Gripping or Hand Strength in Martial Arts

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Like hitting with the hand, the ability to grip effectively has to deal with a lot of slippage, i.e., the flex found in the hand that affects our gripping ability and also the effectiveness of gripping in self-defense. The hand as readily discernible has to deal with a lot of bones, tendons, cartilage and ligaments, etc. The overall strength and weakness lies in these parts and depend heavily on their stability along with the strength or lack thereof in the wrist and forearm, i.e., as to direct strength and stability as dictated by those body parts. It is ancillary to these that the affects of the elbow, the upper arm and the shoulders/shoulder girdle also have an immense effect and overall strength and power as they too contribute to the application of gripping models of technique as can be seen readily in systems like, “Chin-na [擒拿].”

Since self-defense relies on a compilation of methodologies to get the job done, i.e., “actual tactics and attack methodologies of impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression, etc. are best for stopping a threat,” one can detect a need for strong hands and associated support strength and stability to achieve successes with pulls and twists, directly, and takedowns/throws and compressions, indirectly, to achieve a self-defense goal.

Because of its inherent weaknesses to bleed off power one needs to achieve stability and strength whereby the whole or holistic goal is achieved, i.e., a combined strength and application of techniques and principles with a strong strength of muscle enhanced by the structure and alignment of the shoulder girdle, the arm with elbow and wrist and finally the weakest link of that chain being the hand, i.e., the many complexities of hand structure with its hinge and gliding joints.

Consider that the hand strength is very limited therefore in conjunction with hand strength it must also be enhanced by the wrist, arm, shoulder and then body with the spine, hip girdle and legs achieve stability, balance and force by their structure and alignments and strengths as applied toward manipulation with hands against an adversary’s body. 

Add in a solid knowledge of the principles of joint manipulations to disrupt structure and balance of an adversary to achieve the goals, the many goals of self-defense. In short, know the weaknesses of the body along with the strengths in applying such forces with strength of your body toward the weaknesses of an adversary’s body, etc.

Add in another aspect that to use and/or rely on hand strength alone or hand strength as supported and enhanced by other principles leaves out other methodologies necessary to achieve success in self-defense. 

The truth is one who demonstrates incredible feats of strength using the hands is actually demonstrating an exemplary understanding and application of fundamental principles. Like generating power in a strike by the movement of our mass and enhanced by those bodily applications such as structure and alignment generates great power all things considered. Because the focus of attention is directed on handling an adversary with the hands while manipulating weaknesses of the body as well as the mind makes it appear that the hands are demonstrating incredible “Gripping skills.” 

This is simply not accurate. Another point to grip or hand strength is that its development usually comes from the strengthening program used to build strength in the entire body. The hands therefore become a controller and stabilizer of an application such a those demonstrated in joint locks, manipulation and the art of Chin-na. It is like the hands representing the the ring spanner while the arm/shaft acts as the forearm, etc. so that when pressure and torque are applied the hand itself twists and rotates, etc. while holding tight to the target area. I can grab and twist just the hand with little or not impact to the adversary but when I add in the arm, shoulder, body and grounding, centeredness, structure, torque, etc. as a whole I am able to manipulate the adversary’s weakness, physical and mental, to my choosing - mostly. 

Finally, having strong hands are a preventative against injuries, etc. when using them for self-defense. A strong hand clenched tightly leaves little room for an adversary to manipulate, twist or pull a finger and joint in a manner that causes you to lose balance, structure, etc. in fight for self-defense. 

A good grip is a solid tool in martial arts and/or self-defense and it is good to know how it fits in that model but one shouldn’t spend any more time on its development as a singular unit over a combined one of whole body applications. Usually the hand and its strength, etc. will come from the hands use in training, practice and applications be it sport or self-defense. 

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Social Conditioning (Brainwashing)?

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Here is one of the definitions on this, “Social conditioning is the sociological process of training individuals in a society to respond in a manner generally approved by the society in general and peer groups within society. The concept is stronger than that of socialization, which is the process of inheriting norms, customs and ideologies.”

For the sake of this article lets assume this is correct, fact. Humans need to socialize, it seems to be intricate to the survival instinct. It is about accepting a group and being accepted by the group then assimilating that groups norms, customs and ideologies. It is not about conditioning since both parties desire to create a connection for what ever reasons, reasons of the individual and reasons of the group.

In socialization, to my mind, one has already been conditioned socially often by the family and its immediate connections to other family and friends whether a part of the group entering or not. Yes, in this instance there is a process of training but it comes from an inheritance of an accepted social cultural belief of a particular social construct. It is not about training and teaching one how to respond in any type of manner but simply presenting what norms, customs, ideologies, rules and requirements a person needs to accept and live by to be a part of the group - there is free will involved to an extent.

Social conditioning is one that does not necessarily allow for free will but more about presenting and requiring an agenda oriented mandate that often when conditioning indiscriminately results in a “Brain Washing” model through verbal influences along with other more violent methods without resorting to actual physical violence yet in some instances that physical violence is and can be very much on the table toward such social conditioning. 

One significant difference between conditioning and socialization is one programs and one teaches. One removes free-will and one allows it. Then there is provision and allowance of information and knowledge that encompasses choices with the socialization part being a segment, i.e., in other words providing all pro’s and con’s and viable choices so that the individual can choose while social conditioning, like brain washing, tends to force feed a social agenda on the individual. 

It is providing a full, complete and comprehensive definition, meaning and intent toward a way of living over a pre-programmed dogmatic and unchangeable doctrine to control behavior rather than simply to inspire and persuade change from within the individual toward a common good.

Socialization recognized the human as a person while Social Conditioning only recognizes the process in achieving a specified goal often common to the good of a few rather than that of the whole. One leaves no room for discussion, argument or change while the other promotes and supports discussion, communications, argument and change when needed or necessary for the common good of the tribe. 

In a best case living society there are always balances and toward socialization vs. social conditioning both can be of benefit to the social group, a balance that is hard to achieve and hold yet bests suits and serves the social construct, the group and the tribe. 

Know what you need to know; learn what you don’t know; seek to learn that what you don’t know you don’t know; become open to possibilities to what you know, what you don’t know and what you don’t know you don’t know - Actively Listen and assume what is said is true and find what it is true of. 

