Jissen - Issue 5

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EDITORIALISSUE 5

Welcome to the fifthissue of Jissen! We

have over 80 pages of qualitypragmatic information for youin this issue and I hope youfind it all enjoyable,educational and thoughtprovoking. Each issue isgetting a massive amount ofdownloads and the feedback has been universally positive.Good to know you obviously feel we’re hitting the mark!

I’ve received quite a few emails from readers stating howmuch they like the “themed” nature of previous issues. Ihave to confess that any common threads running thoughprevious issues were entirely accidental! If the article iswell written, information focussed, and pragmaticallybiased then we’ll do our best to find space for it. However,whilst totally unintentional, I will claim any credit on offerfor the fact that a number of this issue’s articles discussthe relationship between traditional and modern self-protection systems! I hope you enjoy our contributors’thoughts on these issues as much as I did.

This issue also sees us include the first two of a seriesof interviews conducted by Michael Rosenbaum! All ofthe people interviewed are skilled and experiencedpractical martial artists. Michael’s thoughtful questionsallow the reader to learn from the experiences ofinterviewees and for them to share their hard-wonknowledge. This month we kick things off with two superbpieces with Ed Francisco (USA) & Gary Chamberlain (UK).In the next issue we’ve got another great interview withleading realist Dave Turton, with yet more interviews tofollow! I’m very grateful to Michael and all those who havebeen interviewed. These information heavy pieces arewhat interviews should be and you can be assured thatno vacuous personality pieces will grace the pages of thispublication.

Right then, that’s enough from me! Enjoy the magazine!

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Please visit Jissenmag.com to get your FREE subscriptionto Jissen! When the next issue is ready for download, you’llautomatically get an email sent directly to your inbox!

Reality Based Training! What Is It & Who Really Needs It? by Rev. Arthur Chenevey

Traditional Values by Tony Somers

Round Two: Self-Defence & The Law by D. Cooper

Chinto Kata: History & Application by Iain Abernethy

Ed Francisco Interview by Michael Rosenbaum

Martial Arts Scepticism: Martial Appeals by Jamie Clubb

Extract from “Waking Dragons”: The Field of Truth by Goran Powel

Tradition & Reality by Ben Hockman & Stewart McGill

Contact in Training: Part 1 Making Contact: A Rationale by J.W. Titchen

Gary Chamberlain Interview by Michael Rosenbaum

Feeling Fear & Practicing Kata by Martin O’Malley

Transitional Aspects in Karate: Part 1 by Chris Denwood

Okinawan Karate: An Eclectic Arsenal by Matthew Apsokardu

The Bunkai of Basics 3: Hikite by Matthew Miller

The Little Black Book of Violence Foreword by Sergeant Rory Miller

The Way of Kata: Part 5 by Kris Wilder & Lawrence Kane

The Gearbox Concept by Mark Campbell Page 79

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Page 72

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Page 45

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Page 38

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Page 31

Page 26

Page 21

Page 14

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Issue 5 Contents

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Reality Based Training!

by Rev. Arthur CheneveyWhat Is It & Who Really Needs It?

Every where under the umbrella of the commercial martial arts we are able to

observe the plethora of adver tisements,seminars, dedicated web-sites, journal articlesand books published, promoting reality-basedtraining protocol as the great elixir for self-defenseimmortality.

Many of these training designs are oftenpromoted by and/or created by former policeofficers, proclaimed military personnel, or privatecontractors reporting to have been trainers of andfor the military and law enforcement agencies.

Within this par ticular environment ofcommercial martial arts, those promoting theirbrand of reality-based training protocols, thereseems to be an implicit conveyance to theconsuming public, that if the trainer and his orher training methods are associated with elitemilitary and/or elite law enforcement aficionadosand organizations, then this method must begood, legitimate, credible and applicable. Thismay be due to the implication that suchbureaucracies attempt to engage in some formof tough, realistic training of its candidates. Thismay or may not be the case, depending on thespecific organization or agency.

In all things, however, we must understand theimportance of entertaining skepticism and beingaware of the original source of the informationbeing promoted. And since the martial arts arenais a playing field riddled with grandiose imitationand self-glorification, this individual scrutiny ofany panacea must be vigilantly maintained.

What is reality-based or scenario-basedtraining? How does one address the issues ofpreparing for and learning to manage hostileconflicts involving other human beings? Whoactually needs to train in such a highly specificand dangerously realistic fashion?

First of all, let’s define combat as our point ofreference to be used throughout this article.Combat entails lethal force management/survival

between two or more opposing forces. The threatis real, not imagined, and the over all out comemeans “I may be killed during this operation ofstruggling with an enemy (singular or multiple).”Herein is the key for designing training paradigmsfor learning how to manage and survive suchhorrific combat situations, we must learn how todeal with an enemy who possesses ability andopportunity to kill us. Not everyone needs to knowhow to operate in such venues.

Surviving and winning in warfare has alwaysbeen the primary motivation behind themanipulation of scenario based battle inoculation.Reality based training grew out of the military’sneed to prepare men for combat—the harshestof all operational environments. To engage in war,those in power who are able to send young menand women to war, are somehow convinced intheir ability to survive and win the war. To gainan edge over the enemy for victory, training isone of the methods used for creating this sharpedge required to procure victory.

During WWI, large volumes of research andfirst-hand documentation was developed on howto deal with battle stress—one of victory’s greatestfrictions. Ideas and methods were devised to treatits complications, and preventative measuresensued. This information was hard-earned andhard-won from every county’s grueling experiencewhile confronting these problems. Training—realistic training that mimicked battlefieldconditions very closely—was found to be one ofthe most important variables in aiding combatantsovercome and override the implications of battlestress.

When WWII ignited, most countries forgot thoselessons—including the United States.Bureaucracies don’t appear to possess memoriesbeyond current interests. And we all had to learnthese lessons over again. Some of the smarterindividuals remembered and referred back toWWI’s lessons.

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With each new war, it seemed the participantshad to re-learn those hard-earned truths, andspecific training paradigms were created to solvethe specific operational problems at hand. Eachwar, each battle, every conflict poses its own setof highly specific problems. Is there, however, acommon denominator in which humans can applyand reduce the problems impeding humanfunctionality under the duress of life and deathsituations?

The bottom line with the military was, and is, tofamiliarize the human mind and body to thehorrific nature of warfare and to physicallytoughen both to the endless hardships of war’shideous environment. Realism in training designshelped achieve this goal.

Preparing combatants for operational status inwhatever war now looms certain, means that thetraining conditions must mimic, exactly, thoseconditions found in that particular war zone. Thefurther away the training conditions move fromthe specificity of this war for which we arepreparing, the less effective the training will be.And since we cannot intentionally try to kill thevery people we need to train and condition,training will never prepare the participant for whatone will experience in war. However, incrediblyrealistic training environments can be devised,and successfully familiarize the trainee as closeas we can make it without intentionally killing saidtrainee.

Some of the chief impediments to realistictraining in the military are money and time. It isvery difficult to mimic a war-zone—safely—on aregular basis, and often this essential luxury ofrealistic training is reserved for those who willneed it the most: fighter pilots, elite operationalcombat units, infantry and the operational combatunits using armor, artillery and attack helicopters.The rest of the supporting units, which is most ofthe military—everyone else, gets by with basictraining.

The military does understand the need fordesigning tough and dangerous training coursesthat mimic very closely real battle-field conditions,but often what the combatants need and whatthey get are two different entities, entirely. Andonce a ground war is off and grinding up humanflesh, training becomes rushed and often veryspotty. Likewise, when S3 (U.S. Military) begins

designing training methods for preparing theindividual for warfare, what is needed and whatactually becomes authorized and subsequentlydeployed are financial and time universes apart.

Realistic training is incredibly expensive andincredibly dangerous. Men are killed during realrealistic training. The more “touchy-feely” andpolitically correct a military organizationbecomes, the less realistic (i.e., brutally effective)training protocol evolves. And I seriously doubtcivilian organizations who tout to be teachingreality-based training for managing humanviolence involving lethal force issues, really arereality-based.

The litigation-rich environment of our currentsociety’s court systems will not allow reality-based training to exist in its true authenticity.Such training paradigms are too dangerous forcivilian contractors to financial devise withoutserious modifications. And when suchmodifications create a litigation-safeenvironment, well, the realism is seriouslydampened. Sorry, no manner of computersimulation will mimic the battlefield. We simplydo not know enough about the neuroplasticity of

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the brain in relationship to what occurs upstairsduring lethal force killing or be killed scenariosto activate such assemblies via artificialelectrodes. Until that day, training dangers mustbe real—not imagined—for reality based trainingto be reality based training.

High-end military organizations like MarineForce Recon, Delta and Navy SEALs are the onlygroups I know who have the funds and ability toengage in true realistic training needed to prevailwithout doubt, in the severe violence of lethalforce encounters, i.e., war. Their training isextremely well-conducted, involving mind-boggling amounts of dangerous, daily, live fireexercises, all done within an acceptable safetyzone, mainly due to the professionalism of theindividual men.

As far as U.S. Police Departments—municipal,county and/or state—engaging in reality-basedtraining, their actual ability to design andimplement genuine, realistic training facilities andformats, is greatly limited due to financialrestraints, limitations set through departmentalpolitics, public image problems, time limitationsand those in-charge simply not “getting it.” Yes,there is basic training in Police Academies, butthis is the low-end of basic. Yes, SWAT and SRT

units may or may not receive extra training—howrealistic the training is made to be remains aclosed, departmental issue. This may explainwhy former officers attempt to rectify this diversetraining problem by setting up private trainingfacilities in order to address this lacking. Afterall, bureaucracies are not the place to aspire toindividual actualization. The institute is ofreigning importance—not the individual.

When we statistically look at the number ofmunicipal police depar tments (as manyincorporated areas existing in the 50 states—town, borough, city etc.), the number of countysheriff departments and the fifty state policeorganizations, we begin to see the number ofworking police officers: full-time, part-time andauxiliary personnel. While being an on dutypolice officer means that every day the potentialfor lethal force exists due to the fact the officerbrings a gun along, the large majority of thesemen and women do not regularly engage in lethalforce scenarios.

Federal law enforcement agencies such as FBI,DEA, BATF, Marshal Services, Border Patrol,Park Rangers etc., fair a little better—financially—than municipal and countydepartments, but again, politics, time constraints,

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manpower shortages, and financial issuesalways divert energies away from realistictraining.

The biggest problem any program designer willhave when attempting to design realistic trainingis managing the element of genuine danger. Highrisk, realistic training means real high risk oftraining deaths or serious injury. This is thereason war is so scary folks—we have to kill andbe killed. Once the danger is dampened orremoved, realism diminishes or disappearsentirely. Danger must be real for training to bereal. Implied and/or imagined danger eventuallywears off and needs to be up-graded to realdanger. Duress is a direct product of danger.

Yes, we can create additional stressors intraining not related to the specific danger of deathand injury. In shooting drills, for instance, byestablishing a strict number of hits in a restrictedkill-zone under a known—or worse—unknowntime constraint, these strict limits andrequirements can generate that rushed, stressfulfeeling that may or may not affect the shooter’sconcentration on target. The mind, however, canquickly learn to overcome the stress of timerestraints, and new, enriched stressors must beformulated.

I have been alive long enough to hear manyarguments for various training protocols that aredesigned to be realistic merely because they arepromoted as methods which supposedly inducean adrenal response. Loud rock music at aconcert induces the adrenal response. Thisability to create an adrenal response duringtraining activities is not the goal, and is far toosimplistic to so wholeheartedly embrace asreality-based training maneuver. To believe andstate that reality-based training is about simplyengaging in Classical Conditioning (rememberPsych 101 and Pavlov’s Dogs) is to demonstratethat one does not fully grasp the complexitiesinvolved in designing true reality-based trainingparadigms. Methods or training programs pairingthe stressors responsible for generating anadrenal-stimulation within the body withsupposedly correct motor-skills needed tomanage these stressors will create a conditionedresponse. This conditioned response is,however, not always correct to the situation athand. Classical Conditioning creates generalizedenslavement to training stimuli, and the whole

idea of reality-based training is learning andadapting to worst-case-scenarios in such a waythat we spontaneously pro-act in a situationallycorrect fashion every time, meaning we use ourheads too adequately, smoothly and quickly.

Conditioned responses are what happenswhen the ex-soldier dives under the table at lunchtime after his nephew has slammed the screendoor. The soldier learned that it was generallyacceptable to hit the ground every time a rocketexploded near his bunker. Now, when a loud,sudden and surprising noise occurs, he findshimself embarrassed from his inappropriateresponse to a general stimulus. When a lawenforcement officer accidental shoots a child inthe dark due to his reflexive response receivedthrough rote training using the adrenal-responsemechanism, this is not what reality-based trainingdoes or is designed to achieve.

Reality-based training is the high-endingtraining designs that do NOT create robots anddo NOT elicit generalized responses tooperational stimuli. Such designs create highlycognizant, highly specific, highly discerningoperators who are never slaves to their trainingdesign. Yes, we do default to a known processwhen under duress, which is all the more thereason to make sure that reality-based trainingprotocols are truly reality based and not justreasonable facsimiles, thereof.

It’s not enough to be training an individual’spsychomotor responses while this person isunder the influence of an artificially inducedadrenal dump. I repeat: “This is far too simplisticto produce specific, situationally correct actionswhile under duress.” What we desire throughtraining realism is for the human subject, as awhole, to learn to control his or her internal andexternal bodily responses while developing thefull range of cognitive processes needed tomindfully discern threat-problems withappropriate threat-management solutions viasituationally correct actions.

This integration of fighting mind, body and spirittakes incredible amounts of time and energy tofacilitate in such a way that the human being canswiftly discern what is a real life and death threat,what kind it is and then deal with it appropriately.Because of the intensity, the danger involved,and the enormous amounts of time, resources,

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space, and energy expenditures needed for anoperative to procure the highly specific resultsthrough realistic training paradigms, any degreeof skimming off this intensity results in less thanhalf measures.

Interestingly enough, the Japanese Samuraidevised some of the most profound trainingparadigms known to civilized warfare. Read anyof Thomas Cleary’s translations, plus Takuan’sTHE UNFETTERED MIND, and works writtenabout Hakuin and Ikkyu Sojoun. There is nothingesoteric about the material, it’s just difficultreading on the difficult subject of training thewarrior’s mind, body and soul as an integratedwhole.

The reality-based training I see being promotedin our current climate within the commercialmartial arts is pretend fighting with pretendresults with really scary measures of falsesecurity being created. I am not even sure whothe audience is supposed to be, because, by andlarge, the majority of civilians who are interestedin the commercial martial arts or self-defensereally have no need for engaging in reality-basedtraining paradigms. At least not unless theperson is going to be dealing with lethal forceissues on a daily basis; which is highly unlikely.

For the most part, residents who live in amodern, industrial free-world country will live arelatively safe life. Staunchly developed andkeenly attuned awareness will be these peoples’best means of self-defense. And, yes, this mustbe trained and refreshed regularly, but realitybased training is not required to develop keenawareness. Developing mindfulness is aboutbeing aware of our awareness, not learning tophysical fight under an adrenal response.

So what can we do to train realistically, if thatis what we want and we are not members of anelite forces/law enforcement group? Obviously,for most of us, that would mean we possessunlimited funds and want only limited exposureto the kind of danger associated with killing andbe killed, and also free from the fear of litigation?

That last limit—the limit imposed by the fear oflitigation—makes training realistically rough, tosay the least. I am not sure what YOU can doabout that. I make NO recommendations. I amonly cautioning those who may wish to buy intothe propaganda of reality-based training or

scenario based training commonly advertised incommercial martial arts periodicals.

I will recall with the readers of this article myold-school training, which I rarely see any more.I had a rather crazy Sensei, who served in theMarine Corps during World War Two. Thisgentleman, no longer alive, thought it was a lotof fun to actually beat up his students. Thosewho stayed in the school, well, we learned totake a beating. Plus he had us put on the boxinggloves, head gear and mouth-pieces to box itup. The goal was simply to see how long wecould go before someone got knocked out—literally. Some times it was one-on-one;sometimes it was two or three on one. We wouldalso engage in hard-smacking grappling (Judo)with full-bore ne-waza, or ground work. We reallytried to hurt each other. It was up to our ownskill level not to get hurt through our properapplications of covering up, warding off, fending,ducking, bobbing, weaving, falling, rolling, andshrimping away and out.

I also wrestled in high school during this time.This was done on the old canvas mats beforethe nice foam ones we have today becamecommon place. Plenty of ring-worm, there.Often, we warmed up and finished off our regularpractice (coach was in his office) with a hard-core free-for-all, last man standing drill. Wecalled in total annihilation King of the Mat. Weslammed and threw hard, and used all mannerof illegal moves. I got my front teeth knockedout in that horseplay.

The boxing, wrestling and Judo as I had learnedit really did help me during my military service.The rough and tumble of our spor tsconditioning—lots of weight work (Olympic Lifts)for strength; lots of running and wind-sprints fortenacity; lots of contact, high impact slammingfor mental toughness—made for a specific kindof athleticism I personally do not see any morein our kinder, gentler, political correct world.

I believe that in the earlier days of the DogsBrothers, while Eric Knaus was the Top Dog,there was demonstrated within this venue ofexpression some of the best realistic training inthe martial arts arena to date. Going full-bore,outside on the grass, under the authorities radar,bashing each other with inch and quarterdiameter rattan sticks, with very little body

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armor—light fencing masks and batting gloves—was a perfect example of training realism. Thedanger was real. What I have seen lately of thecurrent Dog Brothers Martial Arts organizationis a mere watered down version of its former self.Mr. Denny will argue with my conclusion, but Istand by my perception until someone can clarifyit for me.

In my years on this Earthwalk through themartial arts arenas, what I witness regularly isthat the greater the commercial success aspecific martial arts discipline experiences, themore diluted or watered down that particular Artbecomes—whatever that might have been.

In regards to training aids and reality basedtraining, well, I have heard of a new Canadianmade reality based, adrenal inducing training aidcalled the “shock-knife.” This training tool inducesfear via pain through touch-delivered electricalshock. This theoretically generates anemergency response in the recipient who isattempting to learn knife-fighting and defensiveknife work. MAYBE!

As wild teens, we practiced-fought with serratedbutter-knives old kitchen knives), learning theskills needed to deliver explosive, in-tight cutsand thrusts, and what it was like to get cut andto be stabbed. We wore short-sleeve white T-shirts and shorts so that we would get cut andbe able to see it and register the injury. Wethumped one another hard so we could reallylearn. I still have tiny scars on my arms, handsand thighs from those nasty little things. Andthe stabs, they would leave some significantbruises on the ribs and back. Occasionally, wewould target the neck and head, making marksthere, as well. We didn’t use eye-protection andwrist guards or any kind of guards. One cannottrain like this today in a commercially successfulsetting. Litigation will place the trainers inbankruptcy and in jail.

In the military, my basic and advanced infantrytraining was SOP—nothing unique or special. Ididn’t learn what I really needed in either Basicor AIT to manage the brutal and cruel reality ofcombat. It wasn’t until I was in country that Ilearned, and much of what I learned there wason the job training. What was not on the jobtraining—actual, formal military schooling—wasstill conducted in a real war zone, under real war

zone conditions with real war zone NCO’s. Finalexam was a real war zone mission. Now that isrealistic training. You learn or die; you survive oryou don’t.

Carl Cestari once made a comparison of realtraining versus contrived training by using theanalogy of snakes. Essentially, what heconveyed was that real training is like learningto handle cobras safely by handling cobras safely;contrived training is like handling black snakessafely, but pretending you are handling cobras.Using this analogy of snakes is a good way tomeasure someone’s reported method of realistictraining.

Real training involves real blood being shed(broken noses, gashes and cuts needingstitched, cracked ribs, broken fingers and toes,knocked out teeth and unconsciousness). Realtraining means learning to endure andovercoming real pain. Real training meanslearning to deal with genuine danger calmly,coolly, collected and with control—NOT withconditioned responses like some robot, orthrough some pretend method we might use ifwe might get in this kind of what if situation.

We cannot learn to manage pain throughpretending to endure pain. We cannot learn todeal with danger by handling make-believedanger in a contrived environment that negatesreal danger’s influence. It is not enough for us tobeat on a padded assailant yelling obscenitiesat us, getting the adrenal response pumpingthrough our veins. So much of what I see in thecurrent flavors-of-the-martial-arts-month-club is:“My pretend fighting is better than your pretendfighting.”

For those who want to understand what it islike to get hit and still function, then you mustget hit really hard and learn to keep fighting. Alot of mixed martial arts fighters and trainer geta bad wrap from traditional and non-traditionalmartial arts practitioners and grandmasters—people who say that these athletes’ skills are notreal-deal skills. They fight in an arena with rulesand the street has no rules.

Well, true enough, it’s not real in the sense ofwhat happens when someone is about to shankyou for the few dollars you have in your pocketyou refuse to hand over. Sound awareness skillsand common sense would have prevented that

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scenario from ever happening. But the pain andthe toughness practiced and learned in this roughand tumble arena is very real, indeed. It’s a hardand painful career ripe with serious injuries andpotential for permanent, crippling injury. Don’ttell me that isn’t real stuff and real hard training.

To get tough, I still believe we need to get hithard and slammed hard to find out whether wehave what it takes to (like the old Timexcommercial always reported), “Take a licking andkeep on ticking.” I see too many so-called realistictraining designs where the practitioner gets alldressed up like he or she is going off to battleand then they pretend fight in padded suits, be itshock-knives, paint balls, or overly padded sticksand fists.

A good example of safe, training realism, iswhen men and women who are able to train withsimunition rounds—not paint balls. Simunitionscreate noise, generate severe pain, and they aremuch more expensive than paint balls, but muchmore effective.

Realistically (starting to get really tired of thatword) NOT everyone needs to train utilizingscenario based or reality based trainingmethodologies. Not everyone should. If you area business man or woman who wants to be fitbut wants to know how to tussle a little, learn tobox and/or grapple full contact. Hit, be hit; fall;slam, get slammed; learn some submissions andescapes. But awareness will always remain asyour primary defensive tool—not your fists andfeet.

One of my biggest annoyances are those soulswho worry so much about learning realistic knife-fighting. These poor fellows are the fellows whowill never need such skills. The knife-fightingindustry in the commercial martial arts is trulythe greatest arena for misinformation, regardlessof the discipline. Those who possess the real-deal skills achieved such knife skills the hard way,and usually the illegal way, through real-lifeassaults—such as the career criminals or thosemanaging career criminals on a daily basis. Andin the military, those who know the knife—reallyknow the knife—they also know it’s not aboutknife-fighting, it’s about killing. I know so fewmen or women who have had to kill with a knife,or who have had to actually deal with some sortof knife assault, who are not in prison. Those

who are not in prison, and know knife, are evenfewer and ALWAYS some sort of a professional.

Law enforcement personnel who desire realismin their training need to specifically becomeinvolved in their department’s training programs.Depending on each officer’s or agent’s dutyresponsibilities, realistic training that is realisticbecomes highly problematic and subject toserious scrutiny, should a training accident occur,or should an officer respond to a duty boundsituation inappropriately.

How many civilians know that in the UnitedStates an officer cannot use his weaponoffensively. It’s against the Constitution, folks.A Police Officer can only use his side arm fordefensive purposes, hence the constantharpering on the term defensive tactics.

