Pinan Godan, Heian Godan, Pyung Ahn Odan

For those of you that are familiar with the kata can envision what comes next. For those of you that are not, the foot block / cresent kick is followed by an elbow strike. Oldman's left hand maintains contact with the attacker arm during the kick and then pulls the opponet in to range for an elbow strike to the back of the head. The kick can also be lower, say, to the thigh and, or come down as a stomp.

Bunkai Pinan / Heian Yondan, Pyung Ahn Sahdan

The Guru Groomer

It was nearing the end of his first full day in the canine salon and Oldman was exhausted and irritable. That irritation was only exacerbated by the lightheartedness of the man working at the table next to him. He was even older than Oldman. More irritating than that was the fact that older man groomed almost twice as many dogs as Oldman did that day and never seemed to sweat or get flustered. It was like there was no difference between the man and his work.

The older man sensed that the younger mans mood had gone south and said "Why so glum?". "Well I used to BE somebody" Oldman said sarcastically. The elder groomer burst out laughing then chortled " I used to be HIM TOO". "A larger than life cartoon Sensei?" a confused Oldman replied? "NO,no no no no" said the groomer no. I was an addict. "AN ADDICT?!!!! I have never done drugs in my life" squealed Oldman.

Yes you did. Approval, praise, attention, success, prestige, being the boss. Drug drug drug drug drug drug drug. Your every experience is clouded by needing to get your drugs. Drug drug drug drug drug. Because of that you are always tense. You looked at me today and your face said "Will he give me my drug". Nope no drugs from me.

WAKE UP!!!

A stunned Oldman replied "I understand" the Guru Groomer shook his head and said "No you don't, but maybe after you hose out the kennels you will".

Meanwhile in Japan

As the sun set on the nation of the rising sun, mothers and their kids knelt for dinner. Their husbands and fathers tried to make it through their obligatory afterwork rounds of drinks. Each man desperately hoped his boss would leave so they could go home to their families. As the night wore on and the women wore down, many would attempt to lose themselves in the fantasy world that is Japanese television. Many tuned in to watch the nations fitness queen Mariko Takahashi. Somehow as the popularity of her exercise empire grew, people never questioned the intentions of the beautiful Mariko Takahashi. Why would a squad of "Super Poodles" exercising be a cause for concern? Oh I don't know... Maybe because she is training a "SQUAD OF SUPER POODLES"!!!!!

The Borin' Identity

Forced by circumstances, Oldman takes on a new identity as the owner of a dog grooming salon. He tries to convince himself that this will be all he must do for his life to return to "normal". In years past the salon had always be a refuge and a shelter. Well... not really a shelter, I mean that has stressful connotations if you are a dog, what I meant was a haven. How could he even begin to imagine what was going on, on the other side of the world.

Breaking the News

Oldman breaks the news to his crew that because of a lapse in security on "someone's" part their mission may have been compromised. The team knows from past experience this means going deep underground or relocating entirely. The thought of not being able to find affordable housing in an area with good schools and and affordable dinner theaters causes a murmur of disension through the group. Oldman reassure the group that they have gotten through this before and that no one has to feel bad if they have slipped up and "Let the cat out of the bag". It may be some time before any of them are able to be seen in public again. But at this point, first things first. Oldman knew he must warn Colin Wee. He also new that the Boobishi was now in jeopardy.Underlying it all was his fear that if his hit count didn't make it to 1000 soon there may be no way to protect people from the "Bacon Belly Bomb".

Loose Lips Sink Ships

After what appeared to be and innocent slip of the tongue responding to Colin Wee, the Traditional TaeKwonDoist, Oldman realized that his mission may be compromised. There was nothing left for him to do at that point but to hop into the 93 Saturn and head back to his underground "Okunoma" dojo. On top of that he couldn't shake the odd feeling there were eight people following him.

"The Secret Squad" NOT!!!!

It has come to my attention that there has been some internet talk about something refered to as "The Secret Squad". I "Oldman" would like to say, for the record, that I have no knowledge of any such thing. I don't know any "secrets" or any "squads". Well that's not entirerly true. My daughters are on a dance team and they are sometimes called a "squad" but thats irrelevent. They are not spys. Not that "The Secret Squad" are because I simply wouldn't know of any such group.

Duck goose, duck!!!

Looking at the title you might expect it to read Duck, Duck, Goose. For those of you that aren't familiar Duck, Duck, Goose it is a common children's game. You have a circle of kids sitting on the ground. One child walks around the circle tapping each child on the head while saying Duck, Duck, Duck, Duck, then the child taps someone and yells goose. The sitting child has to get up and chase the first child around the circle in an attempt to catch them before they reach the open spot in the circle and sit down. Why ducks and geese? Generally if you bother a duck it will run away from you. Try that with a goose and you just may get surprised. One October day both a goose and got surprised.

