）内是排泄人体消化废物的大小肠，它们对参与促动整体之运动并没有什么神秘的力量。因为腰椎有效的运动，必然带动腹内深层、浅层、斜向、横向、竖向的筋腱、肌肉伸张、拉牵的作用；而腹肌的伸拉、弛张必然会带动内脏的摩擦蛹动，上鼓下荡，这便是人们认为丹田有内动的真实感受。其实脊骨不动，腰椎不作伸纵扭转，丹田（小腹）是不会自己内动的。将丹田看成神秘发力之源的人在当今武术界仍然相当普遍，这就是内家拳修习十年纯功夫尚不能出门的原因。

如果我们舍却丹田而主动去锻炼脊骨\腰椎，腰椎一动丹田自然会内动潜转，这比天长日久以丹田的动硬去扯动惰性的脊骨要容易千万倍。而一些武术大家和一些新拳学的创始人能写出洋洋万言与众不同的新说，但其中谁也没有将脊骨的张缩弹发、五节腰椎的内转变劲提到练功的首要核心位置，是着实可惜的！

今年春天河北一位练形意拳的武友来我这里，他先后拜过三位老师，已练了十几年拳脚。我见他站三体式，起动时都已后腿的蹬力往前顶撞，将后腿的蹬劲通过身体直撞倒前手上。每一踏步如巨夯砸地，轰然作响，乍看很能打出形意拳激烈沉雄的刚猛风格。可是我还是诚意的告诉他：“你这样的发劲虽然是整体力，看起来撞击力很大，单平直推进，脊骨没有起落，难以变化灵活，最易为高手利用。”我从他原先练的形意拳“狸猫上树”“龙虎相交”等几个典型动作中教他脊骨、腰椎怎样提放卷纵扭转开合；怎样以五节腰椎内部的惊炸弹拦劲弹抖起四梢之力；怎样以腰椎提起的重力砸向对方的重心实点，轻易的将对方击出等，近两个小时，他如大梦初醒，非常后悔苦练所浪费的十几年宝贵时间，他以后来信说：看来真功夫不在练功年限之长短，出力流汗之多少，能否以脊骨的提纵展落去撞击对方的整体重心才是拳学技击的核心问题。他还说：以这种脊骨的抖射起落之发劲和以前功力超出自己的师兄们切磋，撞出他们去也是非常容易的事。

拳的运动，由于利用脊骨的卷进、压缩和突然的弹放，能使足弓、足腕、膝、胯、肩、背、肘、腕的弹性肌肉一起卷紧和突然抖放。脊椎带领上下九节可作随意挥洒和突然的转折变形，使膝纵胯扭，肩抖背弹，双臂如鞭任意发出一圈圈连续不断轨迹不同的无规律无断续的搏杀之波浪。这种运动被称作大成拳的脊骨弹抖切削搏杀术。

其实，你能否有效的利用脊骨旋转起落之内劲去切削对方的重心，作一实验即可。如对方对你面部突然击出一拳，你随意探手一接，对方能否旋转着栽出去，如果不能就证明你对脊椎的内转发力还没有真正掌握。

当年芗翁之健舞，近来有人以仅能恢复表演而成为一种时尚，好像谁能做出龙游蛇惊鹤戏等动作来才是得到了芗翁的真传。我则认为芗翁作舞是熟谙腰椎脊骨张缩吞吐后而作的一种即兴表演，下一次不一定是上一次机械之重复。至于传芗翁健舞的黄慕樵先生，我相信则是以教健舞之神之意为主，而不是注重健舞固定之形式；况且芗翁之舞有形意拳之沉雄，心意拳之刚健，太极拳之圆活……更有郭云琛先生的激烈刚猛，谢铁夫先生的弹抖空灵，黄慕樵先生的舒展飘逸……不仅融百家之精华，而且不拘一家之模式。芗翁之舞，缓动如似动不动的三月柳絮，飘逸飞扬的满天梨花；快动如疾风中的杨柳，奔腾翻滚的天际乌云；急时则像岩浆之喷射，铁汁之出炉，飞瀑之骤落，大河之决堤，惊涛之裂岸，可谓身探如蟒，势缩如猿。在如醉如狂中以脊骨带动肢体切削出一串串横竖斜偏的圆弧。头领，肩沉，胸空，腹实，无须顾此失彼，脊骨运领尽在其中。一位浸淫拳学50余载，并剖析过多家经典的老拳家回忆：“芗翁抬手之间浓缩了武术各门各派的诸多精华。是功力智慧的凝结和升华。”笔者认为一个人能以芗翁这种神、意，这种脊骨内动去舞，虽不似芗翁，而精神酷肖也。反之，你既是上穷于碧霄，下掘于黄泉，仅学芗翁当年健舞之形，而神不附，意不似，外形再真而实质皆非也。大成拳开合、勾锉、推按、挤压、猫洗脸、蛇缠手、神龟出水等试力；矛盾、托婴、浮云、提插等桩功，无不得到脊骨腰椎的飞胀、压缩、伸拉、纵放为主。只有脊骨得到了缩与放，开与合，右虚左实，右提左落的实质锻炼才能够达到“大动不如小动，小动不如微动，以至外形不动，内部生生不已之动”的上乘练功境界。才能够真正浑元一致，圆满统一。否则，意念再多，想象再丰富，也只是胡思乱想，不会达到预期效果。

