❓Head Punch vs Stomach Punch｜Which one do you have more in your martial art and why? ❓Have you ever implemented one martial art to another? What's your style combination? 🥋FREE TRIAL + 24% OFF NOW｜Online Group Lesson🥋 Program Details: karateintokyo.com/ Any questions or concerns? → Email me at ynkaratedojo@gmail.com Episode #1: czcams.com/video/peiCbxU_D6g/video.html Yusuke In Okinawa Playlist: czcams.com/video/jc0Zudzvk6E/video.html
in tkd they tell you punch at the stomache to knock the wind out of them in the forms. BUt if u look at what your whole body is doing at any give punch yooull soon realize your body mechanic are screaming joint locks ,throws, restraints , and takedowns . like iann abernathy explains in his karate videos. i found a TON of Judo in taekwondo poomsae forms.
Definitely more head punches in the styles I studied (we usually kick to the body and legs). Well, where I am from and before MMA was a thing, EVERYONE was incorporating different martial arts into their own style, and we all combined some type of striking and grappling art and/or incorporating soft and hard styles, soft being like Aikido, Wing Chun, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, etc., hard styles being Judo, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Muy Thai, Choi La Fut etc. -- and weapons, escrima/arnis was very popular in the 90s. Of course we would always get into debates about which art was superior -- only to grow older and realize that there is no such thing as a superior martial art -- only superior practitioners; which only opens up new debates about what makes a superior practitioner... So which arts did I combine? I always drifted towards the soft arts because I do not like getting hurt (because I am a softy).
@@bhoomibhamani4290 As in all arts are equal, yes -- they are all equal. NOW, on choice and concentration, I personally belief that everyone will always make the right choice when choosing an art they would like to practice; whether it be concentrating on one art or sampling different arts. As long as the practitioner is happy, that is all that matters.
Shotokan is a colorful and refined interpretation of Shuri Te, focused on competitions. The Shorin Ryu has retained its essence, because they do not compete and are not contaminated. The positions are less exaggerated, this line of Shuri Te is magnificent.
This style is more similar to Shito-ryu which I practise. The movements are crisp and precise. It gives me so much joy to see this and feel akin with all these people. Thank you so much, you da best 🤴🤸🔝
This is really great content. Just being able to go into the karate dojo's of Okinawa is amazing. Watching masters perform kata while you learn is fascinating. You can learn a great amount from these videos! Thank you for taking us to Okinawa with you!
I love how so many of the moves aren’t “named”, they’re just the bunkai. Catch the mae geri or mawashi geri - fantastic, and some of my favorite interpretations of those moves
Yes, 👍 It's good to know and also to experience the assence of the art we should know and learn all different styles and take the advantage in improving and putting it to be applicable scientific effects by practicing KARATE of various different styles which can be applicable according to our own understanding of our philology and anotomy of our body science.🙏 Arigato
WT Taekwondo practitioner stepping into Kyokushin Karate. In WT poomsae, we throw punches mostly to the solar plexus (in the middle lower part of the rib cage) and occasionally to the head. But we do have a lot of other attacks to the head with hands such as front and side hammer fists, palm strikes, uppercut, elbows and knife hands. And when I bring over the hip and wrist movements, relaxation and tensing coordination, control of centre of gravity, control of leg movements and flexibility to Kyokushin Karate, it does feel like I am cheating in an exam 🤣
Yeah, as a a fellow WT taekwondoin, it can be surprising that the poomesae Chonkwon begins with a double middle finger knuckle uppercut to the under chin area. If Nagano-Sensei catches our discussion, he can get more poomesae references.
I'm loving these daily content from Okinawa . You're the best content creator in karate world. Thank you and pls keep The good work. Compliments from Brazil
So I am just now watching this entire series and I love it so much. I started training in Yang Style Tai Chi first and when I started learning Shorin Ryu, I was able to see the similarities in theories as well. I really love seeing the subtle technique differences as they help illustrate how every style generates power differently. I do find that I am on the shorter and stockier side so styles that are heavily emphasized on punches and lower kicks suit me more. I find that I still train in higher kicks, but lower is my preferred style for by body type. Please keep up the amazing work Sensei.
i do karate in Canada club shorin ryu and my teacher is Uema Takeshi Sensei i see him only one week every year its nice to see him and you its the collab i would’ve never imagined 😊
I'm well and truly behind on my YouTubing but wanted to tell you how much I'm loving this Yusuke in Okinawa series! I am enamored with the variety of styles and approaches out there. I love hearing the philosophies and principles of these masters and truly appreciate and can clearly see your love of Karate and appreciation and respect for their teachings. I also wanted to say how impressed I am with your ability to adapt and adjust to their methods, even down to pointing your toes for your kicks after only having it pointed out once. As someone who trained in one dojo/style in my youth and another now in my... not-youth ( :D ), I recall having to adjust my way of striking or blocking multiple times before I really got it "right" in the new school, so seeing how quickly you adapt is impressive, sir. Domo arigato gozaimashita!
