Ue(i)chi Ryu?

[acooper]

Anybody here know anything about it? Pros, cons? I found a place that teaches it and was wondering what you all think about it.
Thanks.

[Victor]

Hi Al,

I have found Ueichi-Ryu to be an excellent karate system, and I'm an Isshinryu practitioner. Frankly, as I prepare my own students, the consideration of how to counter a Ueichi stylist, is always part of my curriculum. Part of which is I've had several Ueichi members join my dojo over the years (due to convenience) and have always been impressed at their training and approach to the arts.

Ueichi follows older traditions and doesn't use the flat fist. Strikes are done with toe tips, finger tips, elbows, etc. The system has a systematic method for training up to such strikes.

You should always explore the entire range of choices to make a decision where to train, but I'd urge you to take a very close look at that school and style.

If you find the instruction agreeable, I think you'd be well served.

Of course if you move to Derry, NH, I'd be willing to try and train you to address Ueichi, too <GRIN>.. Now am I successful is the larger question......hmmmmmmm.

Victor Smith
Bushi No Te Isshinryu
www.funkydragon.comb/bushi

[TimJurgens]

There are some wonderfull people who train Uechi Ryu in our Kobudo association. If you like the people then the rest is down hill.

Always think about the teacher and the attitude first. The technique is always second to the heart.

[Mushin San]

I agree with the above post. Find out about the teacher. It does not matter how good the art is if the sensei can not impart the right attitude.
I took Ueichi Ryu when I was younger. I enjoyed it. Good old Sanchin kata a quarter mile on the beach of lake michigan.

[acooper]

Thanks all, I'm going to see if I can watch or sit in on a couple of classes.

[Aozora]

You ought to send a PM to John Ray sensei, who's 5th dan in Uechi Ryu. He's also a highly ranked iaido instructor in Denton Texas. He studies Uechi Ryu in Okinawa and can probably point you in the right direction. I think he's e-budo name is JohnRay.

[kusanku]

How to spar Uechi Ryu:
Stay about ten feet away when not attacking, and after you do, get back out fast!:D

To all my Uechi friends: Sorry 'bout that, but you know that's true.:D

You get in close with those guys, you got trouble.

Mine own style of Shorin ryu, addresses that situation by angular footwork and body turning that gets you to the outside of an attacker and you get 'em from their blind spot, but this, like Uechi conditioning, requires much specialized training before you can get it to work, and woe betide you if it doesn't.

To all my Shorin buddies, sorry about That, but you know its true, too. Speed is life is the Shorin fighters motto.And angles.Speed and angles.

Uechi is circles and power, lots of POWER.In close, thats pretty doggone effective.

But its a really good system. very practical for self defense, is Uechi.Great blocking system, too using the wa uke.

[Aozora]

BTW, John Ray's dojo has a web site at dentondojo.com (http://www.dentondojo.com). He has several links to Uechi ryu karate sites there too.

[the Khazar Kid]

This is one of my favorite martial art sites besides E-Budo:

www.uechi-ryu.com/

They even have forums for all kinds of martial art Uechi and other Eastern, Western, ancient traditional and modern tactical.

Jesse Peters

[fuwafuwausagi]

John wrote:

To all my Shorin buddies, sorry about That, but you know its true, too. Speed is life is the Shorin fighters motto.And angles.Speed and angles.

My reply:

I guess fundamentally I would disagree. I would be more comfortable saying the "angles" creates an illusion of speed.

All the best,

[kusanku]

Originally posted by fuwafuwausagi
John wrote:

To all my Shorin buddies, sorry about That, but you know its true, too. Speed is life is the Shorin fighters motto.And angles.Speed and angles.

My reply:

I guess fundamentally I would disagree. I would be more comfortable saying the "angles" creates an illusion of speed.

All the best,

Oh, I think I can buy that. Six of one, half a dozen of another.There are different types of speed, and when you go to an angle and come in close, it really doesn't take too much quick to land with your technique, after all, at that point you are six inches from target.A foot, tops.

