The founder of Isshinryu, Tatsuo Shimabuku, was born in 1908 and began training in Karate at age eight. He was first taught Shuri-te by his uncle who taught Shimabuku in return for the performance of certain chores.
As his thirst for more knowledge grew, Shimabuku later studied Kobayashi-Ryu under Master Chotoku Kyan and was one of Kyan's leading disciples. He also studied Goju-Ryu under Master Chojun Miyagi and became very adept in the style. Returning to Kobayashi-Ryu, Shimabuku studied under Master Choki Motobu, who was a legend on the island of Okinawa.
Shimabuku soon became well-known for his Karate prowess, winning recognition for his superb kata at large martial arts festivals. He began to study the art of the Bo and Sai under the Okinawan Kobudo master Shinken Taira and his reputation spread throughout the entire island of Okinawa.
At the commencement of the Second World War, Shimabuku owned a small manufacturing plant and also worked as a Karate instructor. The plant was destroyed during the early part of the war and to avoid being forced into military service by the Japanese, Shimabuku escaped to the hills where he worked as a farmer until he was discovered by Japanese soldiers. The soldiers agreed to keep Shimabuku's hiding place a secret if he would in turn teach them Karate. Shimabuku agreed and after the war he continued to farm and practiced Karate in private for his own spiritual and physical benefit.
Master Shimabuku was recognized throughout Okinawa as a leading practitioner of Shorin-Ryu and Goju-Ryu. He eventually took the best elements from each and combined them into a new system which he called Isshinryu, meaning 'one-heart or one-mind' style. Isshinryu was officially born on January 16, 1954. It is an eclectic form of Okinawan Karate which epitomizes the powerful, lightning-fast techniques that, in ancient times, enabled the weaponless Okinawans to defeat the sword-wielding Samurai warriors of Japan.
In developing Isshinryu, Master Shimabuku utilized the sage oriental philosophy of the 'hard' and the 'soft', which emphasizes strength through speed and accuracy. Muscles are relaxed until the point of contact. The system uses a vertical punch with the thumb placed on top of the fist. This style of punch could be easily performed, produced increasing speed, was easily retractable and avoided positions in which the elbow could be broken. The placement of the thumb on top of the fist also acted to strengthen the wrist.
MORE SPECIFICALLY, ISSHINRYU EMPHASIZES:
1. Elimination of fancy techniques
2. Low-line kicks, all below the waist
3. Short natural stances without wasted motion and major body shifting
4. Even application of hand and foot techniques, about 50 percent each in katas
5. Close-range techniques, useful for self defence
6. Snap punches and snap kicks in which the limb is extended 90 percent and immediately retracted (preventing excessive strain on the hinge joints)
7. Hard and soft blocking
8. Blocks with the muscular portion of the forearm rather than the bone
9. Fist formed with the thumb on top of the clenched fist
10. The vertical punch which increases speed and focus
11. Multiple-purpose technique allowing a block to become a blow, and vice-versa.
Master Shimabuku used what he felt were the best kata from Shorin-Ryu and Goju-Ryu. These kata are common to most styles of Okinawan Karate. Each contains elements that are necessary to develop a well-polished Karateka. The only kata that Master Shimabuku created himself is Sunsu, meaning 'strong man' — the Master's nickname. Sunsu embodies techniques from the other Isshinryu kata and is the most difficult to perform with strength and speed.
Proponents of Isshinryu follow an eight-point code. Within the code are some of the basic principles of the Isshinryu system:
1. A person's heart is the same as heaven and earth (harmony);
2. The blood circulating is similar to the moon and the sun (movement);
3. A manner of drinking and spitting is either hard or soft (blocking and deflecting);
4. A person's unbalance is the same as weight;
5. The body should be able to change direction at any time;
6. The time to strike is when opportunity presents itself;
7. The eye must see all sides;
8. The ear must listen in all directions.
On May 30, 1975, Grandmaster Shimabuku died, yet his system lives on as Isshinryu is studied the world over. K