learned a lot from the video of jion.the dojo is simple but looks functional.i even saw a plaque of weapons of moroland its a popular decor in the philippines
So I had a weird formative experience, insofar as my first instructor learned Shotokan first and then learned Matsubayashi-ryu after back & knee injuries forced them to switch to something with more emphasis on shizentai-dachi and less emphasis on a deep zenkutsu-dachi & kokutsu-dachi. So I started off learning a form of Matsubayashi-ryu with LOTS of unconscious Shotokan influence, and then after about 3 years of training, started working to recognize the deeper subtleties of Matsubayashi-ryu through independent research. My versions of the kata we share (Pinan/Heian, Naihanchi/Tekki, Passai/Bassai, Kusanku/Kanku Dai, Gojushiho, Chinto/Gankaku) were also heavily influenced by the Shotokan versions--in ways that I didn't recognize until I started learning Shotokan kata in earnest, and began to study the differences (heck, we even did the Shotokan version of Tekki for a long time. And for years, we also did every instance of shizentai-dachi in our kata as a zenkutsu-dachi--at a sort of middle-ground between Shotokan's low zenkutsu and Matsubayashi-ryu's shizentai dachi). And THEN after about 10 years of fine-tuning and separating out my Matsubayashi-ryu and Shotokan influences, I turned around and moved from California to Maryland for graduate school, and I wound up at a Kobayashi-ryu dojo for around 2 years. That was a whole other learning and unlearning process--trying to keep 3 systems straight while fighting muscle-memory. Even after learning to solidify Matsubayashi-ryu as Matsubayashi-ryu, these videos are nevertheless teaching me a lot about even more of the unconscious habits I've silently inherited from Shotokan. The breathing thing, for instance--and the knee thrust. As for Jion: I've learned the Shotokan version, so I generally stick to mid-level punches
It was good to see Jion from another perspective. As for the punches, well I’m a Shotokan guy, so they tend to be chudan or mid-level, unless otherwise directed.
With catching the leg and then throw this block makes sense. In Heian Godan it‘s after the shuto and Funakoshi described it as a ripping motion into this interesting blocking figure. Unfortunately he forgot to write about the bunkai, but trapping a leg makes sense. Especially in Bassai Dai where you turn after this block which would initiate the throw.
I can sympathize with what you said at the end. A lot of what we do in Kali-Arnis influences how I practice my Karate and vice versa. Our (titular) basic 5 strikes and our drills in Cinco Teros Kali-Arnis often forms the basis for the way I move in Karate training. 🙏🥋🇵🇭👍
Yes learning and competing in Greco-Roman Wrestling gave me experience and understanding on how the drills are to be applied while infighting. Boxing gave me more understanding of punching speed with the intent of rendering a person unconscious and improved my ability to apply my other techniques, because many times in martial arts we do light contact, no contact, out of range, or wrong rhythm, timing, distance, range, or speed for safety concerns while Boxing there are no pulled punches you strike the same way on pads and in sparring, which I was able to use coming in and out of range on the makiwara. Basically the sports of Greco-Roman Wrestling, and Boxing gave me the attributes to effectively weaponize the martial arts I learned previously.
Punches are to the target area. Forms are traditional and so when taught and learned that is where the punches go. As well as the kicks and blocks. I would only say the x block would need to be above the head. Where he did it twice would not block a knife attack because the blade would stick you in the head.
Seeing these videos you did with these two Shorin Ryu Sensei's really makes me miss the school i attended here in the states even more. My sensei told us before about how they trained to kick with their toes like that in Japan. He didn't teach that method of kicking here in the states for various reasons. lol People like to joke about karate being "just for self defense" but alot of the techniques can be extremely deadly especially used by an experienced practitioner.
I once took a seminar on Combat Krav Maga and I continuously defaulted to Shotokan stances to receive attacks. The instructors kept on correcting me, but I think it was a good thing.
In boxing, before the use of gloves and the formalization of rules, punches to the head were far less common. This was because if the punch hits the forehead or the skull there was a very large chance you would injure your hand. A lot of laymen think that the gloves are there to protect the person hit with the punch, but the truth is that the gloves are there to protect the hands of the boxers. With the advent of gloves, punches to the head became more common and the common boxing stance also changed with it. Perhaps in other martial arts, the preference for punching the center of mass or the preference to use elbows, open hand, or palm strikes was because of this reason? You do condition your knuckles/hands on makiwara for this purpose as well, correct?
Yes gloves are used to protect the hands and also protect the opponent from the heavy blows. While the boxers train their hands by punching pads, speedball bags and punching bags, the karatekas especially Okinawan karate train their hands by punching hard surfaces like wood/makiwara, rocks/cement, iron/metal/shield and sometimes ice blocks.
We train to hit what appears to be three targets. Head, mid section and what appears to be groin level is actually head again. Because when you hit them is in stomach the human body will bend and instinctively people look up to see what's coming next and hence groin level. We use the hikite to grab and pull.
I am really enjoying these episodes. From a Shotokan perspective the Kata seem to "make more sense" for lack of a better description. The leg hooking and throw especially. All really fascinating.
Some times I notice more of my Jujitsu comes out when i practice my Hapkido, and some Kempo shows up in my Taekwondo forms. It is all fun to play and practice. Keep up the wonder work you are doing here in your videos. It has been amazing to watch and preform and improve my own karate.
Jion is definitely one of my favorite katas in Shotokan. I remember when I first learned it, I'd only perform Jion or Empi at tournaments. Then I learned Bassai Sho, which is also a beautiful kata, but my sensei wouldn't let me perform it in tournaments, since he stated it was a "feminine kata" (to which I didn't agree at all)
If the punch can reach the centreline whether high or low....it's a good punch. However a straight blast to the sternum/center life force chakra will stop anyone in their tracks for it is connected to the nervous system and the respiratory system. You can start a heart with it in Emergency CPR.....so you can stop one with it too.