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I can never forget how he turned around his car and sped to rescue a spider he noticed on a road which he had passed. When we reached there, some boys were trying to kick the spider and they were preparing to capture it and played with it like a toy until its death. Sensei picked up the spider. He showed it to me. It was a black spider with some yellow stripes on its legs and body. It was harmless. He took the spider across the road to a bush and gently put the spider down on one of the bushes. Then we went to the town happily.

Speaking about mosquitoes, I hate mosquitoes. When I need quietness and a good and restful sleep, somehow, it will find a way into the bedroom and humming away near my ears as though it sings, “Blood, blood, I am going to suck your blood. Yummy!” If I ignore it, I will feel itchiness on my skin after a while.

My favorite weapon to fight mosquitoes is an electric bat. It operates on rechargeable batteries. It looks like a badminton racket but very much smaller. The netting is made of some metal wires and is electrified when you hold down the button on the handle. To catch/kill a mosquito, sometimes mosquitoes, just hold the button down and wave the racket against any flying mosquitoes. When the mosquito(es) come(s) in contact with the electrified wire, it will be trapped and electrocuted. When the batteries are strong, it will give up very loud electric snapping sound. “ta ta ta ta ta ta …..” and I can see electric sparks sparkling on the mosquito’s body and its abdomen will glow red hot. If I hold down the button longer, I can smell the barbecue mosquito. Love it! Sometimes, the electric snaps much stronger and tears the mosquito apart. I can see the mosquito without its abdomen but still alive beating its wing, making the humming sound, circling and dancing on the floor, as though it sings, “Ne, ne, ne, ne, ne…. I am still alive!”

I plow my own garden now after learning how to grow goodness from my master gardener. I need to keep my garden healthy. To keep my garden healthy, I need to weed it and get rid of the pests. There are two ways to keep the pests at bay. One is to use toxic chemical to kill them. Yucks! The other alternative is to build a barrier to keep the pests away from my garden. This is something called Green House!

Unknowingly, I have somehow built a shield surrounding my garden. I did not realize about the shield, when some pests were trying to destroy my garden and crops and I sprayed some aerosol trying to kill them, until my master gardener showed me his great wisdom.

The green house is a shield built surrounding my garden keeping the pest at bay, away from my crops. By keeping pests outside the garden, makes them envy of the delicious foods inside my garden and soon the pests will die by starving themselves to death. What a great way to kill pests!

After taking a lesson from Gandalf, I took my breakfast. It was my favorite peanut butter and jelly. Gandalf knows about this favorite food of mine while I was taking lessons from him on his land.

Followed the breakfast, I performed 3 Sanchin and I am a good and happy man again. Perfect for me to go to doukoukai to do some photography work for LA. I am waiting for her to return from the neighbor’s to go to doukoukai together. While waiting I have nothing to do but to write this post. I would reserve replying Gandalf’s lesson after the photo shoot so that I can enjoy replying his great wisdom.

I wonder what will happen if Gollum becomes Sméagol again in the original LOTR. Anyone?

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This theme is graphically represented by the random header images which I made from photos I took on Okinawa while I was having a walk at the ruins of Zakimi castle. I took some photos of flowers and plants, scenery and artifacts.

This is my favorite. Before I came to Okinawa, I was quite lost in karate. All my surroundings seemed to be thick stone walls. Suddenly, I found an exit, which led me to the Sky! This also signifies my understanding of “karate” as Sky Hand as Seizan Sensei told me. In Uechi-Ryu Zankai, karate-do is like the sky, without border and endless. People build walls surrounding themselves and others to restrict seeking of knowledge and truth as well as to protect their own benefits. I am glad that I have found an exit to this confinement.

These images indicate the road ahead is difficult and the woods on both sides represent challenges, confusions and distractions which can easily get lost in. Fortunately, there is a small road that leads to the destination. The road, as if Uechi-Ryu Zankai.

The gardener on the left represents Toyama Sensei. The two trees represent Seizan Sensei and Sumako Senpai (as well as other Sensei and Senpai) setting a goal for me to reach up there.

These two images are made of floral and artifacts found at Zakimi Castle site. No special significant meaning.

This is an image of some surf boards at Torii Beach. No significant meaning. Just a photography image.

