Born October 13th, 1941 and growing up in a post-World-War-II Okinawa, Kina Toshimitsu felt the need to get stronger as he became an early teen. His father told him to study karate and recommended a dojo in Nago. Nago was considered remote in the northern part of the island compared to the populous Naha, but there was a famous school operated by a gentleman named Nakamura Shigeru. Nakamura Sensei was renowned for his technique and striking power and it seemed like a perfect place for Kina to develop his abilities.

As time passed Kina Sensei developed a reputation as a talented fighter. He distinguished himself by winning kumite and kata divisions in the 1960 All Okinawa Open Karate Tournament¹ and placing well in a variety of other competitions. His reputation for kumite drew respect from competitors and dojo-mates alike.

Kina Sensei was a contemporary of other notable Okinawa Kenpo practitioners such as Odo Seikichi, Oyata Seiyu, and Nakamura Taketo.

According to Kiyan Toru, Kina Sensei often ran his classes much like that of Nakamura Sensei himself. There was a focus on individual training, ranging from makiwara to hojo undo to kata. Kumite was held utilizing the protective bogu gear of which Nakamura Sensei was an early adopter. Nakamura Sensei also taught kobudo, which Kina Sensei absorbed while seeking additional correction from Chibana Kenko Sensei². He learned bo, nunchaku, tonfa, and sai, but became very proficient with the sai. He also developed an affinity for the karate kata Kusanku.

Kina Sensei continued to teach throughout the decades, drawing no excess attention to himself and attending many events in a gentlemanly manner. He had an unassuming dojo in Shuri built out of a small community building.

Kina retained a loyal and diligent group of students but also hosted visitors from abroad. I had the good fortune to visit in 2023 to train with sensei.

Visiting Kina Sensei’s Dojo

Walking up and down the hilly streets of Shuri, I almost missed it when I turned the corner. Nestled into a tight pack of larger buildings lay the small community building that acted as the dojo. Before starting class, I took a few minutes to glance around the room and enjoyed the pictures and other paraphernalia that adorned the walls. I noticed the old hojo undo resting outside the quaint building and the ragged heavy bag resting in place after years of use. We began by offering Kina Sensei a small omiyagi (gift) and he in return presented us with old fans that he had found…somewhere. It was a lovely gesture that Josh Simmers told me was a common practice for sensei, like a grandfather picking things up that he thought “the kids” might like.

Kina Sensei began class by inquiring about my training background and asking for a few demonstrations of fitness and technique. Then we got into the kata practice for the day with sensei watching from the corner. Occasionally we would take a moment to ask questions or listened to offered advice, but then we would move on to the next form. At the end of the night we gathered around for snacks and sensei shared stories about old teachers, Okinawa Kenpo, and life on the island.

Although only brief, Kina Sensei granted me a window into the Okinawan spirit of training which I will always be grateful. His students will carry on his efforts and we wish them only the best as they continue to share Kina Sensei’s art.

Sources and Special Thanks

• Special thanks to Josh Simmers, Jason Perry, and Kiyan Toru for information and resources
• 1: https://okkpotomacshores.com/
• 2: https://www.ikigaiway.com/kiyan-toru/

The post In Memoriam: Kina Toshimitsu, Okinawa Kenpo (1941-2024) appeared first on Ikigai Way.

Young Kiyoko-san. Image courtesy of Akemi Nix.

Kiyoko’s Lasting Impact on Okinawan Culture in the West

Born and raised on Okinawa, Kiyoko Chinen met military man Robert Teller during his Vietnam-era tour of duty. After a courtship on the island, Kiyoko agreed to travel back to the United States with Robert and they were married shortly after. She knew little English and had no existing relatives in Pennsylvania but was a brave spirit and flourished in her new setting, starting a family and establishing roots in the community.

Despite the distance, Kiyoko retained a love and connection to her home island. She returned often, sometimes for extended periods, with her husband and children. While on Okinawa she continued her diligent study of odori which made her a very rare cultural asset and valued event demonstrator. She exposed her children to a variety of wonderful instructors and artists as well, generating a love for Okinawa in them as well.

Kiyoko-san’s personality and power came through not just in her art, but her everyday way of living. She had no difficulty making her presence felt (even senior sensei Oyata Seiyu couldn’t help but get swept up in her enthusiasm):

Seeing Kiyoko’s demonstrations in naginata, kobudo, and dance were often the first time many westerners got a taste of old Okinawan culture. It stood in stark contrast with much of what had been taught in the early days of martial arts in the United States. Kiyoko also helped facilitate many visits of Okinawan masters to the United States, operating as a cultural bridge, translator, and introduction maker.

Goshin no Mai

I first met Kiyoko-san in 2015 when she was leading a seminar on “Goshin no Mai”, an Okinawan dance with deep roots in karate. For generations odori had contained key elements of old style “ti” and was a reliable way to preserve these techniques by hiding them in plain sight. The subtleties of the dance (footwork, body movement, rhythm and timing) all played key roles in the proper expression of the art. While fundamentals like rhythm and timing could be easily removed or compromised as karate worked its way into mainstream schools, competition, or military usage, they remained carefully preserved in the dance, often by the women of the village.

Kiyoko-san knew of this tradition and worked diligently to preserve forms from across the island.

Goshin no Mai was difficult to execute. On the surface it seemed like a serene walk around the dojo floor, but once diving into the control and balance of the footwork it became obvious why this dance (and others like it) required such diligence to master.

After the seminar Kiyoko-san was kind enough to chat with us in class. She had a way of being funny, blunt, and kind at the same time. That genuine nature made her easy to like.

Kiyoko-san in Okinawa

In 2016 Robert and Kiyoko Teller were kind enough to invite me along with them as they traveled to Okinawa. Having never been to the island, it was an honor for me to accept the invitation.

That Okinawa trip was memorable in many ways, but seeing Kiyoko back in the place of her birth, surrounded by her vibrant and loving family, was a wonderful experience.

The “Okinawan Spirit”, which we talk about frequently in karate circles, was apparent the moment we arrived. Kiyoko-san’s sisters, Akemi and Rumi, met us at the airport. When first seeing each other, the sisters laughed, hugged, and danced. They quickly whisked us away to settle in for the evening. The next day we attended the Shimabukuro Gyoza Dance Institute New Year’s Party where dancing and karate demonstrations commenced.

Kiyoko-san and Akemi-san with the New Years participants and demonstrators.

Kiyoko-san’s sister Akemi had adopted a love for martial arts and dance as well, and the two frequently conversed about such matters. Nieces, nephews, siblings, extended family, and old friends flowed in and out to visit Bob and Kiyoko. They shared joyful stories over plentiful meals and caught up on new happenings. It was clear that while Kiyoko may have lived far away, she was never far from the family’s hearts or minds.

A Life of Diverse Endeavors

Kiyoko-san’s creative energy extended into other pursuits beyond martial arts. She took great joy in cooking a wide variety of traditional and modern dishes and was also an avid painter, selling her work at local markets and craft stores.

Achieving high levels of excellence in so many artistic pursuits is a rare quality, but Kiyoko-san treated it as part of everyday life. In-so-doing, she truly expressed the Okinawan way. A love of life, community, family, and personal expression.

Her loss will be felt deeply by many, which speaks highly of her time with us.

The post In Memoriam: Kiyoko (Miko) Teller, A Treasure of Okinawan Culture and Spirit appeared first on Ikigai Way.

As often happens with my work, this is a somewhat meandering investigation of a slippery concept. I’ve frequently wrestled with the conflicting notions of preserving kata exactly as they are handed down, and exploring them deeply which inherently involves pulling, poking, prodding, and otherwise mucking about with the form.

Here is a little snippet of the article, and I hope it encourages you to pick up a copy of the magazine!

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How to Evolve with Your Kata

What’s your elevator pitch describing the value of kata?

Here’s an attempt:

Kata is a solitary physical practice that stretches the muscles, promotes healthful breathing, develops balance, and organizes the body. It is an activity that creates mental focus, triggers stress reduction, and exercises martial intent in a safe environment while inviting cultural awareness and a deeper contemplation of the self.

Even with that broad swing we fall a bit short. Is it possible to encapsulate a cultural heirloom that has literally saved lives over generations? These forms are treated with reverence and care and are often guarded like treasures. That’s why it can be so difficult to ask: should kata ever change?