As far as implementing one style with another, after 40 years and studying a variety of systems including those that are Japanese, Chinese, Korean and even Filipino; it winds up eventually meshing togethet.
In what I've experienced in American Kenpo Karate, we often tend to punch to the body while striking the head with an open hand. This is due to the principle of "Striking soft surfaces with hard weapons and striking hard surfaces with soft weapons." (Thought there are still a good handful of techniques where "fist to face" is a part of them.)
In our Shotokan club is just like you said. Most katas punch to Chudan. I also study Isshin Shorinji-Ryu and there is variety as well. Some katas punch Jodan and some Chudan.
In my system straight punches in kata are done to the solar plexus and even lower because it is easier for people to intergrate whole body or even waist power later the punches raise so even if the original target is the chin we will train low
I practice Wado Ryu karate and MMA so I find hooks sneaking into kumite which I pull at the onset itself but the boxing footwork is something that really helps me stay mobile as a heavier fighter against more commonly seen lighter Karateka 😁🥊🥋
Very cool. I have many friends in Chibana lineages and have judged many a kata at national competitions, but I don't think I've seen this version of Jion.
We practice more stomach level (solar plexus or just below breastbone) in Tang Soo Do. I’ve been told that it is because to punch the head with a closed fist endangers you breaking the hand. The philosophy is soft weapon to hard target (palm strike to head) and hard weapon to soft target (fist to chest or stomach).
I have always wondered at what point does the kata change and how the kata I was taught is different from other styles. I have never heard that about the breathing either, but it makes sense.
I practiced Wado-ryu as a teen (5th kyu), and my 2nd kyu grading in Shotokan is scheduled on Sunday. As I sometimes like to compare the styles I find it hard to not implement Shotokan mechanics into Wado-ryu katas, like the height of the stances and usage of the legs to create power rather than the upper body.
Oh there is a souvenir from Philippines. I think that is a different kinds of swords that is commonly use by Filipino worriors back in pre colonial era. It's very nice to see there at Shorin Ryu dojo in Okinawa😊😊😊
I’ve really been trying to, as naturally as possible; to mix all Karate , and ninjutsu styles. I feel that the hard exterior of karate and the mystical flow of stances from ninjutsu can really give a sturdy base to practice on.
I have a black belt in kukkiwon taekwondo and was also learning kung fu, some northern shaolin and some southern hung gar. Performing the sil lun forms with fluidity was difficult, coming from a style that puts more emphasis on defining each movement, and in kung fu they also prefer natural breathing, which was an adjustment for me as well. But I grew to prefer that aspect of it. And I just started Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, and noticed I arm-check with a ridge hand block by habit lol
I fine the breathing in the style very interesting. In some school of Tang Soo Do they want to hear the breathing. In my School they do want to hear the breathing out. I like to breath out loud when I practice my form and doing my basics. It help me tensed up on impact of my block and strike.
I know it is very humbling to go and train with other styles and practitioners, especially when they are of this calibre. I wonder what your biggest takeaway was when you watched it back. I noticed in the Shotokan Style you tend to move then perform the technique, but watching Uema Sensei moving is part of the technique. So it may not snap or appear as crisp, but the power and impact are a magnitude greater because there is so much more mass. Be very interesting to get your thoughts on it. I'm enjoying the series, I was watching Series 2, but thought I should start at the beginning. Thank you.
Dispite training Shorin ryu also, this was Surprisingly very different, a lot of The jion was completely different, for example, we would start then break into a 45 degree shiko dachi. Then, the kosa uke and then 3x punches, 1x Chudan, 1x jodan then 1X, chudan, then turn and repeat on the other side. Too many subtle variations to list now, These differences must be slightly different from one dojo to the next.
While my style is originally shotokan, I think we should train ALL kata karate has to offer, no matter the style, if only because we're missing on so many great variations by being limited to one style. With that being said, I don't know if you have planned to train in shito-ryu, but if you do, I'm hoping Chatanyara Kusanku is on the list, because it's my absolute favourite kata :D
Except for Gekisai Dai Ichi and Ni (and I notice even THAT varies between schools) Goju Ryu uses mainly chudan zuki. It's mainly a close in martial art it seems.
Awesome Video! I was curious that Uema Sensei said that loud breathing is a staple of Shotokan, I learned the opposite and got scolded for loud breathing from Ochi Hideo Shihan 9th Dan of JKA, are there differences in that from organization to organization within Shotokan?
You didn't ask, but . . . . If you're looking for a Goju dojo in Okinawa, I'd LOVE to see my hombu dojo featured in a vid (I've never been there). I'm in the Jinbukan school of Goju, which is a small Shorei-kan offshoot, founded by Katsuyoshi Kanei sensei. He passed in 1993 but the dojo is still there and being run by a senior student of his as well as Kanei's son. Thanks!
Hopefully you could visit the Isshinryu Dojo of Tsuyoshi Uechi Sensei. Isshinryu seems to be an interesting style which seems to be a combination of Goju-ryu & Shorin-ryu
When i punch, i bring in a bit of wing chun principles and carrying power from the legs into the hands. Same thing applies from taichi which is using the foundation that is your legs, carry it over into the hips as you rotate, then into the fist as you transfer. All in all, it does feel similar to this. I actually find it harder to do rotation in gedan uke and soto uke, or maybe perhaps I’m not supposed to rotate my hips as much as in tsuki? Any insight on this?