My two year old daughter and I were playing at a beautiful park in northern Illinois. My daughter decided to toddle away from the playground toward a walking path that circled a small lake. The lake was teaming with Canadian geese. In fact there are so many geese in that area now the are considered pests. In an effort to get rid of the geese the city has even brought in Border Collies to harass them into choosing different location to put down roots. As I caught up with my girl I noticed some people to my left. Near the pond there was a boathouse with a collection of scruffy young men. I'm embarrassed to admit my tendency toward vigilance."Hmmmmm... what are these guys up to?". I quickly assessed that they were not any sort of threat. Just as quickly as I determined that I heard hissing and spitting and the sound of someone rushing up behind me. Without thinking I turned, engaged, and threw a round kick connecting with my assailants head...and bill. My attacker was a big male goose that did not like my daughter's proximity to the pond. It was a TKO. The goose staggered back to the pond and his flock. Lets just say the young men weren't sure if they should laugh or be afraid. In a short time the goose got his bearings back. I really did not intend to harm the goose. I really had no intention at all. I guess you could call it Gooshin, or maybe Duck Goose Duck.

MMA / Monkey Kung Fu and Matsumura Seito Karate

Of Mommies And Karate Kids

It's just a drawing, a cute little cartoon. How do I "Know" it's cute? I have been paid to manufacture cuteness for twentyfive years. One way to know for sure if something is cute is to show it to a female between ten and fifty. If the first thing they do when they see it is say "Awwwwwwe" or "Ohhhhhhhh" it's cute. This is actually born out by science. Images of infants faces with specific proportion elicit in females and urge to extend care. It's hard wired into the brain and body. Men can respond similarly but not to the same degree that women do. For women, it just happens.

But how about a martial artist? What does a martial artist or martial arts teacher see? Some would imagine a class full of similar kids and shudder. Some might see it as the embodiment of everything wrong with martial arts today. Dojos full of little "Drag ins" (kids that don't want to be there). Some might see this and consider training children as "a necessary evil", "You know, we gotta pay the bills and keep the doors open. They support the place so the serious students can train. Some teachers would look and say I'm sorry she is to young to begin training. Some others may look and see a member of their "Super Dooper Junior Blackbelt Leadership Team Club" or just "SDJBBLTC" for short. Some see a $2500 contract.

When someone enters a school and begins training they are looking for something. Some may want to improve their health or want their child to be able to protect themselves.
Some are looking for a fun activity. Some might even sheepishly admit wanting to become enlightened. Whatever it is they are looking for as teachers we need to respect that search. People ask me sometimes what will practicing martial arts do for them? Now this is the point where a smart businessman would say something like, Better grades, self respect, lose weight, self confidence, fighting skills...did I mention better grades? More and more I find myself saying "I don't know".

The truth is I don't know what the person will get out of their training. I think another truth is this, if you have a good teacher and are in a good school you will learn things about yourself that you might not want to learn. Now that's not what a parent of young kids usually wants to hear. A dojo should be a safe place to learn those things. It should be a place to explore what you are looking for and why.What Are you looking for and why?

There is a story about Zen master Fenyang. Someone asked Fenyang, "What is the work of a teaching master?" Fenyang replied, "Impersonally guiding those with affiinity".
That is something to ponder. More and more these days I find myself saying I don't know. When someone asks me about what they will learn if they begin training I say "I don't know" quickly followed by "Let's find out".

Nintendo Wee

When I was a kid there were no cell phones, no personal computers and no video games. If you wanted to have fun killing something you actually had to kill it. Video games have become so realistic that a kid can slay an opposing army with the toggle of a joystick or the wave of a wand. I think that makes it harder for kids these days when they have to do something in real life when there is sweat involved. Martial arts training can be fun but it really shouldn’t ever be just a game. There is something to be said for a “Traditional Approach”.

Ok, the Wii joke is a bit of a stretch but I couldn't help myself. I have been reading through Colin Wee's Traditional Taekwondo Technique Workshop Blog. We have some things in common even though he is on the other side of the planet. Primarily an approach to TKD that finds it's roots in both Japan and Korea. I have had a hard time over the years defining my style to people. Technically it is Chung Do Kwan, Tae kwon do. It has been called Tang soo do, Karate, Korean Karate ang TKD. Our schools approach looks as more like a shotokan school than a modern Olympic style school. It is comforting to know there are other guys out there working on the Japanese/ Korean conundrum that Tae Kwon do can present. The following is from his blog....

Welcome to Colin's Traditional Taekwondo Technique Workshop Blog. This blog was started in April 2007 as a traditional taekwondo resource available to all hard style martial artists. My aim was to document just one or two techniques as they are practiced within my weekly traditional taekwondo classes held in Perth, Western Australia. Many of the posts are written after or soon after each class, and were great opportunities to highlight issues that I may not have covered that thoroughly in class.

