Martial Arts in the World

Song Changrong’s Baguazhang

2010-01-09T08:37:00.000-08:00

When people talk about ‘Song style’ in a bagua context, there are actually two styles that could be meant: one is the bagua of Song Yongxiang (passed on by Liu Wancang of Beijing and his disciples), while the other is that of Song Changrong, a disciple of Dong Haichuan who was well-known for his lightness skill (qing gong). The material presented below profiles the latter:

“ ‘Flying Legs’ Song Changrong

Song Changrong was born into a noble family in Beijing. Because of Dong Haichuan’s position at the mansion of Prince Su, there was a lot of interaction between the two houses. The Qing dynasty was a peak period for CMA. Everyone from the emperor down to the common man was interested in martial arts. The Song family’s noble status and economic strength meant that they placed great emphasis on the practice martial arts. As nobles, they were of course aware of Dong Haichuan’s position at Prince Su’s mansion, treating him as an honoured guest. And so, Song’s family invited Dong to teach martial arts at their house. This kind of environment meant that Song Changrong was systematically trained by Dong Haichuan from a very young age. As a result, Song’s bagua reached a very high level, to the point that his bagua formed its own branch in Beijing.

When Song was 6 or 7 years old, Dong Haichuan started to teach him a ‘game’. The Song family’s house happened to have a large garden. Dong asked the Songs to prepare several vats, so that Song could practice ‘vat-running’. At first, someone had to support Song on the vats; later on, he learnt how to walk and run freely on top of the vats. After a long while, Song could run and jump on the vats as if he was walking on solid ground. This entire time, Dong did not teach Song any other martial exercises. It was only when Song was 12 or 13 that Dong began to teach Song bagua. As a result, Song was particularly accomplished at ‘lower basin’ (xia pan) walking. He carried on Dong’s lightness skill, called ‘Ba Bu Gan Chan‘ (lit. catch a cicada in 8 steps).

Catching a snake with Seven-Star Staff

After Song had been learning bagua from Dong for 5 or 6 years, his gongfu had made great strides, but there was one thing that vexed him. When Song practiced in his back garden, a small white snake would wriggle out of its burrow and start ‘dancing’ tens of metres away from Song, almost as if it was trying to compete in a test of agility with him! Song tried to use his lightness skill to catch the snake, to no avail: as soon as Song got within 10 metres of the snake it would start beating a retreat. Just as Song thought he might catch it, it always managed to dive into its burrow just in time. All Song could do was sigh in frustration. This continued every day for two months, with Song totally at a loss as to do what to do.

One day, Song mentioned this white snake while Dong was overseeing Song’s practice. In response, Dong picked up a wooden staff and taught Song bagua’s Seven-Star Staff. After a month’s arduous practice, Song had become proficient with the staff. A month later, when Dong came to the Song family mansion to oversee Song’s practice, the white snake appeared yet again. This time, Song chased the snake with his seven-star staff and managed to pick up the snake with his staff just as it was about to reach its hole. Looking at the snake, he said “Who’s faster, you or me?” The snake, seeming to admit defeat, didn’t even struggle to escape. Song, satisfied that the snake was beaten, put it back on the ground, whereupon it sped back into its burrow. The snake never appeared again after that, but the seven-star staff established a place in the bagua school.

‘Tightrope Walker’ Song

Baguazhang’s gongfu comes from circle-walking. ‘Curves’ and ’straight lines’ are relative concepts; when someone has achieved mastery, he can generate luoxuan jin (spiral force), zheng guo li (‘wrapping’ power) and immense baofa jin (explosive force). Once the art is mastered, the body becomes light as a swallow, hence the name ‘lightness skill’. Because this sort of skill was so hard for ordinary people to achieve, the younger generation were all eager to see if the rumours of Song’s skill were true.

One day, Song was at a teahouse with his bagua brothers when they asked him to perform some bagua for them. Because they were all of the bagua school, Song didn’t try to refuse, but instead, picked up a length of hempen rope and asked two of his companions to hold the rope tight at either end. So saying, Song leapt onto the rope and proceeded to perform one of the 64 straight palms on the rope, which was met with loud applause. Some of the others tried to repeat the feat, but none could stand steadily and so they all fell off. Henceforth, people knew that Song’s bagua was its own system with its own style. Unfortunately, Song’s background limited his interaction with the CMA community, and hence he had very few disciples. As a result, a lot of Song’s skills were not passed down (according to an interview with the 4th-generation Cheng-stylist Liu Xinghan in 1994, when he was 85 years old).

Lightness Skill Revealed in a Courtyard

In a courtyard in old Beijing, the second and third generations of bagua had all gathered together in one place to have a ‘longevity banquet’ for one of the second generation masters (Cheng Tinghua? Liang Zhenpu?). This was a big day for the bagua community, and of course Song Changrong had come as well. IN CMA circles, the ‘longevity banquet’ is a momentous occasion at which everyone has to drink to the host’s health.

This kind of banquet was usually only laid on for senior respected members of the bagua community. Thus, the atmosphere in the courtyard was festive and raucous. During the dinner, someone’s disciple came up with the idea of asking M. Song to demonstrate ‘Ba Bu Gan Chan’ to liven up the atmosphere at the banquet. The moment the suggestion was made, the crowd went wild. Most of the people at the crowd had only ever heard rumours of Song’s lightness skill, at any other time no-one would have had the temerity to ask Song to perform. All eyes swivelled to focus on Song. They saw Song stand up and with a fist salute, “M. Dong always instructed us to avoid showing off our art in public. But seeing as it’s my shixiong’s (elder kungfu brother) birthday and we’re all bagua men here, why not?” And so, everyone hurriedly tried to make way for Song to go out into the courtyard, but Song wanted the assembled crowd to go out first. Seeing that neither side was giving in, Song said “Fine, I guess I won’t walk then” and so saying leapt out of the nearest window. By the time everyone caught on, Song had already lightly landed in the middle of the courtyard. Upon seeing this, everyone exclaimed that Song had really lived up to his nickname of ‘Flying Legs Song’.

(According to a 1989 interview with the 3rd generation Liang-stylist Li Ziming at the age of 90)

Song style in the North-east: Wei Jianfeng

The 4th-generation Song stylist Wei Jianfeng had learnt his bagua from Song Changrong’s disciples Zhao Yanrong and Zhao Xiting. He was fearless and straight-talking as well as being an impressive martial artist. During the Japanese occupation (Wei lived in Shenyang, which was occupied by the Japanese during the Sino-Japanese war), he killed Japanese and fought against Chinese traitors. He was thrown in jail twice by his own government: once by the Nationalists (KMT) for opposing their army, and once by the communists, during the Cultural Revolution. The brutal long years in prison robbed him of the opportunity to teach, such that a lot of his special skills were not passed on.

Wei Jianfeng's disciple Zhang Zemin

According to the materials made public by his disciples Yu Hechuan, Ren Hemin, Zhang Licheng, Li Zhiyi, Song Peijian, Zhang Zemin et al., Wei’s bagua comprised the following routines :

Ba Da Zhang (8 great palms)
Lao Ba Zhang (8 old palms)
64 palms
Long Xing Baguazhang (Dragon-shape Bagua)
Bagua Shi Ba Shuai (18 throws)
Bagua Zhai Yao Quan (‘Extract’ of Bagua)
Bagua Lian Huan Zhang (Linking Palms)
Bagua Feng Mo Zhang (‘Crazy Demon’ palm)
Ba Da Deng Pu (8 great Sweeps?)

Paired routines:
Pu An (Catch and Press)
Zui Han Nian Hou (Drunkard shoos Monkey)
Baguazhang Duilian (paired bagua)
72 locks
Qin Na

Weapons:
18 Staff
Bagua Dao [sabre]
Bagua Jian [straightsword]
Emei Ci [Emei needles, aka 'judges pens']
Ziwu Yuanyang Yue (Mandarin Duck Knives, aka Deerhorn knives)

There are also several paired weapons routines.

After Wei’s passing, his disciples continued teaching his bagua in the parks in Shenyang. In 1994 Wei’s grandstudent Zheng Zhi-hong (student of Yu Hechuan) became the first person to bring Song style bagua to Japan when he established his ‘Natural Dojo’ in Kyushu.

Wei Jianfeng's senior disciple Yu Hechuan

‘Departed Warriors’ – the xingyiquan of Li Zhongxuan

2010-01-09T08:29:00.000-08:00

I recently came across an excellent book on xingyiquan called “Departed Warriors” (called ‘Shiqu de Wulin’ in chinese). The book contains the recollections of one man, Li Zhongxuan (now deceased), who had the good fortune to study under three disciples of Li Cunyi: Shang Yunxiang, Xue Dian and Tang Weilu. The book, organised by Xu Haofeng, contains Li’s recollections of studying under his three masters as well as his thoughts on the practice of xingyiquan. I have translated below a part of one chapter from his book:

五台雨雪恨难消 (part 1)

‘Tang-chuan’ xingyiquan refers to the xingyi passed down by Tang Weilu. He was known as ‘Tang xiao hou’ (little monkey Tang) echoing the nickname of Sun Lutang, who was also nicknamed ‘Sun the monkey’ – in both cases, the nicknames refer to their ability to scale walls. Amongst xingyi boxers the two men were known as the ‘two lus’, derived from the ‘lu’ part of their names, but also homophonous with the chinese for ‘2 deer’, referencing both men’s ability to walk three or four hundred li (1 li = 500m) in a night.

Whenever M Tang visited Beijing, so as to not attract unwanted attention, he did so at night. He would sleep in Ninghe (near Tianjin) during the day, set off at 7pm, and by daybreak the next day would have reached Beijing, having had to slip past several tax office checkpoints along the way. Li Cunyi gave Tang Weilu the ‘xingyi name’ of Tang Jianxun – the meaning of the name was to commemorate Tang’s exploits. Li Cunyi appreciated Tang’s fighting ability – it wasn’t just because of his speed that Tang was mentioned in the same breath as Sun Lutang. Everyone back then knew M Tang’s fighting skills were a cut above.

: Famed xingyi master Li Cunyi

M Tang always gave the impression of being languid – he would always be carrying a teapot, if left to his own devices he could easily spend a whole day sauntering around town, his teapot in hand. But he was very resolute in that he would willingly accept any challenges that came his way. He once defeated a famed master who had founded his own style, yet would not allow us to tell anyone – this was M Tang’s Wu De (martial morality). It’s exactly because M Tang was satisfied with the quiet life that his xingyi preserves more of the ‘flavour’ of Li Cunyi. Readers interested in the xingyi taught by Li Cunyi at the Tianjin Guo Shu Guan can use M Tang’s xingyi as a reference point.

M Li Cunyi’s book on xingyi begins with the phrases “Only xingyi is most skilled at defeating the enemy and obtaining victory.” Later, in an interview with a journalist, he stated “A practitioner of wushu strengthens his body; a practitioner of guoshu defends his home and country; xingyiquan can be called guoshu”. These two statements led to a misunderstanding, as other martial artists thought that M Li was trying to position xingyiquan as the ‘national art’ (guoshu). And so many people came to challenge him, saying “M Li, is my art wushu or guoshu?” M Li knew that explanations were useless and simply accepted all the challenges. The wulin (martial arts community) in the old days was like that, the slightest slip of the tongue could land you in big trouble.

M Li Cunyi was a man of noble-character who became embroiled in senseless disputes in his old age. It was lucky that he maintained his reputation intact in that he was not defeated. But still, for a man of his years to have to meet challenges every day must have vexed him sorely.

So what exactly did M Li mean by “only xingyi is skilled”? The answer can be found in old xingyi manuals: “The martial artists of the world need to be able to see to accomplish anything; thus, by day they can just about attain victory. But how can they cope at night if they are confronted by the enemy? Only xingyiquan can deal with attacks at night, by relying on ‘feel’ and reacting to the slightest touch.”

The essence of xingyi is not practicing your vision or hearing, but rather this physical response.

My shixiong under Shang Yunxiang, Shan Guangqin, told me that you could talk or walk around M Shang while he was sleeping, no problem. But the moment you focused your attention on him, he would wake up. It sounds far-fetched, but this kind of awareness is a necessary product of extended training in xingyi.

: The ‘Iron-foot Buddha’, Shang Yunxiang

The ‘xing’[form] in xingyi refers to everything external, whilst the ‘yi’ [intent] refers to everything internal, thus xingyiquan can be understood as ‘training everything’. The ‘Xingyi 5 Element Classic’ also echoes M Shang’s approach, it’s about sensitivity. In addition, xingyi’s ‘reacting to the slightest touch’ is unconscious, automatic.

One time, M Tang had gotten lost in thought whilst teaching his disciples. One of them, wanting to test out M Tang’s gongfu, suddenly launched a punch at him. M Tang managed to press the student to the ground, all the while still in a bit of a daze. This student was very happy when he pulled himself off the ground, for he thought that he had found out M Tang’s real gongfu.

M Tang, on the other hand, from then on stopped teaching that disciple, saying “So-and-so has already surpassed me.” Actually, this was his way of ‘disowning’ that disciple. There needs to be sincerity between teacher and student. The kind of person who still has an attitude of ’stealing the art’ whilst studying under you is not to be taught. Even if such a person learns martial arts, they will only bring harm upon themselves and others.

Even after M Tang had passed away, this person still called themselves M Tang’s disciple. Times are different now, the younger generation cannot be held responsible for the actions of their elders. In order to avoid embarrassing this person’s students, I have deliberately omitted his name.

Xingyiquan (Form and intention boxing) is also known as Xingyiquan (moving intention boxing). The grandmaster of our branch was Liu Qilan, who was known for his shenfa (body method), was praised as ‘Long Xing Sou Gu’ (dragon shape searching for bones). The later generations from this branch, Li Cunyi, Shang Yunxiang and Tang Weilu were all known for their gongfu in the legs (tuigong) and shenfa. To retreat whilst fighting Li Cunyi was a big mistake; as soon as you tried to retreat he would be upon you and knock you down.

Gongfu in the legs comes from zhan zhuang and [xingyi] walking. Tang Weilu specially emphasised walking to his disciples. In the morning we would walk 5 km with our hands clasped behind our backs, either loosening up our backbones or with a bit of martial intent. Sometimes we would omit the ‘yi’ of xingyiquan and say that we were learning ‘xing quan’ [moving boxing] with M Tang.

M Tang’s trademark weapons were the judge’s pens (pan guan bi). In xingyi, judge’s pens are basically double spears, initially arms-length with rounded tips. After the practitioner has become familiar with their use, the pens used become shorter, about the length of a forearm. I had a pair of bronze pens specially made; at that kind of weight, there’s no need to hit vital points, wherever you hit the opponent he will go down.

: Normal judge’s pens (pan guan bi)

The double spears require more finesse than the double broadsword; because of the vivid descriptions in pingshu [traditional chinese storytelling], I was very enthusiastic in training the double spear.

One time, when M Tang was visiting Beijing, he saw me practicing the judge’s pens and lost his temper, saying “You were supposed to learn sword from M Shang! If you learn boxing but not sword from M Shang, you will have come to Beijing for nothing!” M Tang also said, anyone can pick up a staff and fight people with it, but most people would be at a loss to know what to do with a straight sword.

My name in Shang Yunxiang’s school was Li Yixia, which was chosen according to the ‘codex of names’ left behind by Liu Qilan; the generation after me all had the character ‘zhi’ [志, ambition] in their xingyi names. In the Shang tradition, learning the jian was a ceremonious affair. Every morning we would have to kow tow to the sword, as the hilt of the sword represents one’s teacher, hence the saying “To have the sword there is like having one’s teacher there”.

In gripping the sword, the little finger must be slightly hooked, out of respect for one’s teacher. In actual fact there is a reason to this hooking of little finger, namely that [in TCM] the little finger is connected to the eyes, if the little finger is continually hooked it can damage your eyesight. Some people experience loss of acuity after practicing xingyi, this is caused by ‘hooking’ the little finger too tightly. This kind of thing is what led to the saying ‘practicing xingyi invites bad luck [zhao xie]“; this saying is actually nonsense, the problems experienced by people after practicing xingyi are because they have not been taught in detail, and go against their own physiology.

The Tang school of xingyi traditionally had good relations with the Yanqing school [Yanqing quan being another name for Mizong, or 'lost-track' boxing], a relationship which had started with Li Cunyi. There was an old Yanqing master, a good friend of Li Cunyi, who was good at ‘tie dang gong’ [iron crotch skill] and liked to demonstrate this skill at the local public baths. Unfortunately, this master attracted the attention of a group of young men who started harassing him with slingshots. Having no disciples of his own to assist him, he passed a message onto M Tang asking for help.

In order to further my training, M Tang sent me to deal with it. Because I knew I was going up against slingshots, I packed a pair of judge’s pens into me knapsack. On the way to the bathhouse, I was waylaid by 3 muggers. I said “My bag is full of gold ingots, let’s go into this copse, and I’ll give you a share.”

They were shocked, but still followed me into the copse. The moment I took out the judge’s pens, they turned tail and fled. Maybe they thought I intended to kill them – all of this stuff was just youthful hijinks. In those days, M Tang’s reputation was a strong deterrent. I invited these guys to talk it out. At first, seeing that I was young, tried to browbeat me and just talked endlessly. Frustrated, I slapped the table (breaking a teapot in the process), at which they immediately promised that they wouldn’t harass Li cunyi’s friend any more. The truth is, they were afraid of M Tang.

Before I went out there, M Tang had said to me, “Don’t fight, try to reason with them.” I thought, if they were reasonable they wouldn’t have harassed an old man, that kind of person is not at home to reason.

That night, I stayed over at this Yanqing master’s house. He was very chatty, and we eventually got to talking about Xue Dian.

: Xue Dian’s 12 animals, taken from David Devere’s excellent website, www.emptyflower.com

He said that Xue Dian was one of Li Cunyi’s later disciples who Li was proud of, but who unexpectedly lost to his shixiong, Fu Changrong. The two of them suddenly crossed hands on the upper floor of a restaurant. With a ‘returning body palm’ [hui shen zhang], Xue Dian was knocked down the stairs. After he reached the bottom, Xue quickly stood up and, without a word, walked off. No-one knew where he had gone.

When Li Cunyi passed away, his friends came to pay their respects. Those who had come from afar would stay for 3-5 days. At the request of the Guo Shu Guan students, they would often perform their gongfu after dinner. One of them in particular, an extremely tall man, stunned the audience with his phenomenal speed. He announced himself as one of M Li’s disciples, causing one of the Guo Shu Guan students to say ”Our shifu never taught this”, to which he said: “I am Xue Dian.” Immediately subsequent to this, he issued a public challenge to Fu Changrong.

How To Live 100 Years: Re-Learning to Breathe

2010-01-09T08:24:00.001-08:00

The famous comedian George Burns was once asked, “What’s the secret of Life,” of which he replied, “keep breathing.” Wise words from a guy that reached the ripe ol’ age of 100 (and two months).

The Chinese symbol to the left is Qi (pronounced “chee”). We’ve heard it plenty… some of us have read up on it… but every one of us has experienced it [just most of us haven't been aware of it]. When I speak to youngsters about qi, I often allude to the Star Wars films in which George Lucas replaced “Qi” with “the Force.” Qi is a term that means energy, or breath. It is the prime-mover of our existence and permeates throughout the universe.

There are different types of “Qi Training” (called Qigong) such as: Buddhist Qigong, Taoist Qigong, Wushu Qigong and Medical Qigong. Within these, the practitioner learn to harness and cultivate this energy for the purposes of: emitting, absorbing, cleansing, conditioning and healing. [Author's note: Wushu Qigong should not be attempted without a qualified teacher. Practitioners should also have a basic understanding of qi and qigong training before wushu qigong is attempted]. And yes, there are even methods: Natural, Differential, Reversed, Dantian, Embryonic and “method of no-method.” All have their benefits but it is the first (Natural Breathing Qigon) that we will focus on for purposes of “beginning at the root”, health and in developing a habit of “correct method” of breathing throughout of days.

Breathing and its link to good health makes plenty of sense. …for it’s the air we breathe, the oxygen that is delivered to the cells and the energetics at work that nurtures life. But it’s our awareness of our breath through both moving or non-moving activities that bolsters results.

Awareness: Concentrating on the “breath in” and the “breath out” focuses our mind internally and removes us from outside thoughts and common distractions. Thoughts will always enter in… it is just our nature as humans to think. But just as ripples appear on a pond… let the mind return to calm and think back to the breath as it is drawn into the body and finds its rest in the lower abdomen.

A MYTH: Healthy breathing does NOT mean expanding the chest and letting as much oxygen in as possible. By doing so, oxygen restricts the hemoglobin molecules and less is released to the cells.

THINK QUALITY OVER QUANTITY.

Quality: Soft. Quiet. Relaxed. Smooth… all of these should be words to describe “how you are breathing. As you breath into your nostrils (at a relaxed, steady pace), imagine the breath going all the way down to your abdomen (aka. dantian). By bringing your breath to your dantian, even smallest blood vessels will relax and open and will enrich your body with a greater flow of blood, oxygen and qi.
Natural or Diaphragmatic breathing:Breathe through the nose at a soft and steady rate and bring the breathe to the abdomen. Allow the abdomen to expand (by way of the breath, and not by your abdominal muscles pushing outwards). As you breathe out, do so by breathing out through the nose and allow the abdomen to contract/go inward.
Relax: This cannot be repeated enough. The better you are at relaxing, the greater the benefits you will attain from your practice. Bring your thoughts away from school, work or any other outside distractions. If your thoughts drift… return back. Over time, over practice… the “return” will be easier and easier.
Posture: There are many qigong postures and all of them will have to be adjusted slightly since we all are built differently. I have only 3 postures (which may be over simplified) and they are: standing, sitting and laying. I use each of these postures as throughout the day (as I am often in one of the 3 postures naturally). For instructional purposes, a standing posture should be made with a straight spine, head erect, knees slightly bent, arms by your side and the tip of the tongue resting softly behind the roof of the mouth (behind the first two teeth).

JOURNEY OF TAI JI

2010-01-09T08:23:00.001-08:00

Many people in their professional life truly enjoy what they do (many do not, and that’s a shame). But it’s safe to say there are those that do enjoy their job. Even fewer, I believe, work without a single gripe. It’s huge bragging rights I know… but teaching (for me) gives a sense of joy like no other. Over the years, I’ve fielded lots of questions that I will repost here regarding the essence of Taijiquan and my method of teaching this lovely artform.

If you have a question that you’d like me to answer, please ask it in the comment section of this page and I’ll get to it as promptly as I can. Peace and love. -Coach

What is Taiji ?
- Let me first say that there is a misconception that continues to mystify most, and that is centered around two words: taiji (tai chi) and taijiquan (tai chi chuan). They are related but different. Taiji is a subtle principle within Taoist philosophy regarding the essence and relationship of nature to anything and everything. Taijiquan is an artful expression of movement that attempts to unify our physical nature with that which is universal. It is an exercise that stimulates and rejuvenates the mind and body but it can not be forgotten that it is also a wonderful martial art and can be used for self-defense. [sidenote: any of us simply use 'Taiji' to shorten a word by four letters per the example below. Just so you don't try to catch me later. Haha! Thought you had me!]
Is Chen Style Taiji for fighting & Yang Style for the elderly?
- No. Finding strength and learning to be soft are one and the same. Never set them apart just because they have a different look and appeal. Yang Style came from Chen Style, so in theory, technique and principle, they are also the same. Master Hong once wrote, “When we (Chen Stylists) look at Yang Chengfu’s (Yang Stylist’s) photos performing the ‘DaLu’, his sinking power into horse stance is perfect. No difference than Chen Style.”
How many years does the system take to master?
- There are people that are quick learners, but I can tell you with complete honesty that the system of Taijiquan is very special because it can take a lifetime to master. Incidently it can take a lifetime to only become mediocre. People should study the theory, hold true to the principles and practice correctly (daily) to reach a high level. In addition, I also want to say that I do not believe in holding a “rank” over another person. I always had a problem with another person calling me “master.” This type of ego-stroke… superiority is never a good thing and isn’t what the martial arts should be about. Learning and discovery is cooperative and hence, is why I am referred to as ”teacher, coach or laoshi.” I had an interesting talk with Dr. Yang, Jwing-ming (teacher and prolific writer) and it makes me smile to remember what he told me… he said, “You may call me ‘Yang’ or ’Dr.Yang’ or ‘teacher’… but you call me ‘Master’ and I call you ‘Slave.’”
- Although people succeed and become a better martial arts (in terms of movement and energy) when they devote time and enthusiasm to their practice… I’ve never advocated in my classes or workshops that long, grueling hours and standing mediations of extreme lengths of time (and boredom) are requisites. In this way, I’m not a teacher of the traditional ways. Becoming what others term “a master” is not what I look for… I ask the questions of “Do you enjoy what you are doing?”… “Do you enjoy HOW you do it?”… “Can you truly FEEL what you’re doing?” … by answering yes to one or all of these questions are all that really matters.
How do I find “naturalness?”
- It’s funny, and just one of the many contradictions of Taiji practice and this is “to be natural.” I remember speaking with my Taiji brother Ronnie Yee at Hunyuan World in 2003 and we had an interesting discussion on the subject. He made the point that we read that we should “flow like water”… “mental intention should be here (or there)”… “we should assume this posture for this length of time”… all of these words are in fact, unnatural for us (at least in the beginning). But what I (Michael Joyce) continue to tell my students is this: “The movements, breathwork, coordination… all of these are difficult for the beginner and is quite unnatural. This is simply because it is something foreign or new to us. Proper Taijiquan should be balanced (that is to say, neither 100% soft nor 100% hard/rigid)… done in a relaxed manner in hope to achieve what Bruce Lee termed ‘natural unnaturalness.’”

Finding the work ethic of Chen Fake (part 1)

2010-01-09T08:19:00.000-08:00

Chen Fake is considered by many as the greatest Taijiquan master of the century. Born as “Fusheng” in the village of Chenjiaguo, in Henan Province, China, Master Chen grew up to become an extraordinary martial artist and teacher through persistant practice, respect for his family background (ancestors all masterful in Taijiquan), and love of the artform.

From reading about Chen Fake, through the words of his disciple, the late Hong Junsheng (and my teacher Chen “Joseph” Zhonghua), I’ve developed a deep admiration for the man and for his accomplishments as an artist and teacher. If one was to sum up in the man in terms of his gift of Taijiquan, these two characteristics must be mentioned,

Firstly, it was with the dent of hardwork and preserverence that harvested this amazing gongfu skill. Secondly, Master Chen never withheld anything from his teaching. His students asked and they were given an answer. In most cases, a detailed understanding. Withholding anything is strictly for the ego.

Lesson 1: Work, Work, Work

Part 1 is dedicated to that which is most important. To accomplish anything in life, we must put forth effort…never an aimless attempt… but a steady, direct and focused study of that which we feel we must accomplish. The word “work” being just another of those four-letter words that, for many, initiate a conditioned response of dread… is just the first problem of many. Our first direction should be to make work into something else. For me, when I’m teaching, studying, or training in Taijiquan or fencing…I’m “play”ing. So, in essence, hardwork might best be called hardplaying. The only criteria one must follow (after this change in vernacular) should a change in “how we play.” Whether we are playing the piano, ice skating, or doing a martial art form we should look to our actions a heavenly experience and never anything reminiscent of a chore. Embrace your bliss with your entire being and you’ll be surprised at the growth and jubilance (I may have just made that word up, but from “jubilant”) that follows.

Those with anything to add or comment on… please please please.

Zhang Xiang San "Taiwan's Six Harmony Praying Mantis Master"

2010-01-09T08:16:00.000-08:00

Taiwan's Six Harmony Praying Mantis Master

Zhang Xian San (aka Zhang Yi Xi) studied from Ding Zi Cheng. He was among many top Kung Fu experts to migrate to Taiwan during the war in China. In Chang Kai Shek's Taiwan he taught his major art, Six Harmony Praying Mantis (Liu He Tang Lang). He was also a Kung Fu brother of Liu Yun Chiao and encouraged him to teach openly. Both men respected each other and Liu would recommend people to Zhang if they showed interest in Liu He Mantis.Zhang also talked some Seven Star Mantis. Zhang also wrote a number of books on his art many of which are now highly sought after.

Ding Zi Cheng's method of instruction was progressive (though in some ways a throwback to authentic traditional teaching) and influenced Zhang's method of instruction all the way down to his disciples such as Boris Shi. Deng would introduce movements and concepts from the form to be studied separately. After the student had practiced and mastered this application Deng would show another. Finally, with numerous skills acquired, Deng would teach the whole form.

Liu He Tang Lng is itself one of the most sophisticated version of Mantis boxing. Some have even said that it is essentially Liu He or Six Hrmony Boxing with the mantis thrown in as a flavor. Certainly some of the outward aspects of the style are quite different from what most people regard as typical Mantis hands. The hook hand, for instance, is not seen in the style. There is far less emphasis on either hopping (Mei Hua) or stomping (Seven Star) though practitoners of Liu He often start with some Long Arm training followed b Seven Star (often Zhai Yao) and then are introduced to Liu He. Movements are isolated, related to the forms, then isolated again with a gradual refinement process that includes trying to apply the movements in cooperative and non-cooperative means.

Books by Zhang Xing San:

Zi Mu Liang Huan Quan

Qi Xing Tang Lang Quan

GM Liu Yun Qiao Baji Movements Video download

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Liu Yun Chiao (1909 - 1992)

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Grandmaster Liu
Yun Chiao

This world famous martial artist started as a weak boy in Cang County, HeBei province, China. Liu Yun Chiao, destined to leave his country and to become an internationally renown Kung Fu instructor, started as a youth in such poor straits that his father hired the service of a Kung Fu instructor just to see if he could be brought back to health. Young Liu's first teacher was named Chang Yao Ting and he taught the boy such unusual styles as Tai Tzu Chang Chuan (The First Emperor of the Sung Dynasty's Long Fist) and Mi Zong (The Lost Track Style). Liu gradually regained his health and showed a marked interest in Kung Fu. So his father hired the services of a very famous master, Li Shu Wen. This master was known as an expert in two styles: BaJi and PiGua, both beatiful and powerful forms of martial arts. The first was based on the energies of the Bear and the Tiger, the latter on the Snake and the Eagle. Li's method was good but torturously difficult. The young Liu spent his first year in nothing but training stances.

Grandmaster Liu
Yun Chiao performing BaJi.

Li Shu Wen was already in his sixties when he taught young Liu, who was to become Li's last real disciple. But Liu gained the benefit of all Li's advanced knowledge and theories. Then Liu continued his study to include Six Harmony Praying Mantis (from Ding Zi Cheng) and BaGua Palms (from General Gong Bao Tian).

Liu entered the army and fought against the Japanese invasion starting in 1937 and for eight more years. He then moved to Taiwan and became commander of the airborn troops there along with other military positions. He also became the head training officer for all of Chiang Kai Shek's bodyguards. While thus engaged he taught many students in Taiwan and organzied the association known as Wu Tan which has produced many graduates. Liu Yun Chiao's students include many of great fame such as
Adam Hsu, Su Yu Chang, Tony Yang and Jason Tsou.

Grandmaster Liu Yun Chiao (black) with his mantis teacher on his right.

Xing Yi Quan Freestyle Combat

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THE TRUE HISTORY OF HIDDEN SAMBO

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The Timeline of Sambo’s Evolution

This history of Sambo matches Winston Churchill’s description of Russia as a “riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” I spent well over a decade researching, traveling and studying it’s many onion layers. What you read of this history may not be the ultimate truth, but it is the most sensible collection of convincing lies that no one to date has been able to accurately debunk.Only a decade ago, no information could be located anywhere. The new generations weren’t alive for the “Cold War” and the phenomenon of clandestine subterfuge that it had institutionalized Sombo. I hope to fill that void by sharing my version of the story. Sambo (Russian: самбо but also called Sombo in the US and sometimes written in all-caps SOMBO) is a modern martial art, combat sport and self-defense system developed in the former Soviet Union, and recognized as an official sport by the USSR All-Union Sports Committee in 1938, presented by Anatoly Kharlampiev. The word is an acronym of САМозащита Без Оружия (SAMozashchita Bez Oruzhiya) meaning “self-defense without a weapon” in Russian. This grappling style has its roots in traditional folk styles of wrestling such as Armenian Koch, Georgian Chidaoba, Moldovan Trîntǎ, Uzbek Kurash, and Mongolian Khapsagay but also in the martial traditions of the West and of the Far East. How those three veins pump from the same heart is the moral to the story I wish to share with you.