Police personnel are bound by duty to protectand serve, and are highly limited by constitutionalconstraints and departmental protocol. Thereare few civilian contractors who can successfullyand realistically meet such restrictive demands.I have the greatest respect, admiration andsympathy for what law enforcement personnelmust manage each and every day of their lives.

High-end private trainers who successfully trainlaw enforcement personnel establish andexecute well-defined training paradigms thatverbally address realism, but who also work andwork and work the basics of shootingmarksmanship, movement, verbal de-escalationand fundamental physical restraints/controls.These are done safely, in controlled settings,addressing realism via verbal instruction coupledwith as many variables as they are able to inducewithout adversely affecting over all safety of allthe participants and trainers. It’s reality basedin the sense of being steeped in a litigationcrazed terrain.

But such environments are far from trulymimicking the dangers of the harsh streets. Still,this kind of safe and controlled training is neededand those who toot their reality-based paradigmsand say that this aforementioned training is lessthan adequate are selling snake oil.

Military operatives and Cops who get and stayin top physical condition and maintain a healthylife-style—good diet and avoidance of excessivealcohol/tobacco consumption are on the right

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track. From this base of sound physical fitness,all operators who venture into harm’s wayregularly, need to learn, practice and maintain,solid firearms safety, basic marksmanship,shooting from cover, moving to cover, shootingand moving, shooting while moving three-dimensional targets, learn some basic boxing,learning to not get hit, what it is like to be hithard, and how to hit hard; learn some basicground grappling—mostly escapes and standups, rolls and falls; and then their departmentallyapproved controls and defensive tactics, alongwith the realities of edged weapons executed ina variety of positions, postures and surroundings.

Anyone engaged in high risk operations in highrisk environments, need to at least be familiarwith what it is like and what is needed and what’srequired to successfully maneuver through avariety of locations. Such training, orfamiliarization to diverse settings in whichviolence can and will be found becomes highlyproblematic, merely due to the risk of increasedinjury while training, which always means lossof work. But such personnel must at leastpossess a working understanding of what it islike to wrestle or box in full gear in an auto, in ahall way, in a metal stairwell; what if you aredealing with a blade in these arenas? What it is

like against multiple adversaries who managedto catch you off guard. The what if scenarios areso diverse and can be extremely novel, it is nottime conducive to train for all possible scenarios,hence the need for a strong working relationshipwith the basics. The basics learned well assistthe individual in generalizing and transferring thisknow-how into other scenarios, but only if themind has been properly conditioned beyondmere rote and conditioned responses.

Reality based training is not needed by themajority of people entering the commercialmartial arts arena, and when it appears that thistraining is needed while journeying through thisarena, look deeply into the truth of this marketingploy preying upon the fears harbored. Look firstto your fears and see if they are even justified.Those who really do need real reality basetraining will not be able to find the real deal in acommercial martial arts facility. Such individualsare members of the military SPEC OPScommunity, have already survived selection, andare looking to be deployed into a hot war zonesoon. Their training requirements are beyondwhat is needed in any commercial martial artsstudio.

What lies between commercial martial arts andthe military, in regards to reality-based trainingis the law enforcement community, whosemembers must train to meet the mean streets,but work well within the constraints of theConstitution, civil rights, money crunches anddepartmental politics. Here, learning the basicsin all areas of constitutional law, defensive tactics(firearms to empty hands), anatomy, kinesiology,physiology, stress management, emergencymedicine, verbal de-escalation, conflictresolution, neuroplasticity of the brain, humanrelationships are all essential.

The bottom line must always be “Do I reallyneed reality based training?” If so, “why do I needit?” If you find that you really do need such harshtraining due to your high risk operations in highrisk environments, then, proceed with caution.Make an informed decision about where you goand to whom you choose to give your hard–earned money, but always learn thefundamentals in all the areas demanded to thehighest level of continued proficiency.


Traditional Valuesby Tony Somers

What is happening in the world of MartialArts? Is it my imagination or is a great

divide opening up between the traditionalists andthe mixed martial arts guys? And if so why? Andwhat can we do about it?

I have said before that one system could notexist with out the other, they fit together like ahand in a glove.

As someone who has a foot in both worlds Iam surprised and disappointed at the rift that isso obviously present.

The UFC came about so that people fromdifferent arts could challenge each other in acontrolled environment to see who wassupposedly the best. Now we have a MMAsystem, which has spawned some great fightersbut seems to have lost what the traditionalsystems were all about. Which is very sad whenyou think that in the early days the UFC was fullof traditional martial artists pitting their skillsagainst each other.

The strengths of the traditional systems usedto be that not only do you learn the physicalaspects of a particular art but you were alsotaught how to show respect, discipline andhumility.

The Samurai were great and feared warriorsbut they were also pillars of the community, theylived by a code of honour and respect and theyserved the community as well as their masters.

What I see and hear now are high-rankingmartial artists still on about how they would tearsomebody’s head off if they did something wrongto them and maybe that’s where things have gonewrong. It’s my opinion, and only my opinion, thatthe traditionalists should be setting an exampleof how true masters should live.

I remember with great fondness MichaelCarradine in Kung Fu (what a programme) thatprogramme was one of the things that attractedme into martial arts in the first place. The thoughtthat one day I would be able to learn a martialart to such a high level and yet be so respectful

and humble that I would feel bad if I ever had touse it.

Miyamoto Musashi was one of the most famousand feared Samurais of all time but towards theend of his life he moved into calligraphy andpainting. I am guessing this feared Samurai couldstill have a fight, but just didn’t need to.

The point I am making here is that when I lookaround the MMA world I see people who want tohave a tear up, which is perfectly fine. I also seea lot of people, by no means all, but a lot of peoplewith bad attitudes no respect and certainly nohumility.

Unfortunately this seems to be spilling over intothe traditional side of things and it is not seen ascool to be humble or respectful any more. At atime in the world when great masters or rolemodels are needed more than ever, what do thetraditionalists do? It seems to me that what theydo is get sucked into this belief that the morebrutal something is the better it must be.

The martial arts world and indeed a much wideraudience are desperate for those old traditionalvalues and instead of seeing them as weak theyshould be seen as strengths to be shouted andproclaimed from the highest hilltops.

Look at people like Geoff Thompson or IainAbernethy these people can have a fight but dothey go round bragging about this fact? No theydon’t they are both very humble; they bothembrace other systems and are respectful toeveryone.

In the master class I run with Matty Evans weteach people the latest cutting edge self-protection techniques but these are laced withthe fact that they should be nice humble people.We teach the art of fighting without fighting. Wedo a lot of personal development work so thatpeople can learn self-sovereignty and feel betterabout themselves both physically andpsychologically. This in turn allows them to feelconfident enough not to want to have to fightbecause they have an inner confidence that not

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only empowers them but also empowers thosepeople that they come in to contact with.

There are good and bad people everywhereand it is not my intention to offend any one in thisarticle. It’s just that I believe MMA and thetraditional systems have a lot to offer each other.The traditional artists have to be prepared toadapt, but that doesn’t mean that they have tolose the true essence of what their arts are about.These traditional systems have been set up forhundreds of years and still have much to offer;not least their core values of self sovereignty,respect, humility and discipline. The MMA areforging new paths and as such should beapplauded but I feel it would be a big mistake todisregard the ways of the traditional systems,together they are twice as strong.

As martial artists we have been given a platform,let us use it in a good way, set an example andlike Samurais serve our fellow man.

MASTERCLASS WITH TONY SOMERS & MATTY EVANSDon’t miss this unique opportunity to train with two of the UK’stop self protection experts; both 5th Dans with the BritishCombat Association. This is not a fighting class. Topics coveredinclude:

• Conflict resolution training as taught first hand to theemergency services, nurses, firefighters, paramedics, etc. (theart of fighting without fighting)

• Line up and fence

• Devestating Pre-emptive strikes

• Power striking

• Grappling and Anti-grappling

• Takedowns

• Mind strenghtening techniques

• Personal development

• A large section on overcoming fear

www.tonysomers.com or www.mattyevans.co.uk

E-mail: [email protected]: 07708273376

Matty & Tony

For more information on TonySomers go to; www.tonysomers.com or

call 07708273376 Geoff Thompson & Tony Somers


Round Two: Self-Defence & The Lawby D. Cooper

This article discusses the use of force whileacting in self defence or otherwise using

force against another person and the lawregarding such issues as it stands in the UK.

It is a sad fact of the society that we live intoday that certain members of our society seemto go out of their way to cause trouble and actviolently and aggressively towards ordinarydecent people going about their business.

As martial artists we all train for differentreasons; be it the sporting aspect, studying thetraditional side of an art, or self-defence.Whatever reason one may have for training inthe martial arts it is prudent to prepare for thatpossible eventuality of when we may have todefend ourselves, our loved ones or our property.However it is one thing to go training regularly inorder to be able to physically defend ourselvesin such situations but there sometimes comes,after the physical encounter, anotherconfrontation which can be far harder to deal with:this fight is with the law and the criminal justicesystem. For those unfamiliar with Policeprocedure and the way the criminal justicesystem and its various agencies work, this canbe very stressful if handled wrongly.

The law in the UK provides the right for everyperson to be able to lawfully defend him orherself. This is provided for under Common Law.What many people do not realise is that one doesnot have to wait for an assailant to make the firstmove to attack you. You can act first by pre-emptively attacking your aggressor. This is knownas a pre-emptive self-defence. The basis of thisis that if you HONESTLY BELIEVE that theaggressor was going to physically attack you,then you do not have to wait for them to do so.You may use REASONABLE FORCE againstthat person to stop them or dissuade them fromattacking you or to enable you to avoid furtherconfrontation.

Honest belief

This aspect of law regards how you later justifyyour actions as reasonable. If your use of forceto defend yourself is to be considered reasonablein the eyes of the law then it is necessary thatyou must have held an honest belief that youractions were no more than that which wererequired in order to negate the threat orperceived threat against you. It is vitally importantthat you cite your honestly held belief that youractions were reasonable in the circumstances.

‘Reasonable Force’

Where a person acts in such a way that causesanother person to fear becoming the victim ofimmediate violence, this constitutes an assault.Any intentional or reckless application of unlawfulforce to another person amounts to battery. Theuse of force may only be deemed to be lawfulwhere; it is in the defence of oneself or anotheror to protect property. The lawful use of force inany circumstance includes the overridingprinciple that it must be reasonable andnecessary. According to English Law the issueof reasonable force comes from two mainsources.

1 - English common law which states that:

A person is permitted to use reasonable force inorder to:

• Defend himself from attack

• Prevent an attack on another person

• Defend his property

2 - Section 3(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1967provides a statutory defence) which statesthat:

Any person may use such force as is reasonablein the circumstances in order to:

• Prevent a crime from being committed,

OR

Important Note: All readers are encouraged to be aware of all appropriate local and national laws.This article is not intended as a substitute for advice from legal professionals. Readers are strongly

encouraged to seek guidance and advice from such legal professionals when required.

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• Make or assist in the lawful arrest ofoffenders or suspected offenders or ofpersons unlawfully at large.

In assessing the reasonableness of the forceused, prosecutors should ask two questions:

• Was the use of force justified in thecircumstances, i.e. was there a need for anyforce at all? and

• Was the force used excessive in thecircumstances?

The courts have stated that both questions areto be answered on the basis of the facts as theaccused honestly believed them to be at the time.To that extent it is a subjective test. There is,however, also an objective element to the test.The jury must then go on to ask themselveswhether, on the basis of the facts as the accusedbelieved them to be, a reasonable person wouldregard the force used as reasonable orexcessive. This basically boils down to having tojustify our own actions.

It is now worth looking at what could happenlegally after you have acted in self-defense.

Consider the following scenario; you are outwith friends in a bar one evening and some thugfor no reason takes a dislike to you and decidesthey are going to cause trouble for you. Thisperson approaches you at some point andbecomes aggressive towards you. You

subsequently act lawfully in self-defense usingreasonable force. However the police have beencalled and upon arriving at the scene receive anallegation of assault from the aggressor whosefriends are backing up his story. The officerslocate you and inform you that they are arrestingyou for assault. The following is what shouldhappen next.

Arrest

In being confronted with a situation like thatdescribed above before arresting the allegedsuspect (this being you) they should be taking adetailed account or statement from the victim(your aggressor) outlining the allegation and whathappened. They should also be obtainingaccounts of what happened from all thosepersons present. When they approach you toeffect an arrest they should state the outline ofthe allegation, what you are being arrested for,why an arrest in necessary and then caution you,something along the lines of;

An allegation has been made that youhave assaulted a person unlawfullyand as a result you are being arrestedfor (insert offence). Your arrest isnecessary in order secure andpreserve evidence by way ofquestioning and to prevent the lossof evidence. You do not have to sayanything but it may harm your defenceif you do not mention whenquestioned something you later relyon in court. Anything you do say maybe given in evidence.

Once you are identified as a suspect to officersthey should not be asking you any questionsother than to establish your identity. Oncearrested you will then be taken to the nearestavailable police station with a custody suite.During this journey the officers are not allowedto discuss the allegation with you, this can makefor one of two situations occurring during thejourney;

1 - The officers will engage in generalseemingly innocent conversation with you.But watch what you say!

2 - The journey will be conducted in silenceor private conversation between the officersonly.


They may be reluctant to talk to you, as they areunder an obligation to write down and recordeverything you say!!!

Custody

As soon as you arrive at the police station theofficers should present you to the custody officerand give the grounds and circumstances of thearrest. The custody officer must then determinewhether there are sufficient grounds to detainyou in custody. The custody officer will thenexplain your legal rights while in police custody,these being among other things;

• Right to speak to a solicitor and have onepresent during interview.

• Right to a phone call to inform someonethat you have been arrested.

• Right to be provided upon request withwriting materials.

The custody officer must also determinewhether you may need medical treatment, yourfingerprints, DNA and photo will then be taken.These can be taken without your consent andby force if necessary. The police may also seizeas evidence your clothing if it has blood or salivaon it or if it is an identification issue. In most casesa person arrested in such a manner can be keptin police custody for up to 24 hours.

Interview

At some stage you will be interviewed by officersabout the incident. This interview must berecorded. If you have asked for a solicitor thefollowing process will take place. The solicitorarrives at the police station where they will thenmeet the officer dealing with the case, that officerwill then tell the solicitor cer tain amountinformation about the case under investigation.This process is called disclosure. The solicitorwill attempt to find out as much as they can aboutthe strength of the police case against you.

The solicitor will then see you in a privateconsultation where they will give you appropriatelegal advice. Such advice could take one of thefollowing forms; to exercise your right to silenceduring interview (usually done when the policecase is weak), formulate a written statementdetailing your position in the case, or they mayadvise you to answer all questions unless theysay otherwise during the interview.

Advice

The above are the processes that shouldnormally take place under such circumstanceshowever police officers are human and like all ofus prefer an easy life. This being the case therehave been occasions when people who haveacted lawfully in self-defence have been chargedor cautioned with offences as a result of beingunfamiliar with the Police and Criminal JusticeSystem processes. These cases are mostusually instances when the person who hasacted in self-defence has said the wrong thingand not sought legal advice from a solicitor whilstin custody.

Dealing with the Aftermath

Should you ever find yourself in a situation whereyou have acted in self-defence or had to use forceagainst another for whatever reason, thefollowing is good advice on how to prepare fordealing with any potential legal fallout after thephysical engagement is over.

Firstly let’s go back to the scenario mentionedabove where you have acted in self-defence ina bar. In any situation where you have been thetarget of aggression and have acted in self-defence it is sound and good advice to leave thescene as soon as possible if this is safe to do so.It could also be advantageous to contact thepolice at the earliest instance and report theincident yourself. Something along the lines of;

I have just been involved in an incidentat the Kings Head where a personbehaved aggressively andthreateningly towards me causing meto be fearful that they were going toassault me. I have acted in self-defence and am reporting the incidentso that police have a record of it andof my reporting it.

Do not say anymore than this as this call isrecorded and can be used as evidence later on.In response to any questions you may be askedby the operator simply give your contact detailsand say that you will be happy to assist policeafter seeking legal advice.

WARNING No1: NEVER LET ONTO POLICETHAT YOU HAVE ANY SORT OF MARTIALARTS / SELF DEFENCE TRAINING

Jissenmag.com - 17

Alternatively rather than contacting the police ifthere is someone at the establishment who canbe trusted such as a manager or door staff youcan give them your contact details to be passedonto the police should they receive a complaintfrom the aggressor and start making enquiries.

If police approach you and arrest you asdescribed above take heed of the followingadvice;

1 - Say something along the lines of, “Officers Iwould like you to record the following in yournotebooks. I have acted in self-defence and I amwilling to cooperate with police in any way I canbut I will not discuss the incident without firstspeaking with a solicitor”. Insist on them writingthis down so that you can then sign it and thenmaintain your right to silence only answeringthose questions concerned with establishing youridentity and welfare.

2 - During the journey to the police station trynot to engage in any conversation with theofficers, be polite but mind what you say and tryto remember the details of any conversation forlater recollection.

3 - When being booked into the custody suite atthe police station the custody officer will ask youif you understand the reason for your arrest afterthe officers have told him the circumstances. Atthis point repeat what you told the officersoriginally as at point No1 above and ask that itbe written on the custody record. Then simplyanswer the administrative and welfare questionsput to you. Do not discuss the incident, as thisprocess is also generally video and audiorecorded.

4 - If you need to, make a phone call to someoneto let them know where you are but do not discussthe incident at all.

5 - At the earliest opportunity ask to speak to asolicitor, this can be your own or the duty solicitorwhich is free, you will be able to speak to themby phone but this could be over heard by officersand custody staff so don’t say too much.

6 - Whilst in a cell ask the custody staff for somewriting material and tell them you wish to makesome notes, which are covered by legal privilegeand are for your solicitor. Ask the staff to ensurethat this is noted on the custody record.

7 - It is advisable to make full notes as soon aspossible after the event. The police also do thisand are allowed to refer to those notes in courtto refresh their memory. This is because the notesare contemporaneous which are made at thetime or as soon as reasonably practicablethereafter and not because police officers havea special status as witnesses. You have the sameright to use notes. A delay in writing the notes ofseveral hours or even a day or so may not preventyou from using the notes.

8 - When making notes:

• Write out a full and legible note ofeverything that happened in the correctsequence of events

• Write down everything that was said, wordfor word if possible, particularly anyconversation you had with police officers

• Record the names and numbers, if youknow them, of the police officers involved.

• Sign the notes at the bottom and put thetime and date.

• If there are witnesses to the incident, taketheir names and addresses if possible andask them to make notes.


• Ensure that you keep these notes withyou at all times whilst in custody until youcan give them to your solicitor. If police tryto take them insist that they are subject tolegal privilege and that they are committingan offence by taking them from you.

9 - If you have any injuries, for example, swelling/ grazing on your knuckles, defensive woundsetc ensure that you insist on police:

• Taking photographs of such injuries.

AND

• Ask to see the custody doctor or nurse sothat your injuries are recorded.

The photographs and medical evidence may beof great value to you if you are charged with acriminal offence.

10 - Now comes the hard bit, sit back and wait tobe interviewed and do not discuss the case withanyone. This could take some time and a policecustody suite is not the most comfortable ofenvironments when all you want to do is get outand resolve the issue. Remember the police canhold you for up to 24 hours without having toseek any judicial oversight such as warrants etc.

11 - Let us assume that you were arrested at thebar at say 23:00 hours, it is highly likely that youwill not be interviewed until around midday thefollowing day as the investigating officer who willbe interviewing you will not start work until around08:00 hours. They will then need time to readthe case papers handed over to them, go outand get any statements and do any necessaryenquiries and also to liaise with your solicitor.

WARNING No2: DO NOT LET YOURSELF BETALKED INTO BEING INTERVIEWEDEARLIER WITHOUT A SOLICITOR PRESENT.

1 - It is not uncommon for officers to attend thecustody suite and speak to a suspect at the cellpurely to introduce themselves and give thesuspect an indication of when they are likely tobe ready to interview them. However once thesuspect is told that they are likely to be sometime it is quite common for the suspect to all of asudden change their mind and decline to have asolicitor represent them, purely so that they canthen be interviewed sooner and released from

custody, usually having been charged withoffences and released on bail to attend court.

2 - When you have your private consultation withyour solicitor prior to interview be sure to tell themthat you train in Martial Arts / Self Defence butthat to your knowledge the police are not awareof this fact. Your solicitor will after hearing yourversion of events then explain how the custodyand interview process works and what thepotential outcomes are. They will then advise youon how to proceed during the interview ie;remaining silent, giving a prepared statement orfreely answer the questions put to you. You donot have to follow this advice and if you areunhappy with their advice you can ask for anothersolicitor.

3 - Once the officer has finished interviewing youthey will they have to consult the CrownProsecution Service who will review the evidencein the case. This could take place whilst you arestill in custody or after you have been releasedon bail to return to the police station at a laterdate while a decision is made as to how toproceed with the case.

One of the most important points to bear in mindis that no matter what else is going on in yourlife at the time you are in custody none is asimportant as the the issue for which you havebeen arrested. Keep your mind on the issue athand as if you deal with this properly as outlinedabove at this stage it could save you a lot morestress later on.

As mentioned above, in addition to using forcein defence of oneself a person can also lawfullyuse force against another in order to defend athird party, protect their property from damageor theft, prevent a crime being committed orrestrain and detain a person suspected of havingcommitted an offence (commonly called acitizens arrest). The same principles as outlinedabove for acting in defence of yourself apply ineach respect. However people have fallen foulof the legal system when acting under theseprovisions due to their having said the wrongthing at the wrong time to the police.

Self Defence Misconceptions

A person who is trained in Martial Arts etc isunder an obligation to warn any aggressorbefore taking steps to defend themselves.

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This is a common misconception that a personwho has received training in combat skills isunder a duty to warn his attacker of this expertiseprior to him taking any physical steps to defendhimself. This is not the case. Such a person istreated the same as an untrained personalthough it is open to a jury to find that becauseof his training his actions may not have beenreasonable.

The defender is under a duty to retreat froma threat.

Another mistaken belief that is simply not thecase. A person who is being threatened withviolence is not under any such duty, however ajury may find it easier to find that a defence isreasonable if it was shown that the defender hadtried to avoid any confrontation. This is not anabsolute requirement though

The Court of Appeal found in the case of Bird -[1985] 1 WLR 816 that any action taken by thedefender to avoid a confrontation could be viewedas good evidence that the defender actedreasonably but is no more than that and that aperson may act in accordance with the law whenacting in self defence without retreating. Ifhowever there is a realistic option of retreatingor avoiding the confrontation then staying andengaging in a physical confrontation could riskbeing found as using unreasonable force

The law will not protect me if I have anintruder break into my home.

As stated above, English Common Law givesyou the right to protect your property fromdamage or theft. This means that if you findsomeone attempting to damage or steal yourproperty or you find an intruder in your homeand your believe they are gained entry in orderto cause damage, steal or harm you or your

family you are allowed to use only that amountor force that is reasonable to be able to stop them.

What if I chase them as they run off?

This situation is different, as you are no longeracting in self-defence. However if you areconfronted with finding an intruder in your homeor someone attempting to damage or steal yourproperty, in addition to using force to protect yourproperty you also have the right in law to usesuch force as is reasonable to prevent that personcommitting such a crime and also to restrain anddetain them for the police to subsequently dealwith. If however having caught the intruder youthen decide to further hurt or kill them to punishthem then this would amount to excessive useof force.

