George Kerr, British judoka, receives CBE

George Kerr, top judoka and president of the British Judo Association, has been recognised in the Queen's New Year Honours list.

The 73-year-old was given a CBE for his services to judo, coming soon after being awarded the Order of the Rising Sun by the Emperor of Japan.

The secret of a great turn-out?

An anonymous poster asked "What's the secret of a great turn-out?" in response to a picture of a packed mat.

I'd say that there are several elements, primarily:

1. A great class
2. A core group of regulars
3. A good time slot
4. A convenient location
5. Patience

At least these are the factors that have conspired for my class.  It's always been a good class -- hands-on instruction in an excellent martial art -- but it's got better as I've developed as an instructor and a core group of regulars has coalesced.  This year I have been greatly aided by having Anthony assist with the large classes as well as all the colored belts.  Since Jiu-jitsu is predominantly a paired activity I can't teach a hall full of beginners single-handedly: students teach each other and I demonstrate and guide.  Learning this martial art teaches you how to teach one-on-one ... from day one.

The core group of regulars also means that a newcomer observing the class for the first time sees a group practicing with real skill, learning and having fun.  That's appealing.

One of the factors that seems to have contributed to the growth of the class was a switch from Monday to Wednesday nights: mid-week nights seem to draw a bigger group than Friday or Monday evenings in my experience.

We're situated across the road from a major railway station, making the class easy to get to and increasing the catchment area.

Also, it's taken quite a few years for the club to achieve "critical mass".  In the early days sometimes I'd get just one student (or even none), but I was encouraged to persist by my own instructors through leaner times.

* * *

The big classes are great because there's a buzz and energy that you get from a packed mat.

At the same time it's been nice to have some smaller classes from time-to-time, where we have room to do stand-up randori, practice sutemis, and in which I get to spend more one-on-one time with everyone.

Finally, I don't measure success purely in quantity, but in the quality of experience and the learning that takes place.  There's such a thing as too big as well as too small a class.

Results!

Congratulations to everyone who trained hard in the latter half of the year. Presentation day was on Sunday 19 December, and everyone who graded was successful.

Well done:

• Lejoe: Orange belt (1 bar) in both jiu-jitsu and judo
• Damian: Orange belt (1 bar) jiu-jitsu and yellow (2 bars) judo
• Ashley: Yellow belt (2 bars) judo
• Tegan: Purple belt (1 bar) jiu-jitsu
• Ed:  Purple belt (1 bar) jiu-jitsu

Congratulations also to everyone else who successfully graded from the Honbu, Monash Clayton, and Cockatoo.

Winter run

Happy holidays!

The Shorinji Kempo closing ceremony went well and sake was drunk. A time for reflection on this year's achievements and the goals for the coming year.

Science of Kensetsuwaza – Joint Locks

Science of Kensetsuwaza – Joint Locks

Know your joints: don't panic, don't crank it on. Increase your knowledge.

Nice post.

Mind power: keeping clarity when others are trying to spoil your game

"The essence of good cricket is having a clear mind, so the strategy for the fielding side is to get the batsman thinking about other stuff - whether it's the runs he has or hasn't scored in the past, what his feet might be doing, what his head position might be, what the selectors might be thinking about him, what the crowd might be saying," explains Justin Langer, former (excellent IMO) Australia cricket opener.

"As soon as you start thinking about those things, you're away from having clarity in your mind. That's what sledging is for me - sowing some seeds of doubt in a player's mind. But if you're playing well, with that clarity, it can't touch you."

(Taken from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tomfordyce/2010/12/revolution_in_the_head.html)

Interesting take on mind power: keep a clear mind when there is around you trying to put you off. This shows great self awareness too: confidence in your own abilities.

The perfect Christmas gift for martial artists everywhere

But what sort of kick is that Chuck Norris!?

Cold floor, seminar and moustaches

Even real men feel the cold. Even real men with moustaches for Movember feel the cold, wintry, November floors of dojos. That's what me and fellow Movember bandido felt when we went down to the Bristol winter seminar for some extra tuition.

As ever with Shorinji Kempo the folk were friendly and we had a good time and picked up a few learning pointers along the way.

Sparring practice and eager to score

A tiring session tonight started with some light randori to warm up and also to see what issues fell out of these encounters with which to work upon. On of the things that sensei TO mentioned was the concept of winning before the engagement. An idea which involved trying to stack all the cards in your favour before the conflict even starts: something which can involve many elements but on the physical level it can mean making the opportunities for yourself without getting hit too much.

It occurred to me as we were discussing this that all my martial arts career I've always been eager to win the point. In sparring I tend to take the fight to my opponent always looking for opportunities but hungry for those occasions to arise. Wanting to land the kick or punch so much that I'd spar offensively. I wouldn't say I was impatient but I certainly usually look to put pressure on my opponent, chasing him or her down. The trouble with this strategy is an experienced opponent can simply wait and pick you off.

So this evening's lesson was simply that I should look to make the opportunities without the rush into conflict. Hold back, see the lay of the land and react to the opponent's techniques. Sounds rudimentary but I have to confess that it's something I still need to work on.

Shorinji kempo as self defence

Last night I was battered by a woman and it reassured me.

