Add Kyusho
Many people study conventional Martial Art body actions, drills and training... concerning themselves with performance over function. They practice Kata and one step block punch - kick combinations with generalized focus on the head or body. And it would actually help in combative situations where the attacker were as compliant, regimented and structured as they are or a random unskilled attacker actingsimply out of frustration or anger.
Then there are the more fluid stylists that work incessantly on flow drills and set bunkaiin a Tegumi style pattern, this increases there fighting skills considerably and is more true to original arts and styles. However there is still a few pieces missing from the old teachings and of which could yield greater efficiency and potency in their Martial Skills.
First is the correct tools and application of them to more mimic the relaxed and focused actions of the founders of their style. As this film depicts a high level Master of Shorin Ryu demonstrating their high level Kata "Kusanju", we note the aplication of "Iron Sword" and Knuckles that are not strength based, but more rotational and sharp in their delivery. It is not great power or speed the Master demonstrates, but rather a deliberate action of his weapons. This rotaion and sharp focus relates to penetration into the inner anatomy as opposed to overpowering the exterior. It is the same comparison you could use with a look at the destructive power between a stick and knife. The stick requires power and speed to bluddgeon the exterior, where as the knife cuts penetrates deep with little force.
Next is the targeting and the biggest setback for modern practitioners in their Martial Skills. Again general targeting of leg, body, head and arm is used without a specific focus... so how is an art that is supposedly practiced to develop a focused mind and skill without actually employing the practice of focused targeting of weaker anatomical structures?
If you use a heavy bag for training as an example, working to develop power rather than accuracy or focused force,then that is how you will also strike. But here is the problem... it is too generalized to inflict dysfunction reliably and it is a self danger. The self danger is when you strike a skull with power but not the foucus and you strike a cheekbone or rounding of the skull that is built by nature to protect against falls and concussion. Your hand can shatter but not stop the attacker.
Drills and Tegumi are excellent for training, but they must include specific anatomical attacks, if not it is just working a superfiscial method rather than a deeper method. This is out of sync with traditional concepts (attacking generaly as opposed to attacking with focus).
Just food for thought now, but in the future every MartialArts instructor will have to employ Kyusho as the knowledge is spreading more and more each day. Those that do not teach the Kyusho will not be sought by the younger genertions as they as more savy and are seeing the realities of Kyusho on the internet, in seminars and classes and even in magazines and books.
Additional References:
- https://kyusho.com/whats-in-there/
- https://kyusho.com/traditional-kyusho/
- https://kyusho.com/mental-kyusho/
- https://kyusho.com/kyusho-kata/
- And more....
Watch the Shuto of Hanshi Morinobu Maeshiro as it is not your "Conventional Karate" Shuto... he is employing the Iron Sword of the Bubishi... the more you know the better your Karate will be.
-ep