I am curious about the shizen kokyu mentioned in the video. I also noticed that you breath out with your mouth closed it seems. In Shotokan, are you also supposed to hide your breath, or keep your mouth closed? In Tang Soo Do, we are free to breath out.
I'm not thinking so much about the shape of my mouth, just how it would naturally be. So I breath out when the technique is executed with a natural mouth shape
This Sensei you were training with seems like a pretty intimidating guy! You seemed a little nervous? I don't blame you if you were. He seems like a badass
Thank you. I'm starting to like and appreciate Shorin Ryu. Should feel similar enough to Shotokan as not to feel completely foreign. I was allowed to do a little training in a Wado gym, because of friends, and it felt very foreign. Old school Wado. Soooo many differences.
@@davidmatthews2983 Thank you. Noooo. Different. You'd think it might be close because Hironori Otsuka studied under Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan. It confused me because Wado seemed very Okinawan. Then I found out why. I guess Otsuka wasn't maybe that happy with Shotokan. So he then studied under Okinawan masters Motobu Choki and Kenwa Mabuni. That's why it seems like an Okinawan style, to me. Blocks are very different for one. And stance is not as deep as Shotokan, but you could get used to that no problem. And Otsuka added in his Ju-Jitsu which is where he started out before karate.
@@popcornzbd I actually started wado-ryu when I was like 5 or 6 in 93,94 and then started Shorin ryu in 2008 I for one loved that inherent flexibility from training so young, but adults classes definitely show the fuller experience that my 6 year old self didn’t understand.
I always make sure to alternate and practice both in private training and follow the Method exactly in class. I wonder if this practice is necessary Sensei? Kind Regards from Australia
When you flung your arms outwards as you stepped back, what would you use that in defence of? I'm trying to see what kind of strike is being deflected but I cannot see it.
Not against a strike: if the wrists/forearms get grabbed from the rear, you pull the opponents hands forward over the top (probably getting the opponent up on his toes), then suddenly give a bump-and-fling to the rear to knock the opponent off balance.
I like how he doesn't give a damn about stupid minute details like whether the back foot is facing 100% forward or is maybe slightly turned, etc. Modern karate needs to stop with such unproductive, aesthetic nonsense. Bodies are different, people are different, not everyone's the same age, etc. ... heck, lengths of legs are different! In fact, one of my legs is actually alonger than the other one and it will never be possible for me to have 100% symmetric stances or fully idealized step lengths on both sides etc. When I was training Shotokan, an issue was made out ouf that constantly. Idiotic! Okinawan karate accounts for that. Modern karate, in comparison, has become way too obsessed with forcing everyone into identical slots and neglecting the practicality of the art.
❓Head Punch vs Stomach Punch｜Which one do you have more in your martial art and why?
❓Have you ever implemented one martial art to another? What's your style combination?
🥋FREE TRIAL + 24% OFF NOW｜Online Group Lesson🥋
Program Details: karateintokyo.com/
Any questions or concerns? → Email me at ynkaratedojo@gmail.com
Episode #1:
czcams.com/video/peiCbxU_D6g/video.html
Yusuke In Okinawa Playlist:
czcams.com/video/jc0Zudzvk6E/video.html
Mostly we use stomach punch in our style Kata 💞😊
in tkd they tell you punch at the stomache to knock the wind out of them in the forms. BUt if u look at what your whole body is doing at any give punch yooull soon realize your body mechanic are screaming joint locks ,throws, restraints , and takedowns . like iann abernathy explains in his karate videos. i found a TON of Judo in taekwondo poomsae forms.
Definitely more head punches in the styles I studied (we usually kick to the body and legs).
Well, where I am from and before MMA was a thing, EVERYONE was incorporating different martial arts into their own style, and we all combined some type of striking and grappling art and/or incorporating soft and hard styles, soft being like Aikido, Wing Chun, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, etc., hard styles being Judo, Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Muy Thai, Choi La Fut etc. -- and weapons, escrima/arnis was very popular in the 90s.
Of course we would always get into debates about which art was superior -- only to grow older and realize that there is no such thing as a superior martial art -- only superior practitioners; which only opens up new debates about what makes a superior practitioner...
So which arts did I combine? I always drifted towards the soft arts because I do not like getting hurt (because I am a softy).
@@JerryGoNuts I thought all martial arts are superior
It's important to concentrate on the martial art which one you choose 😊
I'm right? 🤔
@@bhoomibhamani4290 As in all arts are equal, yes -- they are all equal. NOW, on choice and concentration, I personally belief that everyone will always make the right choice when choosing an art they would like to practice; whether it be concentrating on one art or sampling different arts. As long as the practitioner is happy, that is all that matters.
Shotokan is a colorful and refined interpretation of Shuri Te, focused on competitions. The Shorin Ryu has retained its essence, because they do not compete and are not contaminated. The positions are less exaggerated, this line of Shuri Te is magnificent.
This style is more similar to Shito-ryu which I practise. The movements are crisp and precise. It gives me so much joy to see this and feel akin with all these people. Thank you so much, you da best 🤴🤸🔝
Happy to hear that!
It is great to find a master so open and willing to share their knowledge.
