Uechi-Ryu.com

Anybody know if this is the same or similar to the one that Gushi Sensei teaches?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZbAOzr6nZw

_________________
Did you show compassion today?

Hi Dana,

Yes, that's it.

Interesting, it looks a bit Shotokanish or like a Shorin-ryu kata.

_________________
I was dreaming of the past...

Ahh...good. Thanks Joe.

_________________
Did you show compassion today?

Dana,

The Jiffa kata is just a rearranged version of Kusanku-sho kata that was developed by Itosu Sensei, founder of Kobayashi Shorin-ryu lineage. I spoke with Gushi Sensei about this and showed him step by step photos of Chibana Sensei (Itosu's successor) taken in the 1950's doing this kata. The Jiffa kata is rearranged and has UEchi-ryu influence at the end. He was taught this kata by Saburo Uehara Sensei, but does not know who taught Uehara Sensei the kata.

Interesting, in the family style of Shorin-ryu, Matsumura Seito, the original kusanku kata was practiced with the jiffa once one was proficient at the kata. In the 1970's in an interview, Hohan Soken, the inheritor of the system, described doing the kata with the hairpins as taught by his uncle and teacher, Nabe Matsumura (Bushi Matsumura's grandson). And as mentioned before, Bushi Matsumura's other student, Itosu, later broke the kusanku kata into Sho and Dai. He probably was also taught to train the kata with the jiffa.

So it is my theory that Uehara Sensei learned at least parts of the Kusanku sho kata from either Itosu (who was a school teacher and implemented karate into the PE curriculum in the early 1910's) or Chibana Sensei or one of their students.

Walt

_________________
Walt

Thanks Walt.

_________________
Did you show compassion today?

Thank you, Walt. I think you just solved an old mystery for me. There is a move in Matsubayashi Kusanku (and Pinan Yondan) where a "punch" is thrown from the opposite hip almost as one would throw a backfist, except that in the Matsubayashi version (although not all Shorin Ryu versions) the fist is horizontal (pronated). It is concurrent, more or less, with a front kick. It does work as a backfist, but that is not the correct Matsubayashi form, and as a "punch" or hammerfist technique I have always considered it relatively weak. However, as a jiffa strike it makes perfect sense!

_________________
Mike

Yes, I believe the techniques that you are referred to "cup and saucer" or "husband and wife" chamber position at the hip and then you pivot and hammerfist with upper hand while executing a front kick then follow by elbow to the palm of the striking hand.
That correlates to the part of the jiffa kata when your left hand comes down into the same load position while you sink in your position. Then a left side kick to the left 45 angle and and backfist., then repeat to the right side.

_________________
Walt