The Three Patriarchs: Spiridonov, Oshchepkov, Kharlampiev

The founders of this style sifted deliberately through all of the world’s martial arts available to them to augment their military’s hand-tohand combat system. Their distinct concentration, their unique perspectives and their individual discoveries resulted in three divergent flavors. The primary founder was Vasili Oshchepkov, a Russian who at age 19 was admitted into Japan’s Kodakan by Professor Jigoro Kano in 1911. In 1913, Oshchepkov was the first Russian, the fourth European in history, to receive a black belt ranking in Judo (eventually earning his nidan; second degree black belt in 1917 out of then only five degrees). In 1921, Oshchepkov served in the Red Army as a commander traveling covertly for special purpose missions into China where he studied Wushu. Oshchepkov had observed Kano’s distillation of Tenjin Shin’yo Ryu Jiujitsu and Kito Ryu Jiujitsu into what he named Judo. Oshchepkov recognized Kano’s genius in distilling Jiujitsu into a deliberate, educational process. When he returned to Russia, he taught judo to elite Red Army forces at the Central Red Army House. He used Kano’s philosophy in formulating the early development of his new Russian art. Sambo was in part born of native Russian and other regional styles of grappling and combative wrestling, bolstered with the most useful and adaptable concepts and techniques from the rest of the world. Its early development stemmed from the independent efforts of another Russian, Victor Spiridonov, a combat veteran of World War I, to integrate the techniques of Jiujitsu into native wrestling styles. His “soft-style” was based on the fact that he received a bayonet wound during the Russo-Japanese war which left his left arm lame.

In 1918, Lenin created Vseobuch (Vseobshchee voennoye obuchienie or “General Military Training”) under the leadership of N.I. Podvoyskiy to train the Red Army. The task of developing and organizing Russian military hand-to-hand combat training fell to K. Voroshilov, who in turn, created the NKVD physical training center, “Dinamo.”

Spiridonov was one of the first grappling and self-defense instructors hired for Dinamo. As a “combatives investigator” for Dinamo, he drew from Judo and Jiujitsu, Greco-Roman wrestling, American Catch-wrestling, non-sport British pugilism and Dutch Silat, and many Slavic wrestling styles.

Both Oshchepkov and Spiridonov hoped that the Russian styles could be improved by an infusion of the techniques distilled from Jiujitsu by Kano into the new “Judo” style of grappling. In 1923, Oshchepkov and Spiridonov collaborated with a team of other experts on a grant from the Soviet government to improve the Red Army’s hand-to-hand combat system. Spiridonov had envisioned integrating the entire world’s fighting systems into one comprehensive style that could adapt to any threat. Oshchepkov focused on creating a consistently successful competitive fighting format for teaching the various departments within the Soviet military.

Their development team was supplemented by Anatoly Kharlampiev and Ivan Vasilievich Vasiliev who also traveled the globe to study the native fighting arts of the world. Ten years in the making, their catalogue of techniques was instrumental in formulating the early framework of the art. Here, Oshchepkov’s and Spiridonov’s improvements in Russian wrestling slipped into the military’s hand-to-hand-combat system.

Kharlampiev is often called the “father of Sombo.” This may be largely semantics since only he had the longevity and political connections to remain with the art while the new system was called “Sambo”. However, Kharlampiev’s political maneuvering is single-handedly responsible for the USSR Committee of Sport accepting it as the official combat sport of the Soviet Union in 1938 - decidedly the styles “birth”.

Spiridonov, however, was the first to actually begin referring to the new system as Samoz, short for “Samozashchita” or Self-defense. Samoz was a softer, more aikido-like system that could be used by smaller, weaker practitioners or even wounded soldiers and secret agents. Spiridonov’s inspiration to develop Samoz stemmed from his injury that he suffered that greatly restricted his ability. Refined versions of the style are still used today or fused with specific applications to meet the needs of modern Russian commandos.

Each technique for the style was carefully dissected and considered for its merits, and if found acceptable in unarmed combat, refined to reach Sambo’s ultimate goal: stop an armed or unarmed adversary in the least time possible. Thus, the best techniques of Jiujitsu and its more competitive cousin Judo, entered into the the styles repertoire. When the techniques were perfected, they were woven into applications for personal self-defense, police, crowd control, border guards, secret police, dignitary protection, psychiatric hospital staff, military, and commandos.

In 1929, Oshchepkov was invited to Dinamo, where he took the sportive form of SAMOZ, coupled with the Randori (the competitive act of applying techniques against fully-resistant, non-compliant, uncooperative partners who were attempting to equally apply techniques) concept of Judo and the physical education conditioning of Wushu to form the style.

Oshchepkov was enamored with the principle of force-on-force training with a fully resistant partner to experience the requirement of timing and rhythm to apply techniques. He regularly conducted competitions between Leningrad and Moscow gyms in order to field test his theories and techniques. Oshchepkov’s study of physical training, early kinesiology and biomechanics, from pioneers such as Muller, Buk, and Suren was just as important a contribution as the Randori methodology of training techniques under resistance.

The Leningrad Sport Committee abolished Oshchepkov’s competition between Leningrad and Moscow fighters. The Soviet State regime did not want to recognize the part Japanese Judo played in the new freestyle fighting (not yet officially named.) The State insisted on eliminating every reference to Judo. Oshchepkov sent harshly critical letters to the All-USSR Sport Committee, Army’s Inspection of Physical Culture and Sport, in Moscow, Leningrad, Ukraine and Beyond-Caucasus Institutes of Physical Culture.

In 1937, the entire country was under the pressure of nightly arrests. The slogan “better to arrest ten innocent than to miss one spy” was the basis for the inner security service of that year. The criterion of criminal unreliability was very simple: a man would be arrested if he made foreign travel or had relatives or friends in other countries. As Oshchepkov lived in Japan studying directly with Kano, he belonged to this category. On September 29, 1937, the decree read: “Oshchepkov Vasili Sergeevich is sufficiently unmasked as Japanese spy… citizen Oshchepkov is prosecuted due to clause 58 article 6.” In the night of October 1, 1937 he was arrested in his home. Although a staunch patriot wrongly accused of being a Japanese spy, ten days after his arrest, Oshchepkov was led to a Siberian Gulag and subsequently shot in the head for his fraternization with “Japanese imperialists.”

Sambo would have disappeared at this point, if it weren’t for the political savvy of one of Oshchepkov’s students, Anatoly Kharlampiev, who used cunning diplomacy to revise the history of the art. Kharlampiev redefined the style to be a compilation of techniques from various Soviet Republics, an exclusively Soviet State-centric combat system and sport.

In 1938, Kharlampiev’s Sambo’s history was acknowledged, unsurprisingly by the All-USSR State Sport Committee as his creation based upon Soviet training methodologies and heritage. From this point forward, it would be known as the fighting art of the Motherland. Its adherents and promoters surrounded it with all of the patriotic nationalism associated with the former Soviet Union.

In 1942, a covert special military operations school prepared professional assassins named Volkodav (wolf-killer). The 18 trainers at the school were under the management of two time “Hero of the Soviet Union” and Captain of Marine Reconnaissance, Nikolai Leonov, the sworn enemy of Adolph Hitler. Their training was informally called as “a system of survival in extreme conditions” (sometimes just “the system” or Systema and sometimes just “survival” or Vyzhivaniya). It was intended strictly for the officers of Soviet Army GRU Spetsnaz.

One of the best graduates of this school was Alexsei Kadochnikov, often referred to as “Grandfather” and a legend among Soviet Spetsnaz. As direct schooling from the Spiridonov’s tradition, Kadochnikov inserted his academic engineering into this biomechanical perspective. He established the principle of efficiency as the primary emphasis of all training. The style of hand-to- hand fighting, designed by Kadochnikov, is a direct descendent of Spiridonov’s school.

In the 1970s, the Russian art flooded the international Judo competitive scene and revamped the entire perspective of what it meant to grapple. So strong were the Soviet Sambists in Judo competition and so successful, that rules changes were made to limit the use of their unique strengths and skills.

In 1980, Sambo was a demonstration sport at the Olympic Games in Moscow, Russia. However, due to boycotts, it failed to bring sufficient numbers for continued inclusion as a participatory game. That was nearly the death-knell for the discipline, as in less than 20 years, the Soviet Union would fall, and with it all of the State sponsored athletic programs, including the Russian fighting art.

According to the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA), it is one of the four main forms of amateur competitive wrestling practiced internationally today, the other three being Greco-Roman wrestling, Freestyle wrestling and Judo. FILA accepted it as the 3rd style of international wrestling in 1968 until it formed its own organization Federation International Amateur Sambo (FIAS) in 1985.

In the mid-1980s, Combat Sambo competitions began to be held. These “no-holds-barred” mixed martial art competitions invited any fighter of any background to compete in their win by knockout or submission only competition. Although called barbaric, this ushered in new life into the art.

My Entry into the Timeline

In 1991, I began training with Andrew Bachman, Sambo World Bronze Medalist. With him, I fought on the USA SOMBO Team, and was elected as USA National SOMBO Team Coach for the United States SOMBO Association. Andy introduced me to his coach, who happened to by an US Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler alternate, five time World Sambo silver medalist, a Class A gymnast and the only man to ever defeat Havalia Hussein – known as “The Great One” in Sombo. He received his Master of Sport rank directly from Evgeny Mikhailovich Chumakov, the training partner and advisor to Anatoly Kharlampiev. Chumakov, the USSR Champion of Sombo, was the author of the famous “100 Lessons of Sombo.” Unfortunately, despite this man’s incredible fighting abilities, he is now a convicted criminal and I don’t want to give him any energy by publishing his real name. During this time, I was introduced to Josh Henson, one of the most significant figures in Sombo’s history, President of FIAS, and international promoter of the sport. Mr. Henson and I worked together for quite a few years, and although we had a rocky relationship, I learned a great deal from him. In 1992, I was appointed as the President of the association in charge of American Combat SOMBO. I was appointed with the task of creating the American SOMBO Belt Ranking System. I became very well acquainted with Kharlampiev’s Sombo through this experience, but my quest demanded that I look deeper into the history. Inconsistencies and blatant disinformation caused me to push further. My investigations caused me to be named “unpatriotic” for studying with Russians and former Soviet coaches and athletes. And I became the “black sheep” of American SOMBO for many years, until I basically out-lived the involvement of those incumbent officials.

In 1993, I began working with Michael Galperin, whose teacher was one of Oshchepkov’s students and Kharlampiev’s partners, Ivan Vasiliev. Mr. Galperin honored me with as an honorary lifetime member of his organization, the United States Combat Sombo Association. From Mr. Galperin, I came to learn more about Oshchepkov’s Sombo, and its distinction from Kharlampievan style. Those discoveries spurred me deeper into my studies, especially when I stood right in the middle of a huge political eruption in Sombo…

In 1993, FIAS split into two organizations. I was there. But I was still too young in Sombo to understand what had happened and why it was so monumental. To me, it just seemed like an argument, a vote, and people storming out of the meeting. The content, the controversy, is irrelevant. It’s arguable that all martial arts that get to the level of popularity of Sombo, will face this… Both organizations used the same name and logo. I actually made the mistake of trying to mend the two organizations together by agreeing to be on the USA National Coaching Staff for both. I suspect that I only managed to focus their arguments on me rather than doing any good.

And although in 2005, FILA reached an agreement with one of the two organizations to reassume control over the sport, the other organization claims that the two organizations were reunified in 2006. At present FILA sanctions international competition in the style as does FIAS. Both organizations conduct separate world championships and other international events. By the time you read this, it’s likely that more political changes may occur.

But then… July 14, 1995, at the 6th tournament of a new so-called “noholds- barred” sport, the Ultimate Fighting Championships® (VI), a two time Russian Sombo Champion astounded the world: Oleg Taktarov. “Sombo is not just a style,” observed Mr. Taktarov, “But rather a combination of all the best techniques in any self-defense, martial art, and fighting style.” Oleg was not only a Russian Sombo champion, but also the four time full-contact Euro-Asian Jiujitsu Champion. He demonstrated, and more importantly stated, that Sombo was an evolving strategy. I observed his fighting style adapt with each new opponent he faced, and became reinvigorated in my investigation and practice.

What is important is how the above time-line merges next, and how the different lineages converged in my training.

In 1996, I received an invitation from Alexander Ivanovich Retuinskih, a Red Army commander, who was a student of and eventually partner to Alexsei Kadochnikov from 1976-1982. Mr. Retuinskih was a former USSR Sombo and Judo Champion, Distinguished Master of Sport in Sombo and Judo, Distinguished Coach of Russia, and the founder of “Systema” R.O.S.S.

Alexei Kadochnikov followed Spiridonov’s SAMOZ closely, since Kadochnikov was also a professor of engineering. When Retuinskih began to improve upon his teaching, Kadochnikov partnered with Retuinskih in co-research and development. It was at this point, where relations between Kadochnikov and Retuinskih became pressured. Kadochnikov believed that competitive resistance did not help improve fighters for combat. It is important to understand Mr. Retuinskih’s history in order to appreciate the different path his training took from Mr. Kadochnikov.

When Alexander Retuinskih was 7 years old, he began learning specialized gymnastics/acrobatics, that later formed his interest in biomechanics and psychology. At the age of 12, he began studying boxing; at 14, Sombo and Combat Sombo; and at age 19, Judo and hand-to-hand fighting. He became a Master of Sport in Sombo and Judo and a champion of different competitions in Russia and the USSR. In the 1980’s, he began researching Russian Martial Arts. From 1982-1989 he was an Instructor of hand-to-hand combat for the police of Krasnodar and Krasnodarskay oblast. It was in 1991, that Mr. Kadochnikov and Mr. Retuinskih finally split and went different ways.

Beginning in 1991, Mr. Retuinskih was the organizer and leader of the International and All-Russian Training-Practical Seminars on RMA. Beginning in 1993 he became Chairman of the Russian Combat Sombo Committee of the Russian Sambo Federation and Vice- Chairman of the International Combat Sombo Commission of FIAS (International Sambo Federation) and the General Director of the RETAL (Russian Combat Skill Consultant Scientific & Practical Training Center).

Soviet special forces training held the condition of “absolute secrecy” - so the nebulous designation of “Systema” - or plainly, “the system” - was assigned to special forces combatives training - another prominent reference call-sign was “Combat Sombo Spetsnaz.” During the fall of the Soviet Union, many trainers were left in the field to fend for themselves. As a result, we saw the emergence of a diverse amount of styles appear such as Vyzhivaniya (”Survival”), Rukopashni Boi (”Hand to hand combat”), Kulachni Boi (”Hand to hand fighting”), as Kadochnikov’s Systema, Vasiliev’s Systema, Ryabko’s Systema, etc…

In 1995, Alexander Retuinskih patented Rossijskaya Otechestvennaya Systema Samozashchity or in acronym, R.O.S.S., “Russian Native System of Self-defense.” He did this to create a sense of Russian identification and pride, to create an understanding of Russian Martial Art as an entire System. But he also did this to differentiate his System from others, so that people would understand Retuinskih had devised a unique system of combative education based upon his unique study and experience, and that of his research and development team. The ROSS educational system was patented as “Know-How” (registered with the State enterprise “Informpatent” Committee of the Russian Federation by patent and trademark on April 4, 1995).

Beginning in 1997 he became the Chief of the Department of Hand to Hand Combat for Cossack Military. He was ranked as a General of the Cossack Military. With his interaction with the Cossack population came a large influx of interaction with the Cossack folk styles of martial art, such as Sploch.

In 1998, at St. Petersburg State Academy of Physical Culture, the Department of Bayonet Fencing and Russian Martial Art ROSS was opened. Now, Mr. Retuinskih writes dissertation at the Department of Hand-to-hand Combat of St. Petersburg Military College of Physical Culture. The Subject of the dissertation is “Methodic ‘ROSS’ used in teaching”. In February of 2000 Retuinskih was awarded the highest award in sports, the “Distinguished Coach of Russia.”

In 1998, I began working with Boris Shapovalov, Distinguished Master of Sport in Sombo, President of the Ukrainian Federation of Russian-Style Martial Art (Kadochnikov System) and Chairman of the Police Sombo Commission for FIAS. With Mr. Shapovalov’s guidance, I coached the first in history USA Police Sombo Team, competing in the 1999 World Police Sombo Championships in Lithuania. From Mr. Shapovalov, an expert in both Mr. Kadochnikov’s “Systema” and Mr. Retuinskih’s ROSS, I came to understand the actual pedagogical differences between the systems of Retuinskih and Kadochnikov.

I also had the honor of training with the last of the royal line of pre- Soviet Russia, the late Prince Boris Golitsin, who in the Great Patriotic War received a maiming bayonet wound to his right shoulder. He composed a fighting system based upon his father’s teaching of “Golitsin family-style” (a pre-Soviet, Russian Martial Art) to accommodate his “disability” - though after training with him, I would hardly qualify it as a disability, since with one mostly paralyzed arm, I saw him bayonet fight three men, and have personally felt the pain of his whack. However, this was an independent line having only recently collaborated with ROSS (in the past 10 years).

Mr. Retuinskih studied extensively with the famous Alexander Mikhailovich Krivorotov, the first in history Distinguished Coach of Russia in Sombo, direct student of Viktor Oshchepkov. Krivorotov, due to Mr. Retuinskih’s exhaustive research and development, began studying under Retuinskih. I’ve had the distinct honor of training with Mr. Krivorotov. It’s difficult to describe to people what it was like training with the world’s best Sombo coach. Suffice it to say that I learned the difference between amateur and professional training.

Mr. Retuinskih also trained with Vladimir V. Volosov, Distinguished Coach of Russia in Sombo, Chairman of Sambo Academy in Kstovo - the world’s largest Sombo academy; Vladimir P. Guliaev - Distinguished Coach of Bashkiria in Sambo; Uriu A. Shulik - Master of Sport in Sambo, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, the current Professor of Krasnodar State Academy of Physical Culture; G. Potoroka - Master of Sport in Sambo and Judo (deceased). With my experience with Mr. Retuinskih, I gained the final complete picture on Sambo: Kharlamievan, Oschepkovan, and Spiridonovan styles.

Beginning in 1999, I served as Vice-President of the American Amateur Sambo Federation, the US governing body for the sport of Sambo, under the guidance and company of Dr. Leonid Polyakov, FIAS Vice-President, AASF President, who received his Doctorate of Physical Education through a dissertation on Sambo itself. By Dr. Polyakov, in 1999, I was awarded the Distinguished Master of Sport in SAMBO, the highest achievement in SAMBO, for my contributions to the sport. Dr. Polyakov through our meetings and travels connected me with the international leader of Sambo, Mr. Tikhomirov.

FIAS President and All-Russian Sambo Federation President, Mikhail Tikhomirov appointed me as the Chairman of the International Combat Sambo Commission for FIAS in 1999 when we were together in Lithuania for the World Police Sambo Championships.

In 2000, Igor Yakimov, World Sambo and Judo Champion, and North America’s highest-rated Sambo Coach, appointed me as the USA Director of United Federation of Russian Sambo. Mr. Yakimov and I worked together for a short time in the attempt to bring “Combat Sambo” tournaments to the West.

In 2006, I began coordinating efforts with a young mustang organization, the American Sambo Association and its President, Stephen Koepfer. Steve remained refreshingly apolitical despite extreme pressures to the contrary, and developed his own variation on sport rules called “Free-style Sambo” – which includes chokes, strangulations and positional fighting opportunity for Sambo athletes. The development of Steve’s organization is another example of evolution erupting, regardless of oppressive attempts to confine and traditionalize Sambo.

Three Rivers Return to One I have an interwoven history with Sambo, and for whatever divine grace was given the opportunity to train only one step removed from each of the founders of Sambo – Spiridonov, Oshchepkov and Kharlampiev, and the three “flavors” that they created. From Spiridonov: we have inherited an emphasis on efficiency over effort, on leveraging our strengths and mitigate our weaknesses until such a time that they too become strengths. From Oshchepkov: we have inherited a practical measuring stick to determine the efficacy of our theories, a cauldron in which we can melt away the slag from the pure gold so that no potentially valuable method goes uninvestigated or unevaluated. From Kharlampiev: we have inherited the flexibility to continue our discipline no matter what the format in whole or in part so that we can ensure that our legacy will continue to survive.

Each vein of Sambo has kept the heart of this creature alive. Although once separate, I believe they are now integrated. They each have pumped the life into the content of this article, and they each speak to you through it.

I believe that I have earned the right to say what I believe was the original intent of Sambo, and I believe that I have earned the right to renovate Sambo to meet the needs and desires of modern day fighters. I realize that doing so will not sit well with traditionalists who believe Sambo should stay “as it was.” They are wrong.

Sambo was never in its history a specific style. It evolved with history. It adapted to the challenges threatening its existence. It survived all of the attempts foreign and domestic to squash the methodology from existence.

When you read the core doctrine of Sambo, I believe you will see why I believe it is the direct descendent not just in lineage but in bone and flesh of each of the forefathers of this discipline.

My Philosophy of Sambo I’ve laid out this article in step-by-step format, so that it’s easiest to understand. You can start at the bottom with technique and work backwards up to tactics. The inherent strategies are embedded so you don’t really have to understand them at the beginning. The underlying beliefs (or doctrine) are self-explanatory, but if you do understand what beliefs created this science, since all science is based upon underlying assumptions, then you’ll be able to question those beliefs, and once you accept them, strengthen them.

RMAX Sambo Philosophy

Doctrine S.E.A.T.
Strategies Position Before Submission
Tactics The Saddle Series and Transitions
Techniques The Seven Core Leg Locks

S.E.A.T. Sambo Doctrine • Sustainability: In order for a training method to be useful, it must be non-destructive to the practitioner. If you cannot sustain the ability to practice it because it destroys your body, it will not be of any use when you need it.

• Evolution: One needs to experience the unexpected and unfamiliar in order to foster continued evolution. Although sound mechanics are universal, training methods must be allowed to evolve as all approaches are relative to the time, culture and event in which they were born. Any means necessary to accomplish the task. Any potentially valuable method should be weighed and tested on its own merit regardless of origin or association.

• Aliveness: One needs fully alive resistance to become mentally tough and emotionally controlled. Only through actual uncooperative competitive opposition does one truly own knowledge.

• Transferability: Good mechanics are universal (context-free), so studying them will allow you adaptability to whatever circumstances you encounter. Regardless of what format, so long as ideas are considered and tested, the adaptation is always organic, never in isolation.

These above original intentions have all been neglected, ignored or redefined in an emasculated manner with the ‘traditionalizing’ of Sambo. I have no taste for it, and stay true to the original intentions listed above.

The 3 Strategies of Sambo There are three modes of Sambo that end up being taught, though these are different than the traditional 3 flavors of Sambo (which were selfdefense, combat and sport):

• Self-Defense: Self-Defense oriented Sambo involves a very large curriculum of techniques resembling stand-up Jiujitsu, ground Judo, Boxing and Kickboxing. Unfortunately, due to the volume of material, there is often not enough time spent facing resistant opponents. However, it doesn’t claim to be a competitive sphere of martial art. Self-Defense Sambo should remain an adjunct to competitive resistance so that the more fine motor techniques have a platform of timing and rhythm which only alive, dynamic resistance creates within the nervous system. There are many in the West who only train in Self-defense Sambo, when it was never intended to be trained in to the exclusion of the other two aspects.

• Sport-Wrestling: Sport Sambo is an incredibly athletic game which is much like a combination of Judo and Freestyle wrestling, but including leg locks and excluding chokes. However, from its birth to the current day, it remains besieged with politics. From one organization and one event to the next, the rules are so different that it’s difficult to prepare and have a good time. Moreover, the rules have become so restrictive that preparing for sport Sambo requires that you to become a lesser overall fighter (from a mixed martial arts perspective). Basically, you have to train dangerous habits, like exposing your neck to strangulation, or never developing a good closed guard game.

• Mixed-Fight or “Combat Sambo”: I know that the traditionalists will be in a tizzy over me saying that one of the flavors of Sambo is mixed martial arts (MMA). I say this not because it was a deliberate intention of the founders (although, historically, I could argue that easily, especially since few people truly know the history of Sambo). I say this because it is the mode of actually studying the discipline. When you go to class, and work in dynamic drills, you face people of diverse backgrounds, levels and abilities. With no formalized ranks in Combat Sambo, everyone fights everyone. What I’m saying here is that the mode in which Combat Sambo is studied is more important than the content of the actual class: facing other martial artists of mixed backgrounds. This is the superiority of Combat Sambo as a delivery system for timing and rhythm, the essential virtues of fighting efficacy.

I find category 3 – Sambo for MMA or “Combat Sambo” – to be the most athletically stimulating, intellectually challenging and personally/ professionally fulfilling. So, when I’m discussing tactics and techniques, I am only speaking to fighting other martial artists – MMA - not to Sport-wrestling or Self-defense.

Originally, these three flavors were meant to be synergistic, but frankly, most non-professionals do not have the time, energy or inclination to practice all three. Most people aren’t familiar enough with Sportwrestling Sambo to be interested, and most people will not invest the long years of practice to refine the Self-defense aspects of Sambo. But that’s not relevant to this article, which regards specifically Combat Sambo and its stage in the mixed martial arts world.

6 STRATEGIES TO WIN IN SAMBO

2009-12-27T16:35:00.001-08:00

For the past 20 years, I've developed what I call the "Six Strategies in Jacket Wrestling." This is a theory that I compiled over years of coaching and traveling internationally as US Sambo Team coach. Most people bicker about the Tactical level of implementation in Sambo. They say, "I'd rather do it this way, rather than that way," or "I'd rather wrestle for submission rather than try to throw him for total victory." But this kind of debate between players is of low value without a comprehensive appreciation for the Strategic level that influences and determines the Tactics one employs.

Although and internationally recognized sport, Sambo is a Russian martial art, and as such is a part of an

Scott Sonnon executing a Standing Whip throw.

Scott Sonnon performing the Russian Flying Armbar; applied as a leaping attack as opposed to the "guard pull" armbar.

Scott Sonnon applying the Side Saddle Double Achilles Lock.

Integrated Cultural Philosophy. Actually saying Philosophy and Culture is redundant, for "Culture" is the lived-philosophy of a people. A true Philosophy is a System of Theory and Application. Theory and application are two wheels of the same cart, as my mentor, Dr. Jonathon Ellsworth Winter used to note. If we look from a cultural perspective, we gain a unique insight into what philosophy created Sambo, and imbues it. A Philosophy (read "Culture") is the way in which a substance (or people) adapt to the situation.

A culture comprises a set of basic beliefs that form their Subsistence Strategy (general approach to resource acquisition, such as hunting-gathering, horticulture, pastoralism or agriculture), and Survival Skills (specific methods, or tactics, for accomplishing the subsistence strategy; a subset of which are martial traditions - how a people address competition for resources.)

The proper definition of a philosophy can be seen as comprising

* Doctrine: general beliefs, or world view
* Strategy: broad brush plans for perpetuating doctrinal beliefs
* Tactic: specific maneuvers for accomplishing strategic objectives
* Technique: the specific mechanics used within a tactic at any one time

In jacket wrestling, to argue on a Tactical level has very low value, unless the overriding Strategy is fully understood, which in turn has no relevance unless the Doctrine is fully comprehended, which is non-sensical unless the conditions that evolved the general beliefs are fully actualized.

What conditions brought forth our method of jacket wrestling that is called Russian Sambo? The Eastern Slavs, the Russian-Style ancestors, were basically a non-warfaring people. No, they were not peace-loving either. Being tribal, they did not ascribe to the War/Peace paradigm. They fought when their was need, when the invaders came... not for conquest. The environmental conditions: cold weather demands heavy clothing; snow/ice demands a particular type of footwear. Limited resources demanded rather precise economy of caloric output. There was no sense in struggling more than necessary. When fighting on the ice-covered lake in 1242, I am certain that Yevtapi Kolovrat wanted an end to the battle with the Golden Horde ASAP.

The Slavs fought shoulder to shoulder in wave upon wave. One fallen enemy was trampled or speared by the subsequent row of advancing Slavs, if the enemy was not finished from the impact with the frozen earth and water. "The Earth is a fist." From this background a doctrine formed: the most advantageous position to be in is standing facing your opponent who is on the ground; the most disadvantageous position to be in is on the ground facing a standing opponent.

From this doctrine formed the strategy, we know as "Total Victory" - to place a man upon his back while remaining standing with the least amount of energy expenditure. From this strategy formed the diverse array of tactics to accomplish the Total Victory, which is seen as the ultimate demonstration of skill in Russian Sambo.

Russian Sambo is very much Judo-esqe" - it is Sambo's Sister. Judo values as much as Sambo the Total Victory named "Ippon" in Japanese. In current time, Sambo appears to differ stylistically since most grappling is taught as a technique-based system of education. However, the original, authentic intent of Judo was the same as Sambo. The notion of technique in Judo was to exemplify a particular arrangement/amalgam of five basic principles. Each technique was designed to be a study of the principles, having little value if taken outside of those context. In modern times, when people study without a teacher (the bulk of practitioners are "tape-taught"), 99% look to the technique as the end, not the means.

When we encounter other groups, we must recognize that they have Strategies, Doctrinal Beliefs, and differing situational/environmental factors that formed their beliefs. For instance, the notion of "groundfighting" which typifies Brazilian Jiujitsu is very different than that of Russian Sambo.

Sambo is a style of jacket wrestling. The highest demonstration of skill in Sambo is the "total victory" throw. Now most people may misunderstand that a great deal of emphasis is devoted to throws. It is the doctrinal belief and the strategic objective that must be understood to appreciate Sambo at a tactical and technical level.

Examples of the Philosophy of Sambo

Here are some examples of Sambo's martial philosophy: Environment Influences, Doctrine, Strategy, Tactic, Technique

* Environmental Influences: (stated above)
* Doctrinal belief: The most advantageous position to be in on a battlefield is standing facing your opponent. The most disadvantageous position to be in is on the ground facing a standing opponent.
* Strategic Objective: Get your opponent to the ground in the most expedient manner while remaining standing, despite the treacherous terrain (ice/snow)
* Tactical Maneuver: Throw your opponent in such a way that you do not disturb the terrain greatly, nor expend a great deal of energy. Takedown your opponent in such a way that he has no chance to restabilize the breach of stance integrity and is stunned by the impact with the Earth.
* Technical Application - {onsite innovation} You will see what appears to be "groundwork" but this is a subordinate function in Russian Sambo.

Here is a second example.

* Environmental Influences: (stated above)
* Doctrine: Same as above
* Strategic Objective: If you cannot remain standing, get your opponent to the ground in such a way that you are in a superior position to apply a finishing hold immediately.
* Tactical Maneuver: Throws and Takedowns that require you to engage the ground should either immediately be decisive through a lock or should be immobilizing through a hold-down.
* Technical Application - {onsite innovation} If your focus is to learn submission groundwork, your involvement with Jiujitsu is ideal - that game concentrates on this. Sambo is very much a "throwing" sport. Yes, there is a great deal that Sambo can contribute to the submission wrestling but it must be an honest contribution - Sambo is jacket wrestling. I have seen Sambo players overconfident so that their play is submission wrestling. It is much more accurate to say that what Sambo is jacket wrestling. Submission wrestling is a ancillary aspect, a subordinate strategy within Sambo.

Perhaps I can finalize this by:

* Environmental Influences: (stated above)
* Doctrine: Again, same as above...
* Strategic Objective: Should you lose a dominant position or fail to apply a submission, get out and stand up.
* Tactical Maneuver: Escapes and Reversals to withdraw and stand.
* Technical Application - {onsite innovation} In the 60's and 70's Judo, Europe experienced a revolution as Russian Sambo players entered the Judo theatre. The new Sambo method to Judo events changed the manner in which Classic Judo strategically approached competition. Some said it was a deliberate improvisation, others said it was an inadvertent adaptation to the external influence of Sambo in Judo competitions that the nature of Judo strategy for many was not changed but expanded in scope. Brazilian Jiujitsu has been the stimulus of a new revolution, and a new strategy, now... in Russian Sambo.

A new strategic approach has many coaches on the chalkboard evaluating the new external influence. Sambo had the approach I detailed above, but now considers the new strategic approach in jacket wrestling: Entice your opponent into a ground-fighting environment where the player chooses not to heavily emphasized. In Sambo, the coach trains the player in an organic approach to the sport.

The Six Strategies to Win in Sambo

Jacket manipulation, breach of stance integrity, takedown/throw - Total Victory.
Jacket control, feint/bait, counter - Total Victory.
Above, but both players go to ground, where the submission hold is applied on the way to completion of throw/takedown.
Above, but both players go to ground, where the submission is attained upon completion of the throw/takedown.
Throw/takedowns for points, stall, stand, redo... until win by point superiority by time or degree (12 pts.)
Above, but to ground volley until positional dominance, holddown, work for submission.

#6 is only a meager portion of the approach and in Sambo, coaches train their sportsman in the above order from 1-6, but here now... we have seen the appearance of a new pedagogical approach: Coach the players from #6 first, then work up to #1.

Sambo has adopted the position that since their strategic approach wins consistently 95% of the time within the parameters of Sambo that one ought to continue to hone one's talents over one's lifetime of jacket wrestling. One does so this because the objective is not victory but transformation and development. As we get older, we get better.

I was amazed when the old men in Russia could dust me with ease. That was the point I learned. If a strategic approach cannot adapt to new influences, it proves to be evolutionarily unstable, and it will be unselected for continuation. However, if an approach has continued to exist, it is valid.

No strategic approach is better than another. They are just different, each equally valid within the context of their approach. Mastery must be mastery of something. In order to transfer wisdom to our every activity, we need a microcosm, a focus group, an accelerated arena to explore the wisdom of behavior... a "delivery system" for our development.

