Invalid Knowledge ?

  The main focus of this page, is the discussion of “Tuite” and the Life Protection art that was taught by Taika Seiyu Oyata during the final years of his life. That art had gone through numerous transitions throughout his teaching tenure. Aside from the name, Oyata also modified what was being taught, and how those techniques should be applied.

  When his method of applying tuite was first shown to students here (in the U.S.) it was demonstrated by him (Oyata) being “Quickly” applied, with little detail being explained. What was “perceived”, was that it was necessary (even if not being mandated) to apply it with speed, and power. These were both incorrect perceptions.

  Once it's popularity began to spread, numerous “copycats” began to surface. Many of these individuals had even attended some of Oyata's “seminars” believing that they were receiving the exact same training that his regular students were. The instruction that those individuals received was far from what was being studied by his steady (regular) students.

  I can only presume that these individuals (that attended those seminars) felt that they had learned all that there was to know about “tuite” (through their limited 3-4 hour exposure) as they began teaching their “own” seminars in regards to it.

  What I've seen (and been personally exposed to) have been techniques that are dependent upon power, size and speed. What's often being commonly taught by those individuals can only be performed by larger students (or at least upon persons smaller/weaker than those applying the techniques). This was not what Oyata taught, nor how it should be applied. although appearing to be productive study, I can only view the majority of these seminars as having no value for training purposes. They emphasize the wrong ideas to applying the techniques, and include numerous worthless idea's as well (and yet claim to have "at one time"??, studied with Oyata, ... usually meaning that they "attended" a couple of seminars).

  Many students, both from their “seminar” experience(s) and even those who did attend his regular classes failed to research the application of the Tuite techniques that were shown to them. This allowed those students to make (numerous) incorrect assumptions regarding the application of those techniques.

  One of those “seminar” attendee's came up with his own version of those techniques, and even (somewhat) created a list of “10” (principles?) rules for applying those applications. Some have attempted to apply that list to/for students practicing Oyata's tuite. There is NO correlation.

  That list of 10 (rules?) “principles” is a vague list of general ideas that are based in concepts that were created by that individual and have no bearing on Oyata's techniques (nor in “reality”, IMO). Those who have chosen to (attempt to) adhere to that “list” are wasting their training time with them.

  The problems with that list are numerous. Most of it is based upon arbitrary ideas and afford the student no applicable traits to utilize. The few that might carry some validity, have been polluted with their addition of “TCM” nonsense that only makes learning the techniques more difficult (if not impossible).

  It is my own opinion that the difficulty “curve” in learning these techniques has been increased, based upon the belief that these techniques "must" be applied quickly, and with power (to even work). Though in (actual) use this would carry some limited validity, during student "practice", it is a totally inaccurate assumption.

  Practice, is for the learning and study of understanding the instructed techniques. Students can (easily) get the impression that it is to “prove” that they can make the technique “work”. It's already been established that the techniques will work, practice is for the student to understand the requirements to apply those techniques in varying circumstances and to understand how to deal with any mistakes that they may (will) make while attempting to apply them.

  When that study is polluted with unnecessary ideas and theory's, it only makes any practice of the techniques more difficult and (much) slower. This is reinforced with the inaccurate belief that “TCM” is a “real” thing,..it isn't. What TCM was “created” for, was for healing (ideas). It isn't based upon anything that can be verified or confirmed (only promoting assumption and conjecture).

  The implication that it is a “requirement” to applying tuite techniques (or even kyusho) is only done for the purposes of keeping a student coming to a class (to “learn” those fantasy concepts). TCM was (originally) developed for the purposes of “healing”. The idea that “reversing” (?) those concepts would imply the ability to cause/create injury is ridiculous. “That” whole idea (sic) only became popular in the mid “80's” (during the “kyusho” revolution/revival). Before that time there was no “circle of anything” being applied to technique applications. During my entire 30+ years of study with Oyata he never made any manor of connection between what he taught and TCM (in fact, quite the opposite).

  In our classes, we teach techniques to be applied slowly. This allows the student (tori) to recognize and study the possible variables to an application, while allowing the aggressor (uke) to identify what isn't causing the desired results. Practice is (or should be) a mutual learning experience.

  The application of a technique should not be based upon the size or strength of either the tori or the uke. Speeding up the application of the technique does make it easier to achieve a “result” (though just not always the desired one). It should be a students objective to strive for applying the technique with as little effort (ie. Muscle-strength) as possible, and with as little speed as they can. Oyata's methodology is one rife with minute requirements to make it function as desired. For many, this is too great of a burden, they have to have the “quick” method for learning “self-defense”.

  There's nothing wrong with having that “quick” method, it just isn't as reliable or complete as when one has committed the time to (actually) Study that defensive methodology. Oyata's method of Tuite, is one that requires that commitment.