Most martial artists debate this internally as they repeat their forms over and over, year after year. They have ideas or difficulties that tempt them to tweak their execution, but are pulled back by tradition.

For anyone who’s found themselves in this predicament (and I certainly hope you have), consider the following a little food for thought.

The post Bugeisha Article – How to Evolve with Your Kata appeared first on Ikigai Way.

Recently a channel called “MBOVO Sumo” began broadcasting matches on Twitch.tv. Twitch is popular as a video game streaming service but they are branching out into other creatives industries as well. I stumbled across the sumo channel and now I’m hooked.

Check out this little video if you’ve always been curious about sumo but never had the opportunity to really dig into it or understand it.

The post I Just Started Watching Sumo and Here’s What I’ve Learned appeared first on Ikigai Way.

When Cobra Kai first came out I was nervous. Like most people I’m sentimental about certain shows, movies, and books. I didn’t want to see the wonderful Karate Kid characters created by Robert Kamen treated poorly. We all recently watched Luke Skywalker get tied up to the back of a Chevy and drug across the landscape of three sequel movies, so I didn’t want Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence to suffer the same fate.

To my great relief, the Youtube-turned-Netflix show is an interesting exploration of character. Cobra Kai didn’t take long to find its footing and managed to introduce almost a dozen characters that were unique and engaging.

That all being said, I thought it would be fun to recap some of my biggest questions and takeaways after having watched the show. Be warned – this is spoiler heavy. If you aren’t done with the show, consider binging it and then coming back.

I’ve broken the article up into two major sections:

1. Show Thoughts – my reflections on the crafting of the story
2. Karate Thoughts – my questions and takeaways on how karate is represented throughout the show

One caveat before you continue – this is just a TV show, and a fun one at that. It doesn’t necessarily need as much analysis as I’ve done in this article. Please disregard the whole thing at your convenience.

Show Thoughts – Reflections on the Storytelling and Structure of Cobra Kai

Johnny’s Struggle was a Joy to Watch

80’s bad guys are generally pretty one dimensional. In the original movies, Johnny was a blast but his character arc was pretty straightforward. A rich kid who joined a karate school, had some toadies hanging around him, and made life hell for the new kid. In the Cobra Kai show though, William Zabka breathes an incredible amount of life into the character, allowing us to view him then-and-now in a totally different light.

The most interesting quality of Johnny is his persistent conflicts. He seems to be at odds with himself at all times as he clings to what made him special in high school while realizing those same qualities have led him to ruin. This conflict is played out in many subtle ways every time he is on camera. For example:

• Johnny is cold and removed to protect himself from reality, but still decides to step in when he sees a young boy in trouble.
• Johnny is a deadbeat dad but feels compelled to accept Miguel into his life.
• He is a drunk loser but persistently tries in vain to pull himself out by getting odd jobs.
• He’s racist and xenophobic but in a way that reflects ignorance and self loathing more than true hatred.
• He wants to help the young people who come to him but only has access to the lessons of his own instructor, inadvertently steering his students in the wrong direction.

Zabka plays these elements off of each other expertly leaving the audience both rooting for him and against him, hoping he makes the right decision. Just as notably Zabka guides his performance between strikingly emotional and legitimately funny moments which draws the viewer in even more.

The Kreese Backstory Made a Surprising Amount of Sense

I think we all just accept Kreese as a vintage bad guy that is rotten to the core. He is fun and hateable. But much like with Johnny, Cobra Kai manages to give him more nuance and depth than I anticipated.

It was well established in the movies that Kreese was a Vietnam vet who carried a lot of emotional baggage around with him. In Karate Kid III we learn that he saved fellow veteran Terry Silver on multiple occasions, resulting in a perceived debt that Silver shows up to honor.

John Kreese fighting for his life as a POW. He took Silver’s place as a combatant.

Kreese’s backstory is brushed over briefly in the movies but in Cobra Kai we actually meet Kreese’s mentor, an elite captain who has experience in Korean Tang Soo Do. The captain also happens to have very black-and-white beliefs regarding friends, enemies, life, and death. it’s from this source that Kreese not only gains his martial ability but also his ‘no mercy” mindset.

In the end Kreese is forced to drop his would-be mentor into a big pile of snakes, which is likely where he sourced the name of his dojo. Thanks to these small flashbacks we see where Kreese’s sociopathy comes from and are even able to sympathize with his struggle.

That’s a lot to pack in while so many other characters in the show are running around having dramas!

Did You Notice the Lord of the Flies Theme?

If you came to Cobra Kai for the kung fu fighting or the heartthrob teens, this portion of my article is not going to interest you.

Robby Keene is seeing reading Lord of the Flies during his incarceration.

During his stint in Juvie (which seemed to go by really fast, see the time vortex section below) Robbie Keene can be seen reading Lord of the Flies by William Golding. This was a clever little moment put in by the writers and/or director and has more bearing on the show than you might suspect.

In Lord of the Flies an airplane full of pre-teen children crash land on a deserted island, stranding them without any adult supervision. The children, wholly unequipped to deal with the situation, soon find themselves without guidance or leadership. As a result, each child’s tendencies and character slowly surface as they all jocky to find solutions to their immediate problems and establish some form of social architecture amongst themselves.

One character, Ralph, seems to show leadership qualities and begins organizing the survivors. The children elect him as leader, but a second faction emerges as the more rough-and-tumble Jack forms a separate group of hunters. Gradually we see characters fill in the gaps and exude a variety of character traits – intelligence, cowardess, bloodlust, and so on.

The true crux of the book is the examination of how factional group-think develops and how quickly decency can devolve when bad leadership is in place. Ralph, the defacto leader, routinely displays doubt about his own competence and vacillates between decisiveness and passivity. Jack, who serves as Ralph’s main antagonist, constantly raises paranoia and alarmism on the island while undermining Ralph. Meanwhile Simon, the most sensitive and nurturing of the group, retreats further and further from others on the island. Roger, the most chaotic of the group, becomes more emboldened while serving under Jack’s faction, eventually eclipsing the violent tendencies of his own leader. The end result is a spiraling upward of anxiety, fear, and aggression leading to the torture and death of multiple children.

Cobra Kai puts those themes to immediate use in the juvenile detention center where Robbie finds himself trapped. Keene feels alone and abandoned, unwilling to believe either LaRusso or Lawrence have his best interests at heart. Keene also has to navigate a faction of bullies that are seemingly deadset on his misery.

From a larger perspective though, Cobra Kai displays Lord of the Flies themes throughout the entirety of the show. Cobra Kai tells its story utilizing two layers – the original characters (Kreese, LaRusso, Lawrence) and the new characters (Diaz, Keene, etc.).

The Original Characters:

• Daniel LaRusso – LaRusso finds himself thrust back into the karate world, sensing a need for his leadership. Much like Ralph in Lord of the Flies, LaRusso’s intentions are good but his abilities as a leader are lacking, often leaving him unsure and indecisive.
• Johnny Lawrence – Johnny displays strong, decisive traits, but his aggression and anger often leads those under his care to danger and ruin.
• John Kreese – Kreese, who acts as if he is under the leadership of Johnny, slowly undermines him and introduces more severe, more aggressive, and more chaotic elements than Johnny ever wanted. This behavior mirrors Roger in Lord of the Flies.

The New Characters –

• Sam LaRusso – Much like her father, Sam finds herself as a sort of de-facto leader of the Miyagi-Do dojo. She’s the most experienced karate practitioner and the other students look up to her. Unfortunately, she finds herself having to make difficult decisions and struggles with the consequences. She is a Ralph character.
• Miguel Diaz – While soft and thoughtful at the beginning of the show, Miguel is quickly conditioned into the mindset of his instructor Johnny. Miguel exhibits the aggression of his sensei and becomes a leader in his own right of the Cobra Kai dojo. Unfortunately the “No Mercy” mindset leads to injury and foul play at the All Valley Tournament. Miguel is a Jack character.
• Hawk – Technically beneath Miguel in hierarchy, Hawk often agitates situations. As Miguel begins to pull back from Johnny’s more aggressive lessons, Hawk dives deeper into them. Eventually Hawk betrays his old sensei (Johnny) in favor of the extremist Kreese. Hawk is a Roger character.

