Seminar - SHIMABUKURO ZENPO, hanshi 10th dan, Okinawa World Karatedo Tournament 2009

[barrettokarate]

I have a question and was wondering if someone knew the answer to this. I’ve seen several videos of many 10th Dan Okinawan masters who only have 2 or 3 stripes embroidered on their belts. Why is that?

If one didn’t know that they were 10th Dan, simply by looking at their belts one would assume they were 2nd or 3rd Dan. In Okinawan karate tradition is there some special meaning to only having 2 or 3 stripes, despite being 10th Dan?

[MrReeceJC]

@barrettokarate In Okinawan Karate, the belt system is a little different. Usually the stripes represent the teaching titles of Renshi (1 Stripe), Kyoshi (2 Stripes) and Hanshi (3 Stripes). There can be a slight variation in this, but it is usually close to this: Renshi (6th dan+), Kyoshi (7th - 8th Dan), Hanshi (9th, 10th Dan). Hope this helps!

[barrettokarate]

@MrReeceJC Yes, this does help. I'm not an Okinawan karate stylist, so I was curious. Thank you.

[renbukancho]

Dangerous to expouse the elbow in an attack that high, tall people are most of the time more weak in the mid low section, tsumasaki geri to the bladder or the inside of the legs where a vein & altery awaits, better choice.

[centauris1234]

hi shihanmac...in the first place,the 45 degree punch was not created for punching taller people...its just the ancient method of puching(remember punch is done in a vertical manner in chinese martial arts)..seibukan was a style found by zenryo shimabukuro..one of the foremost student of chotoku kyan...and the shimabukuro family has been doing a wonderful job in preserving the ancient techniques for many decades now and not just not modifying it to make it more fit to perform in tournaments...

[Torontokoshiki]

absolutly correct.

the vertical fist or Tate Ken has been proven to be a stronger position for the wrist and forearm also as pointed out in this vid helps to point the striking part of the fist at the target. it is the main fist used in Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karate founded by Kori Hisataka another great student of Kyan Sensei. Hisataka's son is still teaching these scientific principles. check him out his name is Masayuki Hisataka..he is my Sensei..cheers

[shihanmac]

excuse my comment but why not punch a taller opponant on the jaw [the fist will be below the facial structure ] or in the throat or an uppercut under the jaw, why change the twisting action to suit?

[logpos]

yea, the more vertical the fist, the greater knuckle contact one has when dealing with tall opponents. MIght as well learn a 45-90 degree one from the start instead of the horizontal version.

If we tighter our fist properly be squeezing the pinky, the fist naturally assumes a 45-degree angle.

[asd748wsx]

impressive!

btw, what was he saying about the seiken and punching taller people in the face? i've already noticed myself that you can't really strike with the seiken like that, being 5 feet tall :p, so i'm really curious as to what sensei shimabukuro has to say on the matter

[KARATEbyJesse]

If I remember correctly, he said that the founder of his style (Kyan Chotoku) always used the 45 degree punch since he was so short.

Kyan felt this was better for punching taller people in the face, and that's why they always do the 45 degree punch today in Shimabukuros style...

Or something like that!

[asd748wsx]

cool!

thanks

[aiko4321]

I agree with Jesse. Because, my Sensei told, his father told the same (Kyan Sensei told to use 45 degree fist when punching taller person, because he is too short)