Sticking It

Just when I thought I had seen it all...

Yesterday we had a mixed class of guests, beginners, intermediates, advanced, and guros. Guro Fred dropped the bomb.


Maybe he felt sorry for our miserable flow.
Maybe he wanted to snap us out of our dream.
Maybe he wanted to show us we could make a quantum leap forward. We did. I think I got years of improvement last night.

He worked us through a drill that can be combined and assembled in so many ways.
It offers countless expression, and even more importantly, shows the framework for us to develop any number of similar drills on our own. My jaw dropped.

Every time I think I have him figured out, and that I get what Kali Majapahit is all about, he comes at me from left field with something like we did last night....the light bulb goes on...and I realize I have a lot deeper to dig. I love it when that happens.

I am not going to explain the specifics here - you should get in there and start your training as soon as you can. There is a lot to learn, and it will take you the rest of your life.

How cool is that? go and get stuck into your Kali...NOW

Let's Fight

"Let's Fight" said my seven year old son to me.
He was not kidding. He was mad. I did not oblige.

It raises an interesting topic, though.
We train in martial arts, which is fighting.
We are surrounded by violence which is all around us on TV, in movies, in books, in music, in sports (but hopefully not in our everyday lives otherwise). Violence is glorified. It's cool.

We have busier and more stressful lives than our parents and grandparents did (except those who went to war). This leads to road rage, air rage, murder/suicides, stabbings, domestic violence and other "anger management" issues.

Is fighting really so glamorous? Is it cool?

The last time I got in a fight, a real fight, was more than twenty years ago. People got hurt. Permanently hurt. Luckily not me. Luckily no one died. Luckily I did not end up in prison. I still think about what happened and will regret it for the rest of my life. If I could take it all back I would without a moment's hesitation. It was not cool.

Fighting is a lot like hunting. It sounded really great until I stood over a dead animal and had to dress it. The blood, the sounds, the smell was so revolting I found out quickly why my friends suggested bringing a bottle of bourbon. Fighting, when your life depends on it (and you should never fight otherwise), is a messy business. It is all over too fast. For those of us with training, the likelihood for someone to be seriously, permanently damaged is very high, and usually "sorry" is not good enough afterward. Once weapons get involved it goes very fast from bad to worse, and people can get very dead very quick. As my original teacher told me "it's actually really hard to keep them alive". Suffice to say, some things when done cannot be undone.

Proper training with a proper teacher should help every student realize that the training is like an insurance policy; not to be taken out until you need it, and when you do you are likely to need it pretty badly.

I have said in other posts, the goal of the training is to learn the truth about yourself.
Fighting has no real place in that. We have to learn to do the harder thing and not give in to the temptation to solve our problems and frustrations with violence. As martial artists we have to be bigger than that.

This is the real lesson I want my son to learn.

Get your Kicks with Sikaran

Sikaran is Filipino kickboxing. In our new cycle, we have some Sikaran drills as part of the boxing and Panatukan. For many of the intermediate class, this is their first taste of it.

It differs from Western boxing and kickboxing in some fundamental ways.
Sikaran is designed to use mostly low line kicks (roundhouse, front, side), but can from time to time include high line kicks as well (esp hook kicks). Sikaran uses kicks to establish distance and add attacking power regardless of where the opponent is. The arsenal ranges from kness with/without step for close in attacks, to crippling leg kicks, and fight ending side kicks and hook kicks.

As with many of the FMA, Sikaran takes the best of the familiar and creates a mix. Some of the elements that influence Sikaran include Muay Thai, Savate, Wing Chun/JKD and Kenpo. Karate does not seem to have given much to Sikaran, and the kicks neither resemble those in Karate, nor get used strategically in a Karate way.

Many of the drills involve changing distance to get into and out of kicking range, especially as a response to opponents' kicks and punches. Sikaran strategy uses intercepting kicks and counter-kicks/cut kicks a lot to either disrupt the opponent's kicks, or to score with the legs when the opponent tries to punch. The concept of guntings ("scissors") is used in Sikaran as well.

Sikaran is a great way to add to the Panantukan cardio workout, and an important part of the total fighting arsenal. It comes as a stark contrast to dumog and silat, which are closer systems.
To be good at Sikaran it is important to develop your flexibility and balance, and learn to shift your weight to open up kicking angles as you move. Sikaran should become a natural, integrated part of your Panantukan.

I am still amazed at the depth of Kali Majapahit and what it has to offer as a complete martial arts system and platform for exploration. There is so much to learn, and so many creative directions to take it.

Enjoy the journey!

4OJ

Fourth of July - 4OJ.

It's a time to celebrate being an American. I have been away from home on the 4OJ for nearly twenty years...what does it mean to me?

It's tough, since often I don't agree with the things my country does. It was especially hard since Reagan, and somehow feels like it's getting harder.

Despite that, I believe desperately in what America stands for.For example the inscription on the Statue of Liberty:

"give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me..."