Sensei set up a sequence of attacks or approaches which could easily be seen as self defence moves and my partner (a woman of much slighter build) and I started practising. We both took turns as the aggressor but it was quite obvious to me she was executing good technique and obvious to others that she was throwing me around the dojo. This made me feel pretty good. I knew I wasn't faking it (not being easy on her-in fact sometimes I was quite awkward) and my partner, SD, had to make the technique work within this self defence framework. It gave me a good feeling of reassurance that what sometimes seem as quite formal techniques can be effective as self defence moves; all this as she bounced me off the walls.

I'm not saying that this is 'Woman's Self Defence' (a term I find incredibly condescending) nor that I'm pleased a *woman* can make these techniques work, simply that I felt a smaller, slighter person can be effective on a heavier aggressor who acts with feeling and with intent.

What is not considered in this format, of course, is street environment or street clothing. Any dojo 'self defence moves' are really no more than an approximation of the physicality of what might happen in the street/bus/tube. We walk into a dojo with sports specific clothing, bare feet, clean flat floors and bright lighting. None of these elements are guaranteed on the street.

This does not mean practising the self defence technique is worthless. If it's never used then it can never be conceived of or tapped into at a subconscious level when needed.

Aikido, Judo and Iaido throws

Just a quick look at some 'nage' or throws in Aikido, Judo and interestingly an iai form with a throw (although this is possibly an Aikido waza with swords-anyone?). The obvious similarity which runs throw all of these different techniques is the use of the opponent's momentum: body movement or tai sabaki. In the sword form it's much more subtle as the movement of the opponent's body is his flinch against the strike as the instigator capitalises on this and carries the movement down to the floor.

Irimi nage - Aikido

Tai Oshi - Judo

Kumitachi

>

The Withdrawing Hand

When I first studied martial arts (40 years ago) I was instructed to pull one hand back strongly to my hip or (in a few cases) abdomen. Pull it back strongly, I was instructed, to strengthen the outgoing hand. Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, Isaac Newton figured out. So, by pulling back strongly, I was to add force to my strike. I never questioned this, because I'm a sucker for science-themed explanations.

Years later, I met Sensei George Dillman. He said the withdrawing hand (hiki-te) is extremely important as a devastating component of pressure point techniques. "Watch this hand," he would quietly tell me whenever I asked him to show me a new point or a new knock-out. As a result, I now seek to be a student of hiki-te, an aficionado of the withdrawing hand. Enjoy this little video mini-blog.

Annual Training Event

I never set out to have students. In fact, I did things designed to make it difficult for people to train with me. Funny how that didn't stop anyone. As a result, I have a group of very skillful martial artists, all black belts, who train with me. And they have students of their own, so I'm a grandpa-sensei.

For some years now, we have held an annual (two-day) training event in Madison, WI, which we call the Annual Gathering. Anyway, I've attached the flier. If you want to come, send me an email at

christhomasmartialarts@gmail.com

and I'll reply with one of those paypal "buy it now" thingees. It's kind of cool because, instead of telling you to "go train," now I can invite you to "come train."

CT

More on Traditional Movements

My teacher, George Dillman, likes to say to people at a seminar, "Ask questions; good questions make a good seminar." Well, Ken asked a simple question about how to interpret traditional movements, and it turns out to have been a good question, because, here I am, still answering it. Really, you're getting this for free while people pay good money to have me teach them this stuff. Anyway, enjoy.

Isshin-ryu's Specialized Small Person Techniques

The Isshin-ryu style was developed by Tatsuo Shimabuku. Shimabuku was a student of Chojun Miyagi (founder of Goju-ryu Karate-do), Choki Motobu (Motobu-ryu Karate-jitsu), and Chotoku Kyan (Shorin-ryu). Kyan was particularly small even by Okinawan standards, so he had modified the traditional kata Chinto with specialized movements for use against larger opponents. Shimabuku was on the small side of average for an Okinawan (about 5' 4", roughly 135 pounds). However, he had found himself in the Phillipines training Japanese military how to fight against their larger American opponents. (The "official" story, in a letter from Angi Uezu, Shimabuku's son-in-law, is that Shimabuku was in the Phillipines as a geisha – by which I assume Uezu meant entertainer – and that he "loved" Americans.)

The insights of his teacher Kyan were clearly invaluable in solving the American problem, and they are evident in Shimabuku's Isshin-ryu style, a style which truly favors small person's techniques for use against much larger opponents. Ironically, in the U.S., Isshin-ryu is more of a "big man's" system, owing to the large stature of the original pioneers, men like Steve Armstrong, Harry Smith, Harold Long.

This video mini-blog shows the use of a signature Isshin-ryu technique from the kata Kushanku.

Full mat!

The mat's looking pretty full nowadays. With a large class it's starting to get cramped during warm-ups:

Warming up with some breakfalls

And it's really full when everyone stretches out:

The class at rest

Kata, Hyung tonifies the body

I was asked to do Pyung Ahn Oh Dan yesterday. In fact, I offered as it's a hyung I need to practice, so I executed it three times: once to the count, twice without a count and boy did I know about it! I'd forgotten how many different stance changes there were, and of course...the jump.

In any case, I felt like I'd had a real workout by the end of it! A martial arts lesson for us all I think: kata or hyung can really tone up our bodies if practised assiduously.

