Rinkiohen Do

Training Curriculum By Kerwin Rodriguez

Red Belt – Calcination Phase (External)

The Earth Element and Energy Center

The red belt of the Rinkiohen Do ranking system is symbolic of base center, which is one of the energy centers known in Sanskrit as Chakra, which means “wheel”, or “turning” and refers to a vortex of energy that spins like a wheel. Seen from a more biological point of view, it is referring to the effects of healthy and balanced state of the hormones related to our physicality and sense of stability, and so associated with the Earth element. In men it is primarily the testes and in women primarily the ovaries. The chakra itself is not the hormones, but relates to their function. The color of this center is typically displayed as red because the color red is what appears in the phosphenes of the eyes when closed. This center is also associated with the Earth element, and so our physicality, our strength and stability, our bones, muscles, tendons and other tissues. It also relates to the mental and emotional feelings of security and stability. Confidence, strength, stability, security, survival instincts and raw passions are all attributes of this center. However the earth element is not only seen in the strength of the stones and the mountains, but in the nurturing and fertile nature of the soil, which gives birth to the many manifestations of life. For the martial artist, training at this phase is the development of the strength, the self confidence and security that comes with it, and a firm grasp of their own structure. Practical in your application, your movements are direct and to the point. You take on challenges head on and greet every opportunity the same way. Weakness in this center can express itself as stubbornness, anger and superficiality. Insecurity takes the place of the confidence that should be in place when this energy center is weak. How to Identify an “Earthy” Person: For a martial artist it is important to be aware of their surroundings and the state of others. Being able to identify a person’s dominating mindset provides you with an opportunity to connect with them better as well as identify any potential weaknesses. Since the martial arts are filled with military and covert strategies, understanding how a person may behave or think is a distinct advantage when it comes to strategy.

A person dominated by the base center/Earth element typically has a steady and relaxed body language. When they sit, they simply sit. When they pick up an object, they simply reach and pick it up. There are no extra or unnecessary actions. They usually seem to have a calm, yet powerful presence. They may seem to take up a large amount of space even if they may not be a very large person. The verbal key phrases involve many manifestations of “I AM”. It is simply the description of what is, or what is not. “I am involved in…” or “this project is for…” for example. The mentality is more based on the rules and the facts. As an example, let’s say little Johnny stole young Amy’s toy. A person dominated by the Earth element/base center

would tell Johnny that what he did was wrong, against the rules and he should return the toy because it is the right thing to do. The view is simple and practical. The tone in their voice is strong, clear and deliberate. They say things as if stating facts, confident and secure with no real emotional attachment to the subject only secure intensity.

Many Karate styles, Muay Thai and certain Kung-Fu styles are good examples of a martial art style that is primarily dominated by a particular element. The Earthy martial artist will not chase down, but will not back away either. They use many counter strikes, taking advantage of the forward momentum of their opponent to amplify the power of their counter strikes. Their stances are used for grounding and rooting, allowing for powerful strikes. Many of the movements are up and down, which is done to sink their weight into their strikes, or to raise the opponent’s center of gravity for an easy sweep, throw or take down. Many styles that hold to the credo “One hit, certain death” (Ichigeki Hissatsu) are Earthy by nature.

The Earthy person is not afraid, as they are confident in their ability. When confronted by an opponent you do not feel threatened by, this is an easy characteristic to take on. When you try to force confidence, but internally you are afraid, your body will not move properly. Much tension will build in the body which leads to loss of body weight control. Breathing becomes erratic and the attacks look more like a hit and run game of tag.

Calcination

In Alchemy, Calcination is the application of heat, or the element of Fire to the Earth to burn away anything that is not essential. The word itself means to “burn to the bone”, and this stage is where you burn off excesses from overindulgences and free yourself from old beliefs and patterns that hold you back. Exercise, proper diet and finding a little bit of courage to try something new are a few helpful activities. Miyamoto Musashi wrote in his book: Book of Five Rings (Gorin no Sho) “Do nothing that is not useful”, and is a good description of how we can view the practice of Calcination.