This is really great content. Just being able to go into the karate dojo's of Okinawa is amazing. Watching masters perform kata while you learn is fascinating. You can learn a great amount from these videos! Thank you for taking us to Okinawa with you!
To visit Japan is my dream
Glad you enjoy it!
We welcome you!
I love how so many of the moves aren’t “named”, they’re just the bunkai. Catch the mae geri or mawashi geri - fantastic, and some of my favorite interpretations of those moves
Thank you for trying out my style! Hope you enjoyed it 😊
7:43 I final understand the purpose of the block in heian godan. I thought it was a silly block but the explanation here is much more practical.
Glad it helped!
Yes, 👍 It's good to know and also to experience the assence of the art we should know and learn all different styles and take the advantage in improving and putting it to be applicable scientific effects by practicing KARATE of various different styles which can be applicable according to our own understanding of our philology and anotomy of our body science.🙏 Arigato
Thanks!
I love how you show the breakdowns of all the katas. It answers so many questions I had.
Glad it helped!
I am pleasantly surprised at the quality of your videos. Very substantive and informative. You are a great teacher!
I enjoy your showing us techniques from Okinawan karate. I am learning a lot.
WT Taekwondo practitioner stepping into Kyokushin Karate.
In WT poomsae, we throw punches mostly to the solar plexus (in the middle lower part of the rib cage) and occasionally to the head. But we do have a lot of other attacks to the head with hands such as front and side hammer fists, palm strikes, uppercut, elbows and knife hands.
And when I bring over the hip and wrist movements, relaxation and tensing coordination, control of centre of gravity, control of leg movements and flexibility to Kyokushin Karate, it does feel like I am cheating in an exam 🤣
Yeah, as a a fellow WT taekwondoin, it can be surprising that the poomesae Chonkwon begins with a double middle finger knuckle uppercut to the under chin area. If Nagano-Sensei catches our discussion, he can get more poomesae references.
@@jaybinx2242 Yes that and also found in 8-jang and Taebaek with the grabbing uppercut.
That's an interesting fusion! I'm sure it'll be the same with Shotokan in Kyokushin!
Haha yes, I did catch your conversation!
@@cychan.tkd.krt_ is that grabbing uppercut also found in Palgwe 4 Jang?
I'm loving these daily content from Okinawa . You're the best content creator in karate world. Thank you and pls keep The good work.
Compliments from Brazil
So I am just now watching this entire series and I love it so much. I started training in Yang Style Tai Chi first and when I started learning Shorin Ryu, I was able to see the similarities in theories as well. I really love seeing the subtle technique differences as they help illustrate how every style generates power differently. I do find that I am on the shorter and stockier side so styles that are heavily emphasized on punches and lower kicks suit me more. I find that I still train in higher kicks, but lower is my preferred style for by body type.
Please keep up the amazing work Sensei.
i do karate in Canada club shorin ryu and my teacher is Uema Takeshi Sensei i see him only one week every year its nice to see him and you its the collab i would’ve never imagined 😊
I'm well and truly behind on my YouTubing but wanted to tell you how much I'm loving this Yusuke in Okinawa series! I am enamored with the variety of styles and approaches out there. I love hearing the philosophies and principles of these masters and truly appreciate and can clearly see your love of Karate and appreciation and respect for their teachings.
I also wanted to say how impressed I am with your ability to adapt and adjust to their methods, even down to pointing your toes for your kicks after only having it pointed out once. As someone who trained in one dojo/style in my youth and another now in my... not-youth ( :D ), I recall having to adjust my way of striking or blocking multiple times before I really got it "right" in the new school, so seeing how quickly you adapt is impressive, sir.
Domo arigato gozaimashita!
learned a lot from the video of jion.the dojo is simple but looks functional.i even saw a plaque of weapons of moroland its a popular decor in the philippines
So I had a weird formative experience, insofar as my first instructor learned Shotokan first and then learned Matsubayashi-ryu after back & knee injuries forced them to switch to something with more emphasis on shizentai-dachi and less emphasis on a deep zenkutsu-dachi & kokutsu-dachi.
So I started off learning a form of Matsubayashi-ryu with LOTS of unconscious Shotokan influence, and then after about 3 years of training, started working to recognize the deeper subtleties of Matsubayashi-ryu through independent research. My versions of the kata we share (Pinan/Heian, Naihanchi/Tekki, Passai/Bassai, Kusanku/Kanku Dai, Gojushiho, Chinto/Gankaku) were also heavily influenced by the Shotokan versions--in ways that I didn't recognize until I started learning Shotokan kata in earnest, and began to study the differences (heck, we even did the Shotokan version of Tekki for a long time. And for years, we also did every instance of shizentai-dachi in our kata as a zenkutsu-dachi--at a sort of middle-ground between Shotokan's low zenkutsu and Matsubayashi-ryu's shizentai dachi).
And THEN after about 10 years of fine-tuning and separating out my Matsubayashi-ryu and Shotokan influences, I turned around and moved from California to Maryland for graduate school, and I wound up at a Kobayashi-ryu dojo for around 2 years. That was a whole other learning and unlearning process--trying to keep 3 systems straight while fighting muscle-memory.
Even after learning to solidify Matsubayashi-ryu as Matsubayashi-ryu, these videos are nevertheless teaching me a lot about even more of the unconscious habits I've silently inherited from Shotokan. The breathing thing, for instance--and the knee thrust.
