Notes from Brad visit to Maine, 6/29/02

The following are some notes on instruction by Kiyoshi Brad Smith

General

·        Brad asks a lot of questions, engages the people before providing answers.  I want to do more of this.  He will say before a particular drill, “tell me about ……..”

·        Brad provides a lot of wisdom & knowledge about karate and its origins, about the personalities, about GKK

·        Gaze — keep very steady and towards the line of attack, don’t look down! 

Stances — first most important foundation

·        Sanchin — where does it come from (China — fisherman stance, south).  What is it about? Basic foundation for goju.  Belly tight, hips forward, shoulders compressed

·        Shikodachi — where does it come from (China — horse stance, north)

·        Get your stance, then hold it!  No wobbling.  He will do a stance right, then do it wrong, ask, “what did I do?”   the cat, not the elephant. 

·        Zen kutso dachi — 60-40 wt distribution.  Don’t lean and don’t angle.  Make stance by putting lead foot 3 foot lengths ahead.  3 points of power: (1) front knee bent perpendicular to floor,(2)  back leg locked, (3) belly tight. the cat, not the elephant.

·        Keep stances squared forward, especially zen kutso dachi.  Resist tendency to lean. 

Kihon ichi

·        Order — Brad runs a drill first slow then fixes stances, then strong repetition; then engages class in discussion of what he’s seen, perhaps a correction.  Then run drill again.

·        Age uke — forearm should be at middle of forehead

·        Seiken zuki — two theories of penetration: (1) drive fist to backbone; (2) penetrate 1/4”  by locking & squeezing down shoulders at the instant of contact.  Loose before.

·        Mai geri — kicking

·        Turn in sanchin, kosa dachi: step parallel across with blade of foot, with same distance; bend knees, back knee fits into front knee.  Then mawate, hip rotation drives upper body.  

·        Turn in shiko dachi and zen kutso dachi same principles: step across, keep width correct, stay low, turn with hip rotation. 

Kata advice

·        Sanseiru — 1^st 3 punches slow & hard, like sanchin, then clear move; then explode.  To set up for kansetsu geri, bring knee up high, close to fist and elbow. Hold for a second, then fire out kick & turn quickly

·        Seiunchin — does not bring press block down immediately; hit stance, then press.  Does not care about hand angle in larynx strike; does care about finger closing order.