Clever Hans and observer expectancy effect

No this isn't a pun on hands it's actually the name of a horse. Called Hans. Who was...wait for it....clever! Yes a clever horse who could count and do simple arithmetic by tapping out numbers with his hoof. The case amazed all of Germany (and probably the world) in the early 20th Century. He amazed so many people that an eminent psychologist called Oskar Pfungst was called in to investigate Hans in 1907.

Pfungst's studies established that Hans was, sadly, unable to count or make simple sums. His gift was an uncanny ability to read the expectation on the face and in the body language of his owner who would ask him questions. When the answer was five (for example), the owner would (inadvertently) give off signals for the horse to stop tapping his hooves when five had been reached. He couldn't repeat this when the owner wasn't in sight. Hans seems to have had an ability to read these visual clues in order to please his owner (and possibly get a food reward).

I thought of this the other night in training because when we train in partners we tend to do this too. No, not tap our hooves to count but we do give off 'expectation' in our expressions. What is meant to be 'spontaneous' attack is sometimes telegraphed by these expressions or even simply an eyebrow raise! In Tang Soo Do a kihap is often performed by both attacker and defender to ensure everyone is ready and from that point onward the attack can be initiated at any moment. In practice the kihap is perfunctory and initiates the technique. This shouldn't be the case. We need to stay focused and ready to receive the attack at any time and without telegraphing by the attacker. No raised eyebrows, head lifting or hoof tapping.

So Hans couldn't count but he could read his owner's subtle body and facial language. We should train with this in mind.

Ways to Push and Pull

There are many ways to push and to pull.  Firstly, you need a connection.

Most obviously: If you have a grip -- usually with a hand -- on your partner or your partner has a grip on you (or both have a grip on each other) you can use the connection to pull or push.  Note that if your partner has the grip they may elect to release, which is why in jiu-jitsu when grabbed, we often grab back (so that they can't get away).

In principle it is possible to grip with your toes or your teeth, but I will disregard those possibilities for now.

Use of the hands

When gripping, especially when gripping clothing, it is good practice to grip tightly with smallest two fingers (the ring finger and the pinkie), and quite gently with the thumb and the  remaining fingers.  This prevents over-tensing, increases sensitivity to your partner's movements, and over time strengthens the smaller fingers.  This is also the recommended way to grip a sword.

Usually -- there are exceptions -- the shoulders should be relaxed and lowered to allow power to be transmitted more effectively from the core of the body.  Elbows may be raised or lowered depending on the situation.

Other ways to push

In the absence of a grip one can push with almost any surface of the body.  Fingers, palms, wrists, forearms, elbows, shoulders, head, chin, chest, stomach, side, hips, buttocks, knees, shins and feet can all be brought into play.

A push can be used to project away or deflect. Of course many a push can be transformed into strikes, but that's another subject.

Other ways to pull

Besides gripping it is possible to pull or draw-in wherever a sufficient angle can be created at a joint.  Hooking and trapping describe many of these kinds of actions.

Pushing and pulling at the same time

By using push and pull together we can generate more complex twisting and turning actions.  These are more difficult for an opponent to interpret and neutralize than just using push or pull alone.

On a large scale these two-way actions are essential to most throws: We make large circles.  On a small scale they contribute to effective joint-locking: We make small circles.  Speaking of small circles, here's a taste of Small Circle Jiu-Jitsu founder, Professor Wally Jay (aged 70 at the time of the video):

In his method Professor Jay emphasizes a wrist action similar to how you would turn off a tap; it combines push and pull.  You can see the students doing exercises to practice this action, and Professor Jay putting it into effect in many and varied techniques.

Conclusion

There are many, many ways to push and pull.  As you can see from the video, push and pull works with sensitivity, timing and flow to produce excellent technique.  This is something that you can reasonably aspire to still be doing at age 70 (and beyond).

Beautiful dojang

I love this dojang in Switzerland. I came across it some time ago and was struck by the wonderful minimalist interior stripping out all extraneous distractions giving you no chance to do anything other than concentrate on your art. Ahhh!

http://www.soobahkdo.ch/html/tdotoct08_31.html

http://www.soobahkdo.ch/html/ko_dan_ja_shim_sa_39.html

http://www.soobahkdo.ch/html/ko_dan_ja_shim_sa_3.html

Soo Bahk Do in Switzerland, Wald, near Zurich.

http://www.soobahkdo.ch/html/e_welcome.html

The Black Knight

Taken from the 7th Chapter of the Hagakure:

"It is said that every time Oki Hyobu's group gathered and after all their affairs were finished he would say, "Young men should discipline themselves rigorously in intention and courage. This will be accomplished if only courage is fixed in one's heart. If one's sword is broken, he will strike with his hands. If his hands are cut off, he will press the enemy down with his shoulders. If his shoulders are cut away, he will bite through ten or fifteen enemy necks with his teeth. Courage is such a thing"

Sound similar...?

The art of war

A hectic night out with the lads in Bristol was followed by a sedate Sunday morning nursing hangovers. I managed to slip away from the group and mooch around and, as is often the case, I gravitated to the local museum and art gallery and found a couple of smashing pieces of art portraying fighting arts.

The following is a roof tile portraying Guan Yu, a popular 3rd Century Chinese general who is still revered today.