If you’re a fan of this kind of literary connection, I would encourage you to play along and place Tory, Robbie, Demetri, and the others wherever you think they might fit. There’s room for interpretation here, even in the connections I made above.

Cobra Kai Seems to Exist in a Time Vortex

There’s a widely accepted assumption that the modern attention span lasts about a nanosecond before we flitter away to the next thing. Certainly there are some compelling examples of this (Facebook, Instagram, what-have-you). Unfortunately content creators often ignore the flipside: our desire for longterm engaging experiences is still running strong.

Consider the following:

• Quibi recently shut down after about 6 months of operating time. The main assumption Quibi made was that people wanted 5-6 minute TV shows that would fit their modern attention span. Turns out, not so much.
• The Joe Rogan Experience is one of the most popular podcasts in the world and is still growing fast. The run time for the podcast is usually 2-3 hours of slow, casual conversation.
• Two of the largest grossing franchises in recent history were Lord of the Rings and Avengers. Avengers Endgame had a runtime of 3 hours.
• Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, The Witcher, The Crown. One hour run times and are often binged for 3-4 hours in a row.
• You are reading this massive article about Cobra Kai (thanks btw!)

You get the idea. I won’t deny that we have a societal issue with multiple screens and addiction to dopamine reward mechanisms like Facebook, but the desire for engaging long form content is still extremely high. The modern audience is patient when you tell a good story.

Cobra Kai rushes some things. Miguel goes from a hapless nerd to beating up 4-5 older bullies in the course of 5 episodes. He doesn’t just survive, he turns into John Wick and is beating their asses. Don’t confuse this for what happened with Daniel in the movies. In Karate Kid I Daniel never beats up the whole Cobra Kai dojo. Mr. Miyagi buys them some time and then manages to teach Daniel just enough to eek out a win at the All Valley Tournament (some might say illegally). Daniel never goes John Wick, and certainly not after the first 1-2 months of training.

This impatience also manifests itself in weird ways with the action on the show. These kids are beating the snot out of each other on a weekly basis and yet their wounds heal almost instantly. Even Miguel after his disastrous spinal injury seemed to go from “might never walk” to “karate fighting” in a scant few months. I believe the show made an assumption that the audience needed to see big fights almost every episode and that we would get bored and impatient if it didn’t happen. This resulted in a lot of logical and realistic leaps in order to hypothetically satisfy a meandering audience.

Snowflakes and MAGA’s – Too on the Nose with the Satire

The journey of Johnny reintegrating into society was a really nice narrative tool. Because of his emotional trauma and drunken haze throughout his 20’s and 30’s, Johnny is just now reemerging into society almost as if from a time machine. He struggles with modern times because he is so out of touch. He bounces humorously off of things like vegan food and asthma. On one hand, we laugh at Johnny for not understanding how far we’ve come in understanding technology, medicine, and societal acceptance. On the other hand we laugh with Johnny as he observes oddball modern trends set in front of a superficial L.A. backdrop.

That’s the good part. Unfortunately, Cobra Kai loses control of that tight storytelling in a lot of other ways as we see a smattering of callous, cartoonish representations of cultural extremes.

Throughout the show our main characters are constantly barraged with soft, ineffective Los Angeles snowflakes (to quote Kreese) who can’t seem to do their jobs. Teachers are obsessed with safe spaces, micro-aggressions, and other zeitgeisty buzz words that are stale. The teachers also cower at the first sign of trouble and have no ability to lead or control their student populace. Police are lethargic and incompetent, citing impotent protocols while desperately hoping the problem goes away on its own.

The local government council session in season 3 manages to pack multiple embarrassing moments into a few precious minutes. The council board, which seems to be a commentary on diversity in its own right, is led by a woman who is incredibly easy to sway and manipulate. Kreese ingratiates himself by insisting she be referred to as “councilperson”, because…you know…gender pro/nouns. In the same scene we see a gritty old man complaining that “there is an ordinance to change the name of manholes to maintenance covers. Do you know what we called manhole covers back in my day? Manholes!” lol lol lol. Gender pro/nouns, so topical so funny.

Ugg we get. Thanks for the bash over the head.

Back in my day we called Mr. Miyagi “Mr. Moto” and made slanty eyes at him. Good times.

This feels like the showing is playing to its most basic audience members. The kind of people who spend most of their time sharing political memes on Facebook and yelling about the youth. Why do that? The show already has a vehicle for clever social commentary in Johnny and a way to juxtapose him off of an extremist like Kreese. Rise above this easy nonsense.

Conspiracy Theory – The Show Takes Place Entirely Inside of Miguel’s Coma

I enjoy mulling over the possibility that the camera is an unreliable narrator. Normally we trust the protagonist in a story to recount events accurately but some stories are told from the perspective of a character who will embellishes, lies, or perceives the world in a skewed manner. What if Cobra Kai exists entirely inside of Miguel’s mind?

Think about all the inconsistencies that start to add up if we believe the camera is skewing reality:

• Kids become taekwondo masters, able to beat up 5-6 bullies, in their first few weeks of training
• Weekly beatings barely show a scratch and wounds are healed almost instantly (Miguel himself takes a massive rib beating in season 3 with few ill effects)
• Major injuries are recovered in 1-2 months, not years (namely Miguel’s ability to walk)
• People outside of the three karate cults seem hapless
• The kids inside the dojo(s) learn that staying in the cult and resorting to violence is what solves their problems
• Characters that initially show skepticism, like Amanda LaRusso, eventually realize that dojo fighting is the solution

Perhaps Miguel met all of these people but slipped into a coma. Now he is filling in the gaps, a mixture of wish fulfillment and nightmare. Getting the cutest girls in school and standing victorious at a martial arts tournament. Meanwhile, experiencing setbacks and injuries because somewhere his mind is reminding him of his current coma state and a need to rise out of it. Probably not though.

Karate Thoughts – Reflecting on the Representation of Karate and Kobudo

Where we See Karate (and Where We Don’t) in Cobra Kai

In the original movies Daniel is taught techniques that are karate-ish. They resemble the fundamental basics and stancework most dojo(s) would teach. Of course, they take some liberties with the crane technique, drum technique, etc., but that’s fine – it’s a movie. In Cobra Kai we do see some moments where karate is represented:

• Characters do bits and pieces of kata
• Chozen introduces the idea of pressure point striking, which is rooted in karate concept
• Characters do basic blocking that are often taught to karate beginners
• Daniel whips out the classic hand stand technique (just kidding this is silly)

The Cobra Kai dojo, while called a “karate school”, is actually Tang Soo Do. Terry Silver mentions this in the third movie and we learn explicitly that Kreese was taught Tang Soo Do while in Vietnam. Tang Soo Do was heavily influenced by Japanese karate, but isn’t the same thing. Johnny’s technique reflects this Tang Soo Do background (Zabka actually earned a TSD black belt in real life after the original movies).

Here’s the kicker – we see students from all three dojo(s) performing techniques that are largely based on tae kwon do combined with tv kung fu and some light grappling. It looks fun on film, and we’ve all grown accustomed to this kind of on-screen action. But it’s a far cry from the source karate material.

Miyagi-Do is Not a Particular Karate Style

Similar topic to the aforementioned, but with a little more detail.

Individuals in the karate world were tickled when a picture of Chojun Miyagi kept showing up in the TV series. But as mentioned previously – Miyagi-do isn’t really a karate style at all. It’s not Goju-Ryu, although we see some small influences (like bits of kata and gi patches) which serve as an homage to writer Robert Kamen’s personal experience in the art. Miyagi-do is not Shito-Ryu either, despite Fumio Demura’s personal impact on the movies.

In Karate Kid II we see a smattering of karate portraits borrowed from various styles. They are described as ancestors to Mr. Miyagi. The photo below is described as Miyagi Shimpo, the founder of Miyagi-do karate (but it’s usually assigned to Aragaki Seisho in real life):

In the movies we see Miyagi Shimpo. The portrait resembles Aragaki Seisho.

In Cobra Kai Miyagi Chojun becomes part of the wall of fame.

This is all fine as long as we don’t attempt to assign a particular style of karate to Miyagi-do. Like the portraits on the wall and the techniques used, it’s just a collection of stuff used to make a show.

Kobudo Probably Needed Another Year in the Oven

Karate Kid II featured a few kobudo implements (weapons) as Daniel took on his new rival Chozen. The nunti was featured prominently, which was a pleasure to see because even in karate/kobudo circles this weapon is somewhat niche. Cobra Kai decided to ramp up the stakes by integrating kobudo into season 3.