As for Jion: I've learned the Shotokan version, so I generally stick to mid-level punches
This is one of my favorite katas, incredible and practical the diferense
Nice!
It was good to see Jion from another perspective. As for the punches, well I’m a Shotokan guy, so they tend to be chudan or mid-level, unless otherwise directed.
I agree!
So much of knowledge in this video, Thank you Uema sensei's and Nagano sensei for going all the way to Okinawa for this
With catching the leg and then throw this block makes sense. In Heian Godan it‘s after the shuto and Funakoshi described it as a ripping motion into this interesting blocking figure. Unfortunately he forgot to write about the bunkai, but trapping a leg makes sense. Especially in Bassai Dai where you turn after this block which would initiate the throw.
I can sympathize with what you said at the end.
A lot of what we do in Kali-Arnis influences how I practice my Karate and vice versa. Our (titular) basic 5 strikes and our drills in Cinco Teros Kali-Arnis often forms the basis for the way I move in Karate training.
🙏🥋🇵🇭👍
Yes learning and competing in Greco-Roman Wrestling gave me experience and understanding on how the drills are to be applied while infighting. Boxing gave me more understanding of punching speed with the intent of rendering a person unconscious and improved my ability to apply my other techniques, because many times in martial arts we do light contact, no contact, out of range, or wrong rhythm, timing, distance, range, or speed for safety concerns while Boxing there are no pulled punches you strike the same way on pads and in sparring, which I was able to use coming in and out of range on the makiwara. Basically the sports of Greco-Roman Wrestling, and Boxing gave me the attributes to effectively weaponize the martial arts I learned previously.
Punches are to the target area. Forms are traditional and so when taught and learned that is where the punches go. As well as the kicks and blocks. I would only say the x block would need to be above the head. Where he did it twice would not block a knife attack because the blade would stick you in the head.
thanks for your opinion!
Seeing these videos you did with these two Shorin Ryu Sensei's really makes me miss the school i attended here in the states even more. My sensei told us before about how they trained to kick with their toes like that in Japan. He didn't teach that method of kicking here in the states for various reasons. lol People like to joke about karate being "just for self defense" but alot of the techniques can be extremely deadly especially used by an experienced practitioner.
I once took a seminar on Combat Krav Maga and I continuously defaulted to Shotokan stances to receive attacks. The instructors kept on correcting me, but I think it was a good thing.
In boxing, before the use of gloves and the formalization of rules, punches to the head were far less common. This was because if the punch hits the forehead or the skull there was a very large chance you would injure your hand. A lot of laymen think that the gloves are there to protect the person hit with the punch, but the truth is that the gloves are there to protect the hands of the boxers. With the advent of gloves, punches to the head became more common and the common boxing stance also changed with it. Perhaps in other martial arts, the preference for punching the center of mass or the preference to use elbows, open hand, or palm strikes was because of this reason? You do condition your knuckles/hands on makiwara for this purpose as well, correct?
This is super interesting and makes total sense
Yes gloves are used to protect the hands and also protect the opponent from the heavy blows. While the boxers train their hands by punching pads, speedball bags and punching bags, the karatekas especially Okinawan karate train their hands by punching hard surfaces like wood/makiwara, rocks/cement, iron/metal/shield and sometimes ice blocks.
Wow interesting! Never knew that before!
Totally agree
Thanks for sharing your insight!
We train to hit what appears to be three targets. Head, mid section and what appears to be groin level is actually head again. Because when you hit them is in stomach the human body will bend and instinctively people look up to see what's coming next and hence groin level. We use the hikite to grab and pull.
12:19 - That step back can be an attack to the opponent's left leg. We do that sort of thing a lot in Parker kenpo karate
Excellent!
I am really enjoying these episodes. From a Shotokan perspective the Kata seem to "make more sense" for lack of a better description. The leg hooking and throw especially. All really fascinating.
Some times I notice more of my Jujitsu comes out when i practice my Hapkido, and some Kempo shows up in my Taekwondo forms. It is all fun to play and practice. Keep up the wonder work you are doing here in your videos. It has been amazing to watch and preform and improve my own karate.
Jion is definitely one of my favorite katas in Shotokan. I remember when I first learned it, I'd only perform Jion or Empi at tournaments. Then I learned Bassai Sho, which is also a beautiful kata, but my sensei wouldn't let me perform it in tournaments, since he stated it was a "feminine kata" (to which I didn't agree at all)
If the punch can reach the centreline whether high or low....it's a good punch.
However a straight blast to the sternum/center life force chakra will stop anyone in their tracks for it is connected to the nervous system and the respiratory system.
You can start a heart with it in Emergency CPR.....so you can stop one with it too.
Haha theoretically, I guess so!
How cool! That leg catch and throwing opponent backwards is in my curriculum! You can really launch them backwards.
As far as implementing one style with another, after 40 years and studying a variety of systems including those that are Japanese, Chinese, Korean and even Filipino; it winds up eventually meshing togethet.
In what I've experienced in American Kenpo Karate, we often tend to punch to the body while striking the head with an open hand. This is due to the principle of "Striking soft surfaces with hard weapons and striking hard surfaces with soft weapons."
(Thought there are still a good handful of techniques where "fist to face" is a part of them.)
That's mostly the same in Shotokan
@@KarateDojowaKu Hmmmm. Omoishiroi.