In the martial art self-defense world, its communities, it is a critical distinction for those learning, those teaching and most important to those who apply it in self-defense. It becomes a means to handle all types of conflict and violence in and out of the dojo. It brings us the understanding necessary to balance it out in a modern socially conditioned society that has almost lost its true socialization. 

The social conditioning of the atomistic that includes the laws, rules and requirements of a society ends up creating the type of social conditions that hide reality of socialization making for a controlled and unfree culture and society based on fears without understanding and reason. 

Even the micro-cosmic world in the dojo uses social conditioning to teach self-defense, i.e., use this technique to do this in self-defense without regard to all the other factors of conflict and violence because it will make you feel safe and secure in the knowledge presented. Use these principles in self-defense with regard to conflict, violence and the social laws, rules and conditions because it WILL provide you the safety, security and ability to properly learn, understand, train, practice and apply them with regard to conflict, violence, and the social laws, rules and conditions that govern self-defense. 

Brainwashing (a forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up basic political, social, or religious beliefs and attitudes and to accept contrasting regimented ideas; persuasion by propaganda or salesmanship; a forcible indoctrination to induce someone to give up basic political, social, or religious beliefs and attitudes and to accept contrasting regimented ideas.): A process of indoctrination, conditioning, persuasion, propagandizing and forceful adoption of radically different beliefs through the process of a systematic and often forcible pressure. 

Focus on forcible pressure similar to the violent actions of those who want us to believe that all police are bad and all police actions are unjust and that police are there to apply violence to the masses, etc. There are many socially driven actions meant to condition folks toward a specific agenda that is about self-soothing a small group so they can feed the need of their egoistic emotionally driven monkey brains toward that agenda over the needs of society for a common good of all. The FEW are brainwashing the MANY for the benefit of the FEW!

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gi-popping crispness

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A mark of the performance of kata competition at karate, martial arts, tournaments and this particular aspect of modern karate practice rears its head from time to time. I have written about it before but have a new perspective on it for this article.

Read "Does Snapping of the Uniform Indicate Power?" 

Read "Benefits of the Karate Gi in Training."

In all the quotes I will be commenting on in this article they will allude to how snapping the karate-gi sleeves or legs indicates power but for my article today defining that power becomes critical. In essence the ability to snap a punch does “Contribute” to the generation of power but relying on it exclusively is a mistake.

First, hitting with the fist is choke full of issues as to effectiveness even when full power (full as in energy not bleeding off more than the physics of the application in the moment is at its maximum) is applied. Marc MacYoung explains hitting and getting hit well in his series on “Writing Violence.” There is a belief postulated that actually the open hand is superior to the closed fist method of striking. Actually, that is simplistic and after reading his book martial artists will become aware of the complexities involved that go way beyond mere strikes with our fists. 

Second, snapping the punch is what I would refer to as an “Enhancer” in generating power much like the slight twist of the hara or mid-section that is also an “Enhancer” for proper power generation. To assume and allude to the snap punch as demonstrated by snapping the sleeve of the karate uniform would be misleading to say the least.

Third, when snapping the uniform sleeve the physics involved are not the same as those when snapping a punch into a target such as the human body. Try this experiment, snap punch the air to demonstrate the snap of the uniform. Now, try the snap punch to the heave bag, notice something different in the feel of it throughout the body. Add in movement of mass, the hips twist and the proper structure and alignment of the hips to the spinal alignment to the shoulder girdle to the shoulder to the upper arm to the elbow to the forearm to the wrist and finally to the fist and target. Try this experiment many, many times both to the air and to the heavy bag.

When in the fight using the fist there is also the maxim/rule of hard-to-soft and soft-to-hard that is also explained well in Mr. MacYoung series writing violence. In case you wonder, “Writing violence?” How does that apply to reality? Well, Mr. MacYoung feels to adequately and realistically write violence into fiction it should be as close to the reality of violent fighting as possible. 

My direction and intent herein is to provide another perspective and perception as to my experience and understanding in the applications of martial arts toward the reality of self-defense so that others may make an informed decision as to reality, relevance and applicability. Since karate and other martial disciplines is originally and traditionally about conflict and violence in self-defense it seems critical to me that the understanding is realistic since one may someday have to use the skills learned, trained and practiced for real. 

Comments to Quotes Section (Caveat: my comments are not about right or wrong but rather clarity. I present these comments as possibilities one should consider to gain a greater understanding even if you dismiss the comments completely):

Quote: “Some schools can produce an audible snap when they punch while others cannot.  Some use special materials to get a snap while some use the inexpensive standard cotton uniforms and some make the sound of a gi snapping with their mouths.  Sound, while rationally an effect of energy and will be dealt with later, is a manifestation of power but there are other factors of that.” - Our Dojo: http://www.karatedr.com/index.php

Comments: First, I do not believe sound is a manifestation of anything other than sound. Yes, sound does come from a generation of a type of energy created by the vocal cords but as a “Manifestation of power,” not so much. Yes, making a sound while using a breathing method does enhance the power chain in karate, that I accept readily until someone provides a good argument against that theory but overall I would stand by this one. As to the use of heavy material on the sleeve or making the sound vocally that is more for performance sake in kata competition where said performance is similar to dancing or gymnastics with judging geared toward form, rhythm, cadence and so on but as to power and energy in a self-defense situation - not so much. 

In addition, there are the physics of power generation through application of fundamental principles. One of those principles is about energy generation flow into the target. It can be found in principles of theory, i.e., control; power paradox, simplicity, natural action and so on. You can gain some more about this from other articles in my blog or read the following:

Pearlman, Steven J. "The Book of Martial Power." Overlook Press. N.Y. 2006

Overall, snapping has its uses and contributes toward power to the target but by itself it doesn’t present much of an advantage in self-defense and if relied on solely as to power source in the fight the practitioner will find themselves limited to a critical level of exposure to grave bodily harm or even death. 

Quote: “Immediately it is obvious that the velocity of the punch is more important than the mass if you want to cause damage.”

Comments: Velocity vs. mass, depends on how that is explained along with this quote. I am left feeling that information is being left out under the assumption the practitioner already understands all the principles and concepts that make up power toward application of damage to a target.