For the martial artist, this is the focus on the exercises designed to refine the body. It is the development of healthy habits that allow the body to go through the desired change. The important exercises are those that develop strength, balance, and coordination, as well as

breaking through the body’s restrictions and limitations. When doing your exercises, push beyond the “burn” and fatigue. Try to push to find where the actual limitations are, as most of the time it is the mind that quits long before the body gives out. Proper diet is important here. You should be aware of the nutritional value of the foods you are eating and avoid over indulgence so that you provide the body with the necessary nutrition required.

By applying Fire to refine the Earth, you will be able to burn away what is not essential. It can be as simple as giving a sincere overview of yourself to see exactly what is not essential to your immediate and long term goals, and the qualities you have that keep you from achieving those goals. Once you have been able to determine what traits and actions are no longer helpful or necessary, work to replace them with the traits and actions that are. Remember that the most difficult thing to overcome in the beginning is inertia. In other words the hardest part is starting, but it has been said that anything that is done for 40 consecutive days becomes ingrained as a habit.

Outer (Omote)

Stretching: In this stage of your training, your stretching routine includes more than just stretching through the range of motion. As an example, when stretching your hamstrings you can lie on your back and use a towel to assist. Begin as usual by relaxing the body into the stretch you are working on. After about 20 seconds or more, push your leg as if attempting to pull the leg back down to the floor while offering resistance with the towel. Doing this engages the muscle being stretched, informing the body that you need to be able to use the muscle while in this position, which helps to speed the process of stretching. After about 20 seconds or more, reverse the tension and use the hip flexor muscles as if you were raising your leg higher (closer to your face). Hold this tension for about another 20 seconds or more.

Other stretches that for this stage in your development are those where you are holding a posture while on your feet, requiring you to hold your body weight while the muscles are being stretched, as well as maintaining your balance. For example stand with your legs as wide apart as you can, as you would when stretching to do a straddle and hold your body weight without using your arms on the floor. Also include your stretching into some of your exercises. For example keep your feet together and squat with your hands touching the

ground by your feet, then as you stand, keep your hands touching the floor so that you stand up into a forward bend.

Exercises: While you should continue the exercises that you have been doing already, this belt level introduces exercises where you hold and maintain certain postures for a period of time. Holding a squatting position, a plank position, leg raises and others. Work on being able to maintain the position with a steady and rhythmic breathing pattern. Observe how the state of mind and the breath change as your body fatigues over time. Try to maintain stillness of mind and calmness of breath as long as possible as you hold the position. This will build physical and mental strength as well as an understanding between the mind, body and breathing.

Stances: Since this belt is related to the Earth element, as well as the concepts of strength and stability, the stances are considered “power stances” and are meant to manipulate the body weight and bone alignment so that you concentrate the power into a specific direction or movement. Make sure that when you are doing the stances, that you keep your head within the limits of your feet to maintain proper balance. Also be careful not to allow the knee to bend beyond the end of the toes, as this puts unnecessary strain onto the knee joint and can cause damage to the knee joint. Zenkutsu Dachi – Front Leaning Stance: The front leaning stance is a powerful stance that is used to support forward pressure. This is a natural posture that the body adopts when exerting forward force. For example if you were to look at a person pushing a heavy object like a car, they naturally adopt this stance. When doing the forward leaning stance, be sure that the rear leg is straight and the heel is pressed into the ground. Also remember it is called a forward leaning stance because the center of gravity should be forward beyond the center

of the stance. The weight distribution is 60-70% on the front leg and 30-40% remains on the rear leg. Leaning forward too far would make it easy to be pulled off balance.