This solid looking chap was worked by Gaudier-Brzeska at the turn of the 20th Century. I was struck by his quiet power and t'ai chi hands. Although this sculpture looks still and unmoving (because of the nature of the subject), Gaudier-Brzeska famously worked on dynamic movement in his work.

Don't drop people on their heads

As a postscript to my theme for March, beautiful breakfalls, I want to point out that although learning to breakfall greatly reduces the chances of injury, it is also up to the thrower (tori) to help perform safe throws, safely.

For instance: Many jiu-jitsu and judo throws have been developed from battlefield techniques that culminate by dropping the opponent on his head or neck.  In the modern times these techniques are modified for safety: We do not drop them on their heads (or necks).  Either we modify the technique so that our partner is not killed or crippled, or -- when demonstrating -- stop before the completion of the technique.

An example: Here is the rice bale throw, executed in a safe, controlled form:

And here is a related -- but incredibly dangerous throw -- that occurred when a Capoeira demonstration degenerated into a disgraceful brawl (throw begins at the 35 second mark):

Fortunately the recipient appears to have evaded spinal injury.  Thanks to Dojo Rat for spotting the Capoeira incident (click the link for his discussion).

It often takes more skill to execute a safe throw than a dangerous one.  Let's save the deadly techniques for the battlefield.

Theme of the month April 2009: Push and Pull

Despite a strong temptation to use April Foolishness as my theme for my class this April -- maybe next year! -- this month's theme is Push and Pull.  We shall see that push and pull has many aspects and in exploring it we will use physics, bio-mechanics, and  psychology to our advantage.  In broad outline:

• Physics: By pushing and pulling simultaneously we generate turning forces (also known as torques).  
  
• Bio-mechanics: We apply these torques to twist, turn, lock and/or throw our partners.
• Psychology: The majority of people when pushed, push back; when pulled, pull back.  If instead you respond to a push with a pull; or initiate by pushing, get the expected push-back, and switch smoothly to a pull, you can begin to co-opt your partners force and use it against them.  Etcetera.

Some thing to whet your appetite: Physicist Jearl Walker explains the physics of a few judo and aikido techniques.

Next up: Ways to push and pull.

Stay out of trouble ...

Setting aside issues of technique and conditioning, training for self defence should include:

1. An appreciation for the potential for violence and its consequences
2. Some clues on how to recognize and avoid trouble
3. Strategies to increase your chances of survival in dangerous situations

Without this kind of training you may find yourself ill-equipped to deal with an encounter where-in society does not prove as civilized as one might hope.  Witness this first-hand account of a 53-year old man who bumbled into an unfortunate altercation in suburban Melbourne:

It was a sunny Saturday afternoon, my wife and I pulled up directly outside the shop she wished to visit and, like the dutiful husband that I am, I waited patiently in the car for her return. As I sat there getting progressively more bored, I noticed two youths, obviously blind drunk, causing some commotion at a nearby shop. Their pockets were filled with stubbies and, as a result, one of the pair's trousers fell down. He continued to walk a few paces before apparently realising his state of undress and nonchalantly hoisting his pants up.

He then made his way into the shop my wife was visiting and I kept a watchful eye on him. The drunken youth soon exited the shop closely followed by my wife. She apologised for the delay, saying that some yobs had caused a commotion in the shop. I nodded towards the youth who had just preceded her. "That's probably him there," I said. Unfortunately for me, said youth noticed me looking, took objection and, cursing, threw a stubbie hard at the car, on which it landed with a solid thump. Taken aback, I leapt from the car to inspect the damage.

In retrospect, this was not the smartest of moves as the drunken yob took this as a signal to attack me. I saw him rushing towards me, face contorted in fury, then a well-thrown left hook smashed into my jaw.

As I said, I'm 53 and awaiting a hip replacement, I smoke far too heavily and the word "exercise" seems to have been removed from my personal dictionary. So, when it comes to what in former times was known as fisticuffs, I'm hardly on the shortlist for the Olympic Bashing Event. Being Scottish and having a deep sense of personal pride, I was reluctant to let a drunken yob get the better of me, so I defended myself and a rather dramatic fight took place. I was thrown repeatedly over the bonnets and boots of cars and on to the ground and, at one point, had the thug straddling my chest as he literally tried to rip my throat out. Eventually, some bystanders came to my aid and dragged the two of us apart.

My wife and I were advised to get back into our car and drive, which we did quite promptly. Then my wife decided to pull over a few metres further on to call the police.

It was a few seconds after this that the drunken youth put his face threw my window and asked if I was all right. I was taken aback and muttered that I was fine. With that he threw another punch to my jaw, I grabbed him to prevent further blows and my wife, showing a lot of common sense, put the pedal to the metal.

The result of this trip to the shops? A broken jaw, which will take eight painful weeks to heal, a bruised windpipe, lacerations, bruises, a dented car door, a ripped jumper and a pair of glasses missing. Worse than this, though, is the fear instilled in me. All of this was as a result of looking at someone. Do I need to spend the rest of my time in Australia avoiding eye contact? Must I be fearful of going shopping in broad daylight? Must my wife suffer nightmares that the man indeed did kill me, as he so obviously wanted to? Should I replace my Jack Russell pup with a half-starved rottweiler?