Yuji Okumoto and Pat Morita showed good competency with the weapon in Karate Kid II. They kept the techniques basic and usage to a minimum. Anyone who has handled a nunti will tell you, you don’t do a lot of tricks and gimmicks with this weapon. Outside of Miyagi breaking the handle with his pure man strength, the whole thing feels believable.

The poor teens in Cobra Kai were asked to recreate the kind of action we might see in a Bruce Lee movie. In fact, the nunchaku used by Tory are of the style Bruce Lee made popular (black handles with a chain attachment). Unfortunately, the nunchaku used in karate/kobudo do not look like that. The traditional construction is plain wood with a rope connector, which might seem like a small detail but if the show went through the trouble of showing off Chojun Miyagi pictures why not continue that attention to detail in something so prominent as a climactic fight scene? If they needed the metal+black version for visual interest perhaps Tory could have brought them from her Cobra Kai dojo instead of picking them up inside the Miyagi dojo.

The kobudo element was problematic from the start. When Daniel is coaching Sam on the bo it feels like neither of them had touched the weapon before beginning filming. I believe another year of getting familiar with kobudo implements would have gone a long way in making this part of the arc worthwhile.

Young Viewers Deserve More than Lip Service to The Ethics of Karate

I’ve heard that a lot of parents are enjoying this show alongside their kids. It makes sense, the parents can revisit the original characters while kids can take the wild ride with the younger cast members. The problem is that the real heart of the original movies is only paid lip service, brushed quickly aside to make room for more brawls or romantic intrigue.

When you watch Cobra Kai as an adult you get some enjoyment from the nods to the original movies. Daniel loosely quotes Miyagi’s lessons and starts off every student’s training with karate-centric chores. The problem is that none of those lessons are ever lingered upon because the show is constantly keeping the pace moving. They don’t want their audience to lose interest and they need to cover ground for a myriad of major characters. This leaves those original lessons as little more than nostalgic footnotes. Individuals who aren’t familiar with the source material would barely notice.

On one hand I enjoy the struggle of both Johnny and Daniel as they attempt to guide the children in their lives. They try to communicate lessons about having mercy and using karate for defense only but their actions immediately undermine those words as they both routinely resort to violence and petty behavior. Even in season 3 after Daniel supposedly navigates through his uncertainty arc, he still thinks booting up his dojo and meeting fire with fire is the best choice. Having moral ambiguity in these characters is cool and interesting but at some point the viewer should be able to discern the real karate path of ethical action from the missteps taken by our major characters and I don’t believe that has been executed clearly enough.

In the original movies we see Mr. Miyagi make difficult choices that lead away from violence and confrontation even at the cost of his pride. He only resorts to action when cornered or when needing to protect Daniel. Cobra Kai gives these moments a brief nod (like when Daniel walks into the Cobra Kai dojo for a confrontation and walks away without fighting) but almost always undermines it shortly after for the sake of storytelling sizzle.

The truth is, in the world of Cobra Kai, the best bet for all of the kids in the show would be to get out of karate entirely. They would stop getting into gang fights and could actually learn other forms of conflict resolution. Staying in the karate cults, or switching between them, only serves to increase their personal confusion and dig them deeper into moral and ethical pits. I have to predict that we’ll see a turn toward cooperation and resolution in the coming 1-2 seasons, but since they’ve spent three seasons setting a basis for what motivates the characters into certain actions a change of heart will seem too sudden and unconvincing. The real lessons are already imprinted in the viewer’s mind.

I, like many other millennials, have used the original Karate Kid as a source of inspiration even when the real martial arts world doesn’t live up to that hopeful movie standard. I’m not confident Cobra Kai is setting itself up as the same kind of guidepost for Gen Z.

Cobra Kai May be Timelier Than It Knows

Based on my previous segment you might think it’s all doom and gloom for the message of the show. Not so! In fact, there may be a more valuable takeaway than is obvious on the surface:

The original Karate Kid movie showed us what senseiship could be. Cobra Kai showed us what senseiship shouldn’t be.

The problematic behavior of Daniel, Johnny, and Kreese is reflective of many karate teachers in the real world. They speak loftily about concepts like self control, self respect, courtesy toward others, etc. But a quick glance at their personal behavior and you’ll see them acting petty, showing little self control (especially online), and bemoaning the world around them. They demonstrate the hypocrisy of Daniel, the social stunting of Johnny, and the extremism of Kreese. Granted, they don’t usually physically abuse their students like in the show, but the lack of wisdom and emotional maturity is certainly present.

My complaint about how Cobra Kai lacks the hopeful messaging of the movies may, in fact, be it’s most important takeaway. The original movies showed us the aspirational benefits of karate. Cobra Kai shows us a more superficial, more insidious, and more harmful reality. Let’s make sure our younger viewers understand the difference.

The post A Deep Dive into the StoryTelling and Karate of Cobra Kai appeared first on Ikigai Way.

This interview traces McGale Sensei’s path and provides a unique glimpse into the worlds of Okinawa Kenpo, Kishaba Juku, and more. For additional information on McGale Sensei, don’t miss his audio interview conducted by the Okinawa Karate Podcast.

Q: I’d like to start off with just a few basics. When and where were you born?
Futenma, Okinawa, Japan 1964.

Q: Could you tell us a bit about your parents?

My Father’s name is Vincent McGale, from Rhode Island, retired GSgt. USMC.  Mother, Emiko McGale from Okinawa, Japan.  My father had a strict rule that in the house I’d only speak Japanese / Okinawan to my mom and English to him.

Q: When did you begin your martial arts training? How were you introduced to it (was it your idea or your parents idea)?

I was 5 yrs old, and it was my father’s idea.

Q: Early on you connected with Odo Seikichi Sensei of Okinawa Kenpo. What were some of your early impressions of Odo Sensei? How did he treat you and any other children in class? 

Odo Sensei was like a father to me.  He was always kind and compassionate. He had his gauge of tolerance set by my actual father so he knew that he could press me to do something hard if he knew I could do better.  I was the only child in class.

Q: What was class content like for you as a child? Would you train with the adults or did Odo Sensei have you working on separate things? 

He had me do everything the adults did.  With the exception of yakusoku kumite or kihon practice with partners where I would usually be partnered with Odo Sensei himself.

Q: Can you describe Odo Sensei’s dojo? How big was it, what kind of training aids did he have in it, were there lots of photos, etc.

My early years of training were done outdoors on the lawn of the gym on the Marine Corps base, Camp Foster.  I started at Gunners Gym, then classes were moved to Stillwell Field House by the time I was 10 yrs old.  Classes used to be 2 hours per class, 5 to 7pm, 7 days a week, then when we moved to Stillwell Field House it was 5 days a week. Odo Sensei would always bring a big bag of kobudo weapons and about 20 bo’s.  There were certain days we would do kumite as well, on those days he would bring out the bogu gear to spar in.

Sometime around 1975 Sensei Odo lost his contract with the Military base activities office so he didn’t teach for a couple years.  During that time my father felt traveling on public transportation on my own at 10yrs old to go to the Agena dojo was too young, so he started my training with Shiroma Jiro of Shorin Ryu Shorinkan.  Similar in kata to that of Okinawa Kenpo, but the fighting style and approach to kumite was different.

Shiroma Sensei taught me much more about kumite, and I was coming of age under his tutelage.   During these years I’d go to the Agena Hombu Dojo periodically with my father to visit and train in Okinawa Kenpo.  By the time I was about 13 yrs old Shiroma Sensei moved to the United States and my father felt I was ready for public transportation so I started attending regular Kenpo classes at the Agena dojo.

The dojo itself was spacious, about 1000sqft of open wood flooring.  Odo Sensei had his desk up against the wall in one corner and there was a heavy leather bag hanging from the ceiling. Another corner had a wall of long weapons, bo, nunte, eku.  Another corner was a small dressing room with wall partition separating it from the main training floor.  And the other corner had short weapons, sai, nunchaku, kama, tunfa, timbe and sparring bogu.  There was an area that also had two makiwara attached to the floor.  On the front wall he had a handful of pictures and certificates. The largest wall mounted frame displayed the Dojo Kun.

Pat McGale Practicing the bo in the Agena Dojo, 1979.

