Seibukan Shorin Ryu Ippon Kumite

By Dan Smith Kyoshi of Shorin Ryu Seibukan

(Proprietary information only to be allowed for distribution by the IOSSKA)

The practice of kata has been called the essence of Okinawan karate by many of the
famous teachers of Okinawan karate. Shoshin Nagamine titled his book the “Essence of
Okinawan Karate” and it was based on the traditional kata of Okinawan Shorin Ryu.

The performance of kata is the primary method of practice and the understanding of the
techniques of the kata is the primary source of knowledge of Okinawan karate. Chotoku
Kyan said “ first learn the movements of karate, learn how to strike, block and immobilize,
learn the kata and you will then be ready for kumite.” The results of following Kyan’s
advice are to be adept at kumite.

Karate-do, the way of karate, is the path that we should follow but to find karate-do it is
my belief that you need to experience and have skill in karate-jutsu or combat with karate.

How does the karate-ka experience fighting without having to engage in actual combat?

The practice and understanding of ippon kumite will provide you with the opportunity to
move from kata to kumite. The kata were developed to allow for the practice of fighting
without an opponent, to develop the mechanical skills necessary for fighting and for the
mental development of being able to respond spontaneously to a variety of attacks.

Ippon kumite is the practice of not allowing your opponent but one attack. Many people
are confused about the purpose of ippon kumite. They believe that it is only for the
development of a one-technique finish of the opponent by a counter attack when in fact
the purpose is to not allow the opponent but one attack due to the evasive and blocking
actions of the defender. The counter attack becomes almost secondary. If you can achieve
the ability to evade and unbalance the opponent through blocking so that the opponent
cannot continue with strength and balance with subsequent attacks then you have achieved
your goal of “ippon” kumite. Kyan sensei said that when an aggressive, strong person
attacks you their aim will be to deliver multiple blows and as you evade and block they
will lose their balance and provide you an opening to defeat the opponent with their own
strength.

The goal of the ippon kumite drills is to use the various techniques of karate to limit the
opponent to one action. The philosophy of Okinawan karate is “sente no kata”, which
means do not make the first attack or initiate the action. We accept the fact that our
opponent will make the first attack but through the practice of ippon kumite we intend for
the first to be the last. We intend to limit their first attack to one movement.

During my days of training in Shotokan, before going to Okinawan in 1968, we practiced
various forms of pre-arranged kumites. We had ippon, sanbon and gohon kumites. We
would engage in the practice of being attacked by the same attack three or five times as
we applied the same blocking action each time. We also practiced the methods of being
attacked by varying methods but always in predetermined sets and we did not counter
until the end of the “promised” attacks. After having trained in the Jagaru Dojo for some
time I realized that we only practiced the ippon kumite method. I asked Zenpo sensei why
the multiple attack methods were not used. He relayed my question to Zenryo sensei and
the answer was “ippon kumite is effective when only allowing one attack, by allowing
someone to attempt several blows to you one after the other you are being conditioned
to not stop the attack at one. The kata is designed to always provide an “ippon”.

The question frequently comes up what happens if you cannot limit the opponent to one
attack. The answer is that the goal is to stop the continuous attack whether it is the initial
movement or not. The concern is the difficulty of stopping the momentum of the attacker
and finding a moment when you can counter attack. Our goal is to interrupt the
continuous attack. The more attempts that an attacker can achieve the greater the
opportunity for success. Our belief is “maximum results with a minimum effort” so
therefore limiting the attack to one is our best effort. If an opponent executes multiple
attacks your chance of survival decreases unless you can disrupt their continuous
movement.

The review of the ippon kumites of Seibukan Shorin Ryu will demonstrate that in each
case when effectively performed the attacker cannot make a second attack whether we
counter the attack or not. The results is gained through proper evasion and re-directing
the attack. Simply put our goal is to move the target (which is that part of our body being
attacked) and to move the weapon (which is the arm, leg or other body part being used)
away from the target. By achieving these two actions at one time the attacker has a limited
“next” movement. Our motto over the years has been, “ receive one and give two”. This
motto is in reference to the opponent attacking once and through the proper use of ippon
kumite we get two movements to the opponents one.

Understanding of the ippon kumites also begins with understanding the evasion and
blocking methods of Seibukan Shorin Ryu. All the ippon kumites begin with the opponent
attacking with a specified attack and the defender moving to get out of the way of the
attack (move the target). After moving out of the way the defender then uses one of the
four blocking/receiving methods of Seibukan Shorin Ryu to interrupt the attackers next
movement. We cannot depend on the attacker only launching one technique while we
counter attack. Our defensive movement has to place the attacker in a position so that
they cannot attack again without shifting or changing directions.

Methods of evasion:

1. Moving to the side
2. Lowering our height and going forward
3. Moving back with timing to extend the attacker
4. Moving on a 45-degree angle forward or backward from the attacker.



Methods of Blocking/Receiving:

1. Sweeping
2. Hitting
3. Pressing
4. Catching


The practice of ippon kumite is of vital and it is important to heed the advice of Kyan
sensei to the final stage of karate understanding and development. Karate with only kata
and no kumite leaves the path to karate-do unfinished. You will never understand karate-
do without experiencing karate-jutsu.

The following ippon kumites of Seibukan Shorin Ryu are established as a set of drills that
will allow you to practice the kumite of karate. The list is nowhere near complete and you
should develop your own ippon kumites as you follow Kyan’s advice of how to practice
karate. Kumite comes from Kata.

The use of this “white paper” on the strategies and tactics of Shorin Ryu Seibukan’s
method of fighting should be used in conjunction with the “Ippon Kumite” video.


Seibukan Shorin Ryu Ippon Kumites


1. Parry block of a middle level attack, reverse punch
2. Double hand block of a head attack, backfist strike
3. Inside forearm middle block of a middle level attack and elbow
4. Outside forearm middle block of a middle level attack and reverse punch.
5. Outside middle level forearm block of a center attack and front hand punch
6.Double pressing block of a center attack and backfist strike
7. Jump to the rear dodging a center attack and side kick
8. Overhead rising block of a head attack and double elbow strike
9. Grabbing block of a center attack and front kick, upward elbow strike
10. X-Block a downward strike and rotate the wrist to a wristlock
11. Jump to the side dodging a center attack and roundhouse kick
12. Dodge a center attack and punch
13. Overhead rising block of a head attack and reverse punch
14. Catching a front kick and kick (use a front kick on the inside and side kick on the
outside)
15. Catch a center punch, rotate the wrist and pull into a front kick
16. Catch a center punch and knee kick
17. Open hand block of a center attack and knife hand strike
18. Double hand block of a center punch and punch (stepping outside and turning inside)
19. Knife hand block of a center punch, pressing block and front hand punch
20. Arm Break of a center punch
21. Defense against grabbing the hair
22. Hooking block of a center attack and front kick
23. Double hand pressing block of a middle level front kick and front kick

The list above was compiled by Dan Smith during his training on Okinawa from 1968
to 1971. There has not been a definitive list of Ippon Kumites published by Hanshi
Shimabukuro as the list would limit the number of techniques.