Just out of curiosity, if you're talking about the footage available on YouTube, what part of it makes you say that? To me it looks like technically proficient compliant jujitsu, but he doesn't really demonstrate anything that resembles anything you see when two people are actually fighting. Be it competition or just straight up YouTube brawling. And to be fair I'd say the same about someone like Christian Tissier, who looks amazingly proficient with his aikido but I wouldn't fancy his chances against a half decent boxer or wrestler. To contrast, when I look at footage of Mifune when he was older, which is from a similar era as the Takamatsu footage I think, what he is demonstrating is an example of someone who 'knew his poop.' I don't think his students are heavily resisting when he is throwing them, but the throws themselves (and the ne waza) are technically proficient and of the same kind that are still being used in competition today.
Max Smith, The video footage of Takamatsu Sensei was obviously when he was quite old, but yes the training is standard compliant taijutsu/jujutsu, but to be honest that is not unlike any vehicle that koryu bujutsu uses in its training methodology. By in large its kata training,(you do know Kano and mifune both demonstrated kata right?) so I think the issue you are speaking on is a bigger scope than just Takamatsu Sensei but the way that many classical martial arts train in general correct? Now there is not video of it, but I would dare say that Takamatsu Sensei did his fair share of randori also in his younger years and there are several stories couple with this and not just randori but actual fighting for life and death scenarios. Now once again thats if you believe things such as Takamatsu Sensei's personal diary that some people have actually saw(no I havent saw it but I believe the shihan who have, so thats my faith yes) a part of being a good uke in classical martial arts is to add some resistance and not be a limp dead fish also when attacking, so I dont think a video can really see that always, how much energery a guy is putting into a grab always. Let me also say that while I do believe that things like randori is great, I wouldnt want to claim I was a "brawler", and a ring or sporting contest scenario is different from say a mugging. You can see videos of mma guys getting jacked up at a gas station by multiple attackers, but that doesnt prove mma is inneffective. I dont think that anyone can train like they fight, in an unexpected mugging scenario, possibly, but hard to say, in a sporting event, yes for sure, but I dont think thats why anyone that studies the lineages of Takamatsu Sensei are training. LOL, whats the old quote by Mike Tyson, "everyone has a plan until they get hit". I would say that goes for anyone training in any form or methods of martial arts. Anyway, thanks for reading the rambling and I appreciate it.
"The body cannot lie", and if someone's movement is good it talks to me My hero Wang Shu Jin is another example; the footage we have is just demos but it tells me a lot about his ability
Wang Shu Jin was awesome. I really enjoy the palms from his lineage. Alot of stories about him also and the belly lol
Anything we know about Takamatsu sensei derives only from him, through him, including the anecdotes. By the arts we know he has skills, yet none of that means it has to be free from embellishment, including his diary or the things he wrote down. Because various Genbukan sources say the following Ikai Shogun was an authority on Hicho-jutsu and Ongyo-no-jutsu, and it was a recorded fact that by using a special Kiai, he could jump to a height of 6 meters. I know it is not good manners to question or even doubt anything your sensei / soke says, but some things really need to be taken with a grain of salt. Or a couple of pounds.