We grow within our Philosophy... our cultural perspective. In context of Sambo sport-wrestling, this is the first and foremost guideline - Do not expect victory without understand the nature of the game. Players who are multi-sport active tend to be highly adaptive, IF they are informed. They also tend to bring a great deal of evolutionarily stable strategies to the development of the sport as a result.

Contrarily, players who are multi-sport active and do not have a coach that informs them and prepares them appropriately are in jeopardy of defeat and even worse harm.

Their coach should prohibit competition until a complete comprehension of the rules, conduct of play and objectives are clearly articulated by the coach and internalized by the player. The most effective manner to do this is to require player to train as officials simultaneous to training as competitors. Having the vantage point of an official affords the single best opportunity for developing a cohesive, effective competitive strategy. For example: when adopting a heavy "#6-type" strategy (the "groundfighting" approach), it is highly critical to realize the perspective of the Sambo official/referee. If a player falls to his back and the other remains standing, the match is over - Total Victory throw conclusive. In this type of strategy, it is crucial to enter the opponent into par terre through contact of at least one knee with the mat.

Sambo developed out of the doctrinal belief system of the Slavic peoples which formed out of certain environmental condition and influences. As a result, a particular strategic approach tends to be the most effective for Sambo sport-wrestling.

This is what it means in the difference between practice and training in Sambo and competing in Sambo. One can compete in Sambo, without having practiced in and trained for Sambo. However, the most effective strategy to develop a strategic approach forged directly from understanding the doctrinal intent which developed the sport.

SOUTHERN SHAOLIN KUNG FU

2009-12-27T16:32:00.000-08:00

There are numerous accounts and legends of the origins and history of the Shaolin Temple. In my humble opinion this is the story of Shaolin. Most likely you learned of the Shaolin Temple through the Chop Sokey Kung Fu movies and the Kung Fu TV series of the 70’s. Some of what you watch was true, yet some of the story lines are fictional. There were indeed 36 Chambers that a monk would have to successfully complete before exiting the temple and graduating. In the Kung Fu TV movie and series young Cain picked up the burning urn between his forearms to engrave the tiger and dragon. In reality that scene is authentic, however in actuality the engravings on the forearms were both dragons. The legendary Shaolin Temple (Sil Lum in Cantonese) was also known as the “Number One Temple under Heaven” due of those incredible fighting monks. The Chinese characters for Shaolin translate to “Youthful Forrest” or “Youthful Gathering.” Shaolin is the mother of all Asian martial arts (Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Jiu Jitsu, etc.). Kung Fu went from mainland China to the island of Okinawa and later to Japan in the early 1900’s. They called it “karate” which originally translated to “Chinese hands.” Shaolin is translated to the Japanese language as Shorin-ji. Shorin-ji Karate came from Shaolin Kung Fu. The Indian monk Bodhidharma also known as Damo traveled to the Shaolin Temple taught the monks internal exercises for health, yet he was not the originator of Shaolin Kung Fu. Thousands of years before Damo’s visit there were already fighting arts in China. Shaolin is part of the rich history of China.

The Shaolin Temple was a place where numerous martial artists including fugitives hiding from the authorities, met and shared their martial arts systems. This was a place where different styles and weapons were put to the test before they went out to do battle. You can say that Shaolin was the first mixed martial arts arena. The Northern Shaolin Temple was burned in approximately the 1750’s AD. According to Chinese legends, a monk by the name of Gee Seen survived the burning and traveled to Southern China to become the Abbot of the Southern Shaolin Temple. Gee Seen used the Southern Temple as an underground training center to overthrow the Ching Dynasty and restore the Chinese ran Ming Dynasty. Numerous other styles of Kung Fu originated in the Southern Shaolin Temple including Hung Gar which I’m a Master of and Wing Chung popularized by Bruce Lee. There are five family styles that came from the Southern Shaolin Temple they are Hung, Lau, Choy, Li and Mok. These family kung fu systems continued the Shaolin tradition as rebels fighting the Ching Dynasty. The Southern Shaolin Temple taught the monks the 5 Animal styles of fighting. These movements were developed by monks carefully observing and imitating the moves of the Tiger, Crane, Snake, Leopard and the mythical Dragon. From the Tiger we learn tenacity and acquire power. From the Crane we learn to evade and strike vital points. From the Dragon we get wisdom. From the Snake we learn patience and flexibility. From the Leopard we attain speed and power.

You can classify Kung Fu styles into four major categories: Southern, Northern, and External (hard) and Internal (soft). Southern Shaolin is a southern external style. A southern school is known for low stances, kicks below the waist and fast and powerful overwhelming hands. It is an external style which emphases mostly on power. The Chinese have a saying “Southern Fist/Northern Kicks” which means that in the south they use their hands more and in the northern part of China they use their kicks. Much of this has to do with the terrain and their size and built of the people in the two geographic. In Southern China the people tend to be shorter and stockier. In Northern China they tend to be taller and more slender. Due to the Northern terrain, mountains and open land they walk and ride horses. They favor high kicks and acrobatic movements; where as Southern China’s terrain is agricultural wet land which produces rice and waterways which people live near. Due to the southern life style and terrain they make use of their arms more than their legs. Fighting in wet land or in a boat made it difficult to make large movements and kick high. The low Southern horse stance, for training balance and stability, was developed by the southern kung fu warrior.

Today Southern Shaolin schools teach numerous traditional Chinese weapons of war. Yet, in the Shaolin Temple no blades were allowed. Only non-bladed weapons were allowed through the gates of the temple. Monks were known for their great skills with their walking sticks, or as we call them today the staff. Many define Kung Fu as a pretty, soft, circular, acrobatic, jumping, high kicking art that looks good in tournaments and in movies. The Chinese call this “flowery kung fu” which means that it’s pretty yet it has no defensive value in the streets. A true Southern Shaolin school will teach you an art that was used for war. You will learn to use every move in a form to defend yourself. A Southern Shaolin fighter will attack his opponent violently with tiger claws and crane beaks to the eyes, elbows, tearing grabs, knees, kicks to the knees and groin, Chin Na (joint locks), sweeps, throws, take downs and ground fighting. Southern Shaolin Kung Fu if handed down and taught traditionally, is not a sport but a reality based street self defense. In the end the only trophy that those fighting monks of Shaolin could win in ancient China was their life

KARATE THE PRACTICAL FIGHTING ART

2009-12-27T16:31:00.001-08:00

The disciplined and dedicated practice of karate can allow a person to achieve amazing feats of human strength, conditioning and skill, and this is why all the old karate masters of Okinawa, Japan and Korea were absolutely incredible.

Karate is a martial art developed by the Okinawan peasant farmers, they learned the basic martial art movements from the Chinese, and then the Okinawan’s combined what they had learned, and combined it with their own cultural fighting art called “Te”. (Okinawa Te!)

The Okinawan’s did not call this art “Kudo Te” (Chinese hand), but they adhered to the new name of ‘Kara te’ (empty hand), which is what the Japanese had referred to it as, once they had learned the art from the Okinawans.

The great thing for modern practitioners of Karate, is that the Japanese had a very good influence on Okinawa, because of the way they infused some of their own ways into the native martial art by incorporating the use of the Japanese Judo uniform and the belt ranking system.

While Okinawan Karate is still primarily a striking art, and it was Japan’s Samurai methods of jujutsu, that have become a part of Karate’s standard training curriculum now.

A Karate block can also be a stike, lock or take down throw!

A good Karate practitioner, who has trained for at least 3-5 years, can develop a very good arsenal of skills for attacking and defending, and these skills can and will assist that same person in a self defence situation on the street.

Karate is a fighting art that was developed as an empty hand martial art system to help the individual to condition himself or herself so as to survive an attackfrom an armed or unarmed assailant out on the street.

Karate has spread from Okinawa to Japan, Korea, Philippines and to many other parts of Asia, and it has now widely spread to the Western world also.

The art has been around for a very long time, so it must be a very effective art for the self defence of an individual.

ABOUT KARATE STYLES

2009-12-27T16:29:00.002-08:00

When people hear the term "martial art" they generally think of Karate. One of the most popular martial arts, Karate had its roots in China, developed in Okinawa, and was later brought to Japan by Gichin Funakoshi. Karate originated in Okinawa in the 1600s. It was developed from imported Chinese martial arts skills and refined as an advanced means of self-defense because weapons were outlawed on the island. It was originally called Te, meaning "hand." Later, masters adopted the name Karate, meaning "empty hand" or "Chinese hand" (depending upon which characters are used to write the word).

The word Karate is formed by two characters, the first one kara (empty) and the other te (hand). Kara may be explained several ways. The first way is that through the practice of karate, self-defense techniques are learned, where no weapons are used, other than hands, feet, or other parts of the body. A second way, as explained by Master Funakoshi, "Just as it is the clear mirror that reflects without distortion, or the quiet valley that echoes a sound, so must one who would study Karate-do purge himself of selfish and evil thoughts, for only with a clear mind and conscience can he [she] understand that which he [she] receives. This is another meaning of the element kara in Karate-do." Another meaning given by Funakoshi is that of always striving to be inwardly humble and outwardly gentle. Finally, Funakoshi also talks about the elemental form of the universe, which is emptiness (kara, ku), "and thus, emptiness is form itself. The kara of Karate-do has this meaning." It is clear that Karate is much more than mere self-defense techniques.

Toward the end of the 19th century, Gichin Funakoshi trained with various karate masters, and then devised his own system, which he named Shotokan. He spread the style to the Japanese mainland and eventually to the West. Master Funakoshi, inspired by traditional martial arts from the main Japanese islands (such as Kyudo, Kendo, and Judo) modified Karate, which until that moment could have been called Karate-jutsu (a fighting art), and emphasized its philosophical aspects combining Karate techniques with traditional Budo (the martial way). The word Budo is formed by two Chinese characters. Bu is formed by two symbols, a symbol that means to stop is drawn inside another symbol of two weapons, two crossed halberds. Thus, bu means to stop conflict. As stated before, do means a way or a life philosophy. In Master Funakoshi's own words: "Since Karate is a Budo, this meaning should be deeply considered, and the fists should not be used heedlessly".

Today it is common to find both "traditional" and "competitive" styles of karate. Traditional styles being the formal Okinawan styles, and competitive styles being those involved mostly in tournament competition. Karate is based upon powerful linear kicks and punches. It is considered a "hard" martial art since its blocks and attacks are direct and forceful. Many different styles fall under the karate banner. All include hardstyle kicks, punches, and blocks, but some emphasize linear movements, while others emphasize circular movements. In virtually every style, kata (patterns) practice and kumite (sparring) play an important role in training.

American Freestyle Karate. American freestyle (named by Dan Anderson) is not really a style, it more of method of non-Oriental training. It stresses training to capitalize on your own specific skills and capabilities rather than training to force yourself to conform to some preconceived idea of what a technique should be.

American Kempo. American Kempo (or Kenpo) (American Fist Law) is an eclectic art developed by Hawaiian Ed Parker. The art combines the Kara-Ho Kempo Karate that Parker learned from William Chow with influences from Chinese, Japanese Kosho Ryu Kenpo, Hawaiian, and Western martial art sources. Parker added many labels to concepts from these arts that originally has no labels. It blends circular motions and evasive movements with linear kicks and punches. It is oriented toward "street" self-defense. The system allows "artistic interpretation" and many American offshoots have evolved from it.

Note: In the Japanese language, the consonants "n" and "m" have the same symbol, thus the English spelling can be rendered either "Kempo" or "Kenpo". There are several arts in this family, but the spelling is not significant in distinguishing between them.

Cha Yon Ryu. Cha Yon Ryu (Natural Way) is an eclectic, fairly new martial art founded in 1968 by Kim Soo of Houston, Texas. Taekwondo and Shotokan Karate contributes kicking techniques, strong stances and direct, linear strikes and blocks. Okinawa-te movements add techniques with some angularity, and Quanfa Gongfu contributes fluid, circular movements. Hapkido adds defenses against chokes, grabs and armed attacks, as well as various throwing and falling techniques. Students strive to fulfill The Dojang Hun (Training Hall Oath): Seek perfection of character, Live the way of truth, Endeavor, Be faithful, Respect your seniors, and Refrain from violent behavior.

Full-Contact Karate. Full-contact karate was founded in the early 1970's by Mike Anderson and Jhoon Rhee. Similar to boxing, the goal is to knockout the opponent or to win on a decision by judges. Unlike boxing, kicks are permitted and a minimum number of kicks must be delivered each round.

Goju-Ryu. Goju-Ryu was founded in the 1930's by Miyagi Chojun from Okinawan Karate and Chinese Kempo techniques. It is combination of hard "go" and soft "ju" techniques that work together similar to yin and yang. Linear motion is combined with circular movements. Patterns are practiced slowly with emphasis on breathing.

Isshin-Ryu. Isshin-ryu was found in Okinawa in 1954 by Shimabuku Tatso by combining Shorin-ryu (90%) and Goju-ryu (10%) techniques. It uses low kicks, short stances, and awareness of surroundings to be useful for street fighting. It also teaches use of the kusarigama. Isshin-ryu emphasizes:

Kicks and punches that are thrown from natural stances eliminating wasted motions and giving you split-second advantages over opponents using some of the other styles.
Stresses proficiency with both hand and foot techniques, equally, making it a more versatile form of Karate because you have no weak points.

"Close in" techniques useful in "street fighting" making it a more realistic style of Karate.
Snap punches and snap kicks, where the limb does not fully extend and is immediately retracted (preventing excessive strain on the knees and elbows) permitting you to move in and out quickly without committing yourself to a disadvantageous position should you miss or misjudge.

Blocks with muscular portion of the forearm rather than the bone.
Fist formed with the thumb on top rather than wrapped over the first two fingers (this strengthens the wrist to help prevent buckling at the wrist on impact).
The vertical punch, which increases speed and can be focused at any given point.

Karate Connection. An American Kenpo based school created by Chuck Sullivan and Vic LeRoux. It includes techniques from many different styles; a "use what works" mentality.

Kempo. Kempo "way of the fist" (also known as Quan Fa, Chuan Fa, Jiaodishu, Kaiki, and Kenyu) is a Chinese martial art. Its techniques are similar to Karate with a focus on Buddhist philosophy. Other arts, such as archery and swordsmanship are also taught in Kempo schools.

Kenpo (Kosho Ryu). A Japanese based, philosophical art much like Jeet Kune Do but with a Zen influence, meaning lots of mind science material and healing arts. It is not a style of compiled patterns or specific techniques; it is a study of all motion and therefore cannot be stylized to look like a specific teacher or animal movement.

Kenpo is the family style of Grandmaster James Mitose. It was first taught to non-family members in Hawaii during the 1940's and 1950's. Mitose called his family style "Kyu-sho-ryu" Kenpo (old pine tree school fist law). According to Mitose, during the invasion of Genghis Khan, the Head Monk of the Shaolin Temple fled China and found refuge with the Mitose family. In appreciation for the kindness of the Mitose's, he taught them Shaolin Chuan Fa (Shorinji Kempo in Japanese). Then, in 1235, a Shinto priest whom James Mitose calls his first ancestor became enlightened to what we call Kempo. According to Mitose, this man was a martial arts master and a Buddhist monk studying at Shaka In who found it difficult to be both. His religion taught him pacifism; his martial art taught him destruction. He pondered this dilemma under an old pine tree meaning Kosho in Japanese. He became enlightened and was from then on known as, Kosho Bosatsu, the Old Pine Tree Enlightened One. He discovered the relationship between man and nature and also the secret of the escaping arts. He founded the Kosho Shorei Temple of Peace, True Self Defense, and Kosho Shorei Yoga School.

One of James Mitose's students, William Chow, mixed it with elements of his father's Chinese style to produce his own style, called "Kara-ho" Kenpo Karate. Kenpo's techniques were influenced by those of various Chinese, Japanese, and Hawaiian martial arts. Kenpo training emphasizes a scientific approach to combat. Many patterns, rapidfire hand techniques, and combinations are taught. Ed Parker popularized the style on the mainland by organizing the style and orienting it toward practical street self-defense. Although it is often categorized as an American martial art, the style's name is written with the same Chinese characters as Chuan-fa, a generic Chinese term for martial arts. The art received a popularity boost after Jeff Speakman, a student of Parker's, showcased it in the movie, "Perfect Weapon."

Kempo (Ryukyu). Ryukyu Kempo (which roughly translates into Okinawan kung-fu, or Chinese boxing science) is the original style of martial arts learned and taught by Gichin Funakoshi on the Okinawa, an island in the Ryukyu island chain. It stresses the existence of body points within your opponent that can be struck or grappled for more effective fighting. Funakoshi's first edition book "Ryukyu Kempo" shows him clearly grappling and touching an opponent. Later editions and current karate books only show a practioner with a retracted punch, where the original shows actively grappling an enemy. It is felt that Funakoshi was the last of the purists, wanting all to learn the art.

Okinawans, who have a culture and history of their own, became disenchanted with the Japanese, and were less inclined to teach them the "secret techniques" of self-defense. When American military soldiers occupied Japan after WWII, they became enamored of the martial-arts. It is theorized that the Japanese and Okinawans were reluctant to teach the secrets of their national art to the occupiers, and so taught a "watered down" version of karate-do usually reserved for children. Contemporary Kempo practioners practice "pressure point fighting" or Kyushu-jitsu and grappling, called Tuite. It is an exact art of striking small targets on the body, such as nerve centers, and grappling body points in manners similar to Jujitsu or Aikido.

There are a couple of physical differences in Kempo and many other styles. One is a three-quarter punch, rather than a full twist. Second is a fist whereby the thumb stops at the first finger, rather than the first two fingers. Third is the sword hand, which has the little finger placed as parallel as possible to the third finger and the thumb straight and on the inside rather than bent.

Kobo-Jutsu. Kobo-jutsu is a Okinawan style of Karate characterized by the large array of weapons it uses. The style makes extensive use of forms to perfect techniques.

Kyokushin-Kai. Kyokushin-Kai is a Japanese style of Karate found by Oyama Masutatsu in the 1950's. The style was influenced by Kempo, Gojuryu, and Zen. It is powerful art that emphasized breaking, breathing, multiple attacks in quick sucession, and kill techniques.

Shohei-Ryu (formally known as Uechi-Ryu). A traditional Okinawan, Zen based style founded by Kanbum Uechi . Although it has become one of the main Okinawan martial arts and absorbed many of the traditional Okinawan karate training methods and approaches, it is historically, and to some extent technically, quite separate.

The name Shohei-Ryu comes from two Chinese characters, "Sho" meaning "to shine brightly" and "Hei" meaning "fairness", "equality" and "peace". The name also refers to two Japanese eras, a past one, Showa, and the present one, Heisei. Ryu (pronounced "roo") is the Japanese word for "style" or "path".

Grandmaster Kanbun Uechi was born on May 5, 1877 in Isumi, a small village in northern Okinawa. In 1897, at the age of 20, he fled to Fuzhou, the capital city of Fujian province in China, to avoid being drafted into the Japanese army, which was occupying Okinawa at the time. For ten years, he studied the art of Pangai-noon, meaning half hard half soft, under master Shushiwa, a Buddist priest who had received his training in the Shoalin Temple in Southern China. Pangai-noon was derived from the interwoven movements of the tiger, crane and dragon and it concentrates on the use of the single-knuckle punch, spear-hand strike, pointed kick and circular block. Uechi opened his own school in Nanchon, a city in Fukien Province, where he taught for three years, having the distinction of being the only Okinawan ever accepted in China as a teacher. Disheartened after one of his students became involved in a dispute and killed another person, Uechi vowed never to teach again, and, in 1910, he closed his school and returned Okinawa where he married and, on June 26, 1911, his son Kanei was born. Uechi still refused to teach his art and only once during the ensuing years did he reluctantly demonstrate his kata.

Absorbing some Okinawan Goju-ryu over the decades, Shohei-Ryu still retains its original Chinese flavor, both in its technique and in the culture of the dojo. It is a "half-hard, half-soft" style very similar to such southern Chinese styles as Fukienese Crane (as still practiced in the Chinese communities of Malaysia), Taiwanese Golden Eagle, and even Wing Chun. Conditioning the body for both attack and defense is a common characteristic of both Okinawan karate and southern Shaolin "street" styles, and as such is an important part of Shohei-Ryu training. There is a strong internal component to the practice, including focused breathing and tensioning exercises similar to Chinese Qigong. Shohei-Ryu, following its Chinese Crane heritage, emphasizes circular blocks, low snap kicks, infighting (coordinating footwork with grabs, locks, throws, and sweeps), and short, rapid hand traps and attacks (not unlike Wing Chun). The style incorporates the characteristics of the Wushu animals. It uses circular motions and uses the Phoenix Eye single knuckle punch. Unlike most Karate styles, it uses grappling techniques.

Shorin Ryu. Shorin Ryu is an Okinawan soft style. Known for its light, quick, and agile techniques that are suitable for a person of light body structure. Because of its strict spiritual aspects it is considered a religious sect.

Shorinji Kempo. Shorinji Kempo is a Japanese Karate style that is deeply rooted in Zen meditation. It was created by So Doshin who says it is based on traditional Shaolin teachings. In the 1970's, the Japanese courts forced So Doshin to the change the name of his school to Nippon Shorinji Kempo. It stresses being calm in action. Students first learn its deep spirituality, then learn the fighting techniques. Because of its combination of Buddhism, philosophy, and martial arts, many consider Shorinji Kempo a religious sect.

Shorei Ryu. Shorei Ryu is an Okinawan hard style. Know for its heavy, powerful techniques and body toughening training. It is known for the its numerous amount of stances. It is more suitable for a person of heavy body structure. It strives to emulate the actions of the 5 traditional animals and teaches all the traditional Okinawan weapons, such as the bo, tonfa, and sai. Some characteristics of shorei-ryu:

Stances exceptionally low in kata form.
Seiken thrust: slightly downward and in center of body. The rear leg moves slightly forward at the completion of the punch. The moving of the rear leg is automatic and is caused by the power generated by the force of the punch and the forward movement of the hips.

Fist: index finger under curled thumb.

Hips: rotate with a definite forward movement.

Blocks: all start spiraling at wrists and spiral until completion of block.

Head snap when turning.
Thousand hand, five and six-count rice exercises, and sun fist.

High rising block - executed from thigh up.
Teeth clenched.
Wide-eyed stare.

Eight faces: the art of looking or expression (hyojo do). (Confidence, Friendly, Solemn, Unconcerned, Contempt, Shock, Fear, Anger)

All kicks, blocks and strikes are 90% circular (point and circles).
Kicks: for every forward one there is a reverse one.

Te-katana and te-uke covers are very obvious in all Shuri-ryu techniques and katas.

Body: always relaxed until exact moment of completing technique.

Shotokai Karate-do. Shotokai Karate-do is a non-competitive style of Karate derived from Gichin Funakoshi's Karate by Masters Yoshitaka (Gigo) Funakoshi and Shigeru Egami. The word Shotokai is composed of three kanji characters in Japanese. The Sho character is taken from the word matsu which means pine tree. To is the character for waves. Pine Waves is the English translation that tries to express what the original Japanese kanji represent, the sound that is produced by the pine needles when the wind blows through them, a sort of wave sound. Gichin Funakoshi, used Shoto as a pseudonym when he signed his poetry works. The word kai means organization. Thus, Shotokai means the Organization of Shoto, or the Organization of Master Gichin Funakoshi. Kan, means building or house, thus Shotokan is the house or building of Shoto.

Shotokai does not consider Karate a sport so it avoids all type of competitive tournaments. Rather, it stresses Karate as a Budo art that is concerned with personal development through the study and practice of Karate as a Do, a Way of Life, and the development of the internal energy, Ki. Shotokai movements are full of vitality and energy, but they use the principles of harmony and relaxation and avoid the use of brute force. Each Shotokai student in a group, has his or her own way of attaining mind-ki-body unity, in a way that permits all students to learn from each other. In a training atmosphere void of distinctions, communication grows and mutual respect arises unhindered.

Shotokan. Shotokan is the "authorized" Japanese style of Karate. It is an Okinawan style founded by Gichin Funakoshi. Shoto was the pen name of Funakoshi. He combined Shorin and Shorei to a style that would accommodate all body structures. According to Funakoshi "The art of karate strives neither for victory, nor for defeat, but for the perfection of the character of its practitioners." Shotokan is a "hard" linear style that is a true "empty hand" art", it does not include weapons training. Although originally known for its a lethal attacks, dynamic entry techniques, and its theory of "one strike, one kill," similar to other martial arts, it has evolved into a sport. Shotokan training emphasizes mastering a few techniques rather than learning many techniquees.

Shotokai and Shotokan are two names for the same thing. Shotokai is the name of the Organization established in 1935 to raise funds for the building of Funakoshi's Main Training Hall. Gichin Funakoshi held only two positions during his lifetime: one as Head Instructor of the Shotokan Dojo and the other as director of the Shotokai school.

Shotokan is the name of the building finished in 1936 that was the result of the work done by this organization. In time, people who trained in Karate were not only known for practicing Karate but also began to be related to different "styles", even though Gichin Funakoshi was against this. His students began to be known as of the "Shotokan", the place where they trained, or "Shotokan-Ryu", the Shotokan Style.

After Master Gichin Funakoshi's death in 1957, Shotokai was heir of his symbol (O-sensei's Tiger), the Shotokan and Shotokai names, and more importantly all his documents and writings, which is why Shotokai is in charge of editing and publishing his works. Shotokai's headquarters in Japan is still the Shotokan Dojo, a though it has been reconstructed since the original one burned during a World War II bombing. The Shotokan name has been misused by many groups with no respect for Master Funakoshi or his families wishes. For this reason, many uninformed people relate Gichin Funakoshi with sport karate, something he was strongly against.

Wado-Ryu. Wado-ryu "school of the way of harmony" was founded in the 1920's by Otsuka Hidenori, one of Funakoshi Gichin's students. Ohtsuka studied Jujutsu for many years before becoming a student of Gichin Funakoshi, considered by some to be Funakoshi's most brilliant student. Ohtsuka combined the movements of Jujutsu with the striking techniques of Okinawan Karate, with a strong focus on evasion through body shifting. Style has higher stances and shorter punches than Shotokan. Training stresses spiritual discipline. After the death of Ohtsuka in the early 1980s, the style split into two factions: Wado Kai, headed by Ohtsuka's senior students; and Wado Ryu, headed by Ohtsuka's son, Jiro. Both factions continue to preserve most of the basic elements of the style.

KARATE IN JAPAN FROM A WESTERNER'S PERSPECTIVE

2009-12-27T16:29:00.001-08:00

What is it like to test for a belt in Japan as a Westerner? Or to live with a Master? This article will try to provide brief insights by reflecting on my time Japan between 1995 and 2002. I will also reflect on short-term visits to Japan made by my Californian students to test for a Dan ranks. I was fortunate enough to have spent part of my time in and around Japan as an “uchi-deshi” – a live in student of a master. On arriving in Japan my comparisons of East vs. West martial arts came from a somewhat experienced viewpoint since I had already been training in Japanese martial arts for more than 10 years, competed at an international level, and had my own dojo operating in California.

Karate in Japan takes all sorts of forms: some are sport oriented, and some are very traditional, some are very hard, while others very soft. By comparison to the West (with the USA and Australia being 2 other places I have had significant karate exposure) karate intensity is often similar, however, the style in which it is taught is more varied both from a traditional/philosophical viewpoint and technical approach. In particular I have found that the emphasis on sport Karate in Australia is very high, leaving the art, and the practical application to the side (I have recently opened two dojo(s) in Australia). I don’t feel sport karate is bad, but to simply state that it is a different path compared to the art of karate. Given Australia’s recent performance of fourth in the Olympics, even given a very small population, one could expect such a sporting oriented nation to predominantly follow a sporting oriented approach to karate (not to say all Australian Karate is sport as there are obviously also a proportion of traditional dojo). From my involvement in the US karate scene I feel that, compared to Australia, it has a larger proportion of dojo(s) continuing to pursue traditional Japanese karate. As an example of this measure I often look at the content of Ippon Kumite, Kata Bunkai and Ippon Shobu (a single point sparring match) practiced in a dojo. In Japan these things are not only seen as a regular part of classes, but appear as the primary content (especially Ippon Kumite). Approaches such as Ippon Kumite and Ippon Shobu for matches (instead of six or eight point matches) reinforce the precept behind Japanese Karate of “one hit one kill” (Ikken Isatsu in Japanese). The underlying theme of these one point bouts is the concept that in the kumite bout, like in life, you only get one chance. I once asked the Master I lived with in Japan (Uetake Sensei) with why he considered Kobudo (weaponry) an important extension of his Karate as it dilutes the time one can spend mastering the Way of empty handed fighting. He replied that it reinforced his mindset that one hit is one kill. So if traveling to Japan expect Ippon Kumite to often be large part of each night’s training with the key point being mind state re-enforcement.

Fudoshin (immovable mind), is a “Zen” principle related to the above point of absolute technique, and I would like to give an example of another way in which it is reinforced in Japanese training. Most of my training was in Japan was at a honbu dojo where, on a given night, there would be two 8th dans, three 7th dans, and just a few other instructors in rank range of sandan through godan. In these sessions there was a surprising element to the content we practiced given the ranks in the room – it was almost entirely kihon and ippon kumite, with kihon being 50% of training. After a few years of banging out full power basic technique with a group of masters you realize that the perfection of physical technique is not the only reason for the high repetition: the point was the continual reinforcement of the mindset that each technique, if a block, will break their opponents arm, and if a strike will kill the opponent – not the physical strength of the technique. One often hears this in Western dojo(s) but it is not implemented to same degree, nor is “Fudoshin” the true focus of high repetition based training (it is quite likely that most Western students would leave through “boredom” because of a lack physical technique variety in training). The very fact that when these most advanced ranks (karate-ka who have training for 50 years) got together and chose to work single count basic drills rather than advanced forms, or technique, says something very important.

In this article we can only touch on some aspects of Japan vs. West training. An issue to raise is that of attitude and approach in the dojo. When a Westerner walks into a karate Dojo for the first time their mindset is not quite the same as an Asian student who reads the Kanji (Chinese characters) on the door and understands that Do & Jo combine to mean – a place of studying the Way. In the West students come to understand this over time. I feel that the Japanese culture is much better at mimicking a taught action than Westerners, and therefore, there is less tendency in Japan for students to look, question, re-interpret, and then perform their version of what they saw. The above issues tend to combine to make the standard of Kyu ranks in the Japanese dojo(s) better. However, I do not notice such a large difference in ability of black belt ranks when comparing Japan to the West. It seems that once the effect of time has allowed them perfect technique through repetition, and gain an understanding they are studying an art of Do, the same endpoint in ability is reached regardless of cultural differences. Interestingly, I find European students faster learners than my Australian or USA students. One of my University clubs is at a school with a very strong international exchange program, and therefore, has a make-up of approximately 1/3 of each European, Australian and American students. The Europeans appear to learn at a faster rate not so much due to a “mimicry” mindset (like the Japanese) but rather an openness to new ways.

“Zen” in the martial arts is not even mentioned in some karate organizations in the West and in others it is. In Japan I found it is often not mentioned, or talked about, but innately exists (as was eluded to in a couple of examples above). I did have many insightful discussions on “Zen” over post training drinks in Japan – the place where both in business and the martial arts world, the heart of matters are really opened up. More on Zen, Japan and Karate is outlined in our video series.

It is not uncommon for black belts to sometimes travel to Japan and test for a higher Dan rank. However, testing for black belt is a stressful event even if you do it in your home town. Imagine if you elected to do all your training in the West and then travel to Japan for the big day with no real knowledge of the sensei testing you, the students you will fight, or the Japanese culture. That is exactly what a number of my brown belts have done over the years. It was a real testament to their courage to join me in Japan and 2 days later, still with jetlag, perform their Shodan Shinsa (black belt test). All were nervous, however, all rose to the occasion and learning occurred from both the involved Japanese and Western students. In 1997 my first student to perform this task (Dave Cohrs) obviously had the largest factor of the “unknown” as to our knowledge, he was the first Westerner to try it. As is usually the case Dan rank tests are more about Kata and Kihon than fighting. Within Japan, especially in the case of Westerners, these are the things under the most scrutiny.

The experiences briefly outlined in this article are now covered in a documentary series on living, and training in Japan, recently published on the web in the form of downloadable videos (www.AppliedZen.com).

About the author: Dr. Jason Armstrong, 5th Dan
Sensei Jason Armstrong has a 5th degree black and has been training for more than 20 years. His training began in Australia, and then moved to the USA in 1991. In 1995 he began regular travel to Japan and spent time living in Japan for karate. While in Japan he worked in the corporate environment and ultimately became the CEO of a company in Tokyo. He holds a Ph.D. in human physiology. Today he has founded Applied Zen which operates in the USA, and, Australia passing on Japanese karate through dojos, and through a video e-learning site (www.AppliedZen.com). Additionally, his organization (www.AppliedZen.com) provides corporate seminars on the integration of the “Art of War”, and Zen into corporate team development, and business.

