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THE KAMA
Okinawa's Deadliest Farm Tool
by Michael Rovens and Mark Pollard
page 4
Horizontal Swing
When executing the horizontal swing, the kama blade is turned sideways
by bending the wrist and is thrown with the tip of the kama being aimed
at the opponent. On this swing, the weapon moves around the body and is
stopped by your own back. Ota Sensei explains that until one can master
how far to move your arm, given the length of the rope, students will
frequently cut their sides, hips, and backs in learning this move. The
ideal place to stop the kama is in the middle of the back. If the arm is
extended too far, the kama swings around and can cut the opposing hip area.
If the arm is not extended far enough, the kama may cut the other hip.
To reduce the amount of injury, Ota Sensei recommends that students wrap
the blades with masking tape. Some practitioners will use wooden kama for
practice. Ota Sensei advises against this because the weight and feel of
these kama are dramatically different than the real weapons, and does not
serve to reduce injury when these students switch to using real kama.
A kama expert should be able to skillfully manipulate the weapon
blindfolded, as if it were merely an extension of his own body. Ota Sensei
started training with the kama in front of a mirror, with plenty of light.
Then he eventually progressed to where he could practice in total darkness.
This is the only way, Ota Sensei explains, that a person can be intimately
familiar with their weapon. The length of the rope used for swinging motions
is a matter of individual preference. A longer rope results in greater
distance. However, Ota Sensei believes that the rope should only be long
enough to wrap around the hand one-two times. Any longer, he argues, makes
it easier for your opponent to catch the kama in flight during its swing.
The kama is a weapon that takes many years of practice to master. You do
not see too many people using the kama today and there is a reason for this
fact, it is very difficult and dangerous. It is not a weapon for everybody.
We see much more usage of the bo, sai and tonfa across the different styles.
If you are ready for a new challenge, find yourself a qualified teacher and
grab a pair of kama, it will surely elevate your weapons practice to the
next level. But most of all be smart and always employ safety first.
Basic Applications
According to Ota Sensei, the ni-cho kamajutsu basic combative principles
are similar to karate basics both from a standpoint of strategy and
application. The following sequences examine the use of the kama versus
the bo. There are four basic blocks for the kama, which is reminiscent of
empty-hand blocking techniques. In the first photograph of the sequence,
Ota Sensei demonstrates one of the four basic blocks in karate, the second
photograph shows the same block with the kama versus a bo, and the third
photograph demonstrates a possible counterattack, which includes a hook and
simultaneous strike with the other kama:
The gentleman pictured with Ota Sensei is Mr. Parker Shelton. Mr. Shelton
is also a seventh degree black belt in Matsubayashi-ryu and has been
studying karate and judo for almost four decades. His senior, Bob Yarnell,
and he were students of James Wax Sensei, who was an American serviceman
and the first Westerner ever admitted to the Nagamine dojo. Wax, Yarnell,
and Shelton Sensei all trained directly under ninth degree, Master Ueshiro
Ansei in New York. Parker Shelton is best remembered for his success as a
competition and full-contact fighter during a career that spanned most of
the 1960's and 1970's. For those who can remember, competition in those
days was very different than the point fighting methods of modern day
karate. Other prominent fighters of the 1960's included Jim Harrison, Mike
Foster, Bob Yarnell, Mike Stone, Algene Caraulia, and Don Nagle. Other
prominent fighters in te 1970's included Skipper Mullins, Ron Marchini,
and Joe Lewis, who was a Kobayashi-ryu stylist at the time.
The wooden portion of the shaft between the grip and the blade is used
for blocking. The curved shape of the blade makes it ideal for hooking
techniques. Ota Sensei explains that only the first two inches or so of
the blade is for striking or cutting, especially when swinging the kama.
The rope should be bound around the bottom of the shaft to make for a
surer grip.
The kama can be swung in either a vertical motion, over the
shoulder; or in a horizontal motion, around the back. Some stylists will
attach both kama to a rope and swing them around the body. However, this
has no practical value for fighting. According to Ota Sensei, swinging the
kama can be risky because it is harder to maintain control of the weapon.
Learning to tightly grasp the kama after it has been swung requires
diligent practice and is a technique that should only be learned after the
basic techniques of blocking, hooking, and striking are mastered.
Continued on
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Eihachi Ota Sensei is a Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu Stylist with
over 35 years of experience. He is also an expert in traditional
Okinawan kobudo. Michael Rovens is chief instructor and Mark Polland
is a senior instructor at Ota Sensei’s dojo in West Los
Angeles.
A note from DOSHIN:
Over the years, we have hosted or taken many seminars with Oshiro Sensei.
We have found him to be an outstanding "SENSEI" in every sense of the word.
You have an opportunity to learn more about him from his "high tech
business cards"... through our association with AMAZON.COM -- click on
the pictures for more details on purchasing videos by Oshiro Sensei and
Ota Sensei.
For further information they can be contacted at their central
dojo at:
This article is reprinted with the kind permission of
Mr. Angel Lemus, Editor,
Bugeisha.net
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