ART'S LESSON --

[Art Rabesa]

I've pulled this sanchin video lesson out of the web site. It's done slowly for instructional purposes. The entire sanchin kata is shown very slowly to better grasp it's concepts. I teach it this way to beginners and advanced students alike. I've shown it this way to high dan ranks. I like to pull sanchin apart and get into all the details. Once we better understand details, sanchin can be done stronger.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX2qR46eDqA

My right thumb can not fold in. It's been broken for many years. As you watch my right thrust you'll see this. It is what it is. I really hope this helps in understanding sanchins elements. --------Happy Trails-----Art

[Art Rabesa]

I've posted this video before. To tie all the sanchin instruction together and perform a strong sanchin kata. My viewpoint is to lay the groundwork for the training. Meaning that your physical awareness of where your power is, comes from doing a strong sanchin. To plant each step and fire a strong thrust from a strong foundation. Nothing rushed. The only part of sanchin that is done fast is the actual thrust. All thrusts in the sanchin kata are done fast and strong. All thrusts. To feel the planting of the foot and the power of the base. Everything comes from this power base. I have seen sanchin done rapidly. My opinion is that done in this manner off sets everything you are trying to accomplish in practicing sanchin. You are losing the concept of what is in sanchin. Have a look.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VRcvr- ... QSdCUh3_gA
Happy Trails -------Art

[Art Rabesa]

I believe the most difficult thing to explain is why sanchin is so important in our training. You would think after all these years of teaching Uechi Ryu, I'd have it down. I understand what I feel when I practice sanchin. I recognize it in other aspects of the training as well. I relate most things to sanchin and it's benefits. Having said all that, wouldn't you think I could explain why we practice sanchin? To relate the speed and power of certain movements to sanchin is very important. Those practicing Uechi Ryu need to wrap their overall training around the benefits contained in sanchin. Not easy to do. Even harder to bring out. I explained to some of my students the time it took me to finally "get it". I told them it was probably 15 or more years before it began to sink in. It was after I retired from competitive fighting. I remember thinking --"where were you when I was fighting"? I remember doing lots of sanchin kata in class. I knew it must be important because we did it so much, and I was told that it was important. Okay!!! there's got to be something there. Finally, I began to feel a torque I never felt before. A sense of explosion that was creeping into my strikes. It seemed easy to hit very hard. I always felt I could hit, but not like this. I slowed sanchin down in my teaching and practice. I felt a lower base when I planted my foot. I refer to it now as the power base. Letting the hand rest alongside my chest before the thrust. Now exploding the hand forward from this relaxed position. Keeping the palm up for most of the thrust and snapping it over right at the end. This led to infighting awareness because of the newfound explosion from real close. Now---because of an understanding of sanchins benefits, I was able to do new things. I want to get this out to those I teach. I speak of it and demonstrate it. I find it difficult sometimes to get my point across. I really find it frustrating to try to write about it. SO---there it is. How to teach why sanchin is so important? I simply keep trying to do that. Damn it's hard. -------Happy Trails ------Art

[Art Rabesa]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPOqVqS120A&t=156s
Once you feel the strength of your foundation and bone alignment, you can progress quicker. Feel the power of your arm position in your strike. Feel it --Lean on it----Push it. You'll know the weak point and the strong point. Working with a partner to understand your power positions. Have a look. ----Happy Trails ----Art

[Art Rabesa]

A lesson today on hitting very hard with your hands actually touching the target. When you're grappling, this will enable you to keep that hold and still strike very hard. I remember reading about Bruce Lee's one inch punch. This is a zero inch punch. I do not need to remove my hand from the body to strike very hard. Impossible? Have a look.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOyZedk8-ww
Happy Trails ------Art

[Art Rabesa]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9TMj0d ... QSdCUh3_gA
Lesson on the fighting leg block. Something Van Canna and I practiced constantly back in the 60's when we were competing. Lots of kickers back then. Needed something to handle all those strong kicks. Getting that kick at full power with your arms wasn't going to work very long. We came up with this. Work the timing and reading. Must slam our shin into that kick as it is being launched. Not too soon --not too late. Working the hands off the jam so he won't reload. Take a look at this very important fighting lesson. ------Happy Trails------Art

[Van Canna]

This is where I found the 'seisan jump back' useful.

Performed with jumping to the front with the left knee/shin up and 'plunging' into the kicks, all kinds of them, just as they were on the way in...this 'smothering' move as we see Art demonstrate...shut down very powerful kicks...as a matter of fact it was the secret against the crushing kicks of Bobby Cheezic fighters out of Connecticut.

They would practice their kicks against trees...strongest kicks I ever saw.

I used this once against one of their best 'The Ash man' in a full contact match on stage in Ct.

Where my soccer legs came in 'handy'

The jump forward...would also take out their balance structure, wiping out their follow up punches.

But this required much conditioning.