Traditional taekwondo to me is the version of Taekwondo that was created in the 1940s to the early 1960s characterised by a strong influence from the hard style Japanese karate combined with the idea to improve the system for teaching to military personnel. In my lineage, these traditional taekwondo techniques were brought over to the United States by a South Korean called Jhoon Rhee, who settled in the South West part of the United States in the mid 50’s

Traditional Taekwondo established a strong presence there and was known by several names - Korean Karate, American Karate, and American Taekwondo. I would ultimately be priveleged to learn this American Karate from GM Keith Yates' Southwest Taekwondo Association. Now known as the American Karate and Taekwondo Organization, the training I received from the SMU Martial Arts Club was tough, effective, and was promoted by very knowledgeable and skillful black belt instructors.


As I said, I'm going through his blog now. Hmmmm... I can try that.... Oh yes...We could do that....Hmmmmm... that is SWEEEEET. I think you'll find it helpful too.

The Power Of Optimism

Pinan / Heian Godan PyungAhn Ohdan Bunkai

Big Upswing in 'Man boob' Reduction Surgery

Chris Irvine reports in the Telegraph U.k. that there is both an increase in the use of anabolic steroids and a significant increase in surgeries to reduce the size of "Man Cans".

From his report...

The number of men seeking corrective surgery for "man boobs", "moobs" or is expected to hit a record high, according to a new report. Drug specialists are also reporting a rise in the number of young men turning to the illegal use of anabolic steroids to improve their physique. New figures from the British Association of Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, due to be published on Monday, are reported to show the number of men opting for breast-reduction procedures last year rose by nearly half. In the space of five years, the figure has increased from 22 operations in 2003 to 224 in 2007. The Government's official advisers on drugs have noted that anabolic steroids are becoming popular among non-traditional drug-users keen to improve their physique, rather than just athletes.

Unrelated??? Not bloody likely.

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors.

Location, location, location. We were so excited the day we moved into our current home. That was until that evening or should I say early the next morning (1:30 a.m. to be exact) I awoke to the sound of a woman screaming as she ran down the street. In about fifteen seconds I was up and out the door after her while my spouse dialed 911. It was a domestic situation. The police arrived shortly after I had caught up to the woman and offered aid or shelter. Fortunately those neighbors have moved on.

Over the years we have had a wide array or neighbors. My personal favorites were the four girls that were recent college graduates sharing the house next to us. Those girls loved to party. I don't know which story to tell there are so many. The, time they left the front door open when the "Firefighter" stripper performed in their living room? It think my favorite memory was when one of the girls was so drunk she invited me over "to party" thinking I was my nineteen year old son. She said "SsshHHhhhhHHh...it's cool, I know yur parents are out of town". I thought to myself "Oh honey you are just waaaay to drunk".

I would consider myself a pretty good neighbor. I rake. I take out the trash. I mow my lawn. I mean I'm really a model citizen. My current neighbors are great. They are working on their home and keeping up the yard. Plus, not once have they complained about hearing men and women screaming in my basement on Monday and Thursday evenings. I really should bake them a pie.

MMA / Sumo and Tai Chi

Ahhh he power of Tai Chi and the elegence of Sumo. Or is it the other way around?

Martail Views by John Vesia

When I started blogging my first stab was with Bunkai Blog. I think it had potential. One thing I'm realising is you kind of have to find your own voice. I think I'm doing that more and more. One of the first blogs I stumbled onto was Martial Views by John Vesia. To be honest his blog is what I would like my blog to sound like. His interests are listed as History, Eastern Philosophy and Jungian Psychology. Those things interest me too but you don't want me writing about them. I think his work is very good. Who wouldn't like to put stuff out there that is well written and insightful. I would. One problem ( and an opportunity)is that I don't write that well.

My current approach to blogging is very much like my high school English papers. They did not have much in them that could be mistaken for English, but they were lavishly illustrated. You may not know it but a failing report can often be raised to a D if it is illustrated with gusto. Some of you folks out there never got anything but A's. While you guys were slaving away in the stacks researching, I was sharpening colored pencils mumbling my mantra "You can do it, come on baby, D's get diplomas!" I will say this though, math teachers are different than English teachers. Math teachers do not give a rats ass if you are "creative".

So as I look out over the blogsphere I think it is kind of like a city full of restaurants. If you are hungry and want a GREAT meal, I would go to John's place. If a night at a comedy club with crappy food and service sounds like fun...well you are already here.

My struggles with the written word were not as bad as some peoples. I know for a fact that it was in part those struggles that caused me to use other gifts. Visual gifts, kinesthetic gifts and an angry need to prove myself have helped me to become more successful than most of my teachers ever would have imagined. The modest amout of success I have had has come from finding my voice. Not only my voice, but my language. The language of line.

