The Way of Uechi-Ryu Karate 1

The Way ofUechi-Ryu Karate

“Memories Book”1958 - 2008

George E. Mattson

Commemorative Publication Celebrating50 years teaching Uechi-ryu Karate.

Number ______ of 500 Books

_____________________________________________________George E. Mattson

2 The Way of Uechi-Ryu Karate

George, Susan, Harley and Peanut and our pets from the past

George Mattson - born Hastings, Minnesota 9/12/1937Graduated Hastings High School, 1955BS in Business Management, Boston University, 1962Awarded his Shodan, Okinawa in May, 1958Awarded his Judan at the 2009 Masters Celebration

Published: The Way of Karate, Tuttle Publishing, 1963Uechi-ryu Karate Do, Peabody Publishing, 1974The Black Belt Test Guide, Peabody Publishing, 1988The Way of Uechi-ryu Karate, Peabody Publishing, 2010

2008 New Hampshire kata demonstration at Buzz Durkin’s Butokukai awards’ evening

George and Harley

Bally Tia and George

Herman and Bally

Harley and Peanut

The Way of Uechi-Ryu Karate 3

4 The Way of Uechi-Ryu Karate

Authored by: George E. Mattson

Edited by: Roy R. Bedardeditors notes are included within the text

Published and Distributed by:

Peabody Publishing CompanyPO Box 217

Mount Dora, FL 32756

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Mattson, George E. 1937 -

ISBN 978-0-930559-38-0

First Edition 2010

Copyright©2010 by George E. Mattson

All Rights Reserved

All text, graphics and images, are the property of George E. Mattson and are protected by United States and international copyright laws and international treaties. These materials may not be reproduced, copied, dis-tributed, adapted, displayed, edited, published, transmitted, or downloaded in any way without the prior ex-press written permission of George E. Mattson. Use for any other purpose or without permission is expressly prohibited by law, and may result in severe civil and criminal penalties. Violators will be prosecuted to the

maximum extent possible. All rights not expressly granted herein are reserved.

The Name “UECHI” and the Uechi Emblem are the property of the Uechi family of Okinawa, Japan.

Peabody Publishing Co.

The Way of Uechi-Ryu Karate 5

Dedicated to my original Sensei and lifelong friend,Ryuko Tomoyose, who has been an inspiration to thousands of martial artists throughout the world.

I would like to thank all my friends for helping me in this book project. I thought my spare time was being productively spent on the golf course, but my good friend and student Roy Bedard convinced me that a full disclosure book covering my 50 years of teaching martial arts was needed.. Roy has been very helpful as the book editor and has guided me during the time it took me to look through thousands of photographs and other scrap-book memorabilia, looking for things that you the reader, might be inter-ested in sharing with me. Roy has also proved invaluable, providing notes throughout the book that pulls the bits and pieces of memories together; something that he could do much better than me. I also wish to thank Tracy Capone, who graciously helped with text editing, Max and Mia Lalanne for their original dragon artwork and my wonderful wife Susan, who helped with the final editing and who, during my many 15 hour days at the computer, trained our dogs to get me up for a walk every couple hours. My most joyous moments during the creation of this book are remembering the many friends made during those 50 years.

“Anyone with a heart full of friendship has a hard time finding enemies.”

George

Grandmaster Ryuko Tomoyose and George. 1992

6 The Way of Uechi-Ryu Karate

Contents

Table of Contents

Forewords 10Foreword – (Written in 1993) 11Update 1 to Foreward: February 1, 2003 12Update to Foreward: September, 2007 14

Chapter 1: On the Island 16The Beginning 17

Chapter 2: Back Home! 32Just a Farm Boy 33History of the Mattson Academy 36An Epiphany 42My First Professional Dojo 43When Opportunity Knocks 44A Couple of Tame Stories 50The Tea House 55More on Private Lessons 57The South End 58The Hancock Street Era 59The First Breakaways 60Full Circle 64