Velocity is speed and speed is actually another enhancer to the generation of energy and power. Velocity does not trump mass, mass movement is the biggest power generator while velocity contributes, often significantly all other factors being equal and at maximum efficiency, to that power generation. Another factor often not even acknowledged toward power generation is “Gravity” as it is applied to the movement of your mass. 

As can be seen, the articles that explain this snapping thing seem to have assumed the reader is already in understanding toward the overall aspects of power generation. I would have put movement of mass at the top of that list with all the others as simply power enhancers, those small things that help you create power beyond what you mass can achieve through movement along with movement distance, etc. that also act to enhance power and energy toward the target. 

Try all this out on the heavy bag vs. air punching and kicking along with the proper use of the makiwara and find out for yourself what works. Oh, add in the “Adrenal stress conditions of a reality-based training scenario” to really find what works and what doesn’t - for you (all this works uniquely for each practitioner so test it out yourself regardless of what I say or write and what others say, write and teach, you will be glad you did.

Quote: “The faster an object is moving just before the time of collision, the more energy that is transferred.”

Comments: Yes, but to assume that because you can snap your uniform sleeve as proof may be a bit limited. Test it out and feel it through other practices. Don’t assume because this statement is true, limited truth, that it is how it will be in reality. 

Quote: “It is overtly clear that the faster something travels the faster that it will transfer its force.”

Comments: I contest the transfer of force herein but overall as your mass velocity increases and as all other aspects and factors arrive simultaneously at the exact moment of impact will create more force. The types of applied force change according to any number of physiokinetic principles applied to get the job done. Any one or several if not exact enough will bleed off that energy and power as it travels through the chain that makes up applications in a fight or self-defense. 

Simply put, it ain’t as simplistic as things might be perceived in such articles. One of the reasons I put in the caveat in all my articles and then emphasize additionally within the article itself, don’t assume anything; take each thing and test it wholeheartedly then accept what works for you. 

Quote: “It is self-evident to even the least educated that the kinetic energy is lost in different ways, friction, heat and sound.  It is also obvious that the kinetic energy of a punch must go to one of these three when used.  The sound is the most obvious especially as friction will produce both heat and sound.“

Comments: Nothing, especially to the uninitiated newbie student, is self-evident. I have been practicing for over thirty plus years and I have to say that  a lot of what I now understand in this discipline came to me in the last five to ten years of study and practice - I ain’t no novice and I ain’t no master either. Yes, energy is bled off due to a variety of issue but as to sound and heat, not so much. Physics do attribute energy loss to heat that is often generated by friction but that pretty much comes from the physics of things like engines, etc.

Karate or martial arts, not so much but bleeding of energy does come from things like structure, alignment and power generation through things like mass movement, etc. One of the biggest bleed offs is the shoulder, arm and hand/wrist section. Just a slight off set of the elbow in a particular application of a strike with the fist will reduce power to the target significantly (read Mr. MacYoung’s series no. III for more). 

Quote: “if one is able to produce a snap using the inexpensive 100% cotton light weight uniforms, it becomes elementary to understand that the snap is a sign of power.”

Comments: Yes but how much power is the question? How that relates to a uniform sleeve snapping and popping to the power necessary to stop an attack in an adrenal dump charged defense of a predatory type attack? Remember, if I have not stated it remember this is about power generation in a fight or self-defense, not a demonstration for higher point values in a performance for a trophy. 

Quote: “ … if you learn how to mimic a whip with your body, you’ll be able to generate massive amounts of power without the need for excessive strength or tension.”

Comments: This one is iffy for me, alluding to the whipping of the body without giving due application for those other factors “Required” for power is a bit misleading for my perspective. Whipping the body is a way to explain a combination of things like, “The drop step, mass movement, hip rotation, spinal alignment, structure overall, shoulder girdle alignment and rotation, structure and alignment of the shoulder, upper arm, elbow, forearm, wrist, and clenched fist (note: improper fist formation allows bleed off and broken hands/fingers, etc.). 

Quote: “three vital components have to be present in your technique to generate maximum power with minimum effort.

“three principles of optimal technique”.

• Speed – the ability to move quickly when initiating, accelerating and stopping your techniques. This requires an understanding of how to adjust your physical and mental a) relaxation b) tension/pre-tension in the right body parts.

• Timing – the ability to dictate interplay (start/stop) between a) upper/lower body, b) right/left body half, and c) posterior/anterior kinetic chain, i.e. timing between foot/hand when stepping, hikite/striking hand, kime etc.

• Balance – a natural instinct, hardwired to circumvent many motor skills, and hence of utmost importance to control in order to avoid draining energy from other parts of your system. Balance implies both your stance, posture, trajectory of movement, end-positions and being physically/mentally centered.

Together, these three principles will give you…POWER. Which is then expressed through the whip concept.” - http://www.karatebyjesse.com/rika-usami-karate-technique-secret/

Comments: Here again, a misnomer that assumes all the answers and aspects of power generation are within the use of speed, timing and balance. Yes, emphatically and absolutely, speed and timing and power are huge in power generation but even if done correctly without all the other factors and aspects they may or may not get the job done. 

Let me add as well that even if you are fast and you time your strike to the target flawlessly and you remain and maintain your balance that if your structure and alignment is off you will just bleed off all the power you attempt to generate making it a slap or a push rather than a powerful strike or slap. 

Things, as I have come to understand a lot better in the last decade, are not as simplistic or as complete as one might assume when studying the discipline of martial arts especially if it is for self-defense of conflict and violence. 

Quote: “If you want to have “snap” in your techniques, you first need to focus on correct technique (speed, timing and balance) in order to generate enough power to crack your body like a human bullwhip.”

Comment: Yes, true as it is written but do NOT assume that the power generated to achieve a solid and loud snap of the uniform as power sufficient to achieve your goals in self-defense because you just might find the attacker smiling at you after your best efforts while he cleans your clock then goes that extra distance to teach you a lesson as to why you should not have fought back, think injury and time in the ER. 