As I searched for Pyung Ahn Oh Dan I came across the shotokan equivalent (or vice versa you may argue!) pinan godan and found it interesting to juxtapose the videos of the forms.

The first one is classical Tang Soo Do hyung. The second one seems almost shotokan in its delivery but still intended as Tang Soo Do. And the third one is definitely karate Japanese (Okinawan) style kata. But all in all, similarities run through them all I find.

Using Traditional Movements Continues (on and on and...)

I'm back to answering Ken's question about the use of traditional movements.

Sumo wrestling in Mongolia

Interesting article on the BBC website about sumo in Mongolia and the training that these women undergo for their martial art.

"Sumo wrestling has taken Mongolia by storm. Its male wrestlers have reached the peak of the sport in Japan, from where it originates, and in recent years, more and more women have been entering the ring."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11566529

Sparring

Good sparring session last night so I came away tired and feeling good, having dispensed of some energy and learnt a lot. As we don't use sparring gloves my knuckles came away a bit red and sore but this, at least meant I scored a few hits and blocked what otherwise would have knocked seven shades of stuff out of me.

The sparring session was built up well by sensei TO and we investigated some key points of distance and timing and assessing how your sparring partner reacts to your movement. In addition I was prompted by MH to relax more (easy for him to say: he's bigger, stronger and more experienced!), but I don't think he meant for me to stop being more jittery. I took from this remark that in order to move in sparring with speed and deliver meaningful and strong attacks, this has to be done from a fluid and relaxed state (with obvious power at the end of the technique).

Point duly noted.

I wish we had worn sparring gloves though...ouch!

Isshin-ryu's "O-uchi"

Here is a Video Mini-Blog about a technique from Isshin-ryu (and Ryukyu kempo and Tai Chi)

Using Traditional Movements Continues

I continue to explain how to use traditional movements. This time using the move "knife-hand" (shuto-uke).

BJJ

Here is a video of a student and his BJJ teacher 'sparring'. What's interesting in this video is the cool way in which the teacher and student work through ideas and attempt different locks, all seemingly calm and aware of what's happening. See if you can work out which is the BJJ teacher!

BJJ is fairly popular these days due to its integration in mixed martial arts training.

Throw or takedown?

John Coles is investigating the difference between throws and takedowns in the martial arts for his forthcoming book, and has written a couple of blog posts on the subject.  John points to some discussion of the various takes on the difference this thread from the Martial Arts Planet forum.

An empirical exploration that anyone (with a bit of experience) can do is go through their style's syllabus and pull out the techniques explicitly labelled as throws and those labelled as takedowns and look for any differences of principle.

That's what I intend to do!

Getting Things Done

I haven't been blogging much in the last couple of months, and with good reason: a new job, complete with learning curve and travel, and consequently a paring back on other activities.   A good friend told me that getting settled in to a new job typically takes three to six months, which sounds about right.

Anyhoo, as part of my drive to get more organized in my new gig (and generally), I finally picked up a copy of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity by David Allen -- perplexingly re-titled "How to Get Things Done" for the Australian edition -- something of a "sacred text" for the geeky Lifehacking movement.

Here's an article from Wired magazine Getting Things Done Guru David Allen and His Cult of Hyperefficiency that delves into the somewhat colorful background of the author.

A synopsis of the approach, given at Google (46 minutes):

What I hadn't realised previously, and what the video and the book make quite clear is that GTD is in many ways an application of a few martial arts principles to the very modern problem of having too much on one's plate.  The author claims past experience as a karate instructor, and builds much of his approach around working towards an ideal state of having a "mind like water".  Rationalism plus martial arts: what's not to like?

For those not ready for the somewhat daunting transformation that an approach like GTD entails, there is the highly amusing structured procrastination, which I recommend reading, but would counsel against adopting!

Wushu vs Chen Village

This first clip is of a wushu competitor performing a (winning) Chen-style-taijiquan-inspired routine:



And this is Chen Bing of Chen village doing a section of  the actual Chen-style taijiquan cannon fist routine:



Quite a difference!

Interpreting Traditional Movements (Pt. 2)

Here is the next installment in my answer on interpreting traditional movments

Jake Adelstein exposes the world of the Yakuza

Jake Adelstein is flogging his book, albeit five years after his research. But there seems to be good reason to do so. His initial research into the Yakuza in Japan lead to him offering dubious sex acts in return for information and ultimately a death threat. this was enough to convince him to pack up and leave the country. Maybe now, after some time, he feels more comfortable publishing his findings but with names and specifics missed out. Looks like an interesting read... (listen to the interview clip)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-11446716

Jake Adelstein on Twitter

Full interview with Adelstein here:

The Interview: Jake Adelstein

Interpreting Traditional Movements (Pt. 1)

One of the questions I received (from Ken in St. Louis) required several Video Mini-Blogs to answer. This is the first part. Enjoy.

Tai Chi Posture

This quick Video Mini-Blog explains how to find good posture for tai chi – head pressed up, chin tucked, back straight, shoulders rounded, chest sunk.

Aaron Cook injects optimism into team GB Tae Kwon Do

Aaron Cook wins in the 80kg weight class at the British Open Tae Kwon Do Championships and ranks him number one in the world.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/taekwondo/9035815.stm

I do find it strange that competitors can lose so much composure following a point score though. It seems to me more like gamesmanship than martial art. They also seem to not follow up if they themselves are convinced of having scored a point, appealing to the judges often and crying and moaning. Oh dear. I think I'm getting old. Or at least am I old fashioned?