After meeting him in person when I visited Toyama Sensei’s dojo with Seizan Sensei at Zakimi Okinawa, his health becomes one of my motivation. I envy to have his health in my old age.

Another reason is being the only person in Malaysia to know Uechi-Ryu Zankai training and there is no second person with adequate knowledge and skill level to train with. Although Allison is approaching, her skill level is still quite far away. A maintenance training will be good to maintain my knowledge and skills I learned on Okinawa and not to let them getting worse or diminished.

With the newly installed mirrors, all the kouhai including myself are able to see the reflection while training to correct body posture and movement. Thanks to our sponsor. This evening, I started to have more intense training after the class. I was alone in the doukoukai so I took off my shirt. I could see my muscle working during my kata performance. When doing kata, it is best to remove the shirt so that the muscles can be seen in the reflection and you can judge whether your training is on the right track or not.

I could see my muscle relaxed and contracted on impact. I could see my muscles twitching during movement. I could see I am on the right track of the training.

My training has been so so since last week. But there is a good news. A new member joined my class on November 13. He has got 5 years of training experience and currently Ikkyu (1st kyu) from other karate style. He found out about Uechi-Ryu in a Chinese language martial arts forum. He is studying at MMU and he is staying nearby the doukoukai. He suffers from asthma since childhood and every time the weather changes, his asthma will attack. He has to relied on medication to get rid of the phlegm.

On the first evening, I taught him Sanchin. He is a fast learner but needs to work very hard to achieve the requirements in Uechi-Ryu Zankai. I was told by him that he vomited a large amount of phlegm the next morning after his first lesson. He has never experienced this before without the help of medicines. It is a good sign as his lungs are learning to breathe differently and are able to discard phlegm by themselves. This is a very encouraging and interesting live experience from a real person who has started to learn Uechi-Ryu Zankai karate-do.

Let us look forward to see if his training will prevent him from the asthma attack after 3 months or so. I wish him a good start in Uechi-Ryu Zankai and best of health.

So, encouraging isn’t it? This has also provided me some motivation and to wake up from the steep learning curve. I could feel my thrusts had become more powerful during my training tonight.

As I mentioned in previous part, the training at Uechi-Ryu Zankai is very dull and monotonous. It will affect one’s motivation if he/she has got not enough new excitement or motivation. I hope there will be more encouraging and interesting live experience along the way to keep us/me motivated. If not, enough proper rest will be necessary to let our body and mind to recuperate to the state ready for more severe training.

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就如《般若波罗密多心经》里的哲学，《空亦是色，色亦是空》。把这哲学运用到《空手道》里，《空》亦是精神，也是没有边际。《色》亦是《型》（套路），哲学，技术等等。到了最高境界，《空亦是色，色亦是空》等于《型》（套路），哲学，技术等等亦是精神和永无止境的境界，变幻成《无型》，到了《无极》之境界！

现在一般普通的说法，大都已经偏离了真正的意义。日文就是有点怪怪的。kara 的汉字是《空》也是《唐》。是以，先为《唐手》(toute)，后改为 karate，是《唐手》也是《空手》。在后来，大日本军国主意的掘起，也就不用《唐手》而改为《空手》。

其实，kara，《空》并不代表空无一物的意思。《空》既是《天空》的《空》(sora) ，意思就是，像天空那样无边无际。这 karate 或 sky hand 的意义，是我从冲绳上地流山会那里学来的。这意义可以说已经绝迹了。好多练空手道的，都以现有的说法为标准，人云亦云。可哀！

译自原文 。

The kanji word for kara is 空, which means empty. But it can also means sky as in sora. The kanji for kara and sora is “空”. As the result, karate also means “Sky Hand” which signifies the knowledge and perfection of the martial art has no border or boundary and is endless.

This concept is lively and vividly displayed by Toyama Sensei. At the age of 80, he is still training and seeking perfection. At this age, he is still as fit as (or fitter than) most young adults in their 20s. For 70 years of his Uechi-Ryu training, he has a very well built body and a clear and sharp mind. As the last active student of Kanbun Uechi Sensei, Toyama Sensei becomes a living legend whom you will never believe unless you see him with your own eyes. I met Toyama Sensei myself.

My new perception of the meaning of karate has remodeled my karate training and my philosophy utterly.

