Mission Statement

The purpose of any and all web sites regarding the unique martial art of Isshin-ryu should be multi-faceted and dedicated to the promotion of Isshin-ryu, it’s past, present and future. Among the topics to be considered integral to such a site, would be an historic analysis of this art, considering the intent of Isshin-ryu's creator and the factors that set it apart from other types of hand to hand combat. Soke Tatsuo Shimabuku’s empirical knowledge, experience in various arts, his unique background in Okinawa, the Masters philosophy and historic perspective, are all of importance in attempting to ascertain the Master’s goals and aspirations for Isshin-ryu.

Each of its students is under an obligation to follow the path as the Soke intended Isshin-ryu, to elevate our body, mind and spirit. Each of us therefore, must not simply study movements and steps, but instead, search for the “Essence of Isshin-ryu,” for the Soke has given us an extraordinary gift. There is a specific “soul,” as it were, to “The Way of the One Heart” and when discovered, sets Isshin-ryu apart from all other martial arts. It becomes the perfect individual defense, avoiding attack, while situating the Isshin-ryu practitioner to do dire harm to the assailant. The “Essence” of Isshin-ryu, as Soke Shimabuku created it, is simplicity itself. The theory and logistics create an art that allows its proponents to stand before their assailants in a totally relaxed posture, saving energy and awaiting the attack. When the attack comes, the fact that the Isshin-ryu-ka is totally relaxed means that you are able to quickly shift position, removing the attackers target. As the assailant’s momentum carries them past you, you utilize a directional block and a focused strike. It should be exactly that simple. Isshin-ryu is based upon three main factors; speed, balance and focus. The speed of your block and strike is enhanced by remaining relaxed. Tension or stiff positioning will psychologically and physiologically cause your muscles to tighten, thereby, slowing your movements. This will be taken advantage of, by your opponent. Relaxed speed offers multiple advantages. During a combat or a ju-kumite, your opponent will unwittingly create openings in their defense. This is caused by their movement, or you can purposely force an opening in your opponents defense, by a movement or feint. Relaxed speed allows you to take instantaneous advantage of the opponent’s mistake. Beyond that, when you throw a technique with speed and focus the opponent should not be able to catch either fist or foot, on the way out. Secondly, if the strike is to deliver proper Chi or Focus, your feet must be placed under your body properly, whether in Seisan, Seiuchin or Chinto balance is an absolute requirement. Like anything else you wish to learn in life, balance should be practiced. Try to walk on narrow boards forward and backward, toe to heel. Remember, as Shimabuku's Soke stated, “Imbalance is as a weight.” Without speed and proper balance you will not attain focus. Focus must be practiced, as well. Learning to snap your punch, kick or block, at a precise moment is difficult at best. Grand Master Nagle had us throw punches at a concrete wall, with the skin of your knuckles barely touching the wall, as you snap back to position. If you were off, your knuckles smashed into a brick wall. As a beginner, that was a painful mistake. I have also told my students to punch at balloons on strings, strings or strips of cloth hanging from the ceiling are an appropriate target, as well as, lit candles. With proper snap and Chi, you should be able to snuff out the candle, without touching the candle. Speed, Balance and Focus, the key to the art of Isshin-ryu, all delivered while totally relaxed, until the moment of touch.

    Beyond the three main principles, Shimabuku Soke in creating the martial art of Isshin-ryu disposed of any unnatural movements, since they impeded the ability to move quickly, place focus upon the opponent from any position of opportunity and withdraw gracefully, quickly and in a proper defensive posture. Again, Soke has prepared us for that moment, “Strike only when the opportunity presents itself.” He meant, don’t throw techniques when you are out of reach of your opponent, just to throw a technique, he meant, don’t throw a technique when you are not balanced properly, he meant, don’t try to force a technique when your opponent is in a good defensive position. Make your opponent make a mistake, with your movement.

       In order for all of this to work, as Shimabuku Soke desired, he innately realized that all of Isshin-ryu's movements must be purely natural. The body must be utilized as the Creator made us. For instance, if we wish to reach for a cup of tea, we do not bring our  hand up under our armpit, with our palm up and then bring our hand toward the cup while twisting our hand to place the palm down. Instead, we were physiologically prepared to bring our hand and arm up, with our palm toward our body and grasp the cup. The only muscle required for this movement, essentially, is the bicep contraction. If we use the first example of an unnatural movement, we not only use the bicep, but also must bring into play the muscles of the forearm to turn over the hand. What this means to the karate-ka is that the improper movement, because the forearm muscles are twisting to perform a motion, the punch is slower getting to the target and the initiating stance gives away the movement that your opponent is about to use. In other words, they are “telegraphing” their punch, allowing you to react with a block and a punch of your own. Stance is the next advantage that the Soke has given us, by utilizing natural stances, in a fully relaxed mode. This allows us to change stance for defense or offense, easily and quickly. The deep stances of other styles again require a definite muscle reaction in order to initiate a stance where movement becomes possible. Deep stances may be powerful, but they are not inherently mobile, Isshin-ryu is meant for movement.