So what is violence actually like? It's physically painful, not terribly pleasant and downright scary.*

I generally steer away from teaching short-courses on self-defence because it takes time to acquire and internalize the deeper skills, plus regular practice to maintain them.   Then again, people like this unfortunate gentleman could benefit from a quick lesson or two in staying out of trouble in the first place.

*I should stress that I don't think Australia is a particularly dangerous country. For one thing, we have low gun  ownership, leading to a fairly low murder rate.  And while we do have the most venomous snakes in the world, they generally stay away from people.  And the crocodiles only seem to eat tourists. ;-)

The ancient art of Ti Kwan Leap: Boot to the Head!

A very nice re-enactment of the classic "Ti Kwan Leap" sketch -- the original soundtrack is by the Canadian comedy troupe The Frantics -- that I spotted on Wim de Meere's blog:

And if you think that "too much ti kwan leap is barely enough", here's a realization of the catchy follow-up song, "Boot to the Head":

Now, "Let us meditate..."

Saturday seminar (mawashi geri)

Given that trains to London via Kings Cross were all cancelled and I had to take a train to Liverpool Street Station which seemed to stop at intervals of 3 minutes I should have been in a grump on the way to the seminar on Saturday. Somehow I felt good though. The sun was shining through and I had plenty of time to meander across London on the tube so I was in no rush. Equally I'd prepared all of my equipment the night before: gi, knee pads (a must when you don't have the luxury of using mats- a tip I picked up from practicing iai), mitts, tanto, flip flops, towel. Ah! Everything in order.

I further felt lifted when, upon approaching the gym, I saw a tall, muscular guy on a traffic island, nestled away from the cars by the trees around him, dressed in bright orange trousers and Chinese style gaiters warming up to do some kung fu. He was windmilling his arms gently round in what looked like preparation with the sun warming him. It was going to be a good day.

This seminar focused on mawashi geri: attacks and defences. The three main elements we looked at were: 'bouncing' out of the attack and back in to counter, receiving and blocking the mawashi geri attack early and countering with a straight kick and finally stepping striaght in with punches against a jun mawashi geri (no block). These were built up nicely so weren't hammering away at it straight away. I found bouncing out and in again to counter quite dynamic but you have to make sure both feet are pointing towards your opponent for maximum efficiency of movement. It has to be quick!

We eventually mixed up the attack defence so it was random: we could choose which counter from the three we'd practiced. This always makes me a bit anxious. Oh the choice! Will I get it wrong? Well as long as I remain focused and if I mess up put it behind me that's ok. It's a collaborative environment so I need to relax more. I need to relax more (full stop!).

Finally we worked on some juho take-down techniques with particular application of pinning the opponent to the floor when s/he is resisting. Good to feel the best places to apply in order to pin effectively.

On the way home the day was still bright and the wind quite refreshing. Three hours of training does wonders for you and as I made my way to the tube station the same guy was still practicing his kung fu (this time he seemed to be using a hand held mop). Train when you can.

MMA going mainstream?

Well, the fact that I came across this article on the Telegraph's website testifies to this idea that Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is becoming more and more mainstream. The journalist who wrote this article about TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) coming to the UK has "recently added" MMA to his portfolio. Probably due to the anticipated increase in demand.

So for those who don't know (I didn't) TUF is a reality game show based on MMA. Sure we've seen Pop Idol, Strictly Come Dancing,  Dancing on Ice: all 'reality' based shows whereby contestants are on subsequent weeks knocked out. Well watch out UK, the contestants on TUF9 may well be getting completely knocked out!

Menuki

The menuki is a sword hilt decoration found on Japanese samurai swords. It is fitted to the handle (Tsuka) over the (usually) ray skin and under the handle bindings called 'Tsuka-Ito'.

This ornament hides one of the mekugi or holding pegs which are driven through the tsuka joining it to the tang of the blade. It also affords a little 'grip' as this protrudes slightly into the palm of the hand ad I find helps 'locate' the left hand. The left hand is important for cutting in iai.

Nice schema on wikipedia of Japanese sword:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Katana_(common_shema).png

An interesting article here about shortening the tsuka which also shows some construction of the handle.

Efficient use of strength

I am not against the use of strength, rather I want to explore and develop its efficient use.

When technique is refined and application is sensitive it can be surprising how little force is needed to execute a technique successfully.  Conversely, if you find yourself straining to perform a technique, there is usually a failure of technique or sensitivity that you are trying to compensate for with additional "brute" strength.

Here are some inefficient uses of strength:

1. Opposing a push with a push (as in an arm-wrestle)
2. Opposing  a pull with a pull (as in a tug of war)
3. Tensing up (so that our own muscles fight each other)
4. Relying on isolated muscles groups (local strength)
5. Mis-using levers (e.g. trying to open a door by pushing/pulling near the hinge)
6. Unnecessary lifting

Here are some ideas that can help increase efficiency:

1. Accept a push, and use it to help power a pull or a turn
2. When pulled, press forward on  a diagonal
3. Use whole body strength to power movements: The large muscles (legs, buttocks, abdomen) supply most of the power, and the whole body conveys it to the point(s) of application
4. Push or pull in directions where your opponent can muster the least resistance; e.g. when standing push or pull perpendicular to the line connecting the feet
5. Get your opponent into a position of serious disadvantage before applying significant force 
6. Apply a two-way "push-pull" action
7. Use a weight-drop to add additional power

See whether you can find places where you are using strength inefficiently and see what else you can do instead.  Practice the techniques to increase efficiency individually and in combinations.

