Basic Energy Point Allignment as used with Karate

 Warning... Warning
If you are not my student or a practitioner of Isshinryu Karate, please do not read further. LOL

While not exactly what I am describing,
this is the closest diagram I have found relating to this topic.

Today I am recalling one of the most powerful lessons I ever learned. It came one rainy night when I was performing my t'ai chi chaun before my instructor, Ernest Rothrock. After 15 years of effort in my studies that 1993 night, he immediately began criticizing everything I was doing. Then he had be begin again and continually had me stopping and gave me a lightest touch continually causing me to lose my balance and continually tumble to the ground.

Obviously I felt very incompetent, wondering how those many years of study went so wrong. However Ernest explained the same happened to him after 15 years of study too. Then he explained why it was occuring and more importantly how to correct it and become better. 

I learned an important lesson that night. The next week when I returned to my karate class, I worked out it applied to Isshinryu too. Asked Young Lee to perform Seisan, and to mistakenly hold his left shoulder back a 1/2". I then lightly touched his chest and he immediately fell down. Then I had him perform Seisan correctly and the light touch had no effect on him. Proving the same principles applied.

So I had a new tool to allow my students to perform stronger Isshinryu.

But by extension it also gave me and my students something else.

And of course they would just be performing Isshinryu exactly as they had been taught. No magic, just a way to learn why not to make mistakes (something everyone might do ).

For example when I would judge anyone, from any system, if I saw they were out of alignment, no matter what they did. It became an objective way to base my judging scores on.

Additionally understanding what was ocurring, I and my students could now  know where to attack an opponents own mis-allignment.

A very powerful tool indeed.

Below is a paper I prepared for Joe Swift explaining this long ago shortly after we became internet friends.



Basic Energy Point Alignment
Private Paper for Joe Swift

This came from my studies in Yang Tai Chi Chaun with Ernest Rothrock, after 15 years of study. He demonstrated what I didn’t know and how to correct it. I then applied it to my karate students, and the vocabulary describing what we had been slowly working towards in our kata came into existence.

The basic theory behind energy point alignment is that when the parts of the body (symbolized by the energy alignment points) are correctly aligned, the bodies power is more fully harnessed in a technique.

The points used for alignment are on the front of the body. They are:

The 3rd eye
In the front of the right shoulder
In the front of the left shoulder
The Solar Plexus
In the front of the right hip
In the front of the left hip
The groin
 
Energy Point Alignment basically I think of alignment of a triangulation of lines coming off from the points.  If the shoulder points center on the center-line (from the solar plexus) they are aligned.

The example we used, your stepping out with a left front side block, required the block stopping aligned with the left shoulder and hip points, A fraction of an inch off, and a simple touch to the left shoulder point causes you to buckle, where as correct alignment remains solid when touched.

Even the placement of the eyes (to be on the center-line) can affect the alignment.

Essentially a correct technique will be aligned, not open to body buckling if an energy point is touched, and the alignment increases power behind the technique.

How to teach

First keep it non-verbal. When somebody is doing a technique wrong, touch a point and prove it to yourself, then correct their position and touch again, proving they’re now in alignment.

Eventually you’ll recognize the alignment scheme you’re using for your art from sight (BTW you likely already are doing this when you correct a student, this just gives you a tactile overview why you’re making the correction.

But basic technique correction  is only the opening to the story.

Next take a basic kata, (not an advanced one) and make sure the students are executing it 100%, or begin working towards it. There you begin working alignment in more advanced motion (than just one technique). I use Fyugata Sho for this as I really like the technique series.

In time you can vary the timing, breathing patterns, even techniques, but keep reinforcing correct technique (alignment).

Wait until they begin really getting that kata down, then slowly transfer that to their other kata studies.  Consistence in movement pattern, alignment and breathing all will help move towards better technique.

Subsidiary values

I discover anytime the two hands are together (as in Chinto’s ‘X’ blocks, or Seiunchin’s augmented block) what actually is happening the 2nd hand is keeping the body alignment correct, increasing power correspondingly.  