Pictures:

1. Sotokawa Sensei and Jason Armstrong in 1997. Sotokawa sensei is a 8th Dan in Shito-Ryu and received his 3rd Dan accreditation under Mabuni sensei the founder of Shito-ryu.

2. Sensei Jason standing near Himeji Castle at Sakura time (Cheery Blosson season). Himeji Castle is Japan’s largest castle and is rumored to be the place where Musashi carried out his academic studies for samurai training.

3. Sensei Seto (Shotokan) and Jason Armstrong in 2002 in Tokyo. During Jason’s one year stay in Tokyo Seto sensei’s dojo was one of the clubs he visited.

Pictures:

1. Sotokawa Sensei and Jason Armstrong in 1997. Sotokawa sensei is a 8th Dan in Shito-Ryu and received his 3rd Dan accreditation under Mabuni sensei the founder of Shito-ryu.

3. Sensei Seto (Shotokan) and Jason Armstrong in 2002 in Tokyo. During Jason’s one year stay in Tokyo Seto sensei’s dojo was one of the clubs he visited.

Bruce Lee Quotes

2009-12-27T16:27:00.000-08:00

QUOTES BY BRUCE LEE

A good fight should be like a small play, but played seriously. A good martial artist does not become tense, but ready. Not thinking, yet not dreaming. Ready for whatever may come. When the opponent expands, I contract. When he contracts, I expand. And when there is an opportunity, I do not hit. It hits all by itself.

"Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend."

Opponent: "What's your style?"
Bruce Lee's Response: "I call it , the art of fighting without fighting"

"a kick is a kick and a punch is a punch..."

"With emotional content, not anger!"

“Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.”

“All fixed set patterns are incapable of adaptability or pliability. The truth is outside of all fixed patterns.”

“If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”

“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”

“using no way as a way, using no limitations as a limitation.”

“Showing off is the fool's idea of glory.”

“As you think, so shall you become.”

“I am learning to understand rather than immediately judge or to be judged. I cannot blindly follow the crowd and accept their approach. I will not allow myself to indulge in the usual manipulating game of role creation. Fortunately for me, my self-knowledge has transcended that and I have come to understand that life is best to be lived and not to be conceptualized. I am happy because I am growing daily and I am honestly not knowing where the limit lies. To be certain, every day there can be a revelation or a new discovery. I treasure the memory of the past misfortunes. It has added more to my bank of fortitude.”

“If you make an ass out of yourself, there will always be someone to ride you”

“Simplicity is the key to brilliance”

“The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering.”

“Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one's potential.”

“"A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer."
“Forget about winning and losing, forget about pride and pain”

“Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not you go out and look for a successfull personality an duplicate it.”

“Let an opponent graze your skin and you smash into his flesh; let an opponent smash into your flesh and youfracture his bone; let an opponent fracture your bone and you take his life! Do not be concerned with your escaping safely; lay your life before him!”

“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”

“Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.”

“A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.”

“Real living is living for others.”

"Take things as they are. Punch when you have to punch. Kick when you have to kick.”

“As long as I can remember I feel I have had this great creative and spiritual force within me that is greater than faith, greater than ambition, greater than confidence, greater than determination, greater than vision. It is all these combined. My brain becomes magnetized with this dominating force which I hold in my hand.”

“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you'll never get it done.”

“Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.”

“The possession of anything begins in the mind”

“Man, the living creature, the creating individual, is always more important than any established style or system.”

“If you love life, don't waste time, for time is what life is made up of.”

“A quick temper will make a fool of you soon enough.”

"To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities.”

“When there is freedom from mechanical conditioning, there is simplicity. The classical man is just a bundle of routine, ideas and tradition. If you follow the classical pattern, you are understanding the routine, the tradition, the shadow - you are not understanding yourself.”

“I am not teaching you anything. I just help you to exlplore yourself”

“The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be.”

“Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.”

"Obey the principles without being bound by them.”

“If you want to learn to swim jump into the water. On dry land no frame of mind is ever going to help you”

“It's not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential.”

“To me, the extraordinary aspect of martial arts lies in its simplicity. The easy way is also the right way, and martial arts is nothing at all special; the closer to the true way of martial arts, the less wastage of expression there is.”

“Take no thought of who is right or wrong or who is better than. Be not for or against.”

“"To know oneself is to study oneself in action with another person."”

“Let the spirit out - Discard all thoughts of reward, all hopes of praise and fears of blame, all awareness of one's bodily self. And, finally closing the avenues of sense perception, let the spirit out, as it will.”

"We have more faith in what we imitate than in what we create"

"Its like a finger pointing to the moon (slap) don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all of that heavenly Glory!"

"Board don't hit back!"

"Learn the principle, abide by the principle, and dissolve the principle.

"Like a cobra, your strike should be felt before it is seen."

"A fight is not won by one punch or kick. Either learn to endure or hire a bodyguard."

"Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way round or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.
Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it ... becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water my friend."

"Man, the living creature, the creating individual, is always more important than any established style or system."

"knowing is not enough, we must apply, and willing is not enough, we must do!"

Yigal Arbiv From Netanya

2009-12-27T16:26:00.000-08:00

"YIGAL OF NETANYA"
By WR Mann
President, Realfighting
www.realfighting.com

If there’s anyplace in the Middle East that resembles America’s 19th century Wild West, it has to be Netanya, Israel.This notorious city north of Tel Aviv is home to Russian mobsters and active terrorists; it is also home to Krav Maga’s toughest school. This is where Haim Gidon heads the governing body for Krav Maga worldwide, the Israeli Krav Maga Association (IKMA).

As every western town had its Bat Masterson, or Wyatt Erpp, Netanya has Yigal Arbiv. Born in Hadera, a town just north of Netanya, Yigal is a security specialist for one of Netanya’s schools, protecting children from the ever constant threat of terrorism. As is often the case with children who wear glasses, Yigal was picked on when he was a youth; this prompted him to learn self-defense. After several months of studying Tae Kwon Do, he met with Haim Gidon, leader and co-founder of the IKMA and has trained with Haim for fifteen years since.

As required of all eligible Israelis, Yigal joined the military (paratroopers) when he was of age, and became a weapons specialist. There he learned how the Israeli military fights, using a fieldstripped version of the Krav Maga learned in Haim’s school. The Israeli army [like other armies] doesn’t have the time to train their recruits in eastern martial arts (which can take years) they need to make soldiers out of these men in months. Since the Israel’s statehood, Israel’s defense and security forces have used stripped-down versions of Krav Maga. As Israel faced its security challenges, Krav Maga evolved and continues to refine itself to this day.

After leaving the army, Yigal attended Wingate, Israel’s national sports institute, an exclusive training academy for instructors and coaches. (Grandmaster Haim Gidon sits on Wingate’s professional board as the recognized head of Krav Maga.) Yigal landed a job at Wingate and eventually started working in school security, protecting students from terrorists. Yigal has a close relationship with Haim who teaches his students not only to be good fighters, but to be good citizens as well. Now teaching Krav Maga fulltime in Israel, Yigal agrees with Haim’s philosophy, “be careful who you teach,” they don’t want students with ill intentions.

Not commonly known, there are several interpretations of Krav Maga within Israel and abroad, more often splinter groups that are offshoots of the main style. But Yigal prefers Haim’s teaching, as did Krav Maga’s founder, Imi Lichtenfeld. (Imi also qualified several high ranking American instructors beginning in 1981.) Due to this constant field-testing; Krav Maga’s knife and gun defense are finely honed and world renowned.

As you can imagine, security work in a town rife with terrorists and gangsters is a daunting task. Yigal says, in Netanya, people attack you with weapons first, that is; guns, knives, axes, and broken bottles (among other things), you only have a split second to react. When dealing with weapons, Yigal says, the most important thing to do, after you neutralize your opponent, is to remove the weapon from his reach. There are several incidents where a downed opponent regained consciousness, picked up his weapon and disabled or killed the defender, or the attacker’s cohorts used the weapon against the defender.

Haim Gidon (who teaches police units in Israel and around the world) recently prepared Yigal for a recent visit to New York City. Yigal, in conjunction with David Kahn, another of Haim’s instructors, taught advanced techniques to state and local law enforcement units, including the latest close quarters anti-terrorist training.

Yigal and David (who is the official IKMA representative in New York City) were kind enough to meet me at Chau’s Martial Arts Center during their hectic schedule to show us some of the latest weapons defenses from Haim’s school. We have a series of pictures that show the basic concepts of weapons against weapons, and unarmed defense against weapons. Starting with this issue, we will show two photo series demos per month until April.

Sudden unprovoked knife attack against armed guard
Unarmed defense against MP-5 assailant from the rear

Unarmed defense against shotgun, from the front
Disarm and escape form assailant holding micro-explosive

6 POINTS FOR GUN DEFENSE

2009-12-27T16:25:00.001-08:00

Events of the last several years have finally sent the “wake-up call” to the entire world. The United States begrudgingly joins with many countries in the sobering realization that safety is no longer a guarantee. Most are beginning to see the big picture. Crime and terrorism are no longer threats that happen to someone else. Violations of public and personal safety have become increasingly open and brazen.

One of the weapons most utilized on the streets is a firearm.

In the eyes of the Instructors within the LOTAR / Kapap system dealing with real world, self-defense is of paramount importance, and it is for this reason that one of the most practiced components of LOTAR / Kapap is weapon defense.

LOTAR / Kapap was forged from the experience of continuous conflict. The evolution of the techniques and methods utilized within the LOTAR / Kapap system have all been proven and tested within one of the worlds most active and elite Anti Terrorist Units. This unit, known as the “YAMAM” understands all too well that the consequences of mistakes mean life or death.

LOTAR / Kapap specializes in streamlining the techniques until all that is left are natural and effective techniques to deal with a threat in the quickest and most instinctive way possible. The Instructors at LOTAR / Kapap have trained numerous Law Enforcement and Military personnel in self-defense and anti-terrorist techniques for many years. However, the LOTAR / Kapaptechniques are now being shared with the public for the first time outside of Israel.

Leading the progression of LOTAR / Kapap training out of the LOTAR / Kapap Training is former Israeli Defense Force Major Avi Nardia , Major Avi Nardia is a veteran martial artist and former LOTAR/ Kapap instructor for the “YAMAM” utilize and have developed the six basic points of Firearm defense.

1. Field of Fire
Understanding the direction and distance or point of fire of the weapon. This includes understanding the “field of fire” in which the weapon can be fired, as well as the distance or range in which the ammunition can cause harm.

2. Understanding the Weapon
Understanding the weapon and how it is utilized. Remember edged weapons never run out of ammo but guns do. Firearms can jam or malfunction. With proper instruction you can learn techniques to effectively cause a weapon’s malfunction while disarming an attacker. It is for this reason; an understanding of a firearm’s mechanism is of paramount importance. You should be able to understand and identify the differences between a revolver and a semi automatic weapon; the difference between a Handgun and a Shotgun or rifle.

3. Situation Evaluation
Evaluate in an attempt to controlling the psychological aspect of your situation. Focus and stay in control of your emotions. For most training is required to stay calm and focused internally in spite of your outward appearance. Your body language can easily escalate an already emotionally charged situation. The attacker’s body language can provide clues as to his intentions. You must train to begin an understanding of techniques in attempting to control the situation verbally and physically. You must evaluate the attacker. Is he a punk kid that is very excited and seemingly inexperienced or is he a professional criminal that is under control? Understand that if you see the weapon, it is probable the attacker does not have the intention to just shoot, the attacker wants something. This behavior on the part of the attacker can allow you valuable moments, giving you the time to make choices. To defend or not to defend.

4. Timing
Understand and train in the use of Timing. You must learn to utilize timing to your advantage. If your evaluated decision or only option is to attempt to disarm an attacker, you must move quickly, decisively and unsuspectingly to control and take the weapon away, like a magician that is trying to make a watch disappear off of someone’s wrist.

5. Situational Awareness
Possess awareness of your surrounding environment. You must be aware of your surroundings at all times. An attacker seeks the unaware and unsuspecting. In every surrounding make mental notes of potential escape routes, items that can be used as weapons and other people that will be placed in harms way should a threat or conflict arise. In the case of an attacker with a firearm, you must pay attention to where the bullet will be discharged if fired. Either as a law enforcement officer with your partner or a civilian with a bystander or family member, you must know where others are located when moving the weapon.

6. Post Conflict Details
Be ready for the post conflict. It has been found that people who have been attacked often do not remember the face of the attacker even though they were looking right at it. Remain calm and remember to visualize and take mental notes of details. Try to take a mental photograph of the attacker’s face, clothes, weapon, and any distinguishing marks on the person body or vehicle.

In conclusion we need to point out the key elements essential to these points are awareness, timing, speed and understanding distance. You must pay very close attention to controlling the weapon before any additional strikes or action. Once the weapon in truly in your control then you can strike to multiple targets as your style and situation delegates. You must practice the techniques with each hand as well as under different types of stress levels i.e. Cardio intensive workouts. Also change lighting and environments to follow real world scenarios. Proper and continued training in these six basic points of firearm defense may very well make the difference between life and death when faced with real world threats. Don’t be caught unprepared it might be the last mistake you make!

The History of Capoeira

2009-12-27T16:22:00.000-08:00

THE BEGINNING
In 1500's the Portuguese, led by explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral, arrived in Brazil. One of the first measures taken by the new arrivals was the subjugation of the local population, the Brazilian Indians, in order to furnish the Portuguese with slave labor (for sugarcane and cotton). The experience with the aborigines was a failure. The Indians quickly died in captivity or fled to their nearby homes. The Portuguese then began to import slave labor from Africa. On the other side of the Atlantic, free men and women were captured, loaded onto ghastly slave ships and sent on nightmarish voyages that for most would end in perpetual bondage. The Africans first arrived by the hundreds and later by the thousands (approximately four million in total).Three major African groups contributed in large numbers to the slave population in Brazil, the Sudanese group, composed largely of Yoruba and Dahomean peoples, the Mohammedanized Guinea-Sudanese groups of Malesian and Hausa peoples, and the "Bantu" groups (among them Kongos, Kimbundas, and Kasanjes) from Angola, Congo and Mozambique.

THE FOREFATHERS
Who or what is responsible for Capoeira? Where did the foundation of capoeira come from? That is the eternal question that can never really be answered. The Bantu groups are believed to have been the foundation for the birth of Capoeira. They brought with them, from Africa, their culture, a culture that was not stored away in books and museums but rather in the body, mind, heart and soul. A culture that was transmitted from father to son, throughout generations. There was candomble', a religion; the berimbau, a musical instrument; vatapa, a food; and so many other things. Basically a way of life.

FIGHTING BACK
The Dutch controlled parts of the northeast between 1624 and 1654. Slaves took steps towards re conquest of their freedom when the Dutch lashed out against the Portuguese colony, invading towns and plantations along the northeastern coast concentrating on Recife and Salvador. With each Dutch invasion the security of the plantations and towns were weakened. The slaves taking advantage of the opportunities, fled, plunging into the forests in search of places in which to hide and survive. Many after escaping founded independent villages called quilombos. The quilombos were very important to evolution of Capoeira. There were at least ten major quilombos with internal socio-economic organizations and commercial relationships with neighboring cities. The quilombo dos Palmraes lasted sixty-seven years in the interior of the state of Alagoas, rebuffing almost all expeditions sent to extinguish it. Because of the consistency and type of threat present, Capoeira developed it's structure as a fight in the quilombos. The embryo of Capoeira as a rudimentary fighting style was created in the slaves' quarters and perhaps would not have developed further if left only to that environment.

SUPPRESSION
Starting around 1814, Capoeira and other forms of African cultural expression suffered repression and were prohibited in some places by the slave masters and overseers. Up until that date, forms of African cultural expression were permitted and sometimes even encouraged, not only as a safety gauge against internal pressures created by slavery but also to bring out the differences between various African groups, in a spirit of "divide and conquer". But with the arrival in Brazil in 1808 of the Portuguese king Dom Joao VI and his court, who were fleeing Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Portugal, things changed. The newcomers understood the necessity of destroying a people's culture in order to dominate them, and Capoeira began to be persecuted in a process, which would culminate with its being outlawed in 1892. Why was Capoeira suppressed? There were many motives. First of all it gave Africans a sense of nationality. It also developed self-confidence in individual Capoeira practitioners. Capoeira created small, cohesive groups. It also created dangerous and agile fighters. Sometimes the slaves would injure themselves during the Capoeira, which was not desirable from an economical point of view. The masters and overseers were probably not as conscious as the king and his intellectuals of his court of all of these motives, but intuitively knew something didn't "smell right."

MULTIPLE THEORIES
It must be stressed that there are many other theories attempting to explain the origins of Capoeira. According to one prevalent theory, Capoeira was a fight that was disguised as a dance so that it could be practiced unbeknownst to the white slave owners. This seems unlikely because, around 1814, when African culture began to be repressed, other forms of African dancing suffered prohibition along with Capoeira, so there was no sense in disguising Capoeira as a dance. Another theory says that the Mucupes in the South of Angola had an initiation ritual (efundula) for when girls became woman, on which occasion the young warriors engaged in the N'golo, or "dance of the zebras," a warrior's fight-dance. According to this theory, the N'golo was Capoeira itself. This theory was presented by Camara Cascudo (folclore do Brasil, 1967), but one year later Waldeloir Rego (Capoeira Angola, Editora Itapoan, Salvador, 1968) warned that this "strange theory" should be looked upon with reserve until it was properly proven (something that never happened). If the N'Golo did exist, it would seem that it was at best one of several dances that contributed to the creation of early Capoeira. Other theories mix Zumbi, the legendary leader of the Quilombo dos Palmares (a community made up of those who managed to flee from slavery) with the origins of Capoeira, without any reliable information on the matter. All of these theories are extremely important when we try to understand the myth that surrounds Capoeira, but they clearly cannot be accepted as historical fact according to the data and information that we presently have. Perhaps with further research the theory that we have proposed here, i.e., Capoeira as a mix of various African dances and fights that occurred in Brazil, primarily in the 19th century, will also be outdated in future years.

A TURNING POINT
With the signing of the Golden Law in 1888, which abolished slavery, the newly freed slaves did not find a place for themselves within the existing socio-economic order. The capoeirista (practitioner of Capoeira), with his fighting skills, self-confidence and individuality, quickly descended into criminality and Capoeira along with him. In Rio de Janiero, where Capoeira had developed exclusively as a form of fighting, criminal gangs were created that terrorized the population. Soon thereafter, during the transition from the Brazilian Empire to the Brazilian republic in 1890, these gangs were used by both monarchists and republicans to exert pressure on and break up the rallies of their adversaries. The club, the dagger and the switchblade were used to complement the damage done by various Capoeira moves.In Bahia on the other hand, Capoeira continued to develop into a ritual-dance-fight-game, and the berimbau began to be an indispensable instrument used to command the rodas (actual sessions of Capoeira games), which always took place hidden locales since the practice of Capoeira in this era had already been outlawed by the first constitution of the Brazilian Republic (1892).

PERSECUTION
At the beginning of the twentieth century, in Rio the capoeirista was a rouge and a criminal. Whether the capoeirista was white, black or mulatto, he was an expert in the use of kicks (golpes), sweeps (rasteiras) and head-butts (cabecadas), as well as in the use of blade weapons. In Recife, Capoeira became associated with the city's principal musicbands. During carnival time, tough Capoeira fighters would lead the bands through the streets of that city, and were ever two bands would meet, fighting and bloodshed would usually ensue. In Bahia, the capoeirista was also often seen as a criminal. The persecution and the confrontations with the police continued. The art form was slowly extinguished in Rio and Recife, leaving Capoeira only in Bahia. It was during this period that legendary figures, feared players such as Besouro Cordao-de-Ouro in Bahia, Nascimento Grande in Recife and Manduca da Praia in Rio, who are celebrated to this day in Capoeira, made their appearances It is said that Besouro lived in Santo Amaro da Purificacao in the state of Bahia, and was the teacher of another famous capoeirista by the name of Cobrinha Verde. Besouro did not like the police and was feared not only as a capoeirista but also for having his corpo fechado (a person who through specific magic rituals, supposedly attains almost complete invulnerability in the face of various weapons). According to legend, an ambush was set up for him. It is said that he himself (who could not read) carried the written message identifying him as the person to be killed, thinking that it was a message that would bring him work. Legend says he was killed with a special wooden dagger prepared during magic rituals in order to overcome his corpo fechado.

THE CRIMINAL ELEMENT
Of all the rouges that led the carnival bands through the streets of Recife, Nascimiento Grande was one of the most feared. Some say he was killed during police persecution in the early 1900s, but others say he moved from Recife to Rio de Janiero and died of old age there. Manduca da Praia was of an earlier generation (1890s) and always dressed in an extremely elegant style. It is said that he owned a fish store and lived comfortably. He was also one of those who controlled elections in the area he lived in. It is said that he had twenty-seven criminal cases against himself (for assault, knifing etc.) but was always absolved due to his influence of the politicians he worked for.

GODFATHERS OF CAPOEIRA
The two central figures in Capoeira in the twentieth century were undoubtedly Mestre Bimba and Mestre Pastinha. These two figures are so important in the history of Capoeira that they (and the mystery that surrounds them) are the mythical ancestors of all Capoeira players. Much of what a modern Capoeira player tries to be is due to what these men were or represented. Even though they were not the first, they are definitely the most prominent figures associated with Capoeira today. They are synonymous with Capoeira because they are the heart, soul, spirit and essence of the martial art. Both are legends.

MESTRE BIMBA
In the 1932 in Salvador, Mestre Bimba (Manuel dos Reis Machado) opened the first Capoeira academy. He started teaching what he called "the regional fight from Bahia," eventually known as Capoeira Regional (faster more aggressive than traditional Capoeira Angola style). This feat was made possible by nationalistic policies of Getulio Vargas, who wanted to promote Capoeira as a Brazilian sport. Although Bimba opened his school in 1932, the official recognition only came about in 1937, when it was technically registered. It must be noted that the Getulio Vargas government permitted the practice of Capoeira, but only in enclosed areas that were registered with the police. With the opening of Bimba's Academy, a new era in the history of Capoeira began, as the game was taught to the children of the upper classes of Salvador. Bimba was active in Capoeira his whole life. As a matter of fact he was planning to give a Capoeira demonstration on the day he died, February 5, 1974.

MESTRE PASTINHA
In 1941, Mestre Pastinha (Vincente Ferreira Pastinha) opened his Capoeira angola school. For the first time, Capoeira began to be taught and practiced openly in a formal setting. He became known as the "Philosopher of Capoeira" because of his many aphorisms. Unfortunately, government authorities, under the pretext of reforming the Largo do Pelourinho, where he had his academy confiscated. Although he was promised a new one, the government never came through. The final years of his life were sad. Blind and almost abandoned he lived in a small room until his death in 1981 at the age of ninety-two.

TODAY AND BEYOND
Capoeira has grown tremendously over the last fifty years. It has finally been excepted by the masses in Brazil. Capoeira competitions and academies are surfacing everywhere. In 1974 it was recognized as the national sport of Brazil. This forced the creation of a national federation of Capoeira. It was formed to govern, promote and coordinate Capoeira since no effort was made previously to unite the various emurgances of Capoeira throughout Brazil. How is Capoeira practiced today? It usually starts with musicians playing instruments such as the berimbau (one string, bow type instrument), atabaque (congo), pandiero (tambourine), and agogo (bell). The musicians are based at the foot (pe' da) of the circle (roda).This roda is made up of participants (capoeiristas or players) crouching down. The musicians and/or players may be singing a song in Portuguese. Players enter the game from the pe'da roda (foot of the circle), usually with a cartwheel (au). Once in the circle the two players interact with a series of jumps, kicks, flips, hand and headstands and other ritualistic moves. Games can be friendly or dangerous. The music plays a big part in the feel of the game. The type of game to be played (fast or slow, friendly or tough) depends upon the rhythm being played and the content of the lyrics. Capoeira has expanded beyond the borders of Brazil and is growing rapidly in other countries (including the United States). Capoeira appeals to many for many different reasons. First of all the pure beauty of the art is hypnotic. Capoeira is a dance and a fight. It's not only a combination of gymnastics, dance and martial arts but also music, culture, history and knowledge. The capoeirista must learn to balance the physical with the mental. The capoeirista must play many instruments and sing. The capoeirista may at times be your enemy but is usually a friend. The capoeirista is a historian. The capoeirista is all of these.

THE HISTORY OF TAE KWON-DO

2009-12-27T16:20:00.000-08:00

Tae Kwon Do is a two thousand year old martial art form that originated in Korea. It is based on the premise that every person has the instinct to defend himself or herself against a sudden attack. As a result of this basic instinct, the origins of Tae Kwon Do date back to the earliest days of humanity on earth.

Evidence of Tae Kwon Do's past can be found in oral history and artifacts from Korea's three early kingdoms. These three kingdoms were called Kokooryo, Baekjae and Silla.

The Kokooryo Kingdom was founded by Kojoomong in 37 BC. Kojoomong became known as King Dong Myeong Sung. This kingdom lasted until the year 668 AD. An important Tae Kwon Do tradition of Senior\Junior relationship was first established between the years 53 and 165 AD. The phrase, "Respect Senior or older, love Junior or younger," was deeply rooted in the minds of the people of the Kokooryo Kingdom and became a part of the Korean cultural tradition, especially in Tae Kwon Do training.

Other evidences of Tae Kwon Do as an ancient martial art have been found in mural paintings on royal tombs. These tombs date back to the Kokooryo Kingdom. In the mural of Mooyang Chong, two men are in sparring positions. A man poses in a Tae Kwon Do basic form in Samssil Chong's mural painting. In Don Soo Myo's mural painting, another sparring pose was found. Historians date these murals between the years 3 AD. and 427 AD. These paintings place Tae Kwon Do two hundred years ahead of the Chinese martial art form practiced in the Shaolin temples.

The Silla Kingdom was founded by Park Hyuk Kusae in 37 BC. and lasted until 935 AD. Although the Silla Kingdom was the smallest of the three and a primitive society, this kingdom influenced the beginnings of Tae Kwon Do. A selected youth military organization called the "Hwa Rang Do" practiced a systemized and innovative martial art form called Tae Kwon Do along with their regular institutional curriculum. Later, the Hwarang was chiefly responsible for the victories that led to the unification of the peninsula during the Silla Dynasty. The meaning of "Hwarang" is "Flower Knight," and this group was organized by King Jin Heung in 567 AD. The instructor of the "Hwarang" youth was the monk Won Kwang Bupsa. He was also the author of the now famous Sesokokye, the following five commandment.

BE LOYAL TO YOUR COUNTRY.
HONOR YOUR PARENTS.
BE FAITHFUL TO YOUR FRIENDS.
NEVER RETREAT IN BATTLE.
USE GOOD JUDGMENT BEFORE KILLING LIVING THINGS.

These commandments became a basic way of life for the Hwarang, giving values and principles for living to those involved in Tac Kwon Do training.

The third king of the Silla Dynasty, Yoorie, sponsored Soobakhee contests. Those contests were predecessors to modern day Tae Kwon Do. At that time the contests were seen as ritual festivals whose purpose was to provide an opportunity for prayer for the welfare of the nation. As a result of these religious festivals, the statue of Keumkang Budda, located in the old capital of Silla, is another strong evidence that Tae Kwon Do was practiced in the Silla Kingdom.

Baekjae, a tribe which fled from Kokooryo, settled in the Han River Basin. The leader, Onjo, unified all the existing tribes and formed the ancient kingdom of Baekjae in 18 BC. As in the other kingdoms, Tae Kwon Do played a big part in national defense. The Soo Sa system of Baekjae (closely compared with the Hwarang do organization of the Silla Dynasty) participated in the defense of the Baekjae Kingdom. During this time, another predecessor of Tae Kwon Do, SooByeokTa, a famous folk event, occurred among the villages of the Baekjae Kingdom. The winner of the contests sometimes became the leader of the village or a military general.

Koryo was founded by Wang Keon in 918 AD. In the book Record of Koryo, Tac Kwon Do was first called Soobakhee. It was very popular among the Koryo people. The kings of Koryo liked to watch Soobakhee contests and awarded prizes to the winners.

Kookjakam, the national university of Koryo, and the highest educational institution at that time for Confucious followers, propagated and systemized Soobakhee to its highest level. During the Koryo Dynasty, trade with all parts of the world was starting to flourish. This exposure to the rest of the world enabled cultural as well as product exchanges. SooBakhee was one of these exchanges. Foreigners were attracted to this martial art form, and historians tell us that from this time on, the Korean martial art form began to spread to the outside world. The Koryo Dynasty was also renamed Korea by those who came to trade.

The last dynasty of the era was the Lee Dynasty. It lasted from 1392 to 1910 AD. SungKaeLee founded the country of Chosen and later became the first king. His new name as king was Tae Jo. It was during the Lee Dynasty that SooBakhee became the people's martial art. The book, Mooyae Doba Tongjee, (the first martial arts text book) explains the scientific approach to establish this art in Korea after its creation and development. This book provides detailed hand drawings of each Soobakhee technique as well as a clear description of the principles of the art. The book was published by Deok Moo Lee and Jac Ka Park during the reign of King Jeong Jong in 1790.

Historians have established that Tae Kwon Do is the oldest form of martial art in the world, and that it began in Korea. Throughout the history of Korea, Tae Kwon Do has been called by several different names: Soobak, Soobakhee, Soobyuk, Takkyeon, Beekaksool, Soobyukta and Kwonbub. Tae Kwon Do has continued to grow and evolve as it was handed down from generation to generation. During the end of the Lee Dynasty and during the Japanese occupation of Korea, Tae Kwon Do appeared to fade away, but the Tae Kwon Do spirit in Korea never died. Tae Kwon Do started to revitalize itself with the restoration of Korea's independence after 36 years of Japanese occupation Since that time, Tae Kwon Do has spread to almost every corner of the world. It has enriched lives, provided physical and spiritual discipline, and perpetuated a sense of tradition and values that are necessary for a strong society or spiritual discipline.

THE THEORY OF KYU-SHIN-DO, WHAT IT IS, OR, MORE PRECISELY, WHAT IT ISN'T!

2009-12-27T16:18:00.000-08:00

Kyu = Desire – Yearn – Sphere – Circle – Search – Study.
Shin = Heart – New – Spirit – True – To be true to ones self.
Do = Way or Path , a way of life or self discipline.

I honestly believe that Kyu-Shin-Do has lost its true path in Britain and has become many things to many people. Kenshiro Abbe Sensei came to Britain in 1955 at the invitation of the London Judo Society ( LJS ). He considered the Judo that he saw to be too concerned with strength, also too physical and hard. It was his intent to introduce his theory of Kyu-Shin-Do to the British Judoka. They in turn found it hard to understand that if they followed his teaching of Kyu-Shin-Do Judo which he himself had studied from as early as 1940 their own Judo skills would become stronger by technique rather than strength. Abbe Sensei would often say when speaking of KyuShinDo that “one must have the right mind “. On one occasion he lined up 31 Judoka dan grades, he walked along the line and informed each Judoka what technique he would use, and whether it would be left of right handed. Abbe Sensei then proceeded to throw each and every single one of the 31 students just as he had said. It is worth being reminded that Abbe Sensei was 40 years of age at that time.

In 1937 Kenshiro Abbe Sensei fought the great Japanese Judo legend Masahiko Kimura, Abbe Sensei beat Kimura and that was Kimura’s only defeat. Kimura Sensei said of Abbe Sensei after his defeat “It was as if I was fighting a shadow and trying to catch the wind”

My good friend Gerry Gyngell Sensei said to me on this subject of KyuShinDo “ I believe it is as much about mental attitude as it is technique. I also believe that one can only learn by example and this ( I think ) is why so many failed to understand his teachings as they only looked at the physical and not the mental side of what Abbe Sensei was teaching.
Yes . . . the techniques had to be performed correctly . . .
Yes . . . it is not about how strong physically you are . . .
More importantly it is not about winning and losing, but about the balance of nature and the attitude of one to another.
I know this may start to seem that I am bringing in religion to the subject, In a way Budo is a religion but without the worship of a Greater Being etc. You Henry, are fond of Sensei’s saying “ no matter what your pretence, you are what you are and nothing more!” I also believe that Abbe Sensei practiced the old philosophy of "To thine ownself be true".
This is in my opinion a big part of what KyuShinDo is . . .
All nature is a circle, so all correct movement is circular and by blending ( adapting ones technique ) with an opposing movement in an honest and open way the result will be harmony of thought and action . . .
Gerry Gyngell Sensei was a member of Abbe Sensei’s Olympic squad 1964. Three time the Welsh Judo Champion. Also worked in Abbe Sensei’s London office for the British Judo Council…

I would suggest that the true intention of Abbe Sensei was to teach his students that they too could be as smooth and elusive as a shadow rather than a brick wall.

Since the passing of Kenshiro Abbe in 1985 there have been so many that now claim to have known him, and to be great personal friends Abbe Sensei. There are now so many, but the worst of these characters is the late George Mayo and sadly his present day followers. Mr Mayo himself shamelessly claimed “ I am the founder of KyuShinDo “ he also later claimed that he `helped` Abbe Sensei to develop Kyu-Shin-Do . . . These claims are totally fraudulent and an insult the the memory of a great Budo Master.

