Matayoshi/Shinbaru No Sai

[acrux]

I already have learnt the first two Matayoshi sai katas ni cho sai & san cho sai from my old school, but they don't teach Shinbaru No Sai, the final Matayoshi sai kata.

I was able to get a copy of the video "Traditional Okinawan Kobudo - The Ancient Ryukyu Kingdoms Kobudo & Karate" starring Matayoshi Shinpo by Rob Tallock, in this video they perform Shinbaru No Sai.

My question actually is, now if for description's sake they start the kata facing north or 12 O'clock, what is the series of moves they perform in this kata as they are facing/moving south or 6 O'clock, before turning around to face north again to bow.

In the video he has his back to you so it is hard to tell what he is doing,
eg. what looks like a squence of punch in front stance, pull back to cat stance doing open outer block then open lower block (open meaning sias pointed out not back along the arms), then open outer block. Step forward to front stance closed lower block.

This might be a complete misunderstanding on my behalf, so if someone can lead me to a description of this final run heading south or 6 O'clock, whether in video form or written it would be a of relief some confusion & frustration in trying to figure it out.

regards acrux

[gojumaster]

Darren,

I don't recommend learning karate or kobudo from videos for several reasons.

One of which is especially evident in the Matayoshi line:

Matayoshi was very protective of his family art and rarely (if ever) would perform a form the same way twice for a demo or a video camera, and he would instruct his students to do the same.

If you are determined to learn this form, I can recommend you to a teacher.

Best Regards,

Russ Smith


I already have learnt the first two Matayoshi sai katas ni cho sai & san cho sai from my old school, but they don't teach Shinbaru No Sai, the final Matayoshi sai kata.

I was able to get a copy of the video "Traditional Okinawan Kobudo - The Ancient Ryukyu Kingdoms Kobudo & Karate" starring Matayoshi Shinpo by Rob Tallock, in this video they perform Shinbaru No Sai.

My question actually is, now if for description's sake they start the kata facing north or 12 O'clock, what is the series of moves they perform in this kata as they are facing/moving south or 6 O'clock, before turning around to face north again to bow.

In the video he has his back to you so it is hard to tell what he is doing,
eg. what looks like a squence of punch in front stance, pull back to cat stance doing open outer block then open lower block (open meaning sias pointed out not back along the arms), then open outer block. Step forward to front stance closed lower block.

This might be a complete misunderstanding on my behalf, so if someone can lead me to a description of this final run heading south or 6 O'clock, whether in video form or written it would be a of relief some confusion & frustration in trying to figure it out.

regards acrux