Consider the case of the farmer Tony Martinwho was convicted of murder after shooting deadone of two burglars who broke into his home inthe middle of the night. Factors in the Martin casethat contributed to the court’s decision were that,he kept a stock of illegally held weapons at hishome and had previously stated his belief in ahouseholder’s right to use extreme methods todefend his property. The facts of the casesuggested that, to some extent, Martin had beenlying in wait for intruders. The intruder killed byMartin was sixteen years’ old and was shot inthe back whilst 12 feet away in the process ofescaping. Whilst some might believe this to benatural justice with the intruder getting what hedeserved, in the eyes of the law such action wasunnecessary, unreasonable and excessive.

This article was written by D Cooper: a policeofficer of 8 years service 6 of which spent as a

detective where he has investigated many casesof violence from Public Order situations and

Commons Assault to more serious cases such asGBH, Rape and Murder.

Please visit Jissenmag.com to get your FREE subscriptionto Jissen! When the next issue is ready for download, you’llautomatically get an email sent directly to your inbox!


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Chinto Kata: History & Applicationby Iain Abernethy

Chinto kata has a fascinating history and it is necessary to have some understanding of

that history if we are to understand the kata itself.The creator of the kata was Sokon “Bushi”Matsumura (1809—1902) who played a hugerole in the development of karate and who wasalso the chief bodyguard to three Okinawankings. Matsumura is believed to have studiedunder Tode Sakugawa, Iwah, Ason, Kushankuand, crucially for the purposes of this article, healso studied under a shipwrecked Chinesemartial artist who went by the name Chinto.

Chinto became shipwrecked on Okinawaduring the 1800s and, in need of shelter, he setup home in a cave. Finding himself strandedwithout resources, Chinto began to steal foodand livestock from the locals at night in order tosustain himself. This unwelcome behaviour wasrepor ted to the Okinawan king who sentMatsumura to deal with the situation.

As you would expect from someone holdingthe position of bodyguard to the king, Matsumurawas a very skilled fighter who normally defeatedhis enemies with ease. However, whenMatsumura confronted Chinto he found thestranded sailor to be a very skilled fighter andthe battle quickly reached a stalemate. Alwayskeen to further enhance his formidable skills,Matsumura made a deal with Chinto: Matsumuraoffered to provide for Chinto and to help himreturn to China in exchange for instruction inChinto’s fighting method. This is how Matsumurabegan his study under Chinto.

Upon Chinto’s return to China, Matsumuraformulated a kata – named after the originatorof the methods it contained – to ensure Chinto’smethods were recorded and passed on to futuregenerations. Many years later when karate madeits way to mainland Japan, Gichin Funakoshichanged the name of the kata to Gankaku(“Crane on a Rock” in reference to the cranestances found within the form) in order to givethe kata a Japanese name. Funakoshi did thiswith all the kata to make karate more accessibleto the Japanese. It is by this name that the katais known in Shotokan today; with the other stylessticking with the original name of Chinto.

From this little bit of history we know that thekata is a record of the methods that the greatwarrior Matsumura learnt from Chinto. We alsoknow Matsumura was interested in thesemethods because he thought them effective andbecause he had not seen them before.Essentially the kata is a record of the “unusual”methods in Chinto’s armoury. The kata’s bunkai(application) is therefore highly unlikely to bebasic in nature.

My study of bunkai shows that many kata startby showing basic skills and as the kataprogresses so does the technical level of theskills shown. However, this is not the case withChinto as it shows fairly advanced methodsstraight from the start. This is almost certainlydue to the nature of its creation.

I like to think that at their first training sessionas teacher and pupil these former combatantsbroke down their fight as Matsumura learnt aboutthe methods that had been applied upon him.


Perhaps Matsumura had hooked his handaround Chinto’s neck during the fight only to haveit wrenched off and then be punched for histrouble? That’s certainly what the first part of thekata shows, so perhaps that was the first lessonChinto gave Matsumura all those years ago?Figure 1 shows the initial move of the kata whichhyper-extends the enemy’s elbow. Figure 2shows the second move of the kata whichpositions enemy for the following two punches.

Maybe Chinto then also showed how he couldhave thrown Matsumura from the same position?

Following the initial stripping of the grip – as analternative to locking and punching – the katainstructs us to move our rear foot in while pullingthe enemy towards us as is shown in Figure 3.The kata then instructs us to turn and pull around(the whole motion often labelled as a “turninggedan barai”). As shown in Figure 4 this will pullthe enemy over the hips and on to the floor. Thisis not a simple technique and yet it is foundtowards the start of the kata which would againemphasise Chinto kata’s advanced nature.

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Those who study bunkai on a regular basis willnote that many of the techniques found in Chinto,including the two just discussed, are also foundin Pinan Godan kata. The Pinan series of katawere created by Anko Itosu – who was a studentof Sokon Matsumura’s – in order to be a summaryof all the key methods practised in Shuri-te (thekarate practised in the Shuri region of Okinawaat that time). Within the Pinan series we can seetechniques and drills drawn from older kataincluding Bassai, Kushanku (Kanku-Dai) andChinto. It is no coincidence that the techniquesdrawn from Chinto are all found in the mostadvanced form in the Pinan series. The mostbasic bunkai is found within Pinan Shodan (HeianNidan) with each of the kata building on the lastsuch that the Pinan series presents a structuredtraining program in old style karate. The fact thatthe Chinto elements are found late in the fightingsystem that is the Pinan series again reflects thefact that Chinto is a record of the things theexperienced warrior Matumura had not cameacross prior to his fight with Chinto.

There are no “basics” to be found in Chinto kata.Indeed many of the drills within the form arelonger and more intricate than are foundelsewhere (see my DVD Bunkai-Jutsu Volume5: Chinto / Gankaku). It would be difficult todescribe these drills in detail in an article suchas this, but I would like to briefly look at part ofone of these drill in order to illustrate how thekata have changed over the years and how weneed to be aware of those changes in order tomake sense of the lessons contained within thekata.

Following the throw shown in Figure 4, the kataperforms a jodan juki-uke (upper level crossreceipt). This is a response to the enemy seizingyour wrist in order to neutralise an attempted eye-gouge. Push the enemy away as you cross yourarms and assume the position shown by the kata.Your free arm goes under your seized wrist andover your enemy’s wrist as is shown in Figure 5.By following the kata and pulling the arms intowards your centre the grip will either bestripped, or, if the enemy maintains their grip(which should be pretty strong considering you’vejust attacked their eyes with that limb) the wristwill become locked and they will bend at the waistas shown in Figure 6.

In most modern versions on the kata this motionis followed by a leaping double level kick (NidanGeri), but this would not fit the position of theenemy. I maintain that the Nidan Geri is a modern“exaggeration” and that the kata originallyinstructed the practitioner to forcefully kick thelead leg twice in order to break balance and bringthe head even further forward for the followingtechniques.

There is strong evidence that Nidan Geri wasnever in the kata originally. This evidence comesfrom a tale told by Gichin Funakoshi (who studiedunder Matsumura and his students Azato andItosu). In his book Karate-Do: My way of Life,Funakoshi tells us that as well as being the chiefbodyguard to the Okinawan king, Matsumuraalso taught the king martial arts. One day duringa training session, the King and Matsumura were

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sparring and the king attempted a Nidan Geri.Matsumura felt that the king needed remindingthat combat was a matter of life and death andhence there was no place for such flamboyantmethods. Especially when facing someone asskilled as Matsumura. He therefore counteredthe leaping kick and ultimately sent a baldybruised king skidding across the floor of the dojo.A now very unhappy king sacked Matsumura onthe spot!

Funakoshi goes on to tell how Matsumura gotinto a fight with a local engraver as a result andwon through intimidation alone (being the mainpoint Funakoshi wished to communicate bytelling the story). He also tells us that Matsumurawas ultimately reinstated. The key lesson for me,in relation to Chinto kata, is the obvious contemptwith which Matsumura regarded Nidan Geri! Heis therefore highly unlikely to have put such atechnique in the kata he created – even if it hasbeen part of Chino’s teaching, which I doubt itwas – and hence we can be sure Nidan Geri is a

modern test of athleticism as opposed to theoriginal combative method; which will almostcertainly have been the two low kicks describedearlier.

Although the kata gives us a record of Chino’steachings to Matsumura, we must keep in mindthat it is an imperfect record. In particular,students of bunkai must be sure to filter out whatis for show and for athletic development; whichis a pretty easy task if we understand thehistorical development of kata.

Following on from the two kicks to the shin, thekata then shows how to apply a strangle fromthat position. Should the strangle fail, the katashows how to throw the enemy from a neckcrank. Should the crank / throw fail, the katashows how to re-secure an alternative strangle.And if that should fail, the kata shows how tokeep control of the enemy such that strikes canbe delivered to the neck and base of the skull.This long flow is typical of the methods foundwithin Chinto kata. They are methods that shouldbe studied after one has a solid grasp of thecombative basics. They represent skilledalternatives that could be used if the enemy ismanaging to neutralise the more direct methodsshown by the other kata. It is therefore right thatthese methods are taught late on in a student’smartial education; as the kata Chinto frequentlyis to this day.

I hope that this article has helped to convey alittle about the history, nature and application ofChinto kata. I also hope it has encouraged youto explore the lessons of this intriguing kata ingreater depth. Through Chinto kata we have aliving link to the fascinating teachings of a bygoneage.

In 1882 Matsumura – creator of Chinto kata – wrotedown his seven virtues of “Bu” (martial skill). In this

document he explains the need for the martial artist tostudy art, literature, ethics and he explains the various

types of warrior. He also included the seven virtues of Buwhich are as follows:

• Bu prohibits violence• Bu maintains discipline

• Bu keeps order among the population• Bu spreads virtue

• Bu gives a peaceful heart• Bu helps maintain the peace

• Bu makes a people and nation prosperous

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Ed Francisco Interviewby Michael Rosenbaum

Ed Francisco is known as one of the South’s leading poets. A two time Pulitzer nominee

who lectured at Oxford and is the writer inresidence at Pellissippi College, Francisco hasnumerous books, articles and plays to his credit.However, in spite of his literary accomplishments,Ed Francisco is also a fighting arts practitionerwith almost five decades of experience. Thisinterview was conducted in the winter of 2009by Michael Rosenbaum.

1 - Ed, tell us about your martial artsbackground, why you started training andwhere?

I would have to say it started in our family’skitchen when I was four. For whatever reason,my father laced me up in a pair of boxing mitts-ones he’d used in military boxing matches. Mydad spent 44 months as an airman in Europeduring WWII. Out of boredom, I suppose, hebegan arranging boxing matches for theservicemen. Not only did he box in these events,but he also trained fighters. It was only naturalthat he would want to train his son.

2 - You were once the southeastern silvergloves boxing champ. Could you tell us aboutyour boxing career and how it influenced yourmartial arts training?

As a child, I was small for my age, a fact for whichI tried to compensate by intense physical activity.I was an obsessive exerciser. At age 10, I wonthe President’s Youth Council National FitnessAward. You may recall that President Kennedywas a vigorous young president who embarkedon a plan to make our nation’s youth fit. I stillremember what I did to win the prize: 132 sit-ups in two-minutes, 11 pull-ups, and 60 squat-thrusts in one minute. At ten, I also acquired myfirst set of weights and an Everlast hang bag.That’s when I began boxing seriously. My fatherand a young Golden Gloves titan named GregSessons put me through the paces. I can stillrecall Greg saying, “Keep you left up,” as henonchalantly hammered my temple with rightcrosses. That sort of training-fighting older, largeropponents-practically guaranteed my status as

a Southeastern Silver Gloves champion. Later, Iwould compete nationally as a Golden Glovescontender.

3 - Initially you were involved in OkinawanKarate but switched to Burmese Bando. Howdid that come about?

Before Isshinryu I studied Judo with a mannamed Robert Floyd who’d trained U.S. soldierson Okinawa. I spent a short stint with RandyWebb, a fine Isshinryu practitioner and theSouth’s leading fitness expert-even today atalmost seventy. However, it was my cousin,Chuck Randolph, and his body-builder friend,John Taylor, who introduced me to their Bandoinstructor, Bob Hill. Bob Hill was, hands down,the best most terrifying fighter I’ve ever seen.Crippled in one leg by polio, Bob wasn’t whatyou’d describe as imposing. He even appearedvulnerable owing to a discernable limp.Nevertheless, he used these “liabilities” to hisadvantage, psyching out opponents orencouraging a false sense of confidence thatquickly evaporated the instant Bob unleashedhis arsenal. My friend and former Kung-fuinstructor, the late Allan Thompson, also a Bandopractitioner, once paid me the ultimatecompliment. He said, “I’d rather fight Bob Hill thanyou any day. I never know what you’ll do. With

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Bob it is predictable. He announces what he’sgoing to do then kicks your ass, knowing youcan’t stop him.” Obviously, Allan was paying Boba compliment too. Allan was right. Anyoneunfortunate enough to be on the other end ofBob’s flying snap kick can attest to that.Fortunately, I was too young to be one of Bob’sserious punching bags. Not so with my cousinChuck, who taught me how to incorporate Bandotactics as part of my boxing arsenal. Boar-styleelbows and subtle knee slides in the clinchescan make an opponent wonder what justhappened to him. So Bando training aided me inthe ring, as well as in the street.

4 - What differences did you notice betweenBando and Okinawan Karate?

Okinawan karate imparted discipline to me at anearly age, especially with its emphasis on kata.However, kata, with its series of prescriptivemovements, can hamstring a fighter byhardwiring his brain to believe that fighting islinear, predictable. As you’ve indicated in yourfine book on kata, kata serves as a “grammar”that should provide a fighter with variations andcombinations of movement indispensable to thewell-rounded martial artist. Unfortunately, manyinstructors teach kata as a gospel of rigid, lock-step formulations. Bando, on the other hand,emphasized, circular movements, particularlystepping off the plane, enabling you to outflankyou opponent, while attacking him on the “wings”.In this way, you opponent’s entire body becomesa target. There’s no limit to what you can gouge,rip, tear, strike and knee. If Bando had rules, Inever knew them. One of my favorite strategiesis what I term “running the shirt.” Here’s how itworks. You pin one of your opponent’s feet underyour foot. Then you start a series of clawingattacks on skin and clothing. Once you get holdof your opponent’s shirt, you push it over hishead, tying him up and simultaneously blindinghim. (If I can grab a hank of hair, I’ll do that too.)Then you unleash a flurry of knees and elbows.If he goes to the ground, that’s the time to initiatea series of stomps. In short, fighting is by its verynature, an eclectic phenomenon. I’ve always triedto use what works.

5 - Within your own training what do youconcentrate on the most sport, self-defense,or character development?

I don’t give a damn about sport karate and careeven less about mixed martial arts. At my agethere is little I haven’t seen in the fighting arena.Moreover, fads cycle and re-cycle through theMartial Arts as in other domains of culture. MMAis just that-a fad, albeit a highly touted andcommercially profitable one. That’s not to saythere aren’t some formidable athletesparticipating in these events. The problem comeswhen people begin to believe their ownpropaganda, when they think fighting isexclusively grappling or kickboxing or whatevermode of combat promoters deem acceptable inthe ring. Then they find themselves in a pub orparking lot where people don’t know or careabout MMA fighters or their tactics. If, in such asituation, someone intends to hurt me, he’d betterhave enough room and time to take me downbefore I unholster my pistol. To my knowledgeguns aren’t permitted in MMA, matches. WhatI’m talking about is the over-confidence thatcomes from believing that one style of trainingor one system of combat is superior to others.That sort of hubris can prove to be a deadlyliability. For me martial arts are a form of activemeditation, a mirror of sorts, enabling me to seemyself and my distortions, offering a means ofcorrection and renewal. Writing is like that, too.

6 - What do you consider a typical workout?

A typical workout begins with stretching or TaiChi. Then I move to floor exercises: planks,various types of push-ups, and crunches with amedicine ball. Next, I do a fast weight-liftingroutine. I’ll go to six stations, with light reps ateach one, in 12 minutes. Lifting weights can betedious at times, and people who stand aroundadmiring themselves after a set are even moretiresome. Then I move to the heavy bag-the cruxof my training. Three five-minute rounds arefollowed by a half hour of strategic combinationsof strikes and kicks. I ordinarily wear a twentypound weight vest while working out, as well. Ialways include an interval of weapons trainingin my workouts. My weapons of choice includethe kukri, a double-bladed axe, a logging chain,and a blow gun. (I mix my own poisons forhunting.) If I’m working out solitary, I finish offwith a mile run. If I’m working with a partner, we’llspar. I’ve never worn pads when sparring, owingto my Bando training and my days with AllanThompson. If we got hurt sparring, we went to a


clinic down the street, got stitched up, andreturned to class. If wouldn’t have occurred tous to do otherwise.

7 - What concerns you most about self-protection, and how do you prepare for thestreet?

What concerns me most is the delusional anddangerous behavior exhibited by people whobelieve they can fight without even having fought.They believe that because they’ve seen “TheMatrix” or “Kill Bil”l, they’re somehow capable ofextra-ordinary martial feats. Thinking you’re amartial artist apparently makes it so. A year orso ago, I was driving to the college where I teach,observing the speed limit, when I noticed a carin my rearview mirror. It was so close to mybumper that I could count the driver’s teeth. Hedidn’t offer to pass but would fall back, thenaccelerate inches from my car. It was a scaretactic-a species of sociopathic behavior and Iregarded it as such. I signaled then, turned intoa subdivision where I knew new homes werebeing built. The driver swung in after me, tailing,refusing to back off. Driving to the end of thesubdivision where I recalled seeing a cul-de-sac,I eased into the curve where the driver cut infront of me. It was what I wanted him to do. Betterto face my opponent than to have him behindme. He thought he’d trapped me. Ramped up onmethamphetamines or experiencing a surge oftestosterone a young man in his twenties boltedfrom the car raising both fists above his head,imitating some movie warrior he’d doubtless seenat the Cineplex. He was spoiling for a fight-full ofpiss and vinegar, as we say in this part of thecountry. He grinned at the prospect of victimizingme. That’s when I opened the door, slid out ofthe seat, and stood, .357 Magnum at my side.When I cocked the hammer, the only piss wasthat streaming down his pants leg. He blanched.Rolling onto the balls of his feet, he skidded to astop. Lifting the gun eye-level, I drew down onhim. Not a soul was in sight. I could have killedhim right there and driven off. “I suggest you getyour punk ass back in the car,” I said. The grin, asickly version of it, returned to his face. “I don’tfight no old man,” he said. “It’s a damn good thing,you don’t Isn’t it?” I said. He back peddled, armsoverhead, but hands open now in supplication.“I’m a homeboy. Its okay,” he sought to reassureme. “No, it’s not okay. It’ll be okay when you get

your punk ass back in the car and drive home toyour mama, homeboy.” His eyes cameunfocused, giving the impression that he wantedto be anywhere else in the universe. He didn’tknow it at the time but the “old man” was lettinghim off the hook to the lasting benefit of us both.“I’m gone,” he said. “Good riddance,” I responded.All his bluster and mouthiness had vanished. Hewas a chastened individual, maybe for the firsttime in his life. I use this as an example to suggestthe danger of posturing in a state like Tennesseewhere handgun carry permits are the rule ratherthat the exception and where half theautomobiles you meet have a pistol under theseat. It makes for a chilly society, not to mentiona different orientation to the martial arts fromthat held by sports practitioners.

8 - Do you feel that it’s ethical to use firearmsfor self-defense?

I have a picture someone gave me of a gunwreathed in a Rosary. I would say that imagesums up my predicament as a martial artist. Eachday I pray that I’ll be spared the temptation tohurt someone; likewise, I hope that no one willbe tempted to hur t me. But as theaforementioned example shows, not everyoneshares my longing. Bully boys (and girls) aboundin every conceivable incarnation: bully husbands,bully wives, bully co-workers. Most days we justtolerate them the best we can – grateful to avoidaltercations, considering ourselves lucky if weescape abuse and manipulation relativelyunharmed. But what do you do when you’veexhausted every option of cooperation? More tothe point, what do you do when some thugendangers an innocent person or somesociopath threatens you with bodily harm ordeath via fists or weapons? I can only hope thosesituations don’t happen. But I have to prepareas if they will. In the gravest extreme, not fightingback is tantamount to suicide. Meeting force withforce is an awful, gut-wrenching choice for a saneperson. No sane person wants to have to use agun for self-defense. Unfortunately, the persona sane person will have to face probably won’thave those qualms.

9 - Assuming that you and you’re adversaryaren’t armed, do you automatically assumethat the fight will go to the ground?

Not at all. Again, that seems to be a self-fulfillingprophecy for grapplers in the MMA. If you think

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all fights will go to the ground, they inevitablywill. The Gracies and others have promulgatedthat statement as a truism. I read somewherethat 70% of all fights go to the ground! Who cameup with that nutty statistic? How many fightsoutside the ring did the author of the article whomade that statement observe in order to offersuch an outlandish generalization. Let me framethe situation differently by stating that there’s noevidence a street fight will go to the ground in amajority of cases. Now what will someone whosebasic orientation is grappling do in that situation?In real fighting there are no rules. In an authenticfight, I will gouge out your eyes, chew off yourearlobe, and lock onto your testicles like a vice. Iwill use anything at my disposal to distract you.If MMA fighters want to test their combatstrategies, let them enter the ring with apsychopath and a six-inch hunting knife. The ringwill no longer seem so user- friendly. You can’tget locked into seeing only one way of fighting.You only expose your blind side by doing that. I’llgive you an example. Fighters perpetually cameto Bob Hill’s dojo to challenge him. Bob was ashrewd man. He knew that most sports martialartist observed a series of prohibitive self-restrictions even when they didn’t know they did.They would only go so far despite all the talk of“no-holds barred fighting.” As an attorney, Bobhad drawn up a contract absolving himself of anyliability for “injury or death” to his opponent.Seeing that clause, sane people walked off,recognizing the trap Bob had set for them. Forthose who didn’t, Bob had innumerable surprisesawaiting. Every where he went Bob carried his“ju-ju” bag, a mysterious pipe tobacco pouch inwhich he kept an alchemist’s odd assortmentsof irritants, stunners, and eye-openers. Bobsimply reached into the pouch, coating his fingerswith the way a pitcher fondles a resin bag. AllanThompson later told me that Bb’s pouch was atoxic brew of cayenne pepper, rotted eggs, ratpoison, and Vaseline enmeshed with iron filings.A modern-day Ninja’s bag of tricks in other words.Bob’s philosophy, according to Allan, was thateven if you defeated him he’d still exact revenge-days later, in some cases.

10 - Do you feel that today’s MMApractitioners are the same caliber of fighterslike Sonny Liston, Mohammed Ali, or MikeTyson?

Liston, Ali, and Tyson came up in the street, allthree destined for prison were it not for boxing.Of course, even that didn’t prevent Liston andTyson from having brushes with the law. WhatI’m saying is that they were fighters before theywere boxers. One is inclined to call thembrawlers. Remember when Tyson bit EvanderHollyfield’s ear off? Similarly, do you recall whenAli fought the Judo player in Tokyo in anexhibition match? The Judo player went to theground where he spent most of the time pivotingon his back and hips in order to avoid Ali’spunches. He was smarter then to go toe to toewith Ali. What I’ve noticed about many of theMMA matches I’ve seen is how deplorable thepunching is. Some of those guys look likechildren flailing on the playground. In shortpunching seems to be a neglected aspect oftheir training. No, if most MMA fighters had tofight Liston or Ali, my advice to them would bego to the ground and stay there.

