Senaga Sensei Video

[Bill Glasheen]

The Discovery Channel show that immediately comes to mind in which Shinjo Kiyohide participated was "Way of the Warrior". Here is a link to five segments of it on Youtube, but in skipping throuh these I did not see any footage of Shinjo doing jar training. I believe the complete show is shown by these so either I missed it or it was in a different show.

Thanks for posting these, Glenn!

From my biased viewpoint, a mixture of authentic and not-so-enlightened martial arts. I'll leave my opinions to your imagination. But those who know me will understand my feelings about some of what's shown here.

Sadly the film of Shinjo Narahiro doing jar training isn't on any of those clips.

In the National Geographic series a few years back where the female martial artist traveled around the world training in a different style each episode, I do remember jar training being prominantly featured in the karate episode, but I cannot remember who she studied with for that.

Yes... that may be where it is. We can take that lead and run with it.

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

I can't seem to find Narahiro doing the nigiri game.

I did however find this. Makes you appreciate how good Shinjo Kiyohide is. The breaking demo at the end was... well... not perfect.

okinawa karate masters

Still good stuff though.

- Bill

[David H]

Hi Bill,
I think this is the link you are referring to... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUMHyjES ... re=related

[Joe Bellone]

Hi David,

Thank you for posting that link. It is fantastic, inspiring and motivating. Watching this piece was a great way to start my day. Thank you.

Best regards,
Joe

[Bill Glasheen]

I think this is the link you are referring to... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUMHyjES ... re=related

Yes, David, that shows the end of it.

What you don't see is Shinjo Narahiro starting his nigiri game "routine." Suffice it to say that he walks through Sanchin kata. This clip starts where he's doing the three steps (at end of Sanchin) while in Sanchin dachi. Then he adds the following:

• Stepping while in kiba dachi.
• A set of shoulder raises that mirror the rising hirakens in the kata.

I take these ideas and run further with them.

What you also don't see is someone "checking" his form while doing the nigiri game. I believe this is helpful. See the piece with Gushi training his student.

Did you guys like the exercise Shinjo Kiyohide was doing with the bicycle tube, and showing how it applied in takedowns? It's almost as if my comments above about Dr. Dan Kulund were a segue to this. But again... THERE IS NO RELIGION to all this. Kanbun didn't practice with bicycle tubes. But Kiyohide took the ideas and ran with them.

Narahiro is very special in that clip. I met him and worked out with him at one of George's camps. (Endicotte College) Unlike his "giant" brother (same size as me, BTW... ), Narahiro is more typical of the height of an Okinawan. His dad was the same diminutive size, and yet was a holy terror. Fun stories...

I wish I had time to work out with Kiyohide one-on-one. There is some foot movement I'd like to add to his considerable fighting talent. But then again... Maybe I should keep that to my chest.

One last comment... Again, we see someone (Shinjo Kiyohide) pounding over the heart (to Shinjo Narahiro). Been there done that. I don't do that any more. You are playing Russian Roulette there. If you happen to pound the chest at just the right interval in time, you can trigger a heart attack. See commotio cordis.

Several people have been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in cases involving insufficient and slow medical help to athletes who underwent commotio cordis during sports events,[11] as well as in cases of intentional delivery of contusive blows. In one such case, a man was sentenced to 18 years of prison for killing his own son with a blow to the chest.

Respectfully, Mr. Shinjo... DON'T DO THAT!!! I realize he's your kid brother and everything, but...

- Bill

[Dana Sheets]

Notice that, like Gushi and Senaga sensei, Narahiro Shijno's torso/belly expands when he breathes out at the end of each step.

[David H]

The bicycle tube inovation is a great idea.This type of training ephasises the need to be flexible and have spring in your movement.
I am reminded of a quote from Nakamatsu Sensei, whom I interviewed for an article in an Australiasian Fighting Arts magazine way back in the mid 80s. He said that each generation has an obligation to add and improve the style. He said he would often go and observe other styles training to pick up inovations and to learn more about his own style.

I think those of us the came from the era where we thought that San Chin was all about being pounded and showing how tough we were ended up being too rigged in our technique, not to mention the possible long term damage we were inflicting on each other.

Getting back to the video, what also impresses me greatly during the shin breaking demo is Narahiro's perfect Kokusen toe position.

[Dana Sheets]

FWIW Master Takara showed me resistance training for sanchin strikes, circle blocks, and front kicks using a long and relatively thick elastic tube. For the training he'd hook one end of the tube over your thumb, toe, hand, or whatever and the other end around a ude-makiwara. http://www.tkri.net/udemakiwara.html