I now see the name ` Kyu-Shin-Do ` attached to so many things in the martial arts that I now believe many consider the term to be a ` really good ` sounding Japanese name without a dollop of the concept of understanding of its true meaning.

From 1957 I attended almost every public Budo demonstration that Abbe Sensei ever took part in. He did on some occasions demonstrate Karate, yet to my knowledge and my associates he never taught Karate other than to teach us how to kick and punch. NEVER ONCE did he ever refer to Karate as “KyuShinDo Karate “ and he never ever taught KyuShinDo Karate . . .

Abbe Sensei invited Harada Sensei to Britain in 1963 to teach Karate for the British Karate Council ( BKC ) Harada Sensei taught Shotokai Karate…

The same applies to KyuShinDo Aikido. Kenshiro Abbe Sensei introduced Aikido to Britain in 1955 and as a direct student from 1957 I never ever heard the word KyuShinDo used in the teaching or study of Aikido. I do believe that when people use and abuse the name of “ Kyu-Shin-Do “ there is a deliberate attempt to imply a connection or relationship to Kenshiro Abbe Sensei.

It a sad fact that Abbe Sensei was unhappy that so few Judoka were able to understand the teachings and principles of KyuShinDo even though they were receiving his personal tuition. Gyngell Sensei stated “I also believe that one can only learn by example !! “ So how would all these KyuShinDo groups ``really `` understand the meaning of KyuShinDo? If one places KyuShinDo in the Google browser there are thousands of sites using the name.

MASTER OF MASTERS Hatsumi Sensei Ninja Magazine, Oct 1985

2009-12-27T16:16:00.000-08:00

MASTER OF MASTERS
Hatsumi Sensei Ninja Magazine, Oct 1985

(I know there are many errors contained here. I have not corrected them, instead I posted the article as it was published . . . Merlyn)

It is with much respect and admiration that we welcome the literary and philosophical contributions of Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi to our magazine. Dr. Hatsumi, as many of you know by now, is the 34th Soke (Grandmaster) of Togakureryu ninjutsu, the title having been passed down to him from his master, the late Toshitsugu Takamatsu, 33rd Soke. What many people are not aware of, however, is that the venerable Takamatsu also bequeathed his prize student the authority and position of headmaster in seven other martial arts:

14th Soke of Kumogakure ryu ninpo (originally founded by Heinaizaemon Ienaga Iga (a.k.a. Kumogakure Hoshi)
17th Soke of Takagi yoshin ryu jutaijutsu, originally founded by Oriuemon Shigenobu Takagi
18th Soke of Gikan ryu koppojutsu, originally founded by Sonyu Hangan Gikanbo, lord of Kawachi
18th Soke of Koto ryu koppojutsu, originally founded by Sandayu Momochi
26th Soke of Shinden fudo ryu dakentaijutsu, originally founded by Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru
28th Soke of Kukishin ryu happo hikenjustu, originally founded by Izumo Kanja Yoshiteru
28th Soke of Gyokko ryu koshijutsu, originally founded by Hakuunsai Tozawa.
34th Soke of Togakure ryu ninjutsu, by the way, was originally founded by Daisuke Togakure.

Titles alone, of course, do not describe the man entirely, and only barely touch upon the universal approach to life that he so eloquently embodies. A deeper insight may be had by reading his own preface in his widely?acclaimed book, NINJUTSU: HISTORY AND TRADITION (Unique Publications). Soke Hatsumi states:

I believe that ninpo, the higher order of ninjutsu, should be offered to the world as a guiding influence for all martial artists. The physical and spiritual survival methods eventually immortalized by Japan's ninja were in fact one of the sources of Japanese martial arts. Without complete and total training in all aspects of the combative arts, today's martial artist can not hope to progress any further than, mere proficiency in the limited set of muscular skills that make up his or her training system. Personal enlightenment can only come about through total immersion in the martial tradition as a way of living.

By experiencing the confrontation of danger, the transcendence of fear or injury or death, and a working knowledge of individual personal powers and limitations, the practitioner of ninjutsu can gain strength and invincibility that permit enjoyment of the flowers moving in the wind, appreciation of the love of others, and contentment with the presence of peace in society. The attainment of this enlightenment is characterized by the development of the jihi no kokoro, or "benevolent heart". Stronger than love itself, the benevolent heart is capable of encompassing all that constitutes universal justice and all that finds expression in the unfolding of the universal scheme. Born of the insight attained from repeated exposure to the very brink between life and death, ninpo's benevolent heart is the key to finding harmony and understanding in the realms of the spiritual and natural material worlds.

After so many generations of obscurity in the' shadowy recesses of history, the life philosophy of the ninja_ is now once again emerging, because once again, it is the time in human destiny in which ninpo is needed. May peace prevail so that mankind may continue to grow arid evolve into the next great plateau.

So many testimonials have been written about Dr. Hatsumi that, to list just a portion of them would entail the addition of countless pages to the magazine or warrant a special edition devoted to that subject alone. Barring that enterprise for the moment, we can happily accommodate the words of Yoshiteru Otani. Learning that his friend and teacher for 25 years was embarking on a series of articles for Ninja Magazine, Mr. Otani, 9th Dan, Jigen-Ryu, Founder and President of New York Iaikai acknowledged that:

"In the martial arts history of Japan, we have produced only a handful of major grandmasters. . . " citing Ueshiba Morihei Sensei of Aikido fame and Mikune Kyuzo Sensei, 10th Dan of Judo, as two from the modern era. "Standing with them," Mr. Otani asserts, "is Hatsumi Sensei, a real genius in his time, a modern ninja without equal."

"His dedication to the art of ninjutsu and his devotion to his profession as a chiropractic doctor creates an example of a man who has harmonized body and spirit."

Mr. Otani considers him " . . . not only the greatest martial artist alive, he is also a master of kindness and spirit. During my 45 years of study in martial arts and 30 years as a teacher, I have not met a man like him in any country. I know that by reading his artitles your readers will learn by his instruction and be inspired by his spirit.

" We, the editors, have no doubt that that will be the case. Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi is a treasure of information whose wealth can be shared by all. In this, the first of what we hope will be many articles, Dr. Hatsumi briefly discusses his reasons for speaking to us from Japan, his birthplace and current residence.

The worldwide ninja movement is upon us. Because of this, many people have decided to call themselves' "ninja". Many (others) claim to know what ninjutsu is. Under these circumstances I must explain the reason for my taking up a pen to write about this art.

Today, the pen is stronger than the sword. I am living in the modern world, so as the only true ninja alive today, I must fight with my pen, not my sword, to introduce this 900 year old tradition of ninpo to those who are truly interested in the ancient art of the ninja.

The introduction of the ninja movement in the West, as I see it, is~moving in the wrong direction. Why? Because ninjutsu was originally taught in a secret manner, and this secrecy was kept and observed for many years.. Ninjutsu was not exposed. (Yet), those who never learned ninpo, those who just read books, for example, started to practice even though they had very wrong conceptions. It is therefore often thought that ninjutsu is used for assassinations and other evil purposes, and that those who practice it live in a `dark world'. Too many people believe that that is what a ninja is because that is the way it is being introduced.

Being a real ninja means living a good life, a life under the sun - a special place in the sun; to love people, to understand nature and animals, and to love the universe. This type of love I speak of must have a kind of balance in it: It is not only give and take, it is also give and return. The mind of a ninja is a mind of mercy, a mind of God. It is a state of mind that must be kept in order to live a straight, moral life.

Looking for the meaning of life, one man can discover the order of the universe. To discover the truth, to achieve. a higher spiritual state, that is the true meaning of ninja..
NINJA HACHIMON:
NINJA NO KIAI: (This involves an explosive expression of spirit and energy to others and to oneself.)
NINJA NO TAIJUTSU:(Involves the study and practice of body techniques.)
NINJA NO KEMPO: (This is the study of sword techniques.)
NINJA NO SOOJUTSU: (This is the study of methods volving the spear or lance.)
NINJA NO SHURIKEN: (This is the art of throwing knives, darts and star?shaped weapons.)
NINJA NO KAJUTSU: (Involves the use of fire.)
NINJA NO UGEI: (This is the art of deception and disguises.)
NINJA NO KYOMON: (This is the study of religion, philosophy, meditation, history, mathematics, chemistry, physics and psychology.

Since ancient times, study of the arts and sciences were as important to martial arts as the study of self defense techniques. Ninja no kyomon, the study of all aspects of religion, medicine, mathematics and other disciplines are necessary, for correct judgment and selfunderstanding.

This has been a simple introduction to Hachimon, the basics of ninpo. In the following issues, I will go into greater detail concerning this very special martial art and way of life: What we call ninjutsu.

HAT SOMETHING MORE FOUND IN THE MARTIAL ARTS

2009-12-27T16:14:00.000-08:00

What is that "something more" that practicing martial arts can provide? Isn't martial arts just about getting in shape and learning to fight? If you're one of those people that writes martial arts off as people just learning how to fight, you're missing the most important thing there is in martial arts. The latest thing in martial arts doesn't help the perception of martial arts either. What you see on TV with the Ultimate Fighting Championships can be entertaining, it is really a combat sport. The distinction between that and the "something more" in martial arts I am referring to is important to understand.

Although having the ability to handle yourself when you get into a real life situation is important, martial arts goes way beyond that. The most important part is that 'something more' that martial arts offers. And you don't find it many other places. Its really a world unknown to most of people that aren't familiar with the eastern arts.

Many of these eastern martial arts are intertwined with centuries of asian philosophy. These same martial arts follow ideas found within the fabric of the eastern way of life. Asian principles of energy and medicine go hand-in-hand with the principles of many martial arts. True martial arts are really about connecting with yourself. Studying martial arts takes you to a higher level of awareness about yourself and the world around you. That "something more" in martial arts opens new windows of understanding as you discover more about yourself.

Martial arts teaches you to think outside of the box. It shows you that there are no limits other than the ones you place upon yourself. Self-knowledge transcends and you begin to understand that life is best to be lived and not to be conceptualized. Every day there can be a revelation or a new discovery. You learn to treasure the memory of your past misfortunes as they add more to your bank of fortitude.

Martial arts also develops your instinctive urge for expansion and growth. It teaches sincere and honest development of your full potential. By humbling yourself and dedicating yourself to being a student of the martial arts for life you begin to understand that the power of the journey is more important than the destination. These lessons are holistic. They can be directly applied in your work and into your life. After all, its just a path to find out more about yourself.

Martial Myths

2009-12-27T16:12:00.000-08:00

The myths that really irritate me the most revolve around fighting and self-defense, and students regularly ask me about these. I’ve listed 10 of the more prominent myths in this article. Believe it or not, a great majority of people still believe these to be indisputable facts.

Myth #1:
The one-punch kill!

This is numero uno, the biggest myth of all; I can’t believe so many people still fall for this one. Most healthy people on this planet are extremely resilient and very hard to kill with empty hands. There are however instances where a person may have a personal weakness that can lead to extreme injury or death. Case-in-point, an incident that happened in New York years ago. A few guys riding in an open jeep were trying to make a right turn. A pedestrian was moving too slowly for their taste and a shouting match ensued. Next, a passenger hopped out of the Jeep and reverse punched this guy in the chest. He immediately collapsed and died on the spot! The newspapers issued a statement “karate man kills pedestrian with one punch!”

It was later discovered during the autopsy, that the victim had a particular heart condition that would have killed him if he had fallen down a flight of stairs the wrong way -- no one-hit-kill, just a person predisposed to a particular tragic condition. Even karate legend, Egami in his book several years ago, admits there is no such thing as a one-strike-kill, he even went further and stated karate punches were the least powerful among all the types of punching styles he reviewed. The one-punch kill is undoubtedly a myth that was propagated to instill fear and misinformation, too bad many intelligent people still believe it.

Myth #2:
Every professional boxer’s hands are registered with the police; therefore most people have little to fear if an altercation is about to ensue in public.

Wrong! A boxer’s just has to obtain a license in order to fight in the ring. In most cases the promoter will help him attain it. Boxer’s do not register themselves with any authority whatsoever. Having a license has no bearing on whether or not he will punch your lights out if he chooses to do so. He may in fact be the first one to deck you. Remember Tyson and Green?

Myth #3:
Version 2 of the above myth: My martial artist instructor has such dangerous hands that he had to register them with the police.

If I had a dollar every time I heard this myth I would be living in a multi-million dollar condo on 5th Ave. There is NO SUCH THING. The typical story goes, “my instructor is so deadly that he had to register his hands with the local police.” It never happened and doesn’t exist. If someone tells you this story ask to see the documentation – there will be NONE!

Myth #4:
My master’s hands are so tough and so well conditioned, he can break any inanimate objects at will, and feels no pain.

Conditioning limbs and body parts to break inanimate objects are as old as man. It does take skill and time to become conditioned, but it has nothing to do with martial arts and more to do with circus performing. The ability to break huge slabs of ice, bricks and boards doesn’t necessarily mean you can fight. I knew a bricklayer who would break stacks of bricks with a moderate slap. He never studied martial arts in his life.

Actually if you closely observe breaking contests you’ll notice that there’s more ingenuity used than power or martial skill. In most cases boards, stones, bricks and tiles are carefully spaced, this creates a domino effect to help break the entire stack. Training to break inanimate objects is also not healthy, it can injure bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments. One of the more famous breaking acts was Mas Oyama's breaking off of bull’s horns, which wasn’t as noble as you may have heard. He procured sick bulls (tied up inside pens) and would attempt several strikes before the bull would go down. When he got older, he had so much pain in his hands due to arthritis that he could barely use them.

Myth #5:
My master is impervious to pain [anywhere on his body] and no matter how hard I hit him, it has no effect.

Anyone can train to take full body shots to any part of the body with minimum effect; I’m not saying it’s easy; it’s a skill unto itself. This again has nothing to do with martial arts; this is more related to many documented turn-of-the-century circus tricks. If you observe these exhibitions carefully, you’ll notice that practitioners prepare themselves mentally for the strikes in a similar fashion that a yogi would prepare himself to walk on fire or lie on a bed of nails. What you never see though, are these same individuals summoning these super-protective powers during a real fight. Light a fire in your yard and invite a yogi to take a walk; you’ll be waiting a long time!

Myth # 6:
My master has mystical or supernatural powers

Never happened, never will! These stories usually come from China and other parts of Asia and refer to the vibrating palm, the death touch, flying etc. Again, if you understand China, you’ll appreciate the cultural foundation is based on mysticism and not practicality.

I recently overheard a hilarious conversation in a New York Chinese martial arts shop. A customer and the shopkeeper were seriously discussing how to fly kung-fu style. They both were comparing notes and scoffed at the general public for being non-believers. These guys were serious! I almost exploded in laughter.

I have been to China many times and after coming across some very famous masters who weren’t very accomplished fighters, I finally met a (non-martial art) scholar who cleared up this myth. He told me, in the old days, if anyone died outside of the normal physical injuries [during a fight], it probably happened in two very distinct ways. #1. The person could have been predisposed to a certain injury, that is, he had a weak heart, an aneurysm or something similar, or #2. poison was used. In China, weapons as well as finger picks were used to transmit various poisons. A slight touch and the victim would die within a few days and the mysterious death touch would be credited.

Myth #7:
I practice the real style, not the watered-down styles everyone else practices.

These statements started gaining popularity with the advent of the UFC. All of a sudden traditional martial arts were on the defensive, why, they were losing all the time. The only recourse was to say that everyone else was studying the watered down version, and that a real master didn’t fight in the ring, he only fought to the death. I noticed this trend specifically with wing chun, aikido and karate. I had a conversation with a wing chun practitioner last year. He informed me that his master’s master was better than Bruce Lee’s master’s master. Well if you recall, Bruce Lee created Jeet Kune Do because he had lost faith in wing chun as a fighting style? Many Karate practitioners use this line as well, “well my master was the true master, not the phony master, but he only teaches from his cave because he’s so deadly.”

Myth #8:
Learning how to defend yourself from a dangerous situation takes years of training!

Absolutely not! Studying traditional martial arts for 10 or 20 years doesn’t necessarily mean you can fight. Being able to defend yourself from a violent street attack can take as little as a few weeks of intensive training. We’re not talking about developing cage fighting skills, merely defense and escape. I’ve seen great results with individuals who studied basic combatives for a week and maintained a serious and ongoing practice schedule. Most street fights are won more with awareness, a proper mindset and the will and determination to do whatever’s necessary.

Myth #9:
The military and police all know how to fight!

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Reflecting on all the military and LE personnel I’ve taught, over the years, these guys can’t fight. Of course there are a few who have outstanding skills, but for the most part, they are the exception. The state sees soldiers and police as expendable. The military doesn’t have the time and resources to promote a long-term hand-to-hand program; soldiers and police use guns predominantly.

Myth #10:
It was meant to be (aka. it happened for a reason)

I saved this one for last. Although it’s not directly related to martial arts or self-defense, it is however an important contributing factor to a person’s mindset. And when it comes to fighting, we all know, mindset is 95% of the equation.

The phrases, “It was meant to be,” or, “it happened for a reason” is most commonly used when a tragedy occurs, and I can sympathize. However, many people have a difficult time accepting that things can happen randomly in the universe.

The mudslide that killed a relative wasn’t planned specifically to wipe out that person. The shark that killed a schoolgirl didn’t get its instructions from a higher power, things happen at random often, cause and effect.

Many individuals, both religious and non-religious use this statement to explain their own failure. For a secularist these statements make no sense since they don’t believe in any omniscient or omnipotent being controlling their lives. For fate to be in control is out of the question for them.

For religious individuals it doesn’t make any sense either, since all religions believe that individuals always have the choice over good and evil. If we indeed do have a choice, then the choices we make are up to us, not an outside force. The reason I dislike this statement so much is because it’s used as a crutch, to the point that a person gives up the chance of winning.

Ten Best – The Fighters of 2009

2009-12-27T06:10:00.000-08:00

It was another memorable year in the UFC, and 2010 has even more action in store beginning with UFC 108 on January 2nd. But before we close the book on 2009, we will end our unofficial awards season with a look at the top fighters to grace the Octagon over the past 12 months.

10 – Jon Jones
If you haven’t been paying attention to the rapid rise of Jon Jones, where have you been for the last year? A New York phenom who passed his first big test in January when he easily decisioned Stephan Bonnar, “Jonny Bones” went on to submit Jake O’Brien at UFC 100 in July before ending the year on what could have been a downer as he was disqualified for illegal elbows against Matt Hamill. But the dominating performance by Jones before the finish was such that more people are talking about his talent and limitless future than the end result. If everything keeps going the way it has, expect to see Jones on these lists for years to come.

9 – Nate Marquardt
As I mentioned in the “Best Knockouts of 2009,” Nate Marquardt went from being a nice guy in and out of the Octagon to a nice guy who saved his smiles for the time before and after the cage door closed. Now when the bell rings, Marquardt is intent on taking opponents out, and he did just that in 2009 with impressive knockouts of Wilson Gouveia and Demian Maia, the latter coming in just 21 seconds. I kinda like the “new” Nate, and I would guess that fight fans are probably are on board as well.

8 – Dan Henderson
Sure, his former Team Quest teammate Randy Couture first popularized the line ‘not bad for an old man’ after beating Tim Sylvia back in 2007, but Dan Henderson – at 39 years old – certainly earned the right to use it as well after a big 2009. Henderson’s year began with his January win over Rich Franklin, and the victory earned him a coaching spot on The Ultimate Fighter show that exposed him to a new audience of mainstream fans that may not have followed his storied pre-UFC career. But it was his July knockout of his TUF coaching rival, Michael Bisping, that truly got casual observers of the sport paying attention to the former PRIDE two-division champion.

7 – Cain Velasquez
Just 4-0 as a pro when the year began, Cain Velasquez went from ‘next big thing’ to ‘heavyweight title threat’ in the space of three 2009 fights that saw him stop Denis Stojnic, survive some flush power shots to batter and decision Cheick Kongo, and then run through legit contender Ben Rothwell in less than two rounds. With performances like that, Velasquez is right on time for what will be his biggest test in February against heavyweight legend Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira.

6 – Dan Hardy
As Nottingham’s Dan Hardy entered 2009, he was coming off a close decision win over Akihiro Gono, and most observers believed that he would have a bit of a climb to get a shot at the welterweight title. Then came a stirring knockout of Rory Markham, a close win over Marcus Davis in one of the most heated grudge matches of the year, and a clear-cut victory over Mike Swick. All of a sudden, “The Outlaw” had made his climb – three steps at a time – and he will now face Georges St-Pierre in early 2010. Add Hardy’s charisma and ease with the media to the mix, and not only was a contender made in 2009, but a star was born.

5 – Mauricio “Shogun” Rua
Once one of the most feared fighters in the world, former PRIDE star Shogun Rua’s reputation took a hit after he lost his UFC debut to Forrest Griffin in September of 2007 and was forced to undergo two knee surgeries. But 2009 has seen the revival of the Brazilian’s career, and even though he was less than impressive in dispatching Mark Coleman in January, he did stop ‘The Hammer’, and he certainly looked back in form in knocking out Chuck Liddell in April. But it was his five round battle with Lyoto Machida in October that truly saw the resurrection of Rua, as he pushed the champion to the brink, only to lose a controversial decision. In 2010, Rua will get another shot at “The Dragon”, but for now, it’s safe to say that the old Shogun is back.

4 – BJ Penn
By the time February rolled around, it didn’t look like it was going to be a great year for Hawaiian icon BJ Penn, considering his one-sided welterweight loss to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 94. But around the middle of the year, Penn got a new attitude when it came to his fighting life, and with an August submission of Kenny Florian and a December destruction of Diego Sanchez, “The Prodigy” had not only defeated two top challengers to his crown, he established himself as the greatest 155-pound fighter the UFC had even seen. How’s that for a turnaround?

3 – Anderson Silva
With a 2009 cut short due to injury, fight fans only got to see the pound for pound king twice this year, but in those two bouts, he proved why he’s considered to be the best in the game. In April, Silva successfully defended his middleweight crown with a decision win over Thales Leites in which he may have gone 25 minutes without getting hit cleanly once. And though that victory may have been less than scintillating, action-wise, “The Spider”s return to 205 pounds certainly remedied that as he stopped former light heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin in the first round with a frightening display of precision striking, forever cementing the fact that if you want to engage with Silva, the end result might not be pretty.

2 – Lyoto Machida
After a career defining decision win over Tito Ortiz at UFC 84 in May of 2008, it was clear that Lyoto Machida would be moving on to bigger and better things in the UFC’s light heavyweight division. How he would fare in those bouts was still a question mark though, despite his unbeaten record and wins over the likes of Ortiz, Rich Franklin and BJ Penn. There are no questions now, after the Brazilian knocked out previously unbeaten Thiago Silva in January, and then repeated the feat in May over Rashad Evans, a win that earned him the UFC light heavyweight title. And despite a razor-thin decision win over Mauricio Rua in his first title defense in October, “The Dragon” is still standing atop the 205-pound weight class and ready for what should be a very interesting 2010 campaign.

1 – Georges St-Pierre

Beating BJ Penn and Thiago Alves in successive bouts is impressive. Doing it without losing a round in either fight is nothing short of amazing. But that’s what St-Pierre did in defending his UFC welterweight title twice in 2009, first by scoring a TKO victory in his January superfight with lightweight champion Penn, and then following that up with a decision win over Alves in which he had to battle through the final ten minutes of the fight with a groin injury suffered in the third round. If anything, St-Pierre seems to be getting better with every fight, a scary proposition for anyone competing at 170 pounds.

Women In The Martial Arts - Anita Wilson

2009-12-27T05:43:00.000-08:00

1st Lady Assistant to Sensei Henry Ellis
Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido
Anita Wilson was graded to Shodan by Jiro Nakazono Sensie the second son of the legendary Budo master who had graded her teacher Henry Ellis in 1963.

I was born in West London in 1963, my father was very involved in the martial arts and a dan grade in Karate he was also a dealer in ancient Japanese arms and armour, although my father has an antiques shop in London’s Bond Street, my home was more like a samurai warriors dressing room, with original suits of Japanese armour complete with very frighting face masks that would frighten the life out of my friends when ever they came to visit, there were also very many valuable swords yari and naginata spears.

The Masters

My father would travel around the world searching for the best quality weapons, what intrigued me the most as a child was all these strange visitors that would come to my home, the famous Otani family were regular visitors with Sensei Matsuro Otani 7th dan Judo the UK National Coach, Kenshiro Abbe Sensei, Tomio Otani Sensei the UK National Coach for Kendo, his visitors were like the who’s who of martial arts, as recently as two weeks ago I was pleased to meet with Sensei Kazuo Chiba 8th dan when he came to see my father.

Introduction to Aikido

As a child I did a little Karate with my father but nothing serious until 1992 when I went to the local Aikido dojo in Bracknell, Berkshire, UK. All those years with my father and his Japanese weapons must have had a latent but profound effect on me, as I watched Sensei Ellis teaching his Positive Style of Traditional Aikido I knew there and then that this was the martial art for me.

The Hard Training Begins

When I started Aikido I made a point of training with the men and they treated me as one of them. With regular practice I progressed. I had now developed the hard training bug and started courses in physical training and amateur weight lifting, after a few years of hard work I became a fully qualified fitness instructor-personal trainer and amateur weight lifting coach, the high light of all this effort was when Sensei Ellis promoted me to assistant coach of the Ellis Schools of Traditional Aikido (ESTA) two years later he promoted me to first lady assistant to himself, there had never ever been a lady assistant in all the long history of the ESTA, Sensei put me on a three month trial and 8 year on I am still here.

In 1994 I received my coaching certificate from the British Aikido Board (BAB) which is the governing body for Aikido in the UK. Once I became assistant to Sensei Ellis I became involved in assisting in teaching both men and women and also helping with the children’s classes.

The First Seminar

Sensei Ellis asked if I would like to take part in a very large and important seminar in Liverpool in the North of England, Sensei Ellis is not one of those teachers who has a pet uke follow him around to fly all over the mat at a touch or a glance, he prefers to try to involve all the students who attend his seminars if possible, knowing this I felt very privileged but nervous when Sensei told me there would be about 700 students from various martial arts, I think the phrase “Being thrown in at the deep end” is applicable here.

On arrival at the venue I was amazed to see so many students from so many countries, UK-France-Germany-Italy-India-Austria are just some that I can recall. Sensei Ellis was asked to take the first class of approximately 50 dan grades from various martial arts. Sensei had me demonstrate 100 press-ups on the backs of my wrists with fingers pointing both inwards and outwards. When I had finished and was in the raised position Sensei sat on my back (he did not warn me of this) and carried on with his lecture. Sensei suggested that those who wanted to should try this exercise. It was amazing to see all these black belts struggling. Later I had a little crowd around me wanting to inspect my wrists, I explained that this exercise is standard for both seniors and juniors in our schools.

I was now feeling a little more confident when Sensei pointed out that there were six young dan grades who had arrived late and were respectfully waiting for permission to come onto the mat. Sensei asked me to show them what we had been teaching so far, they were all wearing black gi’s and when I approached and invited them on the mat, they scowled as if to say “hey, we have not traveled all the way from London to be taught by a women” as I showed the first technique “nikkyo” a wrist locking action, the first guy tried to resist me, I applied the technique as shown to me so many times by Sensei and almost put him through the mat. I thought he would be upset with me, but as he got up he asked “How did you do that?”. He then wanted me to do the technique on all the others, now I had their attention and they were a great bunch of guy’s. I really enjoyed teaching them. At the end of the seminar, as we were leaving the hall to head for the car park, these six guy’s were waiting in a line and bowed to me simultaneously with a smile and said to Sensei Ellis ” You have a strong lady assistant there ,sensei” Sensei replied ” That is why she is my assistant”. That was my first seminar and one that I will never forget.

I have been involved in many other seminars with my Sensei and they were always good, but I was never so overawed as I was at my first one, or so I thought. Then Sensei Ellis asked if I would like to visit New Mexico in the USA for a seminar. The seminar was to be held in Alamogordo NM, where Sensei’s USA representative in the US lives and works at the Space Museum. Sensei visits New Mexico every year and we have another Ellis dan grade in Texas, Al Montemar. I had always wanted to visit the US and jumped at the opportunity. We made the trip into a vacation for friends and family. We taught members of the USAF and German Air Force at Holloman AFB, which included a guided tour of the base and various fighter aircraft, including the Stealth bomber. Sensei Rogers is an instructor who teaches students from the USAF, Highway Patrol, police and some members of the United States Marshals.

While in the US, I also visited the Grand Canyon and Phoenix. I intend to move to Phoenix to live within the next two to three years. Sensei Ellis has a book on aikido coming out next spring in the US titled “Positive Aikido” which I am pleased to be featured in, Sensei Rogers is a journalist by profession and has worked on this book for the past two years and it will be published in the US. There are several publishers interested in the book so we are all very excited about this latest project. I hope to be visiting the US again next year and I hope to be there for the launching of the book.

For the martial artists out there I would like to add one more comment about the proposed book. Where as most Aikido books spend a great deal of time harmonizing with the planets and the universe, there will be none of that in this book, Sensei always tells students to come out of the clouds and get back on the tatami because “This is where it all happens” and he also often says ” leave the dancing to Fred Astair” (who is Fred Astair?).

Anita Wilson
Assistant to Sensei Ellis

Posted by Henry Ellis Co-author of Positive Aikido.

http://www.EllisAikido.org

Top 10 MMA Pound For Pound Fighter Rankings

2009-12-27T05:35:00.000-08:00

Mixed Martial Arts i think this sports like mortal combat (just kidding), really i not understand about this sports, it's very new for me but i want a create a label MMA Pound For Pound for my blog, because of that's i make some article with MMA topic, you are right dude i create this article for MMA Pound For Pound Seo Contest from promo junkie, i want compete with seo master, i want learn from they, i just do it dude, in pound for pound competition power and stamina really important, strategy too i forgot it.

Mixed Martial Arts is a sports with full body contact, so prepare your body if want become a player i MMA, i think you must have personal physician dude because this sports is really extreme, must have strong endurance to play it, the fighter like B.J. Penn always keep their body and always practice for an opponent, i believe B.J. Penn have a strong power and stamina, if you are kid don't try at home, because this sport really dangerous for children.

This Top 10 MMA Pound For Pound Fighter Rankings, check this out and survive from they...
1. Fedor Emelianenko
2. Anderson Silva
3. Georges St. Pierre
4. B.J. Penn
5. Lyoto Machida
6. Jose Aldo
7. Brian Bowles
8. Shogun Rua
9. Rashad Evans
10. Miguel Torres

Liangong in 18 FORMS: "Inside China's Emerging Exercise Phenomenon"

2009-12-27T05:23:00.000-08:00

Liangong

in 18 FORMS: "Inside China's Emerging Exercise Phenomenon"
by Gerald A. Sharp

(Author's Note: The following text is meant to serve as basic information on Liangong in 18 Forms. An article by the author was published in Volume 12, No. 2, Summer 2002 issue of Qi Journal. You can access the article or obtain a copy through the website at: http://www.qi-journal.com/) See also www.Liangong.com.

For centuries martial artists have known that their forms and training regimens have helped relieve stress and provide medicine through movement. However, what's still lacking is ample scientific evidence to support the many benefits of such exercises or scientific testing to further develop the exercises to address specific problems and combat more modern forms of stress.

In 1974, Dr. Zhuang Yuan Ming (1919- ), a prominent Doctor of Traumatology (a Traditional Branch that focuses on healing external and internal discomfort and stress) and a top student of the famous Kung Fu Master, Wang Zhiping, began developing a set of exercises which became known as Liangong in 18 forms. The original 18 exercises (now their are 54) focused on combating and overcoming acute pain and stress in the neck, shoulders, back, legs, joints, and connective tissue.

Liangong's roots are based on Traditional Chinese Chi Kung and Kung Fu. While authentic Liangong may be relatively new in America, Liangong has garnered an international audience, with the largest body of practitioners outside of China residing in Japan. But what do the Japanese and other martial arts practitioners world-wide see in the practice of Liangong in 18 forms?

While the development of Liangong may have officially begun in 1974, Dr. Zhuang's curiosity for health and healing began over 25 years prior as a student of the legendary Wang Zhiping. Using exercises he had studied with Wang, known as the "20 Exercises," and the ancient exercises of Daoyin (Breathing Exercise), Baduanjing (Eight Pieces of Brocade), and Yijinjing (Muscle Change Classic), Zhuang tested all these exercises in a prominent Shanghai hospital on patients with a variety of stress related conditions to determine how effective these exercises were clinically, and what modifications, if any, could be made to bring about more favorable results treating stress related problems and diseases by utilizing exercise exclusively. As a student of Wang, a young Dr. Zhuang saw his teacher use a variety of massage techniques and exercises to heal a variety of afflictions. Wang may have had a reputation as a tough, no-nonsense guy, but Zhuang observed a more sensitive side of Wang and relates how Wang was fixated with the power of healing and maintaining health.