Tai Chi, relaxed yet firm

Tai chi chuan is relaxed, but not limp. It should feel like a steel bar wrapped in cotton.

Training in Chen Tai Chi Chuan

Photo: Xuejiao Chen, Jean-Paul Bindel, Chris Thomas, Thierry Mas

(Thierry is sifu Chen's husband. In the Photo, note how Jean-Paul and I look hot and sweaty, while sifu Chen and Thierry look cool and dry.)

While I was in France, I had the pleasure of training with a Chen-family master. This was my second time training with a Chen family master, the first time was with 19th generation master Chen Xiao Wang. This time, I received training from 21st generation master Chen Xuejao. My DKI-colleague in France, Jean-Paul Bindel, invited me to attend and introduced my to this fine master. Such a pleasure! Madame Chen is a superb technician, with powerful and mature movements which defy her age (she is 26 or 27) and her "condition" (she is pregnant with her first child and due in December).

During the class, sifu Chen made direct and frequent references to the martial uses of Chen tai chi chuan. For her, the health benefits of the movements – the usual reason for people to take tai chi – are inseparable from the martial application. If you visualize the application, you will move correctly. If you move correctly, your energy will flow in a healthy and life sustaining manner.

As a Yang style practitioner, I found the Chen to be challenging and fascinating. It was also interesting to see what sifu Chen did not teach outwardly – an interesting "stirring" movement which initiated several of her actions.

As a pressure point practitioner, I found Chen style to be very effective. Clearly, I have a very unique perspective on tai chi. I believe that a great way to "move a thousand pound with four ounces" is to use pressure points. I am not saying that pressure points are the "best" way to do this, or the "true" way to do this, but it is my preferred way. And this made for interesting dinner conversation after class. Sifu Chen was knowledgeable about points but somewhat more cautious about their use than we western kyusho-jitsu practitioners tend to be.

I am definitely going to explore Chen style. I don't know if that means I will become a practitioner, or if it means that I will simply steal as much knowledge from the system as I can. Either way, I look forward to my next chance to train with Chen Xuejao.

Thanks for reading,

Now, go train!

CT

Video mini-blog: Full Intent

Don't just sit there...do it!

As I'm sat here, skipping Kempo class, I feel...well, relaxed. I need a night off to crack this cold I have and hopefully I'll be back on form soon and training with gusto. I need to as the only way to learn a martial art is by doing it. Learning the key principle behind techniques is useful but it's in no way a replacement for doing it.

Knowing that martial arts training techniques are governed by principles such as "changing a small force into a larger one", "applying rotational motion", "transmit more force by adding momentum" are pretty fundamental when studying a martial art. Put another way, using some principles of physics and knowledge of the human anatomy including vital points can go a long way but it just can't replace feeling it.

I often read the mantras spun out by teachers about this principle or that and I understand it. They are often well put and I have no problem grasping the base idea of how to move a person in a certain way or how to immobilise a joint because of this or that physiological principle but really the only way to learn and appreciate is to do it. This means feeling your opponent and sensing where the right spot is to plant a fulcrum, or move them to the floor. Don't be mistaken though, this is in no way magical or mystical. It's sheer hard work and perspiration. Trying the technique on others (lots of others), and experimenting in a dynamic way is the only way to true mastery of a technique. I say this not as a master but a student who keeps trying.

I once made, what I thought, was a compliment to a super skilled, guitar-playing friend of mine saying, "Wow, you're really talented! You've got a gift!". Instead of delight, though, he replied in a level voice that it wasn't down to talent but sheer hard work; trial and error and hours and hours of practice. You can understand how to read music and how it's supposed to work but without hearing it, playing it, practising it, it's just theory!

Don't let your martial arts become a theoretical past-time... feel it!

Spartan's from Cambridge Shorinji Kempo Dojo come back *with* shields

Today a bunch of Mad Badgers ran in the name of the Cambridge Shorinji Kempo Do

jo (CSKD) at the Spartan race (http://www.spartanrace.com/), Bassingbourn. This was a gruelling (otherwise it wouldn’t have been ‘Spartan’, right?) 5 kilometre race at the military barrack assault course with some interesting additions.

On top of a LONG dark tunnel to crawl through, streams to splodge through, burning bales to jump over and mud to crawl through we had a very cold swim (about 30 metres) in the lake and a succession of hills to run up…and down!

But we survivied! Crispin, Sarah, Chris and honorary CSKD member Ian all rejoiced at the end at gaining our medal (and an additional bloody nose for Crispin who seemed to forget all ukemi skills). The pugil stick wielders felled Crispin, onto his nose (I simply screamed, "Not the face! Not the face!".) He took it in good sport though and after tea and sausage sarnies we felt warm enough to ..go home!

Nice one everyone. Especially Crispin who ran it all in his dogi…

Video Blog: Not Doing Anything

I get questions about Chi

I got a question from Christa, she wrote, Good morning Master Thomas. I was wondering if I could bother you for your take on what chi is. I didn't believe in it before I started martial arts and I dont want the wrong belief in place of no belief...

