Flowing Hand

 Over the past 33 years, I have been continuously practicing and studying what I have been shown/taught by Taika Seiyu Oyata. Originally, he called what he was teaching Ryukyu Kempo. Being that it was a "Generic" term, it was soon being utilized by anyone who ever saw Taika (and not always by anyone who actually ever studied from him). 
 People began making the assumption, that if you were teaching "RK", then you were teaching the same thing as Oyata. This was simply not true (much less being in any way accurate). The attendance of a few of Taika's "seminars", does not equate to having studied from the man (much less being able to teach what/how Taika did his techniques).
 It reached the level, that Taika felt it necessary to rename what he was teaching to avoid his teachings being mistaken for what those individual's were hawking to their students. He chose to use the name Ryu Te (Okinawan Hand) to describe his system.
  Unfortunately (for "me", LOL) I was already using that name, to identify my own Japanese Calligraphy Classes! Of course the "Ryu" that I was using was different (the kanji that I was using represented Flowing), therefor "my" Ryu Te, meant "Flowing Hand" (being a reference to brushed calligraphy, and is exampled above on this Blog post ). Different, but none the less sounding alike. Regardless, Taika had registered "his" RyuTe, where as "I" hadn't, LOL.
 Similarly, those who were calling what they were teaching "Ryukyu Kempo" (very quickly) began claiming that theirs was the same thing as what Taika was teaching (it wasn't). This is most evidenced in what is being sold as (being) "Tuite Jutsu". 
 I've previously explained (here, on a prior blog) that (the word combination) "Tuite" was coined by Taika. Until that time, the words Tori te were utilized (though both utilize the same kanji). It's simply another case of illiterate ("Americans" initially) using Japanese/Okinawan terms incorrectly. 
 What the majority of those individual's are teaching, is not like Taika's (version of) Tuite. The more "popular" (or at least publicized) groups, have included their own "tuite principles" (which are ridiculous) they include numerous irrelevant subject additions (that serve no purpose, other than to mislead/confuse the student).
 Theirs are programs that were thrown together to produce seminars that are designed to extort the money of gullible attendee's. Even those student's of Taika years ago, are performing those techniques differently than were taught/performed during the later years of Taika's life/instruction. 
  I find it preposterous that people (actually) believe that Taika (or his students) didn't improve/progress upon what had been taught 20, 30 years later in their training. Taika was improving his methodology until the final week of his life. Is his "passing" supposed to signal some end to the progression of our study?, I think not. 
  

Clean-up Note

 For those who have been E-mailing me, I am fully aware that over half of my blog posts are "missing", because I removed them, LOL. Those posts that had "less" views than the majority, I deemed them as being (evidently) uninteresting to the general readership. 
 As a side-note, these were also the blogs that contained many of the details of/for application of kyusho/tuite and general technique theory. They were also the least viewed of all of my postings(?). Though I was initially concerned with posting some of that information, it has since became clear that people are not interested in those (application) subjects. Hence, I have chosen to limit my blogs (generally) to opinion/observation pieces. 
 I will still maintain our "open-door" policy at our school for any who are wanting to discuss (preferably) or debate (after scheduled "class time" please) any of the subjects I have/will cover on this blog.     
 For those who (repeatedly) inquire, I do not have the removed blogs available for download or by request (if you didn't get them to begin with, your S.O.L.).
 And yes, I am still in the process of removing various blogs. Those with the higher "hit/read" counts, will (likely) remain. I will be removing the others. And Yes, I am aware that I have removed over 258 posts (so far, LOL).











     

Tracking Down Tuite

  It had been awhile, so I decided to “cruise” the internet, in order to observe what the latest/greatest video's (in regard to self-defense/martial arts) were these days. What I found was (typically) disappointing as usual. 

  

  I first attempted to find some examples of tuite, but could only find people attempting (their version of ) kyusho types of “stuff”. I saw no examples of “tuite” (a few “finger-locks”, but I consider those to only be done by idiots that know nothing about tuite, and so far I've been proven correct).

 

  I (at least) expected to come across some of the people who were pushing (their) ju-jitsu/aikido-types of wrist-locks (as being tuite), but I didn't even see any of those!

 

  The only thing that “pop's-up” is references to “Kyusho”, which (evidently) is the same thing to these moron's. Their sales pitch is that (either?) one won't work, without the other. Which is not only incorrect, it's deceitfully misleading. 

