Month: December 2010

Endorsement By Shihan Kousaku Yokota, 8th Dan Shotokan Karate

Posted on by admin

Download, Inside Bassai DaiShihan Kousaku Yokota is an 8th Dan at Shotokan Karate with a special interest in uncovering myths and getting to the truth (hence releasing his own book, Shotokan Myths on the subject).

I am therefore very honoured to have received the following endorsement by from him on his Facebook page, about my DVD, Inside Bassai Dai.

“Over the holidays I had a very pleasant experience watching one Shotokan bunkai DVD. It is called Inside Bassai Dai created by Sensei Charlie Wildish, UK. I found the bunkai in it to be realistic and easy to learn. He demonstrates how some of the techniques are applied. I was particularly pleased to see the application for double uchi uke (inside forearm blocks). He interprets them as a uke followed by a uraken”.

Continue reading “Endorsement By Shihan Kousaku Yokota, 8th Dan Shotokan Karate” »

How To Put The “Whip” Into A Linear Punch (Part 1)

Posted on by admin

Getting a “whip” effect into your punches and technique can greatly enhance the power of your punches and other strikes.

The Karate masters of old often taught that we should use our body like a “whip”, but this is not always easy to do, especially if you practice a predominantly linear style.  In practically all sports, power is generated from the hips, transferred to the shoulders, then to the arms/hands.  However, people often struggle to do this in linear styles.  I believe that this is because we are often taught that everything finishes together, whereas in most other activities they are taught to move in sequence.  I believe that this is partly brought about by the fact that we focus (kime) into one spot, whereas in most other disciplines (including other sports) they move through their target.  When a golfer hits the ball, he does not stop there, he moves right through it (as does anybody using any kind of racket or bat to hit something).  When somebody throws a ball, they do not stop at the instance of release, they move through that point. Continue reading “How To Put The “Whip” Into A Linear Punch (Part 1)” »

Tae Kwon Do: Alternative Applications For Blocks

Posted on by admin

Most of our video applications on this blog are primarily from a Karate and Kung Fu perspective (as they are the styles that Keith and I do).  However, we thought we would do something a bit more geared to Tae Kwon Do as we did not want TKD practitioners to feel left out 🙂

But first a little background.  The applications to many Karate moves were “dumbed down” when Karate went public.  Firstly Karate was introduced into Okinawan schools to help physically prepare students for national service (and you don’t want school kids damaging each other).  Then when Karate went from Okinawa to Japan at a time when Japan was modernising very fast, traditional martial arts were seen as obsolete, except as a method for physical and character training (more dumbing down).  Then during the American occupation of Japan after WWII, martial arts were banned; so to be allowed to practice the Japanese had to claim it was more for self development and sport than for self defence and then had to practice accordingly (even more dumbing down).

Tae Kwon Do’s General Choi would no doubt have learnt this dumbed down version Continue reading “Tae Kwon Do: Alternative Applications For Blocks” »

Shihan Kousaku Yokota’s New Book – “Shotokan Myths” (Part 2)

Posted on by admin

Recently I wrote about Shihan Kousaku Yokota’s new book, Shotokan Myths.  Well now it is available for purchase (details below).  I have had some private correspondence with Shihan Yokota and there was one thing in particular that he said that I consider very important and I wanted to share with everybody. With so many “reality based” martial arts and the rise of mixed martial arts, many people have questioned the effectiveness and validity of the traditional martial arts.  Many Japanese masters have been secretive or aloof and have not bothered to explain the finer points, keeping Westerns on a rather superficial level.  I’ve seen some Japanese masters teach up in Scotland, UK, where they actually pretend that they can’t speak English properly when you know full well that they can (from people who have actually visited the masters own dojo). Continue reading “Shihan Kousaku Yokota’s New Book – “Shotokan Myths” (Part 2)” »

Bunkai For Shuto Uke (Knife Hand Block)

Posted on by admin

This video was supplied by Chuck Philips of International Martial Arts Management Systems.  In the video is Sensei John Kerker performing an interesting application for Shuto Uke (knife hand block).  I haven’t seen this particular application before, but I like it.  It is slightly Wing Chun like, deflecting, sticking, trapping and countering.  But as Karate was largely derived from Kung Fu, then this should not surprise us.

You can find out more about Chuck Philips at www.IMAMS.com and I would like to thank him for submitting this video. Continue reading “Bunkai For Shuto Uke (Knife Hand Block)” »