In our Shotokan club is just like you said. Most katas punch to Chudan. I also study Isshin Shorinji-Ryu and there is variety as well. Some katas punch Jodan and some Chudan.
In my system straight punches in kata are done to the solar plexus and even lower because it is easier for people to intergrate whole body or even waist power later the punches raise so even if the original target is the chin we will train low
Oh good point
I practice Wado Ryu karate and MMA so I find hooks sneaking into kumite which I pull at the onset itself but the boxing footwork is something that really helps me stay mobile as a heavier fighter against more commonly seen lighter Karateka 😁🥊🥋
Interesting! Thanks for sharing!
Very cool. I have many friends in Chibana lineages and have judged many a kata at national competitions, but I don't think I've seen this version of Jion.
It was very interesting!
I ran through all Kata in my head, I'd say about 70% of the punches/strikes are to the Solar Plexes and the balance being to the Chin/Neck area!!
Thanks so much for the fast run through!
We practice more stomach level (solar plexus or just below breastbone) in Tang Soo Do. I’ve been told that it is because to punch the head with a closed fist endangers you breaking the hand. The philosophy is soft weapon to hard target (palm strike to head) and hard weapon to soft target (fist to chest or stomach).
we usually aim for the head minus some punches we aim towards the stomach.
I see! Thanks for sharing!
I have always wondered at what point does the kata change and how the kata I was taught is different from other styles. I have never heard that about the breathing either, but it makes sense.
It's very interesting to learn about the history for sure! But very hard to grasp the overall picture
I practiced Wado-ryu as a teen (5th kyu), and my 2nd kyu grading in Shotokan is scheduled on Sunday.
As I sometimes like to compare the styles I find it hard to not implement Shotokan mechanics into Wado-ryu katas, like the height of the stances and usage of the legs to create power rather than the upper body.
Oh there is a souvenir from Philippines. I think that is a different kinds of swords that is commonly use by Filipino worriors back in pre colonial era. It's very nice to see there at Shorin Ryu dojo in Okinawa😊😊😊
They said they have a connection with a dojo there!
@@KarateDojowaKu yes they are. There are so many Shorin Ryu dojos here in the Philippines.
I’ve really been trying to, as naturally as possible; to mix all Karate , and ninjutsu styles. I feel that the hard exterior of karate and the mystical flow of stances from ninjutsu can really give a sturdy base to practice on.
I have a black belt in kukkiwon taekwondo and was also learning kung fu, some northern shaolin and some southern hung gar. Performing the sil lun forms with fluidity was difficult, coming from a style that puts more emphasis on defining each movement, and in kung fu they also prefer natural breathing, which was an adjustment for me as well. But I grew to prefer that aspect of it. And I just started Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, and noticed I arm-check with a ridge hand block by habit lol
Usually there is a stomach punch in our style (Ken-zen-ryu)😊
Thanks for sharing!
our forms have high and low punch attacks. Our Taekwondo forms follow more Shotokan kata. I also have several Kempo katas that I practice as well.
It’s a very good comparison between Shotokan and Shorin ryu. I like it
Thanks!
pretty cool looking kata
I fine the breathing in the style very interesting. In some school of Tang Soo Do they want to hear the breathing. In my School they do want to hear the breathing out. I like to breath out loud when I practice my form and doing my basics. It help me tensed up on impact of my block and strike.
Thanks for sharing! I think it's all depended on your aim of the practice
@@KarateDojowaKu yeah,😊
I thought that when we practice with power breath out loudly 🤔❤
I thought I saw an Eku in the background. If you ever get a chance to learn it, it's one of my favorite Okinawan weapons.
I know it is very humbling to go and train with other styles and practitioners, especially when they are of this calibre. I wonder what your biggest takeaway was when you watched it back. I noticed in the Shotokan Style you tend to move then perform the technique, but watching Uema Sensei moving is part of the technique. So it may not snap or appear as crisp, but the power and impact are a magnitude greater because there is so much more mass. Be very interesting to get your thoughts on it. I'm enjoying the series, I was watching Series 2, but thought I should start at the beginning. Thank you.
Dispite training Shorin ryu also, this was Surprisingly very different, a lot of The jion was completely different, for example, we would start then break into a 45 degree shiko dachi. Then, the kosa uke and then 3x punches, 1x Chudan, 1x jodan then 1X, chudan, then turn and repeat on the other side. Too many subtle variations to list now,
These differences must be slightly different from one dojo to the next.
While my style is originally shotokan, I think we should train ALL kata karate has to offer, no matter the style, if only because we're missing on so many great variations by being limited to one style. With that being said, I don't know if you have planned to train in shito-ryu, but if you do, I'm hoping Chatanyara Kusanku is on the list, because it's my absolute favourite kata :D
Except for Gekisai Dai Ichi and Ni (and I notice even THAT varies between schools) Goju Ryu uses mainly chudan zuki. It's mainly a close in martial art it seems.
I see! Thanks for sharing!
hello from algeria.oss
Welcome!
Awesome Video! I was curious that Uema Sensei said that loud breathing is a staple of Shotokan, I learned the opposite and got scolded for loud breathing from Ochi Hideo Shihan 9th Dan of JKA, are there differences in that from organization to organization within Shotokan?
About 50/50 going to both jodan and chudan; but the jodan punches are more often targeting the throat more than the nose.
You didn't ask, but . . . .