Likewise, when working a lock, having the 2nd hand involved (even with slight touch) keeps the body alignment more correct, increasing the power of the technique. This also is where you discover keeping the eyes and the center-line focused on the area being locked, and rolling the center to counter and then work into the attacker, increases the power too.

The touching hand is an automatic countering device against grappling, the slight touch keeps your alignment, and disrupts the perfect touching of both attacker and defenders bubbles of focus that must be perfect for a lock to work. Couple that with the knee release mechanism, and  almost instantly an automatic grab counter is born.

In the very complex book on tai chi chaun, “Mastering Yang Style Taijiquan” by Fu Zhongwen, he goes into incredible detail on a very small piece of the tai chi movement, showing how the energy point (the focus of the alignment points IMO) moves around in technique execution. What I take from this, is the moving point is actually changing the alignment for an incredible array of different fractal uses, within a simple technique series.

Thus this can be a simple or as complex as you wish.

Other theories describe alignment in bow theory. This always seems like alignment described from the rear of a person. By keeping 5 bows in correct position the power and energy of a technique is enhanced.

In fact, the basic theories behind Kishaba Juku, always seemed to me to draw upon the same theory. And the root is likely a verbalization of correct tai chi theory.

Should you be further interested in Energy Point Alignment here are a variety of posts I have made to my blog:


https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2013/06/basics-of-energy-point-alignment.html

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2021/01/how-sherman-harrill-increased-his-power.html

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2017/07/correct-alignment.html

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2018/08/a-diagram-showing-energy-point-alignment.html

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2012/05/borrowed-from-2004-on-power.html

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2017/11/an-issue-of-alignment.html

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2024/01/attacking-balance-points.html

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2022/10/isshinryu-alignment.html

https://isshin-concentration.blogspot.com/2015/07/shishee-and-haabeeruu.html

Interview of Shinyu Gushi Uechi Ryu, 9th Dan Dragon Times Issue #14 part 2

quote:
 
Removing his jacket, shirt and tie, he tied up his long grey hair more tightly with the hair pin worn by all men in Okinawa at one time, and stood motionless for a moment or two. "Sanchin," he growled, then suddenly, hunching forward slightly and thrusting his arms violently down at his sides, he began a transformation that would rival in dramatic effect the metamorphosis of Dr. Jekyll into Mr. Hyde. 

His body became instantly hard with a tension that defies description; sinews grew from nowhere and became steel cords; muscles swelled from the torso and solidified under my gaze; the eyes were transformed into ferocious slits from which shone malevolence, and from within nature's most dangerous creation--the creature that walks upright--came the primordial sound of the beast mustering its physical and mental power in preparation for a fight to the death. 

I felt the hair on the back of my neck rising, as my primordial instincts reacted to the sight before me.  

I felt as one does when the beloved family pet, who will willingly endure mashed potatoes in both ears providing the kids will let him eat it afterwards, becomes a wolf in defense of his pack; a snarling mass of tensed muscle and bared fangs to whom no reason will appeal. 

“Of course! The reason that we practiced Sanchin for at least six months was to make our bodies strong and capable of taking punishment.

If your Sanchin is good, you can protect your whole body with the exception of the face. If your opponent cannot hurt you enough to stop you fighting he will loose.

See (tensing the muscles around the neck so they looked like a thick strand of rope wound around beneath his chin) even if I am hit here (indicating his vulnerable throat by hitting it with his fist) I can protect myself with Sanchin.”

Sanchin is important because it allows you to build a shield of muscle that you can use at will, and that will both protect your body and give you a lot of power to attack with.

Dragon Times: I understand that you studied with Seiyu Shinjo as well. 

Shinyu Gushi: That's right I did. I studied kata with him a lot. Then he moved to Kadena which was too far for me to travel so I started training with Seiko Itokazu Sensei who was the head of the Pangai Noon, (the original name of the style that Kanbun Uechi brought back from China).

