Shohei/Uechi - What are the Fundamental Differences?

Steele · Post by **Steele** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 3:03 pm

I have been lurking for sometime now looking for an answer to a question.

Unable to find the answer I guess I will post it and hope for the best.

I am a martial arts practicioner have been for quite awhile. I started in Uechi - Ryu in the early 90's. I kind of lost interest after 3 or so years and took a break, studied Kung-Fu for a couple of years. About 8 months ago I decided that Karate was something I truly missed. I found Kung-Fu, specifically Northern Praying Mantis impractical. Mind you this is coming from someone with very little time spent studing NPM Kung-Fu.
I found myself looking back and realizing that what Uechi-Ryu has to offer is what I was looking for. So I did some searching on-line and looked at a few different schools, and settled on a Shohei Ryu school that was convienient for me and my family.
Started back about 7 months ago, with the thought that Shohei and Uechi are the same thing. How much different can they be?
Granted I am now about 15 yrs removed from my last Uechi class. What I am finding is that Shohei is in fact different from Uechi.
Can someone with more knowledge on this subject try to explain why they are different. Or why they are the same. I realize these changes had something to do with Kanei's passing some years ago.
If this subject has already been discussed please forgive me, I could not find it anywhere.
Thank you in advance.

f.Channell · Post by **f.Channell** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:08 pm

They both train the 8 kata. Shohei has their own Kumite and it seems the Bunkai are evolving also.
What you may be experiencing is just a school to school difference.

F.

chef · Post by **chef** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 6:28 pm

Doesn't Dana Sheets, who over sees the Women's Forum, practice the Shohei form of Uechi? She would be the one to ask that question and can elaborate very thoroughly on that subject.

Regards,
Vicki

Bill Glasheen · Post by **Bill Glasheen** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:09 am

f.Channell wrote:
What you may be experiencing is just a school to school difference.

That would be my take as well. To use the language of a statistician, there's more variability within styles than between styles.

The biggest difference is strictly political. When Uechi Kanei passed away, groups of teachers went their unique ways.

If they practice the 8 kata, then the differences are largely due to the teacher in question.

Don't get too worked up over it. IMNSHO, nobody is practicing exactly what Kanbun taught, nor should they. Training methods evolve. Interpretations of concepts evolve. Cultural influences happen. As long as you are seeking what Kanbun sought, then you're on the right track.

Bill

f.Channell · Post by **f.Channell** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 12:22 am

Yes I have a few Shohei rank cert's on my wall also Vicki!
Or Okikukai I think they were at the time.
As Shinjo told us in 2003 at UConn, "it's just important that we sweat and train together."
I think there's 24 different associations now. Far from Uechi-Shohei.

F.

Seth Rosenblatt · Post by **Seth Rosenblatt** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:04 am

i could be wrong, but i believe the name change to shohei came about as the result of a legal challenge to right to use the uechi name.

that situation, as far as i'm aware, has resolved itself. most groups associated with what was shohei now refer to themselves as uechi practitioners, under the okikukai umbrella.

a higher emphasis is placed on yakusoku kumite over dan kumite in okikukai but the degree of which seems to vary from school to school. other than that, i got nuthin'.