My goal here is not about right or wrong but completeness, you have to have the whole picture. Those who provided these quotes are all outstanding teachers and mentors. When writing about such things even for experienced authors it is extremely difficult to convey the right theories and philosophies so if nothing else noting the need to take all articles onto the dojo floor would be appropriate. 

So, take what I say here with a smidgeon of salt, take it to your Sensei and take it out on the dojo floor for a comprehensive testing over time and with considerable effort so you can be sure it will work when you need it most - when the shit hits the fan!

Bibliography (Click the link)

The Karate Body - MORE …

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

Recent threads are a flamin away on the belief of the “Karate Body.” The original comment was as follows, “This body development is caused by performing and training in Shorinji-ryu Seisan kata as taught by his teacher, Nakazato Joen Sensei.” This was presented by A. J. Advincula Sensei on his Facebook Wall. 

I commented through the sharing process, because AJA Sensei dumped me off his friends list because, “Because you keep jumping on me.” Or something very similar to that quote. First, I am not jumping on people, at least not intentionally. I do regret he takes it the wrong way because from my perspective it is about learning. No matter how long one practices and studies any subject; no matter what level they are; no matter how much they are expert in the subject matter or are considered as expert; no expert no matter how much they know, think they know and how much they believe they know they are always subject to being questioned. It is all to common for some to achieve high levels of expertise, knowledge and proficiency in a discipline to “Make Assumptions” they know it all and should not be questioned. Honestly, if Tatsuo Shimabuku Sensei were alive today and made such a comment I would be questioning him just as much as I do experts like AJA Sensei and many other highly respected, as I do respect him and his efforts and his knowledge and his ability, martial artists. 

Now, as to this karate body as it was commented as a product of training in a kata, not going to wash as represented in the photo used as an example. Why, because there is not such thing as a “Karate Body.” Our bodies are already a creation set forth by the very genetics of our family histories as passed down from generation to generation through the genes of our parents. Those genetics are pretty much set in stone and any modifications beyond the natural and in accordance with physics and the rules governing life and the universe are set pretty much in stone. 

I say this because of the perceptions and distinctions a reader, “May,” assume when reading such a short, terse and exact statement. If the statement has said something like, “Our bodies are shaped by the process of practice and training in karate where in that training regimen one of the kata, Seisan from shorinji-ryu, has a considerable influence in adding musculature, strength, endurance and muscle mass, etc.” Even that more descriptive comment could be questioned and it is through such questions regardless of the sources that promote knowledge, growth, depth and breadth toward a fully and more comprehensive, “Understanding,” of karate, martial arts and its influences in our health, fitness and well-being. It is just a shame that folks take homage when something they believe in wholeheartedly is questioned. If the communications were more forthcoming and open to discussions it make just validate that belief more or it may bring it into question where it becomes, “More!”

Now, although presented with a bunch of qualifiers the comments that followed on the Wall, where I am unable to participate because of a feeling of being jumped on, present some very good questions and comments that warrant more than the simplistic comments made that started this thread.

Examples:

After reading the original comment and previewing the photo used to demonstrate a “Karate body” by the musculature of the practitioner a comment was made, “holy - those are some serious traps!!” Well, as stated before, there are two reasons why those traps would gain some prominent example. First is through weight resistant and bearing exercise and/or two, due to genetics whereby some folks naturally will develop larger musculature when exercising. 

It is well known that kata, kata with dynamic tensioning (think isometrics here), does not provide such weight bearing resistance that forces muscles, tendons and such to increase past the size set in a persons genetic makeup. Most of the dynamic tension used in kata is about resistance of muscle through the dynamic tension of both the contraction and expansion (not sure this term is correct, maybe flex-n-relax …) done with the muscles being flexed throughout movement, at the same time. A key point here is that unlike isometric exercise where the body is flexed through resistance of muscles only such as pushing the fist into the hand while moving the arms, hands, shoulders back and forth, etc. See the isometric exercise still sold today as a means of muscle development.

Regardless whether the tension process is stand-along or against other parts of the body, without additional resistance from heavier weights the muscles will build only to the point genetics allows naturally. In the body building world this can be seen and detected between the standard competitor from Arnold Schwarzenegger’s day to modern “natural body builders” of today. The modern natural body builders just, “Cannot,” achieve the larger muscle mass without at least two things, first is weight resistance through heavy weight lifting and two, through the consumption of food and other chemicals necessary to “Force the muscles” to increase in size. Note: this is an extreme but still, even the natural body builder may take his musculature beyond genetics but never to the increases Schwarzenegger and others did in those early days.

Also, when flexing the traps to make them appear bigger one tends to rotate the shoulders causing the shoulder blades to rise and push the muscles up into a display position. Just another way to make it seem like muscles are bigger than they are. Body builders who don’t have good genetic structure will over develop parts of the body and then pose to hide deficiencies, etc. 

Now, the reason I say what I say is because of my experience in both body building, weight lifting and martial arts because as an example I can say emphatically that dependent on certain factors you may or may not develop larger and stronger musculature accordingly.

First there is body and frame size, smaller frames vs. larger will handle musculature different. Then there is the small person vs. the larger person where that same musculature comes into play. In the end, it is all meaningless unless the person regardless of  strength, mass, speed and ability may or may not actually achieve success in karate sport bouts or self-defense because larger stronger muscles are only a very small part of the entire spectrum.

In the end that is the real point, you don’t achieve proficiency and understanding of the applications of martial arts simply by participating in kata, homo undo, weight training at the gym, etc., unless you can apply said properties using principles.

For instance, take a small stature healthy, strong and fit person agains a larger muscular strong, healthy and fit person. Say the smaller person applies their principles and the larger person relies on his size and strength (as many larger and stronger tend toward), the smaller person will dominate and attain their self-defense goals. Now, add in that the larger person also knows how to use principles and does so then naturally the larger stronger person will prevail. In that the principles will dictate every time success regardless of size, strength, fitness or having a “Karate Body.” 

Charles Atlas sold isometric exercise programs in the sixties, for me as that was my time, and I will say emphatically his programs helped me get healthy, stronger and fit but as to muscle size or mass, not like he shows in his pictures in the ads. Example: my brother bought Mr. Atlas’s program and used it and by association, he is my brother, I used it too. Both of us were unable to achieve the body we believed would come to look similar to Charles Atlas.