11 - Your most recent book “The Alchemy ofWords” has been described as a book of Zenkoans for the western reader, why is that?

“Alchemy” is a book of oblique meditations, littleparables, in essence, on our relationship tolanguage. We humans are the sum total of ourstories, our sign exchanges with ourselves andothers. Naming is a complex process, but Ibelieve we have a responsibility to use wordsprecisely – in the service of truth. For me, mypen is like a bokken with which I attempt topenetrate verbiage and slash away half-truths.As I tell my students, whose modes ofcommunication are almost exclusively cellphone and text messaging, they need to bequitter, think longer. We tolerate too manydistractions, and our sloppy use of languageshows it. Anyone who thinks e-mail, cell phones,and texts are simply the next stage in theevolution of communication doesn’t know muchabout language or the way corporations haveconvinced people that these electronic gadgetsare indispensable if we are to stay in touch. I’mafraid that what people are doing is mistakingconvenience for connection. “Alchemy” was myeffort to restore some authenticity to ourexchanges.

12 - In addition to being a poet, playwrightand author, you’re also a semiotician. Do you


see any correlation between semiotics,literature and martial arts?

Absolutely. A little while ago, I alluded to yournotion that kata is a grammar in the same waythat a language is a rule-governed system withpotentially infinite variations. Semiotics is, ofcourse, the study of how we use signs andsymbols-how and what they signify. On a literallevel, kata signifies a series of prescriptivemovements used for training. A more complexsemiotic reading of kata would see it as ametaphor – a continuum of variations, limited onlyby a fighter’s imagination. Just as language isan expression of a writer’s mind, movement isthe actualization of a fighter’s imagination, hisability to see the meaning in what he’s doing.Afr ican – American poet Ishmael Reedimmediately saw this connection when he titledone of his books “Writin’ is Fightin”. Likewise, thepoet-warrior has been an important archetypesince the dawn of civilization. Consider the likesof King Arthur, Sir Phillip Sydney, and Basho. Allrecognized the symbolic significance of theirexpanding roles. Anyone can be a soldier-

following orders and mimicking lockstepmovements, but a warrior rises above the fray,fighting for larger, more enduring causes,realizing that the lost causes are the only onesworth ultimately fighting for.

13 - One last question. With almost fivedecades of martial arts training to your credit,how has your martial arts changed over theyears and what are your future goals?

I’ve worked hard to cultivate the warrior spirit ineverything I do. Warriors, I believe, fight topreserve authentic human possibilities. In myyouth, I was preoccupied with winning in everyarena of my life. I’m now interested in largervictories of the human heart and spirit includingus all. Each day I try to deepen my devotion toenduring ideas: faith, hope, charity, fortitude,patience, and magnanimity, or generosity ofspirit. It’s a lifetime’s work for which marital artshave helped prepare me.

Thank you, Mr. Francisco, for your time andinsights.

Ed Francisco BooksDeath, Child and Love: Poems, 1980-2000 is the odyssey of a poetjourneying from darkness to light. Chronicling a long and harrowing seriesof deaths and personal disappointments, the early poems in this volumeserve as an antidote to dispair, expounding the difficulties of life andgiving articulation to the many people who suffer. Yet, it is Francisco’sfocus on children in the later poems that provides healing, redemption,and arrival at a juncture where love is finally possible. Displaying a widerange of styles, the poems are, by turn, lyrical, narrative, and meditative.

Alchemy of Words: In the tradition of the alchemists of the Middle Ages, thispoet searches for the precise words that will transmute common experience intogolden language that will shed light on why we live the way we do. He achievesthis goal by casting his keen eye and ear over a broad palette – from literature toreligion, philosophy, education and, of course, to magic, which is so essential tothe “art” and, yes, the science of alchemy. His poems flow across the landscapeof thought: from the terrifying kudzu vine to John the Baptist waiting for Christ tositting in the gaze of the Man of Tao. Without coming off as scholarly, the poetmanages to face the vital issues of language bravely.

All Ed Francisco available online at Amazon

Jissenmag.com - 31

The world of martial arts is full of argumentsbased on irrelevant appeals. From advertising

campaigns that argue their style of martial art isthe best because it is practiced by a certaincountry’s elite military to teaching techniques acertain way because this is the way they havebeen taught for centuries. They are argumentsthat do not provide evidence to support theirclaims, but instead use information designed tomake you feel inadequate in your questioning. Ishall now take you through some examples ofthe way appeals arguments, “Martial Appeals” ifyou like, are used as a method of one-upmanshipfrom one martial arts stylist to another, as a formof persuasive marketing or to simply keep controlof the way a student thinks.

Appeals to Antiquity or Tradition

The age and durability of an idea is not alwaysan accurate indicator of its value. However, it isvery common for a martial artist to somehowconnect the antiquity of their system or style withpractical efficiency. The reasoning goessomething like this: if these moves or practicesdidn’t work then they wouldn’t have survived. Thisis nonsense. There are plenty of reasons whyimpractical and illogical practices are still beingcarried out today. Many people cling to ritualsout of a sense of national or cultural pride.Traditions are often kept so that people feel theyhave a link to the past. Some people even havetheir own personal rituals and in extreme casesthese can be strong indications of different typesof mental and neurodevelopmental disorders.People also fear change, as it presents theprospect of the unknown. Tradition and theillusion of not changing make us feel safe.

An example I once saw was the historicalevidence that martial arts have often been linkedto magic. This is not surprising, studies haveshown that the closer people come to thepresence of death the more superstitious theybecome. In this particular example, the argumentwas made that even the most sceptical person

must concede that there must be somethingpractical in this connection since there is such along tradition of it happening. This is a classicexample of a jump from one set of information -valid historical evidence linking the belief in magicwith martial arts practices – to another – thereforeit is possible that magic is a part of martial arts.The first set of information does not provideevidence for the latter. There are very longtraditions of the belief in monsters found in mostcultures, and fairly often different and completelyunrelated cultures come up with very similarmonsters. This is not evidence that the monstersexisted, but probably has more to do with thelimitations of human imagination and commoninnate fears and the superstitions we createaround those fears.

The age of a martial arts system is often heldin disproportionately high regard despite theobvious advancements made in combattechnology. We know old ideas are not alwaysgood ideas otherwise we wouldn’t have anyprogress. In a relatively short amount of timethere have been major advancements in whatwe know about human anatomy, the way thehuman brain functions, human behaviour andhuman potential. We also have the hindsight ofhistory to determine how an old idea might notwork. It is far more productive and sensible toquestion why an old idea has persisted than tomake positive assumptions about its validity.

Appeals to Authority

As one would expect those who often use theappeal to antiquity or tradition are those inpositions of authority. However, often a personof authority is presented as the actual justificationfor an argument: Hanshi so-and-so said this isthe deadliest of all martial arts therefore this mustbe true. Like the appeal to antiquity or traditionargument, if we just took the words of expertsas gospel we would make no progress. Scienceconstantly questions and advances the work ofits great innovators understanding that their work

Martial Arts Scepticism:Martial Appeals

by Jamie Clubb


needs updating. It is also worth keeping in mindthat someone might have more knowledge on acertain subject than their critic, but their methodfor applying that knowledge might be deeplyflawed.

The other issue regarding appeals to authorityis when the authority is not an authority on thetopic of the argument. For a long period it wascommon for most martial ar ts schools tospecialize and, even with the advent of moreliberal and open dojos, dojangs, kwoons andgyms most schools still do. However, I recallseeing a journalist asking a boxing coach’s“expert” opinion on a mixed martial arts bout.Unsurprisingly the coach’s response wasnegative and despite the bout being regulatedby strict rules, clearly watched over by anexperienced referee and a medical team onhand, the boxing coach compared it to a street-fight. Never theless, this authority was arespected and qualified boxing coach running ahigh performing boxing club. His validity forteaching his sport is not in question, however,his opinion on something that he had littleknowledge on had about as much relevance asan ice skating coach discussing the form of achampion skier. Now, if the person beingconsulted on the mixed martial arts bout was an

experienced doorman who had seen thousandsof street-brawls and made the same comparisonthat would have been a different matter.

Appeal to Popularity

By the time the 1980s started the “Kung FuBoom” was over, however, martial arts hadclearly taken root in the public consciousnessand a corporate side slowly began to emerge.As this spread and more organizations andgoverning bodies began to pop up all overEurope and the USA, the marketing machinespicked up pace. This was more than a few clubsbeing affiliated to a foreign authority now; wholeassociations broke away in the western worldand grew into their own entities. It wasn’t longbefore this corporate image was used as part ofthe advertising gimmick and, as always, sizemattered. Clubs, instructors and individualstudents were encouraged to join the associationwith the most members. Popularity has a strongappeal. In military and political thinking we cansee an obvious advantage of being on the sidewith the biggest numbers. Popularity is also atthe heart of fashion and retail. However, justbecause an idea is popular it doesn’t mean it isright.

Popular opinion can, and often is, swayed bycharismatic and persuasive personalities. Historyhas certainly told us this many times. In martialarts we have seen many trends promising muchand often delivering little. Talk to any long termmartial arts magazine editor and they will tell youplenty about the various phases and sub-phasesof martial arts. In hindsight a craze in a certainmartial art often had little to do with the art’sefficiency, but rather the way it was being sold tothe general public.

Appeal to Novelty

The opposite of the appeal to antiquity or traditionis the appeal to novelty. The newness of an ideadoes not automatically make it the superior ofwhat has gone before. There are many newmartial arts systems springing up all the time.Not everyone likes to cling to tradition or popularsystems, many like the idea of being up-to-dateor being different.

One argument here is that this martial art isnew therefore it will provide me with informationmore applicable to the modern world. Just

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because the system is new it doesn’t make itbetter suited for the modern world. It couldendorse pseudoscience or have no proper basison efficient training methods whatsoever. Thereare plenty of new bogus martial arts popping upall over the place, often promoted by thetechnology that is synonymous with our era: theinternet.

Another argument is that a certain martial artis different and therefore better than moreconventional martial arts. A key appeal of theoriental martial arts in the western world wastheir sheer exoticness. Therefore it should be nosurprise that within the martial arts world thereis always a strong attraction towards moreunusual martial arts. However, many previouslyunheard of martial arts have little historicalevidence to back up their lineage or even theirvalidity. There are some societies that areunashamedly resurrecting extinct martial artsand honestly doing their best to interpret theseold training methods out of historical interest.There is nothing wrong with these practices.However, there are still others that exploit thegullibility of enthusiastic martial arts tourists and

those members of martial arts subculture whohave a natural disposition towards learningsomething that is marketed as being “forbidden”or “forgotten” or simply out of the mainstream.

There is no rational basis in arguing that justbecause something is new or different that it isany better than what is old or commonplace. Infact, in all rational fact-finding disciplines fromscience to history the burden of proof is alwaysplaced squarely on the shoulders of the new orunusual idea.

In conclusion, if we are to get the best out ofthe martial arts we can do better than appeal toirrelevant information. By recognizing these typesof arguments not only in others but also inourselves we can focus more on addressing aproblem or question than trying to win a debateor live in denial.

Jamie can be contacted [email protected] and

07973681732.www.clubbchimera.com


Extract from “Waking Dragons”:The Field of Truth

by Goran Powel

It’s one of those perfect English summer days: hazy sunshine, lush green trees and soft grass

underfoot. We’re gathered in a scouts’ camp inthe glorious countryside outside Portishead, justsouth of Bristol. In any other circumstances, we’dbe kicking back and relaxing, throwing a frisbeeor cracking open a few beers. But there’s workto be done, and it isn’t tying knots or collectingfirewood. This is a karate camp.

The instructors have told everyone to meet onthe small field near the entrance. They have takento calling it the Field of Truth. They have a meansense of humour.

No one knows why we’re here, except Carl andme. I was told in confidence several weeks ago,and I managed to keep my mouth shut, whichwasn’t easy. Carl’s been thinking of little else forthe past few weeks. Or more likely months. He’sabout to attempt the Thirty Man Kumite.

He’ll fight 30 people, one after another. They’llbe the highest ranked fighters in our association.Every fight will be ‘full contact’. It will last oneminute. No gloves. No shin pads. No headguards.Full-power punches to the body are allowed, plussweeps, throws, and kicks to the legs, body andhead. No face punching. No strikes to the jointsor groin. Carl will get a two-minute break afterten fights and another one after 20. If he’sknocked out, or knocked down and can’tcontinue, he will fail his test.

There’s a small huddle of spectators on theField of Truth. They are looking on curiously as30 fighters line up along the far side of the field.Carl is warming up in the middle, alone with histhoughts, steeling himself for what lies ahead.

Nobody really knows what to expect. Manyfighters in the line-up have not met Carl before.He’s been away for a while. To the uninitiated, itlooks like a massacre is about to occur. But I’mnot so sure. I know Carl from the old days. Iremember him winning medals at knockdown

tournaments (heavyweight division). I rememberhim training with the British squad. I know whathe’s capable of with his kicks. As I take my placeat the foot of the line-up, I’m glad he’ll be fighting29 people before me.

The instructors call the proceedings to order.There’s no great ceremony. We take a simplebow and the first fighter is called out. They begin.After a few seconds, Carl catches him with ahead kick. It’s perfectly controlled, because thisis a grading, not a tournament. If it had been atournament, the guy would be out cold. Instead,he collapses to his knees, badly dazed. After ashort break the instructors get him on his feet,but for the rest of the fight, he stays well awayfrom Carl.

The second fighter comes up and is promptlyknocked down too. A pattern is beginning to form,and the line-up doesn’t like what it’s seeing. Carlis making it look very easy to take someone’shead off. Some of the less experienced fightersare starting to look decidedly nervous, wishingthey were back in their tents, or better still, backhome with the Sunday papers like every othernormal human being.

Carl’s plan is working nicely for him, and I beginto wonder whether he’ll be troubled at all duringhis line-up. But even the best-laid plans can goastray.

Jissenmag.com - 35

hit back, throw punches and low kicks, to fightharder.

After 20 fights, Carl gets another short break.He takes some more water and stretches outhis legs. Then the fighting begins again. Prettysoon, Carl is in a seriously bad way. Crampsstrike him again and this time, he seemsgenuinely unable to continue. I watch as he sitsforlornly in the shade of a tree, sipping water andmassaging his legs. The instructors are clearlyconcerned, and talk to him quietly. For a moment,no one’s quite sure what to do. They can’t allowhim a long break now. It would negate the test.

I begin to wonder if they are going to pull himout? Sensei Gavin is kneeling beside him. Helooks around, scanning the horizon, as ifsearching for a solution. There isn’t one. After afew seconds, he simply stands up and calls outthe next fighter. There’s a moment of stillness.Then Carl gets to his feet, in a trance, andsquares up. The fighting resumes and hecontinues his battles through gritted teeth.

Now he is among the strongest, most powerfulblack belts. They put him under incrediblepressure. One after another smashes away athis body and legs, dropping their body weightonto his battered thighs with the hard bones oftheir shins. There are no pads. This is just muscleand bone. Carl refuses to give in to the pressure,and hits back, but each new fighter is fresh, whileCarl is at the edge of exhaustion.

He is close to the end of the line-up, and thingsare getting ugly. Mark launches a blistering attackon Carl, stalking him and then smashing away

Carl has already been training hard for twodays, and the afternoon heat is intense. Thesweating is causing his body to lose salt, whichcan bring on cramps. As early as the third fight,he begins to clutch at his hamstrings in pain. Itlooks like he’s pulled a muscle.

The instructors stop the fight for a few secondsand give him the chance to stretch his legs. Thenhe’s forced to continue. Meanwhile, the fightersin the line-up are taking no chances. They’rebadly spooked by what they saw earlier, andthey’re all going in hard to avoid getting pickedoff. This is bad news for Carl, and his real test isjust beginning.

Kicking high is too painful now, so he’s forcedto trade punches and low kicks instead. By thetime he reaches his first break, after ten fights,he’s looking tired and dazed. He sits in the shadeof tree, sipping water and stretching hishamstrings, trying to get them back into play.

It’s no use. As the fighting begins again, it’sclear he’s going to have to do things the hardway... toe-to-toe. Soon he’s struck by crampsagain, and things begin to look ominous.

The instructors call a halt. They lay him on hisfront and massage the backs of his legs. He getsup, slowly, painfully, and forces himself tocontinue. As each fight goes on, he is climbingup the grades, facing stronger and strongerfighters. They’re still mindful of his openingperformance, and going in very hard.

The sun beats down on him unmercifully, andthe tiredness is taking its toll, but the crowdrefused to let him stop, or even slow down. Theyurge him on, shouting and screaming at him to


at his body and legs with massive, lighting-fastcombinations. Steve smashes Carl’s chest andribs with huge, thudding punches and thenswitches to low kicks on the legs. Carl is takingmassive punishment, but refuses to go down. Hispride will not allow him to give in. He hits back asbest he can.

Eventually his spirit takes him through 29 full-contact bouts. It is time for one final fight. I jogout to face him. He looked tired and shaken andI know his left leg is badly damaged. It has takena terrible battering. Now, some people are cruel,and they would target this leg unmercifully, but Ilike to consider myself a gentleman, and preferto attack other areas – the places that can stilltake a bit more punishment.

The fight begins and I test Carl with a few bodyshots. He wobbles slightly and throws a coupleof slow punches. I avoid them easily and slam acouple of low kicks onto his ‘good’ leg. I can pickhim off at will. I don’t really want to knock himover on his last fight, but equally, I don’t want itto be too easy. After all, this is his grand finale.

Suddenly, the same fact seems to register withCarl. It’s his last fight. He shouts loudly, toencourage himself, and surges forward, throwinghard punches. He’s summoning every last dropof energy. I notice the change immediately, andget up on my toes to avoid getting caught. Nowwe are fighting.

He throws a thunderous left, right combination.I back away to avoid the shots and ram a hardfront kick into his gut. I hear a loud thud, and feelthe air go out of him, but he’s hyped up now andkeeps coming.

He leans forward and grabs my shoulders,hoping to pull me onto a knee strike. Oi, Carl,man, I wasn’t born yesterday! Before he cansmash me, I hook a big right uppercut into hisbelly, just where the kick landed moments earlier.Nothing. Carl is unstoppable now. The crowd isyelling furiously, willing him on for one last,tremendous effort.

We trade punches and kicks, and Carl fightshard for one last, furious minute. Then it’s all over.The timekeeper shouts ‘Time!’ and the instructorscall ‘Stop!’ but we don’t hear a thing. In the end,they step between us and wave their arms. Webreak.

Carl has done it. He’s the first student in ourassociation to complete the Thirty Man Kumite.Everyone is in awe of his achievement. No onehas ever seen anything quite like it.

That evening we go to the local swimmingbaths, and Carl comes along to relax his tiredmuscles. His body is battered and bruised allover, but he’s in good spirits. Some of the guysgoof around in the pool. Carl relaxes in the hottub, chatting to some of the younger members,basking in the glory of what he’d done earlier inthe day.

Later, back at the camp, we prepare ourevening meals over a kerosene stove. Carl’s tentis pitched next to mine and Sensei Gavin’s andSensei Dan’s. After eating his pasta, he tells ushe’s going to lie down ‘just for half an hour’. Heassures us he’ll meet us later by the campfire.

We didn’t see him again until late the nextmorning, and who could blame him?

Jissenmag.com - 37

All too frequently, martial arts practitioners study their art without truly understandingwhere it comes from, how it was developed, and why it was created in the first place.Indeed, many don’t care—and if you feel this way, you should put this book down. Forthe rest of us, who have taken our art beyond tournaments, it is reasonable to expectthat we want to uncover the past. We want to understand the where, why, and how ofmartial art development. We are intellectually curious about our combative history.

To study the combative arts is to understand the circumstances of their developmentand to gain insights into the views and ethics of the societies that created them. As wetravel back in time, we see consistent evidence of martial systems being influenced bythose that came before and/or invaded. We also see the use of ‘pre-arranged’ fightingpatterns (kata) to transmit proven techniques from one generation to the next.

It is this transmission of martial knowledge, through kata and other forms ofcommunication, that this book will explore. The author will demonstrate that pre-arranged fighting techniques (katas) were used by ancient Greek, Egyptian, Asian,African, and European societies. And that Poetry, Dance, and Song were also significantmethods of preserving and transmitting battle-tested fighting tactics through the ages.

The purpose of kata training is not to become bound by the form but to transcend the formitself—to evolve.

Available from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk & ymaa.com

Michael Rosenbaum began his martial arts training at the age of five. Along with Isshin Ryu, whichhe has been practicing for 25 years, he has studied Bando, Judo, and Boxing. Michael is a formermember of the elite 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army, and has completed Infantry, Airborne,and Jungle Warfare Schools. He currently resides near Knoxville, TN.

The Thirty Man Kumite is one of karate’s toughest tests, reserved for senior black belts with yearsof experience. One person fights a line-up of thirty fighters, one after another, full contact, movingup the grades and facing the strongest, most dangerous fighters last.

This is an inspiring and compelling account of the Thirty Man Kumite and the lifetime of martial artsthat led to it, charting the development of mind, body and spirit over many yearsand offering a rare insight into the true purpose of the martial arts.

“Leaves you inspired and wanting more”Geoff Thompson

Waking Dragons: a martial artist faces his ultimate testBy Goran Powell

Foreword by Geoff Thompson

Available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com

Waking Dragons:a martial artist faces his ultimate test

“I looked at the huge line of fighters still to come. It coiled around three sidesof the mat like some great white dragon waiting to devour me, and suddenlythe task ahead seemed impossible.”


Tradition & Realityby Ben Hockman & Stewart McGill

There seems to be an unspoken assumptionthat the various Reality–Based Self Defence

Systems (RBSDS) bare little resemblance to thetraditional martial arts styles (TMAs), and thatthey have a wholly different philosophy and setof techniques.

I’ve been training in reality systems since theearly 2000s now, the last few of which have seenme help in developing Urban Krav Maga (UKM);to be frank, the more I train with the founders ofUKM, the more I realise our debt to our traditionalbackground and how crucial it continues to be tothe system.

If you went to a karate, aikido or traditional jiujutsu class and then subsequently attended oneof our sessions, your first impression would bethat these aren’t different sides of the same coinbut actually separate currencies. If you attendedon a more frequent and regular basis however,you would probably start to see the unity beneaththe diversity.

We focus on situations – what to do ifsomebody grabs you and tries to head butt orknee you, how to act pre-emptively to avoid afight, how to read situations and body languageto avoid conflict, how to defend yourself and getup quickly if you’re on the ground, what you do ifyour attacker has a knife etc. For everything thatwe do, the Ashi-sabaki (footwork) and Tai-sabaki(body movement) are both crucial. Weincorporate sparring and groundfighting drills intothe system and, of course, in these areas of ourtraining, the fundamentals are heavily informedby the traditional arts of boxing, muay thai, jiujutsu and BJJ.

As we are also aware, many of the traditionalsystems have developed into combat-sportbased systems such as freestyle karate andkickboxing, particularly since the latter part ofthe last century. Once again the footwork, bodysponsorship, conditioning and the self-controlthat one develops in a competition/sparring-based context in these combat sports will provehugely valuable in improving both ones ability tolearn and teach a RBSDS.

