Uechi-Ryu’s Yakusoku Kumite: Useful training tools or stumbling blocks? 

-- Gregory Postal 
 

  The yakusoku1 kumite of Uechi-Ryu – Kyu Kumite and Dan Kumite – were developed with the goal of training students in such essential skills as ma'ai, tai sabaki, hyoshi and uke waza (distancing, body movement, timing and reception techniques2 respectively). 

  In recent years, these drills have been increasingly criticized by some proponents of “realistic training” as being useless for developing one's self defense skills.  This is a reasonable critique when applied to those uechika who continue to practice these sets precisely the way they learned them as beginning students: halting, staccato movements with uniform pacing throughout.  This error is compounded by those yudansha3 who practice both of the yakusoku kumite in what they feel to be a black-belt manner by simply increasing the speed and/or force of the individual techniques while retaining the same training methodology they used as white belts.  Often within a particular dojo there is no cost to practicing this way, since the “promise” aspect of the drill is over-emphasized to the degree that even if there is a suki4 created by a sloppy, off-balance, or overly aggressive attack, the other partner politely does not capitalize on it. Rather, everyone sticks exactly to the movements and pacing of the kumite as it is done in that dojo regardless of the reality of the situation.5 Inevitably this practice persists due to everyone tacitly agreeing to practice in this manner which leads to partners from the same dojo all developing the same bad habits. These deficiencies in execution of the yakusoku kumite may subsequently permeate the entirety of that individual’s Uechi practice. Even more concerning however, is the possibility that these individuals are fooling themselves and their students (“we go really hard and fast in my dojo!”) into believing that by practicing this way they are coming closer to reality and therefore better preparing themselves for “street self-defense.” 

  This raises a question: if there are so many dojo utilizing these training methods in backward and counterproductive ways, why not eliminate these drills entirely?  In fact, many dojo have done just that, most frequently advocating substitution by jiyu kumite6 as a method of teaching the same skills that Dan Kumite and Kyu Kumite ostensibly teach.  The benefits and drawbacks of jiyu kumite have been much debated elsewhere and I will not discuss them extensively here, except to point out that while this practice can eliminate certain bad habits via the direct feedback of being hit, swept, etc. when one’s attack is sub-par or one is off balance, it often creates others. Furthermore, it is often difficult to address specific training goals via jiyu kumite due to its inherently spontaneous nature.  Many dojo recognize this and will add short drills designed to teach techniques or inculcate principles which later can be employed in sparring or in self defense situations.  Though they may differ markedly from Kyu Kumite as practiced in that same dojo, these mini-drills are frequently not much different in composition from sequences in the yakusoku kumite. In short, I would argue that the reasons for continuing to practice yakusoku kumite are twofold:  first, if properly utilized, they can in fact serve as valuable training tools; second, they are familiar in some form to Uechi students everywhere, and can thus form a common language which allows students from different dojo to train together. 

  One of the best models for an alternative training methodology for yakusoku kumite can be found in the Filipino martial arts.  Due to a variety of cultural and economic factors, these martial arts are, on the whole, generations closer to the reality of fighting than are the Chinese/Japanese arts on which Uechi-Ryu is based.  In the traditional Filipino arts, one needs only to look back a generation or so to find an instructor who was involved in challenge matches where victory and defeat were demonstrably clear.7  Leaving aside any moral implications of these practices, the pragmatic result was a culling of those techniques and training that left an escrimador the loser.  It is therefore instructive to look at the training methods favored in these arts where combat efficacy is the primary goal.  One commonly utilized training drill is the “rolling pattern” some version of which is utilized in many Filipino styles (notably Cabales’s Serrada Escrima). Like yakusoku kumite, the attacks and defenses are prearranged and well known to both students. As students improve, they will vary aspects of this drill, adding or removing segments to force their partner to respond spontaneously, then returning to the structure of the drill.  In contrast to the aforementioned “advanced” way of practicing Dan and Kyu Kumite – moving faster and more forcefully without changing anything else – the advantage of this dynamic model is the development of considerable fluidity (readily apparent to anyone who has seen skilled escrimadors “playing”) while utilizing a set pattern.  

