Please take a moment to read this post first, i.e. "A Different Perspective," before diving into this blog. Your comments, suggestions and participation are greatly appreciated.

Please take a look at Notable Quotes, enjoy.

Please take a look at the bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Warning, Caveat and Note: The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.


“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne

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Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


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Friday, February 27, 2015

The Reality of “Ki!”

Caveat: This post is mine and mine alone. I the author of this blog assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this post. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding.)

Ki is real, absolutly and truthfully it is as real as breathing, seeing and hearing. It is NOT some mystical fantasyland mumbo jumbo you hear about on the Internet but a real thing, it is literally “energy.”

Energy is just present in the universe unless it is “generated.” Some physics oriented process needs to be present and occur to generate energy. If energy is ki and we do have and generate energy/ki in our bodies and minds then how does this work.

First, the generator power source is the mind (spirit, attitude, motivation, esteem, etc. all fuels for the mind). Our instinctual brain, lizard brain, controls a lot of the bodies mechanisms such as breathing naturally, seeing, hearing, heart beats and so on. How our mind works is important as well, positive and negative thought processes effect our ability to generate energy/ki. How we think and how the mind build that base according to such things as family influences growing up, societal influences as well as we go through life and of course our deliberate training and practice toward the development of the mind, body and spirit. 

When we are exhausted, muscles fatigued, and we are under the influences of the adrenal flood our minds make the determination as to whether we go on or simply quit. The mind is the most powerful tool we have in life, it literally generates all that we do both internally and externally, Therefore I have come to believe that our mind is how we run the generator of our energy/ki.

So, now you might be wondering, what is the generator of energy/ki? The body, it is the manipulations of our body in actions as we walk, run and act in our daily lives. Martial arts are about learning to control and use our bodies efficiently and that means efficient use of the energy generated by our bodies as controlled by our minds. 

The body/mind needs fuel and that is where our activities in fuel consumption come in. We need various types of fuels. First, we need air, air is the bellows of the furnace that generates energy/ki. How and what we consume as to food stuff matters in how we are able to generate energy/ki. The digestive processes are affected by the fuel consumed and that means those processes matter as to what fuel and what kind of fuel gets into the body. Look at it as either “high-test” or “regular” or “unleaded.” 

Pause: sounds a lot like high school biology doesn’t it?

Body energy/ki generation truly begins its work through the processes the body takes in motion for motion is the process that generates energy/ki. It is how the blood flows through our bodies carrying the fuels to the cells that make our muscles, tendons, cartilage, etc. work and it is the motions we use along with external effects such as resistance to movement that create stronger bodies and greater energies/ki.

Some may think now that if this is so why can’t we generate that energy/ki and project it outside our bodies at other things? It is about nature, the Universe, the laws of physics and many other things, in other words “it ain’t possible in this universe!”

Ki, lets use that to represent energy/ki for brevity, is not some mystical energy that makes us super human but simply a process of interconnecting and applying principles of the mind, body and spirit toward maximizing our physical and mental potential. It is a bit like saying we humans only use a very small portion of our brain capacity so it is true to the capacity of our mind and bodies contributing to the depth and breadth of our spirit. It is a matter of learning how our bodies achieve ki development and than exploiting that knowledge to enhance, build and apply it in all we do.

Our ki is transferred in martial arts by our abilities to blend into a cohesive one the fundamental principles of martial arts like structure. It is known by some professionals that the ultimate strike comes not from muscles, tendons and cartilage’s but from the alignment of our structure along with energy generation as discussed along with the movement of the body of mass, speed and force. Maintaining alignment of the skeletal system actually produces more power and force of a strike than the strike that is tensed at and into/through impact at the target, the snap punch for instance. It is the most difficult aspect of martial arts to master and the most difficult to actually apply in real life conflict and violence. 

Ki is the efficient maximization of the mind, body and spirit. If we are able to make all of it align in the chaos of life we find that we can do anything within the laws of physics and the laws of the Universe. 

In addition, this comes to martial artists as the begin this journey in the form of the ken-po goku-i, especially the first two lines about the circulation of our ki along with inferences to heaven and earth, sun and moon, etc. 

Ki is real, it is manifested in all living things, it is the energy that makes us run and it is controllable indirectly by our practices, training, education and experiences. Take a trip to a fully qualified and experienced Chinese acupuncturist and/or medial professional and you can begin to understand how the terms ki, Japanese, and chi, Chinese, came into use for health, fitness and long life (long life often came from prowess as a military professional or warrior).

Supplemental Reading for Ki/Energy:
Enburyoku

Primary Bibliography of Self-Defense:
MacYoung, Marc. "In the Name of Self-Defense: What It Costs. When It’s Worth It." Marc MacYoung. 2014.
Miller, Rory Sgt. "Meditations of Violence: A Comparison of Martial Arts Training & Real World Violence" YMAA Publishing. 2008.

