Diving into Okinawa's finest UECHI-RYU Karate with the legendary Karateka: KIYOHIDE SHINJO

Come along as Champloo founder and karateka Youngmin Lee introduces Uechi-Ryu karate, one of the three pillars of Okinawan traditional karate and renowned for its rigorously intensive training rituals, and his dojo, the “Uechi-ryu Karate-do Kenyukai Honbu Dojo.” Witness the deep immersion into a world where every movement tells a story of discipline, heritage, and the relentless pursuit of mastery.
Interview: Youngmin Lee, Gen Fujita, Julian Hong
Visual/audio: Gen Fujita, Julian Hong, Tsukumo Kitagawa
Edit: Youngmin Lee, Julian Hong
Translation: Rin Ghosh, Youngmin Lee
Special Thanks to the "Uechi-Ryu Karate Kenyukai, Hombu Dojo Shinjo Juku."
00:00 Intro
01:54 Warmup (ウォーミングアップ)
03:47 Sanchin (型:三戦)
09:13 Tameshi-wari (試割り)
12:34 Yakusoku kumite (約束組手)
14:07 Seisan (型:十三)
15:51 Forearm/leg conditioning (小手鍛え、下肢鍛え)
18:50 Editor show off (編集長の戯れ)
20:27 Sparring (自由組手)
23:20 Sanseiryu (型：三十六)
24:51 Cool sparring techniques (組手用技)
26:08 Quick interviews (門下生インタビュー)
29:25 Tameshi-wari part 2 (試割り2)
31:01 End of the day - chill time (稽古後ーゆんたく)
#japan #okinawa #uechiryu #karate #martialarts #combat #combatsports #kobudo #okinawakarate #sensei #champloo
#沖縄空手 #上地流 #上地流空手 #空手 #格闘技 #空手家 #武道 #武術 #フルコンタクト空手 #沖縄 #チャンプルー

[@champloo-oki]

Thanks for watching! We should’ve clarified at the beginning of the video... the guy constantly being picked on by sensei is Youngmin, the co-founder of this channel. I asked my sensei that he go especially hard on me to show you guys what traditional conditioning is all about! No worries, we don’t do this on every occasion!

[@jm7578]

That is the most intense realistic Uechi Ryu training that I’ve ever seen. That Sensei is hard-core.

[@user-dk3up2nl1m]

Miyagi says - aye

[@user-tc5qk4jj4l]

Что жестокого))? Он проверяет натяжение и скручены ли мышцы. Это нужно для понимания техники.

[@cerberus5k]

I can feel the Sanchin conditioning all over again lol

[@Dionisio_13]

Feels like the "old" school karate/taekwondo I first learned. Loved it.

[@lestergeorges2991]

This sensei is a douch bag

[@haistapaska20]

Nice to see what real karate is about

[@stedro]

hardening your Body?

[@elindioedwards7041]

Incredible. I have never witnessed conditioning of the toes or fingers like that. Impressive.

[@Grandroborox]

As dangerous as those hardened digits are, it kinda looks like they become too deformed to be useful in other applications. I guess this guy might not be the one to knit his own sweaters but imagine needing fine motor skills and sensitivity, you've beaten them out of your hands, or so I imagine.

[@James-wd9ib]

@@Grandroborox Karate impact conditioning is much more dangerous than Kung Fu conditioning because the "progression" is too abrupt. In Karate, you start hammering the makiwara and all kinds of shit right away, this is why you have so many arthritic karateka. In Iron palm kung fu, you start thrusting spearhand into beans, then sand, then river stones, then metal ball bearings. Same with body conditioning, you start getting hit with a bundle of chopsticks, then a bundle of light metal sticks ("iron brush"), then a light piece of wood, then heavy wood.

[@lynnhunley7597]

This is a good reason to grapple or wrestle. Cause if you let these guys hit or kick you with that dragon ball Z power it's over. So cool! The instructor is an impressive man.

[@SoldierAndrew]

My student , a former USMC 0311 now EMT /firefighter, is a skilled kodokan judoka and Machado jiujitsu black belt who trains Uechi Ryu Kara te. He's a super humble Christian guy but an extremely dangerous man.

