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 shoulder-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.

Your Own Worst Enemy

It is often said that the key to martial arts is that there is no victory and no defeat - you can neither win nor be beaten. This is especially true as we dig deeper into Buddhist links between martial arts and spirituality - the closest thing to religion we have in martial arts.

However, this does not mean our lives are without enemies.
I contend that often, the worst enemy we face is ourselves.

It is we who know our own weaknesses, our own temptations, and our own shortcomings.
It is we who can destroy all of our own achievements, harm our loved ones, and ruin our relationships. We have the power to do this in a way that is far more destructive than an external foe ever could.

Why? Many times this happens due to feelings of inadequacy or a lack of self-worth. We feel deep in our hearts that we don't truly deserve all the success and good things we have. We hate ourselves and in doing so, subconsciously force ourselves to destroy everything that would make us feel good.

Is this you? I know it is me. At least sometimes it is. Maybe sometimes it is for all of us.
I want to believe that martial arts training, meditation, and proper health can be a great way to keep the bad feelings from coming. Negative actions lead to negative spirals, and positive actions to positive spirals. Sometimes, it just may not be enough. I am sure that if we could talk to the people that make up the suicides, mentally ill, and chronic abusers we would find that they have in common a low sense of self-esteem and a belief that they "deserve" the bad things that happen to them, and can never escape them. These people are truly their own worst enemies.

If this is you, really you, then I can say I understand you. I have been my own worst enemy most of my life. Many times this caused me to destroy relationships that were good for me (or get into relationships that were bad for me), push loved ones away, lose jobs, give in to my obsessions, engage in any number of harmful and self-destructive behaviors, and even attempt suicide (glad I failed). I know what it is like to feel a devil inside you that you cannot control, laughing whenever another part of your life is taken away.

In my case, much of my trouble still comes from unresolved anger at being abandoned when I was an infant, growing up in a foster home, and generally never feeling as good as the other kids who had "normal" families (whatever that is). I cannot make excuses, and I have been far luckier than most kids like me. I even made my peace with my birth parents, and at 42 I am starting to understand the tough decisions they had to make to try to get the best life for me they could. Intellectually I understand. However, emotionally I have to admit I still have a long way to go. I have serious anger management/stress management issues, and this affects me and those around me. I have to take it day by day, and I am a difficult person to be around much of the time.

Don't believe you are alone. Train hard. Stay the course. More importantly, talk to someone or seek professional help. Do it before it gets worse. Do it before you do something you cannot undo. The life you save may be your own. The life you save may go on to save many more.
Trust me, the world is a much better place with you in it. Even if you don't believe that, I DO.
Give me a chance to convince you. Maybe we can convince each other.

Senshusei

Yoshinkan Aikido is bigger than most people realize. There are branches of Yoshinkan in more than 22 countries worldwide, and thousands upon thousands of students practicing.

One of the key reasons for this is the senshusei program. This 11-month intensive given at the Yoshinkan HQ dojo in Shinjuku, Tokyo, put students in a live-in immersion where they train every day for nearly a year. This course is also taught to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Riot Squad, who join with the students for much of the training.

The famous book, Angry White Pyjamas, chronicles the author's experience in this course and mentions many famous teachers who are part of the Yonshikan leadership. Students typically come in with little or no aikido experience, and graduate the course with a testing for shodan (first degree black belt). It normally takes about 3 years of training two or three times per week to reach that level, so one could argue that it is about 3 times as intensive as normal practice. I think it is even more than that. Upon completion, some stay on to teach other groups of senshusei, some go into the three-month intensive teacher program directly after senshusei, and some go home to teach in their own countries. This has led to the great diaspora of Yoshinkan worldwide.

Why does it work?

1) Length
The 11 month course is about the same length of time as a typical master's degree.
I don't think it can be longer, but should not be shorter.

2) Intensity
The course is run on average 6 hours a day. That is a lot of practice.

3) Exposure
During the course, students train with and are coached by all of the senior masters in the HQ dojo. These veterans all have slightly different teaching styles, emphasize slightly different aspects of Yoshinkan, and their combined decades of experience are formidable in combination.
Training with many masters in the same style gives a great sense of perspective.

