Uechi-Ryu.com

Rick, Laird had a great you tube site a few years back with a few applications straight out of kata that were really excellent. Can't seem to find it online any more.Any idea of where that page could be found? I think it would fit in great with this conversation.

I really like the Uechi forearm smash, it has tremendous power and is as unexpected as a bitchslap, because the shoulder does not rise when you throw it, like it does when you punch, therefore it is not telegraphed. What kata does it come from? or is it a supplementary technique? does every school of Uechi practice it?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=La_SVEyrQ6o

The way I see the kote-uchi [forearm smash] and the way I teach it _ the 'ingrain pattern' in Uechi…is from the performance of a reverse circle 'block'…imagine your wauke reversing direction, and there it is.

Though I don't believe the Kote-Uchi is unique to the Uechi style…it seems to be more of a universal karate technique.

I use the forearm smash also against a front kick…especially striking the inside of the lower shin, on its flat side- which I also target with a shin shot_ You can render someone's leg useless after landing a few of those with the kote-uchi.

And again, it comes from the wauke [the beginning of it]_

As Stevie B. wrote once...this 'radius' bone strike needs years of conditioning.

_________________
Van

Thanks Van for the clarification........I've done a lot of Aikido in the past and I can clearly see the resemblance to Aiki throws....but the Chinese say that there are different applications for the same techinique, it can be a blow or a throw or something else...I saw this a lot in Rick's demonstraions of unbalancing, you could have quite easily used a punch or hand strike to facilitate the unbalancing,.... so in that way a punch can becone a throw,......lots there to think about

Pretty much all my throws are strikes/or can be strikes depending on need ,unbalancing is the key and hitting is the easiest way to do it .

I beleive Judo and aikido taught striking originally for setting up throws, Uechi just dropped the other bit I suspect

lots of throwing/unbalancing in uechi

striking with the forearms is Uechi 101 IMHO just moving with your body mass, I use forearm conditioning as a gross motor skill and for teaching striking, when someone can bang forearms then they have no problem banging(insert your target) and generating short power.

If your moving in on the opponent the forearms generally lead the way,So every movment in kata can be interpreted as a forearm strike, its the connection of mass between the body and the arms thats important.

Even the Sanchin draw-that front arm isnt dead it projects in ,you bash them hold them of with your sheild and then finish them with the sword.

there is another aspect which people avoid because it is intrusive and psychological.. and that is pushing and pulling......I.e pushing someones chin into a place better to hit it, pulling someone off balance so a strike will unbalance them....I love "Bob" for developing these skills.truly a 21st century makiwara

You can also see the kote uchi in the beginning of seisan kata...
http://tkri.net/blog/?p=3390

_________________
Van

My thinking is that we spend so much time conditioning forearms that it should be considered a weapon that is always available and able to do a lot of damage. I've hit mine with a dowel or pounded it with my own hammerfist pretty much daily for over 20 years so if needed, why not use it as a strike to the neck, clavicle, nose or whatever? I see applications in seisan- the first strike could be with the forearms, the palm heal strikes also have potential for forearm strikes, as does both the vertical and horizontal ebow strikes. With imagination there are many times in seisan bunkai where a little elbow or forearm strike to the attackers head, collarbones, nose etc, would be a finishing touch.

The first time I ever did the arm pounding sequence in kote kitae years ago was in Walter Mattson's dojo in Framingham with Bobby Rosatti, one of Walter's senior students who is a great practitioner and exemplifies what karate do is all about. I thought he was wearing a pad on his forearm because he had long sleeves on. When we finished I asked him about that and was shocked to learn that the hardness was from his arms. He explained that he considered these arms to be "weapons" that were always at his disposal. Two "clubs" attached to his arms. I never forgot his explanation and have been diligent with forearm conditioning ever since.

Very true, John.

Forearm strikes can take various impact directions, including effective 'spearing' with both radius and ulna can serve as 'entries' pre-empting an attack,mostly directed at the neck and 'triple warmer' points.

Yes, both Bob Rosati and Joe Graziano are superbly conditioned.

As we condition,the mental image should be, as you say, your arms and shins as natural weapons...sticks_ axe handles_

And as you point out, the daily self/conditioning is the key, in addition to what we do with a partner in the dojo.

Years back I used to use rope wrapped clubs, but for the last 25 years or so, I have been using the 'iron arm'


The routine for me is a simple one that allows for no missed sessions:

as I keep all my shoes at the bottom of my basement stairs in racks along the wall_I am forced to go down the basement at least twice a day for shoes on and off.

To the right of the stairs I placed a long table where I keep my gi bag and my gym bag.

Next to the bags I have two of the 'iron arm' sticks_ which by force of habit I use to tap shins and forearms at least 30 times each, followed by vigorous 'rolling' over the tapped areas with a rolling pin_ if you can find a grooved one...even better.

This way, you train yourself to tap at least two sessions a day.

_________________
Van

http://www.nohazik.com/video_5-htOA3egY ... TWORK.html

Good stuff.

_________________
Van

I think that you should always be able to explain your movements in simple terms, to say for example the police. If I was attacked I would try to gain the centre line by using palm heel strikes to the chin to seriously hurt my opponent, and also if I have the centreline then he does not. i would finish with a forearm slam to the head or neck .this is one possible combination of many. The way I would explain or describe it would be that I tried to push him back with my hands so that I could escape and then in desperation I threw a haymaker that missed and I connected with my arm. this all would sound plausible, the last thing that I would want people to think that I used a funny way of fighting that looked vicious yet polished

Josann: Yes too bad Laird pulled his stuff down.

Van and all: i love the forearm in Uechi (and other styles as well). Always liked this clip of the Karate instructor and the pimp:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHI5mHIlvsg

Ray: I agree -- don't get complicated or too involved in trying to describe anything afterwards.

For all the reasons you said and sometimes you later find out what you thought you did – you didn’t. So best to keep it simple.

_________________
Rick Wilson - http://wpd-rc.com/

[quote="Rick Wilson"]Josann: Yes too bad Laird pulled his stuff down.

Van and all: i love the forearm in Uechi (and other styles as well). Always liked this clip of the Karate instructor and the pimp:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHI5mHIlvsg

Here's an explanation of this effective technique. Done over and over in our kata.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vbrgm3WodYM

Right on_ Rick.

My work as a catastrophic event investigator_ required detailed report writing_ after we were done with the scene investigation and the interviewing of all parties and witnesses.

As such…we were trained to try and 'paint pictures' with our words in well defined spaced captions and paragraphs, to insure the reports would be read and understood by the clients.

This is even more important in a defensive situation where _ we need to paint a picture for those who weren't there and likely would never be there.

Make it painfully clear just WHY you NEEDED to take action, not just what you did.

What did you see ahead of time, hear, and feel, know _ that was the trigger for any action you took…paint a picture in the mind of the listener.

But …. Never get detailed with the police as to what you did, especially within the first 24/48 hrs of the event_ As your mind will be in a fog and you will say things that make no sense, and possibly incriminate yourself.

Keep in mind that every word you speak will trigger compounding questions.

_________________
Van

Just be prepared to be picked apart on the stand "How did you know the defendant really intended to beat your brains in with his baseball bat?"

_________________
Van