Q: As you became a teenager and eventually a grown man, how did training with Odo Sensei evolve?

As Odo Sensei and I had a close connection during my childhood, he would come over and talk with me to critique and correct me.  Often times he would approach me and describe his corrections in detail in Japanese, which may not have been the same instructions as the rest of the class because it was easier for him to explain.

Q: While you continued to explore Okinawa Kenpo you also trained in Jujitsu with your father. What was that training schedule like, and how were the classes similar/different? 

My father had me enrolled in Judo from age 4 to 7, with his friend Sensei Joe Spotsville.  This was also during the time of my Karate beginnings.  However, these classes were just on certain days of the week earlier in the day.  My father was retired at that point, so he had more free time.

The Jujitsu training, was more of a way of life, living with my father than being in a class.  He was a Roku Dan (6^th degree) in Shobudo Bujitsu Jujitsu, training since the early 50’s under Nakasato Shoshu Sensei, founder of the art.  My father didn’t trust many of his beginning students to train with me as they lacked experience and I was still a child.  But his classes started at the Stillwell Field House 7 – 9pm. So it was right after karate.  Most often he would work with me directly having me take falls while he was executing techniques on me, taking falls, back falls, cross falls, aerial falls.  He would show me the details of plane of movement, circles, angles, trajectory and foot work suri ashi.  I pretty much stuck with the fundamentals in learning the art Shobudo Bujitsu Jujitsu.

McGale Sensei experiencing Shobudo Bujitsu Jujitsu with his father.

Q: Did your experience in jujitsu aid your karate development and vice versa, or were that sometimes at odds with each other? 

It was always complimentary.  If anything, I found it provided improvement in terms of engagement with others, and with smooth execution of complex techniques.

Q: Since you were able to communicate in Japanese and Uchinaguchi (Okinawan language), how did that aid in your understanding of Okinawa Kenpo? 

I felt as though there was a gap for individuals without the language. Odo Sensei would periodically ask me to clarify for the class in English.  But to my personal benefit he would give me guidance with instruction in far greater detail, and in some cases different detail.  While people thought I was able to get away with doing something different than everyone else.   But the difference was that I was younger and had been already training longer than most and more flexible as result.  So it could have been as simple as, “Pat you heel kick high, while everyone else kick to the stomach.”  Sometimes Odo Sensei would say, “Its supposed to be like this but I’m old and can’t do it, you can do it the right way so do it this way.”  Could have been the stances, kicks, balances, timing etc.

Q: Did other instructions often drop by to teach or visit Odo Sensei? 

It was rare to have guests, but usually it was just someone that would train with us.  Not so much as to teach us.

Q: Could you explain how testings were conducted? What kind of material was covered and who was present at the time of testing? 

It varied depending more on what levels were being promoted from what I recall as we had promotions just within our dojo periodically. But on those days a couple of other sensei(s) would also be present.  With dan promotions there were usually a panel of 5 or more senior sensei(s) at the head table.  Maehara Seijiro Sensei, Agaril Masuhiro Sensei, Uechi Masaru Sensei, Nakaima Kenko Sensei, Nakamura Taketo Sensei, Kenko Chibana Sensei, Matayoshi Shinpo Sensei, were some that had been in attendance at my promotions.  In no particular order.  Odo Sensei was generally the one to state what kata I had to do when I was called up to do my part, but in general it was kobudo kata, karate kata, and bogu kumite.

Q: As time went on Odo Sensei became more popular with Western students. How did Odo Sensei accommodate those student’s visits for weeks/months/years? Did the training differ from day-to-day training for regular students? 

I didn’t meet many students that were there for just a few weeks.  Usually months, but not more than 5 years on rare occasions.  The training was pretty standard all the time.  If there was any difference it would have changed by one’s advancement in learning or belt color.

Q: Odo Sensei became famous for his kata and kobudo, but some of his contemporaries were known for other skills, like kyusho and tuite. Did Odo Sensei include those elements in his teaching as well?

It was never his forte, however there were times of explanation or demonstration of kata that would necessitate execution on an opponent to show the implied meaning behind the movement. For kyusho it would have been general area of the anatomy, not specific to kansetsu waza which I learned more directly from my father.  The tuite implied or applied wasn’t detailed enough to give me much to recall from Odo Sensei, but this was also my father’s specialty from a traditional Jujitsu angle.

Q: One of Odo Sensei’s famous sayings was “you keep my kata straight”. Does that mean he taught the kata the same way all the time, or did he customize the education based on the individual’s skill, experience, body type, etc.?

There are about 3 generations of Odo Sensei’s teachings; as he was aging some slight things would change on emphasis of details or techniques. The “you keep my kata straight” comments were not in my time that I recall.  But there is an Odo-ism there, in that style of statement.  I don’t think he was stating anything other than “don’t change my kata, keep it the same.”  However, a kick is a kick is a kick.  For example, he changed some small things in my kata, like the height of my kick, but he was more concerned that the kick was done properly. He didn’t want the structure of the kick to change.

Q: Did you participate in any tournaments or competitions while living on the island? How were they run and what was the experience like? 

Yes, too many to guess but I started competing around age 13.  I was a young black belt, due to starting my trainign so early in life. Therefore, I always completed in the adult division.  In my first competition I earned a 3^rd place in kata and kobudo, and I always placed in the top 3 up to the year I left Okinawa 1988.  Kumite at 13 years old against military servicemen would have been out of the question as there were some very good fighters, so I didn’t participate in those events.  My father and mother were involved and always officers of the organization Okinawa Karate Referees Association.  There were other well-known servicemen and high-ranking martial artists helping with the common goal to judge fairly in an open tournament for all styles of martial arts.  So, with this said, it opened the doors for all styles to compete on an equal playing ground.  Through this organization I was recognized as Man of the year from 1979 – 1983 for Kobudo, 1980 – 1983 for Kata.  The tournaments were on a points system for katas and kumite.

Q: When did you ultimately move to the United States? What made you leave? Also, how long was your training with Odo Sensei before you ultimately left? 

I left in 1988 and trained with Odo Sensei 18 years.  I moved to California as I had a job lined up and was attending school.

Q: What martial arts were available in the USA when you landed, and did you attempt to continue your training right away? 

This period was pre-internet and any reputable school was by word-of-mouth.  There weren’t any dojo’s in the area.  Certainly not Okinawan styles.  I ended up mostly training on my own.  In college there were Karate Clubs and Tae Kwon Do classes.  So I tried them both out.  The Karate Club was a far better open and sharing environment.  The University had students from all around the world and there were karateka from all over the US, various countries, and even Japan.  The Tae Kwon Do classes and dojo(s) outside the college that I tried were not as welcoming and I usually ended up getting rejected at the door or eventually booted out.  It was usually politics around the belts, style, intimidation, or straight up jealousy.  I feel as though the openness of Okinawan Karate culture and its inclination to share was misunderstood, just on the level of human interaction regarding martial arts.

Q: So you had access to the karate club, but you also took up Tae Kwon Do, right?

Yes. The early programs I encountered didn’t appeal to me, but I eventually found one that I thought would make for a good workout. By way of TKD there was more focus on flexibility, speed, timing, and dynamic movement. To me that’s where the value really stopped.  Of the dojangs I visited they really pushed for sporting competition as a group or team rather than an individual.

Q: How long was your stint in Taekwondo before you ultimately moved on?

I probably spent 5 years in and out of TKD dojangs and staying no more than a couple months at each.  So I really didn’t get to spend enough time to feel I had learned much about TKD. Around 1998 I was introduced to Wushu by a co-worker which quickly became my focus over TKD.

Q: Why the switch to Wushu, and what kind of value did it provide?

After being frustrated with the other martial arts I was starting to feel empty, without having a sensei to follow and a dojo to practice in.  I was cautious and reserved to start as this was farther from what I was used to.  The main thing that attracted me was the Coach, Richard Branden.  He was experienced in studying Chinese martial arts in a very structured and strict manner.  His true spirit came out in his training and teaching, and he paid close attention to helping his students.  In the 10 years I trained in Wushu I also competed in local tournaments and International Open tournaments.

Q: Wushu is a Chinese art, of course, but Okinawa Kenpo also has Chinese roots. Could you compare/contrast the two?