4) Atmosphere
I do not think the Senshusei course would work as well if it were done in London, Sydney, or LA.
The fact that the students are all in Japan, and exposed to the background history and culture directly, helps form a deeper understanding of the framework of Yoshinkan, and Japanese martial arts in general.

5) Camaraderie
The friendships people make in that course last a lifetime.

Both of my Yoshinkan teachers in Tokyo, Michael "Stumpy" Steumpel and Roland "Terminator" Thompson, are graduates of this program, and it shows.

Overall, this has been a great way for Yoshinkan to control the quality of teachers, develop cadres of teachers to go to every place in the world, and create a framwrk for expanding the style globally.

A lot can be learned from this. And for those of you with the guts to take a year off and make the most of it, here you go:
http://www.yoshinkan.net/02images/_pdf/Senshusei%20Application%20Form.pdf

Osu!

Dumog

Doing a bit of Dumog (Filipino wrestling) these days.

Dumog is a brutal type of wrestling which involves takedowns, throws, joint locks, chokes, strangles, and submissions. There are common entries for closing distance, and then the opponent is thrown or dropped to the ground.

Dumog is not usually the first choice, since kalista prefer mobility, but it is an important element to use when circumstances require.

Some points that have arisen so far:

1) Snake

The same concept we use in disarms finds itself applied in Dumog. We snake the head and arms to achieve a better position, and to open up attacking sequences or disrupt the opponents attacks on us.

2) Cold Hard Ground

A lot of Dumog takedowns and throws are designed to make the opponent impact their head/neck on the ground as they go down. We practice these safely in the training, but on the street the opponent is likely out or dead once they hit the ground the first time.

3) Chains

Like our Karenza, techniques in Dumog are practiced in chains, not one at a time. They are a flow of submissions and counters in sequences designed to anticipate the most likely reactions to an attack and put finishes on from there.

4) Pressure

Once the opponent hits the ground, techniques are far more effective if our bodyweight is constantly compressing the opponent. This should make it tough for the opponent to breathe and move, and limit their energy to respond. Hips should be in contact and driving downward through the opponent and into the ground. This means not being on our knees straddling, but being sprawled with hips driving in. Submissions should snake in and then be applied dynamically, by arching the hips and back muscles to get the full body weight into the technique, not just the arms.

5) Striking

On the ground, the best weapons are knees, elbows, and headbutts. They should be vigorously applied to any nearby soft targets and pressure points.

try not to end up like this guy...Happy 'Mogging

Bending Spoons

Spoon Boy : Do not try and bend the spoon...that's impossible. _Instead_ only try to realize the truth...
Neo : What truth?
Spoon Boy : There is no spoon.
Neo : There is no spoon?
Spoon Boy : Then you will see, it is not the _spoon_ that bends, it is only yourself.

OK, yes, I know. Glib movie quotes are a pretty cheap way of trying to develop a personal philosophy (and Animal House is a much more fun philosophy to embrace than The Matrix). Yet, the above has a real practical point I want to address. Spoon Boy's wisdom is undeniable. Let me break it down for you...

Spoon Boy : Do not try and bend the spoon...that's impossible. _Instead_ only try to realize the truth...

How many times in our daily lives do we try to do the impossible? We believe that reality does not effect us, and that we can somehow make the impossible possible through force of will. This type of thnking wastes a lot of time and effort simply by virtue of the fact that it is a manifestation of our inflexible mind. We stop trying to realize the truth and start trying to impose our hopes and dreams on it. This can never be successful, and is the reason why we can not bend spoons. The principal focus of our training should be to discover the truth about ourselves.

Spoon Boy : There is no spoon.

So much has been written about this that I do not need to rewrite it all here. Suffice to say that we all spend a lot of time worrying about problems that never happen. Our lives can be as simple as we allow them to be. To achieve this, we must first learn to LET GO of the unimportant. Once we let go of something, to us it ceases to exist and can be ignored/forgotten.

There is no spoon. Let go of the things you cannot control or influence.

Spoon Boy : Then you will see, it is not the _spoon_ that bends, it is only yourself.

