U B U

For those of you not familiar, Stefani Germanotta goes by the professional name Lady Gaga.  She is super-talented and has a powerful singing voice.  Beyond that, she continues to challenge the status quo and use her influence for positive social change.  I LOVE LADY GAGA.

I really enjoyed "A Star Is Born" despite it being a 4th remake of a classic story, and was very happy to see Lady Gaga and her fellow songwriters acknowledged with an Oscar from the Academy for Best Original Song for "Shallow" sung with Bradley Cooper.  My favorite version here.
Moreover, I loved her Oscar acceptance speech, an excerpt of which bears repeating here:

"There's a discipline for passion, and it's not about how many times you get rejected or you fall down, or you're beaten up. It's about how many times you stand up, and are brave, and you keep going."

This is a very important message for all of us.  The photo above shows a Facebook Group set up by some of her detractors in college called "Stefani Germanotta you will never be famous".  After 9 Grammys, multiple Golden Globes, a BAFTA, a few Guiness World Records and now an Oscar I guess we can definitively say they were WRONG about her.

Nobody knows our journey, our struggles, our challenges and our victories better than ourselves.
Along the way, again and again, people will tell us we can't.  They will laugh (and sometimes even spit) in our faces and try to make us give up.  Sometimes, like with Gaga, it is even our boyfriend/girlfriend that fails to encourage us.  In the end, as Gaga says, we must stand up, be brave and keep going.

We all love the limelight, but we tend to forget how much hard work and perseverance it takes to face rejection again and again and keep believing in ourselves enough to drive forward.  Not all of us are destined for fame (and I think it is only ever a by-product, never the goal).  We are, however, destined to be WHO WE ARE, and it takes hard work and courage to become, and continue to be, that best version of ourselves.

U B U means "You Be You".  The best version of you.  100% You. 24/7/365 You.  Unapologetically, unashamedly YOU.  Be brave enough to fight for your dream, whatever it is.  Work as hard as you have to.  Other people can (and should) encourage and support us, but we are the only one 100% guaranteed to be with us every step of the way.  This means it is important to love ourselves, take care of ourselves, and be our own best friends and cheerleaders.  So many people I know are far too hard on themselves, which only makes stressful situations that much worse.

Thank you Lady Gaga for working hard.  For not giving up.  For fighting for your dream. For believing in yourself.  And for reminding us all to do the same.

Dive Into In The Deep Waters. Keep Swimming.

Bricks

(thanks for the inspiration KGW)

Everybody loves Legos, right?  I can't think of too many kids, myself included, that didn't spend hours making all kinds of things with them.  Of course, we would start by trying to make the things we saw on the boxes. We'd pore over the manuals, step-by-step, and try our best to get the final product to look correct.  Of course, at some point we would always disassemble and start making new things of our own.  That's really what Legos are about.

I even loved the Lego movie, since it also hit on themes of fostering creativity and innovation - necessary aspects of every happy and successful person.

Martial arts are quite a bit like Legos, too.

Legos come in pieces. So do techniques.  Unique shapes, colors and attributes are found in almost every set.  At first, each piece is already interesting on its own.  We examine each piece as a discrete block: tall or flat, round or square, number of pegs, and so on.  Later, we imagine how to assemble them to create what we want.  We go from conventional designs like houses, cars, animals and the like into rocket ships, aliens and everything in between.

Techniques are also much more interesting when we consider how they can be combined to create different effects.  The more we learn and understand the attributes of each technique or tool, the better able we are to find the right place to put it in our flow.   Over time and with diligent practice, we become better able to express our thinking through how we move.  We combine and reassemble techniques dynamically to do what we want at any time.  We FLOW.  We can even imagine what pieces we might need for a particular objective we have in mind by imagining the attributes the pieces need to fit together.  Yes, we can do this thinking and problem solving with martial arts techniques too.

Of course, when building structures, the basics still apply.  We don't build buildings from the top down, we build them from the bottom up.  More about that topic here.  And here. A practical example here.