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上地流的《三战》和其他空手道的《三战》有所不同。其中最显著的就是上地流的三战是开手型，和中国武术里的白鹤三战有所相似。《三战》是上地流的基石，也是所有上地流套路的模版。

上地流山会的《三战》，不是什么所谓的气功，更把气功的一切错误的观念给一一的打破了。上地流山会传授的古老《三战》，是以改善人体构造，把内脏《放》回原有最原始和最自然的位置，进而改善肺的呼吸法，和改善心脏的操作，减低心脏的负荷，这样就自然地改进人体的血液和自然循，也进一步增强人体免疫系统，也增强人体骨胳和肌肉的强度。所以《三战》也是上地流山会呼吸法和发力的模版。

上地流山会《三战》的呼吸法，最强调自然的呼吸，绝不采用强烈或硬硼硼的呼吸法。自然的呼吸法，绝对不会增添人体里的压力，从而不会增加心脏的负荷，就不会增加血压把血脉给胀大了。

一般上，其他空手道把《三战》解说为人体，思想和精神的挑战。而上地流山会的《三战》是力度，时差敏感和柔软的三种挑战，也以三种动物来象征力度（虎），时差敏感（鹤）和柔软（龙）。

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Posture Improvement

One noticeable result of Uechi-Ryu training is that it corrects my body posture and strengthen my back muscles such as Rhomboideus major, Latissimus dorsi, Thoracolumbar fascia, Serratus posterior superior, and Trapezius. These are huge muscles which hold up our body skeleton to give us posture.

The heavy works on Saturday and throughout the entire week until today does not give me any serious aching except a slight back muscle ache on Sunday but it recovered very fast. I had no more aching on Sunday night. I don’t have much opportunities to do such heavy works often because I mostly use my fingers to type on a computer keyboard. I can remember in the past, whenever I worked on heavy duty job like painting and cleaning with lifting, I would suffer muscle ache especially the back for a couple of days even if I trained in other style of karate.

This indicates the correct body posture together with the movements and breathing in Zankai’s training has significant health benefits especially in chiropractic.

I suffered from a herniated disc on L3 on my right in 1999 and since then, long sitting and bad body posture (particularly while sitting) would give me some discomfort in my lower back. This condition has also improved although once a while I still can feel some discomfort in my lower back. My awareness of correct body posture always reminds me of good posture. I developed this awareness after my month-long training at Zankai on Okinawa.

Chest Expansion

Another remarkable improvement is my chest. In Zankai, correct body posture is not all. The expansion of the chest as I mentioned earlier in part 3, has substantial benefits in pulmonary and cardiac functions. My training has also increased my lung volume as my chest expands.

Chest expansion is not only important for pulmonary and cardiac functions, it is also important for developing chest muscle.

My physical is slowly changing as I continue to train the Zankai’s method. The growth will be slow and will not be readily available to give immediate fast results, but I can feel the slow changes which develop a good foundation for any future development.

The old-style Uechi-Ryu (Zankai) is a defensive style and deploys different approach compare to most modern style Uechi-Ryu. So I am not talking about modern style but my focus is the old-style.

Wa-uke is the most important and the only blocking technique used throughout every kata. It is the most misunderstood blocking technique in Uechi-Ryu. Many people, including some of my students, have misunderstood wa-uke. Some say it is slow. Some say it is ineffective. Some say it is less defensive compare to other blocking techniques in other style of karate. Some say how can one blocking technique be applied to all kind of attacks.

Yes, Wa-uke is one blocking technique that applies to all kind of attacks including grappling. Thus, the old-style Uechi-Ryu is a CQC (Close Quarter Combat) system but still remains as effective for long range combat. This misunderstanding is due to lack of in-depth study and understanding of the technique itself and the application (bunkai) and philosophy of Uechi-Ryu kata.

As the name implies, wa-uke or circular block, travel in a circular or elliptic motion. Uechi-Ryu is not a linear system, rather, it is circular. To understand the underlying concepts and philosophy, you have to think circular or elliptic. The movement in Uechi-Ryu kata is like ocean waves. When you are practicing kata, you need to move like ocean waves.

Ocean waves are mechanical waves that propagate along the interface between water and air. The restoring force is provided by gravity.

(Source: Wikipedia)

After we understand the mechanical concept of ocean waves, we now can apply the concept into wa-uke and techniques in Uechi-Ryu kata: A wa-uke is a circular or elliptical mechanical arm motion which propagate in a plane between the defensive and the offensive body. The motion is circulated by gravity and centrifugal force.

The Sanchin kata is the foundation for all Uechi-Ryu kata. As I mentioned in previous episode, all Uechi-Ryu kata have staggering effect, complementing each other. To understand the application of wa-uke, we have to gain deeper understanding of Sanchin. While the understanding of Sanchin increases, it complements the understanding of other kata in the system. One significant point we need to focus in Sanchin is the turning of our body. It not only creates centrifugal force, it is the fundamental movement we need to understand and master in order to apply wa-uke effectively.

With wa-uke, you can perry an attack; a kick or a punch or any combination followed by counter strike. Or if you wish, you can lock then throw or a take down depending on the degree of damage you think is necessary to be inflicted onto your assailant.