I was an instructor by this time, and was aware therefore that karate was already changing.

1958 our first dan grade examinations in Okinawa were held. We were told to attend by our respective instructors and were examined by a large number of seniors for basics and kata performance.

Then we were told to fight each other.

Dragon Times: What form did the examination take?

Shinyu Gushi: We did Sanchin while seniors instructor tested us (shime) by hitting and punching us as we performed the Kata. Then we did Sanseru in front of the seniors, then they told us to fight.

Dragon Times: What do you mean by "fight?"

Shinyu Gushi: It was nothing like now. We were always taught in the dojo just to attack the enemy and beat him.

We didn't assume a stance and then circle warily. We went straight at each other, and using Sanchin, tried to avoid injury while beating up the opponent.

Only direct strikes to the face were forbidden, everything else was allowed, so we attacked with everything we had and a lot of students were injured.

The problem was that the instructors who were supposed to be conducting the grading became so enthralled with the fighting that they would forget to stop us. Only when one of the pair of combatants started to take a real beating would they remember to intervene, and by that time ten minutes of no holds barred fighting had taken their toll.

Dragon Times: I'm not clear about the rules for the sparring.
 

Shinyu Gushi: We were allowed to hit full power to any target with any technique except the face. We could attack the opponent's face, but not make contact.
 
Dragon Times: What techniques were used most often?

Shinyu Gushi: Well we used everything.

Sokuto kicks were used, hand techniques like the dragon strike to the throat, it was a fight rather than sparring.

Dragon Times: How did you do at the grading?

Shinyu Gushi: All right! I survived the battles and was graded second dan but when I look back I have to view this as the beginning of the change in Karate.

Until this point we practiced in the dojo individually under the supervision of a senior--there were no organized classes as such, or grades.

We practiced techniques that the first grading in 1958 showed all too clearly were far too dangerous to use in competition. I feel that from this point on "modern" karate started to develop along sporting lines while the old, "real" karate stayed in the background, and backyards of Okinawan teachers where it had always been.

When you are marching up and down a dojo it's easy to be anonymous--there's a certain feeling of belonging to a group that is reassuring.

But when you fight, you fight alone, so we train alone, student with instructor. In this way you can't hide anything as you can with group training. I see the student's flaws and I correct them so that the student can improve.

I offer individual training of an intense nature so people who really want to improve their karate skills can. That's not to say that what other people are doing is no good--just that what we do is different.
 

Dragon Times: When you were learning karate as a young student, did the seniors teach you kyusho (nerve points)?

Shinyu Gushi: Yes. We learned from our seniors and teachers but not to use in the dojo of course, it's too dangerous. Also we were not allowed to use them from the time of the first dan grading I told you about because they are so dangerous.

Dragon Times: When you tense your body, does it protect you from attacks to your nerve points?

Shinyu Gushi: Of course! That's why we practice Sanchin to learn how to do this--to protect ourselves in a fight.

Dragon Times: So if you had to protect yourself the first thing you would do would be to tense your body.

Shinyu Gushi: Yes!

Shinyu Gushi: Time changes things you know, so does transmission from one instructor to another. Everyone has their own interpretation of things that varies by a tiny amount from everyone else, and as these are passed on things change.

We are all human and this is natural. I try very hard to pass on only what I learned. I make a conscious effort to do only this.

Dragon Times: What are your hopes for the future?

Shinyu Gushi: There are many karate men these days and dojos everywhere, and that's fine. I hope to do many demonstrations of karate for everyone to see. So that they can say, this is how karate was a long time ago in Okinawa. This is Okinawan karate!

posted April 13, 2002 10:46

Interview of Shinyu Gushi Uechi Ryu, 9th Dan Dragon Times Issue #14 part 1

 

 

quote:

Not many people find an 9th Dan karate instructor at the front door on a Sunday morning, especially not one carrying a large box of doughnuts. But then working at Dragon Times never was boring, and nor was this particular day as it started with a serious period while we checked his latest video, progressed to light hearted discussions over lunch, and turned into mirth and hilarity as the day drew to a close. 

