Uechi-Ryu.com

When was the last time you realized or discovered you had fallen in love with your style-

"with" sanchin- ?

I've been teaching for close to two years now- maybe a little more- and since I have had the most amazing opportunities to teach children- I've mostly worked with teaching the kyu rank techinques-

I recently discovered how very much sanchin- "the kata" really plays a roll in my own life-

I mean- when something is bothering me- and I go to class- I do my kata sanchin and it reflects what is going on inside- I see the mistakes I am making that day and can adjust my thinking by using my sanchin...

See how I mean? If my mind is distracted aqnd I'm doing sanchin and I wind up a circle.... which side did I wind up how far did it wind up- and what was I thinking about as I wound it up...

All kinds of different things like that....

Sanchin has made a difference for me-

I can always count on it-

It shows me things about me that my everyday consciousness might not even be aware of- "if" I'm paying attention to what my style is telling me-

So the things that sanchin can teach- and thus affect just really amaze me and cause a fierce kind of loyalty...

Has that happened with everyone at some point in your practice?

That you realized just that you LOVE the sport/style so to speak? :)

Kerry

In the past few months, ive noticed an extreme feeling of spirituality when thinking and practicing sanchin.

When something is bothering me, either im stressing over relathionship problems, or money problems, I remind myself I will always have sanchin. It actually feels like it is MY kata, almost like its always been a part of me, even though ive only learned it around 4 years ago.

Kerry:
Perhaps I don't feel/express as passionately about my style (Uechi Ryu) as you do, but of all the Martial Arts out there, Karate suits me the best.
Of all the Karate styles, Uechi suits me the best.

To me Sanchin is like the Treasure Map that points the way, or the Rosetta Stone that unlocks the whole thing.

Because Sanchin is a concept, a stance and a Kata, all central to Uechi Ryu, it holds a special place in our style.
Without Sanchin there could not BE Uechi Ryu.
It's like the white in milk.

So, I have a kind of "intellectual reverence" for Sanchin, knowing that Uechi Ryu could not exist without it, and learning how its principles are expressed in all Uechi technique.

It's very much an enigma, especially to us Uechi-Ka.

NM

I love my style ...but my style is "What I do".not some Jap or Oki invention. My style has elements of Boxing,Aikido,Tai-Chi,Escrima and Kuk sul in it..............that is why it is my style nobody else does it apart from me...for sure I'll go to clubs and learn stuff but I'm just as capable as the people who invented these styles, or at least some of them...although I could never invent something as complex as Wing chun or Tai-chi.......the people who did weren't always that good.....you can see it in Uechi the way some folks reject the minor 5 kata

Hi Jorvik!
I think what you're saying is true: I agree with it. A person's "style" is something they have put together themselves, drawing upon all the various things they have been exposed to.
A true "style" is a very personal thing, not "one-size-fits-all".

I'll have to take it on faith that you're "at least as capable as the people that invented these styles", that's awesome, if you are. Very few of the population have the dedication to study a variety of styles deeply as you have.

I don't think the "rejection of the 5 minor kata" by some in Uechi is caused by incompetence on the part of the creators of the minor 5.
For example, I think rejecting Seichin is a waste.
Just my opinion, based on what MY STYLE has shown me, having spent a scant two years studying Seichin.
YOUR STYLE might find nothing of any value in Seichin or the other minor 4 Kata of Uechi, but you might find those same principles in something else you have studied, so you got them anyway.

But for someone studying only within the Uechi system, Seichin might indeed be exactly the right thing at the right time, or any other of the minor 5. The only exposure, at the right time.

Back in the day, as they say, people had a LOT more time to stare out at the ocean and absorb what they learned, practicing many hours a day.
Now a Karate class is, for many, just an activity between "school's out" and "let's go to McDonalds". Big difference.

So what I'm saying is that for a lot of people the minor 5 have to be there because there is really no other way, within a single learning-discipline,that the average student (especially nowadays) is going to make that progression.
They are simply never going to be exposed, as you have very fortunately been, to the other disciplines where those skills might be found.

For most of them, they'll be an exception of the population if they even complete the Uechi curriculum.

NM

Neil,
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I'll have to take it on faith that you're "at least as capable as the people that invented these styles", that's awesome, if you are. Very few of the population have the dedication to study a variety of styles deeply as you have.
Don't misunderstand me here .....I'm not saying that I am some great martial artist.I'm just saying that there are a lot of folks in the past and even in the present day who have invented Kata that were not so great, in fact it is quite commonplace.look at my style , Tai-chi. You have Chen, Yang,Wu and Sun as the major styles but you also have Chen man ching ( modified Yangs style after 3 years of practice ) Wu-Dang, Hao, Lee, the Beijing modified form.........all these styles involved changes in and to kata.......no biggy to them, so I don't think it should be to us

Good comments! I do get the picture; I understand where you're coming from, as they say.
I have to say I find it quite fascinating that given your background, and your line of work, you consider Tai Chi your main Martial Art, and there's no doubt in my mind that you're very pragmatic -- a realist, judging by your posts.

