A fun morning with my "First Class"..

[gmattson]

The morning session by the lake reminded me a little of SummerFest. Unfortunately, my two regular black belts were working and both Jon Ceiri and Tony had other commitments, so I ended up with a class of very energetic and talented beginners. (We missed both of you)

So I couldn't perform anything spectacular or very advanced and ended up working on an old "sensitivity" drill that the class enjoyed, leading up to my favorite subject... "Living with the flinch - - and learning to love it"!:)

I'm not trying to convince anyone of anything. I deal with people of all ages, sizes, abilities, strength and capabilities. Give me another six months with this group (twice a week - one hour a class) and an occasional special session like today, and I'll have them looking pretty capable.

Streaming video is about 13 minutes long..
http://uechi-ryu.com/videos/flinch.wmv

[JimHawkins]

I wonder how BJJ deals with the flinch..

Do they back up first and then shoot?

[MikeK]

George, excellent work, I like it! Very similar to what I've learned with some slight stylistic differences. The move at 12:57 is a long time favorite of mine and one I actually used to dislocate someones elbow with. It's one of two moves I see at the end of Kanshu. I don't know what a Shotokan technique is doing in Uechi, but what the hey.

BTW You might want to call the single step back something like "moving into base" or something. Sounds better if you know what I mean.

[Guest]

George, that looked like a fun session, i'm sorry I missed it.

Just think, if you knew Chinese Kung Fu, you could do a back flip and kick the guy pushing you in the jaw like Bruce did in Enter the Dragon!

[Stryke]

Thanks GEM , downloading now , looking forward to it !!!

wow that was cool !!

enjoying your clips , definately sideways movement !!!

Hey Mike , what shotokan did you see , Heian nidan ?

we have the technology !!!

[MikeK]

Shotokan all over the place Marcus. The variation on the second move from Heian Nidan is one, but @ 12:29 he also does a shuto uke like the ones at the close of Heian Shodan, and at 11:17 his guard is identical to a chudan kakiwake uke from heian yodan. I don't know if I can count the "X-block" he does at the end of the video. Ya know if he starts using the Mountain posture and stamping his foot we may have to call him George "Shoto" Mattson.

I regret not risking the wrath of my wife and stopping in to train with George last month. I really like his teaching style.

George, thank you very much for posting the video, but I hope you know we now want more!

[Stryke]

Beautifull Mike , I saw it all too .. you must of been a shotokan heretic before a Uechi one

do like the stuff Georges posting .

wish I`d got to know George the Master teacher vs George the Uechi forum policeman ... but maybe it`s not to late if I ever make it out that way

[MikeK]

Marcus, Something that strikes me is how two arts that look very different in practice, suddenly look very similar once you start using them in a more realistic fashion.

[Stryke]

Absolutely Mike , All Okinawan karate is cross polinated IMHO

It is as simple as a range thing

Take a Sotu uke Uchi uke

then take a wauke ....

totally different on the surface , but many of the application principles are identical .

And it really wouldnt be Uechi ....

the shuto uke and the sanchin draw ?

then you get into the similar kata , Gankaku has Uechi elements , and hangetsu gave me a good headstart on Seisan application .

And mate I beleive Gion has so much Uechiness it scares me ... just adds a couple of extra elements Ive also seen in other chinese crane forms ...

great stuff !!

it goes on and on ....

[Rick Wilson]

George:

Good drills and this time I get to say I have worked on similar things.

Taking it a step farther from the push, we have put people in the HIGH GEAR had them close their eyes and then you hit them in the face instead of a push and you keep going at them so they have no recovery time. Maintaining you centre and balance is a good thing to know how to do in these cases. And yeah you will be knocked backwards until you can overcome being struck and take control. However, it is just not as graceful when folk keep hitting you.

And I know these are just drills so the question I have may not be relevant or appropriate so take it for what it is worth.

Question:

After the first flinch you hands are so close to the aggressor’s head, and he is still moving forward, it seems to me to take the time to step all the way to the side and perform a full intercepting Wauke is just not as efficient as dropping your hands down slightly to meet the oncoming aggressor (ala Seisan Kata). In fact, if you speed the drill up, it seems to be the efficient response.

Or does the drill go there in the advanced form you didn’t have the folk to demo?

By the way love the “manly men” shots you take – lots of laughs -- hope we can all share a good laugh.

[CANDANeh]

Hey GEM, in the early 90`s you taught this to us in Halifax minus the reference to "flinch" as it was likely an unknown then. Do you recall that you mentioned "rolling back like a gyro" ? I have worked it consistantly since that session and rarely a week passes that I don`t teach some aspects of it in class although I`m sure you would notice it mutated some...sorry but I`m sure you would understand...
On a few occassions I have been shoved unexpectedly outside dojo setting ( very low level attack and in horsing around) and I maintained balance as well as ability to react "manly" if the situation(s) were required.
Something I found that is advantagous is that the one shoving losses balance enough (leans forward as expecting more resistance from a 195 lb MAN) to take advantage of a very effective pull down using a grab to upper torso area esp. the hair.

By the way love the “manly men” shots you take – lots of laughs -- hope we can all share a good laugh.

I am Rick, after years of MA all of us should be secure enough to find the humor in that. Funny thing is...in my youger years seeking my "manhood" is what got me in most trouble

[gmattson]

I was pleasantly surprised by the positive reaction to my class. Although my "manly" statement was said in jest, I've been told by "shrinks" that there is lots of truth to the reaction certain "people" have to the concept of "retreating".

But I better not go there . . .

As I didn't have any advanced students, I couldn't take the drill to other levels, but you should get a feeling for where it can go by where we start.

[MikeK]

the shuto uke and the sanchin draw ?

Good eyes Marcus, I missed that connection but now that you pointed it out, it's so darn obvious. Very cool.

One good thing is we now know to be careful when George tries the "look for fire-ants" trick.

[Guest]

that there is lots of truth to the reaction certain "people" have to the concept of "retreating".

I don't have a problem with moving my body into a strategic position, my military training dictates that is the smart thing to do (flanking, ambushing, luring into a valley and blowing a dam, those are all military strategies that can be translated to hand to hand). But RETREATING?? no... no... no.. your shrink is correct, that would have a negative impact on some folks. That would be a life altering event for me, even more so than standing my ground and fighting for everything I believe in and still being defeated.

However, I don't see you teaching the "retreat" here George..

[Stryke]

I don't see you teaching the "retreat" here George..

It`s not a retreat Tony it`s a flinch ... and he only teaches 1 step back becuase retreatings bad !!!