Hello to my Brothers and Sisters of Uechi-Ryu,
Due to some over zealous training at my age, I will be facing some serious shoulder surgery this December 16th. I could be sidelined for about 6 months. If this surgery is successful, I will then have the same surgery performed on my left shoulder. This could also result in another 6 months of babying myself. But watch out. When all is said and done, I will be challenging Sensei Mattson at the Mt. Dora Country Club where it has been rumored he has been hitting them long and straight. Hopefully I will be able to swing clubs by Winter Fest.
There has been a lot of request for a seminar on my Wauiki Bunki. The only time I have available is Sunday, December 13. The seminar will held at a relatively new facility The Boys and Girls Club of Plymouth, 9 Resnik Road, Plymouth, MA from 10am to 12pm. There are numerous restaurants nearby to eat lunch and to catch the New England Patriots game on TV beginning at 1pm. There is also a shower facility there.
Since 1969, I have researched, dissected, analyzed, experimented and formulated a process to practice and put in use the many possibilities of the wauiki movements. I’ve asked many of our Uechi practitioners if they think they applied Uechi techniques in their kumite. After all, we are Uechi students because we learned Uechi techniques from our katas. Many will honestly say no. I even get ridiculous answers from some of the master ranks that kata is just kata and has nothing to do with kumite.
Question is, how many of us honestly use the movements of the Wauiki in our kumite? If so, what are these movements and if not, why not? My seminar will expose to you a lot of hidden moves in our wauiki and how extremely effective these movements are.
Do we still use the Wauiki Guide? If you do, what are you learning from it? If not, why not? Grandmaster Kanei taught and used it. There are numerous pictures showing that. I remember a wauiki drill taught by Sensei Ryuko Tomoyose. He also used the guide. Why did some of us stop this practice? Maybe if we understand the true use, it would make sense and we will return to using this guide.
Let’s get together on Sunday, December 13 at 10am in Plymouth, MA at the Boys and Girls Club and discuss the many useful and practical advantages of our wauiki movements.
There will be a mat fee of $15 per person. Juniors 14 years and older are also welcome to attend. This charge will help to pay for the insurance and facility rental.
Darin Yee
Hanchi-8th dan