Secondary Bibliography of Self-Defense:
Ayoob, Massad. “Deadly Force: Understanding Your Right to Self-Defense”Gun Digest Books. Krouse Publications. Wisconsin. 2014.
Goleman, Daniel. "Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Edition [Kindle Edition]." Bantam. January 11, 2012.
Miller, Rory. "ConCom: Conflict Communications A New Paradigm in Conscious Communication." Amazon Digital Services, Inc. 2014. 
Miller, Rory and Kane, Lawrence A. "Scaling Force: Dynamic Decision-making under Threat of Violence." YMAA Publisher. New Hampshire. 2012
Miller, Rory. "Force Decisions: A Citizen's Guide." YMAA Publications. NH. 2012.
Miller, Rory Sgt. "Facing Violence: Preparing for the Unexpected." YMAA Publishing. 2011.
Elgin, Suzette Haden, Ph.D. "More on the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense." Prentice Hall. New Jersey. 1983.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Last Word on the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" Barnes & Noble. 1995
Morris, Desmond. “Manwatching: A Field Guide to Human Behavior.” Harry N. Abrams. April 1979.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" Barnes & Noble. 1993.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Gentle Art of Written Self-Defense" MJF Books. 1997.
Maffetone, Philip Dr. “The Maffetone Method: The Holistic, Low-stress, No-Pain Way to Exceptional Fitness.” McGraw Hill, New York. 2000
Strong, Sanford. “Strong on Defense_ Survival Rules to Protect you and your Family from Crime.” Pocket Books. New York. 1996.
and more … see blog bibliography.
Jahn, C. R. “FTW Self Defense.” iUniverse. Amazon Digital Services. 2012
Jahn, C. R. “Hardcore Self Defense.” iUniverse. Amazon Digital Services. 2002.

My Blog Bibliography
Cornered Cat (Scratching Post): http://www.corneredcat.com/scratching-post/
Kodokan Boston: http://kodokanboston.org
Mario McKenna (Kowakan): http://www.kowakan.com
Wim Demeere’s Blog: http://www.wimsblog.com

Monday, February 23, 2015

Dojo Hierarchal Makeup

Caveat: This post is mine and mine alone. I the author of this blog assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this post. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding.)

The dojo hierarchal make up with Sensei at the top and the various senpai and kohai throughout is actually, to my perspective, a social monkey dynamic where status, etc., are dominant. If this assessment is true it goes a long way to explain why there is so much monkey antics in the martial arts communities. 

When you read some of the materials I recommend in my bibliography about the differences between the social and asocial conflict and violence you will find references to the monkey brain and a lot of the status seeking type monkey crap you find is often about a hierarchal model where folks are trying to impress the higher ups along with competing to gain status in the group. 

It seems that when entering a dojo with a hierarchal model typically thought of as traditional martial practices you will see a variety monkey-ish behaviors that relate to the descriptions of the monkey dances, group dynamics and status driven controls. 

In the best of worlds where one seeks out self-defense it might also best serve that model of martial arts by seeking out training facilities that don’t cater to a typical traditional hierarchal model with sensei, senpai and kohai along with the belt structure. It seems, on the surface, that having a social conflict and violence model present and influencing such a training program kind of contradicts itself by having a status driven group hierarchal model so when teaching about self-defense, before the physical disciplines most focus on, you don’t consciously or unconsciously teach a contradictory way. Am I making any sense here. 

It seems to me that once you join a self-defense program that does not cater to a social C/V (conflict/violence) model it will be apparent that those already in the class already have more experience, in the class, then you so it should be apparent that you listen first until you have time and experience with the other members, i.e., a self imposed respect model for those who came before you. Just think about it, one of the self-defense requirements I think of regards what some of the authors below call, “Conflict Communications,” and that means once you have established yourself with the others (yes, I do realize this is a form of group dynamics but that is how survival is achieved with humans and survival in the training program still requires that instinct because we are humans) then you can gradually insert yourself more in the group without miscommunicating something that is not allowed by that group.

Yes, now that you are reading it you are saying, “But, your advocating the social model that is often composed of the monkey dance, etc., right?” No, I am not because I am talking about allowing the human brain to control self in a group like this rathe that competing with the group for status and so forth. It is more about taking personal responsibilities by learning about such things then using those tools to insinuating yourself into the group gradually and with the minimal amount of friction, i.e., by assuming a role with active listening, respect and just being a nice person you earn the acceptance and through your actions you earn their notice so when you finally speak up they will listen rather than putting the new guy in his place (can anyone say a beat-down that can be verbal/psychological or an actual beat-down).

Maybe I am not articulating this right. It is about removing the outward manifestations of a rigid group dynamic of a hierarchal model that many assume is a traditional martial art dojo for a less conflict prone model that is controlled by the individual over the group itself. How one enters into such a model makes a huge difference, don’t you think?

Remove the belt system, remove the titles such a sensei, senpai and kohai, etc., and remove the competitive aspects found in sport models, i.e., with winners and losers. Everyone in the class is equal and the newbies are respectful of that until they have taken the time to listen, learn and adjust accordingly. Then, with a type of communications that foster knowledge and learning by all concerned, i.e., example, in lieu of statements use questions about everything to foster listening and positive communications that stimulate thinking, theorizing and seeking truth of fact rather than just a belief. 

In a nutshell, from my perspective, creating a dojo hierarchal model with all its trappings tends to create a group dynamic that can and often does foster monkey brain social conflict and violence type activities (not in all cases, but in a lot of them). 

Many of the discontents I have witnessed over the years now seems to be from our use of such trappings and in the end that stagnates the type of growth potential often philosophized in the dojo through quotes and sound-bites be seldom carried out in actions, examples and deeds of those who practice, training and believe. Isn’t that simply succumbing to the monkey? Isn’t it possible that in this way we can actually train, practice and apply MA using our human brains instead? Does one actually teach us to live the monkey rather than the human in all of us?

Primary Bibliography of Self-Defense:
MacYoung, Marc. "In the Name of Self-Defense: What It Costs. When It’s Worth It." Marc MacYoung. 2014.
Miller, Rory Sgt. "Meditations of Violence: A Comparison of Martial Arts Training & Real World Violence" YMAA Publishing. 2008.

