By: Joey Paden
“Perhaps the most essential single element of physical form,
as one aspect of classical disciplines, is kamae, or combative
engagement posture.” ~ Donn F. Draeger, author of Classical Budo
Within the Isshin-ryu system are a wide variety of postures, positions and stances that are intended to facilitate concepts ranging from the understanding of body mechanics to offering symbolic gestures. Kamae are an integral element of Isshin-ryu kata, and also to the whole of Isshin-ryu. Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei, the creator of Isshin-ryu Karate-Do, used a kamae from his kata, Sunsu, as an influence for the symbol of Isshin-ryu, the “Isshin-ryu no Megami”. Kaneshi Eiko Sensei (one of Tatsuo Sensei’s most senior students and present during Isshin-ryu’s creation) said, “Shimabuku made Sunsu with ken (sword) and Megami together.” This statement meant that the picture of the Isshin-ryu no Megami (Goddess of Isshin-ryu) holding her right hand in a closed fist and left open hand was influenced by the kamae found in Sunsu kata. [a] The Sword in Buddhism represents both knowledge and wisdom which has the capacity to cut through ignorance, delusion and attack evil. This alone shows us the importance of kamae not only for its self-defense postures but also for its symbolisim to Shimabuku. Therefore, kamae should be studied and understood by those studying Isshin-ryu.
“Without determination man is an untempered sword.” ~ Confucius
I’ve heard of, and witnessed, some sensei teaching that kamae are useless in actual self defense situations, however, this can not be further from the the truth. Motobu Choki Sensei, Shimabuku’s fourth karate teacher, said “Kamae is in the heart, not a physical manifestation.”[b] This is the essence of not only kamae, but Isshin-ryu Karate-Do as a whole. If we examine the physical aspects of kata, many times kamae only play a small part, such as indicating a pause, or used when moving from one technique to another. Since some postures are very inconspicuous, some practitioners of Isshin-ryu may not be aware to the depth of their importance. In this article we will cover some of the kamae taught and hopefully inspire those that may not have previously explored the purpose of kamae in kihon, kata and kumite.
Kihon No Kamae The postures used when practicing Kihon (Upper & Lower Body Exercises/Te no bu “Hand section” and Ashi no bu “Foot section”), in Shimabuku’s Agena Dojo, were either fists held on the hips (posting) {Fig.1} or in the front. {Fig.2} An authority in Isshin-ryu Karate and my source of information for this article, Sensei Arsenio Advincula, teaches both positions but emphasizes posting on the hips in Kihon. The reason being is it aids the new student to punch from the proper position taught in Isshin-ryu. However, when practicing other drills, for example Tatsuo’s Kumite, the hands are held in the front to simulate how we would normally be standing in a real situation.
Another kamae taught in Kihon is the double grab from the Toe-Rip or Heel-Thrust Kick. {Fig.3} In Kihon, its emphasis is not a kamae, although it is an outstanding fighting posture. I attended a Rape Prevention Seminar taught by Advincula Sensei, and this open hand kamae was taught first. Besides the obvious defensive advantages, this kamae is the universal symbol to stop. This shows our attackers, and witnesses, that we do not want a confrontation, which is a prime lesson taught in Okinawan Karate-Do.
Kotekitai No Kamae
Kotekitai are a set of three forearm conditioning exercises taught by Shimabuku Sensei. The first exercise teaches a kamae which is used latter in the fifth section of Tatsuo’s Kumite {Fig.4} The drill, defending against a double knife attack, is improvisational in nature with the attacker performing either a left, right or double knife thrust. The defense is chopping downward thwarting off the knife attack, the same way the first kotekitai is performed.
Seisan No Kamae
Postures found in Seisan Kata, as with all kata, prepare us for the lessons and strategies taught in the following kata and applied during kumite. The first stance, Seisan Kamae, {Fig.5} also known as Kihon Kamae, is Isshin-ryu’s fundamental fighting posture. To the beginner, this stance seems to leave us in a position where our targets are vulnerable to attack. However, as we progress in skill we place ourselves, and our opponents, into situations at our discretion so we can use Seisan Kamae as it was meant to be – our primary stance.
