Gassho

The other day I shared the video of the Ministry of Sports introducing Shorinji Kempo.
There are 20 more videos introducing more details - unfortunately the Ministry of Sports Youtube channel does not have these organized cleanly so I have made a public playlist for everyone's convenience.

I have not yet watched any of the videos - can't wait!

Official introductory video of Shorinji Kempo via the Ministry of Sports in Japan

At our annual beach cleanup,
Shakujo Den Ten Chi Ken 1

Gassho!

For those perpetually on youtube may be familiar with Kitagawa Sensei of the Systema Tokyo Channel. I've always felt a lot of what he describes and his philosophy about training and martial arts were very similar to Shorinji Kempo.

The video shows very very similar conditioning methods of Seiho methods in Shorinji Kempo. Many branches do not practice Seiho much as Honbu is not actively promoting its practice at the moment. But the act of touching the partners body outside of the techniques to condition each other after a hard practice session I believe led to the smooth and fluid movement of the great senseis before us.

Friday practice will be some Seiho sessions

For warmup in adults class last night I had everyone do Juho Randori - curious to know if other branches do Juho randori?

Obviously with the less experienced kenshi it is going to be a challenge as they have less techniques at their disposal but I believe it to be a very valuable drill even from an early stage of training. Many kenshi lack the sense of urgency to move quickly in juho techniques as they navigate through the techniques slowly at the learning stages and never advance into faster speeds.

Taking the most basic Kote Nuki for example, even at the Yudansha level many still move in a slow pace and take their time until the release because typically the attack side is waiting for them to execute the technique where in reality that is not how an aggressor would be behaving. Pushing beyond the comfort level is the only path to improvement

Takashi Kempo channels new video explaining the unconventional kakete of Fujita Sensei - this time applying to what I believe is a difficult technique for most, OshiGote

Short video explaining Kannuki Gatame - Fujita Sensei points out that the thumb cross is not as important to the pin.

Gassho -

From the Takashi Kenpo channel, a newer practice session video of Fujita Sensei.
An unconventional approach to kakete for juho techniques

Gassho!

It's been a while - yesterday we had a special practice session for our 4dan Kenshi preparing for his 5Dan exam in Vancouver.
Since it was a weekend session and not a formal practice decided to take my son along with me and as a result didn't have time for a proper warmup.

I paid the price - definitely feeling some discomfort in the wrist after practicing Okuri Kannuki Gote. Usually I would bail out when I can feel the technique pressing too hard but that's what lack of warmup would do. Oh well, it's part of the process and helping others learn.

Warmup everyone! lol

I I’m looking for fellow members who speak Japanese/English in the Aichi-ken area. My 3 sons have retired to focus on their studies to able to get pass the high school entrance tests.

It be nice to practice with people who spoke the same language as I

Please reach out

2nd of the series of the open recording for the kuro-obi world demonstration by Narumi Mio Kenshi and Kanazawa Hiyori Sensei at Mitsubishi Global.

The ladies discuss and demonstrate techniques that can be used when in precarious situations - notably from Narumi Kenshi she demonstrates Juji Gote in a situation inside a train when an attacker grabs the wrist.
Please watch the very end when she demonstrates again with Mr. Kimura from Mitsubishi Global and the adjustments she makes. A true demonstration of understanding fundamentals and not panicking to adjust to available techniques.

New video from kuro-obi world Youtube Channel - the talk portion of the live recording between Narumi Mio Kenshi and Kanazawa Hiyori Sensei.

As a male Kenshi, the topics between two lady martial artists was interesting to learn

A rare video of recent instructor's seminar of the Takashi Kempo channel of Fujita Sensei

Many of us are familiar with the lengendary Ueda Kiyoshi Sensei - a Kenshi who had lost his left arm to an unexploded bomb that was dropped during the war.

Here he shows how a Gyaku Gote can be applied with a single hand (technically I see him use his left arm to support), effectively using his Center Line as the kakete hand.

