Training for Life Summary and Analysis

Gichin tells a story of his own training practice by quoting the written account of another author. He admits the tale about his youthful activity may make him seem a little mad. The island of Okinawa experiences ferocious typhoons that regularly devastate it. In order to withstand tropical storms with winds up to a hundred miles per hour, houses are built low, sturdy and surrounded by high walls of stone. During one particularly violent storm the Shuri inhabitants all huddle together except for one young man. He is a small man of twenty or younger wearing a loincloth and covered with mud. The young shizoku man has huge shoulders, bulging biceps and a topknot like a sumo wrestler. He holds a straw mat against the wind in the horse-riding karate stance. He stands on the roof of...