The mastering of Sanchin movement and wa-uke is more than enough to defend against any untrained attacks. If the assailant is a trained attacker, deeper understanding and years of training will be required to defend against such attack effectively with combination of other techniques. But if the mastering has exceeded the expert level, the wa-uke and Sanchin movement alone is more than sufficient.

Sanchin alone requires entire life time to understand and master. It embeds vast concept and knowledge like the ocean; providing unlimited exploration, improvement and perfection. We are only a tiny dot floating in the ocean.

My visit to Okinawa improves not only my knowledge and skill in karate-do. It has been an eye opener and it lets me discover the real karate-do, its culture, philosophy and spirit; as an ancient budo art of Okinawa.

The Okinawan system is not as rigid and militarized as the Japanese system. The Okinawan system is more flexible in many ways. The Malaysian karate-do has been following Japanese styles which are very much a militarized training. The influence was from Shotokan, one of the few introduced to Malaysia in the earliest karate era of Malaysia.

Many times people have been asking me, “Is style really matter?” These people are thinking, if any karate that can teach you to fight well, what is so important what style it is. To me, the real essence of karate lies deep in its root of the style which has been forgotten by the new generation of practitioners. Many who know the real budo path of karate-do are not too interested in changing people’s thinking and often choose to be self-contained for self-improvement and self-preservation.

If you Google for “karate”, you will find many funny styles and names across the world. Many new styles are created outside of Okinawa/Japan. Really, can we call these karate? It is very difficult to have a stand on this argument. Call it whatever if you find nothing wrong about it.

My visit to Uechi-Ryu Zankai on Okinawa was absolutely an ultimate experience. Toyama Sensei is one of the very few grand master who really doesn’t care about the outside world. He is very disappointed how polluted karate is today. Of course, he feels very sad if he sees some videos of poor performance. He is entirely into preserving and passing on his knowledge to his high ranking students. My teacher, G. Seizan Breyette Sensei, a hatchi-dan (8th dan) kyoshi to-dan, is one of the very few high ranking students of Toyama Sensei.

The Zankai’s Training Philosophy

Uechi-Ryu Zankai is one of the remaining few old-style traditional karate-do on Okinawa devoting to continue to teach and to preserve the pre-World-War-2 karate-do which Kanbun Uechi Sensei brought back from China. And Toyama Sensei is the only legendary left on the earth who is actively passing on his knowledge which he learned from Kanbun Uechi Sensei.

The training at Zankai is very organic. Unlike most modern styles of karate-do, the Zankai uses training methods derived from organic living mechanisms which largely resembling a living organism in organization or development and profoundly affecting our bodily organs and functions. Many modern karate-do as well as other martial arts introduce free form sparring element to their training for competitive sports purposes with influences from Hong Kong and Hollywood movies. The introduction of free form sparring is also to transform monotonous old-style training to a more dynamic and exciting activity. It is rather hard to have modern people especially the youngsters to involve in a monotonic daily devotion. Martial arts training in the old days (100 years and more ago) was a daily devotion and monotonous with repetitive training. Modern youngsters prefer exciting new stuff such as sparring to display their male machoism.

The organic training of Zankai enhances functions of heart and lung especially. Take Sanchin for instance. Beginners (new students) learn Sanchin as first lesson in Zankai. To perform proper Sanchin, the shoulder must be down and pulled back, tummy tucked in and pulled up so the chest will rise and expand. This increases the capacity of the lung and reduces pressures onto organs such as the heart, the lung and digestive organs. The heart can pump more freely with bigger room. Bad body posture has long-term effect on our internal organs such as our heart. When our body postures collapse, our organs are squashed against each other. This is the reason for an enlarged heart appears in X-ray. Because of restricted space, the heart has to work harder to push against the pressure from the lung and other organs. Gradually, the heart enlarges due to the stress.

The kata system of old-style Uechi-ryu has staggering effect onto one another and they are closely inter-related and enhancing each other in one way or another. There is no basic or advanced kata in old-style Uechi-Ryu. In fact, all the kata complement each other at various stages of the training, enhancing and strengthening the body (skeleton, muscle tissues, organs and vital body functions), motor skills, balance (stability), breathing, mental concentration and ultimately all the senses.

Human is actually animal but with slightly higher intelligence and having civilization after going through many evolution. The human evolution contributes to the lost of animal characteristics both physically and mentally. Invention and innovation reduce our physical activities while we become more dependent on tools and machineries. Comfortable lifestyle has made us a lazy animal and lose all the primitive animal characteristics and instinct. Essentially, the training retrain us (human) to become an animal again. The training is based on 7 animal forms: Dragon, Tiger, Crane, Snake, Cobra, Leopard and Mantis. Dragon, Tiger and Crane are the major animal forms in the training. These animal forms teach us to move like them. After some period of training, you can notice improvement in physical strength, bodily structure and vital functions.