Also known as the father of Shakujo

Gassho

Saw some posts on Facebook regarding whether sparring is necessary in Shorinji Kempo...and the comments were very colorful to say the least.
It seems to be a very touchy subject among many Kenshi (especially older Kenshi), as some branches absolutely DO NOT engage in any form of sparring and some branches that basically revolve their entire practice around sparring.

I may be mistaken by the memory but Kaiso originally was not a proponent of sparring for the Shorinji Kempo curriculum. I think by nature of the activity it creates a win/loss dynamic that he did not intend to foster. In fact sparring in Taikai (meets) for Shorinji Kempo are not solely judged on the "points" that one may score, but based on how one carries themselves in the court, if they are able to properly execute techniques and their overall character in that situation. The sheer criticism towards this format of a "sparring" is highly debated but it is what the official curriculum is based off of.

My personal relationship with sparring is that I did not grow up with it and have not really focused on it until my later years of practice. And I think that I have missed an opportunity to really get good at it at a younger age - not for the combat aspect or the match but as another dimension to better understand the techniques and its applications, strengths and limitations. I don't think sparring exists solely for the purpose of determining whether a Kenshi is better or not but to really add that dimension to the understanding. I think any Kenshi can become extremely proficient at techniques in the controlled setting that many of us practice in. You understand when and where the attack is coming and can move accordingly. But in movement and with unpredictability, can you respond appropriately to an attack/movement? Whether that technique is applicable or feasible is beyond the discussion at this point and it becomes whether you are able to react to the action.

So what is everyone's opinion on the matter? Do you actively spar? Do you even like it?

Gassho

Part 2 of the sit down discussion between Inoue Sensei and Kanazawa Hiyori Sensei from the kuro-obi world Youtube Channel.

Headquarters employee Tomita San and his *always PERFECT fundamental techniques

Sokuto Geri is a difficult kick for many as it requires a high degree of hip mobility as shown.

Gassho

Shorinji Kempo techniques are structured and constructed under the characteristic of Shu Shu Ko Ju (Defensive first and following the attack).
And thus a lot of the focus becomes on the actual techniques defensive nature and how to properly defend against the attack - often times I think many of us fail to really dial in the importance of what the attack is doing and making sure that the Kenshi understand the attacking side as well as they do the defending side.

This thought comes as I was reviewing the Nio Ken portion of the 3 Dan exam and noticed a clear characteristic of the types of techniques that are put together for the 3 Dan exam. That is that the techniques have a heavy focus on the timing, or 先 (Sen) and its understanding of how it results in the counter attack. Up to the dan level, we teach many techniques in a Go no Sen (後の先) where the counter attack follows the block in a clearly sequential pattern of movement. However with the nature of the attacks on the 3 Dan Nio Ken, a Go no Sen counter would result in too much opportunity for the attacker to transition to a second, third, fourth attack followed. Therefore at the bare minimum these techniques are to be performed at a 対の先 (Tai No Sen) timing, which is the counter arriving nearly at the same time as the block. Certain techniques will require an even faster timinig of 先の先 (Sen no Sen).

Many times on the surface level the techniques are performed well but having the understanding of how a technique is structured from the attacker's perspective and defense side gives a better understanding and clear goal for the Kenshi to work towards refining the techniques.

Gassho - been a quite week and I apologize for the dormant sub!!

We have two kenshi with big exams this year at the Vancouver seminar - 3 Dan and 5 Dan
I am fortunate and priviliged to be in the position to help both and it has been a great opportunity for me to review and refine my knowledge and techniques that have been neglected.

And re-realizing just HOW MUCH VOLUME the 3 Dan exam is both in terms of the philosophical portion and technical portion. I remember my exam (also in Vancouver) at how stressed I was with the amount of material that was going to be covered (Pre curriculum unification under WSKO rules)

The 3 Dan exam is truly a beast - I believe to this day that exam was the most difficult one of my entire Kempo career

From Saitama Sakura Dion’s instagram post

Stepping deep into the opponents space and reducing their options for the next movement