The Principles learned from KYU KUMITE

[Rick Wilson]

The purpose of this thread is to discuss the values or principles we derive from the prearranged kumites of Uechi Ryu.

It is not the purpose of this thread to discuss whether or not prearranged kumites should, or should not, be done. Nor is it intended to discuss the level of focus that should be placed on them.

This thread accepts the fact that prearranged kumites are part of the Uechi Ryu curriculum and that they have a value and purpose.

I would like this thread to explore the principles everyone feels are passed on through Kyu Kumite.

I thought we would start with Kyu Kumite as it is the basic one and used in many schools.

I shall start things off by describing how we perform Kyu Kumite at the WKS (Wilson Karate School) and what I feel the students learn from each of them. I would like to see future posters state any difference in performance if it affects what they are teaching.


The Principles learned from KYU KUMITE

ONE:

Aggressor: The aggressor is in a left formal Uechi Ryu kumite stance. They step through with the right foot as they throw a right reverse punch to the top centre of the defender's chest. This step must close the gap therefore it is a combination of a step through slide step.

Defender: The defender steps back through with their left foot and angles off to their left. They should end in a Sanchin stance with their toes pointed at the aggressor's centre. As they are stepping they perform a left guide block right circle block (the full circle block). This block should affect the aggressor's balance.

Aggressor: Steps through with their left foot as they throw a left reverse punch to the top centre of the defender's chest. This requires the aggressor to reorient on the defender.

Defender: The defender steps back through with their right foot and angles off to their right staying close to the aggressor. They should end in a Sanchin stance with their toes pointed at the aggressor's centre. As they are stepping they perform a right guide block left circle block (the full circle block). This block should affect the aggressor's balance and take control. They finish with a right punch to the aggressor's ribs.

Important notes: The aggressor should not step then punch, the weapons must lead the attack.

Principles Learned:

Aggressor:

The aggressor learns to close the gap in attacking and to lead their attack with their weapon. They also learn to reorient on their opponent for a follow up attack.

Defender:

The defender learns that each movement should accomplish two vital things: to avoid the incoming weapon and to gain a strategic advantage over the aggressor. This is why I no longer teach Kyu Kumite number one with the defender stepping straight backwards. While that avoids the attack it does not achieve any strategic advantage.

The defender learns to coordinate the hand movements involved in a proper circle block. They also learn to have their hands positioned properly for the guide block on the second attack to work effectively. (In addition, I show that the guide block hand should be returned to Sanchin because that action could be used as an atttack.)


TWO:

Aggressor: The aggressor is in a right formal Uechi Ryu kumite stance. They step through with the left foot as they throw a left reverse punch to the top centre of the defender's chest. This step must close the gap therefore it is a combination of a step through slide step.

Defender: The defender steps back through with their left foot. (Yes stepping straight back -- see principles learned for an explanation.) As they are stepping they perform a left guide block right circle block (the full circle block). This block should affect the aggressor's balance.

Aggressor: They step through with the right foot as they throw a right reverse punch to the top centre of the defender's chest.

Defender: The defender steps back through with their right foot and pivots to their left as they simultaneously perform a left sweeping downward block and a right punch to the top of the aggressor's chest. They should end in a Sanchin stance with their toes pointed at the aggressor's centre.

Principles Learned:

Aggressor:

The same lesson is repeated -- The aggressor learns to close the gap in attacking and to lead their attack with their weapon.

Defender:

While we always want to achieve a strategic advantage, that is not always possible, therefore the best that can sometimes be obtained is the avoidance of the attack, even if it means a simple step backwards. (I prefer this to be taught in number two as opposed to number one because the preferred move is to both avoid the attack AND gain a strategic advantage.)

The defender reinforces getting off the line of attack on the second movement with the step and pivot.

The defender learns that when the defence is done on the inside it should be, whenever possible, a simultaneous interception and strike.

THREE:

Aggressor: The aggressor is in a right formal Uechi Ryu kumite stance. They step through with the left foot as they throw a left reverse punch to the top centre of the defender's chest. This step must close the gap therefore it is a combination of a step through slide step.