        Since we are all individuals, it lies within each of us to interpret what we are taught and what we teach, in either the correct manner or, alternatively, are directed along the wrong path. The result of not following the correct path is to meet your opponent, head to head, blow for blow, in an exchange of damage that has an effect both participants. In that scenario, no one is truly a winner. Isshin-ryu fighters have been winners for five decades, Shimabuku's, Nagle, Mitchum, Armstrong, Long, Niemira, Bohan, Alexander, Passero, all fighters, born to Isshin-ryu and bred by Shimabuku Soke to fight. Think of Sensei Nagle, a 5’10,” 132 pound man, roaming Okinawa and challenging karate-kas in other styles dojos, until the other Sensei's asked Shimabuku's Soke to stop this practice of embarrassing the other Sensei's. Master Nagle was a white belt at that time. Prior to leaving Okinawa , because his eighteen month tour was up, Master Nagle, a white belt, entered and actually won the Annual Okinawan Karate Championships. He beat the best Black Belts Okinawa had and for this feat, the Soke granted him a promotion of Yon-Dan, or fourth degree Black Belt, before Nagle departed. Within a year afterward, Master Nagle was promoted to Fifth Dan. This is an extraordinary background of fighting men, for you to be proud of, when you pull on that Gi with the Mizu-Gami on the left breast, near our heart. I like to believe that I belong to that group of fighters, since my Sensei made me his successor and friend and that only happens under Sensei Nagle, if he considers you to be a fighter, pure and simple. I fought anyone from age twenty two to 65 years of age. It was a point of honor, to be on the deck, it meant you were ready to fight.

      The interpretation of Isshin-ryu that will be given on this site will be that of Grand Master McGrath, influenced by his time with Sensei Nagle, on and off the deck, in kumite and in conversation. Master McGrath will proffer his opinion based upon forty-seven years of experience in the practice of Isshin-ryu, during which, his teaching and fighting have undergone subtle and yet vast changes, decade by decade. As the successor of Grand Master Donald H. Nagle, Master McGrath is also influenced by the history his Sensei’s organization, “The Don Nagle American Okinawan Karate Association, Inc.” and the purpose and goals of this organization.

Therefore, Master McGrath’s site will promote the dissemination of information on Isshin-ryu, for the betterment of our art, in order that it will not be misinterpreted, changed in a destructive manner, or for the self aggrandizement of individuals who add moves, delete or prostitute Isshin-ryu's true spirit. The AOKA, Inc. will never attempt to delude you or mislead you, in an attempt to further an agenda of the AOKA, Inc. or Mr. McGrath.

As previously stated, the reason for the study of any form of Karate is to learn the art of self defense and be capable of using your expertise if the occasion presents itself. I know that there are dojos out there that practice forms only, but that seems to me somewhat like studying to become a doctor and then opening a grocery store. Unless Ippon kumite and Ju-Kumite are a major part of a dojos curriculum, these students will never know if their training has prepared them for a real attack, which unfortunately, is a reality of the world we live in. Therefore, I encourage you to take part in all aspects of the art. Choose a dojo wisely. Make sure that your Sensei is trustworthy and sensible. Usually, if a dojo has been successful and in place for many years or a decade or more, it tells you the Sensei is probably a good teacher. I recommend that you steer clear of franchises, since the purpose of franchising is to make money, thus the expertise of the individuals is usually variable, since the idea is to have a body in a new school teaching and pulling in students, not necessarily teaching well or consistently.

               In the future, it will be an integral part of my Mission to see that not just my instructors are trained properly, but anyone representing the A.O.K.A. Inc. is well trained in Isshin-ryu and it’s principles. We are not looking to modernize Isshin-ryu, since we are traditional in our approach and follow the tenets and teaching of Shimabuku Soke and Don Nagle and believe sincerely that Isshin-ryu is not only a martial art in itself, separate from other styles of karate, but that fifty years ago Tatsuo Shimabuku  Soke created a fully developed martial art, whose format would be the basis for the future, a new paradigm, requiring only Sensei's who understand Isshin-ryu, for the art that it was when it was created and a living entity for the future. The layers of Isshin-ryu understanding and expertise are there for our exploration and use, in real time for hand-to Hand combat in it’s truest sense. Using Isshin-ryu, as a base, I have been training active duty Marines and Reserves since 1960. It is eminently suited for that purpose and applies to civilians in their daily lives, in a troubled and sometimes dangerous environment. That is my Mission  at my dojos and it is my Mission for all of the Sensei's of the A.O.K.A.

           Remember, Isshin-ryu is what you the student make of it. Karate Illustrated related the fact, that amongst the Marines in Sensei Nagle’s dojo outside Camp Lejeune, in North Carolina, myself and those other Marines, who would become Masters in the future, worked  out on the deck three hours a day six days a week and did one to two hours additional, in order to progress and to be the best that we could become. Nothing has changed over the last fifty years, a student will get out of Isshin-ryu, as much as they put into it, physically and psychologically.

           Certainly, Bunkai (the meaning of the movements within the katas) is a multiplicity of solutions and attacks. However, that does not change the manner in which Isshin-ryu is taught. There are no specialized katas for display in the dojos, or winning tournaments or to be used to impress another Sensei. There is only kata as taught by traditional teachers. However, there are levels that the student reaches in his attainment of expertise in the katas. The philosophy of each kata remains the same, the expertise changes. With the application of Bunkai taught by the Sensei, the student gains more and more insight into the katas, on the part of the student.

   Grand Master McGrath, having been assigned by Donald H. Nagle, as his successor, was further accepted by a convocation of Isshin-ryu Black Belts, on Sept. 25, 1999 , because he envisioned Isshin-ryu in much the same manner as his Sensei, was the last of the students from the original dojo and had never passed on vague or purposely incorrect information. Master McGrath, therefore, pledges that any information on this site will never be anything but the truth, told to the best of our knowledge, and for the good of Isshin-ryu.