Secondary Bibliography of Self-Defense:
Ayoob, Massad. “Deadly Force: Understanding Your Right to Self-Defense”Gun Digest Books. Krouse Publications. Wisconsin. 2014.
Goleman, Daniel. "Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Edition [Kindle Edition]." Bantam. January 11, 2012.
Miller, Rory. "ConCom: Conflict Communications A New Paradigm in Conscious Communication." Amazon Digital Services, Inc. 2014. 
Miller, Rory and Kane, Lawrence A. "Scaling Force: Dynamic Decision-making under Threat of Violence." YMAA Publisher. New Hampshire. 2012
Miller, Rory. "Force Decisions: A Citizen's Guide." YMAA Publications. NH. 2012.
Miller, Rory Sgt. "Facing Violence: Preparing for the Unexpected." YMAA Publishing. 2011.
Elgin, Suzette Haden, Ph.D. "More on the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense." Prentice Hall. New Jersey. 1983.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Last Word on the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" Barnes & Noble. 1995
Morris, Desmond. “Manwatching: A Field Guide to Human Behavior.” Harry N. Abrams. April 1979.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" Barnes & Noble. 1993.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Gentle Art of Written Self-Defense" MJF Books. 1997.
Maffetone, Philip Dr. “The Maffetone Method: The Holistic, Low-stress, No-Pain Way to Exceptional Fitness.” McGraw Hill, New York. 2000
Strong, Sanford. “Strong on Defense_ Survival Rules to Protect you and your Family from Crime.” Pocket Books. New York. 1996.
and more … see blog bibliography.
Jahn, C. R. “FTW Self Defense.” iUniverse. Amazon Digital Services. 2012
Jahn, C. R. “Hardcore Self Defense.” iUniverse. Amazon Digital Services. 2002.
Jahn, C. R. “Warrior Wisdom.” iUniverse. Amazon Digital Services. 2012.

My Blog Bibliography
Cornered Cat (Scratching Post): http://www.corneredcat.com/scratching-post/
Kodokan Boston: http://kodokanboston.org
Mario McKenna (Kowakan): http://www.kowakan.com
Wim Demeere’s Blog: http://www.wimsblog.com

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Making the Distinction between Martial Arts and Pseudo-Martial Arts

Caveat: This post is mine and mine alone. I the author of this blog assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this post. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding.)

It has come to me that there is a distinction in martial arts that makes a difference in that martial art, the distinction is about the combative/self-defense aspects of a martial art. In order to achieve validity in a martial art meant to be utilized as a means of self-defense you must make one very big distinction, that of reality.

Now, that brings up the question of “What reality?” Reality that brings the martial art from the pseudo-martial level up to the actual martial level necessary for, in a civil environment, self-defense. I use civil since the majority of self-defense is applied in a civil type environment. When it comes to hand-to-hand combat be it military or civil authorities like police, security professionals, EMT’s, correctional professionals, etc., then those tend to have different realities in application. 

Reality in a civil sense of self-defense involves a certain type of Reality Simulation based adrenal flooding experience system or community that exposes a practitioner to all those emotional, psychological, physical, chemical things that are the missing link between pseudo-martial arts and Reality Simulation based civil self-defense martial arts. 

This distinction is difficult to achieve in martial arts training and practice today. We are so caught up in the sport aspects and a lack of real-life experience in conflict and violence that the sport many times cannot translate to self-defense even when it actually works. When it actually works it more often than not, if you are lucky, takes you way out of the self-defense circle. When it actually works it is more often than not involved in a social situation. When it actually fails it will most likely be in those asocial predatory process/resource situations involving aggressive, sudden, fast, hard, surprising, close and explosive attacks. It should be noted that this simplistic example and explanation barely begins to cover the vastness of the subject. 

We spend a great effort telling ourselves and others about our martial arts that leaves most assuming our meaning is the same as what their minds perceptions of martial arts means driving the misconceptions that permeate almost all martial arts disciplines. In “reality” we all mostly study, train and practice a pseudo-martial art and if we truly want to achieve self-defense we have to consciously take that leap toward true reality martial arts by accepting and embracing that additional training, practice, application and experience through the Reality Simulation based no bullshit training. 

Here is a good start (note: most of these authors provide in their bibliography places that specialize in Reality Simulation based adrenal flood inducing types of training and practice as well as provide you clues on how you can test your ability in ways that simulate such training.):

Primary Bibliography of Self-Defense:
MacYoung, Marc. "In the Name of Self-Defense: What It Costs. When It’s Worth It." Marc MacYoung. 2014.
Miller, Rory Sgt. "Meditations of Violence: A Comparison of Martial Arts Training & Real World Violence" YMAA Publishing. 2008.

Secondary Bibliography of Self-Defense:
Ayoob, Massad. “Deadly Force: Understanding Your Right to Self-Defense”Gun Digest Books. Krouse Publications. Wisconsin. 2014.
Goleman, Daniel. "Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Edition [Kindle Edition]." Bantam. January 11, 2012.
Miller, Rory. "ConCom: Conflict Communications A New Paradigm in Conscious Communication." Amazon Digital Services, Inc. 2014. 
Miller, Rory and Kane, Lawrence A. "Scaling Force: Dynamic Decision-making under Threat of Violence." YMAA Publisher. New Hampshire. 2012
Miller, Rory. "Force Decisions: A Citizen's Guide." YMAA Publications. NH. 2012.
Miller, Rory Sgt. "Facing Violence: Preparing for the Unexpected." YMAA Publishing. 2011.
Elgin, Suzette Haden, Ph.D. "More on the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense." Prentice Hall. New Jersey. 1983.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Last Word on the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" Barnes & Noble. 1995
Morris, Desmond. “Manwatching: A Field Guide to Human Behavior.” Harry N. Abrams. April 1979.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" Barnes & Noble. 1993.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Gentle Art of Written Self-Defense" MJF Books. 1997.
Maffetone, Philip Dr. “The Maffetone Method: The Holistic, Low-stress, No-Pain Way to Exceptional Fitness.” McGraw Hill, New York. 2000
Strong, Sanford. “Strong on Defense_ Survival Rules to Protect you and your Family from Crime.” Pocket Books. New York. 1996.
and more … see blog bibliography.

