April 5, 2017

Guest Post: “The Instructor-Student Gap: Why Your Students Still Suck” by Josh Stewart

Any good instructor’s process is always under scrutiny. The instructor looks at the students and wonders, “Why aren’t they doing what I asked?” or “Is that really what I showed them?”

Self-doubt is a valuable tool in martial arts both as a student and as an instructor. As a student, when the instructor makes a correction or provides feedback, there should always be the assumption that you are the one doing it wrong. If that’s the baseline assumption, then if it’s not true, you have reminded yourself of something you are doing correctly, and if true, then you have found an area to fix.

As an instructor, this can be somewhat more difficult. The reality is that there will always be a gap between what you teach and what somebody else learns. It could be physiological differences, miscommunication, or varying learning styles that cause this discrepancy to exist.

Physiological Differences:

Age and injury account for a number of physical limitations that may prevent students from doing exactly what the instructor does, but there are also a number of other biological factors that affect how an individual performs a particular technique.

Flexibility, or lack thereof, has a vast effect on how the body moves. Stances and kicks are obvious areas where flexibility provides a greater range and may limit a student from copying exactly how an instructor executes a movement. Grappling is another area where strategy or technique selection can be largely determined by flexibility. For example, Eddie Bravo’s 10^th Planet system is designed with the assumption of a certain range of motion, and someone without that capacity may struggle to emulate those exact sequences.

However, I have also noticed that double-jointed students often have difficulty limiting their flexibility by contracting muscular groups effectively at the right times. Even a simple straight punch, executed by someone with a lot of flexibility, sometimes gives the appearance and feeling of being floppy when joints hyperextend without suitable muscular contraction to support the energy transfer.

Stature is another contributing factor. Bigger, more muscular people may rely on their size and strength advantage when working with a smaller partner, leading to neglect of correct footwork, positioning, or body mechanics because they can “get away with” doing the technique incorrectly—until they encounter a training partner their own size. Conversely, smaller students may have to supplement their techniques with extra kicks, knees, or groin slaps to help bring larger partners down to their own level. Otherwise, they may struggle to achieve the intended outcome because they simply can’t reach the targets designed in the training exercise.

Miscommunication:

As the word suggests, this occurs when one or both parties involved are not on the same page in regards to what is being asked. Any martial arts instructor who teaches kids knows that lack of listening or focus has a vast impact on this process, but it is certainly not limited to children.

Adults, especially advanced ones, tend to experience miscommunication because they believe that they already know the message being delivered. Again, the correct default for a student should be to assume they know nothing and are doing it all wrong, but naturally after several years of training, the ego may want us to assume otherwise.

Of course, it takes two to tango. Instructors sometimes give vague or contradictory pieces of information about how a technique or strategy should be applied. Another source of miscommunication that can be blamed solely on the instructor is talking over the students’ heads. At times there may be too much technical jargon that learners will not be familiar with, in which case the verbal instruction may not transfer any useful information to the group. Instructors always need to remember who their audience is to ensure that the right level of detail is being provided at the right time in the learning process.

To limit miscommunication, creating an environment where it is safe to ask questions is vital. If a student asks for clarification and gets an abrupt, rude response, that will be the end of the process. Unfortunately an instructor’s ego is also involved in this process, often leading to the conclusion: “Well, I explained it clearly . . . What’s wrong with these students for not getting it right?” Just like the student, the instructor’s baseline assumption should be the opposite. If the students aren’t getting it, the onus should first be on the instructor to try again to deliver the lesson clearly and effectively.

Learning Styles:

Of course, there has been a lot of research into kinesthetic, auditory, and visual learning. The established reality is that, while we may rely more heavily on one rather than the other, each is a spectrum, and depending on what we are learning, we use each to varying degrees. In martial arts, we virtually always rely on them all: we listen and watch as the instructor presents the material, then we practice it physically.

Learning style also affects how an instructor delivers lessons in terms of how much context to give. Some learners are “big picture” oriented—they won’t understand the piece of a puzzle unless they know what the entire scope of the puzzle is. However, others are happy just to take one piece and practice it, and worry about the next step in the process when they get there. While one learner might be confused by being asked to deliver a technique without knowing what came before and what will come after it, another will be bored by the teacher’s long, unnecessary rant about the history and functionality of a certain sequence that they haven’t had the chance to practice yet.