[Art Rabesa]

We would spend hours in the dojo jamming kicks with this seisan block. We would switch from blocking to kicking. It got so --that I would hope my opponents were all kickers and not punchers. We had that leg block down very well. Lots of conditioning though. No shin protection either. Old school training. Sometimes I wonder how, and why, we went through all that. I'm very proud of our fighting family coming out of our dojo in Boston. What a bad ass bunch we had back then. Our fighting sessions were really something to see. Most of the time Sensei Mattson would lock the large door leading into the dojo. It would scare away prospective students. Many fighters would think twice before they fired kicks at us. Many legs did not work very well after running into these leg jams. Many could not continue the bout after being hit with one of these seisan leg blocks. I still teach it to this day. I don't demonstrate it much though. Age and rank has its day. ------Happy Trails ------Art

[Art Rabesa]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8dbiQ ... s=58458d19
Taken from Sensei Mattson's Uechi Summer Camp in Plymouth Massachusetts. Sensei Rob Buckland was kind enough to assist me with this. My thanks to Rob and the film crew for all their work in getting this teaching video completed. There's a lot of material here. Something you most likely will have to visit often. Special thank you to Judy Durkin for her help as well. I certainly hope you enjoy this and learn a little something along the way.------Happy Trails------ Art

[Art Rabesa]

When I look at the video on the post above, I detect three segments. The section concerning the close quarter strikes and the reason for the supporting hand. Rob does a good job explaining it also. My work with Judy Durkin on elbow strikes and bringing the non striking hand into play. Judy is an 8th dan and a very respected Uechi Ryu teacher. The third section is the ground striking Rob Buckland and I get into. Lots of information in this seminar teaching video. I don't get to work with these Uechi instructors often. I usually take full advantage of it. My thanks to all involved here and I really hope it aids in your training and understanding. -------Happy Trails ------Art

[Art Rabesa]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NkoV-R ... e=youtu.be
Just a quick look at a simple, yet effective blocking movement. I only use this one method to deflect strikes. The slight angle of the body on the block is essential. Coordinate this and you'll have yourself a very good deflective blocking method. The skeleton resting in the corner was a student that was a few months behind on their tuition. lol -----------Happy Trails ------Art

[Art Rabesa]

A follow up to the post above. When practicing this deflective blocking method, make sure you do it from all situations. Take attacks inside and outside. Do it on kicks as well as punches. You'll quickly discover that taking that attack inside requires a shorter quicker movement. Inside meaning that you are blocking a right with a right, and a left with a left. Using your body more here. A snapping of your same side on touch. Your blocking arm doesn't really do much. Never reach with the blocking arm. Always keeping your arm in the flexed position all the way through the block. With the arm in this arced set up, the slight snapping turn of the shoulders will allow for the angle needed. I like where I end up when blocking like this. I find myself in a very nice countering position. Since both hands are always used in all set ups, you are always ready to fire. Practice this in the dojo using different partners. Your goal is to get all attacks at the foot or hand. You do not want the leg or arm. This is accomplished with your quick body turn on the block. I mentioned that this was a simple yet effective blocking method. It can be, but we all know that everything takes practice. This method can be very effective -- work it --- see if it suits you.-------Happy Trails ------Art

[Art Rabesa]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv-6aGLNcuM&t=79s
To reinforce the short arcing block in the post above, I've backed it up with this. I'm pretty sure this is posted somewhere in my lessons but It follows the blocking lessons. This very fast arcing block is used for various things. For deflecting strikes and also to clear the way for your strike. It's my universal block. I use it for almost everything. -------Happy Trails --------Art

[Art Rabesa]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dYt26jawy8
REPETITION is key. Posted this drill awhile back. To become very comfortable in close, you've got to work this drill until you see it in your sleep. It's sort of like the "Inside- Outside" drill I've posted earlier. Slowly working various close strikes with your hands in the position shown. All strikes with at least one hand locked in. Switching the non striking hand as you go from left and right strikes. I like to work my stance as I do various strikes. You'll figure out pretty fast the best stance for each strike. Especially the tight leg thrusts. Very important to keep moving from strike to strike here in this drill. Moving from a leg thrust into a hand strike deserves attention. Here you need to get that thrusting leg down fast to allow for that hand explosion. Take another look at this drill and add your close quarter strikes for your practice. Work this adding your own strikes. Get comfortable in there. Nice and warm in the kitchen. Now take all the strikes you've been working slow, and go to the heavy bag. Explode all those tight strikes on the heavy bag. Get your hands up on the bag when going through all strikes. You need your partner in working zones. You need the heavy bag to close the deal. ------Happy Trails ----Art

[Art Rabesa]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKfuzXK--qU
Maurice and I are doing a little inside outside drill. A simple, yet effective close combat drill. Can't hit each other with these tight strikes, that goes to the heavy bag. There can be lots of pushing and pulling involved here as well. At times, we end up on the floor. Lets you feel the arms and hands as they strike. Moving with the strike to clamp down or slide by it for your strike. Not much instruction here. Let the students go with this drill. They'll figure things out pretty fast in there. Hand movement and foundation are two elements that can be looked at. Nice drill.Lots of fun. Becoming comfortable in close.Put it in your class.I'm certain that you'll like it.---------Happy Trails -------Art