I feel compelled to share just a little more information and a few stories/anecdotes about my teacher,
Taika Seiyu Oyata. I believe he was one of the best martial artists on the Earth, but I am a little biased.
You have to understand that Taika was truly great-He was a proud man, proud of his heritage and proud of his martial arts-He was willing to perform techniques on anybody/anytime!
If you didn't believe him, he would show you!
Pictured below, taking one for the team at a seminar is Mike Cline. Mike is a large, strong man and an excellent martial artist himself. We were all dust in the wind, clay in the hands of the Master. It did not matter how fast, strong, tricky or cool you were-you were going to the ground in an instant, usually yelling in pain!
This technique is the Okinawan version of the body slam, with a side strike. I remember this day/moment and this technique vividly. It was quick and devastatingly painful, like everything Taika did.
As much as I hate to say it, the truth is I was glad it was Mike and not me. He truly got jacked up!
It can also be used as a training aid by a Master to keep martial artists in line.
I have a signed copy of this issue-A blast from the past. Taika Oyata on the cover of Black Belt
magazine, inflicting extreme pain on black belt Rocky Leavitt.These were never staged, probably one of several takes for the perfect shot-Ouch.
Taika Oyata appears to be almost smiling-why not? It was his job and no one was better at it.
Found this on YOUTUBE-I was never one for recording things, I was more interested in hands on training.
This is a short video of Taika Oyata doing neck strikes on black belt Peter Polander. For some reason,
Taika Oyata did a lot of techniques on Peter Polander. Peter is an excellent martial artist and has a high tolerance for pain.
Taika Seiyu Oyata has a large, loyal following. This picture could barely fit the group that came to train and celebrate his 60 years in the martial arts. I am seated in front of him at a direct angle to his shoulder-
The reason I am telling you this is that he told me to sit there- he wanted to know where I was and what I was doing.Strangely enough, people sometimes feel I might be up to something. Seated behind me is my instructor/ senior black belt Greg Lindquist. There are some wonderful people and some absolutely dedicated martial artists in this photo.
guy when we weren't training. He also had some famous phrases we got to hear over and over again.
I would like to share some of these quotes and my rough translation/understanding of them:
"GODDAMMIT"-this plays on a never ending reel in my head-no interpretation necessary.
I hear this in my sleep to this day or especially when I am training.
"Why no can get up"?-After he knocked you out, or threw you down or while he had you pinned, writhing in pain. He was politely asking why you could not get to your feet in the usual fashion, usually with a grin. It was always a lot funnier when it was happening to someone else.
" I no baloney teach"-You asked for it, you got it, hard and physical training, involving pain of some sort.
"I kick ass"-somebody was in trouble, said something , did or didn't do something. Sometimes he was joking, but if he was serious-look out- Asses would be kicked!
"doodle movement"-little movement, subtle motion.
"I tell now"-shut up and listen-he was going to hit you with some knowledge.
"You want easy teach, I no easy teach"-no explanation necessary.
"Arms no hurt, feet on floor"-Somebody made the mistake of saying their arms hurt during training, our penance for this crybaby was 1,000 punches and 1,000 kicks or something similar.
Not!No!-both meant the same thing, you were not doing it right or not answering him correctly.
"How did it"?-He wanted you to tell him how he did something, for the record-nobody was ever right.
I privately referred to this mental torture/game as "You Can't Win", nothing I said was right, even when I was right I was not phrasing my answer correctly or using the correct terminology. I still
was wrong yet continued playing for many years.
For anybody interested in his life, his personal thoughts, philosophy and views on martial arts,
Taika Oyata wrote an amazing book:Ryu-Te no Michi-The Way of Ryukyu Hands.
I highly encourage anybody interested in martial arts, history or the story of a truly unique human
being to look for this book online.