Body language is a key to understanding a student’s learning style. An auditory learner stands closely to the instructor and leans in to hang on every word; a visual learner re-positions to get the best angle to see what’s happening; a kinesthetic learner mimics the instructor as the movement is being demonstrated. Global learners may walk back to their partner shaking their heads or linger longer than others, hoping for more explanation. Analytic learners may look restless when the big picture is explained and will be the first one back to their partners.

In any group of students, there will typically be a standard distribution of students who will learn faster than average with less practice, those who will achieve proportionally to the amount of effort they expend, and those who are ultimately destined for failure despite their best efforts. The instructor’s role dictates catering to those in the second category. If students are struggling to perform the technique as being explained and demonstrated, the instructor should first look at the potential of his or her own failure before moving to the conclusion (although sometimes correct) that the student is the one responsible for missing the mark.

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July 12, 2016

Being A Good Uke; It’s Harder Than You Think

Have you ever watched your Sensei choose one individual over and over again to be his Uke and thought, “Why not me!?”

In any seminar or class, you’ll find the head Sensei will consistently pick the same individuals to work with when demonstrating techniques. I think many of us would love to “volunteer as tribute” and feel the glory of being at the front of the dojo with your head Instructor!

But, there are many reasons why some people are chosen more than others.

From time to time, an individual is chosen because of their size. A Sensei may choose the largest person in the room—usually to prove a point about technique vs. strength/size.

Sometimes an individual is chosen because of flexibility, so that the Sensei can execute the full extent of an armbar or leg lock without the individual tapping.

But usually, one is chosen as a demonstration Uke because they’re amongst the best in the room.

You would think that letting the teacher hurt you would be easy, that any dummy can do it!

But, not just any dummy, a very skilled dummy. . .

To be a good Uke and especially an Uke for demonstrations, you literally have to know what you’re getting yourself into. By that I mean you have to be familiar with many, if not all, the possible positions the Sensei may put you in, sometimes without the Sensei even telling you what she/he will be applying. So, unless you have a crystal ball with you, you either have to have superb body awareness and biomechanical knowledge or completely memorized the curriculum.

The Sensei, like Goldilocks, is looking for someone that is not too hard or too soft.

They’re looking for an individual that will

Comply and restrict at just the right moments and with just the right intensity
- Nothing (and I do mean NOTHING!) is more annoying to a head Sensei than a Uke who anticipates a technique and gives an unrealistic reaction, like moving before the technique was actually applied, OR actively resists when the Sensei is demonstrating. The key here is to respond, not anticipate, the Uke must have a complete understanding of the intent of every technique that they are subject to and respond accordingly with enough resistance for the demonstration to run smoothly and realistically.
Set a good technical example when they return a technique
- The Uke must know how to receive, counter and execute techniques with the same speed, power and skill as the Sensei applying it. If the Uke does not adequately perform a technique, the lesson the Sensei is trying to teach could be lost and the entire group could end up doing the technique, counter or sequence completely wrong! (No pressure or anything!)
Most importantly, make the head Sensei look good!
- As an Uke, it is your responsibility for the demonstration to look as good as your body will physically allow because when you are asked to present with the Sensei (especially at a seminar), you have become a representative of that Sensei, an extension of their name/style.

AND

The Uke must do all of this while being submitted to various degrees of pain, being put in the most awkward of awkward positions and essentially getting the crap kicked out of them!

So, the next time you ask “Why not me!?” remember we often overlook the skill of the Uke. Instead, concentrate on the small details the Uke demonstrates because getting the crap kicked out of you isn’t as easy as you think.

June 8, 2016

Kama Connections with Sensei Darrin Johnson

“A lethal weapon of self-defense, Ryukyuan kobudo evolved through the application of combative principles to a myriad of domestic objects that were readily available for use as weapons.” – Hanshi Patrick McCarthy, Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts

Kama Seminar: April 31^st – May 1^st

At Sensei Darrin Johnson’s seminar, hosted by Renshi Mike Coombes at Hatsuun Jindo Martial Arts, students from around the Greater Toronto Area were introduced to one of the classical Okinawan weapons, kama.