Gushi sensei, every inch the stern karate master on the outside, has a well-developed sense of humor we discovered. Unfortunately, as is so often the case, I ended up being its target and as a result, the source of a great deal of amusement for my co-workers.

At one stage while he was explaining a technique he made his hand into “hiraken” then grabbing my head without warning with his other claw-like appendage, rapped his knuckles on the side of my temple saying as he did so in a rather matter-of-fact way, “because this area (of my head) is very weak, you don’t have to hit too hard!” I did survive the day although as my eye glasses now list heavily to port like a ship getting ready to capsize, I must assume that they were bent during the demonstration or, as seems likely from the pain I felt when I woke up next morning, he displaced my left ear by half an inch.
Dragon Times: Many readers have asked us about your muscle-development. They want to know if you do weight training or if not, what sort of training you do to keep yourself in such good condition. 

Shinyu Gushi: I don’t do any weight training. I used to do a little when I was young but Uehara sensei told me that it I should concentrate on the quality of my muscles and not just their size so I cut it down to a minimum.

It’s good to be strong but in karate it’s speed and “snap” that you need. What muscles I have comes from Sanchin training and using nigiri game. Muscles developed this way serve to protect the body, weight training just produces a pleasing appearance.
When you are fighting (drops into Sanchin stance) you pull your shoulders down like this and tense your muscles, including those around your throat to make a shield. With your body round and compact and your muscles tense you are relatively safe and protected.
 

We pull everything into the center, lower our bodies like this and make them round and smooth. Techniques are performed in front of the body, we don’t block above the level of the head for example because that would weaken our defenses.

DT: How would you say that karate has changed since you started training?
 
SG: In some ways it has changed for the better, in others for the worse. Times change and with them the way that we lead our lives. When I started karate we would make our uniforms out of U.S. Army flour sacks because everything was in such short supply in postwar Okinawa. Nowadays most youngsters have everything they need or want but are no happier than we were.

What I do regret are the misunderstandings that have occurred about technique. When demand for tuition became very strong during the sixties and seventies, students were given permission to teach before they were ready.

Not knowing the bunkai, that is, the purpose the movements they were teaching, they ended up just teaching the movements. This is like giving someone a map without indicating in which direction north lies—you sort of know where you going, but then again you don’t.
 

The result of this were students who slavishly performed the basic form of the technique without knowing its purpose. For example, koi no shippo (goldfish tail block) is performed slowly in the kata (demonstrates) but in fact it is either a very sharp upward block, or a powerful downward strike to the opponent’s hand.
 
The student might think that it should be performed during kumite as it is done during the kata, but this is completely wrong. The point I am trying to make is that is if you have never seen a nail you will not know how to use a hammer.

In authentic Uechi Ryu there is order and method, and this must be passed on to students perfectly, not just the physical appearance of techniques as has been the case so often in the past. 

If you are attacked strongly you block softly—absorbing and deflecting. This is the Crane method.

When you attack you do so fiercely, gripping your opponent so he cannot escape and striking him really hard—this is the way of the Tiger.

Other techniques are inspired by the imaginary movements of a dragon, that is why our method is referred to as Ryokokaku—Dragon, Tiger, Crane school.

DT: Do you teach differently now than you did in Okinawa?

SG: In some ways yes. When I came to the United States, students asked me many questions about technique which is not the way we do things at home.

I was accustomed to waiting patiently until one of my seniors in the dojo would decide that it was time for me to learn something new. 

The American way was a little unsettling at first, but it caused me to rationalize things that I had always done instinctively.

Then, and only then could I explain them logically, which is what the Western mind has been trained to expect. This period of self-examination made me aware of the real secrets of karate so you could say that it was not until I became 8th Dan that I really knew what I was doing!