Even an ocean of tears cannot wash away the truth of life. We cannot change most of what we see every day. Does this make us victims of our own flawed destinies? Does it condemn us to a miserable existince of being pushed from one uncontrollable event to another? Maybe. Instead, though, maybe it encourages developing an awareness of the fact that what is important is not the events that happen, but only our reaction to them. This is a central determinant of our quality of life. You must bend. If you do not, you break. The breaking, not the bending, is what causes frustration and disappointment.

Thanks, Spoon Boy

Do you Realize How Lucky You Are?

I do.

Seriously.

I've been around the martial arts a long time. Too long, in fact, to waste time with people who are not 100% committed to being the best they can be at what they do. When I find myself in the right place, at the right time, with the right people, I feel lucky. So should you.

Just over a year ago I walked into a small 3rd floor dojo near my office in Tanjong Pagar... and had a magic moment. I went in expecting to see some kind of hybrid voodoo rain-dance combo of sticks and capoeira, halfway done by people who halfway knew a bit about martial arts - something that would look great on stage or in a video but which I knew would never work - something made of some old-time forms that had no real application at all. Something made up on TV. I was a skeptic. I had seen a lot of fakes over the years.

Then I met Fred. That was a magic moment that changed my life forever.

He introduced himself. We talked for a few minutes. He asked me to watch the class. I did.

Wow! That's all I can say. My jaw dropped. I was hooked forever.

I can count on one hand the number of people I have met over the past 25+ years in and around martial arts that were that good. Fred has it all - he is artistic, physical, graceful, ferocious, passionate, compassionate, cereberal, inquisitive, traditional, adaptive, sprititual, and at the end of it all, a gentleman and a true warrior in every sense of the word. Wow.

For many of the 100+ students we have at Kali Majapahit, this is their first experience of martial arts training. I hope they all realize how truly lucky they are...how lucky we all are.

Let me be very clear: you are unlikely to ever find anyone that good ever again.

Many of you do not realize that becoming a true master like Guro Fred takes your whole life; 99.9% of those that start will never reach a level like that, and even if they do, they will not be brave enough to teach it to others. Most fall short in some area... Guro Fred doesn't. That is what makes him the best. He has a burning desire to improve constantly, and can deliver his message with passion in every single lesson. He makes you want to be better - at least that's how I feel every time I go. He brings the best out in me. I am never disappointed.

Fred has dedicated his whole life to living his martial arts in every moment, and it shows. To do that takes a sacrifice most people cannot make. He already made it for you. You get to learn from someone who has seen and done so much, and who really, truly wants to share it with you.
That is so rare. So rare that you may never get a chance to experience it anywhere else in your martial arts life again. Feel lucky.

The other Guros and assistants who developed in the school are also a testament to the high level of teaching and ability that Fred can create. That could be you. It should be you.

Soon, I am going to have to leave Singapore to go back to Japan. My only regret is that I will not have as much time to train at Kali Majapahit with Fred, Lila, Guillaume, Morgane, Maxime and my other friends and mentors. I don't dare even dream of finding anyone that good in Tokyo. You just don't meet people that good very often. I will keep coming back to Singapore to train with my brothers and sisters here. I just can't give up.

For my sake, please, feel lucky to have the chance to train at Kali Majapahit among some of the best in the world. Make the most of it. Go all the way and become a Kali Majapahit instructor yourself. Do it for me.

"What are you going to do?"

Not,

"what are you going to dream about?"
"what are you going to wish for?"
"what are you going to pray for?"
"what are you going to hope would happen?"
"what are you going to get around to when you have time?"
"what are you going to think might be a nice idea someday?"
"what are you going to ask someone to do for you?"

or especially: "what are you going to blame for why you didn't get what you want?"

At the end of the proverbial day, the only question that ever matters is:

"what are you going to do?"

well...what are you going to do?


"It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness. " - Eleanor Roosevelt

Going Southie

Had a great time sparring during panantukan on Monday. I kept switching up my guard and going southie. For those of you not familiar, "southie" or southpaw, means fighting in the opposite guard. This means right leg forward, since a normal boxing guard is left leg forward. What happens?

• It confuses most opponent - especially those who have never fought a southpaw
• you get a power punch jab from your lead hand right, which can do a lot of damage
• lead hand hook becomes a very effective punch
• The footwork and angles change, which can cause your opponent to walk into the left cross through force of habit

A good boxer should be comfortable in either guard. Once you are, you have greater control of your strategy during the fight, and can switch up to your advantage.