My Blog Bibliography
Cornered Cat (Scratching Post): http://www.corneredcat.com/scratching-post/
Kodokan Boston: http://kodokanboston.org
Mario McKenna (Kowakan): http://www.kowakan.com
Wim Demeere’s Blog: http://www.wimsblog.com

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Zen Koans - Karate Koans - Quotes

Caveat: This post is mine and mine alone. I the author of this blog assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this post. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding.)

What are Zen koans? It is a terse story, dialogue, question, or statement (quote), which is used in the practice of Zen that its purpose is to stimulate thought thereby provoking within the practitioner doubt. It is also a test of the practitioners Zen progress. In Japanese the term koan is the reading of teh Chinese work gong’an. These are actually and historically connected to the ancient Chinese practices where Chinese masters would quote stories with practitioners (disciples) then make a comment on it with the purpose of educating students and broaden their insight into the teachings.

The karate koan for practitioners of “Ti” would be the “ken-po goku-i” often presented to practitioners to also broaden their insight into the teachings of martial arts as well as educate. When studied and as practitioners grow, learn and experience both life and martial arts then often perceive different things from the gokui much like Zen disciples of the Buddhist teachings. 

For the most modern of us there is also the variety and sources of martial quotes. These quotes are not meant to be taken literally and singularly but rather as a type of martial koan that stimulates thinking, study and experience building practices. All to often they are taken literally and figuratively as stand alone sound-bites of wisdom but they are not that, they are simply quotes of insight from teachers to educate and provide insight that allows the student/practitioner to go beyond the basics both in life and martial arts. 

For instance, this quote is meant to stimulate thought, thinking and the creation of theories and ideas much like using a hypothesis in a scientific experiment to find the truth about that hypothesis. The quote from martial historians, sensei, senpai and kohai, etc., are small terse stories that stimulate and promote progress and growth in each of us.

“I feel strongly the truth of one’s belief that the answers one gives to life’s crucial questions are never truly spontaneous; they are the embodiment of years of contextual experience, of the building of patterns in each of our lives that eventually grow to dominate our behavior.” - Kreizler

Quotes taken alone and without contemplative meditative thought tend to be an obstacle to progress and practitioners actually stagnate in practice, training and especially teaching martial arts fully and completely. 


Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Good Martial Arts Self-Defense

Caveat: This post is mine and mine alone. I the author of this blog assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this post. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding.)

What makes for a good MASD? Well, basically it is a combination of three things; training, experience and talent. In order to determine if one has the talent of a good MASD they first have to accumulate good training and experience. Then if they show “talent” that has to be built through other means then simply training and gaining experience. 

This brings up the questions, “What type of training?, What type of experience?, and What is talent?” Interesting questions that like most topics of this nature will stimulate discussions of a heated nature for decades and even centuries. 

Training will require adherence to the requirements of at least three different yet alike fundamentals of the physical, the mental and the spiritual. That is not all of it but at least at a novice level those most necessary for a modicum of proficiency. A modicum of proficiency may carry the day in a sport and in most ways martial arts are practiced in modern times but to achieve a true level of MASD, that takes more - a whole lot more. (Hint: that is why I have added in another set of fundamental principles of martial systems for self-defense)

Experience is not just about accumulation of hours in practice, in the dojo. It is about actual reality based training along with real life experience handling conflict and violence. Not too many get that kind of experience in modern society. This is the same obstacle that many military endure before their troops can actually gain what is often referred to as “combat experience.” 

Training and experience both require an ongoing level of education and knowledge also not often found in modern martial arts dojo, training halls or practice halls. It is about taking it beyond the mere physical and providing every facet of MASD a level of learning that will appear daunting to the practitioner. The Principles of Self-defense along with the principles of theory, technique and philosophy contribute the foundational requirements of being a good MASD. 

Talent is going to be one of the subjective concepts that is often about the individual. Some can acquire talent through the hard work, dedication and due diligence of simply working hard. It is not one of the things you can cut corners on to achieve that level of talent to make for a good MASD. It also is derived from the development of other aspects such as the spiritual - spiritual not religious in nature, a whole different topic of discussion.

In reality talent may be a product of training and experience yet it also requires something unique and mostly indescribable and that brings about the study of other aspects of MASD, specifically the terse martial art koan called the kenpou gokui (ken-po goku-i [拳法極意]). This is a personal endeavor to create and build experience that does not come from hands-on and physical and academic types of experiences. 


It is about taking a path, the way, that many mistaken for a physical window dressing way that looks good, feels good and impresses a lot of the uninitiated but to achieve true good martial arts one must dedicate the time necessary without shortcuts to achieve good martial arts. It comes down to asking yourself, “How far are you willing to go?” Don’t look to anyone else be they sensei, senpai, kohai or organization to give you the answers, look into and rely upon just one person, yourself - that is the key, the cornerstone of good martial arts. 