People really don't move all that much faster than each other, when trained. Its how you use it that counts.

Same goes with hard hitting, really. Its placement and distance, trather than impact alone, that creates the effect or illusion of power delivered.This is why a small person can deliver quite a shock when trained in any type of striking, versus the same person untrained.Big personms of course, when trained, deliver yet more.

What is interesting, is when a large person is trained in the Shorin methods of angles and short striking/kicking, and then creates that impression of speed. The Uechi Ryu, uses a great deal on the other hand, of body conditioning,so that even a small person is very tough, and very strong fronm sanchin training, giving a straight-on in-close strength advantage.

So, either way, appearances are definitely designed to be deceptive.

Yet and still, both systems have their definite strengths and advantages, and consequently their disadavantages.One thing I always told students was, you must use your own and your systems strengths, and minimize its weaknesses. I said, if you do Shorin ryu, and really classically use that training, then what you never want to do is stand toe to toe and slug it out with a straight in freight train ryu fighter, or you are hamburger.Use the angles, footwork, body turning, cover and angles from which to set up and implement.

Straight line fighters also, don't want to play too many angles if they don't train for that.Close in fighters, don't want to get into kicking contests either.

I know, everyone should learn all ways and angles, all methods- right. It doesn't happen that way, for most.Use your strengths, guard your weaknesses, and never play the other guys game, and if you are a boxer, never fight a wrestler, etc.

Meaning, don't go in on a grappler, this is why the Uechi guys around Boston are learning brazilian jiujitsu.

So, everyone can supplement training for the weak points.

But the real point here, is to learn and develop the strengths in your own system, regardless of the weak points. Uechi is a close in handfighting system second to none at what they do, which is to take an attack standing or moving in and counter decisively in a few short moves.But the system as now taught, not the zankai or old way, is a more strictly limited system than most karate styles, and such that, at what they do they are extremely strong, but at what they don't do, they aren't even there at all. The old style was broader in ranger as it had to be.

Modern Shorin ryu, and other systems, depend on if they are taught more the old way, or newer ways.Generally, the newer ways are not as broad in range, and may be centered on PE or tournament, the older ways are kata and application centered, with kihon taken from kata and aimed at producing maximum effect each time.Say it this way:If when every time you block you go to either unbalance or damage the attacker, that system is the older way.If you don't much even bother to block, you are probably more tournament oriented.This doesn't mean not effective, merely a different philosophy of engagement.Not however, a defensive one, but more of an offensive mindset.

I believe the idea was, in older times, that if you could stop the attacker with your defense, it was preferable to killing him.Not such a bad idea, I think, even today.Uechi's blocks, to summarize, emobody this philosophy, as the wa uke or circle block really means harmonious receiving, and thus control of the opponent through blending and unbalancing and control, rather than breaking.Breaking being an option if harmony didn't work of course.:D

Plus it left your attacker alive,lot to be said for that, and also unharmed and less ticked off and no vengeful clan of relatives thirsting for your blood and horrible death, and that ain't bad.:D

Regards

[Hank Irwin]

Ueichi-ryu is a very good system. I teach Sanchin as first kata, for good root. My Sensei studied with Kanei Ueichi in Okinawa and inserted many Ueichi principles into Hojo undo, and jubi undo, not to mention kata. Ueichi conditioning is hard to get passed, not to mention a lightning fast toe kick. I would definetly check them out. Not for the faint of heart though.:D

[kusanku]

:D Uechi Ryu people tend to be a pretty tough bunch, for sure.:D

[Hank Irwin]

I believe Sensei Glasheen lives in Va., just not sure exactly where. I believe he was student of Matteson Sensei.

[acooper]

I believe that Glasheen is the sensei. He have a good reputation?

[kusanku]

I think he does, have talked with him on his forum at the uechi place, and I think he is an M.D., a doctor, maybe a surgeon.

Seems a fine gentleman.Has a sense of humor, as well.

Good luck to you,