Defender: The defender steps back through with their left foot. As they are stepping they perform a right guide block.

Aggressor: They step through with the right foot as they throw a right reverse punch to the top centre of the defender's chest.

Defender: The defender slide steps back with their left foot and angles off to the left. They should end in a Sanchin stance with their toes pointed at the aggressor's centre. As they are stepping they perform a left guide block (leaving the left hand on the aggressor's arm) right circle block (the full circle block). By leaving the guide block sticking to the aggressors arm and controlling with the right circle block they can affect a chi'na control of the aggressor. They finish with a left front kick to the aggressor's ribs.

Principles Learned:

Aggressor:

The same lesson is repeated.

Defender:

The defender reinforces the effectiveness of a quick guide block.

The defender reinforces getting off the line of attack on the second movement.

The defender is introduced to the controlling chi'na within Uechi Ryu.


FOUR:

Aggressor: The aggressor is in a left formal Uechi Ryu kumite stance. They throw a right side kick to the defender's midsection.

Defender: The defender steps back through with their left foot as they perform a left sweeping downward block deflecting the sidekick to their left.

Aggressor: The aggressor throws a high left roundhouse kick and as they land their left foot on the ground they throw a right shuto the defender's head.

Defender: The defender raises their right leg in a crane block to intercept and jam the aggressor's roundhouse kick, as they place their leg on the ground they drive forward simultaneously intercepting the aggressor's shuto with a short left circle block and delivering a right elbow to the aggressor's chest. Follow up with a right back fist.

Principles Learned:

Aggressor:

The aggressor learns to drive in with multiple assaults.

Defender:

The defender begins to learn a skill best displayed in Sechin Kata - the ability to absorb and then drive forward. The first movement is a step backwards to avoid and absorb the sidekick; the second action reverses that direction by jamming the roundhouse kick and driving in aggressively with the elbow strike (another simultaneous block/strike when on the inside.)


FIVE:

Aggressor: The aggressor is in a left formal Uechi Ryu kumite stance. They slide step forward with a left jab (I know this is often done with a slide step right reverse punch, but I prefer to teach proper use of a jab here).

Defender: Slides steps backwards angling to their right while performing a short left circle block to intercept the jab.

Aggressor: The aggressor throws a right front kick.

Defender: The defender slide steps backwards as they perform a left sweeping downward block deflecting the front kick to their left (a slight slide to the right is appropriate to avoid the direct force of the front kick).

Aggressor: The aggressor throws a high left roundhouse kick.

Defender: The defender intercepts the roundhouse kick with a cross block (right hand high) in a jamming action and then slide steps backwards.

Aggressor: The aggressor throws a high right roundhouse kick.

Defender: The defender step back through with their left foot and intercepts the roundhouse kick with a cross block (left hand high). However, this is not done in a jamming action, instead, the step back through distances them from the roundhouse kick. The cross block is performed in front of the body to intercept and control the aggressor's kicking leg. The defender then sweeps the aggressor's leg over to their right with their right hand in a circle block maneuver. They stick to the leg and follow the aggressor as they spin, stepping in with their left leg behind the aggressor. As they step in the defender's left knee clips the back of the aggressor's right knee while the defender's left hand takes control of the aggressor's right shoulder to further off balance the aggressor. The defender delivers a right hook punch to the side of the aggressor's head. (The defender's controlling left hand should have their left elbow high to prevent the aggressor from spinning around.)

Principles Learned:

Aggressor:

The aggressor again learns to drive in with multiple assaults.

Defender:

The defender again learns the skill to absorb and then drive forward. The first two movements slide step backwards to avoid and absorb the jab and front kick; the second action reverses that direction by jamming the roundhouse kick. To emphasize this ability the defender does not drive forward here but disengages and slides backwards.

The defender then once again absorbs the attack by stepping back through to avoid the roundhouse kick. However, the absorption is quickly followed by driving forward and taking the aggressor's back.

Taking the aggressor's back is another vital principle taught to the defender. (It is the easiest place to win a fight from.)