Oh, by the way, did I mention my mom was an English teacher?

Paging Dr.Jung... Dr. Jung your 3:15 appointment is here.....

MMA / Muay Thai and Kyudo

Many people feel that love child known as mixed martial arts was birthed in 1993 with the advent of the U.F.C. Along with that many people believe the methodology or training paradigm did not exist prior to that. Currently a combination of Muay Thai, Boxing and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is considered to be the most effective skill set for a fighter to develop. That has not always been the case. Trial and error, and ruthless competition over centuries have brought us to this point in history. I am beginning a project to research and record that development through all it's previous incarnations. I wold appreciate any help you historians have to offer.

The Tao of Superhero Nicknames

I have a theory. If you live with people long enough at some point you will get tired of their names. You may even get tired of your own name. The solution? Nicknames. I think a true nickname is one that is given to you by someone else. It is best if that person knows you really well. That way it can really sting when they use it. You might be saying “Hey! That’s degrading. You should call people by their given name”. Well I am. I’m just calling them by the name I gave them instead of the name their Momma gave them. (We all know Dads don’t name kids. Even when a kid is named “Junior” mom was responsible for it).

The truth about a good nickname is it should be educational. I mean that it should help the person receiving it to understand themselves better. There is no point giving a guy with very short arms the nickname “Johnny Short Arms”. First it’s obvious and anyone giving a nickname should have more creativity than to just state the obvious. Second, it doesn’t help enlighten the guy at all. It only tells him what he already knows. Very few things are more irritating than being told things you already know (or are pretending to know).

Everyone in our family has at least one nickname. Some are just terms of endearment, like Doodle, Boo Boo, Eman, ReeRee and Sweet Baby. In recent years all of our family members have been given SUPERHERO nicknames. Superhero nicknames you say? Yes. Superhero nicknames reflect qualities that the individual can use for good or evil. For example, my nickname? TheoryMan. My power is to concoct theories with very little scientific basis that confuse and bore people into submission.

Then there is "The Mumbler". The mumbler is able to speak in a way that conceals his true intent. For example, I say “What are you doing this weekend?”. My son disappears and The Mumbler appears… “Well, yeah a hey well me and D enny werethikmin abooudmaye goinubtalawrents and hang wid tombdeanzam”. Crap, once again I’ve been foiled by The Mumbler.

Daughter Number one. The Badger. She overcomes the strongest of adversaries by relentles argument and inquiry. Verbal attrition till submission. The girl can make your ears bleed.

Daughter two. The Clam. She is also the only child in the family that has a bedroom door with a lock on it. The Clam works silently behind the scenes. If confronted the clam bring all activity to and relationships to a grinding halt by retreating and refusing to speak. She can control the largest opponent for hours. Knock knock knock... "Honey? You in there?".

And lastly my spouse, loving nicknamed “Captain Obvious” by The Badger. Captain Obvious might say something like “It really hurts when you hit your hand with a hammer”. Obviously. What she is actually expressing is compassion and empathy. Captain Obvious is the reinforcer of life lessons who ensures that one does not forget things they have already learned or informs people of things most people already know.

So what does this have to do with Zen? Not much. In fact a real Zen man might not give someone a nickname. Of course I am not a zenist. Maybe he would. I'm sure that if he did he would do so as to help enlighten a person to their true nature or at least point out the conditioning that keeps you from experiencing it.

There is a story about one Zen Master Xuedou. When someone asked him “What is the living meaning of Zen?” he replied “The mountains are high, the oceans are wide”.

That's all the answer you get from a Zen Master? Talk about your Captain Obvious. Maybe he would call someone "Johnny Short Arms".

MMA / Capoeira and Shotokan Karate

Fear No Man

FEAR NO MAN!!! Sounds like hyperbole, no? Big biker guy bumps me in a Quick trip parking lot? Cool. No Problem. No fear. Cool as a cucumber. At a theme park once with my family I had a "situation" with a few young men. Scared? Me? Not at all. To be honest the fear that is implied by the fear no man approach to advertising doesn't move me much. I'm just not unusually fearful in those situations. In fact, the way by brain is wired, those time may be some of the few times that I am fully present.

Many people like myself (wired for creativity) are prone to anxiety. The things most people imagine in black and white I imagine in technicolor and Sensurround sound. It's a two edge sword, a gift and a curse. On a good day I tell myself that it's because I'm a thoroughbred and not a mule.The race horse, high strung, amazing, skittish and dare I say handsome. On a low self esteem day I think I'm more of a mule, plodding, homely and not very likely to win the Kentucky Derby.