Sensei Darrin is a long time practitioner of Yamane Ryu and Koryu Uchinadi. In his seminar, he guided us through the kama kata Koryu No Nicho Gama.

Kama Kata: Koryu No Nicho Gama

Movements:

Koryu No Nicho Gama has a unique embusen, like that of an asterisk. Because of this, it also has intricate foot work, literally keeping you on your toes. It utilizes all possible sides of the weapon, which demands one be very familiar with all the ways to handle this tool. Also, this particular kata is far more physical than one might expect from a Kobudo form, including jumps and quick movements from kneeling to standing.

Applications:

No Koryu Uchinadi-based seminar would be complete without applications. Sensei Darrin left his audience in awe with his innovative applications using the kama, which included joint locks, chokes, tegumi and even throws.

Concepts:

1. Hooking

The kama shouldn’t just be looked at as a weapon meant for cutting, but rather like a sharp extension of the hand, that can be used to assist in any type of hooking motion, such as an arm drag.

2. Striking

The blunt edge of the kama and the butt of the handle can both be used for striking vital areas.

3. Tools

Modern Western tools can be used in the same fashion as the kama, like a hammer or small axe.

Sensei Darrin is a big proponent of the idea of “Human Ryu,” the universal style. Because all human beings have two arms, two legs, a head and torso, we’ll all move in similar ways and produce power in the same way whether we are empty-handed or armed.

Throughout the seminar, this was the number one theme. Sensei Darrin emphasized this point by comparing karate and weaponry to other sports. He explained that the body mechanics a shot-putter would use to build centrifugal force is the same as when rotating to strike in the kata.

Sensei Darrin above all else is an excellent communicator and draws on historical context to assist in the teaching process. Studying weaponry, such as the kama, helps us to build a better understanding of where our art comes from and the context in which it was developed, while also helping to have a greater understanding of body mechanics.

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April 25, 2016

The Web Master: Spinning Concepts with Sensei Paul Lopresti – Part 2

It’s better to have a tool and not need it than need a tool and not have it.

This point summarizes the necessity of adding grappling to our fighting repertoire. And as I mentioned in the first part of this series based on my learning experience with Sensei Paul Lopresti, grappling is a common aspect of self-defence overlooked by many karate practitioners. I find this especially frustrating because so many kata techniques are applicable on the ground, as illustrated in my previous discussion of kokutsu dachi and knee on belly position.

Another standing technique found in karate and other striking arts is the hiza geri (knee). If someone is properly executing a hiza geri with all their body weight moving into the technique and the hips driving forward, one can very much see the mechanical similarity of the hips in shiko-walk.

The shiko-walk is a common grappling technique used in a double leg take down or the knee cutter guard pass to kesa-gatami, in which you press your knee onto the inside of the opponent’s thigh.

With that said, Sensei Paul spun further applications of hiza-geri through his presentation of a ground drill of his own creation, completely committed to the bottom position, called Ura Ne-Waza. Based on my understanding, the creation of the drill was a critique of common grappling practices. Most BJJ clubs teach grappling from a superior top position and rarely address ways of being successful while on one’s back.

The inspiration for ura ne-waza was one of Sensei Paul’s female students. She constantly found herself on her back against bigger opponents—the type of opponent a woman is most likely to find herself against. With ura ne-waza, students can protect themselves against larger opponents by using various restraining techniques and submissions, like the guillotine or kimura, from their back.

One position in the drill is called “knee in guard,” which uses the exact same body mechanics of a standing knee strike or shiko-walk.

In this position you stick to the opponent’s body by:

Under-hooking the left arm with your right arm and grabbing the opponents right wrist with your left hand
Pressing your left knee into the crevice of the elbow and bracing the bottom of the left foot on the right side of the opponent’s hip.

In doing the “knee in guard” position, you prevent the opponent from attempting a series of punches towards the head. It also acts as a potential transition into a multitude of submissions, such as omo-plata or the kimura.

Through these controlling positions, I learned that as the opponent struggles like prey within a web, you have a better sense of where they will turn next and can capitalize on their position.