Good intentions

Go check out Conskeptical's article about intentions in everyday life. 

Or getting more done with less effort.

Or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bardo.

http://tumble.conskeptical.net/post/89192152/intentionality-in-everyday-living

Karate ni sente nashi

As I was reading the news online today I was minded of the famous Funakoshi quote, "Karate ni sente nashi". This translates as, "there is no first attack in Karate". 

You could argue about the exact translation or the meaning behind this phrase but the article I saw made me think about this in a slightly different way. Or maybe it's the same meaning. The article is a very sad case of a man who in his rage punched another guy and killed him. Technically it was the head banging onto the floor which killed him but either way he's dead. He's been taught a lesson eh? Maybe that's what the aggressor thought..., "I'll teach him a lesson!"...BANG! Dead. This is how it happened, I'm not exaggerating. The incredibly sad thing is that the judge in the case says of the man who perpetrated this crime, "I am confronted with the prospect of having to sentence a perfectly respectable citizen who has committed an act which has had simply appalling consequences." 

The judge sees him as a "perfectly respectable citizen" who has (this is my interpretation) lost his cool in a moment of madness and decided to teach the other guy a lesson. Well it seems that the lesson is a very harsh one: death of a young fella and maybe 2 and a half to four years in nick.

Behind Funakoshi's saying there may be an idea of benevolence towards our fellow humans (let's all get on). We encounter so many people in our daily schedule that invariably we'll come across a dickhead from time to time (and don't get me wrong- I'm sure I'm somebody else's dickhead from time to time too!). Don't strike out says Funakoshi, don't attack: use your art for self preservation. The added dimension to this that I feel this news article brings to me is that it highlights the fragility of the human body. 

I studied Systema for two years under some fine teachers and at one seminar we were coached by Vladimir Vasiliev: one of the head honchos of Systema who, when asked how he dealt with aggression, said that he avoided, shirked it. He yielded, and tried not to get into a physical fight. His point was that the human body is fragile. Despite being very well trained and knowing how to disable assailants without killing them, even he knows that things can go wrong and someone could end up dead. If he can help it, he just doesn't take the risk. And he makes sure he can help it by not being there.

Of course this is all rather a negative view of why not to strike first. A way of self-preservation. As I said at the beginning there may be many ways to interpret Funakoshi's saying, or maybe he just intended it as read. My main point is to highlight this rather sorry tale of a guy who strikes in anger "not in self defence" and to see the terrible results.

Keep your cool. Don't lose your head. Don't lash out. 

To finish with here's a (sort of ) relevant Systema video with Vasiliev showing 'redirection' of an  opponent.

Tanden

Check out this interesting article regarding moving from the tanden. Great metaphor...

King Koshi and his soldiers

Short-term vs long-term thinking

A snippet of advice on randori (free practice) Judo founder Jigoro Kano:

"In order to beat someone now, it is best for those who are strong to use that strength to overcome the other person's strength.  However, with that method, if you encounter an opponent who is much stronger than you are, you will naturally lose.  So, even if you lose for a while, the correct practice of randori is to learn to slip dexterously away from your opponent, adapt to his strength, cause him to lose his balance while stepping back, and then take advantage of that opportunity to perform a waza [technique].  If you do this kind of training for a while you will be twisted by the arm and held down, or pushed down by your opponent.  But if you do not frequently engage in this kind of training you will never learn how to beat a stronger opponent." -- From Mind Over Muscle: Writings from the founder of Judo 

The person who wants to win at all costs (now!) is not going to learn much, if anything at all.  The best that (s)he can hope to do is validate what has been developed previously: Does it work, now?  

Beginners usually do one of two things when they first start randori:

1. Fight like it's a life or death battle
2. Only make a half-hearted attempt

To go further requires an attitude that we value learning over winning (at least in the short-term), and to remain positive and not be discouraged by "loss of face" when "defeated".

Achieving this balance is not necessarily natural, obvious or straightforward.  Choosing to treat randori as a game -- serious, but also fun -- can help.  If you can learn to notice what works against you, already you are learning something - and profiting from the experience.

King of the Gypsies

More about Bartley Gorman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartley_Gorman

More about the film maker, Shane Meadows

http://www.shanemeadows.co.uk/

Chinese heritage of Tang Soo Do

This is to finish off the series of articles on the subject of the history and influences of Tang Soo Do. In the last article I focused much on the Japanese influences owing to the occupation of Korea by Japan (1905-1945) and the influence it had on Tang Soo Do: kata and framework of the style seem to have been drawn largely from karate. Contemporary Tang Soo Do differs in many ways from karate, notably with its acrobatic and powerful kicks and this is what I'll examine here.