Later, we were introduced to weight training toward body building. We both hit it almost identically. As a good example toward individual genetics even when all else was pretty much the same, my brother was able to build arms that actually peaked like the top of a mountain while my arms was more rounded in flexed position. 

George had better genetics as to body building. I actually copied his efforts thinking I could achieve the same results but due to genetic makeup, not going to happen. I even felt I was stronger and bigger overall and without supplements. Anyway, genetics is a huge part of it. 

When we attribute something to such a discipline we make assumptions the results are about that discipline and therefore may gravitate toward saying it created my “karate body.” Symbolically that may be true but realistically not so much.

You might ask, “Why is this important?” It is about distinctions and false ones can lead to deadly and dangerous results because karate and other martial arts are about combatives be it sport, combat or self-defense oriented and false distinctions that lead to false beliefs can result in grave bodily harm and even death. It matters to make sure you are not assuming something works when it won’t or can’t due to missing components. 

The comments that followed on the Wall in question presented another picture of Uechi Sensei as example yet it is a distinct and different person but as I understand it still does not prove that, “One kata, seisan, can achieve such results” alone. Remember, I have yet to discuss beyong genetics and weight training, “DIET!” The Okinawans live a very, very ling life and a lot of that comes from diet. I suspect, cannot prove, that Uechi Sensei not only got his strength, etc., to include the muscle-cut body through karate practice and training but with not just the kata but also the hojo undo Uechi-ryu karate uses. It is a culmination of things karate, not just kata, along with genetics and diet and lifestyle.

Lets add in another aspect, that of mind-set and mind-state. What trumps all that is discussed is the mind-set and mind-state for it is that which leads to such extraordinary accomplishments in the disciplines be it karate, martial arts (other than karate), football, golf and other physical disciplines all that produce a kind of body presentation that is a part of how the exercise, practice and training achieve body presentation. 

Also take a look at the other pictures presented to support the original statement, they all deviate from the reality of what was said and that was, “Our bodies are shaped by the process of practice and training in karate where in that training regimen one of the kata, Seisan from shorinji-ryu, has a considerable influence in adding musculature, strength, endurance and muscle mass, etc.”

Those additional photos show the practitioners flexing their muscles with the sanchin jars, a weight bearing and resistance exercise. 

Here is an article I did on prolonged dynamic tension as more reading:

CLOSING STATEMENT: Karate bodies are a nice symbolic name to point people toward what it is you do to be healthy, fit and strong. In truth our bodies and their shapes are derived from genetic coding in DNA that comes from parents to children and a lot from our ancestors in the genetic codes nature manipulates as each generation is born. We have limited control over our bodies but in essence there are limits set by the genetic code or if you prefer nature and the universe. As I stated in my last comment, “I had a football body when I was a teen; I had a Marine Body when I was a Marine; I had a body built by weights when I was a body builder; I had a karate body too because when I was a weight lifter I also practiced karate; I had a Tai Chi Body because I also practiced Tai Chi; I had a sugar body because at one time I got a bit overweight from eating to much crap … yadda yadda yadda …. “

FINAL STATEMENT: Here is why I go through this process and question everything that sticks out and everyone who makes such blanket statements often without any real thought or research, reading the statement in question over and over and over again along with, “Discussions such as this thread,” I finally realized one key term or element was missed, I missed it, and that was the term, “Considerable INFLUENCE.” Now, I readily admit that once I came to realize the term influence was there then the statement becomes acceptable and true because Seisan kata along with dynamic tension on their own does “Influence” the addition of muscle, strength, endurance and muscle mass (I stick to my guns here, genetics will dictate but since influence is used I would now assume it goes with other practices such as hojo undo, etc.) The ONLY way I came to this conclusion since not many other comments actually detected this and presented it to refute my comments, was through this questioning, comments and thread overall, to which I again would have participated directly if not for the perception of jumping on anyone. 

So, in a nutshell, karate body can still be challenged but overall that is about labels and symbolism therefore open to individual interpretations and philosophical understanding as long as blanket statements assigning meaning for everyone is not used to explain it. Example comes from the qualified statement made in comments, i.e., “He's out of touch if he thinks that kata, without weight training, doesn't build a certain body type or increase muscle mass.” I will respond without qualifiers, no where did I State that kata without weight training does not build certain body type or increase mass but I did say that the mass size such as pictured most often does not come from kata alone but genetics and or weight training. In the end, like the original statement, it needed clarification and because of this comment and others I wrote all that I wrote but it should be noted that through this process I discovered more to that and this process I am grateful.

So, thanks to all of the participants for your efforts provided me a path that allowed me to see that which I didn’t originally catch regardless of the final analysis and outcome. In part I got it wrong, in part I got my opinion and in part I got it right as well. Very Cool! OH, and thanks for reading my stuff you guys, I would have thought since I was not a member or friend that no one would bother even visiting my stuff to read it. It is nice to know that regardless of whether I am “Out of touch” or “I want to stir the pot,” the results are the same - something was learned, something was taught and a goal was achieved regardless. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Karate Body?

The proverbial "Karate Bodies."

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

I am a bit confused, someone mentioned that a certain karate-ka pictured on their web site had a, “Karate Body.” I have presented two pictures used to display or show what was termed, “Karate Body.” It seems almost a daily event that some new term or phrase is used to describe some aspect of karate practice.

The given term was used along with the exercise or set of movements as the reason for such results, i.e., it was said that this body development was caused, direct result of I would interpret the meaning, by the performance or practice of a particular Okinawan karate kata. Then the question was asked, “Do you train to develop a karate body?”

Really, a karate body you say, now come on, I am willing to say that overall a contributing factor to a body builder type physique could be karate practice. I looked at both and did some research and immediately noticed that both examples participate in a form of exercise called, “Hojo Undo.” Hojo Undo involves a type of body building with the use of specialized body building equipment that is particular to Okinawan traditional forms of hard karate practice. 

I suspect that although the author’s intent was to give credit to a particular style and its kata that in reality the overall system program of fitness and strength building involved the entire system that included the kata. In addition, to make such an assumption that a particular kata creates what they perceive as a karate body is kind of a misnomer. 