On top of that natural gifting throw in a childhood with a significantly higher percentage of random violence than most folks experience in a lifetime and well, signing up for a two week all bazookas included Navy Seal spa starts looking like a reasonable solution to "FEARING MEN". That doesn't even begin to cover us real men that might just be scared of women (or girls). I'm not kidding. How many of you guys leave the room when a family discussion starts about limits on how much can be spent on a prom dress or a high school choir trip to Norway. Yes I said NORWAY.

It's not hopeless though. Here are some things I have found that help. The first and maybe the most important is be honest about what frightens you. Acknowledge them. Covering those fears up increases anxiety. Responsibly sharing those fears with others can lessen them. A burden shared is a burden halved. Two, accept that fear is normal everyone can experience it. You can take a top gun pilot, send him off the deck of an aircraft carrier and his heart rate doesn't budge. Put him in a day care center with twelve two year olds and it's a different story. After eight hours you might have to change his diaper. Three, there are only two kinds of people in the world... Those that are having a hard time, and those that will. We are all the same. Fears and stresses can sneak up on any of us. Four, breath... relax... breath... relax. Things change. Threats don't last forever. Five, support. Who's got you back. Put together a team of GTP, Go to people. A good one will be made of friends and professionals.

These five things will help make fear less of an issue. They are not very impressive sounding solutions. It's certainly not as cool as telling you friends you shot an RPG on Saturday.

This may all sound very silly. It is a serious topic. One could talk about the difference between fear and anxiety. You could delve into the neurochemical ramifications of post traumatic stress. All of those things are important. It's just sometimes the last thing a really serious person needs is more seriosity. If my ideas about becoming fearless ( actually less fearful ) didn't make you swoon, have a go at these sites.

http://www.jimwagnertraining.com

http://www.americancombatives.com

http://www.defendo.com

http://www.scars.com

Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu

If you are interested in reading about the martial way you should consider stopping by "Ikigai, Blogging the Martial Way". When you do visit, bring a lunch. You will be there for a while. The blog is chocked full of stuff to ponder. Matthew is bright and a professional wordsmith ( unlike myself ) This is from his site...

"Matthew Apsokardu has been a student of the martial arts for 13 years and has acquired the rank of 3rd Dan Okinawa Kenpo Karate (Nakamura, Odo lineage), 3rd Dan Okinawa Kenpo Kobudo(Nakamura, Odo lineage). He has also studied Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Kenjutsu for 3 years. Matthew has taught for 7 years and routinely attempts to expand his horizons at training seminars. He believes that a martial artist should build a solid core foundation, but also interact with other qualified martial artists in order to create a well-rounded mindset. He also believes that a complete balance of body, mind, and spirit training is necessary to follow the martial way".

One of Matthew's styles is Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu (Miura line). It is said to be the ruy with the longest recorded history still in existence. Though some cartoon characters take issue with that claim. So what is it that draws people to weapons and Kobudo? The Hakama? which I have to admit is IMVHO the coolest of Budo fashion. It took me a long while to get used to getting hit with feet and fists. The thought of me getting hit with a shinai or bokken, welllll...not bloody likely!!!. Can anyone enlighten me?

Naples Brazilian Jiu Jitsu / Friends in Warm Places

I imagine that if you have lived as much of your life online as I have you might share an experience with me. That peculiar phenomenon is this, You have a friend, perhaps even a very good friend that you have never met. One martial artist that I have never met but would consider a friend is Fletch Fuller. Fletch is a BJJ Brown belt ranked by Luis Guiterrez. Fletch is afilliated with SBG. He is also one of "Florida's finest" serving and protecting both the bad and the beautiful in that sunny state.

The following is from his website.

Located in sunny Naples, Naples Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is dedicated to teaching the art of Jiu Jitsu, "Brazilian Style". Focusing primarily on Close Quarter and Ground Fighting, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has set the standard for combative systems in efficiency and practicality. From the early 1990's when a lanky Royce Gracie turned the Martial Arts world upside down by defeating Martial Artists from other styles in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, to present day where grappling has found it's way into countless Martial Arts programs. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu continues to evolve as students and teachers alike, develop and innovate tactics to survive and win on the mat and in the street.
Since 2002, Naples Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has set the standard for BJJ instruction in the Naples/Bonita Springs area. Instructor Fletch Fuller is also an official Police trainer and has provided tactical and self defense instruction for literally hundreds of Law Enforcement Officers and citizens in SouthWest Florida. If you are looking for Self Defense, Sport or Fitness, Naples BJJ is worth a look.

So, who's on your OLB short list? You know that online buddy you v'e never met but would like to. Maybe they are even an online sparring partner that keeps your arguments sharp and your mind open. Please, don't tell me it's Kimbo Slice.

Bad boys, bad boys whatcha gonna do? whatcha gonna do? Well...I did this shark logo for him. I think it say friendly rather than "Afflicted" If you find yourself in sunny Naples give him a roll. Tell him "Oldman" sent you.