Some official Tang Soo Do training manuals are swift to point out that this Korean art can trace its lineage back 2000 years and has particularly been developed by the Hwarang warriors. It's easy to see why this claim is made as the Hwarang were an elite fighting corps which unified a once fractured Korea. What I don't understand is how this claim can be substantiated given that the forms are of Japanese origin and many of the drills and combinations are also shared by Japanese and Okinawan styles. What is certain about Tang Soo Do is that the kicks used in this style are different from the Japanese styles. There are much more acrobatic kicks used and this, I feel, is where the indigenous Taekyyeon and Subak may have passed on some of their martial arts 'DNA'. 

Northern Chinese style Kung Fu must have influenced Korean martial arts such as Subak and indeed King Sunjo (1567-1608) took an interest in Chinese arts after having read a Ming dynasty martial arts manual by Chuk Kye-Kwang. He was so interested that he invited the Ming military officers to demonstrate their warring arts and the notes which were taken eventually became the Muye Jebo (Martial Arts Illustrations) which is seen as the benchmark of martial arts documentation in Korea. As well as technical aspects of martial arts the Chinese may well have passed on some of the Northern style of Kung fu with its high kicks, flowing movements and jumping techniques. This is said to come from a people who lived in the plains of China where horse communication was made easy by the lack of great mountain ranges or rivers to bar progress. Jumping techniques may have been developed to dislodge mounted warriors and the Korean arts were certainly influenced by the Chinese martial systems of the time.

Check out this impressive performance of Chang Quan - a Northern style of Kung Fu. It isn't Tang Soo Do but the kicking techniques seem closer than to karate. Even to the extent of the way this practitioner turns and flows into jumping and spinning techniques.

Groundhog day

One of my ideas for a theme of the month was "Groundhog month", a month where we focus almost exclusively on groundwork.  I have decided against it since I think that it is too much -- more on that below -- but tonight instead I tried out "Groundhog day", an occasional session (maybe once a month) with a groundwork focus.

After the warm-ups we skipped throws and did a few restraint-and-control techniques, most including a throwing component.  From there we went into a solid hour of groundwork:

• Offence: The first four immobilizations
• More offence: Immobilizations six through eight
• Theory: How control of the opponent's hips (and to a certain extent the shoulders) establishes dominance in groundwork
• Basic defence: A mount escape; two guard passes and a counter to a guard pass
• More defence: One-and-a-half counters to the first immobilization: kesa gatame (the scarf hold)

All of this was interspersed with short sessions of groundwork randori.

It went well.  Everyone had fun, no-one was hurt, much was learned, and the randori at the end of the class was much smoother and more dynamic than at the start.  The more experienced students appreciated the opportunity for concentrated work on one part of jiu-jitsu, and the new students made impressive progress.

So why "Groundhog day" rather than "Groundhog month"?  Long, circuitous answer ...

I think of Jiu-jitsu as having roughly the following breakdown:

• 30% throws
• 30% restraint and control
• 30% groundwork
• 10% special sauce: reflexive self-defence, striking techniques, weapons, etc.

Because my class is dominated by lower grades, I probably teach closer to 40-50% on throws.  Why?  Because throwing (and falling) teach most of the body movements characteristic of Jiu-jitsu, make for good self-defence, and develop positive physical attributes, all leading to a strong physical and technical foundation.

Now, here's the nub of the issue:  I reckon that it is easier to make faster apparent progress by focussing purely on groundwork than -- say -- purely focussing on throws or on restraint and control, let alone pursuing all three at once.  [Hello Brazilian Jiu-jitsu!]  With groundwork everything can be taught (and learned!) a little more statically than with throws, and there isn't as much fine detail as in the restraint and control.

But just because something is easier, doesn't mean we should let it dominate our approach.  In fact the opposite pertains.  In order to get evenness of development we need to spend coresspondingly more time on the more challenging -- but still valuable -- parts of the art.  Incidentally, that is exactly what judo founder Jigoro Kano recommended: He warned against the practitioner who, encouraged by relatively rapid progress in groundwork, neglects his or her standing techniques.  Instead he encouraged biasing deliberately towards standing techniques at the early stages of learning, and play catch up on groundwork technique later.

So there it is.  While I am intentionally devoting more time to throws in most classes, the occasional short, sharp burst of groundwork will allow us to catch up in that area from time to time.

Also: If you haven't seen the movie Groundhog Day, you should. I thoroughly recommend it.  Not that it has any particular relevance to this post, other than lending its catchy title.

Korean kicks (all through the night)

This is a post in reply to Dan Prager's comment here and follows on from my previous post about which kicks are used within hyung (forms) and drills and what proportion of drills are kicking based.

This is a very good point as traditionally Korean martial arts are heavily oriented to kicking techniques, notably high kicks and jumping and spinning techniques and this can sometimes be seen in competition Tae Kwon Do. Indeed whenever I have trained with the University Tae Kwon Do club all we seem to do is incredibly tiring kicking drills with jumps a-plenty. This influence on Korean martial arts is said to come from the Northern Chinese Kung Fu tradition of high, acrobatic kicking and high stances as opposed to the Southern styles which were more 'grounded'. (Following is cut from Wikipedia: "The main perceived difference about northern and southern styles [of Kung Fu] is that the northern styles tend to emphasize fast and powerful kicks, high jumps and generally fluid and rapid movement, while the southern styles focus more on strong arm and hand techniques, and stable, immovable stances and fast footwork.").