SCIENCE AND LIANGONG

In the 1970's, Dr. Zhuang was afforded the opportunity to develop and test Liangong in 18 Forms at the Huangpu Hospital in Shanghai. According to Zhuang, he kept an open mind about his preconceptions of what would or would not work.If this was to be a true experiment, one cannot go into it and say these are the results that I want, and presto they happen. However, he was confident that exercise would be effective in the healing process, but was unsure as to what degree or effect exercise would have. He wanted to move beyond a one size fits all concept. So he kept specific records of what worked and what didn't. Then regularly a variety of modifications were added to the traditional exercises to determine what would actually lead to more feeling or complete alleviation of a problem.

During the infant stages of Liangong's development, from 1974 through 1975, Dr. Zhuang became fascinated with ancient drawings, that had been recently unearthed from Han Dynasty tombs on the outskirts off Changsha, Hunan Province by archaeologists. These silk scroll figure drawings were of exercises known as Daoyin (or, breathing exercises). One of the first things Dr. Zhuang noticed was the similarity between these ancient drawings and the "20 Exercises" he had studied with Wang Zhiping.

Other useful concepts that influenced Dr. Zhuang during this period in Liangong's development were drawings contained in classic texts covering various ancient exercises known as Yinjinjing (Muscle Change Classic), Wuxinxi (Five Animal Play), and Baduanjing (Eight Brocades). These exercises also peeked Zhuang's interest, and he infused the movements and healing concepts from these disciplines as well. All the while testing, modifying, to determine how much more effective exercise was in providing both immediate and long term relief from injury and stress.

From 1975 until 1983, Dr. Zhuang with the help of other physicians conducted a study applying Liangong in 18 forms in isolation or in some cases accompanied by other methods of traditional Chinese methods (acupuncture, herbs, and massage) to treat three different control groups of patients.

Each of the three groups were then subdivided into three sub groups as follows: Patients who suffered from a) acute pain in the neck, shoulders, back, and legs; b) acute pain or stiffness in the joints and tendons; and c) internal organ discomfort (i.e. heart problems, high blood pressure, digestive disorders, etc.).Prior to the study most all of these patients had a variety interventions performed on them, including surgery, prior to their exposure to Liangong in 18 forms. In most cases, these interventions had only been partially or completely unsuccessful. So, Liangong was yet "another thing" or a last chance hope for many members of all the control groups in overcoming their invariable struggle with pain.

The results were grouped as follows: Those who dropped out and did not complete the study; Those who had no results; Those who had adequate results; Those who had good results; and, those who met with excellent results. The patients who reported feeling an improvement in mobility or a significant reduction of pain were classified as adequate. Those who claimed an alleviation of pain, but within a moderate duration of time, up to two years, after the study had a recurrence of pain(even those who felt that the practice of Liangong could still alleviate the pain) were classified as having good results. Excellent results were recorded for patients who had a total alleviation of their problem, and no recurrence of pain whatsoever over a two year period.

The first control group consisted of 71 patients who were treated with Acu-Point Massage and Chinese Herbs (both externally and internally), at a frequency of one time for at least thirty minutes every other a day for a duration of 4-8 weeks. The results were as follows: 4 patients did not complete the study (5.6%); 2 patients had no result (2.8%); 43 met with adequate results (60.5%); 15 had very good results (21%); and, 7 patients reported excellent results (9.8%).

The second control group was made up of 217 patients. These patients were treated with Acu-Point Massage at a frequency of one time a day every other day for at least thirty minutes, and Liangong exercises (specifically exercises that would address the problem) at a frequency of twice a day for at least thirty minutes each time. Again the treatment period lasted 4-8 weeks for each patient with the following results: 0 patients did not complete the study; 7 patients had no result (3.2%); 102 met with adequate results (47%); 59 had very good results (27.1%); and, 49 patients reported excellent results (22.5%).

The third control group consisted of 1,361 patients who were treated with Liangong exercises (that addressed their problem area) exclusively. The frequency of treatment was once to twice day for at least thirty minutes ranging in duration from two to four months for each patient with the following results: All patients completed the program; 24 had no results whatsoever (1.76%); 814 met with adequate results (59.8%); 523 met with good results (38.4%); and, 0 Had excellent results.

Although no excellent results were reported for the third control group that practiced Liangong exclusively, 98.2% had adequate to good results recorded. These early studies not only helped some patients to better manage their pain, but helped Dr. Zhuang develop the exercises to be more specific in dealing with the often complex injuries associated with both external and internal trauma resulting from the break down of these sensitive areas of the body as a result of living in the modern age.

Since then other studies have been conducted on the effects of Liangong. One study conducted by Dr. Zhuang and the Liangong Shibafa (18 forms) Association of Shanghai recorded a savings of 55, 850 Yuan for pain medication for 42 patients who were able to give up their medication with Liangong. This may not add up to big savings in the average American hospital. However, for reference, the elderly spend a minimum of 500 Yuan annually for routine care in a Chinese hospital. Another in-depth study, conducted in Japan, found that 73 out of 152 persons tested who practiced Liangong to alleviate external pain and stress met with excellent results. 65 of those who met with excellent results also reported feeling more energy after practicing and a greater flexibility in their joints.

PRECISE MOVEMENTS

Dr. Zhuang has used the postures of the exercises themselves as postures for massage, and to gently apply pressure to the patient's target area for results. However, through the years of testing, Dr. Zhuang has become more and more convinced that Liangong's effects are longer lasting when the practitioner moves their own body by them self. As the practitioner practices the form they them self benefit from the process as well as what each exercise does for them. Zhuang Jian Shen, Dr. Zhuang's son and inheritor of his father's healing arts and practice, says that when a practitioner is able to develop their own skill and heal them self, they are both mentally and physically stronger. Students, who may have once been a patient, once trained correctly in the complete application and methods of Liangong are then able to lay hands on to heal. Hands on healing doesn't necessarily mean massage, but by correcting the postures of the students, they are able to help other practitioners optimize their movements for greater benefit.

When the movements are practiced correctly, the practitioner should sense an internal force or resistance. This does not mean that internal force is confined to a psychological process only, or that something is done with a lack of force. Rather, specific movements are able to isolate certain joints or target areas, and when accompanied by slow, deliberate motion can be much more exact. The character of internal force comes when the practitioner is able to isolate their joints and use natural forces such as gravity and momentum to exercise or release stress from their joints.

That's why, according to Dr. Zhuang, the theory of massage plays an important role in how Liangong is practiced. Traditional Chinese massage holds that the key element in massage begins with the various manipulations of specific aspects or parts of the body. Manipulation must be gentle, even, forceful and persistent, so as to achieve a penetrating action. This penetrating effect is what the practitioner should feel as a reaction to the practice of Liangong. In other words, "a good sore." In Dr. Zhuang's research a muscle is made up of many contractible fibers. There are many nerve endings in the muscles; those controlling the contraction of muscles are called motor nerve endings, each of which controls 100 to 300 muscular fibers. Each nerve ending and the muscular fibers it controls make a motor unit, and there are many motor units in a muscle, which are not all in a state of excitation and contraction at a given time. With a change of movement, these two types of motor units change too. The contracted fibers become shortened while the relaxed fibers lengthen.

This is why at the beginning of each of the postures there may be a tightness exerted by the practitioner, followed by a preparatory movement added while maintaining some of the tightness or force. Then the practitioner turns into an isolated area to apply pressure on this given area. That which was locked is then relaxed, to enable a more beneficial stretch during a twist or turn, or to create a more stable position to turn or move into. Then often the chest is lifted, to create a more internal stretch. Ultimately creating a climate for change among participating nerve fibers, and releasing stress at specific points.

Correct breathing is also extremely important. But as outlined in his books when in doubt breathe naturally and never hold the breath. However, he advocates when the student is able to, inhaling in the first movement (which is often a tight time), and exhaling when moving into the target area (usually the relaxed time) as the most optimum. Furthermore, Dr. Zhuang recommends, as I eluded to earlier, lifting the chest cavity when inhaling and exhaling from the lower abdomen. This lifting of the chest cavity keeps a constant stimulation on the internal organs, which in turn creates a natural resistance. Dr. Zhuang compares this natural resistance, much the way water creates a buoyancy and can be applied for deep penetration in water massage. Furthermore, Dr. Zhuang feels practicing out of doors early in the morning in the fresh air is viable and will naturally make warmth and comfort positive modalities that can further optimize the therapeutic success of Liangong.

When practicing, Dr. Zhuang says that the range of movements are also important to Liangong's success. The larger the movements from the joints and limbs, the more beneficial the results. However, the parts of the body that remain still as to isolate specific points, joints, connective tissue, or muscle groups must be strictly adhered to or the parts that emphasize the movement will be wasted. Furthermore, such unfocused exercise would ignore the scientific development and testing, which is the basis of Liangong's existence.

Like martial arts, patience and perseverance are important in Liangong practice. Dr. Zhuang advocates practicing at regular hours and on a daily basis. According to Dr. Zhuang, sports practitioners who are aware of the benefits of Liangong, often utilize the exercises to effectively warm up the body before beginning a competition or intensive training. Dr. Zhuang has overseen the effective application of Liangong for stress reduction in the workplace both in China and Japan. While Liangong has been applied successfully in the workplace, Dr. Zhuang's observation of Liangong for stress reduction or to overcome injuries have as many differences as there are similarities.

While the practice of Liangong can show immediate effects in stress reduction, injuries can take a long period of time to heal, and it is perseverance that helps the injured move towards alleviating the problem and returning to their everyday life. Likewise, while stress relief may be an immediate byproduct of practice, stress will continue to recur until they practice more regularly. Furthermore, while Liangong can be an effective supplement to comprehensive medical treatment, the effect of Liangong depends on each patient¹s desire to completely restore bodily functions.

AN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIR

Liangong's popularity is growing world-wide. For the past eight years, Liangong organizations internationally have come together for a lavish event every other year. Novices as well as long time practitioners of Liangong are invited to attend, observe, or participate in various events. This international convention consists of demonstrations in a wide variety of cultural arts that often include an opening ceremony, a competition which focuses on precision of movement as well as health benefits from practice, and an international closing party that features a wide array of multicultural flavor. All in all, most participants come to have a deeper understanding of the true, specific practice of Liangong, and the opportunity to make new international friends. Ultimately, Dr. Zhuang feels that more rigorous testing is needed. Since he first started his research more than 25 years ago, he and many others have become more aware of the infinite applications exercise has in treating stress and injury. The future of Liangong, according to Dr. Zhuang, lies in the process of the practitioner them self realizing the infinite power the body and mind have, and a constant reflection on the effectiveness and application of exercise as a vehicle for self healing.

For more information you may contact Dr. Zhuang directly at:

Dr. Zhuang Yuan Ming, #909, 235
Chong Qing Road (N), Shanghai, 20003, P.R. CHINA; Phone and FAX Number 011-8621-6327-2099.

XING YI QUAN

2009-12-23T23:13:00.000-08:00

History :
Theory 1- The Bodiharma from India created Xin Yi Quan.

In 527 AD the Bodiharma came to China from India. He went to the Shaolin Temple at Songshan and meditated facing a wall for nine years. In the years after his death, a number of Martial Arts’ techniques were attributed to the Bodiharma, including Xin Yi Quan. Evidence of this can be seen in “The origins of Xing Yi Quan” by Ling Shan Qing (1928), in which he stated that “In the time of the six dynasties, the Bodiharma came to China to spread the Martial Arts of the Western regions (i.e. India)...the styles he taught included Xin Yi Quan”.
Ling Shan Qing’s view was the accepted theory with contemporary scholars until 1930 when Xu Zhe Dong presented his “A brief account of Chinese Martial Arts” and Tang Hao produced his “An investigation of Shaolin and Wudang”. They suggested that Chinese Martial Arts had nothing to do with the Bodiharma and claims that he created styles were “counterfeit”. They also proposed that claims that Zhang San Feng practiced Xing Yi Quan were equally false.

None of the ancient books recounting the life of the Bodiharma mention him creating Xin Yi Quan. And none of the ancient texts of Xin Yi Quan even mention the name of the Bodiharma. In terms of the actual nature of Xin Yi Quan, a close look at the basic philosophy behind it reveals that it is firmly based on traditional Chinese philosophy. The principles of Internal Kung Fu are based on “The Book of Changes” from the Zhou Dynasty (1027-777B.C.). The 5 elements fists are based on the theories of yin and yang and the 5 elements, which are again theories from the Zhou dynasty, while the existence in the Chinese psyche of the 12 animals, e.g. dragon, tiger, snake, horse, monkey, chicken etc., can be traced back to the ceremonies of early tribal societies.

Considering that the Bodiharma “came to China to spread the Martial Arts of the Western regions” it is strange that the Arts do not contain any Indian characteristics and are so undeniably Chinese in nature. And considering the short amount of time the Bodiharma was in China, is it possible that he would be able to take the essence of ancient Chinese culture and create a Martial Art with wholly Chinese characteristics? It is also important to remember that the Boddiharma was facing a wall meditating for the majority of his stay in China, so he did not have the time to create a complex Martial Arts system which incorporated aspects of ancient Chinese philosophy. The issue of time is a very important aspect in the investigation of the origins of Chinese Martial Arts’ styles. Without ample time, it is not possible for someone to be able to invent a complex style.

Theory 2: General Yue Fei created Xin Yi Quan

Even today, people still propagate the theory that General Yue Fei of the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) created Xin Yi Quan and Xing Yi Quan. This fallacy has can be traced back several hundred years where texts attribute the invention of Xin Yi Quan to Yue Fei. It was not, however, until the years of the Chinese Republic, that scholars, led by Xu Zhe Dong, started to question the viability of this theory.

Study of the ancient text “The complete works on Yue Fei” offers a description of the martial arts study of Yue Fei, revealing that his martial ability was attained before he was 19 years old. Historical evidence states that the following 19 years of Yue Fei’s life, before his death at 36, were full of tension and war. Wushu scholars argue that Yue Fei would not have been able to create a complex Martial Art before he was 19, and the war filled years that made up the second year of his life would not have left Yue Fei with enough time or energy to develop a complex Martial Art. Another point made by scholars is that it is surprising that none of the soldiers under Yue Fei’s command learnt Xin Yi, and it did not resurface until 500 years later.

When considering the position that Yue Fei holds in the heart of the Chinese people, even today, it is easy to understand why people want to attribute the invention of Kung Fu styles to one of the great heroes of Chinese history. For one, it makes the style seem more important- who wants to learn a style created by an everyday guy, when you can learn the style of a heroic general idealized in a romantic tradition?

However, the evidence suggests that Xin Yi Quan was indeed created by an everyday guy. The inventor of Xin Yi Quan himself was aware of the difficulty in getting people to take a new style seriously, and actually was the first person to say it was the creation of Yue Fei.

Theory 3: Ji Ji Ke created Xin Yi Quan

Over the last 20 years, this theory has become the most widely accepted theory in the Xin Yi/Xing Yi Quan world. History states that Ji Ji Ke (also known as Ji Long Feng) started his Martial Arts training at the age of 13.

When he as 20 he went to Shaolin to study for 10 years. The story goes that Shaolin offered Ji Ji Ke a teaching position, but at the same time, many figures who were fighting against the newly instated Manchu Qing dynasty, gathered at Shaolin during their flight from the Qing armies. Ji Ji Ke was then roused by the spirit to reinstate the defeated Han Ming dynasty and committed himself to the rebel cause, thus leaving Shaolin to start his journeys around China. However, this vision of Ji Ji Ke as the patriotic rebel who invented a style to fight the oppressive Qing dynasty again might be fiction intended by his followers to romanticize Ji Ji Ke and to ensure that people took more notice of the style. Ji Ji Ke recounted the story of how he invented Xin Yi Quan in his book “The techniques of Ji Ji Ke”:

“I was going through very hard times. I had nowhere to live so I found an abandoned courtyard in the countryside and made one of the rooms habitable. At night I was often woken by the sound of an animal calling in the darkness. One night I was prepared to kill the wild animal, when I noticed a light shining from out of the other rooms in the courtyard. I climbed in through the window, and, on lighting an oil lamp, saw that the room was covered in a thick layer of dust. There was a light shining from a gap in the dust, and when I brushed it away, I found a sword and a box. I pulled the sword from its sheath, and saw that the inscription read “Yue Fei of Tang Yin”, but the sword itself did not have a name. I thus knew the owner of the sword. Inside the box I found a scroll, titled “Liu He Quan” (Six Harmonies Fists). The scroll explained the principles of the Five Elements, Yin and Yang, emptiness and form, advance and retreat, and I knew I was looking at a highly valuable description of a unique Martial Art. I practiced the art described in the scroll for 10 years, and realized that technique lies in the Six Harmonies, attack and defense lie with the 5 elements and the 10 animals (Xin Yi Quan only has 10 animals), and the movement of the mind (Xin) is called Intention (Yi) and Intention controls movement.”

So at the start of Xin Yi Quan’s life, even its own creator was saying that it was the work of Yue Fei.
Ji Ji Ke, before he went to Shaolin to study, was already proficient at Martial Arts. By the end of his stay at Shaolin he had already reached a very high level. At Shaolin he would have come into contact with various elements of Chinese philosophy, including yin and yang, the Five Elements, the Six Harmonies and so on. Shaolin also had five style of animal fist play, created by Bai Yu Feng back in the Yuan Dynasty (1280-1368 AD); Dragon, Tiger, Leopard, Snake and Crane. One the basis of his experience, Ji Ji Ke was able to create the Five Elements Fists and the 10 animals. It is also important to note here the large role Shaolin Kung Fu played in the invention of Xin Yi Quan. If you trace the origins of Xing Yi Quan back to the source, you will find yourself at Shaolin. As the saying goes “Shaolin is the home of all martial arts”.

As we said before, the creation of a Martial Art requires considerable time and effort. Ji Ji Ke’s experience can be split into three sections: his time practicing Kung Fu at home, his study at Shaolin, and his journeys around China. It was only in the later stage that Ji Ji Ke’s technique would have been mature enough for him to be able to develop his own style, and it was fortunate that he had time to focus so much on his martial arts. Without sufficient time, Ji Ji Ke would not have been able to create a new style of martial art.

The first recorded acknowledgement of Xin Yi Quan is seen in “A Query of to the origins of Fist styles” written by Wang Zi Cheng in 1735. “There are many styles of fist play, and the creators of them are largely unknown, but we do know that Liu He Quan originated in Shan Xi province and was taught by two members of the Ji family, Ji Long and Ji Feng, at the end of the Ming dynasty…” The author obviously made a mistake when he recorded Ji Ji Ke’s other name, Ji Long Feng, as ‘Ji Long’, but this is the first evidence in writing that ji Ji Ke created Xin Yi Quan.

The Evolution of Xing Yi Quan from Xin Yi Quan:
In order to understand how Xin Yi Quan evolved into Xing Yi Quan, it is necessary to look at the students of Ji Ji Ke and the roles they played in Xin Yi Quan’s development.

Cao Ji Wu

In 1750, Dai Long Bang, in “The Six Harmonies Fists” stated “Ji Ji Ke, also known as Ji Long Feng, born at the end of the Ming Dynasty, discovered the text of Yue Fei, and taught Cao Ji Wu in Qiu Pu”. From this text we have confirmation that Cao Ji Wu was the first student of Ji Ji Ke.

Cao Ji Wu was born in 1665 and studied with Ji Ji Ke for 12 years. In Chi Zhou, Cao Ji Wu taught Dai Long Bang, author of the statement above.

Dai Long Bang and his creation of two new animal forms.

Dao Long Bang studied what Ji Ji Ke had passed on to Cao Ji Wu, and received some of the works of Ji Ji Ke including “Fighting theory- a summary of the 10 techniques” and “The techniques of Ji Ji Ke”. In Chi Zhou, Dai Long Bang often practiced by the Yang Zi river. It was here he observed the “Tuo” (Chinese alligator) using its front and back legs to power through the water. This gave rise to “Tuo Xing”. Today it is still unclear as to what a “Tuo“ is, because some claim that it alligators did not exist. Some believe that a “Tuo” was a water boatman insect, skating on the water’s surface, so the movement imitates the insects coordinated movement of its front and back legs. Dai Long Bang also observed the movements of a “Tai” (a type of fish).

The government bans Kung Fu practice

Due to the Han people resisting the Manchu Qing government, the government banned the practice of Kung Fu in 1727. Therefore, when Dai Long Bang returned to his home in Shanxi, he only passed on his techniques to his immediate family. In 1801, Dai Long Bang’s dying words to his son, Dai Wen Xiong, were “Xin Yi Quan can not be passed on to outsiders”. Therefore, due to Dai Wen Xiong’s respect for his father’s dying words, Xin Yi was kept a secret for 38 years. As a result, Xin Yi also became known as “The Dai Family style” and some people have accredited the creation of Xin Yi to Dai Long Bang. However, we have proof from Dai Long Bang himself, in his book “The Six harmonies fists”, that he did not create Xin Yi Quan.

Li Lao Nong (Li Luo Neng)

In 1836 Li Lao Nong left his family to travel to Shanxi province to learn “The Dai family style” from the renowned Dai Wen Xiong. The fact that Li Lao Nong left his family, traveled hundreds of miles, and stayed despite the repeated refusal of Dai Wen Xiong to accept him as his student, is testament to Li Lao Nong’s determination and the reputation that Xin Yi already had. Rather than give up and go home, Li Luo Nong found a plot of land to grow vegetables, and everyday he would deliver them to the Dai family free of charge. Dai Wen Xiong gradually saw the sincerity of Li Lao Nong, and, on his mother’s insistence, finally accepted Li Lao Nong after three years of waiting. This history is documented in Li Guang Xiang’s “The Essence of Xin Yi” (1895) and many other books document that Li Lao Nong learnt Xin Yi from Dai Wen Xiong.

Che Yi Zhai (1833-1914)

After leaving Dai Wen Xiong, Li Lao Nong moved to Tai Gu to be a bodyguard at the request of the wealthy Meng Bo. It was here that Li Lao Nong met Che Yi Zhai (a.k.a. Che Er) and once he had the permission of Dai Wen Xiong, started teaching him in 1856. Li Lao Nong also started teaching his boss, Meng Bo. In 1863, because Li Lao Nong was busy with bodyguard work, Che Er went to study from Dai Wen Xiong.
Xing Yi Quan is born

After the death of Dai Wen Xiong, Che Er, who had received the text “The six Harmonies Fists” written by Dai Long Bang, worked with his master and ‘brothers’ including Jia Yun Xiang, and Li Guang Xiang to research and improve Xin Yi Quan.

Li Guang Xiang (1845-1929)

Through their research of “Xin” (Mind) and “Xing” (Form) they came to the conclusion that “Xin” was the internal mind, while “Xing Yi” incorporated “External form” and “Mind Intention” and was thus the unity of internal and external. It was Li Lao Nong who first suggested that the word “Xin” be changed to “Xing” as he believed it better represented the principles of “Xin Yi Quan”.

The first Xing Yi form

In 1866 Che Er created the first Xing Yi form called “The Five Elements Canon”. After Li Lao Nong returned to his old home, Che Er continued to refine Xing Yi and created a set of two people practice routines. As Che Er created more and more, the style become more popular in Tai Gu and by the beginning of the reign of Guang Xu, Xing Yi had spread to Taiyuan, Yuci, Xu Gou, Ping Yao and other areas of Shanxi. With most of the Xing Yi masters living in Tai Gu, Tai Gu became known as the “The home of Xing Yi” and the Tai Gu masters were instrumental in ensuring that Xing yi earned its place as one of the “Four famous styles” (Shaolin, Tai Ji, Ba Gua, Xing Yi)

Li Cun Yi

Li Cun Yi first went to Tai Gu in 1898 to study from Che Yi Zhai (Che Er). He returned in 1900, after the failure of the Boxer Rebellion, looking for a place to hide. Che Er even got him a job as a security guard in Meng’s household. During his stay there, Che Er taught Li Cun Yi everything he knew. Song Shi Rong passed on to him the “4 channels internal Kung Fu”.

In 1911, Li Cun Yi moved to Tian Jin, a major port city to the east of Beijing, where he formed “The Martial Artists’ Association of China”, spreading the teaching of Xing Yi. As the reputation of Xing Yi grew, so did the its number of students, and the practice of Xing Yi spread all over northern China, splitting into various schools such as the He Bei school, The He Nan school (which only has 10 animals) , the Shan Xi school and the Shaan Xi school. Each of these schools have their own characteristics.

Despite the continued threat to the existence of Xing Yi in the twentieth century, with war and revolution, Xing Yi was able to survive, and today Xing Yi is as alive as ever before, with martial artists researching and refining techniques. Like Ba Gua, Xing Yi is still a maturing style, and martial artists today are able to continue and add to the rich tradition of the Tai Gu forefathers.

Capoeira vs. Kickboxer

2009-12-20T06:29:00.000-08:00

This is an interesting fight I have recently found. A Capoeirista fighting in a stand-up fight k-1 rules.

Duration : 0:1:46

Top 10 Martial Arts From Outside The Orient

2009-12-20T06:20:00.000-08:00

When someone says “Martial Arts,” it conjures images of ancient Chinese warriors locked in combat or Samurai and Ninjas fighting it out in a bamboo forest. While it’s true the most popular martial arts originate from either Japan, China or elsewhere in Asia there are many forms of martial combat from other parts of the world. Here’s a list of ten of the coolest.

Highland Wrestling

The Scots have been known as fierce fighters, but few would compare Jackie Chan and William Wallace even though most scotsmen had a good amount of martial arts training. Highland wrestling is the first kind of fighting taught to young Scots, often family techniques are handed down from father to son. It’s recorded that often English knights would be caught off guard by the skill of an unarmed Scotsman who could drag fully armored knights off their horses with ease. Highland wrestling is mainly used today by reenactment societies, and “living Historians” since many of the actual techniques are lost to history.

Pankration

The ancient Greek Olympics were brutal in general, but the most brutal of the events was the Pankration, which roughly translates to “Anything goes”. This fierce combination of boxing andwrestling allowed almost anything, from groin punches, to eye gouges, even finger breaking. The intention of all the Olympic games was to keep every man in the city ready to serve in the military, and the art of the Pankration came in mighty handy when fending off the barbarian hordes. Today, the Greeks still practice Pankration as a sport and thetechniques developed thousands of years ago still make it into Mixed martial arts events.

European Fencing

Swordsmanship in western Europe during the 14th and 15th centuries was an important skill for any young man to have, as most gentlemen of noble upbringing carried their rapiers around at all times and were prone to calling for a duel at the drop of a hat. European Fencing is a surprisingly sophisticated and complex fighting art, producing literally thousands of manuals and guides printed all over Europe. Fencers were known for precision strikes, delicate footwork and full body control on par with any Samurai. Each country and region in Europe had a distinctive style, as well as a different style for a number of swords.

Apache Knife Fighting

The Apaches mastered the use of many weapons for attacks against settlers or other Native American Rivals, and while many of those weapons were terrible to face, the Apaches were deadliest with little more than a knife. Every Apache had at least one knife at all times as that they were useful for any number of things in a hunter/gatherer society, but in battle Apaches would carry as many as a dozen knives on their person. They could throw them with fearsome accuracy, or cut down men with close, surgical strikes to the chest, throat or Achilles tendons. Currently the US military employs several trainers of Apache ancestry to teach special forces troops survival and knife fighting. It is no wonder navy SEALS are considered the best Knife fighters in the world.

Sambo

Sambo is a relatively modern martial art, combat sport and self-defense system developed in the Soviet Union and recognized as an official sport by the USSR All-Union Sports Committee in 1938, presented by Anatoly Kharlampiev. There are three generally recognized competitive sport variations of Sambo: Sport Sambo, which is stylistically similar to amateurwrestling or judo; Combat Sambo which was utilized and developed for the military and resembles modern mixed martial arts , including extensive forms of striking and grappling; and Freestyle Sambo which uses a uniquely American set of competitive Sambo rules created by the American Sambo Association.

Nguni stick fighting

The bedrock of the Zulu’s legendary fighting skill is the art of stick fighting in which two Zulus armed with fresh cut saplings attack each other with only a small hide shield to defend themselves. While the sticks don’t cause a lot of damage to the body aside from shallow cuts, being whacked with one is extremely painful and in a fight you are guaranteed to get whacked a number of times. Combat with the sticks help the Zulus shrug off pain and fear, which is the reason they could charge straight into British gunfire without flinching. Famous South African leader Nelson Mandela stated he participated in stick fighting as a child.

Krav Maga

This deadly fighting art from Israel had it’s origins on the streets, developed by Jewish vigilantes who defended their neighborhoods from anti-Jewish gangs. Krav Maga differs from most martial arts in being focused on ending a fight as quickly as possible by using “Overwhelming Force”, making Krav Magatechniques some of the most downright lethal of any martial art. Today it is considered a martial art reserved for Military and police use, and is utilized by US Special Forces and the FBI.

Jeet-Kune-Do

Many falsely identify Jeet Kune Do as an Eastern Martial art, but in truth it was developed in America, by Bruce Lee (An American Citizen) because he admired the simplicity of Western fighting styles Like Boxing andwrestling . Tired of the overly complex methods of Kung fu, Bruce Lee stripped combat down to it’s most basic elements when he developed Jeet Kune Do, teaching that the most important move is the one that wins the fight. Many celebrity friends of Lee practiced the Art, like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, John Saxon, Jim Kelly and Steve McQueen.

Savate

Developed in France during the 19th century, Savate was developed by street fighters who used to put on their old heavy boots and try to kick each other in the head, in fact the word “Savate” is an old slang term for an old shoe. Savate moved from the street into boxing schools and is still a popular form of unarmed competitive fighting in France, known for brutal kicks to the head and face meant to down a man in one blow. Savate schools have also started teaching weapon styles. Typical of a martial art that originated in street fighting these weapons include walking canes, short knives and strangely enough: the wooden chair.

Capoeira

A combination of Combat and dance, Capoeira is possibly one of the most beautiful fighting styles to watch. Capoeira started in Brazil with African and Native American slaves who taught themselves to fight with only their feet while their hands were shackled. After slavery was abolished, the Emperor of Brazil deemed Capoeiratechniques too dangerous for freed slaves and forbade its practice. The Capoeria community then began to disguise training matches as “Games” and set them to music to look like a dance. To this day Capoeira matches are always set to music and look like a highly acrobatic dance but Capoeira involves many impressive kicks, throws and take downs that can be quite useful in a real fight.

MARTIAL ARTS ACTION IN NEW CAPOEIRA MOVIE

2009-12-20T06:16:00.000-08:00

It was high time capoeira were represented in the big screen in all its glory. A movie just released tells the story of Besouro (The Beetle), a true myth among those who practice the Afro-Brazilian martial art/ballet. The director João Daniel Tikhomiroff had a high budget for Brazilian standards – US$ 7 million -, spent in a production that embellishes an art that is, to begin with, extremely beautiful. Several actors are true capoeiristas and their fight scenes were coreographed by Huen Chiu Ku, that previously worked in The Matrix, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Kill Bill.

First look at ‘Ip Man 2′

2009-12-17T18:54:00.000-08:00

Chinese media recently gained access to the set of Wilson Yip’s IP MAN 2 in Songjiang Studio, Shanghai where production is wrapping up with stars Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung filming their first screen duel since SPL. Yip was on hand to discuss the film and touched on topics including Sammo’s heart trouble, emphasis on drama in this sequel, actor Huang Xiao-ming’s screen fighting skills, and Bruce Lee’s first appearance in the trilogy. Thanks to translation from Wu-Jing.org, we’re able to reveal the details on what is shaping up to be one of the most highly anticipated martial arts movies of 2010.

Donnie Yen and Sammo Hung in Ip MAN 2. (Sina)

IP MAN 2 is the first sequel in a planned semi-biographical trilogy on the life of 20th century Wing Chun master Ip Man. (AKA Yip Man), best known in the West as Bruce Lee’s martial arts instructor. The first film was a Hong Kong Film Award-winning smash hit that focused on Ip Man’s early adult life in Foshan where he struggled through Japanese occupation. Donnie Yen was nominated for Best Actor for his starring role while Sammo Hung and Tony Leung Siu-hung were jointly awarded Best Action Choreography.

The sequel puts Yen back into the role of Ip Man, this time as he settles in Hong Kong where he opens a Wing Chun school and comes into conflict with a local Hung Fist master named Hung Jan-nam, who is played by Sammo Hung. Although Ip Man is ultimately challenged by the British who rule the territory and their hired fighters, tensions between the two kung fu masters mount to where they are forced to duel.

According to Wilson Yip, the two actors had been planning this fight for a very long time. “I believe it will become a classic, surpassing the first IP MAN film as well as SPL,” said Yip. “As the duel takes place on such a small area (a round table), there will be an emphasis on the adroitness, and [it] will be very thrilling.”

While Yip has high hopes that this rematch between Sammo Hung and Donnie Yen will surpass their previous duel in SPL he has had to deal with serious concerns over Sammo Hung’s health. It was reported earlier this year that during production of IP MAN 2, Sammo Hung had been admitted to hospital to undergo heart surgery after suffering chest pain while on set. Although the procedure was a success and Hung quickly returned to filming, Yip made efforts to accommodate concerns over Hung’s health.