Kokutsu Dachi – Back Leaning Stance: This stance is used to support backward pressure, and can be seen similarly in the natural posture taken by the body when pulling something. For example when playing the game “tug of war”, the two sides pull on opposite ends of a rope, and the body naturally adopts this posture to support the backward pressure. Make sure that the rear leg is bent by sitting back. Be careful not to bend the knee beyond the toes. This strains the knee joint and can cause long term injury.

Neko Ashi Dachi – Cat Stance: Like the back leaning stance, the cat stance carries the majority of the weight on the back leg, between 80-90% while the front leg only carries 10-20% and is raised onto the ball of the foot. The lead foot is raised to make it easy to lift so that you can kick.

Tsuru Ashi Dachi – Crane Stance: This stance is done by raising one leg and placing the foot of the raised leg against or behind the standing leg. There are many ways that this movement can be used. The foot used to stand on should be planted and slightly bent. Raising the heel and locking the knee raises the center of gravity too high which makes you vulnerable to be swept or to injure your knee.

Kake Dachi – Cross Legged Stance: This stance can be used when entering in or around your opponent’s legs, or when trapping their foot or leg. When doing this stance be sure to keep the weight centered between the feet equally.

Kiba Dachi – Horse Stance: This stance is essentially a squatting stance that allows you to lower your center of gravity while keeping the balance in the middle. It is a natural posture taken by the body when you are trying to lift something up, or pull something down.

Blocks: Much like the strikes, the blocks at red belt are meant not only to make impact but to also take your opponent’s balance and structure. The blocks are an extension of the universal guard, and many of them start by crossing the arms in a similar way as would naturally be done with the closed guard, or with an open position similar to the open guard. Understanding how the blocks at this stage are extensions of the instinctive universal guards is important. This way the movement will remain an instinctive and natural movement.

Soto Uke – Outer Block: This block uses the forearm to deflect a strike from its line of attack. The arm is swung from the outside, and you rotate the arm as it crosses the centerline. If you have conditioned your arms this block can also be done so that it strikes the opponent’s arm or leg, injuring the limb.

Uchi Uke – Inner Block: This block is done by crossing the arms, with the blocking arm underneath the defending arm, then raise it and move it outward while rotating the forearm so that the palm is facing your face.

Jodan Uke – Upper Block: This block can be done either from the open or closed guard and is used to wedge underneath strikes. Make sure that you have the defending hand in your centerline as the blocking hand is moving up. There are many applications for the blocks, and your instructor will go over the different uses. One important detail is that you need to keep your arm close to your head and make contact with the attacking arm close to the elbow for

better leverage and support. If you make contact too close to the wrist you will not have much support and may not be able to stop the attack.

Gedan Barai – Lower Parry: This block is done by crossing the arms, and using the arm on the top, you swing it down and past the centerline. Again, the defending arm should cover the centerline while the arms are crossed and can be used in many ways. The blocking arm should move to cover the entire mid section of the body. The fist should not move down the centerline of the body as it is being swung. Doing that would cause the hand to make contact with the attacking limb instead of the forearm as intended.

Footwork: The footwork of this level uses two primary movements. One is an up and down movement where you are raising or dropping your body weight and the other makes use of box pattern type footwork. These are expressions of the Earth element and you should remember that when you are moving in, that you should maintain a state of confidence and mental stability. 90 Degree Box Pattern: One of the shapes that symbolizes the Earth element is the square. The footwork that is used often during this phase are various forms of box pattern steps and can be used to maneuver into or around your opponent. To practice this you can draw a square on the floor with chalk, or put colored tape to mark the square. Once the square is

placed, practice stepping from corner to corner, as well as moving along the edges of the square.

Also practice moving to various parts of the square so that you move off the centerline of attack.

Push Shuffle: This footwork is very similar to the step & slide only more aggressive. When in a stance with the left foot forward, it is the rear leg that propels the body forward as if lunging. Lunge the body forward but bring the rear leg with you. The rear foot should have the heel raised slightly so that the ball of the foot can be used as a spring to propel the body forward quickly. This footwork is very common in sword arts like Kendo and Kenjutsu and is used to cover a larger amount of distance quickly, or as a way to thrust more body weight into a strike to increase its power. When practicing this footwork, see how far you can propel your

body with each lunge. As you continue to practice you will be able to increase the amount of distance you can cover with each step.

