 |
Approaching the 10th Anniversary of the IRKRS in Ireland Hanshi Patrick McCarthy made a return to the Emerald Isle after a year sabbatical away for the seminar circuit, and boy did he return with a bang, under ‘new management’ the Irish branch of the IRKRS hosted a weekend seminar with this 8th Dan Black Belt and pioneer of Koryu Uchinadi. |
 |
The theme of this year’s seminar was based on Hanshi’s best-seller book ‘Bubishi: The Bible of Karate’. The seminar covered an in-depth study of gyaku-waza. Hanshi has used the Bubishi's 29 counters/escapes as his template and inspiration for developing the gyaku-waza drill, based upon his HAPV (habitual acts of physical violence) theory. During the seminar, Hanshi tied in kata-based mnemonics from various styles, as he delivered this unique Koryu Uchinadi drill.
We started on a cold wet Saturday morning (unusual for Galway) at 10am, Hanshi McCarthy proceeded to place what was to come in to context. He gave a historical account of the Bubishi, his research into it, his publication and the problems associated with publishing this best seller and the upcoming ‘Bubishi companion’; we warmed up quickly on the mats with some stretching, a unique set of two person exercises: nice gentle stretching which could mislead you, giving the impression that the seminar to come would be somewhat easy - both on a physical level and an information level. For anyone who has ever attended one of Hanshi McCarthy's Seminars, you know that this could not be further from the truth.
While Hanshi indicated that his applications practices this weekend would focus around Shotokan Kata as the vast majority of attendees came from this tradition (yudansha from wado ryu, kyokushin kai and judo attended, several taekwon-do practitioners were also present and a small delegation from the yoshinkai budo tradition also participated), it was interesting to see how the practices exposed kata from many systems, indicating that the various modern karate interpretations are more closely linked through universal principles and the ‘old style’ than commonly admitted.
We initially examined the concepts of ‘Go no sen’ ‘sen no sen’ etc. but in particular ‘sasoi no sen ‘, this is deceiving/distracting an opponent, this was coupled with the explanation of ‘mai’ engagement distance. These concepts proved vital in executing the techniques that followed, although we were working at learning speed, Hanshi was quick to point out that progressive resistance was the only way to improve (make functional) the seminar teachings and that this should be undertaken at the attendees dojo over the course of several months when working through the complete gakyu-waza drill.
After lunch, Hanshi took us through more kata applications, concentrating now on head locks, strangulations, hair grabs and the escapes and controls for each. Using the ‘weapons’ most convenient - hands, feet, head or teeth - we worked our way through technique after technique, building up the gakyu-waza drill that can just flow through an entire training session. Each attack could be taken on its own and worked, or the entire drill could be revised. Saturday ended at 6pm with a lot of people walking around the dojo rehearsing the moves in an effort to retain the information, some took notes and more video taped themselves for the purpose of remembering this distinctive exercise. It had been a long day with over 6 hours of study.
Sunday was an even wetter day outside, but the karate-ka gathered in NUI, Galway Sports Centre didn't really care. The warm up drills (only a small part of the ne-keri waza drills) tested coordination, practised rolls and movement on the ground and really got the blood pumping and the body warmed up. Following on from Saturday, we went to ground for a while to examine some strangles and locks. Scarf holds/headlocks and the relevant escapes were just a start, choking each other out was the main attraction. Even though it was the second day of intense training and education the light bulbs were still going on, from the newest learner (white belt) to the highest graded participant (7th degree black belt) it was obvious when the connection between technique and kata was made, this was evident in one particular example of escaping from a rear strangle when the connection was made to the signature technique of ‘heian nidan’ for the beginners and ‘meikyo’ for the more advanced, it is something special to see, when ones life practice (in some cases) is given a new and more comprehensive meaning. To complete the drill we worked through the clinch, worked through escapes, pinching that proverbial inch, elbows, stomps and head butts were all brought to bear at the appropriate time to work back into the techniques that we had learned on Saturday.
And when all that was done and we were ‘full’ for the day, Hanshi with the assistance with one of his students from the UK demonstrated the uke-waza ‘quadrant drill’. We then set out working the percussive impact drill, the blocks, control and redirection that are also involved; it was a good way to finish up on Sunday evening indicating that real karate can contain all that is needed.
During the course of Sunday’s training a yudansha evaluation/testing was undertaken, sitting on the examination board was Patrick McCarthy 8th Dan and Paul Allen 7th Dan (European technical director for the USA-Shotokan Karate Federation), we would like to congratulate all those who passed the test receiving grades from Sho-Dan thru to San-Dan.
After 10 years of teaching and imparting knowledge previously unavailable to Irish members it comes as no surprise that Hanshi meets his own teachings being presented by members and former members at various seminars here and abroad, one of the most popular drills being currently replicated is the ‘muchimi’ set, a sensitivity drill unique to Koryu Uchinadi but missing from many modern interpretations, none the less ‘imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’, and Hanshi is proud that he has opened the door for the many karate-ka in Ireland who have come to him seeking answers.
Ireland has been placed on his regular seminar schedule and we, his Shibucho here, look forward to the opportunity to develop the IRKRS and Koryu Uchinadi in Ireland for a long time to come. |
|
| |
|
|
|