I used to visit friends who always had special sets and pieces I didn't have.  We'd trade and share Legos all the time, trying (not always succeeding) to make sure we got back and returned all the pieces when we were done.

In the Martial arts, we attend seminars, go to camps, watch videos and share with others to better see what movements they have that can enhance what we know.  The sharing and fellowship is truly one of the best parts of the training.

As Emmet Brickowski, protagonist of the Lego Movie, correctly points out "You are the most talented, most interesting, and most extraordinary person in the universe.  And you are capable of amazing things.  Because you are the Special.  And so am I.  And so is everyone.  The prophecy is made up, but it's also true.  It's about all of us.  Right now, it's about you.  And you still can change everything."

Everything is Awesome!

The Boomerang Effect

When I was maybe nine or ten years old I got a boomerang as a present from someone who visited Australia.  I was fascinated, and immediately I went to the park to test it out.  Time and again I lobbed the boomerang and it never came back.  Of course, nothing is ever so simple.  There's a lot to learn about boomerang throwing technique.  In fact, there's a lot of science behind it.  Maybe all Aussie kids innately know how to do this but we Chicagoans certainly do not.  After reading a bunch about it (using encyclopedias, since the Internet did not exist back then) I applied some practice and eventually was able to get it to come back pretty regularly.

Aside from its original intended use as a weapon, there is a lot to learn from the humble boomerang.

First, you must LET GO
The boomerang obviously cannot travel and return without you first letting go (via throwing).  There is an obvious metaphor here in that most of our life is like this.  Grasping onto anything too tightly keeps it from accomplishing its goal.  This applies to emotions as much as it does to people.  Learning the importance of letting go is one of the foundation achievements toward attaining happiness.

The Necessity of TRUST
Of the many things we must let go of, FEAR is probably the first and most important.  Fear and worry dominate us and keep us in a state of inaction and paralysis.  Moment by moment, day by day our lives escape us and we fail to act - because we worry and are afraid.  We fear so many things: rejection, anger, loss, sadness.  Most of what we fear never happens anyway.  Regardless, the feelings are real and can keep us from working towards the happiness we deserve.

When I first started to try my boomerang, I was hesitant to throw it because I worried that it wouldn't return.  That would make me feel inadequate - like a failure.  Of course it didn't return.  With a heavy sigh I walked over and got it, hoping nobody was watching.  As I kept trying, I started to worry that I would never actually be able to do it.  Maybe the boomerang was broken or defective.  That was far easier to accept than the truth - my own lack of understanding and practice was keeping me from success.

It would have been easy to give up and hide the boomerang away in the back of my closet or under the bed.  Somehow, I had faith and trust that eventually I could figure it out.  Not only did I practice, I studied other sources of information until I got a better training plan together.  With some additional time investment, I learned how to do it, theory and all, and felt proud of the accomplishment.  I was glad I didn't give up.

It's important to trust in ourselves and our ability to achieve, given enough study and practice.  Most worthwhile skills do not come easy, and learning the value of persistence/perseverance sets us up for success better than almost anything else.  This is not arrogance or overconfidence.  Rather, it is a simple awareness of the relationship between preparation, effort and outcome that underpins every skill we ever master.

In relationships, too, it is easy to imagine that every new person we engage will have the same flaws as the last.  We tell ourselves that because it didn't work out last time, nothing will ever work out in future.  The Monkey Mind deceives us into believing we shouldn't trust others when in fact trust is the cornerstone of all happy relationships.

Everything Starts with YOU
Standing there holding the boomerang tightly and waiting for something to happen is ridiculous.  It can't come back if you don't throw it.  However, many people are waiting for someone/something to "complete" them or make them happy.  They want someone to love them but take no action to love themselves.  In many cases the same people are afraid to go out, meet new people, or allow new relationships to bloom.  They are frozen with fear and worry, never getting past feeling sorry for themselves and wishing someone would magically appear to "save" them.  So much time is lost just...waiting...