Slide Step: This footwork is used most with kicking techniques and often with defense against kicks. The legs move in a pendulum type movement. For example if moving forward, the rear leg slides forward to meet where the lead leg is, then the lead leg step forward. If moving backwards the lead leg slides back first then the rear leg moves. This kind of footwork also works well with certain throws and leg sweeps. As you continue to practice this footwork increase the distance that you cover, allowing the rear leg to move past the position of the lead leg almost as if skipping forward. This will allow you to develop a forward momentum for your body weight that will increase the power of your kicks.

Cross Step: This footwork allows you to move forward by taking steps without changing the position of your hips. When moving forward, bring the rear foot in front of the lead foot by crossing over it. Be sure that you maintain your balance and keep your center between the legs. This footwork also has many ways it can be used depending on the setting. It is a common footwork for close quarter combat, often using the first step to be used to pin the opponent’s foot by stepping on it, then taking the next step to move in. When practicing this footwork, change the height of the stance and play with height combinations. For example come down as if kneeling when taking the first step then raise up for the second step, or step as normal for the first step and then lower yourself for the second step.

Strikes: For red belt the strikes that are used are chopping strikes and smashing strikes. Since the striking is based on power you will need to condition your hands and other striking surfaces with proper exercises and other methods to prevent injuring yourself when striking. Calcination is the use of Fire on the Earth, much like how it is the fire that forms the combination of iron and coal into the tempered steel that is used to make weapons like the legendary swords of Japan. For this level, it is the body and mind that is being tempered through your training to be forged. One of the ways you can strengthen the hands to be able to strike without injuring yourself is to make and use a striking post called a “makiwara”. A basic striking post is a piece of 2 x 4 wood beam section with a rope tied around it. In the beginning you may want to fold a hand towel and place it between the post and the rope for added padding. Once you have your makiwara, practice striking it with the various strikes. It is important to strike correctly when using the makiwara. Although in the beginning you will not be able to strike very hard because your hands will be sensitive and weak, in time your hand will become more and more conditioned and you will be able to strike the makiwara powerfully without injury.

Tetsui – Hammer Fist: This is a smashing weapon that is formed by making a clenched fist and striking with the bottom of the hand. There are a few ways it can be thrown depending on the

target you are aiming at. You can strike downwards, using the hand much like a hammer. You can also strike from the outside in, or the inside out. Either way the hand position itself is what is referred to as “tetsui” or hammer fist.

Shuto – Knife Hand: This is done by using a similar part of the hand as the hammer fist, only the hand is open and turned slightly towards the palm. Be sure that the thumb is tucked in and not sticking out where it can be grabbed. The shuto/knife hand can also be used in various ways just like the hammer fist.

The proper way to practice the inward or outward movements for either the hammer fist or the knife hand is to use the other hand to guard your center line as the striking hand is “chambered”, then strike. While this may seem impractical, there are many uses for this. The defending hand can be used to parry, to grab or even as another strike.

Haito – Ridge Hand: This strike is done with the opposite side of the hand, by the thumb. The angle and width of the hand when opened makes it a good weapon to strike at soft areas like

the neck, groin and other areas, but when properly conditioned can be an effective strike to many targets. Be sure the thumb is tucked in so that you are not striking with the thumb joint.

Koken – Bent Wrist: This strike is not as common as some of the others, but is an effective way of delivering a strike. Bend the wrist and bring the fingers to a point. The area of contact is the back of the wrist. One way of using this as a strike is as a back handed slap, only with the wrist bent so that instead of a slap you strike with the bent wrist. This can also be used in close quarters, striking up to the chin.