It is like saying that football players who use a particular action or exercise in their training regimen for the game of football are enjoying an end product of a “Football Body.” 

Here it is, certain physical actions that are derived from a particular discipline or form tend to build the body in certain ways that sometimes can be distinguished from other discipline influence such as football vs. basketball vs. soccer or wrestling vs. MMA vs. boxing and so on. This applies to the type of weight lifting one would do where end results would be indicative of that form and type of exercise routine or model.  A slight body from light weights used in a circuit form of exercise vs. the heavy free weight lifting that body builders use. 

As in one of the photos, the practitioner developed a part of the body that seems larger than normal giving an impression of strength and size, etc. that could not have been from simply performing a form or kata even with the use of dynamic tension or prolonged dynamic tensioning of the body. There are only two ways to increase muscle mass. One is genetic, i.e., a weight lifting body builder who happens to have good genetics resulting in larger bulked up muscle mass and one is through the use of very heavy weights to create or build up that same muscle bulk or mass. You can lift light weights till the cows come home and unless you have genetic predisposition to achieve such muscle mass you ain’t gonna get it that way alone, there will be a need for heavier mass building weight training. 

In closing, from my quick analysis and a long history of fitness and body building (early years for body building) as well as about thirty-nine or so years practicing martial arts, particularly Okinawan karate, there is NO SUCH THING as a KARATE BODY. Just because someone has built up their body mass, muscle mass along with strength, etc. and happens to be doing so as a part of their karate practice, training and applications does not make it a karate body thing. 

We can wish it so, want it badly and insist that it is true but when reality hits the road it is simply a strengthening muscle building thing where our bodies show the bulk, muscle size and strength and density, of weight bearing training, NOT KATA performance and practice. As to prolonged dynamic tensioning that is actually isometric type exercises does not result in such bulk muscle size development where genetics without the extra heavier weight applications will not result. 

Karate Body, NOT!

Bibliography (Click the link)

Hojo Undo Equipment

Mind-Set and Mind-State

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

What is the ultimate state of mind necessary to do the things humans do to one another? It is about the concept of repercussions from society. If one does not feel fear of retaliation then one does not fear anything be it considered good or evil. The wall that stands between good and evil is built on the concept of repercussions and retaliations from any source, i.e., societal and/or legal as driven by the society. Then it begs the question, “How thick is your wall?”

The most feared animal on the planet is the human animal, the human animal who has no fear driving them to remain within societies social and legal system of control. When they do not fear the laws, the rules, the requirements of a group, tribe and/or society then they are truly a force to be reckoned with. 

Without the social conditioning of society and especially without the force necessary to enforce societies rules, regulations, requirements and laws one who does not feel or fear that society will be a force to be reckoned with. Look at it as freeing ones’ conscious into a realm similar to that of a psychopathic personality, one who on a whim will do anything including kill in ways most would shudder at and refuse to accept in the realm of reality. Things that make for good horror movies, etc.

How do you keep humans from reaching this level? Not an easy answer but the one used mostly is actually the farthest answer away from the truth of that goal, ignoring the truth and reality of such levels of conflict and violence. If at this point in reading this article you say to yourself, “This is paranoia,” then you miss the point and are refusing to accept and admit the reality of human existence. 

“The difference  between reality and paranoia is NOT based on whether or not an idea is ‘unthinkable’ or something ‘couldn't happen’. The difference is based on whether or not there are credible facts and reasonable logic that support the fears.” - unknown

I, personally, do not fear conflict and I, personally, do not fear violence and I, personally, do understand that human life is based on forms of conflict and violence but I DO FEAR humanities social conditioning toward conflict and violence by its concerted effort to bury it all resulting in the ignorance of it leading toward a complete and total lack of proper “Coping Skills” necessary to accept, deal with and understand human instincts based on conflict and violence. 

Great surgeons and great surgery are based on accumulation of knowledge and understanding. It was the acceptance and understanding of pain and diseases resulting in pain and suffering that lead the great medical minds to achieve the levels of medical ability to save humans in modern times. If not for that we would still be suffering great pain just to get our teeth cleaned and repaired. If we buried our heads in the sand because we don’t like or cannot deal with the emotional and physical pains of life we would be burying a lot more of our kin due to the simplest of physical and mental maladies once of great suffering and now of little concern. 

Conflict and Violence of the human condition is like the medical world, it requires us to accept it, coming to understand it and then finding the “Appropriate and Necessary” methods and models to control it so that we don’t suffer the spears and arrows of great violence. In order to achieve a win-win resolution of human conditions we can only get their this way. 

In the micro-cosmic world of self-defense, i.e., martial arts, boxing or anything similar, we must learn, teach, train and practice those reasonable and acceptable models, methods and goals to mediate conflict and violence toward things like avoidance, deescalation or proper application of self-defense. 

To do this the mind must be trained and focus should be on creating a proper mind-set and mind-state or we will always end up applying our actions to making others do what we want using greater and greater forms of violence resulting in debilitating injuries, grave bodily harm and death. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Technique-Based vs. Principle-Based

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Technique based training is the defacto and dominant form of karate training. It is built on testable, obvious and exacting fine tuning model. It is also based on repetitive practice, i.e., a mindless repetitive practice where students and practitioners do the same, EXACT, technique over and over and over and over and over again. It also creates pre-arranged drills consisting of those same basic techniques done over and over -ad infinitum - under the guise that it actually trains toward what is referred to as, “Muscle Memory.” 

When you create such things as, “Upper and Lower Basics,” and “large quantities of kata,” and “large quantities of bunkai,” and “large quantities of prearranged drills,” and “large quantities of self-defense drills,” you have a means of creating an economically based driven teaching model. It creates criteria that can be seen and heard toward “Large quantities of belts and levels and ranks.” 

This all comes down to the very basics of this type of karate training, it is a business model. It has been stated that such models don’t have any value in the fight, i.e., in self-defense. I quote, “But I (the author of the quote but I do agree) can think of zero actual fighters who find this (referring to technique-based training) valuable.” 

