Hanging Out With Onimitsu2004 Again

I spent last Saturday at Onimitsu2004's house when he was home from Hawaii visiting his folks in Texas for the holidays. It really was great seeing him again, as it's been roughly a year-and-a-half since I last saw him in person. And just like old times, we spent hours doing our karate together.

Unlike old times, he is now studying Pat Nakata's method of Shorin Ryu, thus being a Chibana Chosin method of Shorin Ryu (Kobayashi), as Nakata-Sensei was a direct student of legendary karate master Chibana. Nakata is also well-known among the Okinawans for being able to knock people out. Consequently, he would always use these terms like osae and backpull in ways I didn't understand. Or, he would come up with all these stories about Chibana which were pretty sweet. As time passed, he began to develop a physical understanding of these terms and gradually became able to do them with regularity. Whenever I saw the videos of the way he and Nakata performed the kata in their particular manner (which just looks kind of weird), I wasn't exactly skeptical, but I was very curious what it was all about. Last Saturday, I was able to feel the results. And as we say in karate, "feeling is believing".

I asked him to punch me (as I do many people) just to see how hard it is. Normally, most people (myself included) tend to punch in a manner that has a lot of surface impact but not a lot of penetration. Granted, I didn't block or even tense up to receive the blow (I normally don't), but he hit me far harder than all but a handful of people I've ever had hit me. I was doubled over for about ten seconds or so. I probably could've straightened up, but I was still in surprise at how hard it was. I was able to be just fine after that, but I felt him hit me in the chest and it felt like a mallet slammed me in the gut. He says I was supposed to feel it go straight in rather than drop, but since I kind of dropped too, I guess it was okay.

The rest of the time was spent comparing kata, explanations for various moves, and me trying to understand as much about all those terms Onimitsu2004 tosses around like leaves on a windy day. He would humorously sound like a someone from Hawaii whenever he tried to explain something in depth. He admitted that he couldn't help but adopt some mannerisms of his teacher when doing so. You could tell that not only is Nakata really good, but he is a good teacher as well, since Onimitsu2004 was able to explain things pretty well in person.

It really was like old times, although I found myself learning much more from him. All the same, I was able to hear many things that I have been told in my style (and Onimitsu2004's former style) of Shorinkan Shorin Ryu but didn't quite have it stick with me (stop looking down, "royal" posture, slow down more, etc.). All in all, it was a heck of a lot of fun. I look forward to the day that Onimitsu2004 comes out here to Goodfellow for Intel training next summer as there will be some overlap between my time here and his.

At the same time, it was almost kind of sad. There is a definite divergence between my karate and his. For now, I can see myself staying in the Shorin Ryu Shorinkan, but Onimitsu2004 will now most definitely remain a student of Nakata (and for good reason, too). His karate has become much more powerful like Nakata's while mine wants to become softer. I know I won't see him at a lot of the Shorinkan camps I go to. I seem to have chosen my way and he has chosen his. But you know, that's why I said "almost kind of sad", and not "kind of sad". In some ways, this represents the manner in which karate is supposed to evolve: along individual lines. If our karate remained identical, then it truly would be sad. I can see us decades down the road, sending students to each other just to see what "the other side" is about. And that is kind of cool.

After we did all our karate stuff, we went to a dessert party at someone else's house (which for a non-junk food eater like me simply involved a lot of talking and some fruit). After that, we went back to the house and sat around talking with his family, which was enjoyable as well. I'm sure Onimitsu2004 just loved all the stories that all parents love to tell about their kid when guests are over. I spent the night there and headed out the next morning. All told, well-worth the 8-9 hours of driving roundtrip.



Technorati: martial arts Karate personal combat self defense chibana chosin warrior kata bunkai shorin ryu shorinkan

My Martial Articles Link Page

Index of Martial Articles

Most recent articles listed first

- Chibana Chosin Sensei: An Interview With Pat Nakata Sensei In March 2010
An interview with my instructor Pat Nakata Sensei about his instructor Chibana Chosin Sensei (taken from March 2010)

- 14 April 2013: Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai Session
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where we studied Kanegawa no Timbei, Wansu/Wanshu/Empi, Naihanchi Sandan, and Seipai

- Life After Sensei
Dealing with the death of my mentor, role model, and instructor Pat Nakata Sensei

- Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai Session: December 9, 2012
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where we studied Pinan/Heian Sandan and Godan, Kyan Bo no Kata Dai, and Gekisai Sandan and Yondan

- Aug and Oct 2012 Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai Sessions
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where we studied the Pinan/Heian Shodan, Nidan, and Yondan Kata, the Kyan Bo no Kata Sho and Kyan Sai no Kata Sho, and the Gekisai Shodan and Nidan Kata

- Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai: 10 June 2012
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where we studied Jion, Patsai/Passai, Nipaipo, and Saifa/Saifua

- Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai Session: April 15, 2012
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where we studied Seisan/Seishan/Hangetsu, Naihanchi/Tekki Sandan, and Anan

- Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai: February 2012 Session
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where we studied Seienchin/Seiunchin/Seiyunchin, the Kihon kata, Wankan/Okan/Matsukage, Kojo no Sai, and Wanchin

- Kime and the Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai December 2011 Training Session
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where we studied the Gekisai Ni(dan), Chinto/Gankaku, Jiin, and Maezato no Tekko kata. This was followed by an open discussion of “one-step attack” range and the walk-in, as well as kime

- Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai - October 9, 2011
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai Session where we studied Niseishi, Naihanchi Sandan, Gekisai, Fukyuugata, and Wanchin

- Mrs. Diane Satoko Nagaishi Memorial Demonstration (Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai) - Guest Post by Pat Nakata Sensei
This is the 1-year memorial demonstration the Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai held for Mrs. Diane Satoko

- A Strong Testament to Willpower and Training: Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai - June 12, 2011
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai where we studied Patsai, Seiunchin, and Kyan Sai no Kata Dai, as well as a personal anecdote on willpower and training that hits close to home

- Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai: April 10, 2011 (Guest Post)
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai Session where we studied Patsai, Kanegawa no Timbei, and Sanseiru

- Special Kenkyukai Session: Pat Nakata Sensei Teaching Sai Basics
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where Pat Nakata Sensei held a seminar on the Kyan Sensei sai basics

- Special Kenkyukai Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where Angel Lemus Sensei held a seminar on take-downs

- Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai: February 13, 2011 (Guest Post)
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where we studied Pinan Yondan, Pinan Godan, Maezato no Tekko, Gekisai San, Gekisai Yon, Tokumine Bo, and Wanchin

- Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai: December 5, 2010 - Ippon Kowashi and the Walk-in
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where we studied Pinan Nidan, Pinan Sandan, Tokumine Bo, and Gekisai Yon, as well as the concepts of Ippon Kowashi and the Walk-in

- Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai: October 31, 2010
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where we studied Pinan Shodan, Gekisai, and Wanchin

- Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai: August 22, 2010
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where we studied Kanegawa no Nichogama, Kanku, Chinto, Suparinpei, Unsu, Kishaba Juku Fukyugata Ichi, Yara Kusanku, and Seiunchin

- Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai: April 11, 2010
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where we studied Rohai, Chikina no Tunfa, Hamahiga no Tonfa, and Sokugi Taikyoku Sono Ichi

- Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai: February 28, 2010
Hawaii Karate Kenkyukai training session where we studied Anan, Gojushiho, Saifa, and Kanegawa no Timbei

- Closing Distance and Not Overextending: Musashi's "Body of a Shuko"
The importance of closing distance and not reaching out to execute techniques outside of range

-A Good Coach
Learning from corrections and correcting

- Robert "Snaggy" Naoto Inouye
A tribute to the memory of Snaggy.

- Chibana Chosin's Kata Curriculum
How Chibana Sensei came up with his teaching curriculum and the kata it included

- Present State of Training
Where I stand after a period away from Hawaii

- Rushing and Ego
How can ego affect your fighting? Rushing, that's how.

- Are Mistakes Necessary?
Mistakes and the active learning process in karate

- Terrain and Karate Training - Guest Post: "Dojo"
The views of my instructor, Pat Nakata, on the literal dojo environment and the effects on training

- Fighting Mentality
What it really boils down to

- The Worst Horse
Sometimes being objective is painful.

- The Strongest Move in Shorin Ryu
A technical answer to a rhetorical question

- Shallowness of Thought
Over the centuries, some things in martial arts never change. The presence of pointless debates is one of them.

- Hawaii Karate Kenkyuukai
A group for the informal study of the martial arts

- What Is Okinawan Karate?
As my views on Okinawan karate have changed over the years, I restate my views on the matter.