Kudzu Kidz

Here we have the monthly "Kudzu Kidz" Shiai at Mokuren Dojo. Dang! them youngin's is thick as Kudzu.

Bringing the news

Brothanews, is a friend of mine from KC he is even though he is a young man he is senior to me in rank and skill. I have had the opportunity to fight him and watch him grow (reallly grow! ) over the years. He is a competitors worst nightmare. He can use sidekicks and roundkicks like Ali used his jab. Like Ali himself Brothanews is Muslim and a man of sincere faith. Brothanews now teaches at my kids high school and has started a martial arts club after school. So today we give him mad props for educating young folks and bringing a message of education, strength and peace.

Bassai Bunkai: HEY! You Got Judo In My KARATE!!!

Do any of you guys remember The old Reese's peanut butter cup commercials? One guys would say "Hey you got peanut butter on my chocolate!" then the other would say Hey! you got chocolate in my peanut butter!" Then hey would try the combo and ultimatley fall in love with it. I was watching a Judo video yesterday when I saw a throw called, "Tsurikomigoshi". I thought to myself...

HEY! You Got Judo In My KARATE!!!

Pinan Yondan / Pyung Ahn Sahdan

In the above example you see an approach to the begining of Pinan Yondan. The person defending raises both arms to block the incoming punch from the attacker. This is consistant with the form as practiced in most styles. However I have not seen the kata ever practiced with a knife hand strike following the block.



You see the same addition of the knife hand strike after the second double block in this video.

One thing I try to do when analyzing a form is first to stay as close to the actual movement as possible. That does not mean that I try to be literal. Being literal might have you looking at the first two moves of the form and thinking "One...Block...Two... Block. In addition to not being too literal I try to keep things simple and direct.





The second response shown is both direct and simple. Were it differs from the first example is that it uses a simultaneous block / strike. The defenders striking hand also serves to block if the attacker throws a left hand also.



In this variation you see a response to a grab. One thing that the illustration does not show very clearly is the idea of using the wrap up and twist of your waist to off balance the opponent. This off balancing causes them to want to straighten up to regain their balance which facilitates your ability to move your arms through the "blocking" movement . In the kata after the first block the hands move toward your left him before executing the second "block". So what you end up with in this example are two options. One, ending in a wrist lock and the second ending in a throw.



In the second video the announced states it is important to know where your attacker is coming from. I could not agree more. How you imagine the attack coming in will affect what you imagined responded can be. As they say "If your only tool is a hammer all your problems start looking like nails". As you explore the kata stay close to the movement. They are the way they are for a reason. Search to find what the author of that form was trying to convey. If your goal was to understand Shakespeare it would make no sense to read his work adding sentences here and there to make it "better".

HAMLET:
To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and nunchuks of outrageous fortune,
Or to take the guys arms and bend'um against
a sea of troubles, and by choking them here? To die: to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd.

Not much of an edit but it sure doesn't make the original any more elegent or more clear.

Green Eggs And Spam

An online friend of mine saw the "Oldman Draws" video and said,"Hey I loved your advertisement". I thought to myself (as someone who has worked in advertising) couldn't we call it something less, I don't know...crass? I would actually been less repulsed if he said something like "Bro, Oldman be straight up pimpin' the strip". I have been trying to promote the Boobishi lately. Sometimes I feel a little bit, like...well.... the guys I worked with in the ad game in Chicago. Part of leaving Chicago, and the ad game was so I did't turn into one of those guys. Maybe I am an ad guy at heart. It still doesn't feel quite right, sending out a bunch of emails to people. Now on the other hand if someone just "LOVED" what I do and just "HAD" to tell a friend or 2...hundred, that would be different. That would almost be noble.
It's like that old TV commercial with Smokey the Bear who would always remind people in his beautiful BEARitone voice "Remember,only YOU can prevent forest fires". Think of it as a public service. Admit it you know someone sitting in their home ( or dojo) today that needs a laugh, chuckle, or chortle. Maybe even a guffaw. Help them out. You can be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. I guess in terms of public service those ad guys really did help out. I mean I saw the commercials and I never started a forest fire. So in memory of "Smokey the Bear"

"Only YOU can prevent Oldman from spamming"

Really, would it kill ya to tell a friend?

Zen

Global Colding

This post was inspired by frigid temperature and an aspiring artist, fiber artist, martial artist, mother and blogger. My dojo tends to be hot and moist in the summer and cold and dry in the winter. Last night it was colder than usual. You know it's cold when the mats you train on take on the consistency of hardwood flooring. The worst combination, a veritable "perfect storm" of discomfort is when you have to train in the cold of the basement in a gi that has been in you car for two days. It makes you thinks about options for training wear. Hence the cartoon. One thing I have noticed over the years is that martial artist folk tend to be people with a variety of interests, many times creative ones. You can find the blog that tickled my muse "Fine Martial Fiber" at...

http://sketchesandmore.blogspot.com/search?q=

Hmmm? Knitting needles as weapons? D'oh. I think I just got inspired again.