Shako Ken – Clawing Hand: With this strike you use the palm to strike while the fingers rake, pinch or dig into sensitive targets. For example you may strike with the palm to the face and then dig the fingers into the eyes while raking downward. To maximize the effectiveness of this strike you will want to strengthen the hands and fingers.

Kicks: At the red belt you will not be learning any new kicks, but instead will be learning how to combine the kicks learned in the previous belt with the footwork of this belt to add more power as well as dynamic movement. Practice doing each kick with each of the footwork steps and pay close attention to the advantages and disadvantages. Knee – When practicing the knee with the push shuffle, you use the standing leg to propel you forward to thrust the knee into your target. When doing the slide step, the rear leg skips forward to close the gap when there is a greater distance, and the front leg delivers the

knee. When doing the cross step, you step forward with the rear leg and deliver the knee before putting the other foot down.

Front Kick – The same body mechanics apply as for the knee, only from a greater distance because of the kick. Be careful to maintain your balance, and to control the way the hip is facing. Concentrate on using the footwork to increase the power and range of your kicks.

Side Kick – When doing the push shuffle with the side kick, push the body forward as you raise the knee and strike as your body weight settles on the standing foot. This is so that you maximize the advantage of the forward momentum. When doing the slide step, turn the hips as your rear leg pendulums forward so that the hips are in the correct position for the side kick. When doing the cross step, you will usually step the rear leg behind the lead as opposed to the front leg so that the leg is in the proper position for the side kick.

Back Kick – When doing the push shuffle, thrust the body back into the target as you are kicking, making contact as or just before your weight settles again. Doing the slide step for the back kick is just like the side kick only you turn your hips further. When cross stepping you will want to step behind the lead leg, like the side kick, so that the leg is in the proper position for the kick. Regardless of which footwork you are using, you want to position your

center of gravity slightly between the legs. Leaning too far down with the hips directly over the foot will result in you knocking yourself off balance when you make contact with your target.

Roundhouse Kick – To do the push shuffle with the roundhouse kick you will propel the body weight forward as the knee is being raised and the hips being turned, making contact with the target as the body weight is settling back down. This is most easily done when kicking with the rear leg. When doing the slide step with the roundhouse kick, slide the rear leg forward and raise the lead leg to the chamber position, but pivot the sliding leg so that the heel is facing the opponent and the toes are facing away. This will turn the hips for an effective roundhouse kick. When doing the cross step, you will step in front of your lead leg so that the kicking leg is in the correct position for a roundhouse.

Stomp Kick – When doing the push shuffle, thrust the body forward to cover distance as you raise the knee, dropping your body weight as you settle into the stomp kick. When doing the slide step, you begin the same way as you would the side kick, only when you deliver the kick you drop your weight into the stomping leg by bending the supporting leg. When doing the cross step, step behind the lead leg, then raise the kicking leg and your center of gravity. Then as you stomp kick you drop your weight into the stomping leg.

Tai Hodoki – Neck and Body Escapes : For the red belt you will be practicing escapes from different chokes and holds to the body. A very important part of defending from these kinds of attacks is a good working understanding of the different methods of taking balance (kuzishi). Any technique you do, whether as a defense or initiating an attack, will directly or indirectly use kuzishi and if you understand this you will be able to use virtually any technique to throw or take an opponent down with ease. One thing to remember is that when someone has grabbed your throat or body, you will have a very limited time to gain control over the situation.

If being choked there is the risk of going unconscious so it is very important to free yourself quickly. One simple way of doing this is to raise your arms and turn. This puts strain on the attacker’s wrist while breaking the grip. Avoid simply turning in place. Although it will still work, you will still be in front of your attacker where they can simply grab you again. Use footwork, strikes and other techniques once free from the choke. If grabbed from behind, use sensitive and weak points in their anatomy to control their structure.

If grabbed around the body, chances are the attacker is trying to pick you up to take you away or throw you to the ground. To prevent them from being able to pick you up, push their hips away while pulling yours away from them. From this position you can use many different techniques or strikes.

