Validation

 Numerous individuals inflate their association with recognized experts, regardless of the field being addressed. This happens with diplomats/world leaders, musicians, political figures and other popular individuals. It's done as a way to legitimize whatever the individual is promoting. Whether this equates to promoting a business, a product or just as an attempt at legitimizing whatever the individual is attempting to sell/promote. The falsehood of that promotion is (generally) known to those individual's who actually have experience and associations with the stated individual's and/or material.

Although this “problem” occurs in numerous fields of study, it is particularly problematic within the various martial arts. Throughout the years, it has been accepted (whether rightly or not) that particular aspects of a defensive methodology should be kept “secret” (from the general public). There is a general belief that just having “knowledge of” (something, I.E. that “secret” knowledge/ability), equates to having the ability to utilize that knowledge. This is commonly recognized as riding the coat tails of the acknowledged expert (who has proven themselves to possess that knowledge).

Whether done for monetary gain or only to inflate the ego of the perpetrator, it is (at best) an exaggeration of those abilities and/or knowledge, or it is an outright lie. More often (than not), the claimed/stated knowledge and/or abilities are more limited than the individual would care to admit to (or even realizes). There are individual's who (actually) believe that they do possess the claimed knowledge. If/when they “go public” with what they know (or think they do), They are commonly proven to be incorrect.

For the most part, persons of this ilk are ignored by the individual's who do have knowledge of the stated/claimed knowledge. Those individual's making the (commonly incorrect) claim, will rarely present themselves (or whatever they're promoting) for public review/critique (if not simple “questions”) in regards to the stated claim(s).

Individual's of this type (who make numerous claims) rarely (if ever) will meet with individual's who are (publicly) recognized as having experience/knowledge with the claimed knowledge/persons who the individual is claiming their (own) association. If that association is confirmed, what difference would it make? It would only increase that individual's legitimacy. If that association was more limited (than claimed), it would (obviously) cast doubt upon the subject's claims.

There have been numerous individual's who previously studied Oyata's methodology (at varying times over the past 40 years) that have attended our classes. Those individuals possessed varying degrees of knowledge (in regards to what was instructed during the period of their claimed attendance). The knowledge that they had was (generally) "correct", for the time period that they studied with him. The amount of that knowledge was commonly limited to the amount of time that they (actually) studied with him (the attendance of a “seminar” was not considered actual “study/instruction”). Many had knowledge in regards to individual aspects (such as what was commonly shown/demonstrated at a seminar), but few had (any) amount of comprehensive (much less complete) knowledge in regards to his later/final teachings.

“Open” Seminars were not considered “training” (by Oyata). Their purpose was to recruit student's (and demonstrate/expose attendee's to his methodology). Many of those attendee's only sought to learn motions/techniques to add/include with their (already) studied/taught curriculum's. To a limited extent, this could be achieved, but the system that Oyata taught was intended to include (all of) the numerous additional aspects of his teachings (which were never completely included within the provided seminars).

Many of Oyata's teachings were in direct contradiction to commonly adhered to practices. The use of the makiwara, sparring, stances, weapons, the list of those differences is extensive, yet individual's claim to have (full) “knowledge” of/in regards to his system (after having only attended a few of his early seminars?). During the final 10 +/- years (of his life) Oyata only provided (training) seminars to his association's membership. Though being restricted to the present (at the time) "membership", those seminars were intended to emphasize individual aspects of his teachings. What was shown was intended to be incorporated into (the attending student's) general instruction. Oyata had ceased any increase of his personal students. What was shown in those (his own) classes was (intended) to be passed on (by those Yudansha) to the general student membership. A number of those Yudansha choose not to (readily) share that instruction (one can formulate their own reasons why that was the case, IDK).

If/when someone (actually) studied with Oyata (personally) for 5 (or more) years, then they acquired a decent/respectable amount of instruction. Depending on the time/period of that study, dictated what was shown/learned.

As stated within his own writings (and repeated within the writings of others, including myself), Oyata was modifying/improving his defensive system continually throughout his life. He believed (as do/did many of the prior “masters”) that “Te” was a continually evolving and improving art. If/when it became "stagnant", it would be surpassed by those systems that continued in that improvement. This was why Oyata never ceased to improve his methodology, Oyata would (readily) admit that "he" didn't have all of the answers/knowledge (for any/every question regarding the practice of this art form). He expected his students to continue with the advancement of that instruction. Oyata was not afraid to "cease" those practices that were not (or proved to be less than) "productive", as well as those that were "counter-productive". If/when he discovered/developed what he believed to be an improved method, and following extensive experimentation/research (often using his Yudansha students as “Guinea Pig's”), he incorporated it into his instructional methodology.

Oyata stated that there was only “1” Te, it was only being taught in varying ways.