A few of the many features of Seisan Kamae are; we can easily and rapidly use all of our weapons, move and strike to the eight primary directions and shift directly into every stance taught in Isshin-ryu. Seisan Kamae is directly related to the fifth code of the Kenpo Gokui, “The body should be able to change direction at any time.” The eight precepts of the Kenpo Gokui are used as a moral, philosophical and physical guide to the Isshin-ryu Karate-Do practitioner.
Another kamae taught in Seisan Kata is the “Juji Kamae”, or “X” type guard found after the double head block.{Fig.6} Even though it is only used for a brief moment in this kata, it is possibly the most utilized guard found in Isshin-ryu strategy. The main feature of this kamae is it covers “center mass” and we can attack or defend to our three basic levels, high, middle and low. Besides Seisan Kata, this kamae is taught twice in Chinto Kata and once in Kusanku Kata, although it is used for a split second in the majority of blocks within the Isshin-ryu system. The importance of this kamae can not be over stressed.
Skipping ahead to the last kamae taught in Seisan Kata, we find a posture that teaches us to create an opening to invite an attack. In these movements we bring our open hands overhead and circle them downward in a wide arc and rest them on our hips. {Fig.7-8} This kamae is one of the many lessons of combat strategy taught within kata. As history has proven, many smaller and weaker militaristic forces have overcome larger, more powerful opponents by the use of superior strategy.
Seiunchin No Kamae
The opening movements of Seiunchin Kata, are repeated three times, contain blocking movements which can be used as a kamae. Incidentally, most blocking movements in all kata can be modified to be postures, although we should not confuse students with our interpretations and the bunkai taught by Shimabuku Sensei, it should be clarified when it’s not his original teachings. In Shimabuku’s basic bunkai of Seiunchin there is only one kamae taught as such. This posture is where we evade into a cat stance and place the closed right fist on top of the open left palm. {Fig.9} According to Advincula Sensei, it was modified by Shimabuku Sensei to be a kamae. When Advincula was first taught Seiunchin Kata, it was a back-fist to the top of the foot or back of a hand strike, then Shimabuku modified it to a hammer-fist, then simply to a kamae.
This along with other kamae relate to the Kenpo Gokui, “The manner of spitting or drinking is either hard or soft.” This verse relates to the yin and yang where the open hand represents soft and the closed fist represents hard. Many techniques found in Seiunchin Kata are performed with this same concept of Go-Ju, or hard and soft.
Naihanchi No Kamae
Naihanchi Kata is the “Yin” of Isshin-ryu Karate-Do, and in my opinion, Naihanchi Kata is -from a psychological standpoint- a kamae. To understand my opinion keep in mind that “posture, position, style” [c] is the literal translation of kamae, and, a definition of posture is: “a conscious mental or outward behavioral attitude.” [d] Physically, Naihanchi Kata teaches us to have a solid hard base while remaining completely relaxed from the waist up, but also to strike and block instantly with fluidity and fierceness. If we have our mental attitude, or “heart” as Motobu Sensei put it, the same as Naihanchi’s physical concepts, this kata would be in essence, a kamae. For example, if we compare the mental posture of a mother protecting her child, it would be the same as Naihanchi Kata’s physical concepts. Also from this perspective, it is the same as the Isshin-ryu no Megami symbolizing being soft and gental like a woman and hard and fierce like a dragon at the same moment in time. So, again in my opinion, Naihanchi is teaching us a kamae, psychologically. Additionally, it also teaches us excellent fighting stances for those who are interested in only the tangible aspects of Isshin-ryu Karate.
The main kamae taught in Naihanchi is the position before and during our turning blocks in the middle and end of the kata. {Fig.10} One arm is in the position of a standard middle block and the other fist is placed under the elbow of the middle block. Advincula Sensei asked Shimabuku what was the purpose of the placement of the fist under the elbow and Shimabuku responded by striking Advincula Sensei with a hammer-fist to the solar plexus. Direct and to the point.