It always struck me that the better instructorsand students in Reality-Based systems had astrong traditional background-and by that I wouldinclude the tradition-derivative combat sportsmentioned above. A certain school of thoughtsays that the “archaic’ movements andresponses of traditional arts can negativelyinfluence your muscle memory thereby slowingdown your adaptation to the Reality systems.

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This can initially be the case but generallyspeaking traditional martial artists pick things upsignificantly quicker and can ‘make things workbetter’. This is basically because (i.) in stand upsituations they are used to moving their feet inconcert with their body in order to secure andmaintain a strong, stable position – all that Katadoes have a purpose. (ii.) they understand theimportance of balance, (if the other guy is notstable and you are, then you have a majoradvantage) and (iii) those with a traditionalbackground in ground fighting understand thatit’s all about the hips – whether you’re grapplingto submit or just get the hell up as quickly aspossible you need to understand the tai sabakito get your hips in an optimum position vis a visyour opponent.

The better TMA and RBSDS instructors willhave this understanding ingrained into them andtheir students will benefit accordingly.

A crucial element in confronting real situationsis often that of controlling ones attacker in someway, be it through balance, your environment,pre-emption, or getting hands. When it comes tocontrolling an attacker’s arm that is wielding ablade for example, I have seen a few responsesfrom Reality Systems which basically involvegrabbing the knife-wielding wrist and hitting thecarrier. Even if you’ve got a powerful close-inpunch and the attacker isn’t much bigger thanyou, your attacker still has a good chance ofregaining control of the weapon and stabbing youjust by stepping back and/or pulling the weaponback strongly from you grip. You can mitigate thisrisk by moving into a ‘traditional’ grip in which,say the opponent has the blade in his right hand,you grab his wrist with the left hand, loop yourarm over so your left elbow is on his sternum,squeeze your armpit tightly into your side and

step back with your right leg so you’re facingalmost the same way as your attacker exertinggreat pressure on his elbow joint with yourribcage; from this position - which is actually farsimpler to engage than one might think and thata complex written explanation will allow - you canrip the blade out of the attacker’s hand if he’s stillholding it. This technique is strength and size-neutral and is based on sound traditionalprinciples. This has been by far the mostsuccessful technique that we’ve pressure-testedagainst an aggressive knife threat and wecouldn’t have put it together without our traditionalbackground. Learning techniques based aroundunderlying principles, which more often than notare “traditional”, also helps to remove therequirement to learn a number of complextechniques for a wide variety of unpredictablereality-based situations. Instead, our systemrelies heavily on certain common principles thatcan be applied to any situation. Of course,technique plays a part-it always does-but iftechnique goes to pot, which it may well do, andyou are left with nothing but solid principles ofmovement, power, balance etc. you still standan excellent chance of getting away safely.

In summary, there are some great moves,techniques and principals in TMA which RBSDS


practitioners ignore at their real peril. In TMA themoves are sometimes misunderstood and thepaths into the techniques can become somewhatobscure, but they can save your life.

For example: The age uke (rising block withthe forearm) is actually a great strike from avariety of close-quarter situations and one whichlends itself to good short-term control setting youropponent up for a head butt and/or knee in thegroin. It’s often taught in TMA as a block to astrike in the face – for reasons of distance andreaction time, it’s not great for that purpose as Ican vouchsafe from painful experience.

Conclusions: I would simply recommend that ifyou’re considering training in a reality basedsystem, check out the background of the systemand of the instructor. There are some excellentinstructors out there with good practicalexperience but who have never trained in anyother area of martial arts or combat. On the otherhand, regardless of practical experience, whichis of course always hugely beneficial from aninstructional perspective, in my view there arefew substitutes for the foundation afforded by theTraditional Styles.

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Contact in Training: Part 1by J. W. Titchen

Making Contact: A RationaleWith this article being written for Jissen, it is

likely that the core readership alreadymake physical contact in training on a regularbasis. By contact in training I refer to the actualact of striking something or someone in training.In this issue I will be discussing the rational formaking contact/hitting things, in the companionarticle I will be looking at the rationale forreceiving contact in training.

Contact in training is useful for the followingreasons:

• Prevention of joint injury• Development of correct distancing• Development of power and stability whileexecuting a technique• Conditioning of striking surfaces in orderto be able to execute a technique in realityif necessary• Psychological Conditioning

Prevention of joint injury

Executing techniques at speed against thin air,particularly in the early stages of martial artstraining, can lead to the hyper-extension of joints.The knees and elbows are particularly vulnerableto this. Similarly incorrect alignment of the ankleand wrist joints (so that they would buckle andresult in strains, sprains or even broken bones)can be grooved into the memory when trainingagainst thin air, or continuously pullingtechniques. Progressive contact along a forcecontinuum eliminates alignment problems at anearly stage and the act of making contactsignificantly lowers the risk of hyper-extension.

Development of correct distancing

By striking against pads (and people in bodyarmour) students gain a completely accuratepicture, both visual and tactile, as to how closethey need to be to a person to execute atechnique in order to get the desired result. Byusing a pad, shield/bag you get immediatefeedback on just how close you need to be to a

static object to get the desired amount ofpenetration on each type of strike used. There isno doubt that point contact sparring works manyuseful skills, but it does neglect two fundamentalprinciples of combat:

1 - When you hit a real person, as opposed tojust make no contact or light contact (about 1inch penetration), they move, and this movementaffects the nature of any follow-throughs that youmay or may not have to do.

2 - You get good at what you train for. There aremany point sparrers who would have no difficultyin transferring their skills to a contact arena atthe drop of a hat. The majority of these haveprobably had to hit somebody for real at somepoint in time while growing up and have apractical knowledge of the difference betweentraining, competing and reality based uponexperience. There will be a large proportionhowever who, without necessarily intending todo so, will execute beautiful techniques in reallife that fall just short of their target, or fail to


connect with sufficient power, because that iswhat long hours of training have programmedthem to do.

Development of power and stability whileexecuting a technique

By striking against pads (and people in armour)students quickly learn if their technique isn’tworking. Impact exposes flaws in body alignment,stances, and general biomechanics directly tothe student. A good instructor can spot flaws inthe practise of techniques against air, andattempt to explain the correct positioning.Through impact a student can feel that somethingisn’t working, and also feel the difference whenit is. This form of direct feedback adds an entirelydifferent dimension to the efficacy of the coachingprocess. When making impact students can startto quantify the power of their strikes to a greaterdegree. They receive tactile and visual feedbackof improvement in a manner that is not gainedby striking the air. Touch contact training, or nocontact training can help develop speed, andincreases in speed and accuracy can beobserved, but speed does not necessarily equateto power, stability, or penetration – in those keyareas contact does not lie.

Impact training does take on a differentdimension with regard to stability when a studentswitches from striking a static target to hitting amoving target such as a person in body armour.Unless training solely for a fight that begins andends with a sucker strike to a static victim, in areal fight (or competitive fight) the targets canbe expected to be in motion. This movement willagain have implications for the platform stabilityor otherwise required to land an effective strike.

Physical Conditioning

Most people have been hit at some point in theirlives, whether accidentally or deliberately,sometimes indirectly by objects and sometimesdirectly by other people. We tend therefore tohave an idea in our minds that being hit hurtsalthough we may not have a full appreciation ofjust how much different strikes hurt and howmuch damage they can do (of which more in thenext issue). Fewer people though have a realisticappreciation of the fact that hitting somethinghard can often hurt. Depending upon whetheryou are training for competitions or training forself defence, you may be training to hit usingjust your fists to any part of the body, and youmay need to prepare to use anything from fullpadding across your striking surfaces to noprotective equipment at all. Here in makingcontact in practice we are looking to desensitisethe striking surfaces of the body slightly so thatpain is either minimized, or at least not shockand recoil inducing on the part of the striker.There is a significant difference between striking

Jissenmag.com - 43

a target with the fist while wearing wrist wrapsand 16oz gloves, and performing the same strikewith the bare hand. It is easy to forget how theaforementioned tools can be slightly moreforgiving of imprecise hand and wrist alignmentthan the bare flesh can tolerate.

Psychological Conditioning

There is a difference between striking the air,striking pads and striking a real person. Manypeople do have difficulty with the latter, and I haveactually known people to have difficulty in hittingpads knowing that they are training to hit a realperson. The vast majority of people, unlesssupported by a group, or overly practiced throughgroup absolution and upbringing in the inflictionof physical violence, are more inclined to gesture,posture and shout in an attempt to ‘win’ withoutfighting rather than engage in physical violence.Although there are factors that are conditioningincreasing numbers of young people to be morecomfortable with the execution of violence, whichcombined in some societies (particularly the UK)with increased availability of alcohol and socialindifference to drunkenness make an unpleasantmix, many people have a natural aversion tohitting things. Just as the genetic impulse foradventure, risk taking, danger and fighting insome has led to some of mankind’s greatestdiscoveries and advances, the genetic impulseto avoid danger and hide has been responsiblefor the survival of the species as a whole.

Training to hit pads develops the factors listedabove, all of which are required for practicalapplication. But all of this is to no avail if thestudent cannot actually bring themselves to hita real person. While physical practice on its ownis not an absolute cure for this situation, trainingto hit a suitably padded person can begin to breakdown any barriers that a student may have intheir mind.

The above points all illustrate the manyadvantages to making contact in training, theweaknesses they can help eliminate, and theinjuries that they can help avoid. Unsupervisedand untrained use of pads and body armour canhowever result in the very injuries that their useis designed to prevent ‘thin air strikers’ fromreceiving when first encountering resistance. Thegolden rule to reduce injury is, as always, starttraining slowly, strike lightly in a static fashion

before increasing contact, and when firsttransferring to mobile targets, again start slowlywith a progressive force continuum. If aprofessional boxer such as Mike Tyson can breakhis hand through throwing an unprotected punchhard at a hard target when not wearing glovesor wraps, then there is every possibility that youor I could do the same. Train safely.

The Body Armour shown in the accompanyingpictures is High GearTM and is available from

Blauer Tactical Systems.

Coach John Titchen teaches DefenceAttack & Resolution Tactics to students,education professionals and corporate

clients and can be reached via his websitewww.d-a-r-t.org.uk, e mail

[email protected]. He is an accreditedCoach with the National Federation for

Personal Safety and is available to teachseminars in self protection, use of force and

the law, restraint and Karate Bunkai. Theauthor’s book, Heian Flow System -

Effective Karate Kata Bunkai, is availableon Amazon and from all good bookshops.


Jissenmag.com - 45

Gary Chamberlain Interviewby Michael Rosenbaum

Gary Chamberlain began training in Kyokushinkai in 1971. In 2000 Gary joined

Enshin and is now the branch chief of EnshinUK. Gary has proved his skills both as acompetitor – he is a former British andInternational Open Light HeavyweightKnockdown Champion – and during his time asa doorman. In this fascinating interview Garydiscusses his views on the martial arts and self-protection.

1. Gary; tell us about your martial artsbackground, when you started training, whowith, where and what styles of fighting you’vetrained in. Also could you tell us why you likeEnshin karate so much?

I started training in 1971 at the Leicester KarateKyokushinkai under Ted Smith and Pete Kisby. Iwas 15 and it’s fair to say I found it very toughgoing!

I trained hard and achieved 1st Dan just overthree years later, eventually reaching 4th Dan in1992. During that time I competed in Knockdownfrom 1976 – 1982, winning the British andInternational Open Championships (light-heavyweight) in 1981. Following the death of MasOyama, the British Karate Kyokushinkai institutedsome changes I couldn’t support, so I resignedin 1998. I then taught independently for eighteenmonths and during that time looked around atother groups and styles.

I found that the ethos and ‘feel’ of Enshin wasexactly what I was seeking, and after a trial period

at Honbu under the direct instruction of KanchoJoko Ninomiya I was accepted as a Branch Chiefin 2000. I have since tested to 4th Dan in Enshin,which was a challenge I really enjoyed. Enshinhas a really good balance. Tradition for those thatlike the more ‘self-discovery’ side, a very hardfighting system for those that want to challengethemselves, and practical techniques that aredirectly applicable for self-protection.

2. What do you stress in your training themost: self-defence, sport, or characterdevelopment? Do you believe these areasoverlap in one’s training or are they separate?Please feel free to elaborate.

Personally, I love the challenge of learning andpolishing skills and yes, self-protection isimportant. People come to my dojo for all mannerof reasons, including those above. Theprescription is always the same! “Focussedrepetition with intensity over time” I believe thisway of training improves fitness, skill and spiritthe most effectively and these attributes can thenbe applied and directed as the student wishes,whether they want competition, self protectionor just challenge for its own sake.

3. What is one of your typical dojo trainingsessions like?

(Laughs) I think my students might see thingsdifferently from me, but in general we start witha good loosen-up, followed by kihon (basics) inwhich the techniques are practised slowly withtension and then at full speed.

Numbers vary according to what I plan for themain part, but there’s little of the mindlessnumbers I was made to do in the past. Maybetwenty of each - at full power - rather thanhundreds just hanging on waiting for the tortureto end. We then move on to kata, which in Enshinare composed of sabaki combinations. For themain part of the class we concentrate on gettinggood impact from whatever combinations oftechniques we may be working on.

Sparring is done probably every third session,with an emphasis on applying the skills ratherthan just knocking lumps out of each other. A


session finishes with some pretty intenseconditioning work, which is designed to test themind, body and spirit!

I would stress that this is a general outline, andI try to repeat the essentials enough to make themingrained while keeping a few surprises in storeso that each session is different enough toremove familiarity and routine.

4. Describe your physical conditioningprogram and do you feel free weights help orhurt the karate-ka and why. (Also please listthe specific exercises you engage in wherestrength and conditioning are concerned andyour workout routine.)

I strongly believe that dojo training should besupplemented by extra work to fill in the gaps. Iftraining is hard enough, people will soon find whatthey need to improve. For example, if competitionsparring is the objective, lack of wind or beingpulled about will indicate more direct stamina orstrength work is required. For self-protection,maybe drills to improve reaction times andexplosiveness. For myself, I like my kettlebells.I don’t believe all the advertising hype, but inall honesty find training with them hashelped no end.

As to routines, I have tried lots of differentways. I think there’s a lot of rubbish talkedabout the ‘best’ way for martial artists. Ifyou’re motivated to improveit matters little if you choose3 sets of 8 of 5 sets of 5.What matters is you getsweaty, push yourself and monitorresults.

For the last few years I have basedmy personal training on the routines in‘Infinite Intensity’ by Ross Enamait. Yearsago I made the classic mistake of thinkingI was superman in a Gi and training too hardand too often without giving myself enoughtime to recover. A spell in hospital resulted andI then started to educate myself better abouthow to arrange sessions and training plans. Ino longer flog myself into the ground and nowfeel great – sharp and powerful without beingexhausted.

5. What are your concerns about selfprotection and how do you prepare for thestreet?

In the early years I trained with a variety ofInstructors, some of whom hadn’t a clue. Don’tmisunderstand me, they were very tough peopleand could spar really hard, but were often unableto translate the dojo work into the real stuff.

‘Self-defence’ work usually involved breakingfree from wrist grabs and such like. It was alwaysassumed that in a real situation we would haveample time to take a stance and have room tomove. If only that was true! I have since had somegreat influences in my self-protection training.People like Geoff Thompson opened my eyes,and I was impressed enough to immediately startapplying his ideas into my own training andteaching. Pre-emptive striking was a hugeaddition to my former skills, as was selecting afew reliable and trusted tools rather than tryingto learn how to apply everything to the samelevel.

People who tell me karate doesn’t work todayare misguided. Kancho Ninomiya is verytraditional in some ways but still a completefighter – accurate and powerful with an intensefighting spirit. I have met few who would comeup to scratch against him and if I could get nearerto that level of ability I’d be very happy!

As regards the reality of ‘street combat’ – wellmaybe I’m getting a bit grumpy, but I

can never remember a time in myyouth when gangs of kids roamedaround kicking people to death in

broad daylight. Sure, theskinhead era saw people puttingthe boot in, but the scumbagstoday seem to be getting cruellerthan ever. I want what I do towork, and also what I teach to

be realistic and readily applied. Foroutside the dojo, this may mean

adapting certain techniques and ignoringothers, but if I ask myself regularly “Is thisrelevant?” and can’t say “Yes!” I’m notbeing honest with people who come to mefor self-protection training.

6. Do you believe common objects suchas pencils, pens, walking canes etc.should be presented to the student asviable weapons for self protection?

Yes, in the right context. I teach SP to privateschools and specialist groups and include

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advice on improvised weapons. I do not teachthis to kids in the dojo. The thought of a sevenyear old jamming a pencil into another child’seye is a step too far, in my opinion.

7. Do you believe using firearms for self-defence is ethical?

Absolutely! In the UK we don’t have the “makemy day” laws, but in dire circumstances I’d dowhatever was necessary to protect my family. Afew years ago I kept a WW2 pistol and a shotgunthat had been left to me by relatives, but sincethe gun laws changed here have reluctantlyhanded them in to the police. Has that made theworld safer? Of course not! I had no intention ofever using them, and it just means any predatorthat breaks into my house now will be facing mein my boxer shorts with my seax (a traditionalSaxon weapon) in one hand and a fireman’s axein the other. That will hurt more than a gunshotwound as they might take a few lumps off beforethey drop them. My point is; I believe deadly force– by whatever means – is justified in defence ofyour loved ones.

8. Do you have any experience with firearmsand if so what kind and how does yourfirearms training apply to your martial artstraining?

Having grown up in a farming community using.22 rifles and shotguns to control vermin was the

norm, but I’ve had no formal training. Asmentioned above though I have no access tofirearms now.

9. How much time do you spend practicingkata, how many kata do you know and whichones are your favourites?

Enshin has six kata, one for each belt level andprogressively more complex.

I prefer the black belt kata as the combinationsare attack based rather than countering. Wepractise them as a part of most sessions, exceptif we have students preparing for high grade testsand then I build dedicated kata classes into theweekly schedule.

10. Do you feel kata training is essential forthe karate-ka? If so why? If not then pleasetell us why.

The Enshin kata are tremendous tools to helpbalance and positioning and a real link betweenbasics and sparring. I think Kancho Ninomiya gotthe emphasis just right. In my time in KyokushinI never really enjoyed the traditional kata. We didthem, and we did them well, but I rememberthinking in my youth that they were just timewasted that we should spend doing morepractical stuff. The main problem was we just didthem without real thought to the applications. Itwas a bit like kids at school (in my day) beingable to chant their ‘times tables’ but notunderstanding their connection to generalarithmetic. Occasionally an instructor would tryto explain the bunkai but looking back it was oftenjust their own interpretations and usuallybordered on fantasy. To get back to the question,


I think if the traditional kata are taught properlyand explained realistically they may be useful.Essential, though? No!

11. Can kata be applied to realistic self-defence?

It depends how you define self-defence. As Imentioned before, I am of the opinion that forself-protection a few tools sharpened and keptto hand are worth hundreds kept in a box. I simplydon’t buy into the idea that you need hundredsof complex moves each with multipleapplications. Of course learning more in the dojois both challenging and rewarding. We all lovethe feeling of competency that making skillssmooth and powerful provides, and of coursehard sparring is great fun. I do believe thoughthat a more predatory mindset and a few reliableskills, a next level if you prefer, should also bebuilt in for the rough stuff. In some ways knowingtoo much can trip you up outside; it’s depth ofknowledge and instant application of skills thatI’ve found most useful for self-protection, notbreadth of knowledge. In real life speed andweight of attack trumps fancy stuff every time forme.

12. Do you believe in cross training and if sowhy?

I’ve always believed in filling in the gaps. I did alittle door work and was horrified to find the skillsI’d worked so hard to obtain up to that point werealmost useless in a crowded club. This providedthe ultimate incentive to improve my in-fightingand head cover (I was always a far better kickerthan puncher in the dojo)

13. What kind of cross training have you doneand how has it benefited you?

Long before I tried martial arts I was taughtmilitary unarmed combat by my father, who wasex – RM. Had I had the balls to use it at that ageI’d probably never have walked into a dojo anddefinitely not have undertook the long years ofsoreness and bruising! The hard karate trainingthough enhanced my stubborn streak and gaveme the confidence and aggression I needed tofight and win. I’ve since found his simple andbrutal methods very helpful in really awkwardsituations and I’ve never forgotten them. I’ve alsotried a little boxing (painful) judo (exhausting) andaikido (far too mystical for me) I eventually came

back to preferring to do a few things extremelywell rather than trying to be good at everything.I have been privileged recently to mix with severalmembers of the military. Despite not doing anypractical training together, their insights intocombat mentality have been …. educational!

14. Do you believe that all fights go to theground? If so why, if not why.

No. I can only quote my own experience herebut that has not been the case.

On the door I was told on day one never to goto the ground, and watching a fellow doormanget pelted with glasses as he grappled on thefloor underlined that in a way I’ve rememberedever since. Maybe I’ve been very lucky, but I’vealways been able to strike hard and fast enoughto get a good effect in real encounters.

Returning to pre-emptive striking; it does theattacker a favour if you consider the logic. I’venever given anyone a good hiding in my lifeunless they really deserved it so I don’t want tocome over as a thug, but in fights I had yearsago I thought I was being ‘nice’ by not hittingpeople in the face. This then meant kicking theirlegs to bits and body punching them until they

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fell over. I was quite fast and powerful so I gotaway with it. I dread to think how they felt thenext day – probably like they’d been run over.Since working on line-ups, (It helps that I can bea devious bastard!) and accurate pre-emptivestrikes I’ve so far been able to hit less and escapequicker, always a good thing.

This is not an easy option. You need to spendhour after hour getting these skills ingrained tothe level where they are fast and accurate, alongwith learning how to set the attacker up - all thiswhile keeping the other tools reliable as a backup.

15. Do you believe full contact fighting shouldbe included in the karate-ka’s training?

Only if they want to test themselves in thatenvironment. The trouble is rules and refereesmean that no matter how savage the system it’ssimply not ‘real’, so we must keep it all inperspective. I have lost in Tournaments but never(so far) in a real encounter. I don’t say that to bearrogant, far from it, just to illustrate that beinggood at one way of fighting doesn’t mean you’llautomatically be good at the other. I prefer theway I did it! Losing in Tournaments was nevernice, but losing outside would be far worse so I’lllive with that. I know one champion who got cutbadly thinking he could take on the world. Despiteknocking over huge men on the mat he wasnearly killed by a 16 year old with a 3" knife!Tournaments are great, but they are not thefinished article.

16. Do you believe traditional fighting arts likekarate are viable today? If not what do youfeel needs to be done to keep them viable?

I think we’ve got to keep up with modern society.It’s all too easy to enjoy a form of escapism inthe dojo, rather than keeping things relevant.However, I do think good etiquette is stillessential, certainly for those seeking somethingmore spiritual in their training. I know lots ofmartial artists really get into the whole Japanesething and if that works for them that’s fine. It’snot for me though; I’m a proud Englishman whotrains in Martial Arts, not a samurai wannabe soI’ve never tried to change my basic character. Irespect my Japanese instructors though and canunderstand completely why they feel thatmaintaining tradition is essential. Sadly though,today’s playstation generation rarely understand

that years of hard training is just what they’relooking for, so iron discipline just stops themjoining.