  A comprehensive training program must both help the beginner develop his8 basic skill set and later push the more advanced student to bridge the gap between drill and reality.  For successful training, each step of the progression must be emphasized in turn: strong grounding in basic technique, some simple applications, flow drills, then revisiting of basic technique for refinement. Of course, the potential pitfalls inherent in any prearranged drill transcend style. Those Uechi students who make the error of simply going harder and faster doing kyu kumite are analogous to those escrima students who only want to roll; when training with a compliant partner they appear impressive, but when faced with an opponent who departs from the pattern they get hit consistently.  This often results from skipping too many steps in one’s training in a mad dash to “realism” in any martial arts practice; the building blocks are weak and will not hold up under the barrage of even a moderately skilled opponent determined to inflict damage.  At the same time, if a uechika keeps hammering away at the same basic drills ad infinitum without adapting them to meet more advanced training needs, he merely becomes an accomplished beginner regardless of the rank certificate hanging on the wall.9 

  As long as the concepts discussed above remain paramount, any prearranged drill (e.g. Kyu Kumite, Dan Kumite, or any of the various Yakusoku Kumite of other Uechi-Ryu organizations) can become the foundation for a successful training progression. The following example using Kyu Kumite is representative of the program I use with my students. The steps below may be additive or each can be practiced in isolation in order to focus on development and/or sharpening of specific skills; that is to say that in each iteration, changes introduced previously can be retained while incorporating new aspects into the drill, or students can be instructed to return to the more traditional version with only the newest variable added.  The steps are arranged in roughly the order I introduce them, but are not necessarily more “advanced” as one proceeds down the list. Individual steps can be specifically targeted for working with a particular student based on his training needs. 

  Initially, of course, students start off simply learning the basic sequences and performing them in typical white belt seitai (“standard”) Kyu Kumite fashion: attacks aimed at non vital targets (e.g. center of the chest) for safety; one move per count; slow unfocused attacks. As students demonstrate basic competence, speed and focus of attacks should be increased though attacks are still delivered singly with a count for each attack.  Students should be encouraged even at this level to practice in a fairly realistic fashion within the confines of the basic sequences and strikes should land if all aspects of the defense (i.e. ma'ai, tai sabaki, hyoshi and uke waza) are not sound.  After students have demonstrated a basic level of competence in the drill, any of the variations enumerated below can be introduced:  

  1. Tori (initial attacker)10 should begin to direct attacks at more vital targets such as face, solar plexus, and groin.11 Returning to non-vital targets for a brief time as each new segment of the training progression is added may be advisable for safety.
  2. Same as A, but now tori launches attacks at variable times after the count. Attention should be paid to ensure uke isn't anticipating the initial attack by moving or blocking early.  Also, tori should be discouraged from making a game of this segment by feinting or faking the attack.12
  3. An entire sequence (e.g. the first half of #1) is performed in one direction after one count; tori performs all attacks, and then becomes uke on the next count. Tori should attempt to attack fluidly with no breaks in the attack other than those forced by uke (e.g. when uke has trapped tori’s side kick in #4).  At this point, it will be necessary for uke to begin adapt various uke waza and tai sabaki from the way he initially learned it for efficacy’s sake.  Also by this stage tori’s punches should be launched from sanchin kamae13 with no chambering, and should return to sanchin immediately after full extension.
  4. Uke adds a takedown or restraining technique at the end of each sequence.
  5. The count is eliminated.14  It may be advisable, however, to reintroduce a count as new aspects are introduced to the drill to allow controlled learning.
  6. No count and should be performed with one partner as tori all the way through (i.e. #1 through #5), with the goal of “chaining” together all the attacks in one direction.  Some sequences may need to be altered slightly to accomplish this.
  7. Sequences performed singly but tori may attack with any sequence he chooses.
  8. Uke starts in sanchin kamae, tori starts the attack from a neutral stance with arms at his sides.
  9. Both uke and tori start in a neutral stance with arms at sides.
  10. Tori may “break the pattern” with one move at a time, adding one attack drawn from elsewhere in the drill but should then complete the sequence that he initially began.
  11. Tori can begin with one sequence and end with another, or alternately he can attack with a random mix of two to three techniques – all of which should be from Kyu Kumite.
  12. Uke may try to interrupt tori and counterattack before what is traditionally the last attack in that sequence.15
  13. As in L, but after uke successfully interrupts the attack, he immediately begins attacking with another one of the sequences (thus becoming tori).
  14. Tori may change the attacks in the kumite to more “realistic” ones.  Examples could include hook punches instead of straight punches in #1, varying the angle of the club attack in #4, substituting a low round kick in #5, etc.  This will necessitate adaptation of some of the uke waza, as many may no longer work for some attack variations.
  15. Two or more attackers (as in the multiple attacker Kanshiwa Bunkai), each of whom attacks with a different sequence.  Of primary importance is that uke remain aware of all of the attackers and should ideally try position himself and/or tori to his advantage; uke will undoubtedly need to alter the tai sabaki or ma’ai.
 