• The emotions we give are the emotions we get - good or bad.
• The love we give comes back to us.
• To forgive ourselves we must forgive others FIRST.
• When we care about others they become empowered to care about us.

It is the responsibility of every one of us to share happiness, love, joy, compassion to everyone wherever and whenever we can.  Each action, however small, starts the wheel turning and ultimately brings those same good things back to us.  Helping others helps us.  Saving others saves ourselves.

Don't wait.  Start now.  Help make the world a little brighter.

Throw the boomerang.  It will return.  I promise.

5 Keys to Using Impact Weapons

Lately, I've been reminding students of the basics of using impact weapons, such as the rattan sticks we handle in Kali Majapahit.  For review, here they are:

1. Extend Your Arm
2. Hit with the Tip
3. Use the Edge
4. Flex Your Wrist
5. From your Body, Back to your Body

1. Extend Your Arm
Sticks are centrifugal force weapons.  Imagining the shoulder as the center of a circle, using a ball joint design our shoulders swing our arms in circular rotation.  Math and physics show us that the greatest impact force will be generated from the largest circle.  Use the maximum possible reach of your weapon to keep the most distance from your opponent.

2. Hit with the Tip
Similar to point 1, the maximum velocity (impact force) will be at the edge of the circle, which means the last 3cm or so of the stick is the optimum spot to use for striking.  Blocking is usually done as close to the hands (base of the stick) as is safely possible, to insure stability, while striking should be done with the tip.

3. Use The Edge
First of all, Filipino Martial Arts are known for the use of the rattan stick, however at their foundation they are blade arts (as per the barong on our logo).  The stick is usually used as a cheaper/safer proxy for the blade when training.  This is not to say that sticks are not valid combat tools.  In fact, the strong Filipino hardwood sticks (cocobolo, gijo, kamagong) are every bit as deadly.  However, for training we emphasize using the 2nd knuckle line which is where an edge would be if the stick were a sword.  Not only does this allow us to transition seamlessly between striking and cutting tools, it also creates a more powerful body mechanic by aligning our arms and shoulders with the power generated from our hip rotation.

4. Flex Your Wrist
We sometimes refer to this as "casting" since it is similar to the motion of fly casting for fishing.  The wrist is flexed forward, further accelerating the tip of the stick and extending the diameter of the circle.  Done properly with an impact weapon, the tip should "snap" like cracking a whip.  Particularly for wrist-rotation striking like vertical redondo, witik or abanico, the wrist flexion can add a lot of additional tip velocity.

5. From your body, Back to your Body
This is also called "chambering".  To generate power, we need to transfer energy to the hand/wrist from the feet via the hips.  The best way to do this is to have the tool start in contact with the body, chambered at either the shoulder or waist.  As the feet push and drive the knees, hip rotation can occur and this energy can be delivered through the shoulders to the wrist and ultimately, the stick.  Once impact is delivered, the tool should "return to base" so the process can be repeated as needed.
Likewise, all punches should return to guard just as all kicks should return to stance.  In chamber, we have the maximum variety of possible responses to deliver any attack or defend any attack from an opponent.

• Note that for the high guard position (sticks on the shoulders), elbows should be tucked in, armpits closed and punyo (base end of the stick) pointed at the opponent.
• Note that for the side guard position (used in Cabca 2,3) the stick should rest on the upper arm midway between shoulder and elbow, punyo again pointing forward.
• Note that for the low portion of the side guard (cabca 4, sinawali 6) the stick should rest on the hip/waist (on the belt) rather than under the arm in the armpit. 

Review and Remember.

Inside Outside

Getting started in martial arts is a great accomplishment.  Just by coming to class a few times per week you are ahead of the game.  As the saying goes "even a white belt is higher than sitting on the couch".  Going from intent to action is the first step in changing your life and becoming the person you want to be.

