On May 27 several students tested for new belts. The grading was probably a little overdue, because everyone performed brilliantly, with most students achieving a passing grade of around 90%!
Congratulations to Shane, Geoff and Julie, who are the first Sobukan orange belts! We have several other yellow belts who are very close to grading as well… Shane has been training with me for a year now, as he started private lessons several months before the establishment of Sobukan Martial Arts. This was a great way to celebrate our first anniversary of training together, and the next step on his journey to black belt.
Our new yellow belts are Nick, the ever enthusiastic and hard-working Raghu, and talented juniors Vasco and Dylan. We have a few other white belts who will not be wearing that colour for very long – watch this space!
Congratulations all!!
Sorry if your photo is not up here, having some technical difficulties…
Sobukan recently demonstrated karate and jujutsu at the Kodomo no Hi Japan Festival at Cowandilla Primary School. Above is a display of images from Australia’s biggest volunteer run Japanese festival, including Sobukan family members, and other martial arts demonstrators. Thank you so much to all those Sobukan students that assisted on the day, including Geoff, Julie, Tom, Will, Umehara-san, Greg, Raghu, Mika, Marley, Dylan, Sei and thank you to Miho and Yu-chan for assisting with enquiries.
Look out for:
0.17 Marley playing karuta
1.24 Umehara-san playing the flute
2.13 Setting up the mats with Miho, Geoff and Julie
2.15 Chris Gillies with kids Sei and Dylan
2.18 Siblings Mika and Marley
Other martial art groups demonstrating at the festival included:
Robert Sedunary – Komei Juku – Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Iaijutsu
James Harata-Lee – Kendo SA – Kendo
David Scott – Aikikai – Aikido
Judo – UniSA Judo – Judo
and of course a big thank you to our unofficial sister school from the Northern Suburbs:
Shawn Donaldson – Denshinkan – Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo Jutsu, who paired with Sobukan for the Karate demonstration.
I am proud to advise that Sobukan has been approached about demonstrating at the very popular OzAsia Moon Lantern Festival on 30 September. I hope to see you there!
Chris, what are the core principles of the martial arts you teach?
I teach four separate martial arts within a unique curriculum: jujutsu (as learned at Hakkoryu So-hombu in Japan); karate (primarily Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo-jutsu); judo; and Shooto (Japanese MMA). Apart from perhaps Shooto, these schools are strictly governed by core principles.
The core principle of Hakkoryu jujutsu is its philosophy: ‘Don’t challenge, don’t oppose and don’t injure’. The techniques and strategies all conform to this philosophy. No attacking movements (such as punches, chokes or bone-breaks) are taught. All movements are defensive and aim to control an attacker without injuring him. Hakkoryu jujutsu teaches a noble, sophisticated approach to effective self-defence, aiming to protect rather than hurt an attacker.
Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo-jutsu (KU) is based on the historical research and training of members of the International Ryukyu Karate Jutsu Research Society, headed by Hanshi Patrick McCarthy. KU combines Eastern traditions with Western innovation and breathes life into classical karate practices. KU keeps the flame of tradition alight rather than worship its ashes.
Judo has many facets: sport, kata, fitness and self-defence, which trace the lifelong development of a marital artist. All facets are part of a larger goal of education and cultivation of character. The core principals of judo are mutual benefit — finding the win/win outcome; and minimum energy, maximum efficiency.
Chief instructor of Adelaide’s Sobukan Japanese Martial Arts dojo and editor of SA Martial Arts Newsletter, Chris Gillies has been training daily since the mid-1980s. He has studied numerous martial arts and spent six years in Japan training at the Hakkoryu Jujutsu hombu, Kyokushin karate HQ, Oguni Muay Thai gym, and Paraestra and Purebred Shooto dojos. He has also trained in Okinawa and Thailand. Gillies currently holds 4th Dan rank in Hakkoryu jujutsu and Arjukanpo karate, 1st Dan in Shito-ryu karate and Doce Pares Pangamot, a Brown-belt in judo, Blue-belt in BJJ and Practitioner 5 level in Krav Maga. He recently returned from Japan and established Sobukan dojo in Mitcham, SA, the motto of which is ‘Healthier, happier, safer’.
Blitz is Australia’s no#1 martial art magazine. Here is a series of technique workshop articles published between December 2011 – February 2012. Unfortunately the jujutsu techniques could not fit within the format and were cut, but these were intended to show Sobukan’s methodology of finishing a serious conflict with one of the following exit strategies:
1. Get out;
2. Knock out;
3. Choke out; or
4. Arrest.
What a crazy week! The 2012 IRKRS Gasshuku was a 5 day training camp with martial artists from 6 countries and many states. It was an amazing experience filled with great personalities and unique training. Hanshi Patrick McCarthy is a larger than life character, a real one of a kind with an incredible knowledge of every aspect of karate and a fountain of martial art knowledge.