[@jesusjavierlaytenvera7267]

Bro, you definetely dont want to be anywhere near those uechi ryu or goju ryu fingers.

[@rodericksibelius8472]

THIS TYPE OF TRAINING REALLY DEVELOPS the Warrior Mentality and the training being Hit conditions the body so that when there is a REAL LIFE FIGHT SITUATION the Body can take a hit.

[@carlcanmore2658]

I got clocked in the face once by my sensei, three stiches, lots of blood & possibly a mild concussion, the other thirteen years at that dojo were nothing but aches & bruises.

[@tiazmat1]

@@carlcanmore2658 yeah, that is stipude way to train. never theses guys can competete. it''s ridiculious

[@carlcanmore2658]

@@tiazmat1: This is real karate, not the sport or Hollywood type.

[@carlosllanos4689]

That is one man you do not want to mess with. I would love to train with Shinjo sensei

[@Gisimaru]

carlosllanos4689 - vice versa. I would like to train with a sensei at least one day of my life

[@moonishkalicheran3470]

Shotokan Karate was the first martial art I learned since early teenage years, then I switched to Ninpo and Wing chun. However if ever I would go back to Karate, I would definitely want to master uechi ryu 💪🏻

[@deenavardhini5151]

Okinawa is the birthplace of karate and is deeply rooted in the history and culture of the islands. Fantastic job in presenting its rigors and truest form to the global community!

[@fuji1215]

やっぱり上地流は見ていて迫力がありますね、、

[@cerberus5k]

Training Uechi was one of the luckiest experiences of my life. Thank you Sensei Sue Owen, R.I.P. Sensei John Vandelaare.

[@user-ls4no9od2z]

잘봤습니다. 훌륭한 수련과정입니다!

[@pd4197]

This is brutal awesome training. Some serious REAL karate. This guy sensei shoukd have a channel with regular content 💪🏻 Love the vid.

[@cerberus5k]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/q4WnoKZjnp6ara8si=ilmbDQsmbPPsOysZ Anything with Sensei Thompson is a good bet, I'm a little biased though he taught my Sensei.

[@maxmoyer]

Amazing insight into our island's treasure of karate! 10/10

[@gutslikesgyoza]

I don't comment on videos often but I have to on this video. I really, really, reeeaaally enjoyed this one and it's probably my most favourite on this channel! (I've been rewatching it over and over for some reason, even showed it to my grandma) I don't want to make this comment too long, but I really appreciate your guy's videos and I really miss Japan espacially Okinawa and as someone who's been doing Karate since a very young age, I love these kinds of videos. They somehow give me this "I'm at home" feeling if that makes sense! Last thing, when I visited Okinawa last month I got to meet Hokama Tetsuhiro-Sensei kinda randomly and he's such an interesting person, I'd love to see a lot more videos about different people's karate background and or about people there in general, as the first interview you guys have on the channel really moved me aswell! がんばれ！

[@jeffreymoore4132]

I lived in Okinawa while in HS, and this brings back some memories. I was about the same age of the young man that got pounded on and everything was so similar. Even the wood was the same size. I wish my boys could experience this. This training changes your perspective on what is effort, focus, and what you can accomplish when you maximally apply those two things. Thank you for sharing this.

[@SeitoJack]

Well said. There are quite a few Uechi-Ryu schools around the world and some of them founded by Master Shinjo's students. You just need to locate one near you... and then convince your boys to accept this type of training, which might be a lot harder to do than finding a good dojo 😉

[@ShaiHailife]

Amazing

[@GrishamDenz]

So inspirational.

[@peterwilliamson4296]

Greetings from New Zealand.

[@user-cx9uz4jh6d]

That’s really cool!

[@Freethink_Rebel]

The training looks very similar to old-school Kyokushin training. Good stuff.

[@oscillatine]

I love practicing Ueshi ruy training and fighting. With the hardening I no longer feel most of the blows.