“We tried to shoot drama scenes first. In addition, we’d shoot action scenes in which he worked behind the camera first, pushing any action scenes involving him as an actor to the back,” said Yip. “However, being both the martial arts choreographer and the actor, Sammo Hung’s workload was still very [demanding]. Over the two, three months of filming, you cannot help but admire Sammo Hung’s attitude and perseverance. He’s always so full of zest when filming.”

A big question on everyone’s mind has been when audiences will first get to see Ip Man’s famous student Bruce Lee. Jiang Daiyan, a 10-year-old actor was selected to portray the late martial arts screen legend following an extensive talent search that focused largely on finding someone who looked like a young Bruce Lee.

“When filming the first installment, I was already being asked about Bruce Lee, though eventually, we didn’t have him,” said Yip. “In this sequel, we looked for a suitable candidate, and have completed his scenes. However, in the current 2.5 hours cut, I still have little inkling of which part of the film to put his scenes, and for how long.”

Regarding IP MAN 3, Donnie Yen suggested that he may not be reprising his role. “Because IP MAN 2 will incontrovertibly become a classic, bettering the first, I believe it’s best to end something when it’s at perfection, and leave behind a good memory,” said Yen.

“A successful film is a successful commercial product, once it has reached a certain position, I’d rather let it be a classic forever, as opposed to taking the risk to attempt outdoing it yet again. It would be very difficult to do the third installment. Perhaps, after a few years, when the director finds a new angle, we could talk about it later.”

Despite his misgivings about continuing this particular role and previous suggestion of an early retirement, Yen made it clear that he isn’t ready to give up making action movies any time soon. He cited plans for upcoming films that include THE LEGEND OF CHEN ZHEN, which begins production later this month, as well as a sequel to Daniel Lee’s upcoming martial arts actioner 14 BLADES.

“Every film I do is an actioner so after doing it I feel extremely worn out. At that time, I would often think of having an early retirement. But, after a bit of rest, I’d be raring to receive the next challenge, so, I [will] still be around for a while,” said Yen.

IP MAN 2 is currently scheduled for release in the summer of 2010.

Sources: Sina, Beijing Star Daily via Wu-Jing.org

Learn Boxing...

2009-12-16T00:30:00.000-08:00

As someone who has been boxing since the very early part of the 1980's I like to believe that I have picked up some knowledge a long the way. I often get e-mails from kids and adults alike who are interested in learning to box or how to exercise or what to do for running. etc. So with that in mind I have decided to include a brief training manual for those of you out there that have an interest in boxing and do not mind getting the opinions and insights from the viewpoint of just one of many, many people that have been in the game for a long time. Everybody has their own thoughts, ideas and ideologies on the boxing game. Here are some of mine.

Basic Punches

JAB: A boxer having no jab is like a basketball player not being able to dribble. The Jab is the MOST IMPORTANT PUNCH in a boxers arsenal. A boxer not having a good jab is like a basketball player not
Jab
being able to dribble. What good is having a great jump shot or being able to slam dunk if you can't dribble? It's like trying to build a house and you try to construct the attic first. You have to start from the ground and work your way up. The jab is starting at the ground and you can't complete yourself as a boxer (your house) without building a good and solid jab first.

Muhammad Ali used to win a high majority of rounds in fights by using the jab as his primary weapon. IF there is one punch that a boxer could win a fight with by using that punch alone, it is the jab. When using the jab, the boxer needs to have his knees bent and chin down. The jab must come directly from the "ready position." Make sure you twist your arm in a corkscrew like motion just before impact. That is what will give you the SNAP you will need for a good punch. That is what will make your opponents head snap back when you land it properly. Try it with the "twist" and without and you will FEEL the difference. Try and feel your shoulder being thrust into the punch. Imagine a towel when you were a kid at the pool and you used to "whip it" at your friends! The jab is just like that towel you left welts on your friends with. Of the modern day boxers I think that Winky Wright has what might be the jab that is hardest to defend against. Very quick,straight and precise. I also trained "Bad" Chad Dawson for a while as a pro and I think if you watch his right jab (he's a southpaw) closely you will see my influence there. I worked long and hard with him on getting the proper snap and range with it and I believe he has developed it into one of the better jabs out there in the game today. If you are a heavyweight then look no further than old videos of Larry Holmes to see how it looks when it is thrown with a big man's form, power and accuracy.

HOOK: In my opinion, Felix Trinidad has one of the best left hooks ever. He executes it with such precision and speed that is among the best in the history of the game. Many fighters tend to really "load up" with their
Hook
hooks, but the short, fast and direct hook that Trinidad throws unquestionably gets the most effective results. In my opinion, the best time to throw the hook is when it follows your right cross (as in the traditional combination of jab, right hand, left hook). Throwing the right hand will and SHOULD put you in perfect position to let the left hook go. You want to turn your body in a snapping motion. Think of your left hook (or right hook if you are a southpaw) as a piston in an engine. You want it to snap out in that manner. In terms of the left hook to the body think of Micky Ward and his famous double hook (my favorite combination. Hook to the head first and then down to the body). Bend your knees when you want to really dig a body shot. Bend your knees and get down low enough so that you are almost looking right at the part of the body that you want to hit. Roll up with your punches. Picture the angle that it would take to push a mans bottom rib, down by his waist, up towards his throat. Roll up into the lower rib cage with that in mind. For the record, I would say that two of the most vicious -and yet underrated body punchers of all time are both Sugar Ray Leonard and Tommy Hearns. Watch them both to see vicious, two handed body work.

STRAIGHT RIGHT HAND: When you throw your straight right, it should generally come right after the left jab is thrown. The punch, as with all punches, should not be telegraphed. The right hand should come from your face,
Cross
right by your chin where your right hand should be when you are in your "ready stance." It should be thrown directly from your face to your opponents face. The quickest and most direct way to get from one point to the next is in a straight line. I try to imagine that when I throw my jab, that my jab has traveled down a corridor. When you bring your jab back and let the right hand go it should travel down that very same "corridor." I think Tommy "The Hitman" Hearns is a very good example of someone who throws a very well executed right hand. Another GREAT example of how to throw came when Foreman hit Moorer with the right hand off the jab. Watch Foreman hit Moorer and you will see a PERFECT right hand.

UPPERCUT: The uppercut is one of the most dangerous punches in boxing. When thrown as a part of a multi-punch combination, it can have very good effect. Not many fighters consistently throw
Uppercut
uppercuts so, because of that, most fighters do not practice avoiding them very often. The punch is good when thrown at a variety of times, but I think after throwing a good left jab it is good to follow up with the right uppercut. The uppercut should usually be thrown during the course of "inside fighting" when you are close to your opponent. Throwing the uppercut from too far away leaves you in a position to be countered much more easily. Buster Douglas made that mistake against Holyfield. On the other hand, J.C. Chavez had a wicked inside uppercut. He tore Meldrick Taylor up on the inside with it in their 1990 fight. Throwing the left jab sets up the uppercut very well. You should throw the uppercut in a way that allows you, upon completion of the punch, to be in a position to follow with a left hook afterwards. Mike Tyson is also someone, among others, that has a very effective uppercut.

A Wrap Up of Punching:

COMBINATIONS : My own personal theory of combination punching is this - A Boxer should be able to , theoretically, throw a thousand punches in succession without losing balance. The reason being is that every single punch in a Boxers arsenal , when thrown properly, should leave the Boxer in a position where he can and will be able to throw another punch. For example, when you throw a left jab you should automatically be in a position to throw a straight right. When you finish with the right hand, you be in a position to throw a left hook, etc etc. If you throw a right hand, or any other punch , and you are off balance and NOT in a position to throw another punch afterwards and you find that you have to re-plant your foot to throw another punch then you DID NOT throw that punch properly. Roy Jones, Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather are three Boxers that have the ability to throw very good Combinations.

TO SUM UP 'PUNCHING': The game of boxing requires that you be able to move well, slip punches, keep your hands up, be tough, etc., BUT the main thing, above all else, to win a fight you must THROW PUNCHES. In my opinion you should start by learning how to throw the left jab (or right jab if you are a southpaw). It is human nature to want to get started by throwing hooks and crosses and other "big punches," but if you are serious about becoming a "real boxer" and want to develop real skills that will maybe take you to a higher level, then you MUST concentrate on perfecting your left jab first. Even if it takes you MONTHS to do, you must have your coaches work with you on your jab until you can win rounds with ONLY that punch if need be.

Outside the scope of Punching:

BREATHING : The MAIN THING to remember when you are boxing is to breathe through your NOSE and not your mouth. When you open your mouth too much and try to breathe like that, it leaves you more susceptible to having your jaw injured. Be relaxed in there and you will not get as tired as you will if you are tight and nervous.

CIRCLING YOUR OPPONENT : In my opinion, a Boxer must be able to ' Box' and ' Fight'. If an opponent wants to be ' rough' with you, then you need to be able to 'box' so that you can neutralize his offense. If he wants to Box you, then you need to have the aggression and the skills to take him out of his Boxing mode. You should never stand directly in front of your opponent for more than a few seconds at a time. You should constantly be in a position where you can circle to the left or right every few seconds so that you do not give your opponent the chance to ' set up' . The longer you stay in one spot, the easier it is for your opponent to size you up and get off good punches on you.

TRAINING : I recommend that a boxer train Monday through Friday and take it easy on the weekend. The only thing you may need to do each weekend is keep up on your push-ups, sit-ups and jogging. During the week, it is usual for boxers to be in the gym each day for about two hours. Each day of training should include stretching, exercises, shadowboxing, skipping rope, punching the heavy bag and on some days, sparring with other boxers. Each coach has his or her methods of coaching you, but ALL boxers should be in the gym as often as they can during the week. Repetition is the KEY in becoming a good fighter. All your punches and footwork, etc. must be practiced very often and with great desire to perfect them. ROADWORK: Everybody hears about fighters doing roadwork. People see a guy on the street jogging and they often assume he is a boxer. Running, roadwork, is a very important part of the boxers training but don't feel that you have to run every day. Too much running is much worse than not enough.

One thing is..the DISTANCE of a run is not so important unless u are trying to JOG for distance to sweat a lot and make weight. I would rather see a guy RUN for two miles than JOG for five. Because almost ANYBODY can jog five miles, even guys that aren't really athletic. But not many guys can RUN HARD for two miles , a long sprint basically. And understand this... once you are in GREAT shape then you don't need to run so much anymore. You just need to MAINTAIN. There is a difference between GETTING in shape and STAYING In shape. A guy in AWESOME shape doesn't need to run five days a week on top of all the other things he is doing, assuming he trains real hard in the gym, eats well, etc. Three or four good days of a nice hard run, usually with some sort of HILL or mountain mixed in to one or more of the runs. Try RUNNING two miles and JOGGING five and you will see what I mean when I say there is a big difference between the two.

Here is a basic hint for you to always remember: If you workout and train and you are not very tired after you get done doing your particular workouts (running, hitting the bag, hitting the mitts etc) then you just didn't work hard enough!

NUTRITION: Nutrition is EXTREMELY important to a boxer. Each person differs in some cases, but I can tell you to get the most out of your conditioning it would benefit a serious boxer to avoid the following: Fried foods, butter, soda, cakes and cookies, ice cream, candy, syrups and dressings and most foods that contain a lot of fat and are high in calories. Water, even more so than gatorade, is the best fluid to take in. Steaks and chicken with the majority of the fat cut off and cooked either by broiling or baking are very good. The key is to eat enough so that you can still be strong. Even when you are trying to make weight it is VERY important to get your nutrition. Your body cannot burn fat if it doesn't have food to burn. Feeding your body is the only real way to keep your metabolism going.

NEVER FORGET, even when you are trying to cut weight, that without eating enough food you cannot be at peak strength. If you are forced to not eat for more than a day just so you can make weight for a match then you should more than likely not be boxing at that weight. Try and stay away from fatty foods, sugary food and JUNK FOOD! If it is sweet and very tasty, unfortunately, it probably isn't very healthy. Drink a lot of water and/or gatorade. (At least a Gallon a day!)

ICE ADVICE: In my book, "The Iceman Diaries" the following bit of advice appears but, for all the amateurs and young professionals out there that might not have the patience to read my entire book, I wanted to put this advice from me to you in it's own special space for all to see. It took me years and years of training and fighting, pain, worrying, thinking, straining, struggling, disappointments, joys, highs and lows, ups and downs to figure all this out. I didn't always follow this advice, either, mainly because I didn't realize much of it was so true until I gained the experience that I have now. Hindsight is truly 20/20. I can tell you this much now... It's all a legitimate group of words for the aspiring boxer to take heed in. Every word of it. Because this is EXPERIENCE talking to you and, when it comes down to it, it's all true. Believe this:

When all is said and done it doesn't matter how pretty your trunks look or how shiny your boxing shoes are. You don't have to have sequins and slick embroidery on your trunks. Don't pay attention to the press conferences and the news articles you read about yourself. Don't let yourself get all jazzed up about the autographs you sign or the pictures the fans want to take with you or the women that want to meet you because your the "pro boxer" now. Don't get too caught up in the hype, the promotion, having your picture on the fight poster, talking stuff at the press conference or being invited to meet people that never cared about you before you became a "somebody" or about going to eat at fancy places with your new managers that you would never eat at in a million years before you became a pro.

I remember a guy I trained with for a while back in the 1990's who was steady knocking guys out on hamburgers, fruit punch and ring dings. He got picked up after a while by a manager willing to invest in him and before you know it he was introduced to "linguini with white clam sauce" and other stuff like that. Maybe as Mickey Goldmill once said it, "he got civilized." Who knows? Whatever happened, for what it's worth, it was soon after that this particular guy hit a terrible losing streak that he never recovered from.

And remember: Talking a little trash here and there isn't always so bad, that's very true, because drawing attention to you and your fights is certainly one way to get your name out there, but never forget that the easiest thing in the world is to tell someone how good and tough you are while the hardest thing is actually going out and proving it. Anybody can SAY they're tough but not everybody can BE tough.

Don't get lost in having fans and fan clubs, seeing your picture on a fight T-Shirt, being recognized at the mall and having people that see you at your local mini-mart telling you how "You're the MAN." And when you actually do fight, don't worry so much about having your boys from back home in your dressing room with you so they can walk you to the ring while they talk trash into the camera on behalf of you and then, when they get in the ring with you, they try to look hard and tough with their sunglasses on even though it is 9 O'clock at night and you guys are indoors, while all the while they are thinking somewhere in their minds about how cool they must look to the people in the audience or the girls back home that they hope are watching them. They look ridiculous and they make you look ridiculous, too.

And if you want to appeal to people in a way that can make you a star make sure you keep your friends that never fought before, but want to come along for the ride, in check. Because when you are in the hotel the week of your fight and you are there with three four of your buddies who actually seem to think it is their job to be loud, cocky and obnoxious while looking menacing because they are with you it isn't a good reflection on you. The average boxing fan doesn't and want to approach a boxer whose friends look and act like extras from a gang movie. The term "fan friendly" doesn't just mean you, it means your team and the people you surround yourself with, too.

Don't get me wrong, you can have most of those things if you really want them or feel they will help you at some point in some way. They feel good and they look good. Nice memories. Good for the ego. But, above all else, it is about the training and the fighting. Remember that much. At the heart of it all there is nothing else.

Because all those things amount to nothing when the real deal moment arrives. The only thing, the one single thing to the boxer that matters most, is that you better be in better shape come fight night than you have ever been in your life because every time you walk up those steps there is going to be some guy in the other corner who doesn't care about your flash and razzmatazz, he doesn't care about your glorified amateur career and your sparkly trunks (along with the old Ali tassels) and he knows that all your tough looking friends with big mouths will be sitting safely at ringside while he tries to stomp you in a few minutes. He's mean, hungry and wants to feed his kids and the only way he can do that is to get bigger and better fights. One way for him to get those fights is by beating YOU into the ground tonight. So, you better do more sit-ups and more push-ups than the next man. Run harder and be more dedicated. And if you do choose to buy into the showy aspects of boxing, well, you had better learn to differentiate between reality and smoke and mirrors. You take guys like Sugar Ray Leonard, Sugar Ray Robinson and Muhammad Ali and for some strange reason the words "tough" don't come to mind when you think of them as easily as they do when you think of guys like Holyfield, Hagler, LaMotta and Gatti but the fact is that despite their showmanship and entourages and charisma those guys were as tough and rough and mean as any man that ever laced on gloves. You can talk about the latter guys and give examples of when they went through wars and showed big heart but you better believe that it took just as much heart for Ali to go to war in Manila with Frazier, to get up off the floor in the 15th against Frazier in 1971 and to go 12 rounds with Norton the first time with a broken jaw. How about Sugar Ray Leonard digging down as deep as anyone has ever dug when he fought back through a badly swollen eye to stop the awesome Tommy Hearns back in 81? And the Sugar man of the 40's and 50-'s was certainly one of the greatest boxing showman in history but he proved over and over that when the going got tough the Sugar Man got going. Like when he was past his prime and losing badly on points against the very awkward Randy Turpin back in the 1950's he somehow found the energy and the heart and the will to let loose with a come from behind rainfall of shots that brought his title back to him one more time. So you can be cocky and a showman and have charisma and all that but, remember, you will still have to be as mean and rough and tough in your heart as those guys were. When the going gets tough you definitely got to get going.

There are also things you can't always control like who has the better jab, speed, power, combinations etc. but there are also things you can control and one of them is that you can do your best to be in better condition than everybody you fight. So put down the pepsi, the chips and the snicker bars and focus better than everybody else in your gym. And if you are one of the millions of foolish kids in this world that is drinking alcohol and smoking pot (among other things) and you are actually doing that while also attempting to be a top of the line boxer, well, why don't you just save yourself some time and quit boxing right now. Or, if you want to, just go out in your backyard and put some dirt in a cup and ingest that because it will do your body almost as much damage at a much cheaper price than you're paying now. Forget what you hear from your friends and from TV and images you see in print ads because, point blank, alcohol and drugs are poison. And also, for what it's worth, I feel that any young person that will freely allow themselves to even try alcohol and drugs in the first place probably doesn't have the character and will to get the most out of their potential anyway. I know, I know. They will point to all the pro athletes that do drink and smoke and that's true, a lot of them do and some of them still do very well for themselves actually. But here's the thing, though: They will never, ever truly know what levels and what type of longevity they could have reached had they just been strong willed enough and smart enough to refuse ingesting what every idiot in the world already knows can't possibly be good for you.

While I am at it, check this out: You all have girlfriends or wives. No problem there, of course, but remember and realize this: There are very few young woman (girls) out there that really know what it is to be a fighter and to not only fight but to prepare to fight. Boxers are a special breed of people and things really need to be right well before the fight actually takes place, mentally as much or more as physically. When someone close to you can't truly understand what you are going through then they just won't know any better and, as a result, peace of mind is hard often to come by. It's a complex thing but a lot of young guys, of course, want to have a woman in their life and the younger the man the less actual commitment he might be ready for or willing to have. The problem there is that woman are the same way and when it comes down to it if you want to be the best fighter you can possibly be but you have a significant other that doesn't seem to be able to relate to your boxing career and what it would take for you to have peace of mind then, unfortunately, sometimes it is best to part ways. If you want to be the best you can be then you better believe who you surround yourself with can be a very important point. You need to have peace of mind and you need to be able to focus on the important things. This game we are in is a dangerous one, believe that, and your mind has to be right. If your other half doesn't have the wherewithal to recognize that and to give you the support needed then maybe there will and should come a time that you will have to choose. Choose wisely.

Bottom line? Train not just like a BOXER, but like a pound-for-pound champion. You might not have the edge in certain areas compared to the guy you are going up against but you can definitely control who trains harder, who wants it more. Make sure it is you. Do some hard work in the gym and when you feel like you cannot push any harder? Push a little bit more than you even want to because I know guys that could probably demolish you inside of three rounds and you don't even know their names yet because they aren't famous, undefeated or promoted by a big timer. They are strong, though, and tough and skilled, too. They may never get a chance to get you if you have a good matchmaker and a promoter that is looking out for you but they are on the sidelines waiting, just waiting, in case they do in fact get the call to step in and get a hold of some kid like you who thinks he's a big shot already even though he hasn't fought anybody of consequence yet. He will not be as flashy as you and won't have very many fans at the fight to cheer him on and walk him to the ring but you better believe he's a real fighter and he's going to bring it and bring it hard.

You might be very talented and you may have slick moves, some pop in your punches, good speed. Maybe you are even a wonderkid, a prodigy. Maybe they call you "The Truth" or "The Messenger" or some other catchy nickname. But nicknames don't win fights now, do they? Actually, most of the things I am talking about here don't really help you actually win fights, right? Either way, there's much more to this game than all that. You need to be focused enough and strong enough and mentally and physically resilient enough to fight as hard in the eleventh and twelfth rounds (or the third and fourth if you are an amateur) as you do in the first round when you feel great and things are all going your way.

Once again, the reality is that all those extra, mostly irrelevant things are fine and will give you a nice looking scrap book someday but when it really comes down to it, though, the one and only thing that matters at the end of the day is the FIGHT. You can do without nicknames, posses, promoters, sequins, trash talking, interviews, autographs, even judges, promoters, trainers and referees for that matter because when it comes down to it, at the root of it all, the only thing that boxing truly cannot do without is the fighters and the fights.

It's all that really matters.

If you would like more information on any of the topics feel free to email The Icemam at ICEJOHNSCULLY@AOL.COM

Cops set kung-fu record

2009-12-06T04:21:00.000-08:00

KUNG Fu cops have karate-chopped their way into the record books after completing a 36-hour martial arts training session.

There was no previous record for the longest training session, so the 10 members of the Greater Manchester Police Martial Arts Club could have stopped after 24 hours.

Inspector Melita Wordswick said: "It was quite tempting to call it quits at that point, but we had so many people coming along to support us and we wanted to set a record that would not easily be broken.

"The hardest time for me was training throughout the night, when your body tells you that you should be asleep."

The team began their attempt at Manchester College in Ardwick with non-stop training for two-hour stints broken by just a one-minute break.

They hope to appear in the Guinness Book of Records next year and have also raised funds in aid of CLIC Sargent, a charity that cares for young people and children with cancer.

Woman, 53, Uses Martial Arts To Nab Alleged Burglar

2009-12-06T04:19:00.000-08:00

LIGHTHOUSE POINT, Fla. -- A Lighthouse Point woman used her skills in martial arts to tackle an alleged burglar after she chased him six blocks.Margot Foster, 53, arrived home at 2600 block of Northeast Court Friday around 10 a.m. and found a man identified as Gregory St. Germain, 24, ransacking her house, police said. She was able to tackle the suspect outside of her home, but police said he was able to get free.The marathon runner and black belt in martial arts then chased St. Germain for six or seven blocks until she caught up with him and held him until police arrived, according to patrol Sgt. Alan Nestor of the Lighthouse Point police.Police said they believe St. Germain, of Miami Gardens, is responsible for a number of burglaries in Lighthouse Point neighborhoods.He was charged with burglary, battery, possession of stolen property and grand theft and was being held in the Broward County Jail, police said.

Thai fighters eye Shaolin

2009-12-06T04:14:00.001-08:00

The Shaolin Temple may have sidestepped a challenge to Chinese kungfu, but another prominent school has stepped in to pick up the gauntlet.

Five famous professional Thai Boxers offered a challenge, claiming that they wanted to "wipe out the Shaolin Temple".

"Shaolin kungfu is a lie by these monks to Chinese Buddhists, and Chinese kungfu is nothing compared with ours," said one of the five Thai boxers who is ready to take on masters from the famous temple.

"If they accept our challenge, we'll win 5 to 0."

But Shaolin responded by saying the provocative words were "ridiculous", refusing to reply to the "secular challenge".

Zheng Shumin from Shaolin Temple said the temple is a holy Buddhist place where monks' primary concern is Zen practice and they would not get into contests with secular people.

"We receive so many challenges like this every year, we just don't want to reply," Zheng said. "We think this is hype from the Thai boxers and the organizers of the competition."

"In the history of Shaolin Temple, we never challenge or agree to fight others," said Zheng.

However, followers of Emei kungfu, another important school of martial arts in China, considers this a challenge that "any kungfu practitioner with a sense of justice should face."

Wang Jian, director of the Emei Martial Arts Association, and his senior disciple Huang Lin, entered the contest "to let the Thai boxers know that Chinese kungfu is never easy to beat."

"I couldn't bear it anymore ... after the public and all my fellow disciples urged me to show them real Chinese kungfu," Wang said.

"This is not only disrespectful to Chinese kungfu, it is also disrespectful to our nation," said Zhang Ji from Emei Martial Arts Association.

"As disciples of kungfu, whether from Shaolin, Emei, Wudang, or anywhere else, we should stand up to such defiance," he said.

The five boxers from Thailand will be in China for the contest on Dec 19 in Foshan, Guangdong province, the hometown of late action star Bruce Lee.

Joey Mak learns Wing Chun to be a fighter

2009-12-06T03:54:00.001-08:00

Joey Mak joined TVB by competing in Miss Hong Kong 2007 pageant. She left a deep impression on the audience when she was picked as one of the Food Angels for TVB's Beautiful Cooking as (Cream). Recently she has had the opportunity to host show's such as (Scoop) and shoot a few TV series. She said "I have learned a lot of things from hosting. I am able to adapt and change things quickly". Joey expressed that she is able to create an atmosphere now and her speaking skills have improved.

Earlier she had the chance to work with Ron Ng in shooting TVB series (The Queen of the Office). She excitedly said "I play his younger sister in the series. I also play a security guard who knows martial arts". Due to her role, Joey went to learn Wing Chun. "I really enjoy playing sports. That's why I feel the role is very suitable for me. I hope to give the audience a refreshing feel".

Ba Ji Quan

2009-12-04T08:55:00.000-08:00

Bājíquán

Bājíquán (traditional Chinese: 八極拳; pinyin: Bājíquán; literally "eight extremes fist"; Japanese: 八極拳, Hakkyokuken) is a Chinese martial art that features explosive, short range power and is famous for its elbow strikes. It originated in Hebei Province in Northern China, but is also well-known in other places today, especially Taiwan. The style is also called Kai Men Ba Ji Quan 開門八極拳.

Origins

Bajiquan was called Baziquan (巴子拳 or 鈀子拳; "rake fist"), due to the fact that when not striking, the fist is held loosely and slightly open, resembling a rake, and also the art involves many downward strike moves, just like a rake's movement in the field. The name was considered to be rather crude sounding in its native tongue, so it was changed to Bajiquan. The term baji, which comes from the oldest book in China, the I Ching, signifies "an extension of all directions." In this case, it means "including everything" or "the universe." The first recorded teacher was Wu Zhong 吳鍾(1712-1802).

Famous teachers that promoted the style included Wu Xiu Feng 吳秀峰, Li Shu Wen 李書文 (1864-1934), (Cangzhou, Hebei, very skillful with the spear that earned him the nickname "God of Spear Li."). A Peking Opera Wu Shen (Martial Male Character) by training, he was foremost in his Kung Fu basic training. His most famous quote about fighting was, "I do not know what it's like to hit a man twice." Li Shu Wen's students included Huo Dian Ge 霍殿閣 (bodyguard to Pu Yi, the last Emperor of China), Li Chenwu (bodyguard to Mao Zedong), and Liu Yun Qiao 劉雲樵 (secret agent for the nationalist Kuomintang and instructor of the bodyguards of Chiang Kai Shek). Bajiquan has come to be known as "The Bodyguard Style".

Ma Feng Tu 馬鳳圖 and Ma Yin Tu 馬英圖 introduced Ba Ji fist into Nanjing Kuo Shu Guan 南京國術館 (central Chinese Martial Arts Academy). It was required for all students. ajiquan shares roots with another Hebei martial art, Piguazhang. It is said that Wu Zhong, the oldest traceable lineage holder in the Bajiquan lineage, taught both arts together as an integrated fighting system. They split apart, only to be recombined by Li Shuwen in the late 18th to early 19th century. As a testament to the complementary nature of these two styles, there is a Chinese martial arts proverb that goes: "When pigua is added to baji, gods and demons will all be terrified. When baji is added to pigua, heroes will sigh knowing they are no match against it." (八極參劈掛，神鬼都害怕。劈掛參八極，英雄嘆莫及)

Today there are many families or lines of Bajiquan, inculding Han, Huo, Li, Wu and the Wu-Tan branch from master Liu Yunqiao. There are some differences in the Bajiquan training between the lines, but the core is the same. The lineage holder of Wu family Bajiquan in China is Wu Lian Zhi 吳連枝. Through more than 50 years of training, he collected material and records which were passed down from generation to generation.

Features

Tactics and strategy

Ba Ji fist is known to open the opponent's arms forcibly (Qiang Kai Men 强開門) and mount attacks at high, mid, and low levels of the body, or San Pan Lian Ji 三盤連擊. Chinese Kung Fu styles are most useful under specific conditions. Bajiquan is used in close combat, as it pays attention to elbow, knee, shoulder and hip strikes. When blocking an attack or nearing an opponent, Bajiquan techniques emphasize striking major points of vulnerability, namely the thorax (trunk of the body), legs and neck. The six big ways of opening door, or Liu Da Kai 六大開 are:

+ Ding 頂: using the fist, elbow or shoulder to push forward and upward.

+ Bao 抱: putting arms together as if hugging someone. It is usually followed by Pi 劈 (split).

+ Ti 提: elevating the knee to hit the thigh of the opponent, or elevating the foot to hit the shin of the opponent, etc.

+ Dan 單: using a single move.

+ Kua 胯: using the hip.

+ Chan 纏: entanglement with rotation around the wrist, elbow and shoulder

Stepping and body methods

Footwork in Bajiquan has three special features:

+ Zhen Jiao

+ Nian Bu

+ Chuang Bu

These striking techniques are related to ancient Chinese medicine, which states that all parts of the body are connected, either physically or spiritually.

Open hand forms and weapons

The forms of Baji are divided into Fist (non-weapon) and Weapon forms. There are 20 fist forms, which include 12 Baji Small Structure Fists, Baji Black Tiger Fist, Baji Dan Zhai, Baji Dan Da/Dui Da, Baji Luo Han Gong, and Baji Si Lang Kuan. There are eight weapons forms, including Liu He Da Qiang (spear), Liu He Hua Qiang (spear), Chun Yang Jian (sword), San Yin Dao (sabre), Xing Zhe Bang (staff), Pudao, and Chun Qiu Da Dao (a long two-handed heavy blade, used by Generals sitting on their horses).

Power generation and expression methods

The major features of this school of Chinese martial arts include elbow strikes, arm/fist punches, hip checks, and strikes with the shoulder. All techniques are executed with a short power, developed through training; in Chinese martial arts, Baji is famous for its fast movements.

Baji focuses on in-fighting, entering from a longer range with Baji's distinctive charging step (zhen jiao). The essence of Bajiquan lies in jin, or power-issuing methods, particularly fajin (explosive power). The style contains six types of jin, eight different ways to hit and several principles of power usage. Unlike most western forms of martial arts which require swinging motion to create momentum, most of Bajiquan's moves utilize a one-hit push-strike method from very close range.

The bulk of the damage is dealt through the momentary acceleration that travels up from the waist to the limb and further magnified by the charging step known as zhen jiao. The mechanics of jin are developed through many years of practice and Bajiquan is known for its strenuous lower-body training and its emphasis on the horse stance. Its horse stance is higher than that of typical Long Fist styles.

Like other styles, there is also "the arrow-bow stance", "the one-leg stance", "the empty stance" (xūbù 虚步), "the drop stance" (pūbù 仆步), etc. There are eight different hand poses, plus different types of breathing and zhen jiao.

The six Major Characteristic Powers are:

+ Sinking (Xia Chen 下沉 or Chen Zhui 沉墜)

+ Thrusting (Chong 沖)

+ Extending (Cheng 撑)

+ Entangling (Chan 纏)

+ Cross (Shi Zi 十字)

+ Inch (Cun 寸)

Influences

The Baji style focuses on being more direct, culminating in powerful, fast strikes that will render an opponent unable to continue. Even so, there are some styles that are derived from Baji Quan’s main principles or concepts on how to hit your opponent:

+ Bashi (Eight postures)

+ Bashi Gong (Eight movements method)

+ Bashi Chui (Eight striking Forms)

+ Shuang Bashi (Double Eight Postures)

+ Jingang Bashi (Eight postures of the Buddha Guards)

+ Longxing Bashi (Eight postures of the Dragon Style)

Many of these forms are also based or mixed with Luohan Quan, a Shaolin style. The term "Bashi" or "Pashi" may also refer to Baji. But it can also be noted that Bashi is also a term used in the style of Xingyi Quan. Bruce Lee, along with many of his contemporaries, studied styles like Bajiquan. Along with his training of wing chun, Lee incorporated useful moves from other styles, including Bajiquan, .