America has been a place where you could start over; where you could be reborn in freedom, with a new life, a new name, and a new home - free to be whoever your hard work and determination allow you to become. This is just as my grandfather did from Russia in the early 1900s, and countless others like him. It is comforting to know that such a place exists. It is the hope of many people to start over there.

Fourth of July is a time to signify other new beginnings. We celebrate our independence from England, won with the blood of our forefathers. This was a country newly formed, different from any nation the world had ever known. A nation destined to leave its mark on history. And it has.

We celebrate heroes today. My brother Tim Akins being one. My brother grew up in Chicago, as I did, and went to serve our country in Vietnam is the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions. He returned to us and rarely spoke of what happened there or the price he paid for our leaders' decisions. He went on to becaome and accountant and serve the community as an executive member of an elementary school district. He raised 3 daughters, who are all married or soon to be, and with new families of their own who would have been his grandchildren.

He was more than a brother to me; he was like the father I wish I had. He was a man who was humble, and yet never backed away from what was just or right. He kept mostly to himself, but was a gentle and devoted husband and father. He was a man of so many skills and interests that over the years I learned to never be surprised by the "hobby of the week" which he would inevitably master and show me as if to say "have you tried this yet?". He was just as quick with a laugh as he was with a bit of good advice, and he shouldered his responsibilities like a Marine, never failing his duty to anyone and always ready when you needed him.

My brother died getting up and getting ready for work...just had a heart attack and that was that. He was buried with military honors as was fitting for the hero he was. More than 300 people came to his wake, most of whom approached me and told me what a difference Tim had made in their lives. So many peoples' lives changed by this one great man.

My brother was a hero because he stood tall when the time required it, but never made more of it than what it was. His courage was an everyday courage, the kind that makes you do the right thing, even when it isn't always the most convenient. He loved his wife and his family with his whole heart, but never failed to find time to pursue his many interests; never losing his fascination with being alive. His greatest lesson, in dying, reminded me to make every single day count and "get busy living, or get busy dying."

How many peoples' lives are changed by us, every day, often without our knowing it?
What will people say at our funerals when the time comes?
Can all of us really be heroes every day, in what we say and do?

The Fourth of July is one of the many special times I choose to celebrate heroes, and he is my favorite. I miss you, Tim.

I Hope You Fail

Not a phrase you hear every day, but I mean it.

Our lives are focused around "success"...in fact, most of the people I know are obsessed with it, often to the extent that they sacrifice everything else just to achieve it. many of us strive for that success, and cannot even define what it is - so we can never know if/when we reach it.

We are under constant pressure to hit our targets, to make our numbers, to exceed expectations at work, at home, even at play (golf scores, etc). Everything in our lives is measured, and we are taught to feel inadequate if we are not in the top percentile. Children are made to believe they are not worth their parents love if they do not get the best grades, score the most goals, and get into the top schools. We are compared to one another in everything.

The result is that many of us have our priorities mixed up. We need to fail to really succeed.

In my life I have failed at so many of the things I have tried. Time and again I have failed.
I'm proud of it. Actually, proud of it. Let me explain.

Failing was a tremendous motivator. I felt that metaphorical cold slap across my face and worked much harder after every time it happened. I am proud of it, but failing is never fun.
It puts things in perspective and helps you find that next level deep inside. It helps you decide how bad you really want something, and how hard you are willing to fight for it when it matters.
The times it didn't, I just let go and moved on.

By failing, I taught myself that failure is not the end of the world. My life went on, many times even after I convinced myself it would not. My wife and kids still love me. My friends still respect me (as much as they ever did anyway). My co-workers still work with me (as much as they ever did anyway). All this despite the fact that I did not meet my expectations (or someone else's). LIFE WENT ON. And it will keep going on for you, too.

Failing showed me how lucky I really am that most of what really is important in life I already have - my lovely wife and my wonderful boys; my family and friends; my health and my mind (as much as I ever had anyway); my insatiable curiosity. The rest was never as important as society subconciously made me feel it was. The material things I wanted and couldn't afford I really don't need.

Failing also taught me that I have to always be reaching for something new, and to never be complacent. My greatest failures never came from new things I did - they came from failing to adapt to routines I had that were no longer suitable. I failed when I didn't pay attention to what was going on. I learned from this and try hard to remain vigilant to signs that I need to adjust my approach to things.

Failing is a part of what makes us human, and one of our greatest teachers.

I hope you fail...it will be good for you.

(thanks for the inspiration DP)

New Cycle

Fresh from a one week integration break, and dying to get back into it. Last night was great training. We had an intermediate class (with a few new joiners) and a great session of Panantukan after.

I really believe that the week off helps. It gives your body a chance to heal up and rest, and you get to missing the mat so much that you come back with a lot of energy and focus, ready to train hard hard hard! I also find that after a break, you pick things up much faster...one look and you are ready for the drill. 10 minutes into the new drill and we all had it down.

Our new cycle is cool, and involves some new stickwork, knifework, and kickboxing. Plenty to master over the next 9 weeks or so. This may be my last full cycle before I go back to Japan, and I want to make the most of it.