The old-style Uechi-Ryu training, like many old martial arts in the olden days of China, does not include jiyu kumite or free form sparring. Kumite (for short), cause destructive effects and harms more than constructive growth to our body. The ancient Chinese had learned a great deal about injuries many thousand years ago without sophisticated medical equipment. Many Chinese martial artists were practicing for their health and to protect family and country. They rarely flashing their skills. Until today, this culture remains in modern Chinese martial artists. But no doubt, there are some going around (the world) displaying and promoting their strongest arts. Like many other modern martial arts, the wushu introduces San-shou or free form sparring into some of their training for competitive and other reasons mentioned above.

I have written articles about injuries and their potential long-term effects. You can read my articles about injuries here.

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Dantai no Seichin

Dantai no Seiryu

Performing Seisan kata to Toyama Sensei

It was a nice and sweet reminiscence of the great time there. The photos have lightened up me a bit. I have been busy with some projects including the new dojo. There were a lot of things in my head and in addition of the cold, I was a little stressed out and the photos came in just in time.

Two love birds, Sensei and his wife, Sumako Sempai

After the class, I went home. Took a drink and a rest. In the evening, I trained in the garden. I was expecting losing muscle power and stamina after 7 days of illness and recovering. Surprisingly, I felt as strong and powerful as before. They maintained although I was too sick over the weekend and Monday was the most serious of all in three days. I did not practice or exercise for the last 4 days until today.

I remember that I would lose muscle power and stamina even after two days of sickness and recovering while I previously training modern style karate. This is an interesting subject to study. But I guess I have the answer and I will write it down in my essay.

My fourth teacher had done so much disgusting acts to get rid of me. Of course, he succeeded not. He pursued me in exile to any dojo I went, I became stronger and my spirit burning higher in search of truth. None of these had managed to exhaust me nor to make me quit. But the betrayal of the two very close advocates was really hurt. I promised to a very high ranking Shihan to secretly work things out. The two alter ego thought that I might betray them and become the leader. A good strategy which most people would deploy was to act fast. Not knowing the truth behind me and the commitment I had to bestow, not knowing their careless and selfish acts would cut through our friendship, they chose to realign with their master.

As the matter of fact, I had already decided to switch to Zankai after months long of email communication with Seizan Sensei. I was convinced by Seizan Sensei the Zankai philosophy was the simplest I was looking for. The two advocates’ foolish act had accelerated my crossing over to Zankai. A catalyst added just in time and also allowed me to see clear right through their hearts and prevented another possible disaster after “our” crossing over to Zankai later on.

We had been talking about Uechi-Ryu. We discussed about the risks, difficulties and wonderful techniques of Uechi-Ryu every time we met up for tea to discuss issues at hand. This break up had also cleared the path for the future and had also made my way to become more subtle in dealing with people of intentions.

Suddenly, I realized my egoistic (yes! I admitted) and compulsive behavior had been cleverly utilized to excoriate the clone style I was previously in and expatriated from. People who I had once trusted had seen my weaknesses and quickly exploited my smallness. I was recruited immediately into his karate organization and offered big responsibilities and trust. At last, I saw a light when two clowns broke up the door of my dark room, and I could get out of darkness, surrounded by layers after layers of lies.

Today, I am happy I no longer to be a clown, being exploited by the circus master!

I was exhausted by the political differences and power struggling among the karate organization and among the karate-do practitioners themselves. I had asked myself, had I found the true path? The true path which I reckoned seemed to have the same stinky smell of politics and power struggling. Like many other karate organization, this organization which I once regarded as the clean and righteous place originated from the holy land of karate, was infested by people who lied and did not trust a person who whole heartedly to be their true friend, people who were so thirsty of power and control, people who were so naive and ignorant, people with alpha intelligence and low psychometric profile…

After this ugliest experience, I was quite skeptical about the new organization although I had found convincing after many electronics correspondence with Seizan Sensei. Using all the formal reasoning skills I had and a little discussion with my wife, I decided to take a risk to go to Okinawa to immerse in this new organization. I vowed to myself, this would be the last attempt. If this was another rotten organization, I would end my journey in karate.

When I met Seizan Sensei for the first time at the Naha Airport, I was overwhelmed and forgot to bow. He bowed first and I followed. I was stunt! That night, I met his Okinawan wife, Sumako Senpai (godan). We talked over the dinner at Mintama Restaurant and I could sense their warmth and their good nature. I was more convinced that night.

The next morning, when Seizan Sensei corrected my Sanchin and Kanshiwa kata, he talked about some concepts and philosophy which were so different from what I knew of. That night, we went to Zakimi dojo to meet with Toyama Sensei, Judan (10th dan) Hanshi. He was a very “nice” old man at the age of 80 and still stronger than any well-built full-grown adult male. Before I met Toyama Sensei, I thought he was so high in hierarchy and unreachable. In fact, he was so near right in front of my eyes. He was very humble, but strict. He was very kind but sharp. I could sense his good nature as well and I felt rather comfortable asking him a question and listening to his response although I did not know Japanese. Sumako Senpai was the translator. I was satisfied with his answer and I was more convinced in Zankai.