Winter Years for us Winter Guys

Caveat: This post is mine and mine alone. I the author of this blog assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this post. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding.)

Ever hear of that shugyo training done in some martial communities whereby training and practice are conducted in extreme weather conditions like very cold ice and snow covered environmental dojo’s? Well, shugyo exists in many forms and for those entering their winter years, approximately sixty years by Chinese standards, must endure many changes that contribute to shugyo. 

First, mentally, as in mind-set or mind-state, we have to take into consideration that as we age, our bodies change in those winter years and our minds age we have to make some adjustments so that we remain strong, energetic and proficient in our practice, training and teachings. 

Second, mind-set/mind-state is considered our strongest martial technique and to disregard that our entrance into the winter years means changes, uncontrolled and immutable, will happen. This goes for our journey through those winter years. 

An example from a personal view is recently I was practicing when I first heard then felt something like an explosion or better described as a rupture. Now, I have been a weight lifter/body builder, a Marine and a Martial Artists all my adult life and part of my more youthful years say from fifteen to nineteen and I consider myself at the very least heathy and fit. It turns out that a tendon/cartilage ruptured just above the back of my knee on the upper leg. The entire area turned black from the blood and it took months to heal enough where I could begin a light training and practice session on that leg. In my spring and summer years it would be about a week and I would be back out there plugging away but not now as I enter and travel the path of the winter martial artist. 

In case you are not fully aware, winter years for most begin at the age of sixty. This is the way some of the historical ancient classics of Asian studies equates the aging process. I have articles elsewhere about this aging stuff, i.e., spring, summer, fall and winter years for a full cycle of human life and existence. 

Part of martial arts mind-set/mind-state training is a kind of reality check. In this particular case, discussing the aging process in the winter years, we need to tell our ego that just because we can’t lift weights or run or spar like we did when we were twenty-four does not mean we are losing our capabilities as martial artists. It just means we have to change our path a bit and follow one that is conducive to our aging efficiency and proficiency. It is a bit like my Sensei would say, “As I get older I switch from being physically dominant to being a real sneaky bastard.” He was saying that to be sneaky we have to develop our full and complete martial arts where muscle is less and principles, etc., are more or rather develop a solid balance where no one aspect dominates so when one fails or is lost the others quickly fill in the void. 


I am sixty-one and that rupture really drove this home that I needed to be smart and make adjustments for a solid, enjoyable and learning path that embraces my journey through the winter years of life and it also lets us all know why martial arts properly disciplined takes us through the entire aging seasons of life. Consider this an extended winter shugyo training model.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Being Sensei (Teaching, Instructing, Mentoring - Oh my!)

Teaching/Instructing Karate

Caveat: This post is mine and mine alone. I the author of this blog assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this post. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding.)

The first important detail is knowledge of the style or system they will be teaching. This is natural and a gimme for any teaching profession. The issue that concerns most practitioners, beginners or advanced, is how do we determine the knowledge, experience, and proficiency of a karate instructor. In the end, and until some standardized format is achieved for all instructors, it will remain an individualized subjective decision.

Outside the normal need for knowledge, experience, and proficiency the instructor who teaches karate must have a set of "interpersonal skills" so they may interact with practitioners in a manner that is beneficial to both parties, instructor and practitioner. They are:

- Use of technical skills.
- Communication Skills.
- Effective Body Language.
- Empathy.
- Positive Motivation.
- Feedback.
- Silence.
- Good sense of humor.
- Be reflective.
- Don't distort or filter what they hear, etc.
- Ask open-ended questions.
- Understand and then be understood.
- Self-disclosure.

CLARIFICATION OF SKILLS:

Interpersonal communication is the manner in which information is shared or exchanged between a small number of people, whether they are same or different from each other. These can be healthy as well as harsh. Healthy Interpersonal Skills lead to creative & effective approaches to solving problems and getting work done.

To the fullest extent possible, the task of the instructor is to provide the practitioner with a level of support & guidance. All practitioners have strengths and through better Interpersonal skills instructors can utilize these strengths to enhance learning.

Use of Technical Skills: The latest method used to improve interpersonal skills is the use of technical skills, i.e. the ability to work with latest teaching aids like hojo undo equipment, makiwara or other karate equipment. The ability to demonstrate both physically and mentally those attributes that must be a part of karate training and practice. An intimate knowledge of all the skills necessary to utilize both the physical acts as well as all supplemental training methods and devices to achieve the best outcome to practice as humanly possible. This particular skill is most important as it encompasses all other skills in one teaching skill most useful in guiding practitioners on the correct path of practice as well as life. This one is best said to be teaching by example, how an instructor comports themselves with others determines the success or failure of his/her practitioners.

Communication Skills: Communication skills are most important when we talk about winning their hearts. The tone, volume, rhythm and emotions of the communicator play a vital role while dealing with practitioners. The verbal, physical, and written acts of communication must be such that confusion is limited or eliminated. Through this skill, along with others, the instructor promotes the atmosphere of trust and understanding where practitioners feel comfortable with posing questions and receiving concise and accurate answers. Instructors must adhere to the rule of, "If you don't know it, don't know the answer, say so and find the answer for later."

