Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)
Since the naming of this eclectic style of karate the vertical fist has been assigned a prominent position as a prominent feature of the style. It is attributed as an outstanding feature that receives a lot of attention for the style of Isshinryu, this is something called a “salient feature” of Isshinryu.
Such eye catching details tends to catch the eye of observers and it lends itself to assigning some importance to the thing it represents or symbolizes against all common sense because the vertical fist is nothing special in the karate training and practices. If karate is used to apply violence to resolve a conflict then it is apparent to the uninitiated, uninitiated to the Isshinryu system, that a vertical fist as trained and practiced in the Isshinryu system holds no special value when applied in a fight. It is too limited and no more or no less effective than other types of fists be they vertical, horizontal or in some transitional (like the twist punch) stage when applied in a fight.
Salient effect or information tends to have a huge impact on how one things and acts when exposed to the effect. Isshinryu tends to hold, within its ranks, a special status of being most effective and most natural in its applications yet not one other system or style is less or more effective simply BECAUSE it is not about the system or style but the individuals ability, capacity and expertise in applying principles regardless of the form they come in.
If a vertical fist is applied then a horizontal fist it will be the underlying principles of force, power, energy and so on that make it either effective or not depending on how well those principles are applied.
Take the proverbial thumb on top aspect that is explained as providing more stability thus more power to the applied strike or punch, simply not accurate BECAUSE stability comes from a collective application of muscles, tendons, cartilage, movement, structure, alignment, balance and so on when applied under optimal conditions in a non-optimal chaotic conditions of a fight. The thumb on top works well as long as all other factors are aligned, optimal and applied well but in other instances it can be detrimental to applications. It too is a salient effect that dominates even when other proven data is presented that speaks to other human bias, etc., can anyone say cognizant dissonance and confirmation bias to name just two prominent features of human behavior and beliefs.
This effect tends to distort our thinking and in this case has done so for over fifty plus years. The only way it could be more effective and influential is if it were an undesirable feature vs. a salient one.
Saying all this I can still say emphatically and with enthusiasm that I find, personally, Isshinryu to be a most excellent system and style and have no doubt that even if the vertical fist were not a salient feature of the style, the style would still hold its status as a very popular and practiced system of Okinawan karate.
This is one aspect of the salience effect, alone it can be about influencing one to comply with others be it a service or the purchase of an item but when it is coupled with proven abilities and experiences it holds more value and validation effects. It is more of a collective evidences that alone hold no substance but with other salient solid proven traits makes it of great value - Isshinryu!
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