Sensei Masters of Okinawan Karate - James Thompson - Uechi-ryu Karate

[@leithkarate]

An excellent interview interview with one of Uechi-Ryu Karate's finest practitioners. I appreciate the professional, well produced video.

[@drcharles66]

Great video, please continue with the Americans who trained in Okinawa.

[@TheReverb1]

Americans from which Country?

[@KenpoKid77]

​@@TheReverb1Uh...from America?

[@josevelez8016]

North, South or Central América? USA is not the only América

[@lucasmonteiro150]

America is a Continent, not a country. You should learn it.

[@dbuck1964]

@@josevelez8016yes it is. 🇺🇸

[@FlyedPiper]

My first martial arts instructor. He's a wonderful guy and a martial arts legend. Ueichi Ryu is the real deal.

[@DavidMoore_drmoorejr]

I started Karate at the Okinawan Karate Academy (Kalamazoo, MI) in September of 1985. Sensei Thompsom was my Sensei. I still practice my kata.

[@lostphotographs3936]

My Uechi-Ryu Manual was passed to me by my grandfather Leroy S. who obtained 1st degree. It has James Thompson's signature in it. James used to fly to California to train in the local Dojo with Don U. and Brian S. They would have Uechi-Ryu parties at my grandfathers house out in the country. I believe it was James ( or Alan Dollar ) who loved honey dew melons and would eat an entire one to himself. I was 8 years old watching these men train. I still practice Sanchin-Kata and try to emulate those movements that James, Don, and Brian would display. Their laughter and kindness toward one another while pounding and punishing each other still delights and impresses me to this day. Im now 44 and aspire to the testament of their strength of character. .

[@Knucky_Sammich]

Sensei Thompson is legendary among the martial arts community in Michigan.

[@keithhere5292]

anyone living anywhere near the KZOO area would be blessed to have access to this man

[@williamcoachg3228]

Brilliant gentleman! God bless him

[@Echofive-w4r]

Outstanding. Thank you for your service

[@actionjackson9201]

My foundation is Tae Kwon Dow, my Sensi was Master Chung in Detroit many years ago. Thank you for your great accomplishments and wisdom.

[@deddymansyur2354]

You are a true Budo man. Thank you for sharing your life journey. Respect. Oss, Sensei.

[@Scorch1028]

James Thompson 10th dan?! That's amazing! People can train a lifetime in a martial art and never earn the rank of 10th dan.

[@AlbertEinsteinSpock]

He's been in it since about 1960.

[@evgenyrybin2394]

Thank you for sharing this 🙏, Great Sensei, the best

[@kadathsmith]

Four tours. You have my total respect sir.

[@mrjuice1926]

Last of a true breed !

[@CrazyHorse3]

Thank you very much Sensei Thompson. Great video.

[@rtt1961]

Very much enjoyed Mr. Thompson's comments. Osu !

[@dshapiro1000]

I recently was promoted to Hachi dan and you eloquently described my journey of the past 40 years to now at 85 and still training in Largo FL with Ryan Dean in Jeteki Kyuki according to Ken Nakamatsu sensi..

[@neocloudmarts9613]

Super!

[@rileylucky6276]

I really enjoyed this video. I am having my students watch it. They hear there things from me, but; it is important that they hear it from other masters. Lucky Riley, Grandmaster Dang Soo Do.

[@tokyo333]

Thank you, I love this series. Maybe after 20 more years of training, I can be on it :)

[@OkinawanSpirit]

You can do it!

[@grantphilpot8409]

i want to go to kalamazoo

[@Quake2015]

As a student of Uechi Ryu, I had the honor of briefly training under Master Thompson. My Sensei hosted a seminar back in Oct 2023 featuring Master Thompson. He is a very down to earth guy with a great sense of humor.

[@seancallan6061]

We all need to just get along and be friends. Could not agree more!!!

[@MrGranovski]

Thank you for sharing this. Quite awesome.

[@chefmatseg634]

Incredibly inspiring

[@sramdeojohn4428]

Respect ✌️🥋Oss!

[@mikepatterson1975]

Thank You for your service and as a martial artist ❤🥋my only issue is Ft. Jackson, South Carolina OSU!