Effective Body Language: Body language is a quiet, secret, and a powerful tool to maintain healthy interpersonal skills. Good verbal skills combined with effective body language create interest, long-lasting impression on the minds of practitioners, and of course their involvement in the discussion. It is a very delicate balance between leading and controlling in teaching. As a knowledgeable person conveying knowledge to others it is easy to slip into a superior attitude that does not promote free exchange of information. The instructor must remain diligent in keeping a balance where their language, i.e. body and verbal, must promote a relationship of trust and ease of communication, both directions. How one stands, holds their hands, moves, facial expressions, etc. all relay a type of communication that is not always conscious to the recipient. Speaking one way while communicating something totally different by your body language promotes confusion so it is vitally important that instructors master the discipline of body language.

Empathy: Instructor’ messages must convey empathy i.e. the ability to communicate care and concern along with an understanding of the practitioners problem that is, the ability to place oneself in a position to view the problem from the practitioners perspective. In old schools this would come across as "NOT" but in reality creating the type of trusting relationship is critical since this particular type of practice involves sometimes close physical, somewhat violent, contact. We need to convey accurate response to mental, physical and sometimes emotional roadblocks much like in violent attacks where emotions along with an adrenaline dump causes all three to kick in for a freak out survival mode of performance.

Positive Motivation: Good motivation usually produces learning outcomes. Some practitioners do not know why they should perform or study a particular technique/subject. We can show applications of that technique/subject in the areas in which practitioners are interested. Thus they get motivated and take interest while practicing/studying that technique/subject. If a practitioner cannot readily see, after verbal and physical instruction/demonstration, the need and purpose that benefits them then they may gloss over important aspects. Basics or fundamentals are a good example. Most want to just get them over with so they can move on to the more exciting aspects and must understand that the fundamentals are the foundation to the best and most exciting aspects of performance and application. 

Feedback: A good instructor is genuinely interested in the practitioner’ thoughts, feelings and opinions. Feedback is one way that a instructor can tell how you are absorbing and integrating the materials. This feedback calls upon the relationship you have developed with the practitioner. Communication is always a two way street. Active listening techniques are paramount to being a good teacher. Only when you listen actively can you provide accurate, concise, relevant and genuine feedback, etc.

Silence: The ability of a instructor to use silence is usually effective. Silence here means giving a few more seconds to practitioners to respond to a query. Silence can help the practitioners as:

• Correctness of their response increase
• The number of “I don’t know" decreases.
• More number of answers
• Better performance by practitioners.

What you "do not say" can be even more important than what you say. In reality silence is enhanced by the body language, i.e. body, hands, and especially the facial, will convey volumes even when no words come out of your mouth. Silence is also an important communication skill.

Good Sense of humor: A instructor needs to have a keen sense of humor in order to keep practitioners learning & motivated. A instructor who can’t take a joke or give one, who can’t lighten up, who is too serious will not survive. Leave the strict military atmosphere in the military. Just because karate was brought to this country by military, who incorporated military discipline into their teachings, does not make it effective to a civilian oriented audience. Humor must be balanced against the need to remain in an instructor status or leadership role but still must be a trait that allows others to see that the instructor is human and foible. You cannot become their best buddy but you shouldn't become this person placed on a pedestal and worshipped or worse yet "feared."

Be reflective: Remember the party game where a story is started with one person and passed along to others with often humorous distortion? We all filter and distort what we hear. This concept helps a instructor to "pay attention" and often helps the speaker stop and think about what is being said. It's also helpful sometimes to ask your listeners to paraphrase what they think you have said. This concept helps the instructor to keep the attention of the practitioner and keep them participating in discussion. This is in truth symbiotic in nature with active listening. These techniques are used by active listeners to truly hear and understand what others say in lieu of jumping in the middle to say what you think they are alluding to only to find out you are mistaken resulting in a loss of respect and hurting the trust in the relationship.

Ask open-ended questions: Make it a goal to find out what your practitioners think, not just what they know. Ask for information using open-ended questions that begin with "How...," "What...," "When...," "Where...," and "Why." This strategy allows instructors to help clarify a given question for both the practitioner and itself. Use this technique to get them to talk and explain until you actively hear all and are able to respond in clarification to truly understand their needs and desires. Only then attempt to respond, answer, etc.

Understand and then be understood: Most practitioners don't like being told what to do 

[Spending time to think and formulate an appropriate response is vital to communication and clarity]. 

They often want a chance to have a say in what goes on in the training facility 

[Yes, you are the instructor but teaching and learning are a two-way street and to allow their full involvement in all aspects promotes trust and they like it] 

and a chance to prove it will work. In solving dojo problems, it is better to [actively] listen than to direct. 

[Sometimes allowing for silence and active listening brings clarity, don't assume just because you are the instructor you are all knowing: you are not, so listen and then inspire action] 

Teams can be formed to figure out solutions to problems and instructor can empower them to carry out the solutions. Practitioners who identify what should be done take on greater and greater responsibility for getting it done. Thus a instructor seeks to understand the problem from the point of view of the problem solvers [a good instructor leaves their ego at home and always remembers and reminds themselves that this is important; utilize their point of view to resolve, teach, and inspire] rather than force his own perspective on a solution to be understood. This helps to improve interpersonal skills among practitioners as well as between instructor and practitioners.

Self-disclosure: Often sharing a relevant story of your own experiences in similar situations can prove helpful in opening meaningful dialogue. Be careful here and don't allow yourself to be too wordy. Keep stories relevant, short, concise and to the point. If you are just spouting out stories with out this in mind then you are allowing your ego to run wild. If you have a self-esteem issue you should not be teaching/instructing.

The uses of such technical skills bind the interest of practitioners in their lesson and also keep both the instructor as well as practitioners up to date.

