Customer Reviews

Isshinryu Chinto Kata, Secrets Revealed

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book is a self-declared, thoughtful dissenting opinion on the Bunkai of Chinto Kata, as opposed to the more traditional interpertations. It concentrates on pressure point attacks, control and throwing techniques of Wu Shu origin.

Given the dangerous nature of many of those techniques, I would recommend parents not make this book available to child martial-artists.

The text to picture ratio is good for a martial arts book (more text being better), though there are an excessive amount of typographical errors which the author/publisher will no doubt correct in the second edition.

I would highly recommend this book for any advanced Okinawan Karate stylist who has developed proficiency with Chinto Kata. The bottom-line: you vote with your pocket-book, and I have purchased the author's second book.

Javier Martinez has worked hard to re-introduce grappling into the bunkai of the Isshinryu version of Chinto Kata. His basis: research into original Chinese applications of forms, many of which have been ignored or forgotten. I recommend this volume for anyone with a base in Japanese or Okinawan karate, this is not simply one man's favorite way to do something, and not another guide on striking alone. Nor need one be a student of Isshinryu to understand and assimilate the ideas conveyed here (I'm not). Martinez's methods are practical and sensible. This volume is 56 pages long, shows Isshinryu Chinto in 57 moves, and includes 12 Bunkai (applications). It is a fact that most of the deveolped Chinese martial arts taught striking as a precursor to locking and throwing (Shuai Chiao master Cheng Tung-sheng emphasized this as well). At no time does he suggest having all of the answers--the bunkai shown are the results of his efforts. Martinez has done his homework, and this brief and direct work does deserve our attention.

Javier Martinez's book "Isshin-Ryu Chito Kata; Secrets Revealed" is an outstanding martial arts book. I have been studying Isshin-Ryu for 6 years and am currently a Sho-Dan. I consider this book a must for any student willing to open there mind and except the many different applications to this kata. It takes all that you've learned about Chinto and twists it a bit but makes it much more exciting. I have enjoyed takeing the ideas and incorporating them into my practice and working with other students with these ideas. Javier Martinez has done an outstanding job in provideing the world of Isshin-Ryu a more complete understanding to the beautiful Kata Chinto.

The book never came. after receiving 4 e-mail stating the order had been placed and shiped a the forth e-mail stated my money was being returned

In this book Mr. Javier wrote that Sokon Matsumura taught Chinto to Chotoku Kyan, who in turn taught Chinto kata to Tatsuo Shimabukuro. I am astonished by the fact that Mr. Javier has written so many book and claim to be very knowledgeable in karate history, but do not know that as Isshinryu practitioner he practise the Tomari-te version of Chinto, not the Shuri-te version as taught by Matsumura. Tatsuo Shimabukuro learned Chinto from Chotoku Kyan, who learned Chinto kata of Tomari-te master Kosaku Matsumora who learned directly from the Chinese kempo expert Chinto. Sokon Matsumura did also learn this kata from Chinto, but he developed his own Shuri-te version, which differ in many ways from the Tomari-te version practised by Kyan-related styles, such as Isshinryu. It's obvious that Mr. Javier do not know his history, and I wouldn't trust what he writes about other topics in karate. Don't buy this book, and search a real Okinawan teacher to teach you the real way.