The training from 6am – 9:30pm every day: 6-7 no gi grappling 9-12 general class (two person drills, grappling, kobudo, kata, conditioning (hojo undo), kihon, knife fighting, sticks, kakie damashi etc etc) 1-5 general class 7:30-9:30 general class.
I definitely must do that again! I apologise to my students for any inconvenience in my absence, but you are going to love some of these drills! More to come soon…
P.S. It seems that I forgot to mention that I got graded to 1st degree black belt in Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo Jutsu by Hanshi Patrick McCarthy at the 2012 World Gasshuku.
Just a reminder that Sobukan will be closed Thursday 19th April, as I travel to Myuna Bay for the International Ryukyu Karate Jutsu Research Society Gasshuku. We will be open the Tuesdays before and after. If anyone is looking for a little extra training at no extra cost, please head North to Denshinkan on Monday this week or next.
No advanced martial artist will undermine the importance of the elbows. In addition to being a very solid striking weapon, the control of the elbows in offensive and defensive technique is paramount.
Let’s consider the simple straight punch. Beginners will often concentrate on the fist, aiming to project it at the target with maximum speed and power. However this approach will often lead to the elbow separating from the hip and wasting the power generated in the legs, hips and waist. It will also affect the trajectory of the punch. As the elbow separates from the hip, the punch curves and the point of impact shifts to an outer portion of the fist, which is not in line with the forearm bones. This endangers the smaller fingers and wrist.
A much more efficient and effective method of delivering power into a straight punch is to focus on projecting the elbow towards the target. The fist then penetrates the target in a straight line with strong structural integrity, as the forearm bones will be in natural alignment with the fist. Transfer your bodyweight at the same angle as the punch to maximise force and minimise the likelihood of damage to the fist.
Ideal ways to practice this motion is to concentrate on pushing from the elbows when doing push-ups, and to train on a makiwara (punching post). My own makiwara is an unforgiving jacaranda tree wrapped in rope, which is quick to remind me when my technique gets lazy.
Arguably more important than the lesson above, is how to control the opponent’s elbow in the heat of battle. If an opponent is off balance, they cannot launch an effective attack or defence. If you control the opponent’s elbow, it is easy to disrupt their balance – especially if they are using muscular strength. This is why judo practitioners grip at the elbow.
Koryu Uchinadi Kenpo Jutsu’s (Classical Okinawan Karate) Tegumi drills are ideal ways to practice elbow control. Parry an opponent’s hand attack and enter with your whole body, using the forearm to apply weight to their upper arm, just above the elbow. Keep your forearm vertical, as this gives the greatest range of motion and control of the opponent. Once the elbow is controlled, you only have to walk toward the opponent maintaining elbow control to affect their balance and pre-emptively defend against hand strikes or kicks. For further demonstration of this concept, please come directly to Sobukan Martial Arts in Mitcham, SA!
Wing Chun, one of the more scientific of martial arts, offers the following maxims, amongst others:
- During sticky hand practice, the hand which has entered beyond the elbow will win nine times out of ten.
- The elbow must be strong. Then you can take on any attack.
The importance of relaxed elbows was impressed upon me at the Hakkoryu Jujutsu So-Honbu dojo in Saitama, Japan. When any muscular power is used, the elbows tighten and connect the movement of the hands to the balance of your entire body. A small pull or push of your arms will affect your entire body. If your elbows are completely relaxed, an opponent can yank and push your arms and it will have little effect on the rest of your body. Visualise a body made of wood versus one made of rope to better comprehend this principle.
Some of the most common errors in Jujutsu are also due to employing strength in the elbow joints. Doing so changes the bio-mechanics of the arm, raising the shoulder affecting the angle of the technique and neutralising its effectiveness. Too often, the martial artist will then try to force the technique to work, further reducing its effectiveness and leaving them vulnerable to counter-attack.
Elbows need to be taken care of though. Apart from their likely exposure to arm-bars and arm-locks, I have recently been suffering from one tennis elbow and one golf elbow. They seem to be rather susceptible to over-use injury. Take care of them!
It is fair to say that the importance of proper understanding of the elbow joint is a universal principle that transcends style. If you are a beginning martial artist, please remember this lesson as you progress. If you are a black belt looking for the next level of development, it may lie in the elbows. Relax your elbows, and fire punches from them. Neutralise attacks at the opponent’s elbow and disrupt their balance at the same point. This will buy you time to consider your next move. And don’t forget the elbow is one of the four hardest points of the body. Striking will this rock hard point is sure to do plenty of damage to an attacker, while protecting our vulnerable hands. Elbows, what would we do without them?
Please come and try traditional Japanese martial arts in Adelaide!
- Adelaide Jujutsu (Jujitsu)
- Adelaide Karate
- Adelaide Shooto (MMA)
- Adelaide Judo