Why Kata?

People will argue the value of kata till they are blue in the face. Most often Kata is maligned because of peoples assumptions about it's lack of efficacy in combat. I would encourage them to consider Maslows hierarchy of needs. The base of Maslow's pyramid is security and safety. Without that being established in a persons life if is very difficult to progress through the natural stages of personal development. Still it is at the bottom. At the top of the pyramid humans aspire to meaning ad purpose. It would be foolish and a waste of energy to expend more energy and time than was necessary to meet a need and even more wasteful to continue on focus on a practice that meets a need that is already met.

I think it is safe to say that the compelling reasons to continue the practice of kata and bunkai supersede it's efficacy. As an art form kata rescues the beauty of combat from the chaos of brutality and war. The value of a system and an art form is multileveled. The practice of an art or system based on combat allow for both the recording, recognition and recovery from the experience of violence that happens to us and also the violence and conflict that originates in us.

Kata is so much more that people generally assume. It is a puzzle. It is a Practice in paradox. It is a forge to strengthen us. It is a mirror that reflects who we really are. It is the the practice of fighting which is the most "Alive". Alive because as Matt Thornton would say it is about his art "It Is a form of Yoga. "Alive" because you are facing off against the most deceptive and subtle of opponents, your self. It is a complex physical and mental task that provides challenges for us on many levels as part of a lifelong learning process. It grounds us within a particular martial history and a community of people dedicated to the well being of each others minds, bodies and spirits. It is in fact, “the way one behaves”.

So, if a person is choosing a method of self defense it is essential that the person understand which "self" they are intending to defend.

So Now What?

Here is a sincere question for you. You have just won the belt. You have just won the championship. You have just moved into the corner office. Or perhaps even better your kid got into Harvard and now you're and empty nester with all the free time you ever dreamed of... so now what?

UFC 99

Dana White today announced that there will now be a new Unlimited Division brought into the UFC format. UFC entertainment's first move in the older warrior category was it's purchase of the Ohio based "Late Stages in the Cages" fight organization. the division will not be determined by weight class but by age. This action was taken to shore up flagging ratings among a rapidly growing demographic of baby boomers. White said "We totally kick ass in the 16 to 35 year old market segment. We have had a much harder time getting our heads around the senior viewer. We will making adjustments to the music format too. Less GNR and more NPR so to speak. Color commentary will be handled by Gene LeBell". Ring girls will include a bevy of up and coming plus size models from New York based "Ford Plus" agency. White also added "The inclusion of ambulatory aids and mobility devices also represents the first time weapons will be allowed within the Octagon. We are a forward thinking organization. We know this is the right choice for us at this juncture".

American Idol

It's That time again.

I'm a Warrior!!! ( yeah right )

First off let me make one thing perfectly clear. I am not a warrior. A metaphorical warrior? Nah. Not even. I really dislike the whole “I’m a warrior mentality” that many martial hobbyists have. Just because you read Musashi a few times doesn’t qualify you. You are not a “Man (or a woman) at Arms. This cartoon goes out to a soldier. Kevin Leavitt. Kevin is a Shodan in Aikido and a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He is also a Combatives instructor.

On the internet when you see a name like GrandmasterBudoDragon1993 its kind of hard to take it seriously. When you see Budo Warrior, at least in regard to www.budo-warrior.com take it seriously. Stop by his blog and give him a shout out. And while your at it if you know a man or woman in the service of their country, reach out and thank them. Let me show you how.

Kevin, thank you.

There wasn’t that easy.

Pimp My Gi

At this point in my budding BJJ career I'm rolling in a still spotless HCK Competition Single. Not completely spotless. As of last night I got both tapped and sullied. I got two small blood splootches on it. It is still at this point free of patches. Not by choice though. I did order some from Howard but he happened to be out of stock. I've got no assets in the gi account. No flags on my tags. Surely someone out there has the hookup?

mmmmmmmmonday

Nukite, Kwan Soo, The Spearhand into a Throw

In most schools the spearhand in Pinan / Pyung Ahn Edan is taught as a thrusting attack aimed at the solar plexes. I imagine a well conditioned hand could achieve enough penetraiting power to do some damage attacking that area. I'm not sure I could. One thing to keep in mind is the position of the opponents body. If he his standing straight up the stomach may be a target. If the opponant is bent forward or sideway different targets present themselves. If you allow you blocking hand to stick to the attacking hand it is possible to catch it in a wristlock and use the turn to throw the attacker.