Principles-based training is rarely observed and used in self-defense or fighting or combatives because too many are stuck solid in the business models as technique-based models described above. IN PBT (principles-based-training) you really have to know and “Understand” them and you have to be able to apply then while in the grips of the monkey brain while in the grips of adrenal stress conditions of conflict and violence. Even the technique-based training would have serious issues here if that were even remotely possible for adrenal stress conditioned reality-based training models. 

Look at it this way as quoted once again from a professionals perspective, “Technique-based repetitive training does lead to knowledge.” It is that knowledge business models require in order to justify and create a model that is testable and definable in the creation of requirements and a syllabus, etc., much like normal school environments teaching mathematics, sciences, etc. 

In order to gain, “Understanding,” you have to acquire “Experience.” My source will say, “Play, if the games are done well, can give you a start on understanding, maybe some insight.” 

Technique-based knowledge means you have to process a large quantity of things in order to act. Consider being attacked, “You first have to observe an attack is under way. Then you have to orient toward that threat. Now for that critical part, you have to ‘Decide’ on what to do.” If you have to process through a large quantity of techniques to find, “The right one,” to stop the threat then you have extended the time necessary to get to that last stage, to act by using that particular technique. Here is a rub, you will decide on just one technique or drill or maybe a combination when you enter the ACT stage of the loop and if that fails - ops, back to the decide state and a loss of more time while your attacker is demolishing you. 

Now, per another quote, “Teaching in a principles-based way, one level of abstraction up is to understand that striking is just ‘Power generation, targeting, and conformation.’ If you understand it, your choices in the ‘Decide stage of the OODA loop’ just got reduced to about three choices that is a huge drop in action, reaction, and decision times with a large increase in flexibility and adaptability.” Now, don’t that just sound so damn cool?

Read More:

Upside the Head

Concretes and Abstracts

The Process of Principles Based Teaching

Bibliography (Click the link)

On Budo and Bushido

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A recent article spurred or inspired this article on budo and bushido. In that article it seems a lot of assumptions and agenda driven meme’s were used as well. Hmmmm.

Budo [武道] simply defined as, “Military arts; martial arts and makes reference to the term Bushido.” 

Bushido [武士道] simply defined as, “Bushido; samurai code of chivalry.” 

The terms didn’t exist in the feudal era of Japan. When referred to as a samurai code of chivalry the person making the reference actually used the title of the samurai when he wrote the book and coined both budo and bushido. As to its traditional roots, however that is defined, that is questionable as to historical facts or even truth. 

Budo and Bushido were first coined as terms in the book written around 1899 by its author Inazo Nitobe titled, “Bushido: The Soul of Japan.” I believe personally that his effort was an attempt to give some historical meaning to the feudal era with its colorful Samurai, chivalrous warriors of Japan. 

Even the current information on these terms states, without definitive proof beyond the times mentioned articles and books, that Arthur M. Knapp, a non-Japanese, who wrote, “The samurai of thirty years ago had behind him a thousand years of training in the law of honor, obedience, duty, and self-sacrifice.... It was not needed to create or establish them. As a child he had but to be instructed, as indeed he was from his earliest years, in the etiquette of self-immolation." 

I put forth this theory, the budo and bushido were created to give support to the continuance of the colorful history or stories of samurai toward fostering of a more modern morally driven social belief that would support the efforts of the Japanese in their continued conquests of surrounding countries/states such as China and Korea, etc. This also gave credence to the effort to train and condition the populace prior to WWII to create a mind-set of a warrior that met the needs of Japan in justifying the upcoming war. As some will recognize this is also why disciplines like Okinawan Karate were educationalized to teach and train Okinawan youth for membership in the military in support of Japan’s war efforts. 

There are hints toward what Nitobe Sensei wrote in his books but like most articles and books of modern times, for that particular era when it was written, the influences of the individual authors and their perceptions, perspectives, intent, and background along with all socially driven influences both societal and familial tend to lead the content of such writings toward an agenda that may or may not be conscious. 

I will admit that like many meme’s, etc., that the end result did generate an excellent tome or book that is, could and can be used toward self-improvement with the intent toward socially accepted self-enlightenment but as to its actual historical intent and meaning and to its actual application in the world of the Samurai, that is questionable and possibly just plain fictional. The Japanese are well know for their use of fiction to create hero’s that their society needed and wanted much like every other society of our world. When we need it we use or create or manufacture hero’s to move our military and society toward the accepted and dictated agenda’s accordingly. 

All of it is kind of a propaganda machine and is often cited toward generating an agenda by all humans including us. We tend to use it and quote it as a means of instilling a mystique like quality to attract students, students who pay for lessons and lessons to inspire more students, etc. 

In a nutshell the book on Budo and Bushido is just the cultural metaphor toward a goal and in martial arts it is to promote it giving it a life that hopefully will be passed down over the ages just like the Japanese passing down their samurai heritage toward a lasting cultural historical and social belief that makes their cultural unique and respected. In the end, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that effort, it is a part of our human nature toward survival.

Read more on, “The Cultural Metaphor.” http://isshindo.blogspot.com/2015/08/the-cultural-metaphor.html

Bibliography (Click the link)

“86”

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

No, not Agent 86 and “99” is not going to be in this article either. This is about, “Get-ting Smart” but not about the organization, “Control.” although control is a major part of this. This is about chapter “86” of a book I am reading titled, “The True Believer,” by Eric Hoffer.

I feel like I understood this concept in a non-conscious but kind of instinctual way and now that I have read this book, this chapter, I am becoming convinced of that feeling. 

First, it is my military history along with my life long studies of martial arts toward fighting and self-defense that I was first introduced to the concept that, “Conflict and Violence” are an intricate part of human existence. As a part of the animal kingdom I am convinced that the use of both conflict and violence are the most appropriate means of communications and change. 

Chapter 86 discusses historical events mostly of a religious origin that shows without a form of violence both religious and societal movements are achieved and become successes through both the support of higher authority along with the military backing that provides violent support and military might to make it happen. 

I have personally arrived at a conclusion that human need of violence as a means of making changes and instilling power toward group cohesion and survival is about who has the strongest ability to communicate and persuade using conflict and violence, i.e., a strong fist, a strong sword and in modern times levels of force greater than those who would oppose the groups agenda be it religious or political or both.

