What style of Karate was that?

[JBrainard]

About a couple years ago I was watching a martial arts documentary on Discovery channel and they interviewed a particular karate master and some of his students. What caught my interest was that it used not only the traditional closed fist but a hand style described by the master as "like a dragon's claw holding a ball." Does anyone here know what style of Karate that might be? I think it was an Okinawa style, but my memory is a little fuzzy.

Thanks :asian:

 

[KOROHO]

Never heard that terminology before. Perhaps if you can recall even part of the name of the documentary or more details, someone can google it and find out out.

Was this an Okinawan teacher or an American using that terminology?

The more you can recall about the show the better chances of someone being able to help you.

 

[crushing]

I recall something like that too. I can't remember the style, but I believe the show was called XMA: eXtreme Martial Arts. It was the show with the 3D modeling of martial arts movements, right?

 

[Cirdan]

Does the dragon hand style strike with the bones in the wrist? We have some animal hand techniqes added to our curriculum, but they are Chineese in origin.

 

[JBrainard]

Was this an Okinawan teacher or an American using that terminology?

The more you can recall about the show the better chances of someone being able to help you.

It was an Asian teacher using that terminology.

The show also featured a fat fifth degree Aikido instuctor showing off his stuff and Coda Scott's True Power Martial Arts Academy of Oklahoma.

 

[JBrainard]

I recall something like that too. I can't remember the style, but I believe the show was called XMA: eXtreme Martial Arts. It was the show with the 3D modeling of martial arts movements, right?

No, I saw that show. The show I'm talking about was similar but predates XMA by about a year. Maybe it was called World of Martial Arts? I'm going to google that and see what I come up with...
Damn. Found it on Discovery Channel's website but it didn't mention the specific style of Karate. Argh!

 

[JBrainard]

Does the dragon hand style strike with the bones in the wrist?

I dunno. I do remember that the style also used the crane finger strike. Does this help? Anybody?

Ha! I figured it out. It's Uechi Ryu Karate. Thanks for all of the help!

 

[KOROHO]

Sorry. It's just not ringing any bells with me.

 

[searcher]

I think you are correct in your assumption that it wa sUechi-ryu, but don't quote me on that. My knowledge of Uechi-ryu is limited to a minimum, superficial knowledge of some of the Uechi kata. I believe the show was aired several times and had varying styles with varying "Masters." Most will remember it for the display of "Combat-Ki" by Rod Sachanoski and his students. The fat little Aikido guy is Kensho Furura. I have some of them on tape, but I don't know where they are at right now.

 

[Brandon Fisher]

Yes you are thinking of Uechi Ryu Karate-Do. The fat little aikido guy you refer to is Rev. Furuya, Rokudan I think you could have referred to him in a more respectful manner.

 

[kicksindabank]

I have seen this show as well and I can't remember the name as well. I think my brain farted to much today!

 

[TimoS]

Yes, most likely it is Uechi ryu. Is this is the clip you were talking about?
Related to that clip, does anybody know with which part of the hand is used in that strike? It looks to me like he's striking with the palm heel (teisho), but from that angle it's a bit hard to tell

 

[Dark]

It was the thumb he hit with...

 

[TimoS]

It was the thumb he hit with...

I'm fairly sure that striking with the thumb would result in a broken thumb

 

[Brandon Fisher]

I slowed it down and paused it right has he hit it and it looks as though it is both the thumbknuckle and the palm. Has far as a broken thumb I have broke boards with my thumbknuckle and not broke my thumb. However I have done a lot of conditioning on my hands over the years. I don't recomend just trying it, one little miss and broken thumb syndrome as I like to call it.