It has to be said though that Tang Soo Do is Korean 'karate' and effectively a traditional martial art with it's main heritage in Japanese karate. Karate's name was originally taken from the logograms for Kara and Te (唐手): China and hand. It was later (~1930s "a few years after I came to Tokyo...I was then able to suggest that the art be renamed" ref1) that Funakoshi changed the meaning to 'empty hand' (空手) for political and ideological purposes. Tang Soo also means China hand. 

So we see the semantics of the names but are the arts themselves similar? It's true that the core forms are very similar which I have outlined previously and I have trained with Japanese clubs and compared forms. One of the sensei actually noted that the version of the form I was doing seemed like an 'older' version which had since further developed in his style. It's certainly interesting to see how seeds are planted and grow into the same plant but with slightly different variants.

Tang Soo Do is a kicking-based karate but as it has it's roots firmly in the Japanese/Okinawan heritage there is a lot of traditional hand techniques to be practiced and this brings me directly to Dan's question: what is the proportion of hand/kicking combinations in drills outside of kata? The short answer is 70/30 kicks/hands. The longer answer is that it's a bit more complex. Often the combinations are mixed and after hand techniques there may be a period of combined hand and feet. 30% techniques in the class may be done from front stance (chungul ja sae) which lends itself to the hand combinations with a few kicks interspersed much like in the hyung. We then develop into kicking from back stance (hugul ja sae). Finally we'll practice jumping kicks and jump spinning kicks.

Tang Soo Do is a Korean martial art with strong traditions within Japanese karate, as the similarities of the original names imply. It does, however, hold on to some of the indigenous high, powerful and acrobatic kicking typified by Northern Chinese influences. This is reflected in the training: traditional forms, altered only slightly with higher kicks but more leg-based drills than traditional 'te' derived Japanese arts.

(ref1 p. 34. Karate-Do, My Way of Life, Gichin Funakoshi. Published by Kodansha, first paperback edition 1981)

Forms and their kicks

I read recently an interesting point put forward by Vince Morris in a book 'Karate Kata Applications' (Vince Morris and Aidan Trimble, Ebury Press) how the traditional kata don't incorporate many kicks which are widely practiced in modern karate such as roundhouse kick, reverse roundhouse, axe kick or back kick.

I thought, for fun, I'd run through the Korean forms to document which kicks are included. As I've discussed previously these are based on Japanese and in turn Okinawan forms.

Kicks used in Tang Soo do Hyungs

Pyung Ahn Cho Dan: No kick.

Pyung Ahn Ee Dan: Yup chagi, ahp chagi. (Side kick, front kick)

Pyung Ahn Sam Dan: Pahkeso ahnero chagi (Outside to inside kick.)

Pyung Ahn Sa Dan: Yup chagi, ahp chagi. (Side kick, front kick, knee strike.)

Pyung Ahn O Dan: Pahkeso ahnero chagi. (Outside to inside kick.)

Bassai: Yup chagi. (Side kick.)

Naihanchi Cho Dan: No kick.

Naihanchi Ee Dan: No kick.

Naihanchi Sam Dan: No kick.

Sip Soo: Pahkeso ahnero chagi (depending on the style of Tang Soo Do)

Morris further states that developing new forms with other variant kicks may be beneficial. 

Beautiful breakfalls from beautiful throws

I have discussed breakfalling and related drills and motivations in previous posts this month. This time I turn to breakfalling from actual throws. These tips assume that you have basic competence in breakfalling. As usual, don't try this stuff without expert supervision.

For example, in the image below we see uke being thrown in a hip throw. He is about to land on his side on the ground, and his whole body is curving in preparation, with his left hand and arm shaping to slap the mat to help dissipate the impact. His right hand is holding onto Tina's lapel to pull upwards against gravity, which will help take the edge off the throw; Tina holds his right sleeve with her left hand, which also helps.

The 1st hip throw: Uke goshi

Notes

• These tips are best learned through cooperative throwing practice. The principles behind them apply in other situations, but I think that it is far better to internalize first, analyze later.
• For visualization purposes the Judo fundamental grip is assumed: Right hand grips at the collar, left hand at the sleeve for both partners.

The Tips

1. Allow yourself to be thrown: If you prevent your partner from throwing you, you won't get to practice your breakfall. If your partner gets the throw despite resistance it is likely to be less smooth and more sudden, so you won't have as much time to breakfall, and your execution will be compromised.
2. If you fail to breakfall, or do a weak one, breakfall again before you get up: This reminds your body what it should have done in the first place. It is also more productive than negative self-talk.
3. Hold on with your non-breakfalling hand: This is possible on most throws where you are not projected away. It lessens the impact of the fall, provides you with a means to help control your descent, and later opens the door to counter-throws. Note: Against a much taller partner you will need to hold on lower down the lapel.
4. In hip throws, press your breakfalling palm to the back of your partner's left shoulder-blade as (s)he prepares to throw you: This pre-positions your breakfalling arm and stores a bit of energy by spring-loading it, setting you up for a good break-fall.
5. Watch how the higher grades do their breakfalls: Also feel how a more experienced partner breakfalls when you throw them. Emulate these models.
6. Look-out for areas that need improvement: Figure out which of the breakfalling drills can help fix the problem, and visualize fixing the problem when you next practice the relevant drill(s).