Techniques: For red belt, the techniques include locking and entangling techniques for the arms as well as some basic throws and sweeps. The important thing to grasp is not only the mechanics and leverage used to make each technique effective, but also how the technique raises and drops the opponent’s body weight. Because the element of this belt is Earth, place you awareness in how your body weight and stability is used to take the stability of your opponent. When practicing the joint locks, use your body weight instead of the strength in your arms for power. When throwing or sweeping, be aware of when the opponent raises their center of gravity.

Ude Gatame a.k.a. Muso Dori – Elbow Lock: There are many variations of this technique, but the most important aspect of how this technique works is to lock the elbow by minimizing its mobility before you apply pressure. One of the more common versions is done by wedging the arm under your armpit and locking the elbow by grasping the wrist and leaning back while pulling the arm against the natural movement of the elbow. If applied quickly and sharply it will break the arm by dislocating the elbow joint. Be careful when applying this and any technique in training to avoid injury. This technique can also be used as an immobilization technique by following the movement all the way to the floor.

Another version is done with the arm over the shoulder. In this version you grasp the elbow, keeping it pointed towards the sky as you pull down on the elbow as you lower your body. Keep your posture when applying the technique from the standing position. You should use your legs to lower your body weight instead of bending forward. This can also be done as an immobilization technique by following the movement to the ground. You can place your knee on various places once the opponent is down to assist in the immobilization techniques. When locking the joint during immobilization, curve your spine as you pull the elbow towards your abdomen.

Oni Kudaki a.k.a. Ude Garami – Arm Entanglement: This technique attacks the shoulder joint. When the person is striking or grabbing you, turn your body to face the arm. Place the arm furthest from your opponent’s body on the inside of the arm close to their wrist, as if blocking from the inside. Bring the other arm under the elbow and around the outside of the arm. Grasp your hands together and turn your body towards your opponent. At this point the arm will be bent. Pull the wrist down so that it drops below the elbow.

The term Ude Garami literally means to entangle the arm, and there are many variations of how to do this depending on your entry and position. For example if you blocked the arm from the outside of the arm, blocking your opponent’s right arm with your right, you can grab the wrist with the right arm, reaching over the elbow with your left to grab your own wrist. Then turn your body to face behind your opponent while bringing their wrist behind them. These techniques can also be done on the ground.

Koshi Nage a.k.a. O goshi – Hip Toss: This throw begins by taking balance (kuzushi) by pulling the opponent forward. Step in and turn so that you wedge your hips underneath the opponent’s. Put your arm around the hips and pull them close as you raise your hips, lifting their feet off the ground while pulling their arm with your other hand.

Seoi Nage – Shoulder Throw: For this throw you grab the arm or sleeve with one hand and scoop underneath the arm with the other. Turn around and bend the knees so that your hips are under your opponent’s. As you straighten your knees, bend forward to raise their feet off the ground while you pull the arm across to throw them down to the floor.

Uki Otoshi – Floating Drop: For this throw, you take a backward diagonal direction to take kuzushi and drop down the knee, pulling their arm down beyond their structural support as your body weight drops.

Sukui Nage – Scoop Throw: For this throw you step behind your opponent as you reach in front of their hips. Scoop both legs as you use your leg as a fulcrum to throw the opponent backwards. Be careful not to use your back to pick them up. Instead use your legs to turn your hips as you correct your posture. As you correct your posture it will lean the opponent backwards over the leg, making it easy to scoop the legs from under them.

Osoto Gari – Outer Reaping Sweep: To do this sweep you grasp the opponent and take the balance by stepping a forward side angle. Pull them so that their weight is shifted to the leg closest to you, then push their outer shoulder down towards the floor and pull the opposite arm as you sweep the leg backwards.

Break-falls (Rolls): The rolls are used to spread the impact and carry the momentum of the throw or technique so that you fall safely to the ground. Many times you can use the roll to recover quickly from a throw and get back to your feet with minimal effort.