I have adapted my teaching style a little to givepeople a more gradual start, unlike in the 70’swhere it was full-on from day one and nobodycared if you stayed or left! I also think focussingon developing mental skills alongside thephysical should be incorporated into training,rather than just training until you drop andexpecting to get mentally strong at the same time.If the training is too overwhelming it encouragespeople to just do the minimum and survive ratherthan taking responsibility for pushing themselvesand building their fighting spirit. It’s worthremembering that all the skill in the world meansnothing if you can’t switch on the ferocity whenrequired.

17. One last question. You’re a retired firefighter. What did you learn about fearmanagement through your career and howhas it helped you in the martial arts?

I’ve often wondered what came first. Whether mymartial arts training helped me face danger inmy job, or the knowledge that I’d faced realdanger at work helped me handle my nerves intests and Tournaments. In truth the culture isdifferent. In the Fire Service the team ethic isvery strong, and you are very aware that in aprofessional set-up doing your task and holdingyour nerve is essential. Fire-fighting is inherentlydangerous, yet strangely I’ve been more nervousbefore Tournaments than I ever was at work. Ittook a while to understand all that!

Whichever way it worked I have been severelytested and got through it. I have the scars andmedals to prove it and happily there are peoplealive today because of it. If hard karate traininghelped me get in there and drag people out it’sall been worthwhile – regardless of any belts,trophies or titles picked up along the way.

In closing I would like to thank all my instructors– even the ones I disagreed with at the time, asthey forced me to question what I was doing, getout of my comfort zone and step up to thechallenge. I’m not done yet and still enjoying mytraining.

I wish you all well.

Osu!


Mike Liptrot is one of the UK’s premier grappling coaches. A full time international judo coach, Mikestarted training in Judo at the age of six. Thanks to the massive influence of legendary Judoka TonyMacconnell, Mike had a successful competition career, competing in his first International at sixteenyears old. Presently the Chief Coach at the Kendal Judo Centre (an official Olympic facility to be usedby international players in preparation for the 2012 games), In addition to his role as a top Judocoach, Mike also coaches MMA fighters, traditional martial artists, and self-protection practitionerswho wish to develop their grappling skills. Mike is available for seminars and private instruction.

Learn Grappling!Learn Grappling!Learn Grappling!Learn Grappling!Learn Grappling!Seminars, Classes & Private Lessons!

Top Grappling Coach Mike Liptrot

UK Phone: 07708968194Overseas Phone: 00447708968194

Email: [email protected] Address: Mike Liptrot, c/o Kendal Judo

Club, The Dojo, Parkside Business Park,Parkside Road, Kendal, Cumbria

LA9 7EN, United Kingdom

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Feeling Fear & Practicing Kataby Martin O’Malley

Fear is natural for any individual to feel whenfaced with danger. The body’s chemical

response to fear is something which has ensuredthe survival of the human race over the millennia.

When we first identify the threat, our selfpreservation mechanism kicks into action,neurotransmitters signal to the Amygdala tobegin the process of preparing to deal with thethreat. The Amygdala in turn signals the releaseof several chemicals: adrenalin and noradrenalinwhich increase our speed and power; cortizolwhich increases our ability to re-stabilise whenstruck; and endorphins which increase our painthreshold.

During this time, there is an ongoing processof blood thickening to reduce bleeding if cut, theheart beating faster as it works to send moreblood to the organs which need it most. At thiscritical stage they are the muscles, lungs, andheart itself, etc. There is a concurrent decreasein blood supply to the non-vital organs such asthose of the digestive system and the neocortex(this is the modern part of the brain responsiblefor language).

In response to this increase in heart rate webecome less capable at performing both fine andcomplex motor movements, however, with thiselevation in heart BPM, comes an instinctiveability to perform better at gross motor tasks.

Simultaneously, the neurotransmitterssuppress activity in the front of the brain

(neocortex) which deals with short termmemory, concentration and rational thought, thishinders the ability to perform complex intellectualtasks or actions. This causes a decreased abilityto give or receive complex commands or performcomplex actions.

we develop tunnel vision as our eyes hone inon the threat. Our hearing focuses on the threatalone, making us unable to ‘listen to reason’. Weexperience time distortion, with reports of timeappearing to slow down being common.

Essentially, we can say that we have no controlof our mind, or we have attained Mushin.

When searching for various explanations ofMushin the most common one I found was thelearned ability to be free from anger, fear andego during combat. Unfortunately, if you areinvolved in conflict, all these things are highlylikely, and unfortunately, despite our supposedadvancement from the time of the cave man, weare still unable to change our engineered instinctsto react to threats though the mechanismsoutlined above.

All our well practiced techniques and tactics fallapart as our thought process is interrupted andour ability to perform fine and complex motormovements diminishes. As Matsumura so aptlystated, we ‘fall apart mentally’.

Mushin, therefore, is not a trained mind set, butrather a natural response to a perceived threat. Iwould propose that anyone who is trainingthemselves to achieve it would do somethingwhich frightens the shi…life out of them. Thenthey will know Mushin.

The above situation appears dire when weconsider the amount of time spent practicingvarious techniques and tactics within Martial Artsclasses, however, all is not lost. While all of theabove responses are taking place, theneurotransmitters perform one more vital task;they send a message to the Hippocampus tobegin recording information about what ishappening.

The Hippocampus is the part of the brain whichdeals with long term memory. In a conflictsituation, it records information about the threat,and our actions or reactions, how we dealt withand ultimately survived this threat.

When recorded in the Hippocampus, thisinformation is ready for use again should we everface the same or similar threat. For example, ifsomeone throws a punch at us, and we put ourhands up to defend ourselves, the Hippocampusrecords this information and next time any objectis coming towards our head, we will repeat thesame hands up position. Why? We do this

‘You Must Deal With Your Own Mind Well AndWait For Others To Fall Apart Mentally’ –

Sokon Matsumura


because the brain says ‘this stopped us gettinghit last time, so we’re going to do it again’. This isthe basis of training for Zanshin, or remainingmind.

When searching the net for explanations onZanshin I found things like total awareness;watching the opponent after performing thetechnique while holding our posture; physical andmental alertness during the conflict.

Each of these takes conscious effort, and asexplained earlier, we are not capable of complexthoughts or actions when under the duress of aconflict situation. Unfortunately, we cannotoverride the natural responses of the humanbeing, and therefore, Mushin is the inevitablestate. What we can do is train to reduce the effectit has on us.

By undergoing ‘pressure learning’, we canrecord the appropriate responses to variousthreats in the Hippocampus, and we can teachourselves to react appropriately in situations ofconflict. We need the experience of thesesituations. Obviously, we cannot encouragepeople to actively engage in combat nightly asthis would be a dangerous activity, and equallyas obvious, we cannot re-create with 100%accuracy the situations people could possibly

be in and stay within the realms of safety intraining.

(NOTE: Choki Motobu apparently regularlyvisited the ‘entertainment’ district and challengedothers while there in an effort to improve his skill.According to most sources, he was a verycapable fighter using what he learned from theseexperiences)

There is however one thing which can help usovercome this problem and that is that thehuman brain does not differentiate between realand imagined threats. The proof of this is readilyavailable to anyone who has ever woken up inthe middle of the night sweating and with theirheart racing after a terrible nightmare.

We can literally self induce the state of Mushinin ourselves, recreating the body’s response tothreats, even though a physical threat does notexist. This concept also forms the basis ofvisualisation techniques in sports psychology.

When I first attended lectures on sportspsychology, there was a comment from one ofthe lecturers which went along the lines of ‘neversend your body, where you mind has not alreadybeen’. We were encouraged to literally imageour way to success in our chosen field.Visualisation of the situation helps us tounderstand the situation and remain calmer inthe situation through two components.

Firstly, when the visualisation technique isdone correctly it induces a Mushin or Mushinlike reaction, the Hippocampus records how wedeal with the perceived threat. It is recording thetechniques which we use to deal with thesituation and how we act/react to the threat toensure our survival should we ever be faced withthe same or similar threat again.

Secondly, by being exposed to the chemicalsassociated with the Mushin state, just as withany other chemical, we are dulling its effects.C2H5OH (alcohol) is a perfect example when weconsider that on our first night out drinking, wemanaged 5 drinks, and after a few nights out,we could manage 8 or 10 before feeling the sameeffects. We became accustomed to its propertiesand our body learned how to manage theseeffects better.

Similarly, when the chemicals associated withduress are released into the body on a regular

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basis, we become accustomed to their presenceand require higher levels of chemicals to producethe same results (the Mushin state). We canlesson the effects on ourselves, and moreimportantly, we can lessen the effects on ourhigher functions. We can keep our heads, or, wehave achieved Zanshin.

As Budoka, we can enhance this through amixture of physical techniques and visualisation,or kata. As Funakoshi said, in training, ‘theopponent must always be in your mind’, and byliterally having the opponent in mind, we can dealwith the situation, record it in the hippocampusand store that information for future use whilesimultaneously dulling the effect it has on us.

According to Choki Motobu ‘it is interesting, butwhen I just think about performing a Kata, whenI’m seated, I break a sweat’. Assuming that hewas not that out of shape, I feel that he too isreferring to this visualised practice, while AnkoItosu felt that ‘During practise you shouldimagine you are on the battle field. Whenblocking and striking make the eyes glare, dropthe shoulders and harden the body. Now blockthe enemy’s punch and strike! Always practisewith this spirit so that, when on the realbattlefield, you will naturally be prepared’. Ibelieve that all three of these masters areadvocating visualisation in Kata training.

When we wish to recreate the Mushin state,we must have a quality visualisation, and thistakes time to perfect. The quality of thevisualisation is dependant on our view of realityand our understanding of the nature of conflictand violent situations. We must be aware of theplaces conflict situations are likely to arise, andthe context in which they will take place. Ourvisualisation is also very much dependant onour understanding of kata and its uses. In thisway, supplementary training and various kindsof kumite are important to our development ofrealism.

Visualisation however contains a key elementwhich kumite cannot bring. Visualisation, by itsnature, is unconditional. There are no pulledpunches, banned techniques, abbreviatedtechniques, no tap outs, no alternative to eyegouges, but no one is injured. Visualised katatraining can be done anywhere, at any time, itrequires no equipment, little space and time, it

costs nothing and I believe that it is effective.

Reality training is important, kumite and hasits place, but reality is just visualisation with apartner, props and safety rules, so reality trainingis limited in this regard. Visualisation is limitedonly by your imagination (not an encouragementto visualise ineffective techniques), andaugmented by your knowledge.

Does this fit with what the past masters taught?Examining it, I believe it does because it placeskata at the centre of training, while using kumiteas a supplementary training method, along side,but not instead of kata. According to what I haveread of the written word left to us by pastteachers, this is the correct order of training.

Does it work? For me, it has had a majorinfluence on my own training. Kata has becomealive whether I am performing with a partner orin my solo training. I feel that it is of benefit tome, though it was something which I had to workhard to develop. Sometimes I still have to slowdown to get the image right first, and then buildin speed, particularly if I’m working on a newsituation or application. Overall however, I havefound it to work for me, and I’m really happy withthe results.

It has brought kata practise back into the centreof my personal training with partner applicationssupplementing and augmenting it, and I’m notgetting injured from accidental fingers in the eyeor clashes of shins. I can travel for months onend without equipment or a training partner, andstill benefit from training by myself. Others mayhave their own way of achieving the same aims,but I have found that this works for me, and fitsmy Karate perfectly.

If it works so well, why do we need kumite?One of my teachers once said to me, ‘There isnothing better to ensure humility as a goodsmack in the mouth’. We need to interact withother people, compliant or not, so that we cankeep our visualisation realistic, and to ensurethat we don’t go off fantasising about skill whichwe don’t have. There is little point in visualisingkicking the opponent in the head if we’re asflexible as an iron bar, so if head kicks are thatimportant to us, our visualisation must includeknocking the opponent down first. Kumite helpsus to keep everything in proportion.


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Transitional Aspects in Karate: Part 1by Chris Denwood

I was in the dojo talking with one of my students the other day about a recent grade examination

that he’d challenged and he asked whether Icould give him a little feedback on his overallperformance, since he thought that he himselfcame across as being very ‘robotic’. When Iasked him to elaborate some more, he explainedto me that he was finding it very hard to groupmovements together successfully without feelinga severe lack of smoothness throughout thewhole sequence. After our short discussion Ibegan to think a little more about his issue of‘smoothness’ and during the next session, I gavemy student some advice that I’m happy to sayhas helped him greatly.

Therefore, in the spirit of sharing, I though thatI’d spend some time writing this rather concisetwo-part article on the subject of transitionalmovements.

Like a lot of concepts in karate, I’ve alwaysfound that the greatest improvements madecome from those times during training, in whichyou come to accept a different approach to whatyou may already have been accustomed to.Sometimes, when you begin to see somethingin a completely different light, then not only cana whole host of burning questions be answeredin a very short space of time, but a positivephysical change can occur without even trying;i.e. the mind directs the body.

A good way to think about the conceptsurrounding this article is to consider one of thosepopular ‘magic eye’ visual puzzles that set a hugecraze back in the 1990’s. Come on - you knowthe ones I’m talking about! Thinking back to my

school days, I can remember people staring atthese things for ages until, all of a sudden apicture of someone’s face, a dog, a famousbuilding, a tree or the like would magically revealitself. Come to think of it, in those days I myselfmay have even succumbed to the attraction ofone or two of those magic eye puzzles!

The process of solving a magic eye puzzle is agood analogy to use because in many ways thetraditional kata of karate can be compared tothese addictive kinds of challenges. This isbecause they can be viewed in completelydifferent ways, which can alter almost completelywhat we tend to ‘see’ as the end product.Furthermore, I think that this is where the wholeattraction and addiction comes from in the firstplace – the fact that there’s something there, justunder the surface, waiting to be revealed. Inrespect to these puzzles, it’s dependent on howour eyes see the patterns on the page. We viewthe page in different ways until our brainrecognises and joins up the key shapes that arecritical to gaining a visual appreciation of the final‘hidden’ image. In contrast, how we view theprinciples contained in kata can be dependentalmost entirely on what we’re ready to see as aresult of our own unique understanding of theart. We then develop to see more and more, asand when our accumulative experience allows.

In very basic terms, a form in karate could besimply defined as a series of techniques joinedtogether. If we limit our definition to this for now,we can then visually represent our kata as inFig.1.

Are you appreciating only a small portion of your technique?


In this very basic example, we have a startpoint, an end point and a discrete number oftechniques (represented by the coloured circles)along the way. The lines simply represent the factthat these techniques are to be joined togetherin order to make the form.

At this point, we are able to add a little morecomplexity to our example, because as we allknow, some kata are not performed in a straightline. They all have a unique embusen, which inmany ways is critical to the meaning of the form.Furthermore, a kata is never performed as asimple 1-2-3-4 series etc, but possesses a

specific rhythm and cadence that againcomplements to some degree, its meaning. Toalter the rhythm as shown in the diagram, weneed to change the time that elapses betweeneach series of movements in order to createcombinations. Lastly for the sake of this article,each technique within the kata is different, soeach of these also needs to be distinguished insome way. By combining all of these varyingelements, we can then construct a new diagramthat more comprehensively resembles atraditional form. Fig.2 shows a simplediagrammatical representation from a section ofkata, based on those discussions above.

The first thing you’ll notice about this seconddiagram (apart from the fact that my drawing skillsleave a lot to be desired) is that each techniqueis given a different shape and colour. This is torepresent the individuality of the techniquethrough its physical form rather than its particularname. As you may or may not know, the modernday labels given to many of widespread karatetechniques can be very misleading indeed whenit comes to trying to understand the morepractical nature of such movements. So I figuredthat using different shapes (instead of writing theactual names of the techniques) would be a goodway to reflect this issue in the diagram andemphasise the outside visual differencesbetween the techniques.

Secondly, you’ll notice that the faint dotted linesthat join each shape together are differentlengths. This indicates to us the combination

pattern, sequence and rhythm within thatparticular section of the kata. For instance (andfor the sake of this article), technique numbers 1and 2 could represent a ‘down block & punch’combination that can of course be found in avariety of forms, one of these being Pinan Nidan(Heian Shodan). Techniques 5 and 6 show noline at all between and signifies a more fluidcombination such as the flowing ‘outer block &punch’ that can be found within the first half ofSeishan Kata. Finally, technique numbers 7, 8and 9 show the very typical three techniquecombination, which is prevalent in many kata,especially again, the Pinan forms.

Ok then; so how does this all relate to thosemagic eye pictures and (I can hear you allshouting) what the hell has all this got to do withpragmatic karate? Well, to begin with, I’ve triedto show Fig.2 as I believe a great deal of karate-

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ka tend to view their performance of kata. I’vemade the techniques (coloured shapes)purposefully bold and vibrant, with the adjoininglines comparatively faint and dull. When you (orwe in general) look at someone performing aparticular form, the eyes will naturally be directedstraight away to the shape of each technique atthe strongest (most visible) point – this being ofcourse the end focus, or ‘kime’ point. Even whenpracticing a form, it becomes quite pleasing torepeatedly focus our own attention towards tryingto master the more vivid or bold techniques.

We can also think of the idea above in anotherway. If you were to perform kata in front ofsomeone that was completely new to karate andasked them to remember as much as they couldand then try to recreate the performance afteryou had finished, then you’d probably find thatthis person would be much more likely toremember the more distinctive technique shapesfirst (i.e. the signature movements of the kata)and in almost all cases, the timing and direction(embusen) will be quickly forgotten or in somecases repeated completely differently to whatwas originally performed. It’s certainly not hardto come to terms with the fact that the moredistinctive visual stimuli will have a much greaterchance of being retained longer in the mind. If

anyone reading this article has any experiencein teaching karate young children for instance,then you’ll know exactly what I mean. Mostyoungsters are very capable at absorbinginformation, but it’s always the larger and mostappealing movements that are retained first andfor much longer periods of time.

What I am trying to say is that in order to gaina much more detailed appreciation of our kata,we need to first stop looking at our forms as ifwe are still novice in the art. We all know thatShoshin, or ‘beginner’s mind’ describes the idealattitude you should hold whilst training. However,it does not in anyway represent the requirementto be in any way naive. For a time during ourpractice, we should try to take our attention awayfrom the large (visually pleasing) techniques ofthe kata and start to focus more on that, whichis not always initially seen or fully experienced. Iam of course talking about those dull, faint lines,which connect each technique together. Whenwe look at kata from this different perspective,we can then begin to see the seemingly infiniteamount of potential to which they hold. Whathappens in your mind when instead of looking atkata as you usually do, you now see it in acompletely different light? Consider the reviseddiagram shown in Fig.3

If you look at both Fig.2 and Fig.3 together,you’ll see that the pictures are structurallyidentical, but your eyes will naturally focus ondifferent areas depending on which is more easilyseen. In Fig. 2 for instance, it is much more likelythat your eyes will make out the shapes and

colours of the actual techniques. By comparison,in Fig.3, your eyes will naturally pick up the largecoloured lines first. In a ‘magic eye’ puzzle, thesolution is hidden and camouflaged by usingbold, colourful shapes and patterns that havebeen designed to impede the mind from putting


together the outline of the desired picture. It isonly when we look with a ‘different view’ that thepuzzle actually begins to take shape.

So why is this idea so important in respect tokata? Well… that, which is the most important,isn’t very often the most vibrant. Let me explainfurther. If you take a single movement from anyform, it will always consist of the following threeelements:

1 - A start posture/position (the origin): Fig.4

2 - An end posture/position (the termination):Fig. 5 to Fig.7

3 - A transitional movement between (1) and(2): Fig.8

Going back to Fig.2 again, we are focussedalmost entirely on the origin and termination ofeach technique. Fig.3 suggests that by thinking alittle differently and placing less importance onthe end point of the techniques, we can begin tosee the much more critical transitional elementsbetween those movements. These transitions aredeemed important simply because they containalmost all the potential and potency of the formitself. To give an example; considering only theorigin and termination of each technique couldbe compared to spending a large amount of timecontemplating over a beautiful painting of a grandpiano – it is (and will be) only a representation ofa single moment in time. Equating more to thetransitional elements over and above the originsand terminations would be like mindfully turningaway from that enchanting painting hung up onthe wall, sitting down in front of a real grand pianoand obtaining hands-on experience in playing it!

The difference is that one option is for want of abetter word, ‘inanimate’, while the other (bycomparison) is much more ‘alive and kicking’.

Indeed, it is during the transition from onemovement to the next that the real potentialoccurs, since this is the portion of the techniquethat is in actual physical motion. The origin andtermination are simply ‘snap shots’ showing theresults of the preceding motion(s). What we needto do as karate-ka in order to squeeze as muchas we can from the form, considering thisargument, is twofold. Firstly, we should strive toensure that the transitional motion is performedas efficiently and dynamically (or smoothly) aspossible in order to increase our proficiency forpractical encounters. Secondly, we need toanalyse each transitional movement for potentialapplications that under normal circumstances, justas the magic eye pictures, would simply not beseen (as with fig.2). When you start to appreciatethe importance of each transitional movement,you’ll find that the actual end point for eachtechnique takes a somewhat back seat in priority.

To make progress in your development oftransitional movements within kata, it becomesnecessary to train kata as you’ve now learned to‘see’ it. Try the following exercise when next inthe dojo and are practicing your favourite kata.Start from yoi dachi and without moving a muscle;consider the first technique of the form in yourmind. At this point you are already at the origin ofthe first movement (yoi), so think intensely aboutgetting to the termination (the first technique’skime point) as quickly and dynamically aspossible. Run this through your mind a few timesand then when ready, unleash the technique.

Fig.4:The origin

Fig.5:The transition (a)

Fig.6:The transition (b)

Fig.7:The transition (c)

Fig.8:The termination

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Think entirely about the transition. Once at thetermination of the movement, forget about what’sjust occurred because you are now also at theorigin of the next movement. In your mind’s eye,think about the second technique of the kata andagain consider getting to this point as fast andeffectively as possible. Only when you feel readyshould you begin the dynamic movement towardsthe next kime point. Repeat for the rest of the form.

If you spend time practicing kata in the waydescribed above, you’ll find that it can take whileto complete the whole form. However, during thistime you have been able to successfully isolateand focus on the transitional part of everymovement as opposed to simply the origin andtermination points, as how most people wouldusually practice kata. Training in this new way willgive you a practical appreciation of the visualdiagram shown in fig. 3, i.e. it would be just liketrying to solve a ‘magic eye’ puzzle with your body!Instead of looking at the pictures, you areexperiencing what your mind is trying to solve. Amore advanced way of practicing the exercisedescribed above would be to consider the actualcombinations of the particular kata and focus ona series of techniques rather than each discrete

movement. In either way, you are essentiallychanging the way in which you look, perform andprioritise the movements of the kata. Now even atthis first stage (performance), before even lookingat any applications, you are beginning to ‘study’the form at a level that’s far over and above thesuperficial.

So far in this article we’ve considered theperformance aspects of kata and suggested thatthere may be more than one way to look at them.We’ve also highlighted the way in which yourattention is usually drawn to the most vibrant orvisual aspects of a particular form, whereascategorically, the real ‘meat’ of the movements isfound within the frequently subtle transitionalmotions between each ‘snap shot’ posture.Furthermore, we’ve discussed ways in which youcan practice kata in the dojo by isolating each ofthese transitional movements. Obviously, this kindof attentive training is of no use if we can’t in someway use what we find in a positive or practicalway towards our goals. So in part two of this piece,I’d like to explore the ways in which studying thetransitional movements of kata can help towardsthe universal goal, to develop more pragmatismwithin in our traditional arts.