If you're looking for a Goju dojo in Okinawa, I'd LOVE to see my hombu dojo featured in a vid (I've never been there). I'm in the Jinbukan school of Goju, which is a small Shorei-kan offshoot, founded by Katsuyoshi Kanei sensei. He passed in 1993 but the dojo is still there and being run by a senior student of his as well as Kanei's son. Thanks!
I see! Thanks for sharing! I will see it next time!
Can you do a video on International kem-po karate ❣️
After this series, I'll think about it!
Hopefully you could visit the Isshinryu Dojo of Tsuyoshi Uechi Sensei.
Isshinryu seems to be an interesting style which seems to be a combination of Goju-ryu & Shorin-ryu
When i punch, i bring in a bit of wing chun principles and carrying power from the legs into the hands. Same thing applies from taichi which is using the foundation that is your legs, carry it over into the hips as you rotate, then into the fist as you transfer. All in all, it does feel similar to this. I actually find it harder to do rotation in gedan uke and soto uke, or maybe perhaps I’m not supposed to rotate my hips as much as in tsuki? Any insight on this?
There are 2 ways: rotating it from the side to the front, and the other way around. You're still rotating the hips
I am curious about the shizen kokyu mentioned in the video. I also noticed that you breath out with your mouth closed it seems. In Shotokan, are you also supposed to hide your breath, or keep your mouth closed?
In Tang Soo Do, we are free to breath out.
I'm not thinking so much about the shape of my mouth, just how it would naturally be. So I breath out when the technique is executed with a natural mouth shape
hey which karate do you like the best.
Keep training, if you quit practice I will disown you! Become a true Master.
Haha you're gonna disown me!? I was never owned by you...But I'll keep on training
This Sensei you were training with seems like a pretty intimidating guy! You seemed a little nervous? I don't blame you if you were. He seems like a badass
Thank you. I'm starting to like and appreciate Shorin Ryu. Should feel similar enough to Shotokan as not to feel completely foreign. I was allowed to do a little training in a Wado gym, because of friends, and it felt very foreign. Old school Wado. Soooo many differences.
Funny, wado should feel very shotokan like
@@davidmatthews2983 Thank you. Noooo. Different. You'd think it might be close because Hironori Otsuka studied under Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan. It confused me because Wado seemed very Okinawan. Then I found out why. I guess Otsuka wasn't maybe that happy with Shotokan. So he then studied under Okinawan masters Motobu Choki and Kenwa Mabuni. That's why it seems like an Okinawan style, to me. Blocks are very different for one. And stance is not as deep as Shotokan, but you could get used to that no problem. And Otsuka added in his Ju-Jitsu which is where he started out before karate.
@@popcornzbd I actually started wado-ryu when I was like 5 or 6 in 93,94 and then started Shorin ryu in 2008
I for one loved that inherent flexibility from training so young, but adults classes definitely show the fuller experience that my 6 year old self didn’t understand.
@@davidmatthews2983 It takes a special person to teach 5 and 6 year olds. Especially if you're alone and trying to keep control of the class. Oh my!
I always make sure to alternate and practice both in private training and follow the Method exactly in class.
I wonder if this practice is necessary Sensei?
Kind Regards from Australia
Funny, it appears that Okinawans prefer jodan-zuki instead of chudan-zuki - to punch a face. Ditto for my Okinawa Goju-ryu Jundokan. :)
Nice!
When you flung your arms outwards as you stepped back, what would you use that in defence of? I'm trying to see what kind of strike is being deflected but I cannot see it.
Not against a strike: if the wrists/forearms get grabbed from the rear, you pull the opponents hands forward over the top (probably getting the opponent up on his toes), then suddenly give a bump-and-fling to the rear to knock the opponent off balance.
It's explained in the video!
Thank you!
@@KarateDojowaKu Afraid I missed that.
@@jamesfrankiewicz5768 Thanks.
I do Shorin Ryu Kyudokan, and Jion is different.
Right!
Can you tell me why shotokan karate has deep stances compared to okinawan styles?
May I ask what are those writings on the woods, what are the symbol of?
I have two teachers who studied under the same teacher and they always tell me I’m. Incorrect, if I present what the other taught it’s annoying
Well, as long as you know there are other options, no need to stress about it
Hi it take shodan shorin ryu karate punch are
I mix my muay thai with my dutch kickboxing! Hybrid style! 😈
What particular school of shorin ryu is this from?
こんばんわせんせいゆすけさん！！おす
it would have been nice if you went deeper on the bunkai, but i understand you cant get physical with each other... :(
First
nice!
This is the type of karate I've taught myself since birth....go figure?🤷♂️
First agin
Nice!!!
Shorin ryu is the oldest style of karate
I think that depends on your definition of "style"
So true
I like how he doesn't give a damn about stupid minute details like whether the back foot is facing 100% forward or is maybe slightly turned, etc. Modern karate needs to stop with such unproductive, aesthetic nonsense. Bodies are different, people are different, not everyone's the same age, etc. ... heck, lengths of legs are different! In fact, one of my legs is actually alonger than the other one and it will never be possible for me to have 100% symmetric stances or fully idealized step lengths on both sides etc. When I was training Shotokan, an issue was made out ouf that constantly. Idiotic! Okinawan karate accounts for that. Modern karate, in comparison, has become way too obsessed with forcing everyone into identical slots and neglecting the practicality of the art.