You can watch most practitioners in Wushu across the world and I really think it gets misrepresented.  Many schools drive the students to perform but lack the martial arts underpinning of real Wushu. So, it just looks like acrobatics and dance.  While these may be valid elements of Wushu, without the martial arts represented it really waters down the art and gets misrepresented.  While in Okinawa Kenpo during Odo Sensei’s earlier years, he was more dynamic and was actively working with me to get lower in certain stances, or even kick higher in certain katas.  At that time and era you could see the origins and influence of the Chinese Arts in Okinawa Kenpo.  Currently it seems limited by who your sensei is and what they want to do, reflective of what their capabilities are.

Q: What made you move on from Wushu and continue exploring your training options elsewhere? 

While I competed in soft style divisions with Wushu I also competed in the hard style divisions in the same tournament, so that forced me to stay active with my karate training.  I longed for the time to get back to my roots.  Wushu in its most popular compulsory curriculum is very difficult past 25 years of age.  I was often chosen to move one or two age brackets as there was only one or two competitors in my age group.  Competing against 20 year olds was a fun…but challenging, to say the least.  Many times, the judges would call me up to the table and to confirm my age and ask, “are you really going to do double broad swords?” For those unfamiliar, double broad swords are a particularly energetic and sometimes hazardous weapon to perform. I had to confirm that I did, in fact, intend to demonstrate them.

Many things in my life were serendipitous and timely. I was introduced to a traditional Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu dojo in San Bruno, CA (Omine Karate Dojo) by a friend right around the time when I was starting to yearn to return to karate.

Q: Did you maintain contact with Odo Sensei over the years? How did you see his increased travel to the USA and eventual illness effect his martial arts path? 

To this day I still have immediate family on Okinawa so I would travel as often as possible.  Back in the 90’s I’d travel every 3 to 5 years.  Each time I’d surprise Odo Sensei with a visit. We would always find time for training.  While I never went to see him in the USA, most times I would have no idea of his travel.  His illness over the years affected him greatly.  In the later years, he was forgetful, and memory was challenged.  Dementia was also a challenge; I don’t think it was diagnosed early enough to have it addressed but it was sad to see.

Q: How did you first start interacting with the Matsubayashi Ryu dojo? How did the relationship build over time?

After being introduced to Sensei Susan Budge, who was the owner and director of Omine Karate Dojo; I was invited as a guest, then over a short period of time we became close friends. In my heart she was like the Grandmother that any Karateka would want (though she would not like that statement) but to me she was like family and accepted me, understood me, and welcomed me regardless of my prior experience or difference of style.  I was asked to then be a guest instructor, and that relationship with the dojo has continued to this day.

The world lost a peaceful warrior in Susan Budge in 2016.  Leading up to that point she and other senior students were helping me adapt to Matsubayashi Ryu and Kishaba Juku.  As Sensei Susan wanted to turn over the dojo to me to continue Omine Chotoku Sensei’s legacy, and I promised that her legacy will also prevail.  The Dojo opened in 1973 with Sensei Susan Budge and Sensei Omine Chotoku.  Sensei Omine Chotoku passed away 1976 due to heart conditions.

The Omine Dojo

Q: When you were asked to take over operations of the Omine Dojo, how did you balance the content of the dojo? Did you transition everything to Okinawa Kenpo?

Actually, I personally transitioned to Matsubayashi Ryu and Kishaba Juku.  In the end on a basic level all Okinawa karate (especially Shorin Ryu styles) is very similar.  Katas are very close.  Emphasis in movement can bedifferent; however, that is a deep topic.  So I teach Matsubayashi Ryu katas, and curriculum, and periodically will add some Kenpo kata’s like Seisan which don’t exist in Matsubayashi Ryu.  However, this dojo was not active with Kobudo, so all of the Kobudo taught there is from Okinawa Kenpo.

Q: Could you dive a bit deeper into that connection to Kishaba Juku?

Kishaba Juku, “Juku” as in extended study, is a subset of Matsubayashi Ryu founded by Sensei Kishaba Chokei.  Sensei Kishaba was one of the senior students of Sensei Nagamine Shoshin.  While Sensei Susan Budge spent months traveling and training in Okinawa with Sensei Nagamine, she met Sensei Kishaba and another senior student of Sensei Nagamine Shoshin, Sensei Shinzato Katsuhiko, who is now head of Kishaba Juku, after Sensei Kishaba’s passing.  Our Omine Karate Dojo has been visited by Sensei Nagamine, and he had sent other senior students from Okinawa to support the Omine Karate Dojo after Sensei Chotoku Omine’s passing.  Sensei Shinzato Katsuhiko was one of the last sensei to aid in the survival of the dojo by teaching, and continuing to guide Sensei Susan at his dojo in Okinawa for extended periods.

Experiencing geta training with Shinzato Sensei of Kishaba Juku.

Q: Could you describe your early impressions of Shinzato Katsuhiko Sensei? What stood out about his technique and personality?

Sensei Shinzato Katsuhiko is an English professor emeritus at University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa.  So his English is perfect. He is a jewel within the Okinawa Karate community that is not well known and he prefers it that way.  He is sought after worldwide and is also sought after by locals and Japanese from other disciplines such as hard styles, soft styles, fighting styles, even kendo, judo and others.  He has an open mind, and always seeks to learn and put to practice what his thoughts and analysis may be.  He is a wealth of knowledge in the arts and see’s commonality across disciplines and various arts.  Training with him has been enlightening more so than any other in my 50 years of training. He would also be the fastest and strongest karateka that I know of in motion, regardless of his being 80 years old.

Q: When you decided to seriously study Kishaba Juku was it difficult to “de-program” some of your previous experience in order to properly install the Kishaba Juku fundamentals? 

The study of Kishaba Juku is always a project in development.  Many would see drastic variables from decade to decade.  And this is only because the art is evolving as is the constant learning of Sensei Shinzato.  Fortunately, my training in Traditional Jujitsu with my father Sensei McGale Vincent, training with Sensei Odo Seikichi, and training in Wushu has made it easier to train in Kishabe Juku as many similarities are consistent for me.  By no means is it easy, but I find many moments of affirmation when I train with Sensei Shinzato at his dojo. I have several private trainings with him and regular class sessions when I travel to Okinawa on an annual basis over recent years.  I am a student of Kishaba Juku and our dojo (as registered to me) Omine Okinawa Karate Kobudo Dojo is a recognized dojo of Kishaba Juku.

Q: Kishaba Juku is known for having sophisticated internal movements and distinctive usage of the koshi. Obviously the “how’s” and “why’s” of that methodology could fill a whole book, but how would you explain those qualities to someone who might not be familiar?

Well this is a vast topic to cover.  It is a case where one must have some experience and training to understand the concept as it goes against our human reflex and response to reaction and body mechanics.  We generally overuse and over tension our muscles and align our skeletal structure in the wrong way; where it doesn’t complement or support the intended action or reaction one is trying to do.  It has more to do with relaxing and extension than it does with tensioning.

Q: At this point in your life you still have strong physical capabilities, but also a variety of training experiences. How are you balancing all of that and creating a cohesive martial “life” for yourself as well as your students?

While I teach Matsubayashi Ryu, Kishaba Juku, Okinawa Kenpo Karate Kobudo, Shobudo Bujitsu Jujitsu, I am yet just one person.  All this along with my Wushu background only refines my way of teaching or communicating details to my students.  When the inexperienced ask what style I teach I just respond with Okinawa Karate.  Those individuals don’t know what they don’t know.  For me personally the only difference in all the arts I’ve studied is pattern of techniques or slight method of delivery.

My father on occasion told me, “if you want to know how to hurt someone, you have to know how to heal them.”  So I took this to heart and when the opportunity came up to study pre-med Human Anatomy in College, I was excited to do so and it has completely changed the way I teach, communicate, observe students, and even critique myself.  It is the sum of it all that makes it unique and refined.  I don’t keep any secrets from my students.  I share what I can, if they have a basis to understand it.

Q: On a more philosophical note, how has your journey in the martial arts helped you grow as an individual? In what ways has it guided your character?

I’ve been humbled many times over and I appreciate anyone at any level engaged in martial arts practice because I know its potential. The practice has given me patience not only with myself but with everything.  I always question myself and try to best communicate the values I want to share that would be most impactful for those that may be listening.  I realize that the martial arts is not for everyone, but it is available for everyone to have.  And with the degree of similarities we all have we also have the same degree of differences, therefore there is much to be tried, experienced, absorbed, or let go.