Also, the hip rotation used to generate power in all striking techniques, strongly emphasized in Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo Jutsu, is another way to create space to escape holds and to transition into other submissions on the ground.

For example, in transitioning to the guard when the opponent is in a mount, explosive hip movement is paramount to accomplishing an escape. This movement is comparable to expanding into any standing striking technique. The feet plant on the floor as the arms push the opponent’s knee out, and one side of the hip drives forward while the other side retracts back, just like a gyaku-tsuki.

Furthermore, the strength of hip and core rotation is a necessity for all transitional movements. The ability to interweave a series of movements, such as how you move into your arm bar or your kimura from the guard, determines your success. Whenever there is movement, there is potential for space, and with space comes the potential for the opponent to escape or counter your efforts.

As I learned while going through Sensei Paul’s arm bar and kimura series, knowing how to create and limit space is fundamental. In the arm bar and kimura sets, Sensei Paul taught several different ways of getting into these techniques. The web of fighting starts when we are given several different options from a single position. In doing so, we learned to recognize specific situations that could allow us to transition from the guard to our desired submission. As we moved from the guard to our submission, we integrated a hip swivel to adjust angles and isolate the joint we were attacking, necessitating that we rotate our hips just like in our usual standing practice.

Throughout the seminar, Sensei Paul not only demonstrated his understanding of the body mechanics of ground techniques, but also demonstrated his ability as a teacher and coach. Sensei Paul taught individuals of varying backgrounds, such as BJJ, wrestling and karate. He explained techniques in a way that could be understood by individuals of any martial arts background. He is both patient and intellectual in his approach to teaching a group or an individual.

I feel we benefitted the most from Sensei Paul’s instruction in two ways. The first was through rolling. At the end of the seminar, we were given the opportunity to experiment with the variety of techniques we learned via two-minute grappling sessions. While rolling, we were told to go at different intensity levels, for example 60 percent, so everyone could practice in a safe and fun manner.

The other opportunity we were given to gain knowledge was to ask questions. In Sensei Paul’s seminars, he gives everyone the opportunity to ask him about their experiences, what worked for them or didn’t work for them in the past as well as in the rolling session. In this way, Sensei Paul can tweak the techniques to fit the individual style, strengths and size of the student.

Although most karate practitioners do not pursue ground techniques, their standing technical knowledge operates on the same body mechanics as ground techniques.

You can observe the connective thread between standing and ground techniques through:

Kokutsu dachi and knee on belly position
Knee strike in comparison to both shiko-walk and “knee in guard” position
Hip rotation while doing a hip escape from the mount or transitioning to an arm bar from the guard

The body, of course, can only move in so many ways. We should expect that how we generate power standing can be applied the same way on the ground. Yet many karate practitioners continue to turn a blind eye to the importance of ground work and grappling, even when common sense dictates that the principles of physics and body mechanics are applicable no matter what position someone is in.

The concepts found in our standing repertoire cannot be completely understood unless we recall karate’s true purpose: self-defence. To claim the art as self-defence and not address all the Habitual Acts of Physical Violence causes many to get stuck in one corner of their web. True martial artists must explore the concepts found in their systems with a critical gaze to see how the threads of their own practices connect with all other styles.

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March 7, 2016

February’s Video of the Month: Chris Prickett

If you’re looking for a real slick take down, check out this video from former Canadian Wrestling Champion, Chris Prickett.

In this tutorial Chris demonstrates one option from the underhook in the event the opponent starts to back away.

Moving on from this position you can simply climb up the body to mount if they turn to face you. Among other options, you can also take the back for Hadaka Jime (rear-naked choke).

Another reason I love this video is because it’s a great application for the Koryu Uchinadi ground kicking drill, Ne-Keri Waza.

Chris Prickett’s simple and elegant execution of this unique technique is what makes his demonstration The Martial Arts Muse’s Video of the Month!

Check out more of Chris Prickett’s videos and the best of Canadian wrestling on his YouTube Channel, 49 North Wrestling.