Especially in martial arts, which is all about goal setting and goal achievement, the first steps make such a big difference not just physically but mentally.  We feel better when we do things we know are helping us be better.  Investing in ourselves just feels good, doesn't it?

At the beginning we may have a few aches and pains as we start using new muscles in new ways.
It's natural to get a bit confused by new ways of moving, new terminology, new training tools.  All of this is part of the journey.  Over time, these become as natural to us as our own names.

In class, we move fast.  A 2-hour lesson can cover a lot of material including sticks, empty hand, knife defense, boxing, kickboxing and more.  It can be hard to remember everything we did.  It's OK.  We try to illustrate our principles and concepts through the various drills, but even with an 8-hour class it wouldn't be enough time to master them all.

Why?

Simple.
YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO PRACTICE OUTSIDE OF CLASS.

As instructors we try to show you what you need to learn.  In class we try to give you enough practice to help get the basic ideas embedded.  This is so you can remember enough to train outside of class and have a good idea of what to work on.  In our classes we show the various principles and mechanics of what we do including footwork, posture, distance, body mechanics, focus, targeting and how to chain techniques together in logical and efficient sequences.  After that, what matters most is repetition, plain and simple.  The more you train the better you get.

so, what are the key takeaways?

COME TO CLASS AS MUCH AS YOU CAN
We will keep introducing new stuff and showing you how to train it.  If you are not there you will not know.  If you are sick/injured, try to come anyway even if you can't train physically.  Take notes, pictures and video.  If that is impossible, ask someone else (or one of the instructors) what we did.

TRAIN AT HOME
More is better, but even 10-15 minutes a day is enough to see big gains in a few months' time.  Meet other students outside of class to review, drill and practice.  Video yourself and watch what you do.  Stretch after the bath or shower.  Pick up your sticks for a quick twirl while you watch the news.

As for me, I'm training constantly.  I'm always thinking about techniques and combinations when I am on the train or walking around.  Honestly, I dream about Kali. :-)
You need not go to my extreme (but it's OK if you do - I understand).

The years teach much the days never know.

Keep training.

All it Takes

Everywhere we look everyone looks and sounds...perfect.  Beautiful models in magazine ads, stunning people on every TV show.  Picture-perfect romances in every movie.  So many people with such better lives on every social media outlet fanning out seemingly endless pictures of their amazing houses, cars, vacations and meals we secretly know we can never have.  People announcing their new power jobs on LinkedIn, respected for their elite knowledge and skills that we can never measure up to.  Everyone everywhere having more fun than we are.  Somehow it all can conspire to make us feel small, worthless and insignificant.  Believing we are failures by comparison we fall into anxiety and depression, feeling woefully inadequate at every aspect of our lives.  THIS IS NOT THE TRUTH.  In fact, nothing could be further from it.  As a human being, we inherit a sacred birthright.

YOU ARE ENOUGH
YOU MATTER
YOU ARE WORTH LOVING
YOU DESERVE HAPPINESS
YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

Every one of us, at the basic spiritual level, are equal.  Completely, totally, genetically equal.
Every one of us has within us the power to make the world a better place.  The pain, hardship and rejection we have faced gives us the ability to have empathy for others and show them our compassion.  We gain the wisdom of knowing that hurt doesn't last forever.

The worst part of modern messaging is the pressure to divide us from each other.  Our differences in appearance, social status, wealth, education, religion, sexuality, political beliefs, career choices are highlighted in an effort to make us feel jealous or resentful of each other.  Their aim is to break the inherent bonds which connect us and to deny us our human birthright, the same birthright our other brothers and sisters have.

Fight Back.  Resist the messages.  They can say whatever they want, but they can only divide us if we allow them.

Start small if you must.  Start by showing compassion to those around you.  Change the world right in front of you.  Resist the pressure to be cold to each other and instead light the world up a little brighter with your smile, your words and your compassion.  Let yourself care.  Don't ever let pain or hardship close your heart to the joy of helping others.

It's never too late.