[@winddragonmma]

In America I try to train people the old way. but they don't understand. I loved this video. This was similar yet different, but close to how I was trained by my uncle. It hurt real bad, It was extremely hard, but it was real, and the skill you developed from this old school training was very high level. I'd like to point out the spiritual power in this video. It's in the breathing, the "San Shin Kata" (Three Kingdoms Kata) where one develops breathing control and learns to harness Ki or Chi, or bioelectrical energy. In Shaolin Kung Fu the bone hardening exercises here would be called "Iron Sheet", very painful training, but what it produces is an iron will with the strength to endure the greatest of physical pain, and still keep fighting like nothing happened. I loved this video, Gambate!

[@marcelorp]

I'm struggling to find old way schools here in Brazil. People don't give a sh*t about history fully of culture behind this, they just want to see Karate more as a kind of exercise/sport to relax at end of day. My dream is to be able to train Karate in a way such that one showed in the video. It is the only way I see to not only develop our body to the limits but our souls too.

[@user-ln2cy8ge2c]

I come from a boxing background that was intense and rigid. I am trying to expand my training but these gyms i find to be way to soft. We need more old school teachings out here build real warriors.

[@aylagusti]

favorite video so far!

[@bobafett7079]

Would love to see a video on exploring that distance getting closer with a bladed stance and being able to throw some punches without getting popped right away with punches as I am struggling with this myself

[@paulorobertoxavier2416]

treino forte muito top gostei meus parabéns mestre felicidades

[@ringhosh5616]

すごい勉強になります！

[@samimakiwara8584]

Hello from algeria and OSS

[@laffta6727]

the young man that was picked on by the master will one day be the toughest teacher

[@PitchBlack2424]

Great video! Loved it! I study Goju-Ryu and have always been fascinated by this style 🤙🏾

[@GMANLOVE]

Cool vid

[@darthludicrous99]

Got suggested this video when I was looking up instructional videos for Judo (cause I recently started that). WHatever reason the algorithm had for suggesting this to me I am glad that it did because this video does a fantastic job of introducing someone like me to Uechi-Ryu. I think Japanese martial arts in general have so much more history and depth to them that no other martial art can compare.

[@user-qh6uj2zu9w]

新城先生はトークもピカイチ☆

[@yaya_081]

凄まじい稽古の様子を共有していただき、ありがとうございます。 勉強になります。 押忍。

[@justas423]

Karate and Smooth Jazz. A very relaxing combination.

[@gary4real594]

Really cool and interesting stuff. I'm excited to see where this channel goes in the future

[@RevSteveHermann]

Super training. Hardcore and genuine.

[@rcanashi]

That peace of wood hitting the leg must be very painful...

[@Natan_Levy]

Great video!

[@champloo-oki]

Thank you sir!!!!

[@paulorobertoxavier2416]

treino de verdade gostei muito,meus parabéns mestre saúde felicidades

[@JoseBaez-ok6oo]

Muy bueno y muy hermoso el entrenamiento saludos de corrientes Argentina

[@user-ht6ty7et7y]

後ろ廻しがあるのが意外でした。

[@kmlgraph]

@ 27:50: "Can you tell me about the injury you got in Karate?" "Which one?" 😂

[@quickstep2408]

Shinjo used to compete in sport competition when he was younger so he's studied his karate for sport and traditional, which is why his dojo practices more sport and sparring than other traditional okinawan dojos. some hardcore traditionalists might not like that, but i think it could still foster a greater perspective to their martial arts. though you should always discern between fighting and self-defense, sport and traditional aspects.

[@tacbrothers3926]

I really believe what we are seeing is undiluted old school karate. This is it in it's raw form.

[@dangerdavefreestyle]

the whole time nobody smiles or cracks jokes, they are so stiff and strict. that sensei is beating them all. but this is clearly hardcore training like samurai, monks, ninjas.....

[@daniel-san836]

i was surprised at how quickly the two guys sparring became tired

[@dakentaijutsu2010]

Don't act like that never happened to you before

[@MrSaiyan333]

@@dakentaijutsu2010 Not after 10 seconds in a point-based match where you stop after every hit and I'm not even on the level of a black belt.