I am a bit tired today, and my body hurts from the training, but it feels so good to have been working out that I really don't notice that much.

See you Thursday!

That Big Small Business

Growing Pains...the sweetest pains there are. This is a sure sign that things are going in the right direction. For any business, having growing pains is an inevitable part of expansion. It sure beats going bankrupt.

At the same time, businesses, especially service-driven businesses, must never lose sight of the reason why they have expanded in the first place: service.

What does this mean? A basic marketing primer will tell you the 4ps (product, placement, price, promotion). How does this apply to a martial arts school?

1. Product - the quality of the lessons must be first and foremost. That means the best instructors with the best curriculum taught in the best facilities. The product and delivery must be professional. It must meet the needs of the students.

2. Placement - the location must be accessible to students. Only people in movies train on mountaintops.

3. Price - affordability, hopefully on several levels according to a student's desire/ability to commit.

4. Promotions - family plans, friend campaigns, special seminars, etc. to encourage repeater business

But...isn't there something more? YES...PERSONALIZED SERVICE.

The modern scientific world of marketing and business has become a dehumanizing place.
Most of us no longer know the people we do business with for our most important purchases - the grocer/butcher, the car dealer, the realtor, the travel agent, etcetera. The internet especially has made it more convenient to not talk to people or get to know them.
This is dehumanizing and subconciously most of us want something more personal.
Even a generation ago, we did business face to face. Our parents knew these people in their neighborhood. We must be extra-careful not to hide behind blackberry, email, mobile phones, and the like. Real people do Real Business in a Real Way. Face to face. Old school.

Abraham Maslow did important work understanding our human needs and our inherent desire to have these met. Once we go beyond the basics of survival, that is, food, shelter and warmth, we must deal with our needs as a human being. That means addressing our need to belong, our need for self-esteem/respect, and our need to fulfill our potential and be creative.

A martial arts school is in a unique position to deliver many of these needs in a way that makes the students happier and healthier. In fact, all successful businesses appeal to as many of these needs as they can. How do you do this? And how do you do this when you are going through growing pains?

Belonging - mentoring is a great way to make sure new joiners are part of the family. Senior students can be paired with newer students to help them in class. Assistants can be assigned a group of beginners to mentor, which helps the students connect, and helps the assistants develop the foundations of customer service and interpersonal skills that will make them good teachers later on. In many companies these people are called "account managers". Simply telling people to reach out will not be enough. It has to be a direct and purposeful focus activity. Even simply, this means everyone knowing each other's names. There is no excuse not to.

Self-Esteem/Respect - This is done through the testing and curriculum, whch gives students concrete goals to focus on. The next level is understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each student, and helping them get the additional support they need to build up those areas. This can be done through keeping class sizes limited, and also by having one-on-one trainings, small group seminars, personal assessments, and the like. Of course, knowing each sudent personally is part of it. All students must participate in the lessons actively, rather than passively. All students must be treated fairly.

Self-Actualization - Once all the other needs are met, at the apex is self-actualization. This means we have an innate desire to reach our true potential and use our creativity. Many times this needs is self-consious, but will manifest over time under the right teachers. Students often start with one goal in mind (ie. combat training), and later find other goals appear (personal health, longevity, spirituality). Good teachers encourage these transitions as part of the students' growth and maturity. I would argue that the unique nature of Filipino Martial Arts, with the emphasis on concepts rather than rote techniques, allows a level of creative expression that few other styles can match.

make no mistake, most students are aware of the atmosphere and what is going on in their school. You may only watch them 5% of the time, but they watch you 100% of the time. It is critically important to LISTEN to the students and get their feedback. They will tell you what they want.

At the other end of the spectrum from this are martial art lessons run in community centers and health clubs. These cookie-cutter dojos leech the spirit away from legitimate schools, and promote an "MTV" culture of martial arts being cheap, shallow, faceless, instant gratification - not so different from a cable TV cooking show.

As we grow and expand, we must be vigilant not to lose sight of the fact that schools are built on individuals, and individuals are what make it a success.

Nobody should have to train at "McDojo"

A small point about a small point

Namely, the elbows.

Yesterday was outdoor training. Did a bit of wing chun and an important point from Guro was introduced - how the elbows are key to generating punching power. The elbow is a small point, but a very important element of the punch.

At arm's-length distance, the elbow must rotate to allow maximum reach and deliver the hips behind the punch (think about the right cross). Inside of arm's-length distance, the elbows need to stay pointed downward and NOT ROTATE. The key strength for these punches comes from the triceps and back. Even uppercuts and body hooks are thrown with elbows down, not up, and both are close to the body rather than wide outside of should-width.

Thus, when working on trapping hands/wing chun, it is at close distance - YOUR ELBOWS STAY DOWN and close to your body. Punches can be vertical or horizontal, but the straight line "piston" movement is very important.

This small point can be a big point when you master it.

See if it helps.