Mae Kaiten – Forward Roll: When rolling forward, place the back of your lead hand on the floor as you lean forward. Push yourself over the lead shoulder with a relaxed body, allowing the contact with the floor to move from the lead shoulder to the rear (opposite) hip. Keep the knees bent. Rolling to the sides and to the forward angles are done the same way as a forward roll, only you keep your face looking in the direction of the attacker.

Ushiro Kaiten – Backward Roll: When doing a backward roll the first thing you want to do is band the knees so that you bring your hips close to the ground before rolling. Drop one leg back and to its knee and sit down on that hip as you rolls backwards. Keep your knees bent and bring your legs over the opposite shoulder. For example if you drop to your left knee, as you roll back you will go from your left hip to your right shoulder, bringing your legs towards the right shoulder. Make sure you do not extend the legs in an attempt to reach for the ground. You want to keep your legs tucked in to keep the momentum. The ground will come, do not worry.

Yoko Kaiten – Side Roll: The side roll is done the same way as the forward roll, only you drop into the roll by diving into the side direction. A good way to practice this roll is to stand next to a crouching partner and dive over them into your roll. As you get more and more comfortable diving over a partner you can try running and diving over multiple partners.

Kaiten Ukemi – Rolling Break-fall: This combines the rolling techniques with the slapping out motion of the break-falls. This is a technique that prepares you for more advanced and complicated throws. Practice doing the rolls at various speeds, slapping out at the end of the rolling motion to stop the forward momentum. As you get more comfortable with the movement try diving into the rolling break-falls. This will toughen the body as well.

Drills: Drills are partnered exercises that are specifically designed to develop a certain set of skills. There is a difference between knowing a technique, and having developed a skill set. The drill for this level is designed to develop bilateral hand eye coordination as well as develop muscle memory for defensive movements that are used as various forms of entry techniques. Punch drill – The punch drill is done as a partner drill where one partner receives the punch from the other with one of the blocking movements and quickly returns the strike so that the other partner must receive using the blocking motion. This will help to train the coordination of the arms as well as strengthen the shoulders. There are 4 general directions of striking that are used for this drill. They are from overhead, straight forward, from the sides (left and right) and from below.

Overhead: As the strike comes down towards the head, as in a hammer fist or chopping strike, use the Jodan Uke/Upper Block. However the way you use this block is modified for the drill to be more of a passing movement or parry than a block. If the attacker is striking downward with the right hand, use your left palm to parry the outer part of the arm while raising the right arm to deflect the attacking hand. Then use your left hand to cover the attackers arm while returning the blow in the same way as received. The attacker then becomes the defender and responds in the same fashion so that it can be repeated, going back and forth.

Straight: This can be done either as a jab or a cross. For the example I will describe the cross. When the attacker strikes with the right cross, use Uchi Uke/Inner Block. As you cross the arms, parry with the left hand, then raise the right arm for the Uchi Uke block. Then use the left hand to cover the arm as you return the strike with your own right cross.

Sides: This can be either a hook, or any slashing strikes like shuto. As the attacker strikes with a right hook, use Soto Uke/Outer Block. As the strike comes, make contact with the outer forearm or wrist with soto uke, and then pass it downwards as if doing gedan barai/lower parry. Cover their arm as you return the strike.

Underneath: This is typically done as an uppercut strike. As the attacker strikes with a right uppercut, use the right arm gedan barai/lower parry. Use the left hand to parry the punch as you cross the arms, then use the sweeping motion of the right arm to parry the punch out of the way. Use the left to cover the arm as you return the strike with your own right uppercut.

In time and with practice you will be able to increase the speed and include some footwork, but in the beginning it is best to take it slow and to remain stationary until you get comfortable with the movements. Once you have become familiar and comfortable with the drill, you should have your partner choose at random which strike they will use. When you return the strike you can also strike with any of the 4 general directions. Doing this will prepare you to handle many different strikes with ease and develop the confidence in your entries and blocks.