[@NB-xq4qt]

what a nice man

[@michide72]

My deepest respect, James Thompson.

[@walterhough5263]

O'Sensei Thompson Thank you for this video, your service to our country and teaching me so much more about the martial arts I started training in 1985, 2021 I believe I received my 6th Dan My base system is Okinawan ShorinRyu I received my 3rd Dan Shugoro Nakazato Sensei My 5th and 6th Dan Kyoshi Ronald Austin and Leslie Austin Jaribu System of Martial Arts Kiyoshi also served in the army special forces Laos and Cambodia Thank you for the inspiration and the video again, there's so much I still need to learn. Domo arigato gozaimasu Rei... Walter san

[@jorgeleon6875]

Nice

[@janblacha8522]

Thank you Sensei for everything that you have taught me over these years.

[@karate357]

Excellent Interview 🙏🏽🔥🔥🔥

[@TheInvisibleSensei108]

Brilliant another inspiring example for us to aspire too, excellent!🥋🙏🏽

[@lamiabay4329]

Great and nice Sensei 😘

[@MementoMorituri]

All respect.

[@stuarthughes3747]

what a really nice guy .. oss

[@Jerry92128]

Wonderful video. Thanks for sharing. Sensei Thompson taught me San Seiru at George Mattson's 1984 Summer Camp.

[@DeanMadonia]

Amazing video of an amazing man. Thank you so much for sharing!

[@Drod81W]

Very honest and sincere; great video.

[@shevetlevi2821]

Thank you Shihan Thompson.

[@in8dr0]

Great video! Thank you for sharing!

[@frankmartinez4856]

Wonderful Sensei🎉my friend says! One of the Best Karate style ❤he also does Shorin, Goju 😳taught me Sanchin/ ore(Bo)set 😬

[@darrensamuels1511]

Great video Sensei 🙏🇦🇺🥋

[@fuzzy5610]

I’m just curious how he gets graded as a 10th Dan or grandmaster and kiyohide Shinjo is only 9th Dan .? This a genuine question I have no knowledge of karate or any of these masters other than watching a couple videos in the past couple days, this is not about being a critic or rude , im genuinely interested in how it works. Thanks

[@MrGPointe]

Respect Thompson Sensei, Fort Jackson, SC not NC...osu!

[@memyself4ever1]

I noticed the stances of Okinawan Karate are higher than the Japanese styles.

[@yogi8337]

It's original stance, the Japanese make it wider, lower, for competition, but when they do that, their kata little by little lost its essence

[@memyself4ever1]

@@yogi8337 I would never have known.

[@clarencewashington7881]

What does the modern version look like

[@AlbertEinsteinSpock]

It's the same, but there are more bridging kata that have been developed over the years by Master Uechi and some of his senior students.

[@memyself4ever1]

1979, I was only 9 years old and my sister was born a year later.

[@AlbertEinsteinSpock]

He been doing Uechi-ryu by that time for about two decades already.

[@julesjones2442]

🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾 Uussshhh

[@change9929]

Sir,is the attitude and result of westerners different from Japanese?

[@rebassed1]

「私の知恵をありがとう、マスター・ガゼル」

[@yishihara55527]

Google Translate fail

[@HumphreyNkya]

If you re 59yrs old can begin karate

[@davidyork8020]

ever herd of YOUNG BO KONG

[@BCS01]

Osu!

[@jeromerizzo423]

As a veteran the first language of the military is profanity. So I can understand🤣😂😂😂.

[@norbertocarlosagustinkushi1916]

🇺🇲🇯🇵❤️👍💪💪💪

[@dudleydeee]

Blah blah

[@michide72]

I don't think you understand...

[@dakentaijutsu2010]

Don't be that guy

[@johnhampton826]

You mean hiya hiya

[@Duane-tl2zc]

Then why are you even looking at this with that stupid a** attitude?

[@psuedomonas1]

You'll get there too. Or not.