Finally, when you are throwing your partner, throw beautifully, so that your partner has every opportunity to execute a beautiful breakfall. The resulting totality will be a joy to watch.

Don't try this at home

I was pacing again. I'd missed two training sessions this week due to ill health. Well, it was a mild cold but you know how blokes are. So by about 7.30pm, once I'd put the kids to bed, I felt like stretching out a bit but felt too lazy for a run so I opted for a stroll around the block. Unusually for me I decided to pull out my ipod and pop it on for my jaunt which turned out to be a cool and dark evening.

On the way round I started texting a friend and we got into a text conversation which was fun. Trouble was I soon realised I was absorbed in a world of my own: deaf due to the music and blind due to the texting (looking into a shining bright light doesn't help your night vision).

Now I'm all for bringing martial training to everyday life but I didn't feel threatened: it's my neighbourhood which is fairly safe apart from the odd 'youff'. I remember reading on some MA forum how one guy only ever wore special elasticated jeans and trousers with sewn in gussets in his daily life just in case he was attacked so that his kicks wouldn't be hampered by tight trousers! I think this may be being a bit over zealous and I wasn't concerned that I could've been jumped at any moment!

So why the post? Well, here's the punchline of the story: as I was walking along in time to the music and happily texting my friend and thinking about that glass of Glenmorangie that was waiting for me at home I nearly walked into a hedge! And I don't mean a glancing blow, I mean I looked up from the mobile phone and my nose was a 30 cms away from a 6 foot hedge!

Der.

There're plenty of conclusions you can draw from that, my friends....

Bored!

A post by Littlefair: Practice, practice, practice... has a great piece of advice:

When I feel myself drifting off during lessons I like to focus using this idea of always checking form and movement, getting feedback from my body and knowing that I'm staying on the path.

Like many people, once I have achieved basic competence in a skill, and can do it "without thinking", my mind tends to wander off as I go through the motions. I may even feel a little bored ...

But what martial arts has taught me is that this is usually the first plateau in learning. Looking back, I struggled to get to this point, and am relieved to have gotten even this far. Perhaps I am a little drained from the effort, and need time to consolidate.

Looking forward there are many more challenges to come. Littlefair's tip is one way to open up the training and to start exploring sensitivity, details and principles.

Nowadays, with a busy life, going through the same routines that I have followed for years is less frustrating and often somewhat comforting (like slipping on a comfortable old pair of gloves). But it is also exciting, because I no longer take my competence for granted, and know that with a bit of creativity I can exploit my familiarity as a starting point for a fresh climb into further learning and understanding.

Practice, practice, practice...

I love the following quote from Musashi. This idea of constantly appraising technique and striving gives me great focus. When I feel myself drifting off during lessons I like to focus using this idea of always checking form and movement, getting feedback from my body and knowing that I'm staying on the path.

It's also interesting to see Musashi talk about the 'chosen' art-in a general way. Although he famously was a (two sworded) swordsman he encouraged training in other arts. I like to think that you can be a warrior in any artform where technical accuracy and physical discipline is present: art, flower arranging, karate ...

"Practice is the only way you will ever come to understand the Way of the Warrior is about. Constant striving for perfection of the self through the chosen art is the only path to enlightenment. Words can only bring you to the foot of the path, and to attain mastery and perfection you must constantly strive to better yourself through an understanding of your chosen Way."

Musashi's Book of Five Rings By Stephen F. Kaufman, Musashi Miyamoto.

Check out an interview of Kaufman here.

Front kick, ahp chagi, mae geri

I was enjoying another impromptu garden session the other day and I found myself practicing and studying front kick. My kempo teacher introduced me to an interesting (but probably not new) concept of following through front kick with shoulders 'cocked' in their original starting position so that upon landing you are ready to deliver a powerful punch. Below the mannequin kicks off the rear left leg keeping left shoulder back, lands forward onto left leg and can then rotate body round to deliver effectively a reverse punch (although it is off the front leg technically)

I measured the distance from my front toe to the effective target which for me was 80cm.



The second option I was playing with was the good old reverse front kick, powerfully delivered. Follow-up punches weren't as powerful as above but can be very rapid. Effective distance from front toe to target was 110cm.





Lastly I practiced a lunge kick with a hopping step: this involves a regular front kick from the back leg, as above with much power and forward momentum which 'hops' you forward into the target. As can be expected this thrusts you forward more than the previous two techniques and my measurement was 140cm.




See also Sparring Strategy.

Questions on style

I have so much floating around in my head to blog but I've been bogged down by...work. Ach there's always an excuse. I just have to make time for the things that are important to me!

Interesting post at Mokuren regarding stylistic differences within and between styles.

Lots of intriguing questions spring to mind from this article: how different are styles really? Is artistic/individual interpretation the difference between styles? Is there a commonality between (almost) all martial arts? Can we link Karate to Jiu jitsu or Judo even when superficially they seem so different?

For another post regarding stylistic 'differences' or even commonalities, check out Ikigai's post regarding Sanchin.

Lots of questions to be investigated in future posts...!

Do breakfalls work in real life?

In the dojo we practice our throws -- and breakfalls -- on a 5 cm (2 inch) thick rubberized mat. But do they work in real life?