I suppose I should add that the man currently considered the best pound for pound boxer in the world, Manny Pacquiao, is also a Southie.

Turn left. Find out for yourself...

No Glove No Love

Man, I LOVE boxing. Last night I went to the White Collar Boxing event by Vanda Promotions at Suntec Convention Centre. It's a charity event to raise money for a Children's hospital in Cambodia - very noble cause.

Finance professionals sign up, train for 12 weeks at a boxing gym, and then slug it out in front of clients, colleagues, and well-wishers for three, 2-minute rounds. People get very fit during the 12 weeks, but I am not sure how much they learn about boxing...

Here's some points I feel the need to comment on.

1) the JAB
The most important punch in boxing. I hardly saw it, and when I saw it, I hardly saw it used properly. How do you use a jab?

• check distance - if you can hit him with the jab, bring something else right after
• unsettle opponent - every time your opponent stops moving, a jab should be right in their face
• look for holes in the guard - the jab is a probing punch
• faking - fake the jab to bring in a cross or hook

I did not see much good jabbing in the matches - shame.

2) The Hips
no hips -> no power. Simple. That's why no knockouts last night, despite some of the guys being 100 kg.

3) Lead the target
You should be punching where your opponent is going, not where he is. That is called leading. If you do not lead, you miss a high percentage of shots.

4) Leaning Away/Leaning Down
Anyone who does this deserves to get knocked out, sorry. NEVER bend at the waist except for the rockback (jab response). Especially bending forward is a sure way to take power from your punch and give your opponent the opportunity he needs to floor you.

5) Elbows in
lots of wide elbows/windmills last night. Most of those guys are lucky to be alive. All punches go straight except hooks.

6) Hooks
Very few hooks last night. This is a devastating up-close shot. I am surprised it wasn't used more. This wins a lot of pro fights.

7) Angles
The forward 45 is very important when your opponent closes guard on the ropes. If you don't take the 45 you cannot score when he is covered up on the ropes. You get tired, and then you are the one in danger. Angle in so your shots go around the elbows to the kidneys, or around the gloves to the head.

8) Finish off
Boxing is instinctive. You need the killer instinct to finish fights when the opportunity comes. Otherwise, you end up being the one on the canvas.

9) Get hit
During training, you need to get hit as much as possible to get over the fear of it.

10) RELAX
Every time in the ring should feel the same, regardless of where you are. The bout should feel like the normal sparring session. If it doesn't, you need to spend more time in the ring until it does. The audience cannot knock the other guy out - only you can. Focus on what you have to do. Lower your shoulders, relax, and let er rip.

It takes a lot of balls to get in the ring. Make sure your mid-life crisis does not become a medical crisis...See you in the ring.

The Rhythm of Life

Our new school has a stereo system...how cool is that? We were using some music last night during drills, and often have it on for the Hilot-Chi Kung exercises. Training with music is really great for a lot of reasons:


1) it helps develop rhythm, timing, and flow
2) it can be used for deep breathing, meditation, and chi-kung exercises
3) it can provide a stimulating beat for cardio training

Martial Arts and music go way back. Two great examples are karenza (in Kali) and ginga (in Capoeira). The music provides a framework and pacing for the drills, and helps performers find the rhythm and flow in their movements. Many Filipinos recall traditional village dances that they learned as children and later discover that they are fighting movements disguised in the dancing. They were learning Kali and didn't even know it!

Many people use their ipods or other MP3 players in the gym. The dojo is another place where music can and should become an integral part of how you train. Footwork and timing are at the heart of good fighting, and music can help you find a "fighting rhythm", and discover your opponent's.

In the old days, we used to go clubbing/dancing on a Saturday night after class to work on our moves, distance, timing, and the like. People thought we were just there having fun...
It is true that you can be working on your martial arts all the time anywhere and everywhere, often without people knowing it.

let's BOOGIE!

John

Serrada!

Can you believe it? A Serrada seminar in SINGAPORE!?!?