[@gunnysteele1233]

I REALLY REALLY WANT TO SHOW AND GIVE THIS MAN = "JAMES THOMPSON" : THE UTMOST OF RESPECT, APPRECITION AND THANKS. A TRUE WARRIOR, UNLIMITED SACRIFICE, DISCIPLINE, COURAGE, PERSEVERANCE, WILL, DETERMINATION, ETCETC A VERY BRAVE, REAL MAN, THEY SIMPLY SEEM TO RARELY BREED THESE TYPE OF MEN NOW DAYS, AND ITS A REAL, ISSUE PROBLEM AN A SHAME

[@Bones-uu6zp]

Nice story, however why is the only thing shown a strike with the fingers/knife hand, whatever you want to call it- I SEE ZERO OF THAT IN REALITY. WHERE IS THE VIDEO OF SPARRING??? RAISED-PLATFORM COMPETITIONS PROVING IT'S WORTH AMONG ALL THE OTHER SYSTEMS??? ** MY GRANDFATHER DIED FROM BLACK- LUNG IN THE COAL MINES AND ALSO THE STEEL MILLS BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH HE SPOKE 6 LANGUAGES HE WAS A POLISH IMMIGRANT, >>> LEGALLY ENTERED WHICH MEANS HE BUILT AMERICA WITH ALL THE REST !

[@AlbertEinsteinSpock]

Since they were using it in hand-to-hand combat in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, I would say the Uechi-ryu is pretty "practical."

[@FlyedPiper]

Uechi Ryu is a very traditional style of Okinawan Karate- it's for self defense and character development. There was very little emphasis on free sparring (although there was a light sparring class ran by his son Marcus once a week) and little to no emphasis on competition when I trained at his dojo in Kalamazoo. He also taught me Aikido and Kobudo.

[@Bones-uu6zp]

@@FlyedPiper COOL. AND KALAMAZOO ⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️ Holy crap! 🤣🤣🤣 There IS such a place named- my brother stopped through there for half a year ( hospital traveling job in Cardiac ) - that's like the region close around the mid part and north... Right... thanks for info about emphasis on sparring, etc. but I think it's NECESSARY. You get used to other people, dynamically too ! different energies and what strikes you have that are in what area of needing more training, and also it toughens simultaneously you lose fear of getting hit, most everyone gets hit unless your just friggin straight ape-shit off the chain ADRENALINE And you are seeing everything in a fraction of a second, and light up the foolish bully and afterwards, ALWAYS YOUR EVEN SHOCKED AT THE POWER YOU'VE WORKED ON FOREVER like 🤯 and gee I did that ? 😂😂😂😂😂😂 - People watching are like "Damn man, that was crazy man! It's in you man! Can you teach me? " 🤔 NO JOKE. I started to teach but does because I couldn't teach BUT ONLY THE RIGHT WAY and people are "I can't wait to use this shit and beat someone up." So I thought SCREW THAT ! I worked so hard forever to give this away to people that I told the oath and after they did the do agreed etc etc the next week they say things like THAT ? NOPE. - - Application of Aikido is questionable as NO ONE RESISTS - BY THAT I MEAN FIGHTING IS ZERO. - Unless your from a traditional school of "Ueshiba"- 1 in DC is an ABSOLUTE GEM !!!!!!! - that guy has people trying to push him over WHILE HE IS SITTING AND THEY CAN'T MOVE HIM BUT A LITTLE AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS THEY GO FLYING ! ( said it's like pushing into your bed mattress ! ) they all about fighting and there's a RESPECT that goes without speaking, between us you know how much you can do with whoever, it's truly telepathic. But other than that, I learned some but forgot. IF YOU HAVE APPROPRIATE STRENGTH IN FINGERS AND WRISTS ESPECIALLY, AND YOU GET GET A HOLD OF SOMEONE BEFORE GETTING BRAINED, A GOOD CHANCE TO DO THAT DO, obviously, but closing the MAI / distance (sp.?) is the KEY : That's what people are SUPPOSED TO BE CONCENTRATING ON WITH THE "SPARRING" BUT IS YOU'VE NOT A GREAT TEACHER, THEN THAT'S THAT. THE TEACHER INDEED IS EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY TO THOSE THAT DON'T KNOW YET. -