Everyone has an ego.  Some have a small, harmless amount and some just too much.  So understanding how people are and understanding my own personal challenges I look for ways I can grow in experience and learn from others.

Q: You’ve managed to stay out of rank race and political discordance common in many styles. What was your method and motivation to keep away from those classic trappings?

In my youth I understood that having a black belt didn’t really grant me anything.  This was probably best taught and conditioned by my father.  While I had trained with all ranks under the sun, through all of my levels of training, it was clear that rank didn’t matter.  Over the decades, I’d see people with different belts, stripes, gi, patches, or certificates that they eagerly post on social media.  In some cases I may have either competed with them or seen a demo of their skill, which tells the real story.  Until I see higher ranks with improved character, or skill, or at least proper remembrance and execution of basic katas, I’m not impressed.

I may be recognized by some organizations / groups as a higher rank and I look at these as honorary ranks with pride and gratitude.  However, my true rank I hold dear to my heart are those granted to me by my senseis from whom I’ve studied and evolved as result.

To date, I do not know of anyone that is a longer standing senior student of 18 years under Sensei Odo Seikichi, Okinawa Kenpo Karate Kobudo.  This is only counting the years I actually lived on Okinawa and still trained with Sensei Odo, not short visits for a few months or years.  But I recognize and respect all those that are senior ranking to me in Okinawa Kenpo and all other arts.  I have nothing to gain from the politics and the race for position on some board.  In the end let me hear you communicate your teaching, let me see your kata, let me see your attention to detail, and let me see your kobudo.  And I will see who you are.

The post Interview: Pat McGale, Okinawa Kenpo and Kishaba Juku Karatedo appeared first on Ikigai Way.

Since the site’s inception my own personal martial arts journey has taken on various twists and turns. I’ve moved to new states, pursued new styles, and gotten to know the martial arts landscape at large. To say it has been both educational and humbling would be an understatement.

I didn’t have the guts to upload a video until 2010. Get a load of this cutting edge quality!

A few years ago I decided to shift away from regular blog posting in order to get into book publishing. Writing a book had always been a dream of mine, and was certainly part of why I joined the Penn State Professional Writing program as a wee little college kid. When I saw this blog potentially opening that door for me, I knew I would regret not taking it. After almost a decade I decided to shift my focus into longer works, hoping to fulfill a an age-old dream of writing a book.

Needless to say, that process kept me away from steady blogging for longer than I anticipated. But it wasn’t just the book work. I hit upon a personal conundrum – I was lacking any sort of true passion to continue plugging away. Those energies had been spent. And so work on books was a happy distraction.

That carried on until recently, when I started visualizing a bigger picture for where I’d like all of this to go.

Why the Name Change to SanrinArts.com?

When I first created IkigaiWay it was with a singular vision – create articles that help explore the martial arts as a way of life that provides value and purpose. That mission statement still exists, but the scope of the website has expanded beyond that singular focus. I now need a name that helps encapsulate more of my ideas and initiatives. Also, people really struggled to remember and pronounce the name. Say it out loud – “IkigaiWay”. It clashes off the western tongue, doesn’t it? Why have a name that hurts to say?

The name Sanrin (山林) refers to a mountain forest, which has a lot of implications for me personally. I call two different states home – Colorado and Pennsylvania, both of which are known for their mountains and forests respectively. But more importantly, there are key philosophical and martial ideas comparing styles of budo as unique routes up the same mountain, or different branches of the same tree. There are some additional implications with the name, but suffice it to say that I think it paints with a broad enough stroke to encapsulate everything I hope to accomplish with this site.

I’ll be retaining the ikigaiway.com domain so you’ll always be able to type it in and get here, but you’ll see a more consistent shift to Sanrin over time.

The Bigger Picture for IkigaiWay…and now SanrinArts.com

What started off as a place to jot down wandering martial thoughts has now become a hub for articles, interviews, books, events, and who knows what else? I’ve got a few big ideas that I think you’ll enjoy, whether they succeed or become huge flops (should be entertaining either way).

Please stay tuned and help me enjoy the next phase of this website’s life.

Ganbatte!

Matt Apsokardu

The post Join Us as IkigaiWay.com Transitions into SanrinArts.com! appeared first on Ikigai Way.

During my visit to Okinawa I had the great pleasure of visiting Kiyan Sensei’s class and training with his wonderful students. One in particular, Josh Simmers, was instrumental in making a connection with Kiyan Sensei and helping facilitate this interview. I thank them both for their time and generosity.

The following is some of the story and highlights from Kiyan Sensei’s already remarkable career as an Okinawa Kenpo practitioner and teacher.

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Q&A:

Q: Kiyan Sensei, thank you for agreeing to this interview! I’d like to start by getting to know you a bit better. Could you explain a bit about your childhood and what originally lead you to karatedo?

I was born in 1959 in Naha, Okinawa. My father owned a bookstore as I grew up. I spent a lot of time in that store but eventually found baseball. I became a big fan of baseball right away and decided to play. Up until I was about 15 I only played baseball. But one time I broke the bone around my eye and got an operation. While I was recovering I ended up going to the movies – Bruce Lee was playing.

When I saw Bruce Lee on screen…it was like a thunder shock. I thought to myself, “This is the one! I need this!” I watched Enter the Dragon 18 times in the theater. Some days they would kick me out, but other days they wouldn’t catch me so I could just watch the movie over and over again.

It was during this time that I began searching for a karate school. I found an Okinawa Kenpo school run by Master Kina (Toshimitsu) in Shuri. Very quickly I learned that the dojo was very different from a movie. I was just a skinny guy in high school, but it didn’t matter. We were fighting and I would get beat up everyday. One day I said, “Sensei please teach me how to be different. Teach me how to block and fight.” But he just kept making me do basics and makiwara and then kumite.

Q: When you first joined the dojo did you try to mimic Bruce Lee?

Ohh yes, and they would laugh at me. They tried to tell me it was just a movie.

Q: Did you have to quit baseball due to your injury?

Yes I did. but the timing was ok because I joined University and an Okinawa Kenpo club there. So I just focused on karate, karate, karate.

Q: When you first met Kina Sensei, what was your impression of him and the dojo?

Kina Sensei was very kind and seemed gentle. However once I became a regular student he became much more strict and didn’t hesitate to tell me what he thought.

One interesting thing was that Kina Sensei would often work out with some students before the beginning of class. I saw them working makiwara and kata. Whenever I asked a question Kina Sensei would not answer. One day I asked why he wouldn’t teach me and he said, “I don’t teach – you have to steal. Steal my technique.”

Q: What was the structure of the class like? Did it have formal stretching, warm-ups, etc. like in modern dojo?

No, not so much. It was always more like individual training. Sometimes one person would be on makiwara, while a small group did kata, etc. This was the way Nakamura’s Sensei dojo operated, so Kina Sensei ran his dojo the same way.

Q: In regards to the Okinawa Kenpo style – did Kina Sensei ever tell stories about Nakamura Shigeru Sensei?

Yes, all the time! Kina Sensei would often explain that Nakamura Sensei favored using 45 degree angles toward the opponent. He believed that there was no reason to retreat. Nakamura Sensei also stressed using the makiwara and taking walks in the Okinawa mountains. He believed technique should be simple and effective.

Nakamura Shigeru Sensei performing a technique from Niseishi.

Q: How did Kina Sensei and Nakamura Sensei first meet?

When Kina Sensei was about 14 his father told him that he needed to study karate if he wanted to be strong. Kina Sensei said ok, and so his father told him to go to the dojo in Nago. The Nago Dojo, run by Nakamura Sensei, was very famous at that time.

Q: After studying karate with Kina Sensei directly for years, how did your karate progress as you grew older?

I competed often. I was doing well and placed 2nd at my high school tournament and got a few “fighting spirit” awards. I noticed though that sometimes I focused on how strong my opponents were, and I wouldn’t do as well. One day Kina Sensei told me to close my eyes and think only about winning; that there was only winning and believing in technique. He said that first I had to win the battle against myself, then I could win against my opponents.

In 1978 I won the 1st All Okinawa Bogutsuki Kumite Open Karate Tournament at Tomishiro Festival. I competed in both kata (performing kusanku) and kumite. I continued to compete and do well, but then I went to Tokyo for two years as a missionary. When I got back I resumed my training and was able to win another championship and kept winning for three years.

