In keeping with this year's theme of "All is in Uechi-ryu", Jim will be focusing on Uechi kata and many self defense applications not usually identified with our kata. Jim will also be demonstrating and teaching a number of interesting variations he sees in kyu and dan kumite.

I'm sure many of our first time SummerFest attendees have heard about Jim's popular "pressure point" seminars and would be disappointed if Jim didn't spend some time teaching how Uechi-ryu can be "cranked-up" by targeting pressure points. Jim correctly explained that all moves in Uechi can, with practice, include the use of the most sensitive pressure points taught in his seminars.

Jim has a number of DVD training courses available in the Uechi store. His pressure point course is absolutely one of the best available anywhere. Check them out here!

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Those of us who were present at Shihan Wharton's Hanchidan ceremony in 2005, were amazed at the Seichin Combat Bunkai demonstration he gave following the promotion ceremony.

This exciting application of Uechi-ryu's Seichin kata uncovers some of the mysteries of this amazing kata. Although Seichin is taught to students before Seisan (the second of the big three Uechi forms), many teachers agree that this form is generally under-rated by the Uechi community.

I remembered when Al first questioned me about this complex kata, that pretended to be a green belt assignment. "I'm intreged and fascinated by what I'm discovering hidden within this set of movements", explained Al. "What do you thing about my taking some of what I see in these moves and creating a bunkai"?