I think that many people are off on a tangent concerning grappling, Te Gumi,
Toide, etc., etc. etc. when analyzing Okinawa karate. I understand the need
some people have when they consider having to grapple with someone and the
Okinawan kata takes provides for this but not in the way that is being
represented. Okinawan karate focuses on the basic understanding of: 1) get out
of the way of an attack. Even if you are grasped you use movement to escape
not grappling. 2) Parry the attack as you move to give yourself the added
protection from the attack and to create an opening to counter attack. 3)
Attack the vulnerable points on the body as the openings are created through
movement.

Yes, there are a few techniques in Okinawa kata that teach you how to block
and grab as you apply a strike to the opponent. There are techniques in the
kata that teach you how to react if your attack has been blocked and grabbed
and techniques that teach you how to react when seized by the opponent but
these are minimal when considering the vast number of techniques that are
describe in 1 to 3 above.

My teacher on Okinawa taught four techniques against being grabbed. He stated
that he only thought he would be grabbed in four ways. I thought about the
many ways someone could grab you but the teacher said he only needed four
because he believed that he would prepare himself to be only grabbed in the
four methods that he could not guard against. Go through the kata and list
how many ways someone can seize you. It is not many than four. You only have
an arm, upper front body, upper back body and shoulders to defend. If someone
tries an tackle you the kata of Okinawa gives you two choices or three if you
count the one move in Uechi Ryu out of Seisan.

My point is that much is being made about a small number of techniques. It is
true what someone said on the CD, if you are someone who practices atemi waza
then kensetsu waza is something special and if you practice grappling then
atemi waza is special.

IMHO the Okinawans specialized on 1 to 3 above.

And while I am espousing stuff that probably causes concern. Ikken haitsu is
not an Okinawan concept. It comes straight from kenjutsu. The Okinawans
simply say fight until there is no fight.

Gumbatte

Dan Smith

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