The defender also learns to stick and control on the last move.

The defender learns to use their hands, and more importantly, their knees to steal the aggressor's balance.


Okay so that is the basic presentation of Kyu Kumite in the WKS. There are variations as you teach the kumite, but let us begin the discussions with this.

So what are the principles everyone else teaches through Kyu Kumite?

Rick

[Deep Sea]

Thanks for the writeup on Kyu-kumite, Rick.


When I did the TKD sparring circuit for years, I used movements from Kyu-kumite to regularly defeat those with whom I was fighting, including good black-belt TKDists when I was even a white-belt TKDer years before my accident! After my accident, Kyu-kumite moves came in very handy to accomplish the same effects only I had to become much smarter to remain successful in using those techniques.

It is absolutely stupid to use the moves from Kyu-kumite "out of the can" against advanced TKDers who have managed to "catch on to you" and that's where one must take the framework and do the embelishments around the exact techniques to make them work againsed the seasoned TKD fighter.

I use TKD as an example because I have years of lots of experience in that arena. K-K works beautiful against other foot-fighting styles as well. It also has applications on the street too.

Remember K-K is moldable and morphable but it needs to be practiced "by the book" to get the discipline required first to make it work and understand the options available.

Uechi-ryu is so rich in many techniques that one wouldn't, couldn't, begin to imagine all the wonderous sparkling jewel until he rolls his mental shirtsleves up to make some of the hidden discoveries as Rick is doing

Even myself, after doing this for over a quarter century, last night I discovered a NEW way of applying the Uechi circle block from Sanchin and got it to work as a natural body movement with nothing added -- a street-fighting technique. I must have a new pair of eye-glasses or something

It's all in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Allen Moulton from Uechi-ryu Etcetera

[dmsdc]

Very nice.

I think a couple of additional principles that can be emphasized, once the students get the moves down, are the ideas of sensing and listening to the aggressor.

By this I mean waiting for proper timing in moving back and avoiding attacks. Once the first attack is avoided, using the awareness of the hand that is now on the aggressor to sense when they are going to move again.

Finally, observation skills such as being able to describe how their partner breathes when they attack, what telegraphic moves they do and whether or not they notice if the aggressor is over-balancing when they attack.

Dana

[Bill Glasheen]

Rick

I like the way you approach this. If I were to do my kyu kumite that way, I would follow a lot of your thinking.

I have some rather significant differences in the way I do number 3 and 4. My number 5 is different too, but you have mostly accounted for that. Wonder if you'd be interested in hearing the differences and my thinking... Gotta go for now.

- Bill

[Rick Wilson]

Thanks for the comments folks.

Bill, I would very much like to hear your differences and thinking!


Rick

[GSantaniello]

Rick,

I originally learned kyu kumite in it's basic format that is pretty much universal or "by the book". Although i still teach it that way, i have foud some "variations" to be more practicle and effective, for me.

For now, will only touch on a couple of points.

# 1. I have found that staying a little closer in blocking the 1st incomig right punch with a "reaching out" wauki block sets up better position to itercept punch #2 (left straight) by stepping out to my right into a left sanchin again reaching out as to "stick" to the arm as to gain control and position of my opponent. I then prefer to return a palm heal strick to the temple area rather than the traditional "body shot".

# 2 I prefer to (again) stay in close and maintain sanchin arm position as i deflect the incoming left punch with a simple outside block (not full wauki) with my right arm.(still maintaing arms in sanchin position.

As punch #2 comes in, stepping out to my left into a left (deviated) sanchin foot position, i simply "stick" to my opponent and use a left palm heal (cross, not down) block to deflect the energy of the punch and position for a right palm heal to head return.

I find that many still depend upon running away from the attacks and utilizing "power" to try and beat out the attack. I have learned that there is an easier way. Although difficult to adjust for many.

A pre-arranged drill should be easier to "experiment" with somewhat as to find minor adjustments that work for us better as individuals.

I am not suggesting that one "changes" such drills, only modify to work smarter and easier.

I'll check back in later with some other modifications.



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Gary S.