[@acevaldo2603]

The best part of this video is the time stamp that says warm ups 🤣 great video!

[@JamieGarciaOCSI]

Whoa look at this cool young man!!! And the videography!! Whoaaaaaa!

[@andrearoma5785]

Conditioning + heavy sparring = effective martial art. The master looks like is made of iron, and he's not in his 20s. Impressive training.

[@rebkhai]

That style is so hardcore! Lot's of power!

[@sandamma23]

esse é o único Karate que se iguala ao Kyokushin....ossssu.

[@berylrosenberg704]

Sensei is going easy on them! If they were in a Muay Thai camp or Kyokushinkai, those kicks would be denigrated harshly.

[@Eobred]

🥋

[@andrefagundes2157]

Boa noite porfessor, mestre.

[@user-ug7ur5ou5e]

Great man!

[@aka_rook]

Absolutely brilliant.

[@drion208]

Дело не в каратэ, а в людях, как они это каратэ применяют в жизни.

[@jobcritic6281]

Hey I’m in 40’s been practicing martial arts for 28years been slowing down lately due to age but this video inspired me to keep going. I just took some C4 off I go

[@user-pt6fk4bf3q]

25:46 めっちゃかっこいい

[@nagareboshi.F]

8:45 1番左の人の身体えぐw

[@andrefagundes2157]

Bacana aula 🙋🙋🥊🥊🥊

[@champloo-oki]

Thank you for 100k views and 1000 subscribers!! お陰様で10万再生・1,000人登録者を達成する事ができました！ありがとうございます！

[@funkalopigus]

I'm a Godan in Uechi-Ryu and thoroughly enjoyed watching this! Fantastic job showcasing the different aspects of the training and atmosphere. It's obvious Shinjo Sensei pushes his students the right way and has fun doing it.

[@samproximax1790]

Can you make this vido downladble please?

[@samimakiwara8584]

Please can you put subtitles in all languages 😊?

[@ch-ee8ct]

26:50 動画の冒頭から軍人にしては線の細い白人がいると思ったら､やっぱりメカニックだったんですね｡ 顔が中性的で可愛いから軍隊の中でナメられないように空手を習いにきたんだね｡

[@delmartin1947]

Well done very good video interesting session, best wishes to you all...

[@credov.k2594]

Kiyohide is a great master!

[@gouraali4457]

Thanks for sharing, i enjoyed it very much.

[@ValerieCatanzaro]

Thanks for sharing!

[@user-ch7ky6co3c]

怖すぎだろ。。これが本来の空手なんだろうね。型が見たことないような型ばっかりで凄かった。

[@skorpio404]

14:34 Seisan

[@user-yh2gq4hp3l]

👍🇱🇰 පට්ට පුහුනුව

[@mikeydo9567]

Great great content! Liked and subbed!

[@scva-socallvillainadvocate]

Last part kicking wood with leg is danger your leg can broken

[@lucadesanctis563]

Beatiful. It reminds me when practising Wing Chun and Siu Lim Tao ❤

[@HASSTYLEPROGRESS]

that man went through two boards with his toe.

[@matdamon471]

Is weight training illegal in Japan?

[@grammernazi4216]

No

[@mohammedharoon8627]

Good content interesting 😊

[@Vekren]

He such a true legit master

[@dakentaijutsu2010]

That's the kind of conditioning we do in Kyokushin, also the Kumite, even though it was point sparring, but at least it was more contact than WKF karate, that's for sure! 👊

[@r.t.972]

Very hardcore. Thanks for posting this excellent video. Really liking the intensity and the unique movements you don't see much. First time ever seeing a man use the spear hand to break two hard wood boards, much less kick through them with his toes!!!! A living memorial to the ancient techniques.

[@Mokusei5]

I've been training shotokan karate for a while, and I really admire goju ryo karate, Okinawa. I think it is beautiful

[@psychkick666]

wow his right toe is broken beyond repair and faces the right. u can see he made his toe bleed after the first kick on the board, there is red gash on toe

[@frankszulakiewicz5826]

I wonder how this karate would work in mma?