Okinawan Karate: An Eclectic Arsenalby Matthew Apsokardu

Eclectic and traditional martial arts are often seen as polar opposites. Stereotypically,

traditional styles are portrayed as dusty clumpsof kata repetition while eclectic styles are viewedas loose collections of trendy techniques. Butrarely discussed are the historical, technical, andphilosophical connections between the two.

Eclectic combat is known for its all-inclusivenature. We see it developing on television asmixed martial artists fight using Brazilian jujitsu,kickboxing, western wrestling, and so on. Othermethods, such as Jeet Kune Do, stress theimportance of taking whatever works in a livefight, be it punching, grappling, or even biting.Surprisingly, the original Okinawan karatemasters utilized the exact same mindset.

In the Old Days…

Imagine the lifestyle of the old karateka duringthe 17th century – fisherman by day, father andhusband by night. One day, while bringing homethe morning’s catch, the karateka encounters twobandits tearing through his village, stealing riceand accosting women. What could be done?There were no emergency police personnel tocall; instead, the karate exponent had to dispatchthe bandits as quickly and effectively as possible.William Hayes, 7th Dan Shobayashi Shorin Ryu,describes this as life protection, rather than self-defense. In life protection encounters, there isno room for points or referees. If the karatekafails, the village is at the bandit’s mercy. Withthose kind of stakes, the Okinawans had littletime to worry about technical snobbery.

Since Okinawa is a small, seemingly isolatedisland off the coast of Japan, it’s easy to believethat karate developed in a vacuum. This is notso. Okinawa was a bustling seapor t andfunctioned as a stop off in-between some of thelarger kingdoms. It was common for traders from

China (The Great Ming), Japan, Malaysia, Java,Thailand, and Korea to visit Okinawan shores.During that time it was not just goods beingtraded. Envoys from other countries broughtunique martial disciplines, and occasionallystayed on the island and propagated thatknowledge. The Okinawans readily integratedeffective techniques into their own indigenousstyle, then known as Tode. In fact, some of thekarate kata practiced today are supposedlynamed after these original bearers of knowledge(Chinto and Kusanku, just to name two).

Karate was not just a matter of waiting for newknowledge to arrive – the Okinawans activelysought it out. Warriors from antiquity would travelto other countries in order to refine their skills.Men like Chatan Yara and Sakugawa traveled toChina and went on to have great influence onthe development of both karate and kobudo (thestudy of weapons).

“To search for the old is to understand the new.The old, the new, this is a matter of time. In allthings man must have a clear mind. The Way:

Who will pass it on straight and well?” –Funakoshi Gichin

In Modern Times…

Sharing knowledge in karate is not unique to the“old days.” In fact, we see prime examples of itthroughout the 20th century, and even into the21st. Consider the great master Funakoshi Gichin(1868-1957). He was a man who studied the oldways, and yet lived only a few short decades

Famous Gathering of Old Okinawan Karateka,including Chotoku Kyan and Chojun Miyagi

Jissenmag.com - 61

ago. While his primary instructors were AzatoYasutsune and Itosu Yasutsune, Funakoshi alsobenefited from a long list of other notableteachers, as he explains in Karate-do: My Wayof Life:

“I continued assiduously with my karate,training under a number of teachers: MasterKiyuna, who with his bare hands could stripthe bark from a living tree in a matter ofmoments; Master Toonno of Naka, one ofthe island’s best Confucian scholars;Master Niigaki, whose great commonsense impressed me most deeply, andMaster Matsumura, one of the greatestkarateka.”

Funakoshi goes on to explain:

“Both Azato and his good friend Itosushared at least one quality of greatness:they suffered from no petty jealousy of othermasters. They would present me to theteachers of their acquaintance, urging meto learn from each the technique at whichhe excelled.”

Funakoshi Sensei benefited from the wisdomof many credible masters, regardless of whatparticular lineage they came from. What matteredwas the effectiveness and education they couldprovide.

Another fine example involves KanazawaHirokazu Hanshi (10th dan, Shotokan). KanazawaSensei is the current head of the ShotokanInternational Karate-do Federation and wouldhave every justification for being a “Shotokanpurist.” But throughout his martial arts career hestudied judo, kendo, tai chi, and aikido. Whenasked why he studied other martial arts, heresponded: “because if I don’t know other [styles],then [there is] only shotokan. Then maybe I amthinking I am strong, but cannot win against otherstyles because…I have to know all styles. [I] haveto know other martial arts. Then I can learn moreabout shotokan karate.”

Kanazawa Sensei echoes the thoughts ofFunakoshi. In order to make his art stronger andmore complete, he opens his mind to new ideas.

While this sort of mindset is definitely on thedecline in modern karate, some Sensei inOkinawa and the United States strive to keep italive. C. Bruce Heilman Hanshi is the head of

the International Karate Kobudo Federation andholds the rank of 9th dan, Okinawa Kenpo, and3rd dan, jujitsu. At Heilman Sensei’s annualtraining camps, it is not uncommon to see sevenor eight different karate styles represented, alongwith practitioners of jujitsu, aikijujitsu, kenjutsu,taekwondo and other arts. The hope is thatstudents will encounter different ideas and avoidgetting trapped inside of any particular dogma.

Techniques of a Karateka

One of the largest complaints eclectic stylistshave with modern karate is the increasing point-sparring emphasis. Points can be scored to theheadgear and to the body, but most othertechniques are forbidden. Reality-based fightingmust contend with a variety of fighting distancesand situations. This is a legitimate complaint, andit’s likely the old karateka would have voiced thesame concerns. Classical karate, when practicedfully, is a sophisticated combination of percussivestrikes, tuite, tegumi, and kyusho (all of whichrequire a bit of explanation).

Percussive striking has brought karate a certainamount of fame. Often we see breakingdemonstrations by masters such as KiyohideShinjo (8th dan, Uechi-Ryu). These masters crashthrough inches of wood or layers of brick withouthesitation. Breaking is the result of years of hojoundo training. Hojo undo involves rigorousmethods of hardening the body such asrepeatedly striking a makiwara (a wooden plankwrapped in rope). These methods seem gruelingbut the results are unquestionably impressive.

In addition to percussive striking, karatekautilize tuite. Tuite refers to joint manipulation orlocking. We see similar approaches in jujitsu,Brazilian jujitsu, and aikido. Tuite is often a naturalprogression after the use of strikes. Through theuse of tuite, a practitioner can restrain anopponent, tear ligaments, and open up vitaltargets on the body. This also helps explain whywe rarely see high kicking from old karateka; tuiteallowed them to bring whatever target theyneeded down to waist level.

Tegumi is a sister concept to tuite. WilliamHayes explains that in early tegumi “there werecompressions of the body, pushes against nerveplexus, pinches, anything to distract the personmentally in order to unbalance themphysically…footwork, tripping, and trapping were


integrated into the system, which was thenfollowed by percussive striking.” This is verysimilar to “clinch fighting” in today’s modern arts,only without rules. Eyes, throat, groin, and othersensitive areas are all fair game. A practitionerof tegumi is fully capable of continuing a fightonce it clinches and goes to the ground.

The final concept is also the most mysterious– kyusho. Kyusho means “vital point striking” andhas become a topic of great debate. Somepractitioners flaunt kyusho as a magic bullet, ableto kill/disable opponents with a mere touch (orsometimes, no touch at all). Other martial artistswrite it off as classical nonsense perpetuated bygenerations of mythology. In actuality, real kyushois a very logical, scientific approach to strikingvital nerve plexus in the body. Kyusho strikes arepinpoint accurate and delivered with percussivepower, jolting the nervous system and causingdisruptions in the body.

It is important to realize that kyusho should notbe considered an independent art. A violent,aggressive attacker may be too erratic forimmediate kyusho striking. Furthermore, if theassailant is under the influence of drugs oralcohol, their reaction to the technique could beseverely lessened. Also, some techniques simplydon’t work on certain people. Without other tools,kyusho is limited. But when combined with therest of karate, it becomes extraordinarilyeffective.

When all of these combat elements cometogether you get a fighter who is prepared toengage at any distance and utilize anyadvantage. This ideal may sound familiar; eclecticfighters strive for the same thing when theycollect kickboxing strikes, jujitsu grappling, andother techniques.

Controversial Kata

Even if karateka and eclectic fighters bothendeavor toward versatile effectiveness, therealways seems to be controversy when it comesto kata. Kata is the lifeblood of a classical stylistand the bane of an eclectic fighter.

Kata, from an eclectic point of view, is oftenrepresented by what is seen at tournaments.Tournament kata involves a lot of fancy uniforms,flashy weapons, and screaming kiai. Themovements are quick and numerous. Eventraditional kata seems to fall into the same pattern

of preorganizing responses to simple attacks. Dotraditional practitioners really expect fights tounfold in such an organized fashion?

It’s a good argument. How similar does katalook compared to kumite? How about comparedto self-defense tactics?

The truth is kata is supposed to encompassboth kumite and self-defense, plus much more.Before modern day training equipment wasdeveloped, karateka had only hojo undo andother students to train with. Since karateka werethe guardians of their families and villages, they

The defender shifts to theoutside of the punching

attack and performspercussive strikes to vital

kyusho locations.

A common attack – graband punch.

The defender utilizes atuite joint locking tech-

nique.

The defender finisheswith a strong percussive

strike.

Jissenmag.com - 63

couldn’t afford to injure each other seriously, andwith techniques as severe as kyusho and tuite,they needed to discover a better way oftransmitting knowledge. As if matters weren’tdifficult enough, they also wanted to teach awarrior mindset. The end result was kata. Katawas not designed to be a sixty move series wheretwelve different opponents attack from eightdifferent angles, all falling victim to a prearrangedseries of defenses. Instead, kata taught how tomake kyusho, tuite, tegumi, etc. cohesive andeffective. In order to teach these theories in alogical fashion, they were combined into longer

The Warrior’s Mind

During kata training, classical karateka utilizeda concept known as shuhari (shu-ha-ri). Shurefers to the very beginning levels ofunderstanding. This is the level in which we seemost kata. It is a physical form that explains thebasics of proper moving. Shu teaches goodpunches, good kicks, and certain strategies forreacting to attack. At this level we do not see thefreedom of thought and movement that eclecticfighters crave.

Ha is the next step and refers to “transcending”the basics. Technique becomes integrated intothe practitioner and mental clutter is lessened.The exponent no longer needs to think “move Aleads to move B, which goes into C.” Instead,the concepts are internalized and effective.

Ri is the highest level and the least discussed.Ri means “breaking away,” but actually amounts

series of events that had proven combateffectiveness.

Kata was not just teaching where to hit andwhen to hit, it was also developing keenness ofmind. Consider this quote from Bruce Lee: “Belike water making its way through cracks. Do notbe assertive, but adjust to the object, and youshall find a way round or through it. If nothingwithin you stays rigid, outward things will disclosethemselves.” Sounds like the exact opposite ofkata (at least the kata we are used to seeing),but there is much more flowing beneath thesurface.

to a full integration of karate technique. Thisresults in a clear mind, free from the earlierlearning devices that kata supplied. In essence,the training wheels have been removed and thepractitioner can ride wherever he/she pleases.

Imagine a mindset free from constraint andlimitation. One that flows like water around anopponent, but at the same time, can fully utilizedevastating techniques that take decades tomaster.

Imagine a martial artist free from the delusionsof magic-bullet techniques; one who maintainsproper fitness, all the while keeping an open mindto new ideas.

This is a wonderful ideal that we can all strivetoward, whether we come from traditionalbackgrounds, eclectic backgrounds, orsomewhere in-between.

A common techniquefound in kata (x block

down) that is notapparently useful in

modern street fighting.

The x-block used against acommon attack – the legshoot. Both hands strikedown hard against theattackers exposed neck.

The defender wraps theopponent’s neck utilizing

tegumi strategy of offbalancing.

The defender locks in arear choke as the attacker’s

weight falls backward.


Jissenmag.com - 65

by Matthew MillerThe Bunkai of Basics 3: Hikite

If your Karate is “traditional” in the sense often meant – that is, based around the three k’s

(kihon, kata and kumite), then the title of thisarticle may surprise you. Hikite, the pulling hand,is rarely thought of as a basic technique, butrather as a component of other basics. In thisrole, it is almost ubiquitous – there are few basictechniques where the returning hand is not pulledsharply back to the waist as the opposite handextends.

Relegating the pulling hand to the status of asubsidiary or secondary movement, however,can lead to it being neglected when studying.This is a great shame – the sheer extent to whichit appears throughout karate basics and katamakes it the most commonly performedtechnique, if it is viewed that way, and it has agreat value when applied that befits thisfrequency.

Very often, the explanation that accompaniesthis technique when it is first taught is that thepulling action assists in accelerating the handperforming the technique, and that returning thehand to the hip prepares it for the next technique.By others, this is deprecated, the argument beingthat returning the hand to the waist isunnecessary, and exposes the head to easyattack.

This latter argument would seem valid, if theonly use of the pulling hand was to return it tothe waist – however, this is not the case.

Gichin Funakoshi, in his early book “KarateJutsu”, classifies Hikite alongside all other handtechniques. His definition is one which providesa good insight into the usefulness of thistechnique.

“…the meaning of hikite, or pulling hand, is tograb the opponent’s attacking hand and pull it inwhile twisting it as much as possible so that hisbody is forced to lean against the defender”

This provides a clear use for this method, anda reason to draw the hand back sharply – it isgrasping the opponent. It is this view of the hikitethat I will expand upon in this article.

Hikite – The basic technique

There are two forms of hikite commonly seen inbasic techniques, depending upon whether it isperformed in a front stance or long cat stance.However, both share the same basic method ofperformance.

The hand that is to perform hikite begins thetechnique in an extended position, with the palmof the hand down. The hand is then rotated duringthe first part of its withdrawal, until the palm facesupwards. The hand continues to withdraw. In thecase of a front stance, it finishes at the hip, whilstin the case of the cat stance, it tends to completenear the solar plexus.

Examples of each method are shown below –for the basic down block and knife hand block.

1a. Hikite in front stance 1b. Hikite in long cat stance

These two techniques appear different to someextent, but are seen to be identical when thehikite is used to grasp the opponent:-

2a. Hikite in front stance 2b. Hikite in long cat stance

In both cases, the opponent is grasped by thewrist, and the arm drawn into the performer’scentre; in the case of the front stance, the hipsare square to the front and it is possible to drawthe arm to the side of the hip. In the case of thecat stance, however, the hips and body are turnedsideways, so the arm is drawn across the frontof the body rather than to the side. The hikiteaction is exactly the same – it is the position ofthe body and hips relative to this that alter.

Bunkai

Unlike the earlier articles in this series, this onewill not present multiple differing applications fora single technique – rather, it will concentrateupon the various ways in which the methodespoused by Funakoshi can be developed tomake this particular technique into a potent toolin the fighters armoury.

The most basic method for hikite relies uponthe performer gaining contact with the opponentswrist with the outer side (little finger side) of theforearm. It is this touch contact to which theperformer reacts, rapidly wrapping the handaround the wrist, pulling and twisting.

Depending upon which side of the wrist iscontacted, then the result will be one of thefollowing:-

1 - The action of wrapping and twistingthe wrist causes the opponent to beoverbalanced. In the case of outside /outside contact, the opponent is causedto bend forward, whilst with inside /outside contact, the twist causes theopponents back to arch. Unbalancing isa valuable technique in preventing theopponent from initiating or continuing anattack. It also prevents effective defense.

2 - The drawing in of the arm acceleratesthe opponent towards the performer, orrestrains them from moving away fromany incoming strike. In both cases, thismagnifies the effectiveness of the strike.

3 - Maintaining contact with the opponentallows the performer to easily locate theareas to be targeted

The first stage in developing the skill of hikiteis to isolate this skill and develop sensitivity tocontact on the outside of the forearm. This canbe practised from a basic shiko-dachi stance.The proponents face each other at a relativelyclose distance; one then initiates contact withthe outside of the other’s forearm, and an attemptis made to react as quickly as possible to this bypulling and twisting the arm, to the point whereunbalancing occurs. The arms are then returnedto the start position and the drill repeated.

By varying which arm is touched, and whetherthe contact by the opponent is with the outsideor inside of the forearm, then a degree ofspontaneity and sensitivity can be developed thatis useful as the drill develops.

Once this can be performed with some fluidity,the next stage can be added to the drill. The firststage is based upon contact only with the outsideof the performer’s wrist; however, it is equallypossible that contact is made with the inside. Inthis case, the hand that is contacted transfersthe opponents arm across, the opposite handwrapping underneath and around to performhikite. This can be viewed as an application ofthe cross block – the two hands perform thismove as the opponents arm is passed from oneto the other. It is important that contact ismaintained with the opponent at all times.

As with the outside contact, there are two waysin which this can be performed, shown on thenext page :-

In either case, however, the principles andbenefits of the technique are the same, andreflected in Funakoshi’s definition:-

3a. Outside to outsidecontact…

3b. The arm is lockedstraight by hikite

4a. Outside to insidecontact…

4b. The arm is rotated,overbalancing the opponent


differing direction of force. If this is considered, all ofthe four described so far rely upon initiation of forceby the performer. The motion of the hikite is in thedirection dictated by this.

If the opponent initiates the contact, however, theforce moves in an opposite direction, and theperformer has to directly oppose this force to performthe hikite. In many cases, this will be a small level offorce because the contact is incidental rather thanconscious, but a higher skill level would require thatthe performer blends with this force rather thanopposing it directly. It is this that the next four optionsaddress.

The two outside contact options are a smallmodification of the methods performed so far. Asthe force is felt on the outside of the performers arm,the arm is folded away from this force, directing itacross the body. The opponent’s arm is thentransferred to the opposite arm and hikiteperformed:-

Again, to drill this, return to the shikodachi stanceand alternate contacts. Initially, only inside forearmcontact should be made to develop this method, asshown in photo series 5 and 6 above. As experienceis gained, then both inner and outer contact can beused freely (photo series 3 to 6). This will allow theperformer to develop the tactile sense necessary toreact instinctively and decisively to the touch that isfelt.

Up to this point, we have a total of four options foreach of the performers arms – contact can be madewith either the inside or outside, with either the insideor outside of the opponents arms. However, there isa further level of sophistication to this drill thatdoubles the number of options again.

To this point, no real consideration has been givento the direction of force that is being applied whilstperforming these techniques. To gain contact, a forcemust be exerted – however, in each of the fourcontacts described above, this can be initiated byeither the performer or opponent, providing a

5a. Inside to outside contact… 5b. transfer to the opposite side 5c. and pull to hikite

6a. Inside to inside contact…. 6b. transfer to the opposite side 6c. and pull to hikite

7a. Outside to outside contact… 7b. transfer to the opposite side 7c. and pull to hikite


This completes the set of eight responses tocontact for a single arm, providing sixteenresponses if both arms are included.

The final stage of the isolation drill for hikite istherefore to incorporate all sixteen into a fluiddrill. Again, work from isolation of particular setsof the drill through to all sixteen elements, untilthe spontaneous reaction to contact is correct,based both upon the type of contact and thedirection of the force.

Up to this point, the hikite technique has beencompletely isolated from anything else. Suchisolation drills have a great value in developingthe technique, but its real use is to facilitate anattack by the performer. It is in this context that itis seen throughout the basic techniques, whereit is performed simultaneously with the hikite –this creates a rapid attack and provides thebenefit of accelerating the opponent towards thetechnique, increasing its effectiveness.

Examples of this use of the hikite have beenshown in previous parts of this series, butpractising these in a drill can be difficult – in manycases these techniques are against delicateareas such as the neck or chin, and rapidexecution of them could lead to injury.

For this reason, I prefer to use a method derivedfrom (though lacking the depth and subtlety!) ofthe Kihon Kumite of Wado Ryu. These weredeveloped by Hironori Ohtsuka, the founder ofWado Ryu, based upon the principles of ShindoYoshin Ryu, the form of Jiu Jitsu that he studiedand mastered prior to Karate.

In many of the Kihons, body movement is usedto accelerate an attack into the body of theopponent, whilst a simultaneous defence isperformed with the opposite hand. By modifyingthis so that the opposite hand performs hikite,the drill described above can be performedcomplete with attack.

In most cases, the attack is directed to the bodyusing an ura-tsuki punch – either to the solarplexus or the kidneys, depending upon which isexposed. These relatively safe targets allow thedrill to be practised with fluidity, without great riskof injury. Clearly, in an applied situation, the attackcould be altered to the head or neck – however,the potential for disabling the opponent with thebody attack exists if it is performed with sufficientforce.

Where the alternative hikite is used, droppingthe arm across the front of the body, then thestrike is performed to the exposed head.

8a. Outside to inside contact…. 8b. transfer to the opposite side 8c. and pull to hikite

In the case of inside contact, a differentapproach is required. Here, the arm is allowedto travel outwards from the body – however, the

opposite arm follows this and pins the opponentsarm down across the body, freeing the contactedarm for a counter:-

9a. Inside to outsidecontact…

9b. Drop the right armacross to pin the contacting

arm

10a. Inside to insidecontact…

10b. Drop the right armacross to pin the contacting

arm

Jissenmag.com - 69

The most important point to remember for thisis that the hikite action and the strike areperformed simultaneously. This draws theattacker onto the incoming strike, which when

combined with the body movement driving intothe attacker, greatly increases its effectiveness.

The combined responses to each of the eightcontacts on one arm are shown below:-

This represents the final stage of this drill,combining the action of the hikite with asimultaneous strike, as is the case in the vastmajority of the basic karate techniques.

The totality of the drill described above providesa method for developing from the simple reactionto a touch on the outside of the arm, through todeveloping sensitivity for the direction of the forceapplied, and finally to combining this with asimultaneous strike. These are valuable skills thatare at the heart of applied karate, and practising

them will undoubtedly improve your skill in thisarea.

At the same time, it is important to view thisdrill in context. It is intentionally artificial – it allowsthe practitioners to repeated utilise the skills in acooperative manner, allowing development in ashort period of time. However, the real benefit isfound when this skill is transferred intospontaneous action – when hikite becomes anintegral part of your free practise and fighting, ittruly becomes useful.

Force Direction: From

Defender (right hand side)

Force Direction: From

Attacker (left hand side)

Contact Action

Outside toOutside

Outside toInside

Inside toOutside

Inside toInside

Outside toOutside

Outside toInside

Inside toOutside

Inside toInside

Reverse View

Reverse View


Jissenmag.com - 71

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The Little Black Book of ViolenceForeword by Sergeant Rory Miller

An excerpt from the book by Kris Wilder & Lawrence Kane

Sergeant Rory Miller is the author of Meditations on Violence: A Comparison of

Martial Arts Training and Real World Violence.He has studied martial arts since 1981. He hasreceived college varsities in judo and fencing,and holds mokuroku (teaching certificate) inSosuishitsu-ryu jujutsu. He is a corrections officerand tactical team leader who teaches anddesigns courses in defensive tactics, closequarters combat and Use of Force policy andapplication for law enforcement and correctionsofficers. A veteran of hundreds of violentconfrontations he lectures on realism and trainingfor martial artists and writers.

There are tons of facts in here. Facts andstories, and really good advice. Whatever youpaid in money for the book, someone else paidin blood for the lessons. All that advice came ata price. All of Lawrence’s statistics were originallywritten in some poor bastard’s blood on somesidewalk.