In addition there are some philosophical aspects that Instructors should also have: A proper attitude in life, be and remain attentive, be and remain vigilant, be a positive thinking/thinker, be an active listener, always speaks kindly, always treat others with decency, treat others as guests should be treated, always thinks twice before speaking, takes responsibility for their actions and deeds, etc., has courage, creates goodwill, conducts self properly, remains truthful and honest, remains loyal, develops self first to influence others, looks inward first before looking at others, has tolerance and remains balanced in all things.

If we look back on these skill sets we can see that teaching/instructing any subject/endeavor is a complicated but also unique way. A good teacher/instructor should encompass as many of these skills as possible while always "trying" to acquire and live as many as they can on a continuing basis. Teaching and Instructing require continued effort, practice, learning, and performing to achieve a level of mastery, much like karate!

Presentation Skills for Instructors:

Your success is and will be determined by your ability and skill in communicating your subject, i.e. karate skills. How you present those materials is complex and a craft of the teaching field. To be effective you have to express yourself in a manner that is conducive to learning by your students.

Consider the variations of your presentation strategy such as audibility, pace/pitch/tempo, articulation and pronunciation, emphasis, pause, energy and enthusiasm, eye contact, gestures and movement, stance and confidence.

Audibility: projection of your voice; to throw it so all can hear clearly and distinctly; good diction; good articulation; enunciation; variety to aid in sending the proper message; invite practitioners to speak up if they cannot hear or understand.

Pace/pitch/tempo: monitor the basic speed or pace at which you speak; not to quickly; change pace to suit the meaning of what is said; musical quality of your voice; variability in pitch; upward inflection when sense is indefinite and downward when sense is finished; pitch change can indicate start of new thought; inflection supports meaning and for emphasis.

Articulation and pronunciation: pronounce words correctly - proper sounds, emphasis and sequence; form vowels and consonants correctly

Emphasis: for important concepts; changes to create varied and interesting presentation; verbal markers to signal things of importance that are difficult to grasp.

Pause: allow time to think; avoid vocal pauses - "hum", "you know", "like", etc.

Energy and enthusiasm: inject physical and mental energy into what is said through voice, gestures, and general commitment to what you do: active words motivate.

Eye contact: maintain it with practitioners: don't focus on one spot: allow eyes to roam the audience and look into practitioners eyes: move eyes from person to person.

Gestures and movement: using as non-verbal behaviors equal power: use naturally to assist in conveying the meaning: use to complement, not contradict, verbal communications: avoid repetitive gestures and mannerisms: move around the space: move in purposeful manner to enhance the presentation: keep movements simple unless demonstrating technique, etc.: don't be afraid to smile.

Stance and confidence: good posture: stand tall: appear in body language, dress, actions, etc. confidence

Sensei, teaching-mentoring-instructing martial systems - Three Core Traits

Teaching, instructing or mentoring requires communications and these three core traits are a must for anyone teaching-mentoring-instructing anything including martial systems. Having the communication skills is not enough, one must be genuine, one must have and display respect-acceptance-positive regard, and one must have empathy.

Genuineness: Being what one is without a front or facade. This means and requires self-awareness, self-acceptance and self-expression.

Respect (Acceptance-Positive Regard): You need to accept the person you are teaching-mentoring-instructing with out qualifications or restrictions. You must display respect for self and the other person in the way you listen, the way you look at them, the tone of your voice, the words you select and the reasoning you use. The regard you put forward in the actions and deeds you use when communicating with a person.

Empathy: This is the trait where you as Sensei demonstrate the ability to see, hear and feel another person and understand his/her from his/her perspective. 

Communications or teaching-mentoring-instructing flows with the connections one creates using these fundamental attitudes along side those specific methods and techniques for teaching-mentoring-instructing.

Teaching Ability

Teaching a person is an awesome responsibility one should not take without full understanding and comprehension as to what that entails. When you have influence over others that responsibility is daunting and important. Your influence as a teacher, i.e. sensei, means the person you influence will take to heart what you provide and allow it to change them mentally/psychologically, spiritually and physically that reaches to every facet of that persons life. 

The stone you drop in their lives will have a ripple effect on everything the do, encounter and interact with. That thought alone is daunting and can only stand second to the responsibility of a parent to a child. 

This can be explained from an Asian perspective by the many characters/ideograms that make up the word/title/term sensei. 

先生 - teacher; master; doctor; with names of teachers, etc. as an honorific
宣誓 - oath; abjuration; pledge
先聖 - ancient sage; Confucius
専制 - despotism; autocracy

When we fist put on the black belt, i.e. kuro-obi, we start to think of running our own training hall to teach what we have learned to others. This is often begun at sho-dan before one can begin/finish being mentored in the teaching methods/abilities of a senior experienced person. 

Take a look at the characters/ideograms above and take notice of words such as master, oath, pledge, sage  and honorific title/names. When such a title is awarded it should speak to the full and complete education, understanding and proficiency of the individual to take on the awesome responsibility and tasks that say sensei. 


No more is this important when teaching, training and practicing a physical combative form or system that is a martial art regardless of whether Asian, Western or European in heritage. It all begins with a sensei with kyoiku noryoku or teaching ability. 

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

About Mind-State (Mind-Set) - Ramblings of a Meandering Mind

There was this guy I know, this is his story: “Long ago in a far away state this guy, as a child, suddenly could not walk. It turned out that he had polio. The thing is since he was so young and no one actually told him he couldn’t, he one day was found by his mother crawling around - his polio seemed to have gone away. 

