The Crescent Moon Step

An acquaintance in Isshinryu mentioned to me that some advanced practitioners when performing and/or demonstrating a kata and drill failed to perform the crescent moon step. The crescent moon step has a purpose and is a teaching tool much like the kata itself, i.e. the various techniques and combinations. In a nutshell it moves you off the adversaries center line and at the same time removes your centerline from the adversaries direction of attack. There are more lessons gained from using the crescent moon step in kata, this is just the one that comes to my mind each time I am asked about the crescent moon step. 

Now, when I first studied my system, Isshinryu, my sensei did not teach the crescent moon step in our kata. I later learned that the kata I was originally taught were not the same as others who practiced Isshinryu. Honestly, I didn’t feel it made any difference in my karate. Simply, anything that may have been intended but missed is simply a tool I was not exposed to in those first years. With the amount of stuff you can gleam from a simpler study of the kata, etc., you can extract a great deal as you progress. Because I wanted to have all the available tools I implemented those things I found missing or misunderstood. 

Personally, I feel that just because you might not have the same tools in your tool box that it means nothing overall and fundamentally in the practice of a martial art. Yes, it would be great to learn the entire/complete system but even those who learned the crescent mood step originally in their studies and practice in some cases have stopped that practice or simply forgotten for the need of expedience when doing drills or even sparring. 

As to the use of the crescent moon step from kata to real applications as possible in the limited practice of sparring it is not used except for the lesson it teaches, i.e. to always move off center and out of the way of an attack so you can apply your center to their off center forcing them to stop, turn and redirect their attack. It that moment you have beaten their OODA loop, i.e. they return from action to the observe, orient and decide while you are acting with your techniques. 

This is not rocket science here, many things in kata and drills don’t actually translate directly to street self defense or even combatives for fighting and/or combat hand-to-hand. How often do you actually witness anyone fighting who uses traditional martial arts as taught originally in kata, etc.? Not many, if any. It is possible but most don’t, they go for the kickboxing type combinations to win the tournament, etc. 

Remember, being exacting is critical as a kyu through san-dan levels but even there when trying to translate what you learn to application such as for self-defense is not exacting. The idea here is to learn all the fundamental principles of martial systems, i.e. as follows:

PRINCIPLES OF THEORY

Universality, Control, Efficiency, Lengthen Our Line, Percentage Principle, Std of Infinite Measure, Power Paradox, Ratio, Simplicity, Natural Action, Michelangelo Principle, Reciprocity, Opponents as Illusions, Reflexive Action, Training Truth, Imperception and Deception.

PRINCIPLES OF PHYSIOKINETIC

Breathing, Posture, Triangle Guard, Centerline, Primary Gate, Spinal Alignment, Axis, Minor Axis, Structure, Heaviness, Relaxation, Wave Energy, Convergence, Centeredness, Triangulation Point, The Dynamic Sphere, Body-Mind, Void, Centripetal Force, Centrifugal Force, Sequential Locking & Sequential Relaxation, Peripheral Vision, Tactile Sensitivity, Rooting.

PRINCIPLES OF TECHNIQUE

Techniques vs. Technique, Equal Rights, Compliment, Kobo Ichi, Economical Motion, Active Movement, Positioning, Angling, Leading Control, Complex Forces, Indirect Pressure, Live Energy & Dead Energy, Torsion & Pinning, Speed, Timing, Rhythm, Balance, Reactive Control, Natural & Unnatural Motion, Weak Link, Non-Telegraphing, Extension and Penetration.

PRINCIPLES OF PHILOSOPHY

Mind, Mushin, Kime, Non-intention, Yin-Yang, Oneness, Zanshin & Being, Non-action, Character, The Empty Cup.

These principles bring about a philosophy that transcends those created within any specific system or style. This philosophy was derived from the work of Stephen J. Pearlman, i.e. his bai liu ha yi or one hundred styles flow into one. The philosophy applied to Okinawan and all martial systems is "Hitotsu ni oku no nagare." This philosophy means, "The flow of many into one." It is redacted from Pearlman Sensei's philosophy into one that relates to the philosophy taught through Tatsuo-san of Isshinryu's ken-po goku-i. His was formulated from his studies of the Ancient Chinese Classics such as the I-Ching and the Tao-te-ching, etc.

p.s. underlined in physiokinetic principle are the more obvious principles taught through kata such as the crescent moon step, etc.