February 10, 2016

Lady Puts on a Necklace

North American Gasshuku, Georgetown, 2015

During the 2015 Gasshuku with Hanshi Patrick McCarthy, hosted by Sensei Tony Rampulla, our main focus was Riai Kumite, exploring combinations from the Aiki Kenpo Jujutsu syllabus and Niseishi Kata. We were also taught by guest instructors Sensei Scott Hogarth, Sensei Monty Guest, Sensei Cezar Borkowski and Sensei Ron Beer.

Sensei Scott Hogarth Demonstrates on Sensei Gary Raposo

Sensei Monty Guest and Sensei Giancarlo Esposito

Sensei Ron Beer and Hanshi Patrick McCarthy

This year’s Gasshuku was by far the most unique with the vast scope of knowledge, experience and ideas on the martial arts taught by these highly regarded instructors. The topics ranged from Silat-based knife work, the simplicity of high block, the importance of distance and how to use personal anecdotes to teach your lesson.

With every Gasshuku, there is also a grading. Of those in attendance, many were promoted, including myself to Nidan.

When we first wear a black belt, like putting on a pearl necklace, we question whether we are worthy of wearing something of such great value.

Since receiving my promotion, I’ve been absorbed with the question of “what does it really mean to be a black belt?”

Does someone deserve a black belt out of loyalty? Should you be promoted just for skill? Is your belt equal to your attitude? Are you ranked on your ability to memorize all the drills?

I think we all have our own ideas. Promotions are based on a number of variables and the values of a specific club or style.

For me, the value of a black belt doesn’t lie in what we have done to receive it, but what we will do to represent our style, teacher and most importantly ourselves as entities that promote as Sokon ‘Bushi’ Matsumura says “virtue before vice, values before vanity and principles before personalities.”

If you have been in the martial arts long enough, you will see many who receive their black belt, then just quit.

There are some people who receive their black belt and feel like they are the new badass in town. Their egos inflate to the size of an elephant.

There are those who hold their knowledge close. With no interest in teaching, they flaunt their abilities in the faces of those around them. Perhaps they even surpass the skill of their teacher.

For these people, no one will ever follow them. They will have no legacy.

Since the beginning of my martial arts training, I’ve always had a stern and determined mindset.

I don’t compete with others. I do the best that I can.

With this attitude I set very strict goals and take ownership of my learning process.

This is where I think many fail.

Up until your Shodan, you are told exactly what to learn, how to learn it and if you’re lucky, maybe you even learn how to teach it. Your teacher will have always been there to assist you. However, after that, it feels little like you are in Karate Limbo, waiting for someone to tell you what to do.

I believe a black belt should have enough agency to walk the path of Karate autonomously. By this I mean you should set a schedule for your own learning process. Learn the things you feel you need to work on. Search out teachers who can help you achieve this, as opposed to simply waiting for your Sensei to tell you what’s next.

In preparation for the 2015 Gasshuku, I put it upon myself to learn as many of the supplementary drills in Koryu Uchinadi as I could manage, which include, but are no limited to:

Learning all the drills wasn’t something I was told to do. It is something I expected of myself.

At the same time, through learning all the ways you can manipulate the body, it makes it exponentially easier to learn, practice and retain the combinations taught during the Gasshuku.

For example, Sensei McCarthy presented Aiki Kenpo Jujutsu combinations taught by Carlos “the Ronin” Newton from last year’s Gasshuku, as well as his own variations and AKJJ drills.

For example:

When you already know all the techniques in the syllabus and understand the mechanics that make it work, you don’t have to spend time during the seminar “learning” the techniques, which make up new combinations or drills. You can just practice the drill and begin to build up to aggressive resistance.

I feel that one should not just wear a black belt, but a person should represent it. What gives the belt value isn’t the belt itself, but the person who wears it and the principles and virtues they express in their every action.

Learning the Koryu Uchinadi syllabus was a challenge that I saw value in. It is what made me feel worthy to continue to wear a black belt.

For you, the challenge might be quite different.

What determines the worth of the belt you wear is YOU!

January 24, 2016

Lady Looks In a Mirror-Part 2

For those who may not know, “lady looks in a mirror” is an English translation of a Chinese martial arts term.

It was common in Chinese martial arts to give techniques unique or “secret” names to differentiate those who were “insiders” of a martial arts system and those who were “outsiders.”