Lastly, once you have gotten comfortable and skilled in the drill you can include any of the techniques that apply. For example you may choose to do one of the wrist locks, or arm locks. You may also choose to do any one of the other techniques. Doing this will develop the skill and confidence to be able to defend yourself from any random punch or strike and immediately go into one of the techniques.

It is important to understand that the drill is preparing you to develop the skills necessary to effectively deal with a wide range of attacks. Training this drill properly will pave the way for many more advanced practices that will come as you progress.

Principle: There are several universal principles that you will be studying in Rinkiohen-Do. Each one is a deep study that should be applicable in any situation, whether it be martial arts, meditation, business, relationships or any other. If it not applicable in this way, it is not universal. Presence – For this principle you should observe your body language and sense of confidence (or lack of) influence how others perceive you. Observe how people stand, their hand and arm gestures and other details. Become familiar with how certain body language is typical of certain states. For example an exited person is more likely to use more animated body language. Observe carefully your own body language as well as vocal tones. In the martial arts it is important to be able to read body language not only so that you can be aware of what strikes may come, but so that you can identify if a person is being aggressive so that you can prevent a dangerous situation before it is too late. Also take notice of how those with more confident body language seem to occupy more space. People will naturally notice and move around confident people while the timid are often bumped in to or overlooked entirely. Distance – One very important thing to know that will help you to understand yourself and your surrounding is to understand the special relationship between you and what is around you. The beginner in the martial arts will often extend the hand far away when parrying, or move way out of range when evading a strike. This is because of fear and not being comfortable judging their distance. The more experienced martial artist will be comfortable just barely out of your range. This is possible because they are able to judge how much distance you can cover. Pay close attention to how distance changes other things, like timing and reaction time. The more distance there is, the more time it takes to cover that distance. The distance can also be mental or emotional. Just think of a friend or relationship where you felt “distant” only because you find it difficult to reach them on an emotional or intellectual level. Observe how this sense of inner distance also effects how others perceive and react to your presence. People who feel distant from you will act more hesitantly and cautiously.

Red Belt Testing Check List

Element: Earth – Describe characteristics of a person who would be dominated by Earth element. Also describe some things that are considered related to the Earth element.

Stage: Calination – Describe what the process is and how it can be applied.

Stances: Zenkutsu Dachi – Front Leaning Stance Kokutsu Dachi – Back Leaning Stance

Kiba Dachi – Horse Stance Neko Ashi Dachi – Cat Stance

Tsuru Ashi Dachi – Crane Stance Kake Ashi Dachi – Cross Legged Stance

Blocks: Soto Uke – Outer Block Uchi Uke – Inner Block

Jodan Uke – Upper Block Gedan Barai – Lower Parry

Footwork: 90 degree box patterns – Show at least two ways of using box patterned footwork

Push Shuffle Slide Step Cross Step

Strikes: Tetsui – Hammer Fist Shuto – Knife Hand Haito – Ridge hand

Koken – Bent Wrist Shako Ken – Clawing Hand

Kicks: Show each of the kicks using at least two different footwork

Knee Front Kick Side Kick Back Kick

Roundhouse Kick Stomping Kick

Escapes: Show at least three escapesTai Hodoki – Neck and Body Escapes

Techniques:

Ude Gatame a.k.a. Muso Dori – Elbow Lock Oni Kudaki a.k.a. Ude Garami – Arm Entanglement

Koshi Nage a.k.a. O goshi – Hip Toss Seoi Nage – Shoulder Throw

Uki Otoshi – Floating Drop Sukui Nage – Scoop Throw

Osoto Gari – Outer Reaping Sweep

Break falls:

Mae Kaiten – Forward Roll Ushiro Kaiten – Backward Roll Yoko Kaiten – Side Roll

Kaiten Ukemi – Rolling Break fall

Principles:

Presence Distance