Have you ever considered opening up a forum about Tai Chi and your involvement with it, views, etc., ?
I for one am very ignorant about the structure and the different variants and the "forms" (kata?) of Tai Chi -- I know very little about it, but I'd be interested to know more, and perhaps the many readers here would be too.

Actually I'm amazed that there isn't a Tai Chi forum here, I mean, it's a major cornerstone of the martial arts.

NM

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"I have to say I find it quite fascinating that given your background, and your line of work, you consider Tai Chi your main Martial Art, and there's no doubt in my mind that you're very pragmatic -- a realist, judging by your posts."

Well i didn't come to TC first,I've done lots of other styles beforehand and also I didn't say that I was going to stay with TC .who knows, I may switch to Uechi.I actually started TC to combat the stress I was getting from my job, my current teacher is the one who has shown me the martial side to it.and he is certainly not the best,by his own admission. If I were to fight I don't know just what would come out. The last time I felt threatened I instinctively went into "brush knee,Push".which is basically a parry and a palm heel to the chin.
.as to my job .......I think that I see a different side to crime than say people like Rory or Van, we all deal with crime but different aspects. I get to read crime reports,go to court and see the baddies get prison time ...and I also get insights into who they are ,what they look like..........even how they think. i try to lend my perspective. there is an idea that classical MA's are some how incomplete and will not work in the street.....I don't believe this that is one thing that I try to get across.that is not to say don't cross train because I always have
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Have you ever considered opening up a forum about Tai Chi and your involvement with it, views, etc., ?
I for one am very ignorant about the structure and the different variants and the "forms" (kata?) of Tai Chi -- I know very little about it, but I'd be interested to know more, and perhaps the many readers here would be too.

Well no, I'm not the type to do that sort of thing, it would require too much commitment,
also I'm not that good at TC, I was better at Aiki.but I'm frightened to go back to that due to my dodgy hip ........what I try to do is look at the things that appear unexplainable and try to work out what is going on................sometimes, if you have trained in other arts or styles you can kinda cross referance the material, make it more effective.and in certain cases even make it look like you are doing the impossible
But I'm quite happy to discuss TC or the other internal arts.....the truth is in TC the arts are pretty similar in that they have the same moves, but sometimes they are more exaggerated, or occur in different parts of the form. Also they tend to just have two hand forms the first one is the "short form" and will be the first quarter or so of the long form, the short form contains all the really important information.then the long form just repeats this and adds in new techniques..coupled to the that you have "pushing hands" practice and one or two weapons. The sabre,the straight sword and the pole .in Hao you have a knife form...but generally the differences are not that great ( to me anyway )

You mentioned your work:
Have you ever read the books by John Douglas -- the man who pioneered criminal profiling in the USA?
One is called "Mindhunter" , the other is "The Anatomy of Motive". An amazing story, and "can't-put-it-down" writing.

Another, "Without Conscience", I believe is the title, is by a Canadian Robert Hare. He created what is now known as "The Psychopathic Checklist" used in prisons, hospitals, etc. to determine true psychopathy.
He actually warns you that as you read the book, people you know will emerge in your mind! And it's true!
However he also warns not to rush to judgment because there's a lot more to it than just what's in the book.

Back to Tai Chi...I find it very interesting -- the only thing that puts me off a little bit is the naming of the techniques with what seem in modern times to be goofy-sounding names.
I find the same tendency with Kung Fu, all the animal references in the techniques.

That's one of the things I specifically like about Uechi Ryu -- it's got the nice Chinese flow along with the hard-hitting techniques, but it's got a no-nonsense, dignified sort of pragmatism to it. Only three animals!
I will confess when I started the Hojo Undo's as a white belt I was sure we were doing the "Snoopy Dance" from Charlie Brown.

I find Aiki-Do interesting as well, but teachers are rare where I live, and there's a whole philosophy wrapped up in it that doesn't quite sit with me.
Steven Segall has probably done more for Aiki-Do's image than anyone lately -- he's the real deal. So much for "harmonious integration" or whatever, he just busts 'em up and twists them like pretzels, Hollywood style, of course.

NM

Neil
I'll certainly look out for those books........My work isn't that important to me .just something that I do, I'm a salary guy .but occaisionally it helps my MA's
As to Chinese MA's my favourite term of late has been "Yellow Bee seeks the hole".basically a swordthrust into somebody's stomach"
but I know where you are coming from.Basically it is a different culture and you have to accept this or study McDojo-ryu.
where everything is in English with nothing to confuse you, and nothing is too complicated...but if you want to go deeper then you just have to accept it.
aikido is ok, Aiki-jutsu is better, and Qi-Na ( Chi-Na) is better again....but Defendo is good and so is Jon Perkins..what you have to aim for is "Skill level".seek out folks that can make you grow.....always study other styles IMO.
I love some aspects of TC.and of Uechi, others I dislike a lot.but at the end of the day I please myself