Chapter 3: The Way 67The Uechi-ryu System 68Goals and Motivation 69Commitment to Myself 71What is Karate? 72Death Touches 72Selecting the Right School 73Northern, Southern, Soft, Hard 74Refinement of the Chinese Fighting Arts 77How to Select a Teacher 80The Definitive Uechi-ryu? 81A Little About Organizations 82A Strong Foundation 84

Chapter 4: The Mind 85The Uechi-ryu “Learning Spiral” 86 Living in the NOW! 86 The Art of Understanding 86 Mushin Experience 88 Strategy, Defense, and Attack Zone 91Zoning Drills 92

The Way of Uechi-Ryu Karate 7

Contents

Chapter 5: The Method 95Acceleration Principle 96Testing Your Skills by Breaking Stuff 98Punching-From-the-Floor Drill 98Tips Regarding Technique Focus and Power 99Focus and Penetration 100Accelerated Kicks 101Key Fundamentals of Slow Motion Drills 102Fluid Shock-Wave Principle 102East vs. West Body Types 104Uechi-ryu- A Lifetime Activitiy 105

Chapter 6: The Techniques 106Variations of the Octagon Drill: 107“Jamming" Drill 108Octagon Drill Review: 109Take Downs & Control Techniques 109Grappling in Uechi? A Matter of Perspective 109Kumite One: 110Basic Punches The Fundamentals 111Short Punch Drill: 114Basic Kicks 116 Kicks That Won’t Hurt the Kicker! 118Uechi-ryu “Get Your Attention” Kicks: 119The Uechi “Crescent” Kick: 120The Sanchin Stepping-Kick: 120Kotikiti 121Stress Training 121The “Recoil” drill: 122Breaking Things 124Death Touches: 127Teaching Attitudes 128Children and the Martial Arts 128

Chapter 7: The Components 131Uechi-Ryu’s Yakusoku Kumite: Useful training tools 132 Kyu Kumite – The basics of fighting 137 Kyu Kumite: No longer (just) a white belt drill 137 Dan Kumite 138

QI 139

8 The Way of Uechi-Ryu Karate

Contents

The Relationship of Martial Art Breathing Patterns and the Generation of Power 146Basic Breathing 151

Chapter 8: Realism 157Training for Reality Fighting 158What Do You Think You’re Doing? 160

Chapter 9: Conditioning 161

Chapter 10 - Future of Uechi-ryu 175“Reality” Check From George’s “Swamp” Dojo! 176The Future 177Karate As An Art. 180Black Belt Testing.... The Future: 182The Future Role of Okinawa and China in the Organizational Chain of Command. 183

Chapter 11: First Japan Visitor 185Yoki’s Journal 186Mattson Academy of Karate 186“ Free Sparing “ 189With George 191Invited to George’s Home 191One Month in Boston 193 Visit to Roxbury 194Home Party 196Quincy Cop 200Hitchhike 2011964 All American Karate-Do Championship 202“Pain” 203“To Chicago” 203“ The Day “ 204“ Captain Buffalo “ 205“ 5.4’ Against 6.9’ “ 206“ A Cat vs. a Tiger “ 208Permanent Residence 209“ Prejudice “ 210“ Reminiscences, Memories “ 211

Chapter 12: The Kyhon 212Commentary 214 The Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do Master Text 221 Foreward 222 INDEX BOOK I 223

The Way of Uechi-Ryu Karate 9

Contents

A Study of Sanchin--- 251Part II of the Discussion on Kata 261Part III of the Discussion of Kata 262Chapter III 291Chapter IV - China/Chinese Boxer-Way- Ryakuden 316Section III 361Dojo Satsuei San Nen 361

Chapter 13: Observations 384An Introduction to a Book Never Completed. 385Jim Elliott 386Rolf Cahn 389George Mattson’s First Student 390“Sobe” Camp 392 Nijuroku 394

Chapter 14: The Glossary 396The Uechi-ryu System Glossary 397Editor’s Last word - A Lifetime of Achievement 407 Autographs 408

10 The Way of Uechi-Ryu Karate

Forewards

A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say:

We did it ourselves.

Lao Tzu

Forewords