Kiyan Sensei performing the opening of Kunsaku Kata.

Q: That is a great run as a competitor. How did things progress from there?

When I achieved my yondan ranking Kina Sensei gave me approval to open a dojo in Naha. This was around 1987. At that time when starting a dojo it wouldn’t be uncommon for someone to come and challenge the new school. If the challenger won, the dojo owner was supposed to take their sign down. It had the same feel as the old days when fighting was life or death. The stakes were very high.

In my first two years I had someone come who was famous in the area. These challenge fights were full contact except punches to the face, so I was able to use front kicking technique to finish the fight and win.

I also opened a school at Camp Kinser, a Marine Corps base in Okinawa. I’m short, especially compared to the Americans on that base. So one day an American came into my dojo and asked to see the sensei.

I said, “Yes, I am the sensei.”

He said, “Are you sure? Show me then.”

I asked, “Why?”

“I don’t think you’re a sensei,” he said.

“So what do you want to do?”

“Fight.”

“Ok!” I said. “What about the rules?”

“Whatever you want.”

“Ok, let’s do full contact because you look like a boxer.” I said.

So one of my students put us at a distance to each other and we started. He began to close the distance but I kept kicking him in the legs. He fell down three times. Eventually he gave up and asked me, “why did you keep kicking me?” I said, “you looked like a boxer and probably used boxer rules. I decided to use technique to gain an advantage.”

After that he joined my school and even made it to black belt.

Q: You mentioned that in some of your fights there was full contact but no punches to the face. Was that common?

Yes, we didn’t use bogu kumite gear all the time, especially in challenge matches. So in those cases we had to control punches to the face. Still make contact, but show control.

Q: In the martial arts world we see a wide spectrum of hard and soft styles. Where do you think Okinawa Kenpo fits on that spectrum?

My opinion is that Okinawa Kenpo has both. For example, during defense when fighting…relaxed, soft. When attacking…quick and strong. It reminds me of Bruce Lee, who always admired Muhammad Ali. Ali was always smooth and always cycling, never too stuck. I think that is true for the way Okinawa Kenpo should be used as well.

Q: With the passing of Odo Seikichi Sensei and Oyata Seiyu Sensei there has been less of a connection between America and Okinawa for Okinawa Kenpo specifically. However, you’ve made strong efforts to connect with American practitioners. How did this come about?

My first visit to America was when my friend and I got tickets for very cheap to Los Angeles. I was very impressed when arriving there. The people were very kind to me. This was actually one of the experiences that made me decide to get a job on an American military base in Okinawa.

Despite my good experience, one of my Okinawan sempai told me to act like my life was in danger at all times in America, and that I shouldn’t trust anybody. He was very paranoid and thought I was taking risks by going to America. He made me nervous.

One day I was in New York after a seminar and wanted to see the sights. So I went to the subway and tried to figure out the ticket system. An American man came up to me and asked what I was doing.

I said, “Trying to get a ticket to ride the subway so I can see the statue of liberty.”

“Ohh you don’t need that, just follow me.” he said.

So he took me through the lines without a ticket and traveled with me to see some of the great sights. I learned later that my trip on the subway shouldn’t have been “free”, but the gentleman I was with was very nice and helped me see the city. When I told my sempai back in Okinawa about this, he told me I was lucky and that if I had gone one more hour with this guy I would’ve been killed. “A blind man doesn’t mind grabbing a snake,” he said.

Personally, I believe that there are good and bad people everywhere, in America, Okinawa, or anywhere else. I don’t like the idea of never trusting anyone. I liked the idea of connecting with people in America.

Q: Kina Sensei is your primary sensei, but did you have a chance to study with Odo Seikichi Sensei as well?

No I did not, but I did have a chance to visit the dojo. I went with Eddie Erazo who was a student of Odo Sensei. The students from our dojo wanted to do full contact kumite but Odo Sensei’s dojo was more focused on kata and kobudo that day. So it was fine, we got to watch.

Q: Do you still stress full contact fighting in your dojo to this day?

I think it is important to have as an option, but I do not push people into it. If they want to do it, that is ok. If not, that is ok too. There is no shame. I know that Master Kina suffered from broken ribs and more injuries because of so much fighting. I broke things too. One time I injured my arm and couldn’t fight, so Master Kina strapped the arm to me using a belt and told me to use the other arm to fight. I don’t think it’s good to force that much.

Now when Master Kina talks about fighting, he is a fan of the modern gear. He likes that people aren’t getting hurt. Perhaps he has changed some of his mindset as he has gotten older.

Q: Could you discuss the usage of kata in your teaching and curriculum?

When I first started with my sensei I noticed he only taught one kata for three years – Naihanchi Shodan. Many people quit and got bored of it, so he decided to start teaching Pinan Nidan and Seisan as well. He considered those kata simple but important.

Whenever I teach I make sure we do those three kata as well. Depending on the class and student level we will work on the other kata in the curriculum (12 empty hand kata total), but Naihanchi Shodan, Pinan Nidan, and Seisan are always practiced.

My sensei told me that if a student can do naihanchi properly, they can do any kata properly. Pinan Nidan helps understand all the Pinans. Seisan helps understand the “advanced” kata.

He also told me that Nakamura Sensei’s favorite kata was Seisan, followed by Niseishi. The Nakamura Dojo is where the Niseishi kata first started being taught publicly.

Q: How does kobudo (weapons) play a part in your curriculum? We know that Nakamura Sensei was a weapons practitioner, and of course Odo Seikichi Sensei became famous for his skill in kobudo.

Kina Sensei was skilled in weapons as well and learned from Nakamura Sensei and Chibana Kenko Sensei. He learned bo, nunchaku, tonfa, and sai, but became very proficient with the sai. I always liked empty hand karate and kumite because it was more practical for real street fighting. But my sensei told me I should do more kobudo, so when I was younger I began studying weapons. After I started I became addicted to weapons and began winning championships. However, I couldn’t stop. My personality is that I tend to get focused on one thing and forget about other things. It was hurting my other training. So eventually I decided to stop kobudo altogether and focus on empty hand. Maybe I’ll get back to weapons now that I am older.

Q: Since the time you started your karate journey, how do you think karate has changed in general on Okinawa?

I think it is getting more popular in recent years. There are many more seminars. I think that is good for us. Okinawa Kenpo is a smaller style compared to Goju Ryu, Uechi Ryu, etc., but people are starting to watch and ask questions about what we do.

Q: On Okinawa today are there any dojo(s) that maintain a “no foreigners” policy?

No, not that I have seen.

Q: Are there any active Okinawa Kenpo dojo(s) in Okinawa that are not directly related to you and Kina Sensei?

When Nakamura Shigeru Sensei passed away he had a son, but the son was not senior in the style. Odo Seikichi Sensei stayed associated with Nakamura Sensei’s family style, but other senior students like Kina Sensei, Kinjo Sensei, and Miyazato Hiroshi Sensei began to teach on their own.

Q: Where would you like to see Okinawa Kenpo grow in the future?

From what I have seen there is only 5-10% of karate in Okinawa that is the smaller styles (Okinawa Kenpo, Ryuei Ryu, Isshin Ryu, etc). My dream is to grow Okinawa Kenpo to so that I can share it with so many more people. I want to meet and grow with other sensei in Okinawa, United States, and worldwide. I don’t want everyone to come under Kina Sensei – I think it is best for everyone to stay in their own associations. There’s too much worry about who’s #1. We can just be a collection. My sensei is sad because of so much separation, and I don’t want to do that anymore.

Q: Do you have any advice for individuals who are studying karate and want to learn the art more deeply?

My personal opinion is that you should come to Okinawa. Especially if you are over the rank of 7th dan. I think it is the only way to understand the spirit of Okinawa.

I remember my sensei saying, “when you are a white belt…don’t forget this feeling.” I think it is important to continue to meet new people and be thankful when you meet someone who is stronger than you. We must also remember our ancestors and what they gave us.

Q: Any final words or thoughts for the readers?

I would just like to say that karate is my life, Okinawa Kenpo is my life. Kina Sensei is like my father. I’m very proud of my style and my students and I want to help Okinawa Kenpo grow and share seminars around the world.

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