Isshinryu Karate – One Heart Way

Isshinryu is a style of karate that originated in Okinawa, founded by Sensei

Tatsuo Shimabuku and then brought to the US by Sensei Don Nagle and other
US Marines. It is a combination of Shorin Ryu and Goju Ryu

Components of Training
Physical Training including calisthenics
Basic Drills
Kata (form)
Self Defense training
Sparring

Basic Drills – Upper Body

1. Straight punch
2. Upper cut
3. Reverse punch
4. Reverse upper cut
5. Down block/straight punch
6. Shoulder high block/reverse punch
7. Open hand block/fingertip strike
8. Open hand over head parry/reverse upper cut
9. Over head block/reverse punch
10. Back fist/reverse punch
11. Down block/5 straight punches
12. Shoulder high block/5 straight punches
13. Down Open hand block/open hand neck strike
14. Inside open hand parry/ 2 inverted knuckle strikes
15. Step back into cat stance/over head block and elbow strike

Basic Drills – Kicks

1. Straight snap kick
2. Knee kick - 45° kick to knee cap
3. Cross over heel kick
4. Side blade kick
5. Side snap kick
6. Round house kick
7. Back kick
8. Thrust kick
9. Knee strike
Kata
Seisan - Bushi Matusmura developed Seisan as part of Okinawan Shrui- Te style. He
passed the kata to Chotoku Kyan, who passed it to Tatsuo Shimabuku.

Seiuchin - Seiuchin traces back to Kanryo Higaonna of the Naha-te system (1853-1915).
Higaonna traveled to China and studied Chinese Kempo. One of Higaonnas most famous
students was Chojun Miyagi (1887-1953). Miyagi also traveled to China and spent four
years studying Chinese martial arts. In 1920, Miyagi founded the karate system Goju-
Ryu. Goju translates to hard-soft. It is unknown if Seiuchin was developed by Kanryo
Higaonna or Chojun Miyagi, but Seiuchin has roots in the Chinese systems.

Naihanchi - Sokun Bushi Matsumura brought Naihanchi to Okinawa from China.

Matsumura taught this kata to Chotoku Kyan who in turn taught it to Tatsuo Shimabuku.
There are three versions of this kata: Naihanchi Sho Dan, Ni Dan, and San Dan.

Wansu - Wansu Kata is named after a Chinese military envoy named Wanshu. He was
sent to the Torari village around 1683. Wanshu taught Chinese Kempo to the village
people. Wanshu taught Karate Sakugawa, who taught Chokun Macabe who
developed/refined Wanshu. Chokun Macabe taught Kosaku Matsumora who taught
Maeda Peichin who taught Chotoku Kyan. Kyan taught the kata to Tatsuo Shimabuku.

Chinto - A Chinese sailor named Chinto was shipwrecked on Okinawa by a terrible

storm. He hid in caves near the beach and stole food at night to survive. Villagers
complained to the famous Samuri Sokun Bushi Matsumura was sent capture Chinto.
Chinto blocked or eluded all of Matsumuras techniques, then ran away. Later, Matsumura
found him hiding in a cemetery and befriended him, Chinto in turn taught Matsumura his
techniques. Matsumura taught Kyan who taught Master Shimabuku.

Kusanku - In 1756 a Chinese military envoy named Kusanku was sent to Okinawa he
was a skilled Kempo master famous for his fighting skills. Sakugawa No Kusanku was
developed by Karate Sakugawa based on his instruction from Kusanku. Sakugawa taught
this version to Soken Bushi Matsumura. This lineage was further divided into two other
forms of the kata, Kusanku Dai and Kusanku Sho. Chatan Yara developed his own
version based on his training with Kusanku. He instructed Yara Peichin who in turn
instructed Chotoku Kyan who taught Tatsuo Shimabuku.

Sunsu - Sunsu Kata is the only empty hand kata that is unique to Isshinryu developed by
Master Shimabuku in the 1940s. Master Shimabuku used the techniques that he felt were
the best combat techniques to form his new kata.

Sanchin - Sanchin Kata is the oldest kata whose origins are believed to go all the way
back to Bodhidharma and the exercises he taught Chinese Buddhist monks at the Shaolin
Temple. Kanryo Higaonna, founder of Naha-Te, brought Sanchin Kata from China to
Okinawa. Higaonna taught the kata to Chojun Miyagi, founder of Goju-Ryu, who in turn
taught the kata to Tatsuo Shimabuku.