Okinawan Fighting Art "Ti": Use Chinkuchi

When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:

I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn

Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.

Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.

“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated.” - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)

“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)

“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne

I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

Use Chinkuchi

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

“At Stone-lifting contests, Okinawan’s demonstrate physical strength by lifting bijuru (ビジュル lifting stones). In Japanese they are called chikaraishi (力石), power stones. Some of these stones are round and very awkward to lift. When lifting these stones, one must use chinkuchi.” - Uechi Kanmei of Uechi-ryū

Before I address the subject extracted from the above quote one must define what chinkuchi is so I will start with the leading proponent of the Isshinryu system’s explanation as follows.

What is chinkuchi?: Chinkuchi (チンクチ) is a Okinawan word (Hogen dialect). “Chin” means “muscle/sinew”; “ku” means “bone” and “chi” means “energy or controlled energy” through the use of muscle and bone, tensing and locking specific muscles. Chinkuchi is emphasized in the sanchin kata where are muscles are checked through “shime (締め tighten/tensing).” - Arcenio Advincula, Facebook entry dtd December 11, 2016 at 11:50 hours

First, as I have said many times in previous articles, this definition is lacking in clarity and completeness because I have found that a lot more is involved in the application of chinkuchi in its manifestation in application. More than simply the bones and muscles and a lot more that merely dynamically tensing and relaxing the muscle even in specific ways.

Second, when analyzing the first quote or meme I have more questions than answers at least from this particular point of view, perceptions of Uechi Kanmei of Uechi-ryu. I fail to see how simply locking or tensioning the muscles and exerting energy accomplishes the lifting of round, heavy and difficult stones represents chinkuchi as it is currently explained. Chinkuchi and its definition is just not enough and it relies on assuming and not questioning where many just say, get on the dojo floor and just practice, it will come to you. I did just that and it didn’t just come to me, I had to do a lot of research and analysis along with accumulating data and experience.

I also have issues with this shime testing used especially without a fuller and more comprehensive explanation on how that translates to it use in applying combative skills be it in sports, social encounters or asocial self-fense situations. It just doesn’t jive, at least as stand alone explanations to date as provided.

I don’t like being left to assume especially since I know that one persons skills and experiences are very biased ones so it takes a diversity of people, experiences, knowledge and understanding to achieve a more comprehensive synthesis of what is transpiring even in lifting odd, difficult and awkward objects such as heavy, smooth and awkward stones.

What does it take to life a heavy round add stone such as the Chikaraishi, power stones (by the way stones don’t have power unless they are in movement and movement isn’t likely except by acts of God, etc.). Too literal, maybe but to understand you have to consider all sides as seen, heard and felt.

The awkwardness simply means adjusting certain physiokinetic factors in the human body and mind to achieve success. You have to be fit, you have to have strength and you have to know a bit about physics to move and lift the stone. To give that accomplishment credit toward a certain concept derived and described by the term chinkuchi is limited to say the least.

What does it truly take to lift those stones and to achieve power and force using the body-mind pair?

Muscles strength.
Muscle ability to stabilize.
Muscle ability to move.
Bodies structure.
Bodies alignment of the skeletal system.
The ability of the muscular system to use energy efficiently.
The ability to control the skeletal and muscular systems.
The proper breathing techniques to maximize the efficient application through the skeletal and muscular system.
The ability to find, maintain and use your center and centeredness along with balance, leverage and movement to grasp, hold and life awkward heavy objects.
The ability to sequential lock and unlock while maintaining positive relaxation along with the above dynamically and in synchronicity of the body-mind.
The ability to root the body for stability, balance and movement.
The tactile sensitivity to detect weight, balance, centeredness of the stone, etc., before, during and while lifting the heave awkward stone.
The ability to move economically and efficiently.
The ability to use and regulate timing, speed, rhythm and the natural/unnatural motion of the stones in the lifting process as well as that of the body-mind.
The mind-set and mind-state with confidence, etc.

These are just off the top of my head and all seem to be required to lift awkward, heavy and smooth round stones. This type of lifting is excepllent to test and condition the body and mind but how that is to be applied in the chaos of violence is another topic and question. I also considered the demonstration and exercise of chinkuchi as I see it in sanchin as merely a teaching tool, not a way to apply self-defense methodologies and required levels of force.

None of this or the application of “Chinkuchi” deals with the chemical cocktail and the application of methods and forces to achieve goals in conflicts and violent situations of a social and asocial nature.

The practice of chinkuchi sanchin gets your body prepped but in truth it may or may not apply to combating violence when the violence hits but than again, it might serve us in that way.

In the end, all bottles are good for they all serve a purpose as do the many interpretations and explanations provided, just collect, collate, analyze then synthesize what applies to you and gets you to the level necessary to apply it realistically.

p.s. I would not use the term at all except in explaining is current explanation and interpretation but I would use this, “Use Physiokinetics, i.e., fundamental principles, in your karate and martial arts.

Bibliography (Click the link)

“In order for any life to matter, we all have to matter.” - Marcus Luttrell, Navy Seal (ret)