But don’t think that there are short cuts because there aren’t. Learning karate properly is hard work, you will often feel pain and exhaustion, frustration, and from time to time you will suffer injury. 

Karate still involves strengthening and conditioning the body, learning the techniques so you can do them without thinking, and building a strong spirit. When you have perfected each and can bring them together perfectly, you are really doing karate and your ability will become much greater than the sum of the three constituent parts.

DT: Is this why you decided to produce your video series?

SG: Well, my students said that I should, and now I agree with them. Before you train with a senior teacher you should watch and listen to the videos and learn as much as you can, then your time in the dojo will be used to the greatest benefit. If you can really absorb what is shown on the videos and perform it to a reasonable standard, it will take you to the level of third or fourth dan.

Watch and listen, think about what you have seen, and train as hard as you can. The videos give a visual example of technique which is very useful.

For example, I see so many people these days just standing up straight when they perform Sanchin and pushing their arms out in front of them. That’s not the way.

You have to lower your body into Sanchin stance (demonstrates) like this, so that there is only a small gap between your knees and your groin is protected.

You thrust strongly with your arms, don’t just push them forward.

This is serious business and you must learn properly the first time otherwise the techniques won’t work.

DT: Do you have any strong views about sparring?

SG: Not sparring as such but the use of protectors or pads can be a problem. In Okinawa we don’t use them as body conditioning is part of Uechi system that teaches us to withstand pain and avoid injury. 

When extensive protection is used students lose all fear, much of their control, and a good deal of their mobility. Sparring become a wild brawl with punches being swung indiscriminately and the fighter with the longest arms and legs usually comes out on top.

I realize that there is a liability problem in the U.S. and insurance companies probably insist on protection being worn before they will give coverage, but we must remember that competition sparring is not real fighting.
 
DT: We are often asked by readers if you are going to open a dojo so they can train with you. Do you have any plans?

SG: No! Running a dojo is a big responsibility and very time consuming. I would end up teaching beginners to cover the overhead which would prevent me from teaching senior students and younger instructors which I feel is my real mission.

I travel to do seminars however, and I will be teaching at seminars organized by Tsunami Productions later this year.

DT: I understand that on the last of the four part series you will be demonstrating kobudo. Can you tell us something of the background of your training?

SG: Well, I started about 45 years ago with Akamine Shoichi sensei, and also trained with one of my karate teachers, Seiko Itokazu sensei. The kata are mainly from the Matayoshi school but as you know, kata varies a little from dojo to dojo.

I have studied the bo, eku, sai and nunchaku. There is no official kobudo style for Uechi Ryu, we choose what we like and train with the teacher we prefer.

DT: Thank you sensei for giving us this interview. I have seen your video series and was very impressed—it is excellent. I hope that it will make more people aware of the genuinely traditional training that you offer.

posted April 13, 2002 09:53

Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu kata

I always found it most important to learn about other Okinawan systems.

 松林流 型 

Slow & Full & Bunkai

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaLs8HrEsh0

 

Dangerous Saifa Kick Drill

Again, something to consider.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ldw66BZhDE&t=86s

The use of caution must be mentioned.
 

On Any Given Day......

Back in 1984, once upon a time in a land far, far away… I think that is how good stories are to begin.

I was a minor competitor in the old Region 10, which was included Pa., Md, and NJ.  Individuals entered Black Belt competition for many reasons. In my case not being with one of my Isshinryu instructors, and training myself, I realize that the competition was about the best way to push myself that I could find.

This was before the internet, back then the most informed information about the arts outside of your instructor or friends in their arts, was the karate magazines. As time would prove those magazines were not necessarily accurate either.


 The definition of what karate was (outside of your system) in those years was a bit more open than people believe in today. If you stepped on the floor and held your own, it was karate, and possibly would stand the test of time – or not.

I primarily competed in Kata and Kobudo. And the competition was fierce there. 

There are judges then who can remember those days. Pat Burns, Bruce Heilman, John Hamilton, Rom Martin among others. 

