Illustrating the New Ryusei Manual

August 25, 2013 By Peter

The new Ryusei Karate-Do Technical Manual will be published this fall. The core of the manual are the writings and illustrations done by Sakamoto-Sensei. To make this kyu manual useful for beginner and intermediate students, we have also added step-by-step illustrations for the kihon (basics), kata and bunkai (two-person self-defence exercises that serve to elucidate the meaning of moves in kata).

The illustrations were created by Kambiz Miranbigi and Rick Going, the instructors of the Ottawa Ryusei Karate dojo. Rick served as the model for illustrations, his technique honed through long practice and during his years a national-level competitor. Kam was the photographer, who used a custom Photoshop process to convert the photos into the black-and-white illustrations you see here.

Kam and Rick are currently working on illustrating the black belt kata and bunkai.

First Copies of New Ryusei Karate Manual Published

August 16, 2013 By Peter

Some advance copies of the new Ryusei Karate-Do kyu belt technical manual have been published. This new manual includes a translation of the original Japanese manual, created by Ken Sakamoto-Sensei. It also includes illustrations of basic techniques, kata and bunkai created by Kambiz Miranbigi and Rick Going of Ottawa Ryusei Karate-Do. And finally there is a DVD of technique created in Japan, with footage of kata and bunkai being performed by Sakamoto-Sensei and other senior Ryusei instructors.

Copies of the manual are being sent to dojo in Canada as well as our dojo heads in the U.S., Japan and Australia. We’ll take advance orders from the dojo and then do a print run in late September or early October.

The manual will serve as an invaluable aid to students, serving as a reference to help them remember and understand the technique they learn in the dojo. The manual is published in a binder, so that when new illustrations of the black belt kata and bunkai are created, the new pages can be added without having to purchase a separate manual.

The Chinese Basis for Seisan?

October 23, 2012 By Peter

This is a link passed on by Terry Valentino of Koshin-ha Chito-ryu. The above video is footage of the San Zheng of Luohan Quan performed by Master Liang Shou Zhong in the 1980s.

The YouTube description says: “In Fujian, there are over 5 different lineages of Luohan Quan recognized (three of which are in Fuzhou, one is Yong Tai Fang Guang Cliff Luohanquan, then there is Fuzhou Luohan Quan (which actually originated in Kai Yuan Temple, Quanzhou in the south) and finally Xiang Dian Quan.

“This Luohan Quan which is performed originates in Yong Tai County at the Fang Guang Cliff where it was passed by Monk Bao Kong. 4th Generation Master Chen Dong Guan (who was Liang Shou Zhong’s teacher) was one of its most recognized inheritors and taught the boxing in Fuzhou.”

Terry writes in his email: “I found this on my you-tube wanderings and the relationship between Fujain Lohan Quan and Okinawan karate seems very clear. This form in my eyes could have very well been the original inspiration for Seisan. What do you think?”

I think Terry may be right, that there is some connection between the Chinese form and our Seisan kata. The punching and scoop actions are similar to the beginning of Seisan, and the open-hand block pulling down motion also correspond to moves in our kata.

What do you think?

Terry Valentino is the guest instructor at the 2012 Ryusei Summer Camp

August 13, 2012 By Peter

When the Ryusei Summer Camp runs in the Ottawa area on the weekend of August 25, the guest instructor will be Terry Valentino, a 7th Dan with the Koshin-ha Chito-Ryu Karate Federation, who will come to the camp with students from Pittsburgh. Valentino-Sensei also brings with him a wealth of experience. His bio:

With over 40 years of experience in the martial arts, Kyoshi Valentino holds a 7th-degree black belt in Chito-ryu Karate and a 2nd-degree black belt in Koseido-ryu Jiu-Jitsu.

Kyoshi Valentino’s training began informally under the guidance or his father Anthony “Val” Valentino who was both a student of Koseido-ryu Jiu-Jitsu founder Dewey Deavers and a hand-to-hand combat instructor for the U. S. Navy during World War II.

Naihanchi Drawings for the Ryusei Manual

April 10, 2012 By Peter

Since Naihanchi is being added to the Ryusei curriculum, our Ottawa Ryusei instructors, Kambiz Miranbigi and Rick Going, have created illustrations for the Ryusei technical manual that we are preparing.

So far Kam and Rick have produced images for the basics and kata up to black belt. To do this, Kam photographs Rick performing the kata moves and then uses Photoshop to create the the kind of illustration you see here. Click here to see all the Naihanchi illustrations. (If you can’t see them properly through your web browser, download the file to your desktop and open.)

Naihanchi Added to our Syllabus

April 8, 2012 By Peter

Sakamoto-Sensei has added Naihanchi to the Ryusei curriculum, in a departure from standard Chito-Ryu practice. It is considered a basic kata, so it is grouped with Seisan and Niseishi. Naihanchi is the prototypical Okinawan Shurite kata (as Sanchin is the prototypical Nahate kata). Sakamoto-Sensei feels it is valuable because of the vibrating hip action it teaches that he calls “shimegoshi.”

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