I have had only a few very brief glimpses of this style of Kali, and let me be very honest that this is at the heart of what makes the FMA so exciting. Serrada is done up close, my favorite place to be. Done well, this style is fast, fluid, and very, very hard to defend against. It requires you to stay in Corto, close distance, throughout. If you can do it, you stick to your opponent like glue, and they will not last long at that range.

Of course, a kalista should be comfortable at all ranges, in all planes, but for me it just doesn't get better than Serrada. Being up close and personal gives you the maximum chance to hit any target you want, and especially for shorter guys like me (168 cm tall), it negates (even restricts) larger opponents' reach.

Some might call Serrada the "straight blast" of Kali, similar to what Bruce Lee and his JKD disciples used to use when they wanted to get a fight over quickly. Serrada closes distance, and then your opponent just cannot get you off no matter what they do. Serrada will take them apart, from arms to body, and has stick, knife, and empty hand application. The only good news for opponents is that they get to die quick.

If you can make this seminar - DO. I cannot think of a better example of what Kali is all about than this. The content is for pros, but everyone will walk away with a new respect for how practical, efficient, and deadly Kali can be. For beginners, you will get to see one of the specialist areas of the training that you will fall back on again and again. Serrada will be a style that will become fundamental in your Kali.

Kali Majapahit Reborn

There are only a few moments in our lives when we see history being made - when we see lifelong dreams come true. If this ever happens to you, don't miss it.

Last night was the grand opening of the new school of Kali Majapahit here in Singapore, at 43 Carpenter Street near Clark Quay MRT.
WOW! I was speechless (very rare for me). YOU NEED TO SEE THIS PLACE. www.kali-majapahit.com

The new school is centrally located near Clark Quay MRT, it's HUGE (more than 2000 sf of mat space) and loaded with new equipment including 2 professional Everlast heavy bags (anyone who knows boxing knows Everlast is the best - period), a speedbag, a stick bag, and even a wing chun wooden dummy (in black, no less). It has full changing rooms/showers and looks better than most health clubs I have seen. Beyond this, it has more. IT HAS MAGIC.

A new business is like a new baby. Giving birth takes months of planning, anticipation, and worry. It takes sleepless nights. It takes overcoming your anxiety and fear. Finally, it takes on a life of its own. Watching a new baby being born is magic, and that is what we saw last night.

A baby is born of the love of its parents. Guro Fred and Guro Lila are the proud parents of this labor of love, and it shows. Like all proud and successful parents, they are surrounded by supporters, who celebrate this birth with them as we did last night.

I look forward to watching this baby grow, quickly, to taking its first steps, and finally becoming a mature adult business that will be the equal or more of its peers. It won't take 20 years, like it does for a human baby, but the journey will be every bit as wonderful to observe and be a part of. This is destined to be the best Martial arts school in Singapore, and the landmark place to train in Filipino Martial Arts in Asia. I was there on opening night.

I am inspired. I love to see dreams come true. I love a happy ending. There's just nothing like it.

See you on the mats!

Hot Hot Hot

My wife kept nagging me about it...finally I relented and agreed to go.
She has been doing "hot Yoga" for nearly 3 years, and I have to admit she looks GREAT (lucky for me!).

Basically, it is a series of 26 poses (asanas) and breathing exercises done over a 90-minute period, two reps each. Why "hot"?

The room is 40 degrees C!

Holy crap that's hot, even for not doing anything. You sweat buckets in there. Rules are: no talking, and no water unless the teacher allows it (only during specific water breaks).

So what happened? Good news and bad news. The good news is - I survived (too stubborn to quit). The bad news - I was barely able to do even a single pose with any sense of self respect. The rest I was too stiff to even get the basic posture correct. It doesn't really matter - everyone is being purified in their own personal hell during the class. It feels so good when it's over.

I would never give up martial arts to do hot yoga, but it is not without benefit.
Specifically:

• increased flexibility
• detoxification
• weight/water loss
• better passive strength and muscle tone

I strongly encourage everyone to have a go. Make sure you are drinking your 3L of fresh water every day (you knew that already). Do not care so much about being able to do the poses - just stay in and stay alive. Sit down/lie down if you must, but stay in the room for the whole session. You will get used to it. I strongly believe hot yoga has long-term health benefits for everyone who does it. After a few months , you will be slim, I promise. Eat whatever you want, this will blowtorch it off your body. I am planning to go every Tues/Thurs at lunchtime from next week.