- Chibana Chosin Sensei DVD Review
My review of the Chibana Chosin DVD recently released and corrections I have to the historical inaccuracies presented

- Okinawa Trip 2007 Part 1 2 3 4 5 6
Multi-part series that details my week-long trip to Okinawa in April 2007

- Using Kata in a Fight: Keep It Simple
Article based on a post I wrote on Karateforums explaining one of the biggest guidelines necessary to keep your kata fighting-effective

- Meeting Up on the Mainland
Article about meeting Ed Tiller, a long-distance student of my instructor, Pat Nakata

- Putting Theory To Practice: Newton's 3rd Law of Motion
Article detailing through personal experience of knowledge of physics becoming understanding of fighting

- Paradigm Shift Part 2: Boxer Mentality versus Ippon Kowashi
Article about the "common wisdom" that it is impractical to train to end a confrontation with one technique and the reasons for it

- Clearing the Air: The Truth About Chibana Sensei's Succession
There are many claims regarding who was appointed as Chibana Sensei's successor to head Shorin Ryu (widely and erroneously referred to as Kobayashi Shorin Ryu nowadays). Read this article to find out the truth.

- Paradigm Shift Part 1: Search versus Pursuit
Article about the phenomenon of training in too many styles instead of refining what you already know

- Karatedo no Kokoroe
Post about Nakata Sensei's article on Chibana Sensei's calligraphy and guidance on karate entitled "Karatedo no Kokoroe"

- The Other Half of Training
Traditional Martial Artists were very serious about their physical conditioning and used specific kinds of workouts tailored not just to general fitness, but to martial arts.

- Hanging Out With Onimitsu2004 Again
I visited my friend Terry while he was home visiting his parents. This encounter led me onto my new path of martial arts study.

- Sometimes a Punch is Just a Punch, a Block is Just a Block, and a Kick is Just a Kick
This post actually contains an excerpt from my friend Onimitsu2004's blog and his post here which laments the trend of people overanalyzing their kata to the point. The comments included on the bottom of my post are more interesting than my individual contribution, which was merely to act as a signpost for this article.

- Training at Karate as a Martial Art
Focusing on the most important part of the compound word "Martial Arts"

- Lone Star State Karate & Kobudo Seminar 2005
Renshi Charlie Dean held his first annual karate seminar in November 2005 and we were graced with the presence of many great instructors. Here are my thoughts on the weekend.

- Character Development in Martial Arts
The Okinawan approach to character development is not the way it is currently spun in many karate circles.

- Not Just a Few Kata
My thoughts on the notion that the "old masters" only knew one or two kata

- Shorinkan Summer Camp 2005
Every year, Kyoshi Perry holds a "summer camp" which is more like a massive seminar that spans from mid-Thursday to mid-Sunday. Aptly dubbed "Little Okinawa", it is a gathering of high- level Shorin Ryu Shorinkan practitioners and high-level guest instructors who come to teach various concepts and techniques. It truly is wonderful to have that much skill in karate gathered together outside of Okinawa. This are my thoughts on the 2005 Summer Camp in North Carolina.

- A Few Days With Kyoshi Perry
My thoughts on the days I trained at Kyoshi Doug Perry's dojo during my second trip out there in North Carolina

- Random Thoughts on "Tradition"
As the title says, some random thoughts on what "tradition" means in karate

- The "Chambered" Fist
My thoughts on that "chambered fist" held by the side of the torso that you see in so many martial arts

- A Day With Shiroma Jiro
My thoughts and impressions of the seminar I was able to attend with Shiroma Jiro, an 8th dan in Shorin Ryu karate and a man who truly is oriented towards the strategy and tactics of self-defense

- Stances in Kumite
My response to the notion that one should not practice certain stances if they do not occur in sparring

- Learning Outside of Class
Just a brief exposition about the importance of training outside of class...not just for the extra time, but for the individual critical thought process.

- What is "Traditional" Karate?
My article relating how the term "traditional" in conjunction with martial arts almost never refers to the traditional way of doing karate, and what that means

Technorati:
personal combat self defense chibana chosin warrior kata bunkai karate Martial Arts martial-arts Self Defense fighting personal combat kata traditional karate Shorin Ryu Okinawan karate martial arts ippon kowashi boxer mentality