  

  Their entire “program”(sic) is based upon the student (sucker), buying into the premiss that they (the student) have to learn all these “pressure-points”, “meridian-lines” and know which one's are connected/related to which one's (at whatever time of day), blah,..blah,..blah... All of which, is false.

(Note that I didn't say that it was a “LIE”, that's to illustrate my attempt at being cordial, ain't I doin' good!). 

   

  It would appear, that since these individual's don't (really) know how to perform tuite, they've chosen to misdirect their student's with these irrelevant distractions. I sat and watched one representative (from somewhere down south, Atlanta I believe?) give a delivery about their “10” principles of kyusho/tuite. Only 1 of which had any validity and the rest being total gibberish and nonsense, as well as being easily negated by simple logic (I don't believe they understand what the term “principle” actually implies).

 At least we only have 6 Tuite Principles, and All of ours serve a legitimate purpose (regarding the implementation of tuite).Being that they have totally confused the concept of “kyusho” with the physical application of a limb/joint manipulation, they've never learned how to make that limb/joint manipulation work to begin with.

 

  I watched a short clip (from somebody's “new” video) that the “instructor” listed every incorrect thing that could be done, as being the correct course of action. This was from the “BIG” name “kyusho” instructor guys,..if that's what their teaching, they don't know shit about how to apply Tuite. This was in some new wanna-be promotion for their (latest) big all-in-one “system” (that has a catchy acronym name that I can't remember at the moment).

 

  Along with their miss-taught version of tuite, they also teach some stupid “knife-fighting” techniques (perfect for sending YOU to jail with after using it), and some escrima stick-fighting techniques (because we ALL carry some escrima sticks with us all of the time) and they include some ground fighting stuff (because rather than learn how to NOT be taken to the ground, they choose to go there to begin with, that way the friends of the person your fighting, will club the fuck out of you once you do go to the ground?). 

 

  And (as usual) there were NO women shown in any of the examples they provided (as either the defender or as the aggressor) because we know that women are NEVER in a confrontational situation, much less one that requires them to protect themselves (or maybe their “new system” just isn't for women?).

  Speaking of which, does nobody ever teach any scrawny, underweight males? All I ever see, are these macho, muscle bound guys (well, except for the instructor's, LOL) These student's look like they've spent the past 10 years at a gym, doing all these “new” techniques. I kind of thought that “martial-arts” were (supposed) to be designed for anyone (male/female, big/small, strong/weak, etc.) to learn how to defend themselves?

  All that I keep finding is the “militia-wanna-be” types in fatigues dancing around and pumping iron (while talking about how you can't use pressure-points during a confrontation). Oh, and tuite won't work if the person is bigger than you are (no, really, that is what they said, teach and believe). I do hope that their big enough (because when they go to prison for doing some of the stupid shit I saw, they'll need to be, to keep from being raped every night). 

  

  Once was a time, when people who didn't know what the fuck they were talking about, kept their mouths shut. That time is past. They now conduct seminars and sell DVD set's as well as have (given themselves) high belt rankings, in order to sound like they know WTF they're talking about. Judging by the examples provided,...

They don't.

You Will Perform, As You Train

 I have heard this mantra since I was in my early teens. As I've progressed through my own martial arts training, it's often proven to be an accurate accounting of a student's abilities and performance (as well as my own). I recently read an article that was berating the probability of being able to utilize kyusho (types of) strikes during an altercation.

 The author's reasoning was based upon the fact that these types of strikes (according to him) couldn't be accomplished during a full-speed altercation. I believe that he is basing his assumption on what is generally being propagated (and taught) as being kyusho (instead of what/how it is supposed to be utilized).

 As with the use of Tuite, Kyusho is a situational application. Only in rare circumstances are you able to “set-up” situations that will (easily) allow for their implementation. He makes the common mistake of attempting to introduce these (types of) technique's into his particular manor of technique application.

 This is a failure on his part. I've observed this type of (mistaken) assumption being made in numerous similar situation's. Someone takes an Apple and then attempts to mix it in with a bowl of Bananna's, then can't understand why people don't think that they are all the same? But they're similar in color! Yes, but they don't taste the same, they're of different textures, and they (the apple's) make for a better pie filling (well, IMO anyway...).