On the following Monday, I met Jessica Hoffman (who came to Okinawa for her summer holiday and train), Hikaru (15 years old) and Senato (10 years old) in the morning training. They were wonderful people. In that evening, I met Jeff and Dave, Pat and his wife. We trained together and they were good people of good nature. Good people of good nature stays with a good teacher of good nature in a good dojo of a good organization. I was 99% convinced!

What about the other 1%?

My first trip to Okinawa has totally changed my perceptual experience about karate-do, the systems, techniques, concepts and philosophy. The cross-trainings which I have been through, have opened up my mind to be more receptive in the re-learning of this completely different system. Those dirty politics in karate-do I have gone through, have soften my ego and strengthen my will in search of a true budo art. I was lost like tears in the rain, couldn’t find the right path, until the light of Uechi-Ryu Zankai shined on me. I hope this essay will help people (some, not all) who shares the same passion with me in search of karate as a budo art to find this old style Uechi-Ryu as a new beginning.

When I began my karate training in 1985 while I was a schooling teenager, karate was a fascinating terms and it was so cool to talk about. At first, I was really reluctant to join the karate training but under my friends’ persistent influence, I joined them. Being naive and ignorant, we all practiced whatever our instructor told us to do. Days after days. Without my conscious knowing, I was addicted to karate training. After every training session, I started to anticipate the next one to come. It seemed so far away. When the training finally arrived, I was overjoyed.

After my mid high school, I left my school SMK Tinggi St David and continued my upper high school at SMK Munshi Abdullah. At that time, my teacher, Syed Pakri Sensei and his brother had decided to form their own style. Being loyalty, I joined with a friend of mine, Tan Tai-Kiat, searched out the home dojo of the style which we were training in. We were so happy to hear the country chief instructor to invite us to go to the honbu dojo to train. Of course, it was a great honor to be able to train with the top ranking teacher in the country and we took this opportunity.

We took our shodan test after the training and earned the probation shodan. We were very happy to go home with a black belt. Black is the cool color to wear. We immediately initiated karate club at SMK Munshi Abdullah. Both my friend and I became the instructors. Friends and former karate brothers admired us and some were jealous. I could remember a friend of mine, he was as tall as me, somehow had a subtle challenge with me in a kumite. His attacks were intense and powerful. And me, wearing the black belt, my ego surged and I powered up my attacks. At one point, he initiated a turning back kick. I followed. We both got kick at the back at the same time. I could not remembered how powerful our kicks but no one got hurt.

With the black belt ego and realizing the jealousy among our peers, Tan and I trained hard. The size of our class at SMK Munshi Abdullah grew bigger and bigger. The juniors started to join. I could recall the number was about 50 seriously training and almost a quarter were girls.

Our years in SMK Munshi Abdullah was short lived. After 1 and half years, we left after our exam. It was then the classes started to fall apart when another instructor came to substitute us while we were having our exams. Now, it has become a golden reminiscence.

After the exam, I continued my training with my fourth teacher. I trained very hard under his instructions and he being considered a very respected teacher by me. He was very fond of the instructor who replaced us while we were gone for exam. He commented highly how beautiful the senpai performed his kata and he was one of his best students. His statement made me look up to this senpai and I always trained with him.

Then in one of the closed championship, I became the kata champion and the senpai became 1st runner up. I was totally surprised with the outcome of the competition. Then, I gradually submitted to ego when good compliments and comments came to me one by one. I felt proud to take the best kata title away from my senpai. He? On the other hand, he was quite disappointed and gradually came less and less often for training then he quitted. My teacher boosted me and commented how disappointed of him towards my senpai. I took this as an encouragement and a credit for my hard training. Being naive at that time, I did not feel or even bother about my senpai’s feeling.

I was selected to represent the style at a MAKAF (Malaysia Karate-do Federation) championship. I was disqualified at the first round. I remembered one of the referee asked me what kata did I perform. Mixed comments came to me after my defeat in the first round. The chief instructor told me the referee did not even know our kata. My teacher told me, “See! I told you to perform Bassai-dai but you insisted to perform Wanshu”. But, the chief told me to perform Wanshu and my teacher was there to hear that. What a….

After the incident, I was feeling a little down and I had to depart for my career. So I quitted. I came back again after being away for 1 and a half years. A junior bumped into me on the street and he invited me to come back. I answered to his invitation. When I made my return, I focused into kumite. The training was really hard and intensive. Then I was appointed as the Women Team Coach for Melaka Karate Team to SUKMA (Malaysian Games) 1992. My focus turned to training the women team. This was when I gained most of my coaching experience as a competition coach. My team won the first gold medal for Melaka in the women individual kumite event.