And the competitors with all their skill, some of them to become National Champions, by the standards of that day. They drew in other National level champions to contest against them too. It was pretty heady stuff to be on the same floor as them.

I just want to recall one memory that might make that point.

Back then when competitors tied for first place, the had to compete again. And in kobudo division the competitor who only had one form to compete with was at a disadvantage. The competitor who could perform a different kata with a different weapon had an advantage.

 

This was Cynthia Rothrock, from those days.

Unfortunately I can find no photos of Edward Hampton.

Well, as I recall on that day I was in the same division as Cindy Rothrock, and another of the competitors was a senior student of Manny Agrella,  Edward Hampton (if my memory serves me right.

Suffice it to say, for me it was another practice session. However Cindy and Edward, were unreal that day.

(1)That day they tied, then had to do another kata, 

(2)Both of them did a different form with a different weapon. Again they tied. 

(3)Both of them did a different form with a different weapon. Again they tied. 

(4)Both of them did a different form with a different weapon.  Yet another tine they tied. 

(5)Both of them did a different form with a different weapon.

That’s right 5 times they tied, and they used 5 different weapons that day.

The fact that they had or borrowed so many different weapons to compete, gives testimony to the lengths they took their training.

I am not sure who won, my memory remembers the day, but not the outcome.

It was a different time. Perhaps the time pushed the competitors just as well.

 Were they the best? After seeing so many fine forms over those years I know there were many times many who were skilled. A different time, a different day and anything might happen.

Among the judges I have mentioned.

 Bruce Heilman, Ron Martin, Ann Heilman

 

Victor Smith and Joe Brague

 

Pat Burns demonstrating a takedown

 

A study in Chinto

 This occurred in the early 1980s.


On Saturday morning, while driving to class, a new way of considering some of Chinto’s application potential presented itself to me.

Consider this section in Tom Lewis' Chinto Kata:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISvoUoyBSIQ

   
You draw the right foot back and twist your body clockwise into a right cross stance as you perform a double rising wedge strikes. [feel free to derive a better term!]


Then your left foot steps forth (with a crescent step) and you perform a simultaneous left low strike and right high strike.


Next your right foot steps forth (with a crescent step) and you perform a simultaneous right low strike and a left high strike.



My application analysis for this section has never been one I’ve been totally comfortable with, and the various studies I’ve completed have never fully taken these techniques into account.


Sure the obvious ‘missing’ front kick (a real hidden technique possibility) between movement 1 or 2 presents itself.  For movement 1. the potential for double blocking similar to boxing rope-a-dope is there.


Charlie Murray was shown how this movement could be used to trap an arm during his stay in Okinawa, but on the whole, I still wasn’t very satisfied.


What came to me was one series of potential against grab and yank situations. Perhaps many of us don’t worry about such, feeling our size or power make it unlikely that such will occur.  But such attacks do exist and the more we understand our kata potential, the more complete our response capability becomes.



Several other opening thoughts.


First, if you’re being grabbed and yanked, its unlikely you will draw back into the cross stance as Chinto shows. I choose to explore the stepping out into the cross stance (akin to its use in Seisan kata) as I perform the double rising blocks.

Second, when moving into the stances it is necessary to orient yourself to take advantage of the application potential. That means you aren’t necessarily moving straight forward as in the kata, but perhaps on an angle, yet the finish of the stance and technique are as clean and precise as doing Chinto alone. This requires you use your full body potential. Keep your weight centered on the balls of your feet to finish your body alignment correctly and use your knee release in your technique to fully exploit your body’s power.

Your skill in performing Chinto kata is fully required to draw forth these applications effectively.

Opponent grabs your left wrist with their right hand and pulls you sharply forward.

[First Movement} You step across with your right foot and twist your body clockwise to form the right cross step. Doing this you execute the double rising wedge strikes, by first turning your left hand (palm side) in towards your chest and drawing your right fist across your left forearm, then pulling your right hand back and turning your left palm away from you as you finish the double strikes.  This movement separates their grab with the action of your right arm.