 People tend to assume that any technique can “automatically” be inserted into any other system's technique repertoire. Very often when a previously unknown technique is misused/applied, it will  fail to perform as expected, it then becomes labeled as being ineffective.
 Depending on one's perspective, this could be considered to be fortunate or unfortunate. There are numerous frauds who pedal their own interpretations of what kyusho is. They "add" a lot of nonsense to the application of their techniques (TCM, "circles" of this and that, as well as concern over the time of day).
  Anyone who requires the (additional) learning of these extra subjects, is only attempting to (further) steal money from their students. When properly taught, there is no need for these additional subjects of trickery. Proper instruction will provide the student with the ability to understand where and why the "points" are located where they are (and it has nothing to do with "meridians", LOL). 
 Timing plays a (much) greater role than what is generally being taught (in regards to Kyusho applications). If/when the location is not "ready" (to be struck), then the reaction is/will be minimal (if any occurs at all).
 Speed, or power "alone" are pointless, if/when depending on those factors alone. Accuracy is a far more relevant factor if/when determining efficiency. The targets that we train student's to strike, are far more difficult to "hit" than repeatedly pummeling upon an aggressor's head. That doesn't make them impossible to hit, only more difficult. 
 When (correctly) trained in how to accomplish this feat, it is no more (or less) difficult than any other "skilled" task is to perform. Those that would decry otherwise, are (frankly) too lazy in their own training to accomplish it (or don't posses sufficient ability to do so to begin with).
 It should be obvious that all of those factors are necessary/required to make a technique function. Accuracy is just one aspect that will accomplish more (without the other factors), than those other factors will accomplish without accuracy.
 Accuracy is accomplished through repeated practice. That practice needs to begin slowly. Over time, the speed of that practice can be increased (the majority of practitioners attempt to accelerate their practice too quickly though, and end up failing in their endevour). 
 Priority's can be different for each student, but as a starting point, Accuracy should be one's 1st priority, Speed should be 2nd with Consistency and Frequency intermixed, with Power being included  at every level as well, but not as being the main priority at any of those stages/levels.

 

Precision

  I was recently reading an article that the author was lamenting over the fact that so many systems (now?) emphasize precision with their striking methods. Uh, I always kind of believed that most systems have always emphasized that aspect (although few ever really achieved it).

  As I read further, it seems that he was using that premiss to complain about the obsession with “kyusho” (which at least I could relate to that complaint, LOL). His logic got a bit murky as he proceeded, but a number of his points (in general) were valid.

  I believe that what he was complaining about was misdirected (IMO). His main argument, was that someone couldn't strike with (what he believed) the level of precision necessary to cause (again, what he believed to be) a debilitating strike.

  There is a widely held belief, that if there is no (or minimal) “pain” associated to a strike, then it is/was ineffective. The problem (at least as I see it, is that the desired effect, was an unrealistic expectation.

  It should first be established, what is the most probable reaction attained from the most commonly delivered (types of) strikes? Next, one should focus on how that reaction can be effectively utilized in one's defensive strategy.

  As those determinations are made, those effects (and the strikes that create them) need to be organized into an effective order of application. Taika always taught us, that if you knew what an opponent was going to do (before they did it), you could more easily defend yourself.

  One (obviously) can't “know” what someone is going to do (unless, you make them do it!). Using this premiss for one's defensive striking, they can (pre)determine how they can/will move and what they are then able to do (offensively) to you.

  It isn't (always) that you eliminate your opponent's ability to strike, but that you Limit how they are able to strike (thus making your defense simpler).

  This is similar (in application) to “if they can't walk, then they certainly can't chase me when I run away” (LOL). The creation of an ability limiting strike, is a perfectly respectable reaction to strive for. Those that (only) seek the “game ending” move, are going to be sorely disappointed (literally), when they're in an actual confrontation.

  I've had these same (types of) individual's tell me, about how their arm's have been hit lot's of times (dozen's and dozen's so I'm informed), and even with escrima sticks and have never suffered any serious reaction. Yes, but none of that, is the same as being struck (correctly) by the methods we utilize (which can't be done, with escrima, or any other “sticks”).

  And yes, precision is an important aspect of that ability. The claims being made about how one will lose that (or any, if not all) precision/accuracy ability when under stressful conditions, is directly correlated to the amount of training that is done by the individual (and admittedly, the type of training is a relevant factor as well).

  I would readily trade any amount of physical strength, for increased accuracy. Additionally, most people will confuse “power” with strength (only one of them can be used to enhance the other). Power is only another example of applied motion to mass (ie. momentum). “Mass” is always available, it's just a matter of how to effectively utilize it (whether that mass is yours, or your opponent's), and strength is not necessarily what's required to do so.