This is how I answered:

Well... The word chi has many meanings, so there is no one definition possible (for example, in Japanese "gen-ki" refers to physical health). But here are some ways I think about it:

First, the word chi is equivalent to the word prana, is equivalent to the word ruach, is equivalent to the word pneuma, is equivalent to the word spiritus, all of which mean breath, all of which mean spirit, and all of which could mean the animating principle of life. So, the word chi-gung means "breath work", and, in its basic form, it is (just) a series of breathing exercises.

If we speak in terms of physics, we say (E=MC[squared]) that everything is just energy. Even what we call matter, is just energy. Particles are just energy. To put it in non-scientific language, everything is made of light.

Now, when I reach my hand out to grab a glass, I am moving and directing energy by conscious intent. When I slow my breathing down, or meditate, or calm down an intense emotional state, or work up emotional agitation, I am manipulating energy by conscious intent.

We also believe that it is possible to move energy around in the body by conscious intent, and even to consciously extend energy beyond the apparent material boundaries of our bodies. And this we refer to using the term chi-gung.

Personally, when I do chi-gung, I bind it to my spiritual work (and here I mean "spiritual" in the religious sense). I don't have time or inclination to practice a breathing exercise, then practice an energy-mind-intention-projection exercise, then engage in a spiritual discipline like contemplative prayer. So, I incorporate a traditional breath-prayer in my chi-gung and try to accomplish all these things at once. This works well for me.

And I got a question from Dave, who wrote, How do you explain chi to christians? I am one but some of the "brouthern" think Im headed to you know where thanks for any help

This is how I answered:

Personally, I simply talk about energy from a physics perspective. Everything is energy, even what we call "matter". So, if I reach out my hand to touch someone, I am moving energy by conscious intent. We know that energy also radiates out bodies in the form of light (mostly infrared, but some visible light as well), radio waves, microwaves, em-fields, etc. In the martial arts, we simply believe that it is possible to direct some of these radiating energies by conscious intent, as well.

Then, I emphasize that the practice of chi does not involve call upon any false gods or spirits for assistance, or putting faith in any other God but God.

But, mostly, I just allow people to see my faith and my faithfulness. If they choose to be narrow-minded I cannot change that. If they choose to judge me, well, they are not my judge, before my own Master I will stand or fall (and stand I will, for He will make me stand [Rm 14]).

Hope this helps a bit.

Today I will be studio answering questions on video blog. I expect them to start posting right away (even though I will be in France teaching – see you soon, Jean-Paul).

Thanks for reading.

Now, go train!

CT

Left-handed training

Traditionally, jiu-jitsu is performed right-handed: "there are no left-handed swordsmen in Japan".  The jiu-jitsu syllabus is large enough that for self-defence purposes ambidextrosity is not required for many techniques: need the left-handed version of a technique?  Use something else instead.

On the other hand(!) judo techniques are often practiced on the non-preferred side -- hidari in Japanese -- thereby developing the body evenly on both sides.

For me, one of the best reasons to practice left-handed is to increase one's focus on what you're doing.  A reasonably well-grooved technique suddenly becomes challenging again.  I find myself changing from side-to-side, engaging in self-observation and self-teaching as I work to transfer the technique to the other side.  And the best thing ... the original migi side inevitably benefits too.

Other reasons to practice left-handed:

• Injury: sometimes its unsafe to work on the regular side
• Rehab: I have been working on one of my Chinese boxing weapon sets left-handed to try to stretch and strengthen a shoulder that appears to have sustained a (mild) injury
• Teaching ploy: One of my students, who had previously been programmed to do a very different (Olympic judo) version of a throw, is learning our version in hidari first, as a stepping stone

In sum, I recommend occasionally training on the non-preferred side, as opposed to: never (traditional), 50-50, or mainly non-preferred (a competition-oriented strategy).

What Constitutes Winning?

What constitutes winning? Every sporting contest defines this before the game begins. But, in self defense, what does it mean to win? Who decides this? What does it mean for us when others impose their answers on us?

A martial artist might be attacked on the street, and execute a picture perfect round kick to the attacker's head. Bam, just like in the movies. Just like in the dojo. The ideal of winning – ippon! But, suddenly that same martial artist might find himself being judged guilty of the use of excessive force. After all, a martial artist, a black belt, should have some restraint. I mean, my goodness, he kicked him in the head (DA's and jurors often have unrealistic notions of what constitutes a reasonable response to attack, and what reasonable people actually do in the moment of actual threat).

And then there are the armchair critics. There are always those who say, "You should have done this..." Or, "I wouldn't have done that..." It is easy to imagine what we would or wouldn't do, but in the actual moment, what we actually do may be quite different from our fantasy. When I talk to people who have survived assaults, they often do this to themselves, saying, "I should have done this or that." I am usually the one saying, "You did great! The fact that you are standing here today proves that you are stronger than your attacker."

So, questions of winning and losing are about not only the moment of assault, but also about what happens later. Consider this scenario, a women is raped. In one version of the scene, the women chooses to endure the outrage to survive, so she does not fight back. In another version of the scene, the woman decides to fight back – survive or die, to fight back. So she fights, she struggles, she bites, she scratches, and for her resistance she gets punched into incapacity, suffering a broken jaw, a broken rib, and multiple bruises in addition to being raped. Now, if we define winning as survival with a minimum of injury, the woman who chose to endure to survive has come out ahead of the women who chose to fight. However,...