I departed again immediately after the game due to some reasons. I stopped training in the style for many years. During the years, I met teachers and friends from various styles when I traveled overseas for work. I trained with them whenever I could. This was the time I started my cross-training. Without realizing it, my cross-training had built a strong foundation which I think it contributes to my accelerated Uechi-Ryu training at Zankai.

When I decided to come back to coaching because of inspiration by my kids, I did not realized my cross-training and some knowledge had laid a path leading me towards the search of true karate-do. First, I found out the style I was training at this while was not an authentic style. When I found out about this, I was marginalized and my former teacher wanted the association to sack me. I quitted from the association on my sole decision. Then I found the true authentic style and I joined. After quite a while of mingling with the country chief instructor, the nature of me to find out the truth, had spotted lies and more lies, I began to distrust him. Then the betrayal of my two close comrades which accelerated my cross-over to Uechi-Ryu Zankai.

Before I stepped onto Okinawa soil, all these, seemed to be a path which led me to Zankai and the true spirit of Okinawa Karate-do. Today, after becoming a member of the Zankai family, all these have become meaningless, nothing but good reminiscence of my achievements and the pain in the ass I gave to some people.

Why all these have suddenly become meaningless?

When it was time for a boy to perform Sanchin, I told him to remove his gi top and the undershirt he was wearing. He was a bit reluctant and embarrassed. I explained to him very briefly why so. I thought he accepted that but still feel embarrassing inside him.

It is a culture shock for the first time today. I expect more tomorrow at Jasin dojo.

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Home sweet home! Where all my loved ones are waiting for my return. I missed them so much.

During the flight, I had mixed feeling about this journey. I am longing to get home. On the other side, I wished I could stay on Okinawa longer to polish my skills. I am a little confused during the flight.

My return will be another significant milestone in both my karate life and Uechi-Ryu Zankai Malaysia. 3 years ago, I decided to come back to teaching karate. My son, Dmitry and Dietrich have motivated me. I was searching the true path to karate when I made the return. Today, I can’t believe that I have found the true karate path at Uechi-Ryu Zankai. The training on Okinawa has completely changed me. The hard work and sweat that I put in during this month together with all kinds of motivation have sped up my training.

This trip does not only fulfill my dream and the search of true karate, I have very important mission to learn this old-style Pre-WWII karate and bring it back to Malaysia, spread the art and preserve it from fading into modernization and from the corrosion of time.

I have now a heavy responsibility when I reach home. The responsibility to lead a group of adults, teenagers and children toward the true meaning of karate training.

In another 5 hours, I will step onto Malaysian soil (Home Sweet Home!) and become the first official Malaysian to have learnt Uechi-Ryu Zankai karate-do and helping the preservation of this old-style art. I believe with my students’ confidence and faith in me, Uechi-Ryu Zankai will, slowly and quietly, grow stronger each day.

Here, I would like to thank my family for their encouragement, motivation and support. I also wish to thank Seizan Sensei, Sumako Sempai and all the people I have met on Okinawa for teaching me and working me through my hard learning curve and forgetting curve. Especially Seizan Sensei for his humorous teaching method which spiced up the training with a lots of fun. He is the best karate-do teacher I have ever met.

I and on behalf of all my students would like to thank Toyama Sensei for granting me an opportunity to perform in front of his watchful eyes and granting permission to setup Okinawa Karate-do Uechi-ryu Zankai Malaysia Shibu Dojo. Can Seizan Sensei please relay our gratitude to Toyama Sensei? I could have thought about this on Friday night but this thought only surfaced during the en route.

Last but not least, I would like to thank Scott from Canada for introducing me to Seizan Sensei. Without his introduction, I could have been searching endlessly and still stuck in the mess of modern karate.

This departure has also made me understand 一期一会 (ichi go ichi e). A meeting has to come to an end to allow another to happen. I also gain better understanding, from this philosophy, the techniques of old-style Uechi-Ryu techniques in kata. Movement comes to an end and another will begin. It is endless, like the ocean wave, rolling and cycling endlessly with enormous energy and power. The energy and power will fade to effect another cycle to begin.

I am stepping in the shallow water of Uechi sea, the water is barely a foot deep. I am beginning to see the ocean waves ahead.

Ganbatte kudasai!

“一期一会” (ichi go ichi e), one meeting in one life time. This is our first meeting in our entire life time. Every meeting has to come to an end. To an end so that another can begin. We will meet again.

Congratulations! Ganbatte kudasai. Renshu, renshu. Till we meet again in near future. When? “Whenever!”, said Jessica. It was great to work with them. I really enjoy the sweat, laughter and seriousness of their training. The best training I ever have in my life!