I'd like to say I'll see you there, but I'll be too busy sweating and correcting my poses to notice.

Osu!

Points to Remember

Great training session with Sensei Ramlan yesterday.
The key takeways:

1) RELAXATION EQUALS POWER
Power cannot be generated from tension in the body. Even in kamae it is important to keep the body relaxed and hips sunk low, and especially to remove tension from the shoulders. So, too, relaxation equals connection, and the goal should be to absorb/connect to uke so their force can be redirected without effort. Aikido should never be hard work.

2) Elbows DOWN
In proper aikido, the elbows always point down, never to the sides or up. Pay careful attention to this during shumatsu dosa, hiriki no yosei, shomen irimi nage, shiho nage. Elbows down and relaxed keep power centralized.

3) Guiding and Controlling Hands
Both hands must be used in balance. One hand guides, and that happens first. The other hand controls, and that should be half-timing behind the guiding hand. Higher level, one hand can do both. The guiding hand should be the one that establishes connection to uke.

4) Striking
Short and sharp, relaxed until impact. Avoid raising up your body and "jumping" into the attack. Hips should sink down into the strike and the result should be that Uke feels jammed/stuck to their own body when they try to block.

5) The Toe Line
Somehow, we often try to push against uke's strong line (directly into their toes and hips).
The effective line is actually just inside the toe line. the shoft is very subtle, but will take Uke's power almost instantly. The goal is to go where uke's power is not. Ask about this.

6) Timing and Speed
yudansha should work primarily on their timing and speed, especially at nidan level. By sandan, real power can be generated, and at 4-dan and above, self-exploration can become the central goal.

7) Get Hit
Most of us are afraid of this, and that causes us to overreact. Get hit a few times so it is not such an issue. Losing this fear will improve timing considerably.

Osu!

Look Where You Want To Go

He was talking about riding motorcycles - I was thinking about martial arts.
Are they really so different?

You can read Robert M. Pirsig's "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"

Here's the gist:

When riding a motorcycle, you need to look where you want the bike to go. Don't think so much about the handlebars or obsess with how to lean or shift your weight - all those things will happen naturally as long as you look where you want to go.

In martial arts it is the same. Many times I see people looking at their feet or hands as is to say "where are they?" (at the end of your arms and legs I would reckon). Looking at them does not help them go where they should. Looking anywhere other than where you want to go creates poor posture; poor balance; poor technique. As long as you look where you want to go, you will get there, plain and simple.

In life, too, it is important to look where you want to go. There are distractions all around us, and we are constantly bombarded by the media, the people around us, and even our own thoughts of negativity. LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. Focus your attention on the positive results you seek and you will get there. Not always in the way you expected; not always as quickly as you hoped; but you will get there.

These days are filled with uncertainty, and sometimes you would even think the world as we know it is over. Within a few months everything will be so different. It is what it is and completely beyond my control I must practice "letting go". However,

I KNOW WHERE I WANT TO GO AND I KNOW HOW TO GET THERE.
Now, so do you.

The Heart of the Matter

Most of us will never be in a real fight.
I hope I am never in a fight again for the rest of my life.
So...what's the point of studying martial arts then?

self-defense? - you could just buy a can of mace (or a gun, if you live in the USA)
health? - you could diet or exercise in the gym
socializing? - you could take up salsa dancing or hiking or bowling
philosophy? - you could read books or take a course

So...what's the point of studying martial arts then?

I would contend that martial arts has all those benefits I listed above.
But there's something more...

I have spent the greater part of my life (27 years and counting) with martial arts in one way or another being part of what I did and how I thought. What has it done for me?

Maybe the most important thing is that my training has always been there for me in times of trouble and crisis. No matter what, by training or going to the dojo, I could prove to myself that I was still in control of my life - I could make a little progress; go a little further than the day before.

• an extra pushup
• another few crunches
• a little faster on the drill
• a little smoother flow in the movement

You get the point. We live in a time of great uncertainty. It is likely to get much worse before it gets any better. It has been of enormous comfort to me throughout my life to know that I always had something I could depend on, something that would always be there for me no matter what, a constant in this sea of change - my training. Whenever my life would fall apart, my martial arts was there for me. I could go to the dojo and find peace.

