Book by Rick Clark--75 Down Blocks.

[arnisador]

In a recent book, 75 Down Blocks: Refining Karate Techniques, Ryukyu Kempo instructor Rick Clark analyzes the down block and gives many varied interpretations of this movement--block, lock, etc. (Outtakes here.) I bought this book recently. The idea interests me--an in-depth study of a single technique, aiming to show that the kata contain very useful movements if one interprets them carefully and somewhat broadly. (I also bought it because Mr. Clark lives in the same small town as I do, and is a fellow Modern Arnis practitioner--stick disarms are included, based on Modern Arnis principles and of course the down block. I have never had the opportunity to meet him--he keeps something of a low profile in town, teaches only in a private setting, and the only public appearance he had scheduled of which I was aware he ended up canceling.) I have not yet read it though I have skimmed through it.

Mr. Clark is a kyusho practitioner (see also here)--I don't know his lineage--and pressure point techniques are included in many of the techniques.

 

[Samurai]

I have had the pleasure of attending two seminars with Mr Clark and "speaking" to him over the email. He is quite knowledgable and this book is proof of that fact.

The book is EXACTLY what it claims to be.....75 DOWN BLOCKS.
Wonderful information designed not to just show technique One, technique Two....etc....etc.....but to teach the karate-ka to "look outside the box" for various ideas to your movements.

I just started teaching a class at the local YMCA and the first thing I taught was the Down Block (I use the term Downward Counter, because this book shows it is more then a "block"). I was able to show the students some applications for this move from the very first day. I hope is that now the students will not fall into the traditional trap of thinking of this move as ONLY a block.

Get the book. Read the book. Apply the book to your Down Blocks as well as ALL THE OTHER techniques you have going for you.

--Jeremy Bays

 

[Kempojujutsu]

I just started working or thinking on this. I have came up with 10 applications for the down block. that was off the top of my head.
Bob:asian:

 

[RyuShiKan]

I think that should read Mr. Clark WANTS to be a kyusho practitioner……….

He has some really stupid regulations on his demo sheet.
Several of his high ranking students came to my dojo about 3 years ago and couldn’t do squat.
Clark is an ex-Moneymaker/Dillmanite….need I say more.

 

[arnisador]

I saw an ad for a book by one of his students:

Five Years, One Kata

The kata was Gojushiho. See also:
http://www.martialartspublishing.co.uk

 

[JAMJTX]

I know it's an old thread, but I just discovered the book recently and happened to stumbled onto the thread.

I don't often reccomend books, but I do highly reccomend this one.

I like it because it reminds me a lot of the teachings of the late, great Shogo Kuniba of Motobuha Shito Ryu and founder of Kuniba Ryu Goshindo.

The ideas are also similar in nature to what was presented in Shihan Te by Darrell Craig and Paul Anderson. This book takes a generic look at Karate kat, showing the similarities between styles and helps the student to unlock the bunkai of thier own kata without pushing one style over another.

The 75 Downblocks also highlights the similarities between Karate, Jujitsu and Aikido, much the way Kuniba did in his teachings.

A fine job by Clark Sensei

 

[thepanjr]

5 years one kata huh that all he learned or was it his perfecting the kata.

 

[Samurai]

NO-
In the book he spent 5 years looking at only one kata. This is the original way of learning. Now days we spend 5 minutes with one kata and then move on because we want something "new".
--Jeremy Bays

 

[arnisador]

Learning "only" three or so kata used to be common.