First, an illustration of what not to do:

Now, can we do better than that?  Will good breakfalling technique help?

Short answer

Yes

Long answer

When an untrained person tries to break their fall -- like the unfortunate young skater in the video -- (s)he often tries to extend an arm with the hand bent back.  While this is an effective strategy in low impact situations -- e.g. if you are sitting on the floor and lean too far in any direction -- it is disastrous in any significant fall.  The wrist bends back too far, and -- if you are really unlucky -- the resulting shock wave can travel up your arm and also snap your collar bone (not shown!).

I believe that most of us learn this "propping" reaction as babies first learn to sit, and they soon discover that propping is an effective method to help them keep seated.  It works, but it is not natural, and can be trained out.

Personally, I have used rolling, side, back and forward breakfalling techniques to save me while:

• inline skating -- many times (both while learning and later on)
• tripping over fences
• coming over the handlebars of a bike
• falling down stairs
• slipping over while rushing for a train 

Sure, I am accident prone, but the worst that I have suffered from any of these mishaps has been the odd graze.  My training does not make me invincible -- far from it -- but it works much better than the usual disorganized "panic" response (shown above).

Other martial artists that I know have fallen down stairs, off ladders, off motor-bikes and been thrown from cars and survived without breakages.

So, yes, they work.

Breakfalling on concrete

While we usually practice on nice thick mats, I have been asked on occasion to perform a single standing side breakfall on concrete.  My arm stings for about half an hour, but it works.  

I recall reading once about a hapkido group who practiced their breakfalls on concrete all the time, and went on to develop arthritic spines.  True or not, we practice mostly on a padded surface with good reason.  So: Don't try this stunt except under qualified supervision.

Getting hit in the head

Finally, another scenario in which you need to get to the ground safely is when you are hit.  In reading newspaper reports of fatalities and brain-injuries from getting punched in the head, it is often the case that the majority of the damage is incurred when the victim hits his head on the (hard) ground or curb.  This was more-or-less what happened to former Australian cricketer and then Victorian state coach David Hookes.

Conclusion

So, while prevention is better than cure, reliable breakfalling is great insurance!

How to acquire beautiful breakfalls

How do we acquire beautiful breakfalls?

1. System & practice

In our system we are serious about breakfall practice.  Rather than do calisthenics, running, etc. to warm-up, we do breakfalls!  We spend at least 15 minutes practicing at the start of every class.  Following the opening ceremony we almost invariably run through 12 standardized breakfalling exercises: 

• 6 from a supine position with heads up, knees bent and feet flat on the floor: Slapping the mat; some with kicking; some with rolling side-to-side; some symmetric, some asymmetric
• 3 from the haunches: Side breakfalls, back breakfalls
• 3 from standing: Side breakfalls, back breakfalls

These core exercises are often supplemented with a selection of additional exercises: e.g. front breakfalls (from knees, haunches and standing), or a few partner-assisted breakfalling exercises.

Similarly, at the end of each class we go through many different kinds of rolls as a warm-down.

This practice is technically demanding, and develops not only the ability to breakfall, but also develops other attributes that are important to Judo and Jiu-jitsu: 

• neck, abdominal and leg strength
• whole body movement and coordination
• lower body strength and flexibility
• bilateral symmetry of the musculature
• ability to withstand impact

Note: For the beginner, just learning to do the exercises properly is enough to keep interest high.  After being a thrown a few times the importance of diligent practice at the start of each class becomes apparent!  However, once you have achieved proficiency there is a danger of becoming blasé -- just going through the motions during the warm-ups -- so the challenge becomes to find new paths of development.

2. Make connections

Having internalized the movements, it is possible to visualize applications of the movements while practicing.  Two good ones:

1. Sacrifice throws
2. Movements in groundwork: Escapes, transitions, etc.

3. Awareness

As you do the exercises, what are the different parts of your body doing?  Which muscles are tensing, and which are relaxing as you move?  Where is the power coming from?  How does your breathing play into your movement?  With the asymmetric exercises, what are the differences in your execution of the left- and right-handed versions?

How does varying  angles and patterns of use affect the amount of effort required, the smoothness of execution, and the loudness of your slaps?

In a more indirect vein I occasionally teach a short version of Feldenkrais's pelvic clock lesson, following it with a repetition of two supine breakfalling exercises that involve rolling as well as slapping.  Among more experienced practitioners there is usually an immediate palpable improvement in execution.  Interestingly, Aikido teacher and Feldenkrais trainer Leslie Wilder has made a similar connection.

Conclusion

There's no shortcut: For breakfalls to work they need to become second-nature, and there is no substitute for regular and intensive practice.  By embracing breakfalling as foundational, it is possible to put this training time to additional use, and besides training beautiful and effective breakfalls, to develop many other elements besides.

 

Running in Spring

Is it Spring? Maybe...?

I went on a run around the lake today and saw a variety of birds. Maybe it was the lovely birds I saw or the pleasant weather but it feels like there's a change in the air.

- American coot

- Grebe (I love seeing this bird)

- Mute swan

- Greylag goose

- Song (or mistle-I couldn't tell!) thrush (turdus philomelos)

This wonderful gathering of birds gave me a visual treat as I shuffled around the lake. 

I enjoyed the moment thoroughly.