Chinese martial arts manuals would often have songs or chants, which were codified patterns. This practice in turn would aid in the memorization of forms.

I will use these classical Chinese terms as an introductory frame to explain my experience training with Hanshi Patrick McCarthy during his North American Tour.

As said in my previous post, Lady Looks In a Mirror-Part 1, Riai Kumite translates into the harmonizing laws of grappling hands. Riai Kumite is a continuous flow of attacks and defenses between two people, which includes all the elements of fighting: groundwork, throws, percussive impact, etc.

This practice builds students practice from passive resistance to full on functional spontaneity, imitating real fighting in a safe and controlled format.

Although many pursue the martial arts for the ultimate goal of better health and self-defense, many practitioners lose sight of the intention behind techniques, destroying the gains that could be attained in practices like Riai Kumite.

Upon reflecting on the practice of this drill and how we engage with it with our partners, I see areas that sometimes inhibit Riai Kumite.

Intent

When I switch from one partner to the next, it is clear who understands intent—the intention of the technique, their intention towards me and the intention of the exercise—and who does not.

Technique

The first thing that gets lost for many people, especially beginner students, is the intention behind the technique. When I talk about this I am referring to the application formula: tool, location, direction, angle and intensity.

When people forget the intention of the technique (to emulate physical violence), they forget to:

Use the correct part of the body to attack
Aim!
Strike/Block from the correct direction
Strike/Block on the correct angle
Use the best amount of force for their situation

One simple example of this is punching in a straight line to the chin.

Now, you would think that the intent of this would be simple to understand. The intent is to punch in a straight line to the face.

Yet, in many instances, when hearing these instructions many people will throw bad hook punches and hammer fists while at the same time striking towards the chest, shoulder or even nothing at all!

Sometimes, this is a result of inexperience.

Or, it is the result of going too quickly, usually because people think it looks more impressive. At best, it hides poor execution.

When people fail to grasp the intention of a technique, the execution of the technique will be incorrect and the defence, as a consequence, will also be incorrect.

Thus, the learning process deteriorates and what would be Riai Kumite turns into nothing more than rough patty-cake.

And nobody likes rough patty-cake!

WINNING!

Usually someone’s attitude towards training in general will dictate how they treat you as a their partner.

There are those who feel the need to “win” when working with a partner—either through believing they’re superior in the amount of things they actually know or just through their physicality.

Alternatively, this inclination is the result of anxiety that our partner will harm us because of their size or rank. From this, we unknowingly up the tempo out of shear fear.

I should add that both these attitudes can be an unconscious act.

When people feel this way the response of many is to go harder and faster. The point of the exercise is not to go hard or fast, but to flow and realize where openings lie.

If we go too hard, the movements become rigid. If we go to fast, we can overlook blatant opportunities.

When there is a greater focus on how am I doing in comparison to another, whether we deem ourselves superior or inferior to our partner, there will always be an inclination to go harder and faster than is necessary—in the end, destroying one’s ability to learn effectively through Riai Kumite.

In other words, the goal of the exercise is not to “win.” That would imply that the exercise should have some type of definitive end. Rather, Riai Kumite can be infinite with the type of combinations of defences that can be accomplished.

The Exercise

Riai Kumite, as I have experienced it, demands a certain type of continuity or flow. As mentioned before, Riai is the concept of harmony. When this flow ends, you are no longer practicing Riai Kumite.

Many people may know many techniques, but perform them mechanically, restricting the transfer of energy between partners that should be performed in this exercise. When the movements become rigid, we lose the opportunity to perform techniques that demand continuity in order to be executed properly, for example any type of throw.

I’ve also watched people who know only three movements, but can gracefully flow between them.

I believe Riai Kumite as an exercise is dependent on being mindful of the correct intentions and not on how many techniques you know.

One must be mindful of

1) All the elements to execute the technique properly

2) The ego and how it affects the practice

3) The goal of the exercise

When we are mindful of these three things, one can achieve the harmony of grappling hands.

Ultimately, through changing partners and practicing Riai Kumite, I’ve learned that how we treat others and engage with the material we wish to practice is a reflection of our own ego and how honest we are with ourselves about our abilities.