[Second Movement} You step forward with your left foot, but when you place the ball of that foot down, and you shift your weight onto the left foot, your body rotates counter-clockwise as you set into left foot forward Seisan Stance but so your own chest crosses their arm about 20 degrees.

As this takes place your right hand opens and you rotate your right forearm so your palm faces away from you (though not called for, this pressing motion could be an opening for an arm grab too.) The other half of the motion is a left descending hammerfist strike. [For safe practice strike into your opponents lower left (as you see it) abdomen.]

There are a variety of targets of opportunity such as the left hand little knuckle striking into the point 1” below the male left chest nipple, but my all time favorite is to slice across the side of the ribs where there is no meat protecting the ribs, just lots of nerves and bone underneath.
[Takedown] Such as strike itself isn’t often enough. By grabbing their wrist and then stepping across their line of attack with your left foot, and striking (rolling across) their biceps tendon you can force the opponent down into the ground.

Opponent grabs your right wrist with their left hand and pulls you sharply forward.

[First Movement] You step across with your right foot and twist your body clockwise to form the right cross step. Doing this you execute the double rising wedge strikes, by first turning your left hand (palm side) towards your chest, and drawing your left fist across your right forearm, then pulling your left hand back and turning your right palm away from you as you finish the double strikes. This movements separates their grab with the action of your left arm.

[Third Movement (skipping the second movement) being creative], Draw your weight back on your left foot allowing you to step forward with your right foot. Your body will roll counter-clockwise during the right stepping motion but then roll clockwise at the completion of this section.

As this takes place your left hand opens and you rotate your left forearm so your palm faces away from you (though not called for this pressing motion could be an opening for an arm grab too.) The other half of the motion is a right descending hammer fist strike. [For safe practice, strike into your opponents lower right (as you see it) abdomen.] There are a variety of targets of opportunity such as the right hand little knuckle striking into the point 1” below the male right chest nipple, but again I favor slicing across the side of the ribs.
[Takedown] Such as strike itself isn’t often enough. By grabbing their wrist and then stepping across their line of attack with your right foot, and striking (rolling across) their biceps tendon you can force the opponent down into the ground.



Opponent grabs your left hand with their right hand (cross hand grab)

This grab doesn’t allow the previous techniques to work as well, but we can readily defeat it by drawing on the kata in a different manner.

[First movement] You step across with your right foot and twist your body clockwise to form the right cross step. Doing this you execute the left arm rising strike, by first turning your left hand (palm side) towards your chest, and using your right rising strike, to smash into their wrist, freeing your left hand

You can then complete this section as shown in number 2 above.

 Opponent grabs your right hand with their left hand (cross hand grab).  Your response is the reverse of above

A note on 3 and 4, the cross hand grab does not come free with the double rising strike, but striking into the wrist will readily effect release from the grab.

Opponent grabs your left shoulder (or upper left arm) with their right hand.

[First movement] You step across with your right foot and twist your body clockwise to form the right cross step.

While doing this your rising left strike opens their right arm to the left.
At the same time your are striking upwards with your right fist into their solar plexus. This creates one heck of a shock into the opponent.
Alternatively, you could be doing a right uppercut underneath the opponents jaw.

This last technique reminds me of the shocking energy developed in Hsing I kung fu, and similar strikes from Tai Chi

I don’t see this analysis as even close to completely describing this section of Chinto’s application potential.

My studies also point out these are very skilled responses. Simply knowing Chinto kata does not mean one is prepared to sell these applications. By way of example, this training would never be part of my kyu curriculum, and where I have a group of experienced Dans training with me, most of them would not choose to sell these applications during conditions extremis. In their case they would likely choose a different response.

But being trained in application and choosing not to respond with a technique series, is vastly different from not knowing its existence.

This shows how I was beginning to view the use of kata technique.