Later, as he grew, he had an accident, he shattered his elbow. The boy had surgery to try and repair things. When the doctors got done the mother and father were told that he would not be able to do a lot of things like the other kids. No one actually told the boy he couldn’t do things so he did them anyway. Much later he even joined the military and had a good career. 

As a teenager he also broke his foot. Regardless, he had a cast and tended to continue to do what the heck he wanted and didn’t even think much about his foot. This boy tended to heal pretty darn fast. Later, in a situation that is not really a good one he found himself trying to enter this door to make a questionable purchase when suddenly he found his head slammed between the door and the doorjamb and a very big fellow hitting him in the face. He pulled out and took off with this very large, muscular, strong and mean person chasing him down where the boy turned, raised his hands with palms forward and said something that must have been good because the really big guy stopped in a offense stance and didn’t hit him again.

There were several of these stupid kind of things in those teen years. Like the time one of his so called friends, Wayne was his name, got pissed and jumped into the car they were driving where the boy was seated in the back, he in the front, he turned with a very large and sharp pointy thing called a hunting knife and stuck it against the boys chest where it was moved up to the throat and then the guy asked him a question to which the answer must have been right, he put the knife away and that was that. The boy never reached a point of thought that he was even in any danger and that was either scary as hell or showed just how stupid he was. 

Then there was the time he was driving with a bunch of friends all piled into what was a cut down vehicle that was stripped down to the frame, a seat, the engine, etc. (later would be a stripped down version of the dune buggy of the early sixties, etc.) where they were screaming through the woods and back-trails laughing like mad having a ton of fun when they slid trough a corner turn, hit a stump sticking up about three feet from ground level and therefore throwing everyone out the side into tree trunks and palmettos bushes and so on. He was seemingly unfazed, stood up, looked around and just whooped and laughed even tho one of the others shattered their ankle. All of them helped the guy into the vehicle then rode to the hospital. 

One day the guy,  the guy I know, was working drywall in a construction job where he took his partner’s cigarettes. He thought it was funny until he was walking away then felt a breeze by his head and then heard a thunk when the drywall hatchet hit a wood stud and stuck like a tomahawk. He returned the cigarettes, yea. Then the both went back to hanging drywall. Stupid is as Stupid does, don’t you think.

In the military he said he was hit in the face/jaw with a training rifle and broke his jaw. He was running with his other recruits when his legs/shins gave out, stress fractures, only to find out that he had them for several weeks but would not quit running and training until the legs just gave out. You can see why since it resulted in a setback and additional time, i.e., instead of nine weeks it turned into six months. 

Then there were numerous times he had confrontations in the military where the first was an attempt to toss him and his entire bunk out a second story window. He woke, fought back then chased his attackers away till the next day when he walked into the bay where all the guys who attacked him resided and then challenged them, they backed down. The next was the three times others set his bunk and him on fire where one other stepped up to the plate and woke him up so he wouldn’t burn to death (guy, the guy I know, was drunk and got drunk a lot even before the military along with some other stuff). 

Then there was the night he was sleeping it off when another disgruntled military associate decided he would end him with a two-by-four across the forehead. I can’t believe it but he woke up, jumped up and went after the guy only the guy he chased just happened to be faster. Then there was the time he was lying in the duty bunk dozing when he felt a tingle sensation, opened his eyes, and standing there was another associate holding steel student driver signs in a position that if he had completed the move would have put the edge of the steel signs in his face or neck. He kind of froze but looked him directly in the eyes then suddenly the other guy set the signs down and walked away - lucky stiff. 

Enough already, this guy I know often projected a lack of emotional involvement in a lot of things he did, was exposed to and to what happened to him. It seemed his only emotional expressions were anger, a lot of anger. There was, he told me, fear as well but often it didn’t stop his taking actions. He said he sometimes had what today might be called adrenal flooding that actually caused his loss of a few minutes of time in a stressful situation, like the first minutes or two then the black receded and he could see and more often than not was already moving, etc. This seems to speak to either a mind-set/mind-state that allowed him to always act or it was some naturally occurring emotional obstacle that didn’t cause the freeze in those situation. He said he did have a variety of times he initial froze but then would act. 

What makes me wonder is this, does he or did he just naturally have that ability? Was his lack of emotional expressions and effects give him that chance to act the way he did? He found that something like “alexithymia” might explain it but doesn’t really know. 

Anyway, even if the edge is derived from this alexithymia, it still does not account for what sometimes appeared to be his guardian angel looking out for his stupidity and asshole-ness (really, all of his experiences with conflict and violence, even this low level stuff, did derive from his constant asshole-ness). 

It does speak to a certain mind-state that either natural or trained does promote actions that are not, at least some, held back by the freeze, etc. It also provided survival even tho his actions always resulted in the actions he would have to handle. He may have been lucky. Maybe those early obstacles helped build a mind-set/state that then carried him through those minor events building his ??? 

Many of those answers can be found, as my studies these last few years indicate, in the materials and research I recommend below. It does answer a lot of questions the guy I know present from his experiences, even if low level conflict and violence oriented. Maybe it is just a blessing since this guy I know seems to have a more stoic emotionally restricted way about him except in very, very few cases that cause an emotional response and so on. 

I was hearing another of his stories when all these thoughts flooded in and resulted in a lot of questions but few definitive answers. Is it possible that this is some kind of inherited gene thing that gave him this type of luck? Was it developed with luck that he would act over simply freezing, etc.? Does it mean he never freezes or experiences fear? He says it doesn’t but the after effects seem inconsequential, it doesn’t bother him and he lets that crap go more often than not.