[@punisher1038]

羨ましい環境下であり、私も教わりたい。

[@Matt_Thornburg]

"Is it me or was that just not very impressive?"🤣

[@user-im8fd7hw7l]

19:33 for anyone wondering!

[@user-hc1sf6eu4i]

昔 上地流道場は那覇の観光センターの3階だったか？にあったと思う それから数十年ごに沖縄守礼道でお会いした。 上地流のサンチンは開手で行われ、またガマク チンクチとは違った立ち位置に思われる。 古武道の世界大会でお見掛けしたようにも思うが定かでない、いずれにせよヤマトンチュの知らない 空手が沖縄にはある!

[@IS-xk3iq]

I wonder how their style will fare against a muy thai practitioner.

[@andreasgancer8874]

No head kicks means kick to head?

[@SunAndMirror]

"karate doesnt work" -gets wheel kicked

[@godstyle8799]

they would still get smoked in a street fight where the opponent aint using karate too

[@Bigramt]

Real Karate I spent 12 years of my youth doing the bastarised freestyle karate, which is essentially kickboxing, before boxing I now train Judo, but i would love to train in this Dojo. It's amazing! A great Sensei with top students! He's a real Sensei that you would jump through fire for

[@mohammadsh3519]

I really enjoyed watching their practicing session.it looks like this style has both classic traditional karate elements and modern full contact style like kyokushin.some of their movements while practicing kata was similar to shotokan in my eye.fast and sudden.but when they started yakusuko and body conditioning,they did it with complete power like we do in kyokushin.the other interesting thing was using some elements of throwing like in judo.

[@bashlivingstonstampededojo882]

Don't get me wrong hard body conditioning is all well and good but too much time on it can be over kill a few minutes a week is more then enough or maybe a few minutes a day but you could still be spending more time on other things don't want too much arthritis when I'm older but still I love the class and they are great at karate

[@SoldierAndrew]

Shinjo Kiyohide is elderly but claims he suffers no arthritis. Okinawan karateka masters eat certain foods that prevent arthritis and they massage their bodies with dit di jow lineament that prevents arthritis after hard training.

[@champloo-oki]

Hey, thanks for watching! I'm Youngmin, the guy in the video, and I just wanted to tell you that this type of traditional conditioning session happens around once or twice a week, so it's not too burdening on our bodies. Thanks for your concern, though!

[@bashlivingstonstampededojo882]

@@SoldierAndrew it would be interesting to know exactly what he eats his conditioning is amazing

[@quickstep2408]

Shinjo is just a masochist or something lol. there's an older video where he's demonstrates kicking a bat or something (i forget what exactly) over and over again with his toes and after the last kick he does one of his toes looks broken and crooked... he just acts like nothing bad happened and continues talking about the technique. the man's a badass, but i'm surprised that he hasn't sustained alot more damage to his body for his sometimes extreme training.

[@Steel9k]

@@quickstep2408 Well... its good to see real Karate practicioners even in our time :) Thats the example for today's karate practicioners to follow

[@andrefagundes2157]

Bacana aula

[@Mrsuershshortkungfu]

Very nice

[@BladeRunner-PFK]

What is the point in mangling your body!? You are supposed to be protecting it! The makiwara training should not be to the point that would cause arthritis!

[@langying]

The idea is to toughen the body to not only be able to do more damage, but also withstand damage

[@BladeRunner-PFK]

@@langying I understand but not to the point that the hands starts deforming as the guy in the video. I've practiced Karate since 11 and done tamishivari as well as makiwara training but stopped before getting a deformed hand.

[@mickydu30]

黒帯の昇進はありますか？

[@mickydu30]

Is there a promotion for black belts?

[@user-cx9uz4jh6d]

あります！数ヶ月に一度、昇段審査というものがあり、有段者である場合は数年の間隔を置いたのちに、先生に試験を受けるよう指名されます！

[@Gansher34]

One new subscriber here,very awesome video and nice channel🔥🇵🇷🙌

[@WeakestSaiyan]

old man does not have anymore nails on his foot fingers 😀