My question for you is, what do you see when you look in the mirror?

That concludes what this lady reflects.

January 14, 2016

Lady Looks In a Mirror-Part 1

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” –Lao Tzu

In the fall of 2015, I decided to follow the steps of my Sensei, Hanshi Patrick McCarthy, Head Instructor of Koryu Uchinadi and Director of the International Ryukyu Karate Research Society, on his North American Tour to Calgary, Toronto and Virginia.

As one pursues the Way, it is important to pause and, like a lady does in a mirror, reflect. In order to gain further understanding of the path of the martial arts, I reflect not on what we practice, but how we engage with it and with whom.

Calgary, September 18^th-21^st, 2015

In Calgary, Sensei McCarthy introduced the concept of Riai Kumite.

Riai Kumite 理合組手

Ri理 are the universal laws of nature and their application.

Ai合 is the principle of harmony.

Kumite組手 is grappling hands or commonly translated as sparring.

When we combine these terms together they paradoxically mean the harmonizing laws of grappling hands. The purpose of this practice is to build a continuous flow of attacks and defenses between two people, which includes all the elements of fighting, including throws and groundwork.

With practice, students can move from passive resistance to full-on resistance. In the end, this methodology builds functional spontaneity in unscripted defensive scenarios.

Sensei McCarthy started the seminar by having the group practice two or three combinations out of the Koryu Uchinadi tegumi drills, which includes checking, trapping, blocking, joint-locking, twisting bones, cavity seizing and impacting pressure points.

The lesson started with the give and take of hook punches, hammer fists, and push-hands before new elements were added, like clinching, elbows, knees and much more.

By the end, our practice of Riai Kumite looked like full on street fighting, except safe and with control.

Why Change Partners?

In Calgary, Sensei McCarthy had us constantly change partners through a line drill. With each new person you experience changing conditions, thus pushing you outside your comfort zone.

Another benefit of changing partners is you learn to apply techniques against varying body types, which brings to light the principles that make such techniques effective.

The most common principles being:

The 5 ancient machines
- Pulley
- Wheel and Axel
- Wedge/Inclined Plane
- Screw (which is a variation on a wedge)
- Lever
  - Class 1 (Load, Fulcrum, Effort)
  - Class 2 (Effort, Load, Fulcrum)
  - Class 3 (Load, Effort, Fulcrum)
36 Habitual Acts of Physical Violence that, in Sensei McCarthy’s words, “represents the contextual premise, which Koryu Uchinadi is based on.”
Tool, Location, Intensity, Angle, Direction = The Application Formula

I have found that these concepts are overlooked in many martial arts. Often instructors haphazardly teach as they were taught without critically looking at the laws of physics that make them effective.

By looking at martial arts as a set of principles, it allows you to transcend individual techniques and see the practice as a whole.

Yet, these are not the only things that become clearer.

The martial arts are more than the technical and mechanical elements that make it work. I feel that the understanding of these principles and how they work are dependent on understanding why we do them.

The combination of Riai Kumite and actively changing partners also brings to light the importance of intent and how it makes the difference between learning and just doing the drill for the sake of the drill.

Like looking into a hall of mirrors, the journey can seem infinite.

Stay tuned for the next step of the path with my look at the relationship between Riai Kumite, Partners and Intent.

Any good instructor’s process is always under scrutiny. The instructor looks at the students and wonders, “Why aren’t they doing what I asked?” or “Is that really what I showed them?”

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Have you ever watched your Sensei choose one individual over and over again to be his Uke and thought, “Why not me!?”

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“A lethal weapon of self-defense, Ryukyuan kobudo evolved through the application of combative principles to a myriad of domestic objects that were readily available for use as weapons.” – Hanshi Patrick McCarthy, Ancient Okinawan Martial Arts

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It’s better to have a tool and not need it than need a tool and not have it.

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If you’re looking for a real slick take down, check out this video from former Canadian Wrestling Champion, Chris Prickett.

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North American Gasshuku, Georgetown, 2015

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For those who may not know, “lady looks in a mirror” is an English translation of a Chinese martial arts term.

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“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” –Lao Tzu

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