Later the women are at the hospital being examined for forensic evidence. In the emotional aftermath of the assault, the first women is saying, "I was so scared, I just wanted it to be over. I just disconnected from my body. It was like I was watching from afar. I felt so helpless." And the second women is saying, "I couldn't stop the son-of-a-bitch, but I gave him something to remember. He may be stronger than me, but I wasn't going to let him rape me without a fight. Check my fingernails, I know I have his DNA there. And start looking for a guy with scratches and teeth marks."

So, who is in a better position to survive the long term effects of the rape? There is no right answer to the question of whether to fight back, or to endure to survive. And there is no right answer to the question of what it means to win under these circumstances. There is only the answer each of us chooses for our own selves. My only suggestion is to choose ahead of time, to be mentally prepared. But, remember, if you are attacked and things don't go the way you imagined they, you have the right to redefine what it means for you to win.

Thanks for reading,

Now, go train.

CT

P.S. There is still time to send me questions to answer for you on a series of video blogs I will be recording and posting soon. Just send your question to me at christhomasmartialarts@gmail.com

Well done

Congratulations to everyone from Monash Caulfield who presented for the mid-2010 gradings (all successful!): Anthony, Lisa, Lejoe, Damian, Ash, John, Lizzie, and Soksan.

Almost everyone graded in both jiu-jitsu and judo, and several did multiple grades.  This was by far the biggest group who have graded from Caulfield, and all set a great example through their dedication and hard work.

Well done also to all the other students who graded across our Federation.

 I cannot stress enough how helpful it is to one's progress to be part of a group who are training together.  Cooperative learning and friendly competition are boons in this regard.

Holiday run at beautiful Yorkshire coast

Photo 1 (see map marker), facing North

View Filey Bay run in a larger map

Photo 2, facing South

Lessons in Character

Some excellent writing on courtesy, humility, and example-setting from Charles C. Goodin's Karate Thoughts blog.  Start with these:

1. Character 1-2-3
2. Domo arigato sensei

These lessons don't just apply to karate, but (hopefully!) to all martial arts, and to living a good life.

The "Steven Seagal" technique

I recently learned that one of our restraint and control techniques, which officially goes by the (not very descriptive) name of "wristlock technique" has gained an unofficial moniker: the Steven Seagal technique, referring to a scene from the critically panned Under Siege 2.  If someone can send me a link to the requisite bit on YouTube I would be grateful, and will share.

Then last night at training I demonstrated a knife disarm and threw the knife "out of play", apparently with a Seagal-like flourish.  So now we have two Steven Seagal techniques.

Here's a nice demo that Seagal did in 1982 on The Merv Griffin Show:



It includes some weapons self-defence, and kenjitsu at the end.  Note how, after taking the weapon from his assailant, he always indicates "the finish".

Nage Practice

Ok, so this may seem tame to experienced throwees but it was a first for me!

(I'm the one being 'thrown'.)

Defending the cows - with judo

A former student -- he may well return! -- sent me a link to a real-life judo in the news story:

Judo-trained dairy owner sees off armed youths

A Levin dairy owner used his judo skills to fend off would-be robbers pointing a pistol at his head.

Playford foodmarket owner Tushar Patel was walking out of his Bledisloe St dairy at 1.25pm on Sunday when he saw four young men, two wearing balaclavas, about to enter.

He managed to dial 111 on his mobile before one of youths snatched his phone and tried to punch him in the face. 

A former judo competitor in India, he deflected the blow, grabbed his phone, and held on to his attacker's wrist.

He saw one of the group rushing towards him pointing what looked like a pistol at his head. "I thought, 'That is a bloody gun he has."'

The gunman threatened to shoot Mr Patel, prompting him to push the man he was holding towards the gunman and yell out to his neighbour to call the police. The group ran off.

"I was yelling loudly. I did not think they wanted to kill me – they wanted to rob me."

His wife, Vanita, praised her husband's bravery. "He is a little bit strong man," she said.

It was the third time the couple have been targeted. Two years ago a man threatened Mr Patel with a vegetable knife and demanded money. Mr Patel showed off a bigger knife he kept behind the counter, and the offender fled.

About two months ago a man in a balaclava, brandishing a screwdriver, demanded money before running off empty-handed.

Mr Patel urged dairy owners to be careful and protect themselves. His wife agreed: "They cannot treat you that way, steal like that, otherwise they do it every day. I am proud of my husband but I am scared now."

Two 16-year-olds had been caught, police said. The gun is thought to have been a BB gun.

Thanks, Steve.  Only in New Zealand!

* * *

Apparently I misunderstood the location of this dramatic confrontation.  Steve explained in an email:

Haha.

A dairy is what kiwis call a corner store or a milkbar.
I realise in Australia a dairy is a cow farm :)

I was wondering why these NZ-farmers were under almost incessant attack ...

Obituary - Pauline Laville Bindra 8th Dan

I received an email shot from Blitzsport with an obituary: Pauline Laville Bindra. This woman had an impressive martial arts record and had founded Blitzsport (the martial arts supplier).

She started martial arts way back when, I guess, it must have seemed an odd past time. Now, of course, it's almost mainstream or at least well known and understood.

Her obituary makes for interesting reading.

