Simplicity
One day last week, I happened upon the web site of Master Advincula. His web site was linked to Master Passero’s Don Nagle American Okinawan Karate Association, Inc. Grand Master Don Nagle and Mr. Advincula were often at odds with one another. However, I began to read his thoughts on Bunkai and found that he and my Sensei would have agreed on this basic and important point, in Isshin-ryu. The premise he proposed, was something that Sensei Nagle and myself had always spoken and agreed upon, as well. That was the simplicity and honesty of the application of Isshin-ryu techniques. Over the last two decades there has been a vast dissimilarity of thought amongst the Sensei's in Isshin-ryu. There were those of us who watched Tatsuo Shimabuku, Soke, as he demonstrated his kata and accepted it, in the manner in which it was shown. For many years now, I have written often of the fact, that Shimabuku was a man of inherent logic (Master Advincula uses the term, “a simple man”) and I have stated that, “if you are unsure of what the application of a particular move was meant to be, simply ask yourself the question, “What is the most obvious and simple move, in other words, what is the most logical thing to do at that point?” Isshin-ryu, unlike it’s predecessors, avoids the tangle of extended, uncomfortable stances, intricate techniques and punishing confrontations. Isshin-ryu is pure logic applied to hand-to-hand combat. Disable and/or kill the aggressor with the least amount of confrontation. As an opponent attacks, we are taught to simply avoid their impetus and then use their momentum to disable them. Isshin-ryu begins with the teaching of Sei-San, as the first kata a student learns. That alone, separates the men from the boys. But if the student has enough athleticism and speed, this first kata, teaches us vital technique, immediately. We learn to block a punch away from us, using the opposite arm to redirect the attack, opening up the assailant’s blind side. By the time we reach Chinto, we are using spins, side steps and simple foot turns to pivot from the direction of attack. If you can’t be hit, you must be victorious. This is what makes it the style for attack from multiple opponents. Unlike Judo, Jiu-Jitsu or Tuite, it does not violate my rule of Non-Involvement. Once you become physically involved, with an opponent, with throws or arm bars, etc., you become prone to going to the ground. In hand-to-hand combat, going to the ground is death. Against multiple opponents, if the attack from the first assailant takes you to the ground, the additional attackers will finish you off. When teaching the Armed Forces, they must be aware of this trap. Isshin-ryu teaches you to kick in all directions, which allows you to maneuver against multiple opponents, forcing them to be behind each other. If you utilize the movement in the katas, you can spin, slide or side step opponents, setting up individuals and taking them out with focused blows to critical points, such as the throat, liver, kidneys and eyes. If you are using a front thrust kick, don’t throw to hit the front of the knee, but strike instead for the inside of the thigh on the forward leg, just above the knee. The same can be said of a kick to the outside of the thigh, just above the knee. This results in what has now become known as the Theisman injury, or total dislocation of the knee. It is disabling. This is Isshin-ryu. Stand in a comfortable position, relax, keep the arms limp and loose for speed in blocking and striking. Sensei Nagle beat his opponents because he was so relaxed, that the opponent would start his attack and because of his speed, he knew what the attacker was doing, the attacker was committed and Nagle could then beat them to a block and strike. As Master Advincula says, “Simple.” That is Isshin-ryu, don’t try to make it more difficult or complicated, than Shimabuku Soke meant it to be. It is his logically thought out creation, be glad that he was a simple man.