Lawrence and Kris think that they can get thisthrough your head with facts and words. I don’tthink you’re that smart.

When they write how hard it will be looking inthe mirror every morning knowing that you havekilled someone, they know this is true—becauseevery non-sociopath they have talked to tellsthem how hard it is. Just words. In youradolescent fantasy (and even in your fifties, manyof your fantasies are purely adolescent) being a‘killer’ seems pretty cool.

Let me lay it out as these two fine men tried tolay it out in this Little Black Book; there are tonsof things that are cool to think about that suck todo. Some suck so badly that the memorybecomes a pain separate from the thing you areremembering.

You will read about heroes in here. Your littleeyes will get all shiny and you will think, “I coulddo that!” And it’s a good feeling because in yourlittle Hollywood-influenced world, the hero getsthe acclaim of people and the love of a beautifulstranger. In the world of this book, the same herogets months of physical therapy, torturoussurgeries and “it” (the arm, the knee, the hand,the eye, the back) never, ever works the sameway again. Never.

Or maybe it goes another way. Maybe therelatives of the guy who attacked you, thoughthey have been afraid of him for years, come outof the woodwork and get a small army ofattorneys and start remembering how he was “agood boy, very caring” or he “was turning his lifearound.” That small army of attorneys will havea mission—to take money from you to give tothe family of the person you injured or to theperson himself. If a home invasion robber can

Foreword by Sergeant Rory Miller

Kris and Lawrence are nice guys. They’re toughguys, and they have the skill to put a hurtin’ onyou. They’ve both spilled blood and smelled it.But they’re nice and intelligent and a little naïve—because they think they can convince you thatviolence is something you want to avoid just usingfacts.

Sergeant Rory Miller

Jissenmag.com - 73

sue, and win for “loss of earnings,” there’s verylittle hope that good intentions will protect you.What seems worse, to me, is that you wind upgiving your earnings, your money, and yourassets to someone you don’t even like, possiblysomeone with a long history of crime; certainlyto someone who doesn’t deserve it.

That’s the good option, because the boys inblue may show up. You may find some specialstainless steel bling ratcheted over your wristsand get a nice ride to the big building with thelaminated Lexan windows and sometimes realbars for doors. When you hear and feel that coldelectronic lock slam shut behind you, you willknow that your life has changed forever. Thenyou might meet me or someone very like me. Ifyou decided to sip twice at the well of violence, itwill be my job to stop you, and I will stop youcold. It will hurt quite a lot.

quite right and sometimes the real memories thatstay with you are the smells: rotten sh*t and freshblood and decomposition and the soapy, meatysmell of fresh brains.

Kris and Lawrence are so careful to go overthe complexity of the subject. Violence isn’t justviolence. It happens in a social context, a legalcontext, and a medical context and they all playoff of each other. They put it in your face that youmay lose your home, your career, your family,your sight… to save a wallet with fourteen dollarsor so that some strangers won’t think badthoughts about you. Is it enough for them to putit in your face? Will you read it?

I don’t think you’re that smart. I don’t think youcan see past your own ego. I think that you willrisk your own life and piss away good informationto protect your daydreams.

Maybe not. Prove me wrong. Read the book,read it carefully. Follow the advice, avoid the risks,and become a strategist. Prove to me that youare smarter than I think you are.

I won’t hold my breath.

Sgt. Rory Miller

www.chirontraining.com

www.chirontraining.blogspot.com

They tell good stories about fights and killingsthat don’t happen. A strategist takes the lessonand they hope, in their naïve and sincere waythat the reader (that’s you) wants to be astrategist. I know better. You’ll skim those storiesand get to the bloody ones, imagining what aknife can do in vivid Technicolor, just like at themovies. But the movies never get the screams

“When you hear and feel that cold electronic lockslam shut behind you, you will know that your lifehas changed forever. Then you might meet me orsomeone very like me. If you decided to sip twice atthe well of violence, it will be my job to stop you,and I will stop you cold. It will hurt quite a lot.”


The Way of KataThe Principles for Understanding Kata are Largely Unknown – Until Now!

The ancient masters developed kata, or “formal exercises,” as fault-tolerant methods to preserve their unique,combat-proven fighting systems. Unfortunately, they deployed a two-track system of instruction where an ‘outercircle’ of students unknowingly received modified forms with critical details or important principles omitted. Onlythe select ‘inner circle’ that had gained a master’s trust and respect would be taught okuden waza, the powerfulhidden applications of kata.

The theory of deciphering kata applications (kaisai no genri) was once a great mystery revealed only to trusteddisciples of the ancient masters in order to protect the secrets of their systems.Even today, while the basic movements of kata are widely known, advancedpractical applications and sophisticated techniques frequently remain hidden fromthe casual observer. The principles and rules for understanding kata are largelyunknown.

This groundbreaking book by Kris Wilder & Lawrence Kane unveils thesemethods, not only teaching you how to analyze your kata to understand whatit is trying to tell you, but also helping you to utilize your fighting techniquesmore effectively—both in self-defense and in tournament applications.

Available from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk & ymaa.com

“This comprehensive book bridges the gap between form andapplication in a realistic, easy-to-read and easy-to-apply manner” –

Loren Christensen, 7th degree black belt

Jissenmag.com - 75

This is the final part of a series of articlesexploring the hidden meaning of karate kata.

This material is an excerpt of various sectionsfrom the book The Way of Kata: AComprehensive Guide to Deciphering MartialApplications by Lawrence Kane and Kris Wilder.The purpose of these articles is to unveil someof the methods of analyzing and understandingkata applications to make them relevant andmeaningful for modern karateka—both in self-defense and in tournament conditions.

Principles of deciphering kata

In previous articles we briefly discussed someof the rules of kaisai no genri, the theory ofuncovering hidden techniques in kata, and havenow shifted our focus to some of the principlesthat form the philosophical context within whichvalid kata applications can be identified. Theseprinciples apply to most any martial art form thatuses kata, particularly striking arts such askarate. These principles differ from the rulespreviously discussed in that they apply broadlyto all techniques rather than to deciphering anindividual kata movement.

To put it another way, the aforementioned rulesare tactical in nature, deciphering practicalapplications from the specific movements of anyparticular kata. The principles we’ll delve into now,on the other hand, form a strategic context withinwhich practitioners can identify what types ofapplications work and thus weed out invalidinterpretations of bunkai (fighting applications)from any kata. In order to make full use the rules,one must understand the principles, thefoundation upon which they are built.

This article covers the final two principles wewill be examining in this series. For a thoroughin-depth look at these principles, please refer toour book, “The Way of Kata.”

Principle 6 – Full speed and power

“Hopefully we can build techniquesthat are fault tolerant and allow forsome margin of error. Kata does takethis into account by the use of multipleattacks or continuation of attacks to

your opponent. While it is nice to thinkin terms of ‘one strike, one kill,’ thereality of self-defense is that we maybe forced to use multiple techniquesto achieve our goal.” – Rick Clark

Kata practice is about perfection. Applicationsare often broken down into multiple parts so thatpractitioners can understand each componentand get it just right. We practice our forms overand over again striving for perfection. Why?Because in the fury of battle things get sloppy.The better trained we are, the better we will beable to perform at full speed and power in themidst of an adrenaline rush. Under suchconditions much of our control vanishes. Ourperfect kata form degrades markedly. With propertraining, it can be fully effective nevertheless.

There is an old television clip of a running backon an NFL football team looking into the cameraand saying, “Just give me eighteen inches ofdaylight.” For those of you without a workingknowledge of American football, what he meantwas that if his linemen (blockers) could give hima small opening to run through, he couldaccomplish great things—he had enough footspeed that once he broke clear, the pursuingplayers had little chance of catching him. As amartial arts practitioner, you need only changethe size of the opening, but not the philosophy.We only need a few inches of “daylight” throughwhich to execute a technique.

Real fights are sloppy affairs. Everythinghappens at full speed and power. They are fast,sweaty, bloody, and brutal. There is no time forperfection. All that matters is survival. If yourtechnique did not work exactly the way you meantit to, you cannot stop the action and redo it. Ithas to be good enough, timed well enough, andhave just enough space to work the first time.

If it is ugly yet effective, that’s just fine. Nothingmore is required. Unlike kumite (sparring) in thedojo (training hall), there is no “time out” or “redo”in mortal combat. Self-defense is about endingaggression quickly. That changes everything. Wehave all heard the phrase, “The best laid plansof mice and men often go awry.” Similarly, a

The Way of Kata: Part 5by Kris Wilder & Lawrence Kane


military general might say, “No plan survivescontact with the enemy.” That’s okay. Do not lookfor perfection; just get the job done.

Recalling an incident where a martial artsinstructor was in the wrong part of town at thewrong time, Wilder related the following. “I didn’tsee the fight, but I did see the results after theguy got beat down pretty good. It shook his dojoand the majority of the students’ foundation. Infact it took great effor t to prevent theirorganization from flying apart. Knowing this guy’smethod of practice and ideas regarding fighting,I believe that he sought perfection in the situationwhen it called instead for whatever it took to getthe job done. You just can’t do that and expect toprevail.”

Heed this lesson: In kata practice, your formmight call for eighteen inches of daylight, but allthat you are going to get, and maybe all that youreally need in a real fight, is one inch. Take yourtechniques and test them with this in mind, “CanI do this with far less perfection than what thedojo calls for?” Ask yourself, “Can I do this withonly one inch and one eighth of a second, ratherthan eighteen inches and a full second to react?”

One way to safely approximate real fighting indojo practice is to go full speed and power withproper padding and protective gear. The problemis that such equipment takes away many of yourweapons. For example, you cannot grabsuccessfully with padded gloves nor can youapply most pressure point techniques. Further,some techniques are simply too dangerous toapply even with padding. Examples may includeeye gouges or rakes, ear slaps, and joint strikes.

Rather than training full speed and power witha partner where someone might get seriouslyhurt, we recommend that you practice your katain combat-like conditions instead. Wait until theend of a particularly hard training session orsimply go out and run hill sprints to nearexhaustion before working your favorite form.Then do it as fast and powerfully as you can.Imagine a real opponent receiving every blow.Try to show every technique, but change thepacing where necessary to remove pausesshown solely for emphasis. Unlike normal katapractice, it is okay to get a little sloppy, to lose alittle control. Strive for as good as you can do,but do not be concerned if you do not achieve

perfection. In fact, if you are doing it perfectly,you are definitely not tired enough.

Although Kane has had hundreds of punchesthrown his way and has even had knives pulledon him a couple of times, in most dangeroussituations he has had a radio to quickly summonbackup or law enforcement support. He recalls,“It’s really not all that hard to outsmart a drunkenfootball fan when you’re stone cold sober andrelatively crafty. Very few precarious affairsescalated into real fights. I was able to talk, laugh,or threaten my aggressors into submission,staying out of harm’s way until help arrived. Afew times, however, I was not so lucky. Not onlyhave I had to fight my way out of ugly situations,but I have had to intervene to stop others fromseriously hurting each other as well.”

In almost all of the fights Kane has seen, bothparticipants went all out—full speed and fullpower. By the time things escalated to violence,very little if anything was held back. The first blow,for example, virtually always went toward theface. Just about any blow to the head can causeserious damage to the victim.

Untrained individuals often have a propensityfor hurting themselves as much as they do theiropponents; however, in the heat of battle theydo not notice the pulled muscles, strained joints,and other hazards. Kane recalls, “One guyaccidentally broke his own hand punching ametal stair rail, and then proceeded to pummelhis opponent without regard to his injury. Hedidn’t even notice that he was bleeding until afterthe handcuffs were snapped into place.” Even inshort conflicts, combatants generally emergeexhausted, shaky, and hur ting once theadrenaline wears off.

It is hard to recreate such conditions in trainingwithout injuring yourself, but it is important tocome as close as you can. Doing kata when youare totally exhausted and buzzing with adrenalineis a very good approximation of a real fight. Youcan mentally force yourself to perform even whileyou body is screaming at you to quit. It is verygood training, so long as you do not overdo it tothe point of serious injury. This ought to be aonce a week activity at most. We feel that it isdefinitely worth pulling a few muscles in practiceif it helps you survive during a real fight.

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The bottom line is that practitioners need toknow what is necessary for success and not letperfection become the enemy of the goodenough. In a real fight at full speed and power,good enough is plenty.

Principle 7 – It must work on an “unwilling”partner

“Not to be the bearer of bad tidings,but the reason someone uses aweapon on another human being isto stack the deck in their favor. Peopledon’t use weapons to fight, they useweapons to win. The absolute lastthing any attacker wants to do is tofight you with equal weapons. If hewas looking for a fight he wouldn’thave attacked you with a weapon inthe first place. And if he knows youhave a knife, he is going to attack youwith a bigger and better weapon tokeep you from winning. You pull a knifeand he gets a club. You pull a cluband he pulls a gun. There is no fightinginvolved, you use the superiorweapon to disable your opponent.And you do it before he does it to you.”– Marc MacYoung

Let’s face it, only “bad guys” beginconfrontations. They only do so when they arepretty sure that they are going to win. Yourattacker is not interested in a fair fight, if he orshe can get an assassination instead. Sneakattacks, ambushes, and dirty tricks are tools ofthe trade. As the old saying goes, “all’s fair inwar.”

If you are going to train well, you must performrealistically. Even though opponents in a real fightwill be as uncooperative as possible, in dojopractice many practitioners have a tendency to“help” their training partners too much. Forexample, in tandem sparring drills, many juniorpractitioners do not really aim their blows. Theyjust put out a punch or kick near their partnerwho easily blocks it.

Punches work against an opponent’s forcewhile throws work with it. If there is no force, youcannot really tell whether or not the techniquewould have been effective. Further, whenpracticing sweeps or throws some practitionerstend to drop easily, never really making theirpartners struggle to perform the techniquesproperly. In reality, such practice can be verydetrimental. There is a big difference between“honoring” your partner’s technique and simplyletting him do what he wants unhindered. A littlepain in practice goes a long way to avoiding realhurt in a fight.

When Kane first began training in karate, hewas frequently matched up with anotherpractitioner named Mike. They took their trainingvery seriously, often practicing after class and/or on weekends. Working toward their green belttests, they frequently performed gekisai kata daiichi bunkai oyo, a prearranged tandem drill usingtechniques from gekisai kata. One of thesequences calls for a mae geri (front kick) fromone partner, while the other partner turns hisbody and sweeps aside the kick with his arm.Lawrence and Mike soon reached a point wherethey could perform this oyo swiftly and well.

Gekisai oyo (tandem application drill):Sweep block to re-direct the kick.

Gekisai oyo (tandem application drill):Follow-on pivot/elbow block. Defender is on

the left.


One day in class, they had the opportunity toperform this drill with Scott, a visiting yudansha(black belt). The first time Scott threw the maegeri, Lawrence took a solid blow to the groin, avery painful and quite embarrassing situation.Nevertheless, it was also a very good learningexperience.

During their friendly practice sessions,Lawrence and Mike had subconsciously aimedtheir kicks away from each other’s private parts,eliminating the need to seriously block theattacks. Turning their bodies a little was all it tookto avoid getting hit by the un-aimed blows. Sincethe blocks were relatively unnecessary, they hadnot been training realistically, although they werenot aware of it. The first properly aimed, full-speedblow clearly pointed out that shortcoming,however. Fortunately it happened on the practicefloor rather than in real combat.

Similarly, at the end of one version of the saifakata bunkai oyo, there is a foot sweep takedownfollowed by a strike. If a practitioner leaves toomuch space between himself and his opponentand/or fails to break the opponent’s balance, hesets himself up for an easy counter throw. Onceagain, when Lawrence and Mike workedtogether, one partner just fell down whenever thesweep was applied. Scott, on the other hand,threw a vicious counter throw the first timeLawrence tried the technique improperly, givingScott enough space to turn in. Fortunately,Lawrence knew how to fall properly, an essentialskill if you are unexpectedly slammed onto ahardwood floor.

Honoring a par tner’s technique meansbehaving as if the movement had beenperformed at full speed and power. It shouldnever imply letting a partner get away with sloppyor ineffective technique. The attacking partnerlearns best when the receiver makesprogressive, but realistic, resistance in properproportion to skill level. In this fashion, apractitioner can identify and correct weaknessesin technique or interpretation thereof in therelative safety of the dojo.

When deciphering kata applications, youcannot rely on unpredictable movements by anattacker. In other words, assuming that theopponent will attack or respond with a specifictechnique (e.g., uppercut, elbow strike) is simply

not realistic. There are far too many possibilitiesto account for every one. Even if you could planfor every tactical contingency in advance, youshould not count on having the emotionalwherewithal in the heat of battle to logically pickresponses off a mental list. You must train yourbody to react without conscious thought.

On the other hand, your applications shouldanticipate predictable responses by youropponent. Examples of predictable responsesinclude a second punch from the opponent, yourstrike to the groin strike bending the opponentover, or your arm whip causing his head to snapup and back. Training, therefore, must worksimilarly. It is essential that the applications youpractice have a very good chance of beingeffective in a real fight.

To help your training partners figure out wherethat may be the case, you must honor theirtechniques with predictable and realisticresponses as appropriate. You must not, on theother hand, reinforce bad behavior andunrealistic technique. It benefits no one to doso.

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At a basic level, the actions work in a linearformat as separate or individual techniques.Separately, these techniques don’t allow you tocontrol the attacker. As individual techniquesthere are gaps in-between to allow the attackeran opportunity to take over and control you. But,if we were to execute these moves together, whileusing balance, leverage and timing to ouradvantage, we can turn the same set of

The Gearbox Conceptby Mark Campbell

When working your bunkai consider the“Gearbox Concept”. Think of a gearbox

with a multitude of moving parts (multiple gears,shafts, etc.) and other principles (hydraulicpressures, centrifugal forces, gravity, etc.) allworking together at the same time or a specificsequence to accomplish a task or series of tasks.If any one of the moving parts or principles isnot functioning correctly, then the gearbox won’twork. Or, if the internal parts are not working insync, the intended result may be different. Justlike an orchestra, if all of the instruments are notplaying together and at just the right time, theconcert might be considered a failure or at leastthe music may not sound the same as wasoriginally planned.

At a very basic level bunkai consists of a linearset of actions, step, block, then punch, etc. These

may be three unrelated techniques (stance,block, punch). A more advanced levelincorporates all of these actions (stepping into astance, blocking, punching, etc.) into a morecomplex application. It is highly possible that allof the techniques work together to become oneapplication allowing you to control the attackerduring the entire sequence. Also, the tempo ofthe kata, in certain series, may be different thanyou once thought. Consider all the moving parts(feet, hips, hands, etc.) of the defender andattacker along with other principles (balance,timing, leverage, etc.) of both parties to find moreadvanced applications in your kata. Keep in mind,the sum of the whole can be worth more thanthe sum of the individual parts.

In the example, we teach the Gekisai kata insteps:

techniques into more effective fighting applicationto control the attacker during the entire sequence.

Now, let’s look at the same series of techniquesflowing together using the principles of balance,leverage and timing to our advantage. Also, keepin mind that we want both arms and legs workingin sync to defend and control the attackerthroughout the entire sequence:

1: Starting position 2: Step and pivotinto our stance

3: Execute a highblock

4: Step forward intoa stance and execute

a high punch

5: Step back into astance and execute a

low block


Again at a basic level, the techniques are performed in a linear format where each technique isconsidered a separate technique, allowing gaps in-between for an attacker to take control of the fight.When we incorporate our techniques together with other principles, the series of techniques take on awhole new meaning allowing us to defend ourselves and control the attacker the entire sequence.

When we add an attacker to this sequence, we see:

Throughout the whole sequence never allow the attacker to regain their balance as you maintain totalcontrol of him.. In the next sequence of Gekisai, we see:

1: As soon as you feelthreatened by theattacker, execute a

pre-emptive strike tothe side of the

attacker’s neck as youstep into him withyour entire body,

inflicting pain andoff-balancing him

2: Keep the attackeroff-balance byhooking yourblocking hand

around his neck andpull

3: As you pull hishead (chamberingyour arm), pivot

your hips (workingyour whole body in

sync) to help offbalance the attacker

and control him

4: Step (using themomentum of yourwhole body) while

you strike theexposed temple orother vulnerable

areas on the side ofthe attacker’s head

5: Grab the attacker’sarm as you step back

(again, using yourwhole body) tostretch out the

attacker’s limb for ajoint lock

1: Step into abasic stance andexecute a middle

block

2: Execute afront kick

3: Land into aforward stanceand execute arising elbow

4: Back fist 5: Low block 6: And, reversepunch

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We can see the use of both hands workingtogether to create a wrist lock from a middleblock. The wrist lock is much more effective withthe help of the other hand. The lock would notbe as effective without it. The knee and/or kick isa natural follow-up technique to the attacker’sreaction as he jerks his head down to relieve thepain of the lock. Again, the knee wouldn’t benearly as effective if it wasn’t executed with thecorrect timing e.g. as the attacker jerks his headdown from the reaction to the pain. Now, whatlooks like a rising elbow and back fist techniqueis actually an effective downward elbow strike tothe exposed spine or back of the head. The lowblock turns into an effective hammer fist strike tothe unprotected ribs, along with a finishing

1: The attacker grabs orpushes us

2: Grab the attacker’shand with your right

chambering hand

3: The left middle blockactually strikes the insideof the attacker’s extended

arm

4: At the same time, youexecute a wrist lock as

you chamber your righthand

5: As the attacker bendsover from the pain of thewristlock, execute a right

knee to his face

6: Continue by raisingyour elbow over the

attacker’s back and strikedown on the attacker’sspine as you maintain

control of the attacker’sarm with your left hand

7: Strike the attacker’sribs with a right hammer

fist

8: Finish the attackerwith a reverse punch to

the same area of theribcage

reverse punch to the same location on theribcage.

As you work your katas, I challenge you to trymany different situations to find as manyapplications as possible. Try to incorporate otherprinciples (balance, timing, leverage, etc.) to buildbetter techniques for your personal arsenal. Also,work your arms, legs and body together tomaximize your power and create more effectiveinterpretations to your bunkai. Learn how youropponent reacts to different techniques and takeadvantage of them. Hopefully, the gearboxconcept will help you in this quest. Theseapplications can take what is perceived as a basicschool kata and turn it into a more advancedlearning tool.


• Preface by Iain Abernethy• Foreword by Edward Francisco• Introduction: The Changing Face of Karate.• Chapter 1: Karate• Chapter 2: The Rise of Okinawan Civil Fighting Arts• Chapter 3: Tode: Forefather of Modern Karate• Chapter 4: The Empty Hand Art• Chapter 5: One Fighting Art Divided by Personal Tastes• Chapter 6: Lost in Translation: the Post War Styles• Chapter 7: The Soul of Karate: Kata• Chapter 8: Transcendence of Kata• Chapter 9: Okinawan Kobudo: From Swords to Boat Oars• Chapter 10: Karate, Zen, and the Budo Journey• Chapter 11: Karate: Sport or Self-Defense• Epilogue• End Notes• About the Author• Bibliography

This completely free e-book by Michael J.Rosenbaum (104 A4 pages) is available fordownload from www.iainabernethy.com.Please visit iainabernethy.com, click on“articles”, and at the top of the article’s page(3rd link down) you’ll find the link to thedownload page. Alternatively, go direct towww.iainabernethy.com/Comprehensive_Karate_Michael_Rosenbaum.asp

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