The danger of a drunken punch

Two bones broken in the face and jaw and possibly concussion from (seemingly) one unprovoked punch from a drunk bloke.

Main self defence lesson learned: stay away from drunk blokes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/panorama/hi/front_page/newsid_8190000/8190335.stm

What I look for in gradings

Over the weekend our organization had its winter gradings.   I sat on two grading panels observing and assessing students testing for jiu-jitsu and judo student grades ranging from 12th kyu to 1st kyu.

Formal testing is only part of the assessment.  Other elements include: class hours, seminar attendance, points scored in judo competition, and there sensei's recommendation.

The formal testing itself includes a physical component (demonstration of techniques and self-defence) and an oral component (knowledge and terminology).  Attitude is also assessed.

Assessment is subjective -- which is one of the reasons we typically have three black belts per panel -- but here are some of the things that I look for in grading a physical technique (easily adapted to an oral explanation):

1. Identification: Was the requested technique demonstrated?
2. Completeness: Were all the technical elements present?
3. Correctness: Were there any technical defects?
4. Control: Was the technique executed safely, or was the partner hurt or at risk of being harmed?
5. Effectiveness: How well did it work?
6. Efficiency: Was excessive effort or superfluous movement used?
7. Improvisation: If the student encountered problems, how well was (s)he able to recover?
8. Depth: Was non-basic knowledge shown: e.g. variation(s), unusual detail?
9. Grace: Overall flow, fluidity and grace

* * *

One of the things that I have been able to do at my club has been to prepare students for their first grading with a mock grading.  This familiarises them with the format, and allows me to pick up on glaring defects just-in-time.  Also: When several students have the same issue it points to a common source: their teacher!

Now that the class is growing, I think that next grading season I'll try something that helped me in my early years of learning jiu-jitsu and judo: an in-house mock grading session with the students getting a chance to sit on the panel and assess, as well as to be tested.  It should be good.

Teaching children martial arts

I've taught children as part of regular Tang Soo Do practice for about ten years. As with lots of other martial arts, higher grades are expected to take small groups of lower grades to instruct them on syllabus as part of the class. This is done under the auspices of the presiding black belt who will instruct on which aspect of the syllabus should be covered. This way the students can work towards their next grading, filling in gaps where necessary.

Since November 2009 I've been helping out Master AC with the children's class: something I really enjoy. I take the entire class of juniors (including some dads) for an hour before the senior class starts. This means I can focus on giving the children appropriate instruction tailored to little minds and bodies. The age range varies greatly, which makes the job difficult, but half way through I regularly get help from adult black belts who arrive early for their class and who are willing to help out.

What I like to do is use half an hour of warm ups and games and exercises to convey some principles of the art. The kids like this as they don't think they're learning as such but do exercise broad principles such as balance, body awareness, spatial appreciation, striking in a particular way with correct posture and energy direction. At half time I use the idea from Shorinji Kempo where we sit and I'll chat to them about philosophy in very broad terms. It also gives them a chance to drink (I oblige them to bring a bottle of water with them). this 'philosophy' moment is also ideal for talking about physiology, why we are training and guiding them in ideas about martial arts generally. It might sometime involve a 'classic' martial arts story.

The second half is more technical and focuses on combinations, partner work and hyung. It's here I need the help of other black belts so I can split the class into age groups.

Recently, though, I found I have a problem. Master AC assessed the class for the next grading and found they most of them didn't know their syllabus well enough. It seems I'm good at imparting general principles and keeping the children excited and interested in Tang Soo Do but not so good at drilling them on syllabus. I've over focused on giving them what I think of as a good martial arts experience without training them in the more technical aspects which I thought would be more boring for them.

So this is my new challenge! Trying to maintain a more traditional syllabus and keeping the children involved and interested. Everything we need to learn can be found in hyung (kata) so I need to look here again and start breaking it down for them. That's how karate was originally passed on and there are so many interesting applications within the hyungs that I'm sure I'll find a way.

I have the summer to think about it and turn a failure into a success...

Sue's article on teaching children:

http://kickasssuec.blogspot.com/2010/07/teaching-karate-to-young-children.html

Lipstick

Two friends of mine had the opportunity to train with Taika Oyata-sensei (whom I have never had the pleasure of meeting). They were the only two people in the room who were not from Oyata's group. Everyone else was wearing the characteristic gi of Oyata's Ryu-te school, which consists of a jacket similar to a standard karate jacket, tucked into a a pair of matching nobakama (similar to the ones I mentioned in a previous post, though a bit less traditional). Oyata-sensei walked up to my friends to greet them. He pointed at their black belts, then motioned across his lips, and said, "Lipstick! That's liiip-stiick." What a great sentiment, because it's true. Our belts are for dress-up.

I have noticed that we have made a great business out of rank in the martial arts. What rank someone is becomes of vital importance. "Are you a black belt?" Is always the first question. Our belts are around our waists to make sure everyone knows where we fit in the pecking order, to make sure everyone knows our rank. And dan exams nowadays are nothing more than rights of passage. When a student is allowed to test, the instructor has already decided to promote them. If they make it through the hazing, excuse me, I mean testing process, they will receive the promotion. And if they do not make it through the hazing, I mean testing process, they will still receive the promotion.

