Ido Kihon Unit

White – Orange Homework 3

Short answer Extra Credit:
Story about karate master Sokon Matsumura:

One day master Matsumura was in town speaking with an engraver. The engraver was quite strong with muscles showing through his clothing, looking like he could wrestle a bear if he tried. The engraver learned who master Matsumura was and asked him why he was no longer teaching the lord Karate. “Everyone knows you’re the best instructor alive, and if you’re no longer teaching him, who is? Surely no one can take your place.”

“Indeed,” Matsumura answered, “it was because of my reputation that I was granted the post of instructor to the head of the clan. But he was an indifferent student. He neglected the refinement of his techniques, which, despite all my efforts, remained very crude. Oh, I could have lost to him easily if I chose, but that would hardly have been of any use to him, so instead I pointed out some of his weaknesses and then I dared him to attack me with all his might. He countered instantly with a double kick (nidan-geri). It was dexterous enough, I grand you, but I hardly need to tell you that only a rank novice would open with a double kick when facing an opponent he knew to be vastly more competent.

“I decided to make use of this error to teach him a much needed lesson. As you must know, a karate match is a matter of life and death, and once you have made a serious mistake you are done for. It’s impossible to recover. You know all this yourself quite well. But apparently he did not, and so, hoping to show him the truth, I at once stopped his double kick with my sword hand and sent him sprawling. But before he actually struck the floor I crashed my body against his. He finally came to a rest in a heap at least six yards away.”