Bruce lee’s wing chun (high quality)

2009-12-02T07:02:00.000-08:00

Watch in high quality clip starts out with bruce doing some fancy stuff to titillate the ladies. The remainder of the clip shows you Bruce’s great wing chun skill. Its rumored that for the camera, he had to slow himself down so if whats in the clip is considered slow then….what was his fastest speed?

Martial Arts Can Improve Your Health While You Have Fun

2009-12-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

You may think that martial art movements are only about kicking the heart out of your opponents. Well, partly you are right. But behind the fun and excitement of breaking your enemy’s nasal cartilage or poking out his eyes, martial arts training can well be considered as an excellent workout.

This is why there are a lot of people nowadays who go on trying to learn how to kick and punch not because they want to join a brawl in a bar. Rather, many people want to increase their body’s metabolism, improve secretion of certain brain chemicals, or simply enhance their overall well-being.

Martial arts can help you gain skills that are high above any ordinary individual. But few people know the health benefits that come with such deadly exercises. The positive effects of these exercises in one’s health can be best demonstrated by comparing the physical condition of older martial arts practitioners with their non-practicing contemporaries. You will easily find that martial artists look years, if not decades, younger than other members of their age bracket who believe in sedentary lifestyle.

Truly, undergoing martial arts training allows you to enjoy a unique program that combines exhilarating adrenaline rush with a no nonsense workout. Here are a few advantages that martial arts can bring to your overall health.

Weight Loss

Any martial art training, in essence, is an aerobic exercise. When you do this kind of training, you are able to move most, if not all of your muscles. As an important part of your fitness program, martial arts can burn considerable amounts of calories and help you lose unwanted weight.

Many practitioners have been observed to burn up to 5,000 calories daily, if they practice regularly. Some even claim that all the kicking and screaming during sessions can decrease one’s appetite. No wonder it is hard to find traditional and sports martial artists who weigh a ton, unless you talk about sumo wrestling – but that’s another story.

Enhanced Liver Functions

Everyone knows the important role that the liver plays in one’s life. Without it, one can not live. Liver is an important component in metabolism, especially in regulating carbohydrates in the bloodstream. You see, substances like fats, carbohydrates and proteins from the food you ate are brought to the liver.

These nutrients are eventually turned into simple sugars and are either released into the bloodstream or stored as glycogen by the liver. Uncontrolled amounts of glycogen in your blood may not be good for your health. But for most practitioners of martial arts, the liver tends to have increased capacity to store glycogen; thus, preventing more sugar to circulate in the blood.

Enhanced Physiological Activity

Sign up for at least three weeks of serious martial arts training in your nearby Karate or Taekwondo school and you will see remarkable changes in your overall bodily functions. Masters say that you will definitely attain healthier blood sugar and blood pressure levels within a very short time if you practice martial arts.

Other benefits include improved brain chemistry and blood supply to your cells and tissues. All these changes can positively improve the functioning of your brain and body. And with that, you have a better chance of preventing diabetes, heart ailments and certain cancers from happening to you.

These are but a few of the health benefits that you can gain from doing martial arts exercises. Needless to say, any martial art program requires that you have well-functioning muscles and joints. Over time, part of the health benefits of martial arts can help you deal with most pains and aches.

But for now, you will not be able to perform at your peak if you can not move your joints due to arthritis or other joint problems. To prevent stiffness in the joints from ruining your martial art workout, you need products that improve and lubricate your joints, just like Flexcerin. For more information, visit http://www.flexcerin.com/

The 10 Most Ridiculously Awesome Fight Scenes In Movie History

2009-12-02T02:26:00.000-08:00

Sure big budget fight scenes with amazing choreography and special effects are great, but they pale in comparison to a fight scene that is so incredibly bad that it's good. Certain filmakers are blessed with the ability to suck and sometimes they take their level of sucking to a place that's so incredibly awful that they accidentally create a work of genius. Take Weird Al Yankovic for example. I don't think anyone can argue that UHF is one of the worst and greatest comedies of the last 200 years.

#10 Code Of The Dragon - It's easily the greatest man in a wheelchair fight scene you'll ever see.

#9 Kibakichi 2 - Apparently when werewolf samurai's fight they don't actually hit each other.

#8 La Gran Pelea - You know you've truly defeated your opponent when you can stand on top of him and do a dance routine once the fight is over.

#7 The Super Ninja - It's the longest ninja beach in the history of super ninja beach fights.

#6 9 Deaths Of A Ninja - The important thing to learn from this fight scene is that four midgets can be easily defeated when you spin them in a circle and never jump onto a box unless it's really sturdy... that's what she said.

#5 Adhisaya Piravi - Kicking heavy bags of sand at people is way easier than you think.

#4 They Live - Only John Carpenter is capable of making Roddy Piper and Keith David fight for five minutes over a pair of sunglasses.

#3 Riki-Oh - If you're ever in a Kung Fu fight and somebody rips out your intestines with their bare hands don't try to choke them with you intestines because apparently that doesn't work.

#2 Bollywood's Biggest Badass - It's like my dad always told me, don't mess with dudes who have a mustache and wear a jean jacket.

#1 Undefeatable - If a giant metal hook ends up in somebody's eye and that hook is attached to a machine that lifts the hook while it's still in the man's eye then the fight is officially over.

The Virtues of Aikido

2009-11-30T06:21:00.000-08:00

The popularity of aikido both in Japan and abroad is a post-World War II phenomenon. Early students of Founder Morihei Ueshiba such as Koichi Tohei, Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Gozo Shioda, Kenji Tomiki and others, followed by their students in turn, were mainly responsible for the growth of the art on an international scale.

What factors are responsible for aikido’s broad appeal? Many people observing the art for the first time comment on the beauty and gracefulness of aikido techniques. The attacker is thrown in a seemingly effortless manner yet suffers no apparent harm from the encounter. The promise of a self-defense art that protects the individual while sparing the aggressor is an attractive concept in philosophical and moral terms in a world where the specter of warfare seems ever present. Aikido’s ethical basis appeals to man’s deep-seated instinct for survival. At the same time, the art provides a unique alternative to the violent techniques of other martial arts—techniques that elicit moral repugnance in many.

On a physical level, aikido has much to offer for the health conscious. The accumulated benefits produced by warm-up, stretching, throwing and falling exercises are considerable. Many practitioners have undergone dramatic physical transformations through aikido training on their way to a fitness lifestyle.

The social milieu that develops in aikido dojos is an important part, too, of the training experience for many practitioners. Aikido tends to draw from a wide age range and students continue longer than practitioners of arts centered on competition, primarily the domain of young people. Also, I think it would be accurate to say that, as a percentage, aikido has a higher ratio of female participants than any other martial art. All of this contributes to a strong sense of community. For many students of aikido, the dojo is an extension of or even a substitute for their family.

Aikido: the non-martial art

For all of the positive benefits of aikido training, the art has not yet realized its great potential as a social force for promoting harmony among peoples. Although the relationship may not appear obvious, I think this is due in large part to the art’s distancing itself from its martial roots. It is the martial atmosphere of the dojo setting that allows students to develop real-world skills and elevates the level of training beyond that of a mere health system. The neglect of the martial side of aikido can be explained in part by historical circumstances.

Japanese society in the postwar era rejected the military mentality that led to the country’s involvement in the Second World War. Given this inhospitable climate where the practice of martial arts was forbidden for several years, the martial nature of aikido was suppressed. As a consequence, what remained of the art that was embraced by hundreds of thousands of practitioners was—with few exceptions—something quite different from the original concept of the Founder. The techniques of aikido retained only the outer form of a martial art and tended to be practiced in a setting devoid of martial intensity. Let us look at some of the factors that cause aikido to fall short as a martial art.

Weak attacks

The root of the problem as I see it lies in the weak attacks that are commonplace in aikido dojos nowadays. Students are seldom given training in how to execute an effective attack, be it in striking, grabbing or the occasional choking or kicking techniques. The situation is further exacerbated by a lack of committed intent or focus during attacks. This absence of firm intent on the part of the attacker affects his mental state and that of the person executing the technique. Both sides are aware—at least subconsciously—of the minimal risk of injury in training under these circumstances. Accordingly, the focused mind-set needed to develop realistic self-defense skills is absent from training.

Neglect of atemi and kiai

A study of the art of the Founder will reveal his emphasis on atemi (preemptive strikes) and kiai (combative shouts) as an integral part of techniques. O-Sensei can be seen executing atemi and kiai even in films from his final years when his aikido had become much less physical.

Atemi and kiai go hand in hand and are important tools for stopping or redirecting the mind of the attacker and successfully unbalancing him. Even if a physical strike is not actually employed, a mental state that preempts or disrupts the attack is a vital component of the aikido mind-set. Yet in many dojos today, the use of atemi or kiai will draw scorn from the teacher in charge who regards them as crude, violent means that have no place in an art of “harmony.” This common misconception bespeaks a lack of understanding of the martial origins of the art and the theory and practice of the Founder.

Failure to unbalance attacker

The combination of weak attacks, lack of atemi and kiai in aikido practice lead inevitably to practitioners attempting to execute techniques without first unbalancing the attacker. An uncommitted attacker having foreknowledge of the technique to be applied is not easily brought under control. This introduces an artificial element of collusion into the interaction between practitioners and results in a training atmosphere that is fundamentally different from the intensity of a real encounter.

Use of force and “make-believe” throws

The logical consequence of the above training lapses is the execution of sloppy, imprecise throws and pins. Since full control of the attacker is not achieved, it often becomes necessary for the person throwing to resort to physical strength in order to complete the technique. This leads to clashing and raises the risk of injury.

Another scenario is that neither of the two partners put any serious effort into the technique and the interplay between them is little more than choreographed collusion.

The progress of practitioners taught in a setting in which the “martial edge” is absent and where sound training principles are not observed will necessarily be retarded. What is worse, some who are products of this kind of training environment will entertain the illusion that their skills would be viable in a realistic situation.

Premature physical decline of instructors

I suspect that a certain segment of the aikido population would agree with the above observations. On the other hand, the next subject I will broach will no doubt elicit controversy in many quarters.

In my 40 years of involvement in aikido I have observed numerous teachers pass from their physical primes to a state of declining health and, in the cases of some, to an early demise. All too frequently they have accelerated the inevitable aging process through poor lifestyle choices. As their bodies age, teachers frequently adapt their techniques to compensate for their physical ailments and decreased ability to move. Moreover, they stop engaging in “give-and-take” practice where the roles of uke (the attacker) and nage (person throwing) are alternated. They become “teachers,” but cease to be “practitioners” in the way they were in their formative years of training.

The withdrawal of teachers from partnered training practice whether or not the result of a conscious decision has far-reaching effects on their aikido careers. By no longer doing warmup exercises and taking falls, they undermine their level of body conditioning and flexibility. Focusing exclusively on throwing contributes to a overall weakening of the body structure and muscular tone and invites injuries.

As teachers seldom practice with their peers beyond a certain point in their training, an artificial cap is placed on their progress because their pool of training partners is limited primarily to their own students who are almost always of a lesser skill level.

Remedies

Much of what needs to be done to restore the martial nature of aikido in accordance with the vision of O-Sensei involves correcting the poor training habits alluded to above. Here is a list of concrete steps than can be taken that would literally revolutionize aikido and restore its great potential as a force for social betterment.

Teaching attacking skills

First of all, great attention should be given to teaching aikido students how to attack effectively and with resolute intent. This may require some teachers to engage in cross-training of some sort in order to acquire the necessary skills themselves.

What kinds of attacks should be introduced in the aikido dojo? This will be a personal decision on the part of the instructor in charge. I think that basic punching skills from karate, boxing or other sophisticated systems should be considered.

Students should also become familiar with kicking at least at an elementary level. Although not as prevalent as punches, it is quite possible that one might be confronted with kicks in a real encounter.

Learning defenses against kicks also helps students overcome the common problem of “tunnel vision.” For example, beginners tend to focus their attention on the initial, overt aspect of an attack—usually a punch or grab—and fail to recognize the possibility of a secondary attack. When students realize that they must consider another attack such as a kick may be forthcoming, their state of alertness improves.

Learning how to kick properly will also improve the falling skills of aikido students because falls from kicks are more difficult and dangerous. Care should be taken to proceed slowly because the risk of injury is higher.

Among the existing aikido systems, Yoseikan Aikido developed by Minoru Mochizuki takes this sort of eclectic approach that incorporates elements from several arts. Students of this system are taught basic karate, judo and weapons skills as part of their training.

Beyond this, one might want to introduce attacks involving weapons—both bladed and non-bladed. Training with weapons is a useful tool to teach the importance of maai (distancing) under different circumstances and offers many other benefits. The Iwama Aikido curriculum of Morihiro Saito is an example of a systematic approach to weapons training.

The end result of improving the quality of attacks will be a greater focus during training and the creation of an atmosphere of seriousness and respect for one’s partner. The risk element always present in martial arts training will be recognized and due care taken to avoid behavior that leads to injuries.

Bringing back atemi and kiai

The use of atemi and kiai should be reintroduced and encouraged in aikido dojos. Atemi and kiai are extremely important in that they may allow a practitioner to overcome physical or numerical superiority in a real encounter. They are invaluable aids in neutralizing an attack and unbalancing an opponent. They pave the way for aikido techniques to be applied without force and against little resistance.

It should be possible to apply atemi or use kiai at virtually any stage of an aikido technique, not just the beginning. Students should be coached on how to recognize an opponent’s openings at every opportunity. Shoji Nishio has developed atemi skills to a high level and his martial-form of aikido is a valuable reference.

At a higher level, atemi may not even have a physical manifestation. An advanced martial artist can achieve the effect of an atemi through subtle body language alone as long as a mind-set preempting the attack is present. If you watch films of O-Sensei carefully you will see this principle in operation and it is a key element of so-called “no touch” throws.

Keeping the attacker off balance

A fundamental yet often neglected principle of aikido is the importance of unbalancing an attacker and maintaining control from the beginning of a technique to the decisive point involving a throw or pin. I have often observed techniques being taught to students where the attacker’s balance is first taken only to be given back immediately before the throw!

One only has to carefully observe the center of gravity of uke to determine whether or not his balance has been taken. Students should be constantly vigilant of their partner’s center of gravity in order to determine if their techniques are being effective.

Before leaving this subject, an interesting exercise when attending an aikido demonstration is to watch the movements of uke rather than nage. If uke’s balance is being controled throughout the technique then you are observing a true master.

Posture and breath control

Other areas that are often overlooked in aikido training are correct posture and breathing. Nage should cultivate good posture and keep his balance throughout the technique.

Attention to breathing habits is seldom stressed in dojo training. By pacing your breathing it is possible to create and maintain an internal body rhythm that will reduce fatigue and make it easier to keep one’s composure under the stress of vigorous training. Learning to observe one’s own breathing will also develop the ability to “read” an opponent’s breathing. This is useful to sense the timing and intent of an attack at a stage prior to its physical manifestation.

Instructors should get back into training

The most common reasons given for aikido teachers ceasing to participate in normal dojo training are the limiting effects of aging and the accumulation of injuries. It is certainly not possible for anyone to escape the effects of time and the wear-and-tear on the body of vigorous aikido training.

This being said, there is nothing to prevent teachers from training within their individual limits and at their own pace. As I see it, the key element is to continue to do stretching, warmups and take falls to the extent possible. You either do it or you don’t!

The Founder maintained his suppleness well into his 80s and was even capable of doing the splits. Also, he can be seen taking falls for a child at about age 79 in one of the surviving films.

In many kobujutsu schools it is the custom for the teacher and seniors to assume the role of attacker and take falls for junior students where required. You will see this if you attend a demonstration of classical martial arts. Imagine for a moment how it would change things if the top aikido instructors were capable of and actually took falls for their students during demonstrations! And what better way than this would there be for teachers to accelerate the improvement of their students?

I truly believe that it is possible to add ten good years to one’s aikido career by adopting the approaches suggested here. I’ll let you know in about 20 years time how this theory works out in my personal case!

Cross-training

I think one of the most positive things that instructors and practitioners alike should consider is cross-training in other arts. Here again we can look to the example of O-Sensei who studied a number of martial arts in his lifetime. He also arranged for the marriage of his daughter to a famous kendo expert and allowed a kendo group to form and practice in the old Kobukan Dojo. At age 54, the Founder formally enrolled in the Kashima Shinto-ryu, a classical school with a several-centuries-long tradition. He drew heavily from the Kashima Shinto-ryu curriculum in developing his aiki ken. O-Sensei also invited masters of other arts to the Aikikai Hombu Dojo to visit and give demonstrations. He was always prepared to “steal techniques” from other experts through keen observation.

One of the prime purposes of the annual Aiki Expo event sponsored by Aikido Journal is to encourage and facilitate cross-training among different groups.

Conclusion

I have attempted to explain how what is accepted as “modern aikido” is really a permutation of the original concepts underlying the aikido of the Founder. Due to the considerable spread of the art in the postwar Japan and abroad and the passage of more than five decades, these changed forms of aikido have come to be considered the norm. The assumption of most is that these new approaches reflect the intent of the Founder whereas, to a large degree, this is not the case. Most of the criticisms of aikido today arise because the modern forms of aikido have strayed from the Founder’s main precepts. The suggestions offered in this article would, if adopted by a significant section of the aikido population, produce a major change in the quality of the art and how it is perceived by sceptical outsiders. It is our intention to lead the way toward this desirable end by organizing future events such as the Aiki Expo.

Stanley Pranin

Different Styles Of Boxing Around The World

2009-11-29T04:49:00.000-08:00

Boxing is a Natural Fighting Technique that has been Stylized and Refined in Different Ways

Punching with your fists and kicking with your feet come naturally when untrained fighters fight with each other. Add a few other tactics such as elbowing, kneeing, biting and head butting, and you have a complete fighting routine. Many of these are in fact are elements of some boxing styles like Muay Thai or Thai Boxing.

When the boxing becomes a trained discipline, the techniques are refined so that their effectiveness is enhanced and they are adapted to different fighting situations. In particular, training can help fighters counter opponents better and increase the impact of their own punches, kicks and other kinds of attacks.

Boxing has thus been developed into formalized systems with codified practices in different regions of the world. In addition to Muay Thai, there are other systems such as Burmese Boxing, French Boxing and modern Western Boxing.

Thai Boxing or Muay Thai

The process of refining techniques can be illustrated by looking at some practices of Muay Thai. In this system of boxing, the use of feet for kicking has been abandoned in favor of kicking with the shin. The feet contain many fragile bones that can easily get broken if used for kicking. The shin, while quite sensitive in an untrained person, can be developed into a formidable weapon through training. Thai boxing also minimizes hand punching at the body of the opponent, instead focusing on the head. The theory is that when you try to punch lower, your own head is exposed to attack by the opponent's elbows and knees.

Muay Thai involves extensive use of hands, shins, elbows and knees, and is known as the Art of Eight Limbs. In the traditional style, a ninth limb, the head, was also used. Head butting has been banned in modern Muay Thai. This style of boxing also uses grappling to some extent. Clinching, where you hold the opponent's head with your hands while kneeing the person, for example.

Strikes like punches, kicks and others involve the use of the full body. The fighter turns the full body from the hip while striking, and thus adds considerable force to the attack.

Thai boxing originally used a flat handed kind of punching, striking with the heel of the palm. It has now incorporated all the different punches of modern boxing, such as jabs, hooks and upper cuts with fists and knuckles.

Other fighting techniques of Muay Thai include:

Kicking with the shin,

Different types of Elbowing,

Jumping, flying and straight Knee strikes,

Clinching the opponent's head while striking with the knee and

Foot Thrusts to throw the opponent off balance

Defensive techniques include Blocking, Redirection, Avoidance, Evasion, Disruption and Anticipation.

Modern Boxing

Western boxing, with its focus on reducing boxing to a rules-based sport and minimizing injuries is what we call modern boxing. It had its origin in the Greek Olympics of pre-Christian era. The boxing of Greek times was different from what we know as modern boxing, and serious injury was common.

Modern boxing places considerable focus on minimizing such serious injury. Heavy gloves have to be worn by the contestants, and only hits by the gloved fists are allowed in fighting. No elbowing, kneeing, head butting or biting are allowed. Referees can stop the fight if one of the contestants is deemed to be unable to continue fighting.

The rules of modern boxing include:

The use of three minute "rounds" of fighting with one minute rests between each round

The use of "corners" where the boxer can rest during the break, and can receive help and advice from coach and helpers

Prohibition of certain kinds of attacks, such as hitting below the belt, holding the opponent while striking and the elbowing, kneeing etc mentioned earlier

Three methods of deciding a winner, viz. Knockout when one of the fighters touches the floor of the ring for a count of ten, Technical Knockout when the referee determines that one of the contestants cannot continue the fighting and Referee Decision or Judges' Points if neither Knockout nor Technical Knockout occurs

The use of a referee, who monitors the fight closely working inside the ring, and ringside judges who score points for each boxer

Modern boxing also ensures that only fighters with similar weights are matched against each other. Even in this case, if the fighting shows that the fighters are seriously mismatched, the referee can stop the fight. Amateur boxers are also required to wear headgear while fighting.

Modern boxing is thus very different from traditional fighting that allowed all kinds of attacks, such as kneeing, elbowing, biting and head butting. However, many of these elements can be seen in other boxing styles such as Thai Boxing. Even in these cases, rules have minimized their lethal character so that contestants are not maimed or killed.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Is A Modern Form Of Jujutsu, The Ancient Japanese Martial Art

2009-11-29T04:48:00.000-08:00

Like Jujutsu, Jiu Jitsu Also Focuses on Leverage and Balance Rather Than Brute Force

The ancient Japanese martial art of jujutsu was developed to fight bare handed against armed and armored opponents during Samurai days. This technique depended on balance and leverage to use the opponent's momentum against himself and throw him off balance. The unbalanced opponent was thrown, immobilized, maimed, choked or otherwise rendered ineffective.

While the ancient jujutsu used all kinds of attacks designed to kill or seriously maim the opponent, modern jiu jitsu is used in a far more restrained fashion, for self defense or in competitive events. The common element between the ancient and modern practice is the use of leverage rather than strength to defeat an opponent.

Modern Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

A Japanese master of Kodokan Judo, who was sent abroad to popularize the new martial art of Judo all over the world, found support in Brazil and the Brazilian martial art of Jiu Jitsu developed as a result. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a grappling technique that, unlike Japanese Jiu Jitsu and Judo, is primarily fought on the ground. Today Jiu Jitsu and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu are often thought to be synonymous. Though they are distinct systems, for the remainder of this article the terms will be used interchangeably

Fighting on the ground neutralizes much of the advantage of a stronger opponent and the Jiu Jitsu practitioner focuses primarily on getting the opponent to the ground. Several techniques are available to achieve this objective and once on the ground, the practitioner uses a number of maneuvers to gain dominance and get the opponent into a position where immobilizing holds can be applied.

The immobilizing holds can take the form of joint-locks or choke-holds. In joint-locks, some particular joint of the opponent, such as a wrist, elbow, knee or ankle is held and leverage is used to move the joint beyond its normal range of movement. By applying pressure in a controlled manner, the opponent is made to suffer intolerable pain and admit defeat. Under sporting conditions, the opponent usually indicates submission in some recognized manner, e.g. "tapping out". In real combat conditions, the joint can be broken and the opponent seriously injured.

Chokes involve constricting the windpipe or the carotid artery (called strangulation). Air chokes have the potential to damage the opponent's trachea and even to cause death. Strangulation results in unconsciousness, and provided it is released before brain damage from oxygen deprivation begins, does not cause permanent damage.

People learn jiu jitsu for self defense or for taking part in competitive tournaments. Jiu jitsu skills can come in handy in grappling and mixed martial art competitions. Due to the use on technique and leverage over raw force, jiu jitsu can neutralize larger and stronger opponents in both self defense and competition scenarios.

Jiu Jitsu Training and Grading

Training to acquire jiu jitsu skills typically involve the following practices:

Technique drills against a non-resisting partner

Position drills where no submissions are applied and partners vie to take and hold a dominant position.

Isolation sparring where only a particular technique or limited range of techniques are practiced

Full sparring where each partner tries to get the other person to submit, using all legal techniques

Physical conditioning

Grading seeks to assess the practitioner's

Grasp of technical knowledge as demonstrated through drills above and

Performance in sparring and actual competitions

Practitioners are encouraged to adapt the techniques to suit their body type, preferences and athleticism.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a martial art form that allows people, regardless of size, to defend themselves against attacks from larger or stronger opponents by using correct technique and leverage. The right techniques need to be learned through extensive practice. Once mastered the techniques can help the practitioner throw stronger opponents off-balance and use that person's momentum against himself in combat situations. Opponents thrown to the ground lose some of their strength and size advantages. They can then be maneuvered into positions where joint-locks or choke-holds can be applied to defeat them.

Jujutsu ----the martial art of Japan

2009-11-29T04:38:00.000-08:00

Jujutsu (柔術:じゅうじゅつ jūjutsu?), literally translates to "art of pliance". More accurately, however, it means the art of using indirect force, such as joint locks or throwing techniques, to defeat an opponent, as opposed to direct force such as a punch or a kick. This is not to imply that jujutsu does not teach or employ strikes, but rather that the art's aim is the ability to use an attacker's force against him or her, and counter-attack where they are weakest or least defended.
Methods of combat included striking (kicking, punching), throwing (body throws, joint-lock throws, unbalance throws), restraining (pinning, strangulating, grappling, wrestling) and weaponry. Defensive tactics included blocking, evading, off balancing, blending and escaping. Minor weapons such as the tantō (dagger), ryufundo kusari (weighted chain), jutte (helmet smasher), and kakushi buki (secret or disguised weapons) were almost always included in koryū jujutsu.
Most of these were battlefield-based systems to be practiced as companion arts to the more common and vital weapon systems. At the time, these fighting arts went by many different names, including kogusoku, yawara, kumiuchi, and hakuda. In reality, these grappling systems were not really unarmed systems of combat, but are more accurately described as means whereby an unarmed or lightly armed warrior could defeat a heavily armed and armored enemy on the battlefield. Ideally, the samurai would be armed and would not need to rely on such techniques.
In later times, other koryū developed into systems more familiar to the practitioners of the jujutsu commonly seen today. These systems are generally designed to deal with opponents neither wearing armor nor in a battlefield environment. For this reason, they include extensive use of atemi waza (vital-striking technique). These tactics would be of little use against an armored opponent on a battlefield. They would, however, be quite valuable to anyone confronting an enemy or opponent during peacetime dressed in normal street attire. Occasionally, inconspicuous weapons such as knives or tessen (iron fans) were included in the curriculum.
Today, jujutsu is practiced in many forms, both ancient and modern. Various methods of jujutsu have been incorporated or synthesized into judo and aikido, as well as being exported throughout the world and transformed into sport wrestling systems, adopted in whole or part by schools of karate or other unrelated martial arts, still practiced as they were centuries ago, or all of the above.

China to refurbish homeplace of Shaolin kung fu

2009-11-28T08:48:00.001-08:00

China plans to give a large-scale facelift to the Shaolin Temple area in central Henan Province, where the renowned Shaolin kung fu (martial art) originated.

More than 1,000 enterprises, martial art schools, shops and households covering some 300,000 square meters are scheduled to be moved away from eight sightseeing areas in the city of Dengfeng, Henan, according to Jin Yindong, head of the city's cultural heritage administration.

Archeological experts will also repair and renovate the dagobas of the 1,500-year-old Shaolin Temple in the city.

The project, set to be completed by the end of this year, is aimed at clearing away constructions that diminish the image of the eight ancient cultural heritage areas.

Three of them, including the Shaolin dagobas and Songyang Academy -- one of the four most important schools in ancient China, are vying for the World Heritage status.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has granted the status to 35 sites in China, including the Great Wall, the Forbidden City in Beijing, the 2,200-year-old terracotta warriors in the northwestern city of Xi'an, and the newly-added Diaolou watchtowers in Guangdong Province.

Local authorities are busy preparing a detailed plan of the project and compensation measures for the businesses and people to be relocated.

Dengfeng, China's best-known home of martial arts, also boasts 16 cultural relics under the state protection list.

Ten Train Wreck Wrestling Promos

2009-11-28T08:17:00.000-08:00

As we experienced this week, wrestling promos are usually good for a surprise and a laugh. Physical prowess and a chiseled body are just half the battle on the road to a successful wrestling career. Charisma and skills on the microphone can be the difference between having a career like the Rock, or toiling on the mid-card for life. Take Ken Shamrock for example, he had the look, the athleticism, and the body… but he couldn’t talk his way out of parking ticket. For better or for worse, below are ten wrestling promos that went way wrong (or way right) depending on how you look at them.

Jake “The Snake” Roberts

Jake Roberts made his name by popularizing one of the most devastating finishing moves of its time, the DDT. That and he carried his pet snake Damien around in a bag. Years later Roberts was still traipsing around America wrestling in high school gymnasiums and casinos. Roberts has a well documented history with drug use, and I’m not so sure what he was using before this interview, but it’s obvious that a casino may not have been the best place to take it.

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper

Here we have the iconic “Scottish” bad boy Roddy Piper, evidently high on gas, rambling on about The Village People, lipstick, Jacques Cousteau, having his dick taken away, and insinuates that The Mountie may actually be gay for him. Remember kids, don’t do drugs.

Booker T

All you can do is laugh when Booker T realizes he accidentally dropped an “N-bomb” while calling out Hulk Hogan. Sensational Sherry finds it funny, but Booker is beside himself.

Jumpin Jeff Farmer

There’s a reason you’ve never heard of Jumpin Jeff Farmer and uh… this is it.

“Psycho” Sid

Sid kind of looked like Ted Danson’s steroid taking half-brother with a sick Jheri curl. He was infamous for botching shoots and interviews, here he asks for a redo during a live promo. Ahh, no.

Scott Hall

This might help you recall how much of a waste pit WCW was during their downward spiral. It’s not that Scott Hall is garbage on the microphone here, the fans are tossing junk in the ring because they’re allowed. That kind of shit would get you tossed in the WWF. It’s a creeper, but wait until about the :46 mark. Stay classy, WCW fans.

Booker T

Booker’s got a better sense of humor this time around. Neither X-Pac or Kevin Nash can keep it together when Booker T mocks Shawn Michaels’ entrance theme. Booker himself seems to have gotten the biggest kick out of it.

Lex Luger

Everything bad you’ve ever heard about the effects of steroids is on display here. The “Total Package” Lex Luger is erupting with rage over being booked in some backwoods wrestling promotion (like he could get work somewhere else?). He can’t even get out of his shirt he’s so jacked up.

“Macho Man” Randy Savage

Some consider him among the greatest wrestlers of all time. That’s warranted, he could topple or match anyone on the microphone, and in his day he was a high-flying daredevil. He was crazy, he still is crazy, but he fucking rules.

The Ultimate Warrior

Derangement, lunacy, senselessness, idiocy. All would be fair when describing the one and only Ultimate Warrior.

Books by Zhang Xing San:

Zi Mu Liang Huan Quan	Qi Xing Tang Lang Quan

Martial Arts in the World

Song Changrong’s Baguazhang

‘Departed Warriors’ – the xingyiquan of Li Zhongxuan

五台雨雪恨难消 (part 1)

How To Live 100 Years: Re-Learning to Breathe

JOURNEY OF TAI JI

Finding the work ethic of Chen Fake (part 1)

Zhang Xiang San "Taiwan's Six Harmony Praying Mantis Master"

GM Liu Yun Qiao Baji Movements Video download

Liu Yun Chiao (1909 - 1992)

Xing Yi Quan Freestyle Combat

THE TRUE HISTORY OF HIDDEN SAMBO

6 STRATEGIES TO WIN IN SAMBO

SOUTHERN SHAOLIN KUNG FU

KARATE THE PRACTICAL FIGHTING ART

ABOUT KARATE STYLES

KARATE IN JAPAN FROM A WESTERNER'S PERSPECTIVE

Bruce Lee Quotes

Yigal Arbiv From Netanya

6 POINTS FOR GUN DEFENSE

The History of Capoeira

THE HISTORY OF TAE KWON-DO

THE THEORY OF KYU-SHIN-DO, WHAT IT IS, OR, MORE PRECISELY, WHAT IT ISN'T!

MASTER OF MASTERS Hatsumi Sensei Ninja Magazine, Oct 1985

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Ten Best – The Fighters of 2009

Women In The Martial Arts - Anita Wilson

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Liangong

in 18 FORMS: "Inside China's Emerging Exercise Phenomenon" by Gerald A. Sharp

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MARTIAL ARTS ACTION IN NEW CAPOEIRA MOVIE

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Woman, 53, Uses Martial Arts To Nab Alleged Burglar

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Bruce lee’s wing chun (high quality)

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The 10 Most Ridiculously Awesome Fight Scenes In Movie History

The Virtues of Aikido

Different Styles Of Boxing Around The World

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Is A Modern Form Of Jujutsu, The Ancient Japanese Martial Art

Jujutsu ----the martial art of Japan

China to refurbish homeplace of Shaolin kung fu

Ten Train Wreck Wrestling Promos

in 18 FORMS: "Inside China's Emerging Exercise Phenomenon"
by Gerald A. Sharp