  Although the various aspects of the drills above can be introduced in a different order depending on the needs of particular students, the direction of the training progression should proceed in a way that takes into consideration both safety and skill development.  To this end it is useful to balance the concepts of risk and predictability as steps in the progression are introduced. As students progress in their training, either risk can be increased or predictability can be reduced, but care should be taken not to change both parameters at once.  At what rank students should be practicing various aspects of this drill is up to the sensei. Frankly, there are several of the variations above I would utilize only among yudansha. 

  The concept of maintaining correct structure16 when in the role of uke is crucial to this entire process.  One should not make the mistake of interpreting this as an injunction to perform these drills as if they were kata, but rather to ensure that the techniques within the drill are being performed correctly regardless of which thematic aspect of the drill is being emphasized at the moment.  Although the execution of the technique may not appear smooth or pretty, especially when tori is throwing multiple attacks in quick succession, the true test is one of efficacy.  For example, assuming that the attacks are being performed honestly – i.e. with the intent of landing the strike – it should be rapidly apparent whether or not the uke waza has been performed correctly.17 

  I have attempted to outline above what I consider to be the essential elements of any yakusoku drill which has self-defense skill optimization as its goal. Given the limitations of the print medium, some of this may not be as clear as I would like; please refer to the video clips included in Mattson Sensei’s book for illustrations of some of these principles.

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  1. The Japanese term yakusoku literally means “promise” and is used to refer to drills in which the attacks and defenses are known to both partners. The drills Dan Kumite and Kyu Kumite are capitalized as they are proper names for specific drills. The term yakusoku kumite used in this article refers to the general terminology and not to the specific drill called Yakusoku Kumite that has been introduced into the curriculum of some Uechi-Ryu organizations in the past few years.
  2. Uke is often inadequately translated as "block." In fact, uke waza (waza are "techniques") encompass the range of karate techniques performed to receive an attack, and can run the gamut from retreating out of range to jamming the attack.
  3. Those who have attained black belt ranks. Those below black belt are collectively referred to as mudansha.
  4. An opening in an opponent's guard, often created by his launching an attack
  5. An example of this is when the attacker steps forward to punch while simultaneously chambering to the rear and the defender automatically steps back and begins the defense. In essence, the defender has retreated from the attack he “knows” is coming though all he actually sees is the attacker's advance. Thus, the defender trains himself to retreat from an advancing adversary who has not yet even brought his weapons to bear – arguably the antithesis of Uechi-Ryu strategy.
  6. Typically translated as “free sparring.”
  7. The tradition of challenge matches in Filipino martial arts has a long history in many ways similar to those of Chinese and Japanese unarmed martial arts. However since Filipino arts frequently utilized bladed weapons in these matches, it was not unusual for one of the combatants to be maimed or killed rather than simply having his ability or art discredited.
  8. The use of masculine pronouns in this article is purely for the sake of convenience.
  9. Helping the student to find the correct balance between these two extremes is the responsibility of the sensei . Of course he must know where on this continuum the student needs to focus in order to achieve this goal.
  10. Tori is the term most commonly used in karate dojo to denote the initial attacker in each sequence and uke the initial defender . Admittedly, this terminology can become confusing since both tori and uke may utilize uke waza (reception techniques) in the course of a given yakusoku kumite sequence – e.g. Dan Kumite sequences where both partners attack and defend at various points.
  11. I would strongly recommend use of protective equipment for most of these variations, certainly for those targeting vital areas. This allows tori to feel comfortable attacking with intent, and uke to defend against more realistic attacks.
  12. While this is certainly legitimate practice when training for tournament style jiyu kumite, here we are aiming for the more pragmatic training goal of self-defense.
  13. Kamae can be translated as “posture” and has a sense of being more dynamic than the term dachi meaning “stance”
  14. The sensei should closely observe tori's attacks at this stage to ensure that the waza both flow smoothly from one to the next and are each individually legitimate attacks designed to strike the target. As in kata, different techniques take different amounts of time to effect – thus the attack will have a varied rhythm if performed properly.
  15. With this and any of the subsequent additions, students should be reminded that in order for a given sequence to remain unpredictable, and therefore a useful training device, it should be performed with a good deal of variation. In this case, for example, uke s hould not always interrupt tori's attack nor should uke habitually interrupt the attack sequence at the same point.
  16. An example of the term structure as I use it here would be the block for the “club attack” in #4. If the biomechanical structure is correct (sometimes referred to as a “sanchin arm”), the block will not collapse even under a vigorous attack.
  17. Another error in practice worth noting is when tori attacks in what is a clearly unrealistic manner designed solely to “win” within the confines of the drill; students should be monitored to prevent this. Because of the nature of yakusoku kumite, uke cannot change the moves to adapt to tori's actions (at least not in the seitei version) and it is the sensei's responsibility to address this. One of the best