The article talks about attempts at persuasion through preaching, gentleness, praying and weeping but most often that fails causing, “Where blessings and gentleness are powerless, blows (I interpret this to mean violence) may avail.” 

One such quotation from a source, Dumouriez who protested that the French proclaims a sacred law of liberty “Like the Koran, sword in hand.” “The threat of communism at present does not come from the forcefulness of its preaching but from the fact that it is backed by one of the mightiest armies on Earth.”

I have seen this on smaller scale at work where the lack of support and backing by those in charge, management to the controlling authority of the organization, makes for horrible work conditions, greater loss of production and productivity and wide spread loss of control and authority where staff and employees tend to do things they would normally not get away with and so on. 

What I mean is, to get the job done you need that backing and without it you don’t have the authority and that necessary might that backs it up through the “Teeth of Management” that does not tolerate dissent, etc. 

The same goes in our society, when the sword of societies leadership is lacking things go wrong. This occurs because those who feel that communications and enforcement are better served through gentleness (can’t we all just get along), blessings, verbal persuasion, logic through verbal diatribe, and so on until it becomes clear, often too late, that only with a strong hand can anything done, supported and enforced. 

In today’s atmosphere the Police are being defanged from the strong hand of those in protest. Once the Police are “put in their place” then society will discover quickly how fast conflict, force and violence/violent force will rule. When conflict and violence rule those who follow that path as history shows will end up ruling. History is full of those who conquered and only after establishing a strong rule by sword and hand enforcement does the more philosophical/religious achieve a foundation that promotes its growth.

Apparently, conflict and violence cannot be separated from human existence and survival. Hiding our true nature by sticking our heads in the sand because we fear it or because it makes us uncomfortable will not make it go away, it always returns when discontent rises to high levels in society, the tribe, the group and the family. 

Take a look at most protestors, in all cases except for the rarest when things don’t happen they way they want they all resort to violence, sometimes in the extreme (taking it from verbal to physical).

We need our police, we need our security forces, we need our military, we need all those services that have forms of violence as a tool to get the job done and to enforce societies rules and laws. If we lose conflict and violence as the “Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine and Police Officer” who stands on the wall to protect us then we will lose. Do we really want the violence and death that often comes with that type of change? 

Read chapter 86, better yet read the entire book because it does bring up questions, concerns and change. 

Bibliography:

Hoffer, Eric. “The True Believer: Thoughts on the Nature of Mass Movements.” Harper Perennial and Modern Classics. New York. 1951, 1989, 2002, 2010.

Bibliography (Click the link)

Ethics (Moral Principles)

Blog Article/Post Caveat (Read First Please: Click the Link)

They are about having “Moral Principles” that govern our behavior and it comes from having knowledge that deals with moral principles but what are moral principles?

“Moral principles of, relating to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical: moral attitudes. expressing or conveying truths or counsel as to right conduct, as a speaker or a literary work; founded on the fundamental principles of right conduct rather than on legalities, enactment, or custom; capable of conforming to the rules of right conduct; conforming to the rules of right conduct (opposed to immoral ); of, relating to, or acting on the mind, feelings, will, or character; the moral teaching or practical lesson contained in a fable, tale, experience, etc.; the embodiment or type of something; morals, principles or habits with respect to right or wrong conduct.”

Now, once one reads the above set of definitions they will instinctively and automatically make assumptions, assumptions as to what right and wrong are; what ethical means; what moral attitudes are; what truths and right conduct are according to their belief systems. Those belief systems are most often generated from influences of family, friends and social group dynamics all the way up to the social construct as to membership through and with all levels between. 

What gets missed is this, “Criminals and other such groups also have moral principles that govern their behavior but their belief system as to what those moral principles are differ even if the above definitions remain unchanged. The righteous tend to assume their moral principles are “The Moral Principles” to which all others must adhere to in life but that is just not so. 

One reason some folks make the assumption as to moral principles that reflect shock, horror and disbelief when encountering anyone or anything outside that moral world is because they just can’t accept that there are other moral principles that may reflect principles that are the absolute opposite of what they believe. This helps explain why belief systems become so ingrained and rigid where even in the face of enlightenment, truth, and justice many will not, cannot and are adverse to changing such beliefs. 

A criminal looks to crime the same way a non-criminal looks to their job as a means of earning an income. The feelings one has when a part of a job that feeds human needs such as security and safety are the same for the criminal. Their job is to find resources that can readily be converted into the resources they need to do the very same things others with the proverbial acceptable job needs, i.e., sources of income so that they may feed their survival needs for food, shelter and protection against conflict and violence and so on etc. etc. etc.

Criminals have ethics as defined by those who assume they hold the moral high ground. The only true advantage the moral high have is numbers. Numbers because of what is, in modern times, generally accepted as a moral standing. Some assume that the laws driven by religion are the moral principles every single human must adhere to yet those of a less religious yet more philosophical can also hold that same ground. If this is even remotely true then one can accept that criminals can also hold the moral standing that differs greatly from the generally accepted stand of moral ground. 

If we truly accept one set of ethics, moral principles, while not accepting the others then we justify our resistance of that supposed lessor moral standing and by nature will give great effort to either suppress it to acceptable levels or remove it completely be it by total destruction or to cast it and them out similar to how groups would punish members by throwing them out of the group. Losing membership is about survival and those thrown out tend to not survive - at least historically speaking. (think banishment here)

How many times throughout human history has one group defeated another making the winners the morally right group tho the differences in principles being opposite in the spectrum of moral righteousness?

Now, how does this apply to martial arts? How does this apply to self-defense? How does this apply to fighting? How does this apply to Combatives? How does this apply to sport martial arts? How?

Lets close with these thoughts derived not entirely from a complete quote but rather parts of a quote, i.e., “As to morals, that kindness, meekness, humility, etc., become ‘virtues’ within a moral system born under social conditions in which people were subject to others while in a society of conquerors they regard valor, strength, and even cruelty (under certain circumstances) as part of goodness and virtue. Finally, one can envision a person who consciously creates his or her own values and thus lives ‘beyond good and evil.’”

Now, don’t that put some different perspective on ethics or moral principles?