Set'em up Sifu

I don't think it's just me but I sometimes have trouble with envy. Usually not peoples things so much as their skills. Sometimes it's their opportunities. I chatted with a Jim Neeter a Matsumura Seito guy today in the U.K.. I would love to have access to train with him. It's just there is a damn big ocean between my house and his. Maybe one day.

I happen to have a dojo in my home. I have to admit I love it. Many friends have told me how fortunate I am admitted to a case of envy. Just when I think I'm making progress with my envy issue I stumble onto something new. Today I visited http://dojorat.blogspot.com . I was struck with a case of double envy. In part it was Dojo rat's approach to training. The other is he has built an "Old West" style saloon on his property. Gosh he has and Old West saloon and all I have is this stupid dojo.The green eyed monster sneaks up and bites me on the butt one more time. If you'ld like to see photos visit his blog. If you visit the saloon drink a cold one for me.

Black Belt At 50

If you are doing it right Karate training is hard at any age. Very few things in life get easier as you get older. As they say "youth is waisted on the young". The young might reply "Duh, no it's not" to which I would reply "Your face is wasted on the young". You see some old guys never grow up. It's not so much a Peter Pan syndrome as is is staying fresh. Currently my oldest student is 60. He's sharp as a tack, funny as hell and tough as nails. If you think you are to old you probably are. If you don't, you're not. If you need some inspiration visit...

http://www.bbat50.com/

If it's any consolation I have 20 year olds that routinely ask "Am I too old to start". See, youth is wasted on the young. Now get off your butts.

"Dancing with the Stars"

There are certainly more than a few folks that believe practicing kata it a waste of time. Some refer to it as “just a dance”. I’m sure that for many it may be. And what if it was? If fighting efficacy was your only concern there are certainly faster ways to take care of business. What if you just wanted to get healthy, stimulate your brain and body and hang out with other like minded cage fighters… I mean dancers. Would that be so bad?

Take the T.V. show "Dancing with the Stars" for example. Has been celebrities have been able to breath new life into there bodies and careers with their vigorous practice and performances. Us ordinary folk can do the same with kata in a dojo.

If you want to gain fighting or self defense skill you can. Of course the way you train your kata has to reflect that goal. If that is a goal, find people to work with that can help you achieve it. You may not be on "Dancing with the Stars" but you could be working out with great people. As far as I know none of my students has ever danced with a star. I did have one student, a thirysomething mother of four that dropped an assailant in a Wal-Mart parking lot and pinned him till police came. She didn’t see any stars. I’m pretty sure he did.

Spidey Sense

Just about every time tell someone that I talked to this Judo / Aikido guy in Louisiana I find myself saying Peter, Pete, Pe, Pa Pat Patrick Parker. It is the sign of to many years spent in comicbooks. So just to be clear the name is Patrick Parker not Peter Parker a.k.a. Spiderman. Patrick, thanks for the encouragement and comments on the RDAPMA blog.

Get Well Black Belt Mama

For those of you that have not visited http://www.blackbeltmama.com/ , today might be a good day to do just that.


Surgery in no fun. Take it easy.

Aussie Jiu Jitsu and Leaving Comments

For those of you that don't know Daniel Praeger he is a Jju Jitsu instructor "Down Under". He was kind enough to leave comments. This cartoon goes out to him and his crew. I don't think he can draw, but DANG the man can write. Talk about content! Visit his blog at...

http://maaml.blogspot.com/

You've heard of boxing "Roos" but the Jiu jitsu ones are DA REALZ !!!.

You want interactive? I got your interactive right here baby!!!

See what happens when you leave nice comments?

Have It Your Way

Two Attacks, One Response

To enlarge the images just click on them.

Learn Self Defense - by Chris Harding

Learn Self Defense is a short film by a friend of mine Chris Harding. It has been shown in over 100 film festivals and actually won the top prize in the Kansas City Film fesival. I consider Chris a genius. Of course take my opinion with a grain of salt because I also believe practicing Kata can help a person prepare for random violence. So why would I put the video up on a Karate Blog? One, It really does teach about self defense, i.e. what not to do. Two,it is a masterpiece and three, I'm the "STAR".

To learn more about Chris Harding visit his website.

http://www.chrisharding.net/

Passwords

Hardcore Training

Pinan Nidan / Pyung Ahn Edan

Why Ninjas Don't Blog

Pinan Nidan / PyungAhn Edan

I thought for today I'd mix it up a bit and post something from Pinan Nidan. The application is different from most of the applications you see. Most interpretations show a response to two incoming punches. This applications is shown as a response to an attack from a rear shoulder grab. As I mentioned in a previous post imagining the attack will ultimately determine the responses you come up with. Envision various attacks from different angles. Work with a partner. It does not take long to find things that don't work. Over time you will find real gems. In my experience if you do the work to find things that work you are more likely to continue to train the things you find. You can find things in books or on video but there is, for me at least, there is great pleasure in the hunt.