Uechi-Ryu.com

Hi:

Other than the prearranged drills mentioned, the most common fighting drill we work with is, of course, "command kumite", or , initialy, one step right hand attacks.

The first level just uses a right hand attack, and allows the defender to practice his timing and counters that might not be used in the multitudinous prearranged drills we have, which are all good, but in which memorization must often overlay reflex.

It seems a simple matter to then increase the single attack to two.

Then perhaps go to punch, counter, block of counter etc.

Another appraoch is to dictate, initially, the attack and counter, as the depth of going off line for a punch is different that that one would use when using a "roundhouse kick" as a counter, for example.

Just some thoughts in an attempt to get this forum going.

Of course, everyone is going to think his or her prearranged one or two step drills as very good, and they probably are.

On prearranged drills, as noted, we stick primaralily, thus far, with Yakusoku (1). Kumite 3, amd Kumite One, but I hope to reintroduce Dan as Sensei Mike has done.


I think GEM once said two things of great worth:

"once your are past your third attack, you should think seriously before going furhter."

"Not going "offline" is a 'dead man's habit".

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"All Enlightenment Gratefully Accepted"

Hi John , I personally see one move Kumites as the highest form of prearranged work without going impromptu (the goal)

because they naturaly become and should evovle to receiving and attacking simultaneously .

while not a simple skill , it must be the pinacle , to pre-empt or counter every attack at the moment of attack .

To a great extent, if not 100%, I agree with you.

The "prearranged to be memorized" drills do have the advantage of making it clear to the observing instructor that the student has been doing his home work.

On the other hand, it seems to me that the students who have the most trouble with "prearranged" Kumite sometimes do not have them as severly in the command Kumite because he or she does not have to access memory quite as often.

I suppose an argument could be made that the students performance in jiu kumite is not necessarily degraded-but most ofter it is.

Example. At present we work only on one Bo Kumite and one Kata, yet, most students can then spar presentable with the foam wrapped/pvc core staffs.

A few cannot.

Question; would start with Kumite with the more simple blocks and counters (ie: kakeuke and seikan punch and progress from.

The thought seems to make somes sense.

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makes sense to me John , but I started in shotokan and it`s basically how they approach it .

one move one defence and attack . eventually becoming simultaneous

Hi Stryke:

there is a matial arts forum book "One Step Sparring" by Shin Duk Kang which is mildly helpful in this area.

most of the "sequences" therein feature the "rear foot moves up first and you drive from it" (blitz step aka "stutter step") that Sensei jack prefers.

Unfortunately, the book wastes to much space in showing basic techniques with respt to which most Uechi students ar not well drilled and which I have trouble with at this point in.

Bruce Lee's fightin method also favor this "back foot to paralled front foot, then a drive from the former front foot under the notion that it is harder to read.

To some extent I have been trying to move my folk away from moving the front foot foot first when clsoing the gap as it produces an almost instanantaneous retreat.

Sadly, my school is small and most of the students upper rank, and they all read the normal front foot first approach and react quickly.

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"All Enlightenment Gratefully Accepted"

Hi John,

I teach a "sparring kata" I guess you would call it which utilizes that sliding movement into various techniques such as front kick, round house etc...

Taking it into that learning situation allows the move to develop, then into a prearranged drill, ultimately applying it to sparring.

The kata begins in a left sparring stance, it then angles to your left sliding in to a left front kick, followed by a jab and a reverse punch. I then turn and deliver it with the right kick and the two punches.
Then to the front where I usually just deliver three alternating kicks.

This teaches adjusting angles, the sliding attack, alternating kicks, and combinations of kicks to hands. It also allows the move to be practiced at home and developed. I keep the body down while I slide, it's made for speed, this differs from the hopping front kick which is taught in Dan Kumite. In fact I really don't care for that kick method, too easy to block or sidestep.

F.

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www.hinghamkarate.com

John,
Upon thinking of the lead foot moving first, that's how we do it in the eyestrikes in Junbi-undo and in the kata so you can't be surprised your students naturally do it. To instill the other sliding method I think it has to be trained in kata and drills and the difference pointed out.
Try sliding the rear leg in and popping right up to chamber with the lead leg, this will be a clearer difference between the two.
No slam on the Uechi method either, it has it's usefulness as well.

F.

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www.hinghamkarate.com

If one takes te parallel to boxing, in close as it were, then it seems the preference might be front foot to close first,

I just sort of jumped to the thought that for Karate Sparring stance distances, the bringing of the rear foot up to the forward first, then drivng the forefoot in of kicking with it seems to make it hard for the opponenent to read you initial move in, as you forward foot may hold his or her attention.

But it makes sense also that if you are alredy in 'close' then closing witht the forward foot first (step/drag) would be as effective as the "drag/ step/drive

J"

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"All Enlightenment Gratefully Accepted"