Thoughts, stories, and ideas from Sensei Steve Gottwirt

Thoughts, stories, and ideas from                  Sensei Steve Gottwirt
Some of these thoughts, stories, and personal history appeared in our newsletter, "Dō Gakuin News". Few members have been with us since our first issue in 1993. As such, ideas on this page may have been printed before, but are worth telling again.

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Kobudo Should Complement Your Karate

Over the past week or so, I had the chance to observe several different styles of kobudo (Okinawan weapons).  On Friday the 19th I had permission to watch a Ryukyu Bujutsu Kenkyu Doyukai (RBKD) Yamanni Ryu rank promotion exam.  The style is very fluid, with subtle details and intricate hand/footwork.  I paid particular attention to Shushi no Bo-sho, as we practice Shushi no Bo at our dojo, too.

A potential student from another style visited last week.  She got on the deck and we went through some basics to see how similar or different our movements are.  She demonstrated a bo kata for us: very dramatic with lots of baton twirls and over-exaggerated moves.  Very different from Yamanni Ryu and our way.

A day or two later a video circulated Facebook showing an Okinawan dojo performing bo kata.  I recognized it as yet another variation of Shushi no Bo, with movements more fluid than my dojo, but less intricacy and subtlety than Yamanni Ryu.

We had our monthly Black Belt class this past Monday.  Of course we studied the video, reviewed Yamanni Ryu, and our way of performing Shushi no Bo.  The question was asked: Which way is right?  In all styles you’re using a wooden bo, or if you will, taking a piece of tree and smashing your opponent.  All styles work, but the question remains which way is right?  All ways are right if they follow the way your empty-handed Karate moves:

Kobudo is often used to enhance your Karate practice.  A couple of members reached forward with their hands while doing an overhead strike.  This feels natural since you’re further away from your opponent than fighting empty-handed.  We looked at keeping the rear hand in chamber alongside the body instead of pushing forward.  The bo extends two feet beyond your front hand; let the bo cover the distance for you.  I tugged on the students’ bos with their hands forward and they were easily pulled off balance.  They felt more solid with much more control when I tugged and their rear hands were chambered on their hips. 

Members rotated the bo in front of their bodies.  This affected control, speed, and power, as the hands were not in any specific position.  Just like our folds, blocks, and strikes radiate from our hips, the bo should rotate close to the body, around your hips, using your body as a fulcrum.

We do short half-steps down the middle of Shushi no Bo.  It feels like an awkward move until you look at it.  Your opponent is just out of your strike’s reach.  If you stepped in all the way you would more than reach him, but catch him with the short arc of the swing.  The half-step allows your bo to hit at maximum arc with the end of the bo for a more devastating strike.

I’m not trying to ‘prove’ that any one way is superior; I’m simply showing that, if you use kobudo to enhance your Karate training, the same coordination, principles, and basics should apply to both practices.