When I was 17, it was announced at my dojo that Matayoshi Nakayama-sensei would be visiting from Japan in the fall. Included in his visit would be a dan exam. At that time, I had been a brown belt for about 2 1/2 years. The prospect of testing for black belt (black belt testing occurred only once or twice per year) under the chief instructor of the style was wondrous to me. And so, like other candidates, I worked for 6 months to get ready. I trained a minimum of 10 hours a week in the dojo, working hard on every requirement. As the test date drew near, it became well known at my high school (I was a senior) that I was testing, so all my friends and classmates were wishing me good luck and their best hopes, not to mention the support of my family.

During the test I was nervous but prepared. I performed each of the elements with the confidence of 4 1/2 years of training, the last 6 months of which were devoted specifically to hard preparation for that test. After the test, dojo-mates told me how well I did, and expressed assurances about the outcome. The outcome was announced at a formal dinner in a Japanese restaurant. We were seated on cushions at low tables, in a large tatami covered room (divide-able with sliding doors which had been removed to accommodate the crowd). After the meal, there were various announcements. Nakayama-sensei was given gifts, including an ancient iron tsuba (sword guard). And finally, the rankings were announced.

They began with the names of those who were being awarded provisional black belt rankings (with rank tests so few and far between, this was not uncommon). I remember thinking how I hoped my name would not be among that group, and it wasn't. The announcement continued with the names of those being promoted to 1st dan. As each name was called, there was applause and congratulations. Then, as they moved on to the second dan promotions, it hit me, I had failed my black belt test. All those months of intense training, all that effort, all the assurances of my dojo-mates, all the people(!) who would be asking me if I passed, and I had failed.

Monday at school was awful. "Did you pass?" No. "How'd you do?" I failed. Monday night at the dojo wasn't much better. There I was, back in that brown belt (I hate brown belts, the color of sh*t, because being a brown belt is sh*tty), doing the same things all over again. Punches, kicks, basics, kata, sparring. I had failed my test, and I was clearly doomed to be a brown belt forever. What was the point of even continuing this karate thing?

Since that first dan exam, I have taken other dan exams. And that first test was not the only one I failed, though, clearly, I've passed some as well. But, failing that first test turned out to be incredibly valuable for me. By failing, I knew that passing wasn't a "gimme". I was being held to a standard, and I would either meet that standard or not. And failing forced me to ask myself what I was training for. Was my goal in karate just to attain a black belt? Was it just about that piece of cloth, that status? Was I a dan-chaser, or was I a martial artist?

After 40 years in the martial arts, I mostly agree with Oyata-sensei – lipstick. But, I actually like my belt, though I don't really like my rank. With the amount of talent and skill I see in my many colleagues, I usually feel over-ranked. But I do like my belt. It is tattered and worn, and that says something about my training and my values. The belt is a record of my years. However, I am getting older, and a bit wider in the middle, so now, when I knot my belt, it is starting to look a bit like a bow tie. So, I suppose I need to get a new (read longer) belt, and then wear that one out. Or maybe, I'll just go with nobakama like Oyata-sensei. And then, maybe not, because nobakama make my butt look fat.

Thanks for reading.

Now go train.

CT

Long beach and sand dune run

This 5 mile run cleared my head and helped my knotted shoulders relax.

Extremely enjoyable with flora and fauna bouncing around like a Disney film.

This little fella was smaller than my little finger nail.

Shame about the power station....

View Blue Lagoon run in a larger map

Taking Your Questions

I've been getting questions. Folks have been shooting me questions through my Facebook Fan Page. But, everyone doesn't get to share in the answers. So, during the month of August, I'm taking your questions, and starting the first week of September, I'll be answering them in video clips on my blog. Please send your questions to my email address, christhomasmartialarts@gmail.com, and then watch the answers.

Thanks in advance for your questions.

Now, go train.

CT

FOOSH!

The acronym of the day is FOOSH.  It stands for Falling On OutStretched Hand.  John Coles has written an informative post on FOOSH injuries.

I just like the sound of the word.  Say it out loud: "FOOSH".  But I bet that's not what you would say if you sustained a FOOSH injury!

This is what a FOOSH injury looks like:

Ouch!!  Search YouTube for "skateboard wrist break" for more disasters.  Link.

This old post explains how the judo alternative, trained breakfalls, can lower the risk of FOOSH in day-to-day life.

Self-defence technique meets 1920s chic

Fabulous clip of 7 stone (44.5 kg) Miss May Whitley giving a lightning introduction to the role of unbalancing  in jiu-jitsu  before throwing her good friend "the bandit" repeatedly onto a hard stage floor.  Be sure to watch with the sound turned up to enjoy her wonderful accent and his howls of pain:



Attacks and jiu-jitsu counters demonstrated:

1. Handbag snatch: Arm-lock plus projection throw
2. Rear choke: 1st shoulder throw (kata seoi)
3. Straight punch: Reverse arm-bar (waki-gatame)
4. Front kick: Inner-rear sweeping throw
5. Front choke: Circle throw (tomoe nage)

Thanks to Sue for highlighting this clip and more on her blog.

Simply spiffing: what, what!?

More Mifune

Here's some 90-year-old footage: judo randori from 1922 featuring a young Kyuzo Mifune (then only a fifth dan!) in action.



Lovely throws: fluid yet powerful, opportunistic rather than pre-planned.  This is what we should be striving for!