What has it meant to you? Has it given you that same faith?

I promise if you stay true to your training, it will become part of your life. Once that happens, you will always have something you can depend on.

There are many times that has made all the difference. I am sure it will for you, too.

Lost in Translation

The Bible is a great example of what can happen.

The original was most likely written in a combination of Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek and Roman.
After centuries of being hand-copied, the Bible was brought to the masses courtesy of the printing press, which would have meant original copies done in Latin and German. Now the bible is available in more than 438 languages, with a variety of different editions.

HOW MUCH WAS LOST IN TRANSLATION?

I am not being deliberately anti-christian here. I am merely using the Bible as an example, and I am only really interested interested in what we martial artists can learn from this example.

There is most likely a lot of symbolism and hidden meaning in the Bible. Most of it is now lost due to the several steps of translation required to get a single-language version for everyone to read. What got lost?

Even recent books like Dan Brown's "The DaVinci Code" suggest that subtle differences in the use of a Hebrew word could have far reaching ramifications in understanding what the original authors' intentions were.

For most of us in the martial arts world educated in the west, we are bereft of native instruction in what we do. If we are learning karate, we are most likely not learning it from Okinawans. This has implication in the linguistic, cultural, and martial aspects of our studies. Frankly, no matter how good our western teacher is, they are unlikely to have had full exposure to the system with its cultural/spiritual/historical linkages. Sadly, many people are taught by only lower ranking belts (less than 5th dan) which is unthinkable in any traditional school. These younger belts can instruct the basics of technique, but would never have been taught the very deep meanings behind techniques, or anything more than the fundamentals of the surrounding culture their art embodies. The teacher cannot take you beyond his/her own limits of knowledge. They should, however, guide you in the right direction.

For most westerners, the lack of language skill, and/or a certain racism/prejudice on either side can mean that the full system was never transmitted. This is amplified by the fact that most westerners did not commit the time and energy needed to master the art except at the surface/technical level and so entire portions of knowledge were lost. Lost to those teachers, it was also lost to their students, and down the line. In the 3rd generation and beyond, most students have no way to recover, and become limited to only a portion of the original art.

So much is lost in translation due to this diaspora that we are in jeopardy today.
Modern martial arts focus on combat effectiveness (Krav Maga being one example) often at the expense of any moral or ethical education needed to control it.

I encourage every martial arts student to:

• be very concerned with the credentials of any prospective teacher - check them out!

• be mindful of the ethical/moral character of teachers and other role models for yourself and your children

• continue to do outside research on what you study using libraries and internet

• learn the native languages of the arts you study so you can dig deeper and access material in the original language

• travel to the countries whose arts you study and develop a deeper understanding of the culture and history that makes them what they are

Martial Arts is a lifelong journey of exploration. The quest for the truth is not easy. Never stop learning. Don't get LOST IN TRANSLATION

Freedom!

"There is no one silat, there is only YOUR silat" - Punong Guro Jeff Espinous

What does he mean?

Unlike traditional martial arts instruction in the East, FMA are typically concepts-based and expect the student to free-flow.

This has both good and bad elements, but when taught and practiced properly, opens the door to a level of skill and creative self expression that otherwise would take decades of training.

At its heart, FMA is practical. That means that it must have the "Martial" element of martial arts and be effective when used for self-defense. This is only possible if concepts are fully taught and understood, and the key principles followed during application.

1) strong basics including distance, timing, footwork
2) flowing
3) constant guard
4) holistics including striking, kicking, grappling, and weapons

At the same time, FMA allows for total self-expression and the gestalt of our unique backgrounds applies itself when we overlay concept on technique. Our experience of martial arts gives us access to a giant library of martial arts techniques, especially now that visual media such as youtube are so accessible. These techniques can be adapted and integrated within the framework of FMA as long as the concepts and principles are properly followed. The result is one's own style, reflective of our own unique artistic sense. This is the "Art" of martial art.

The result is FREEDOM. This is the freedom to evolve, and will allow you a lifetime of study, training, and growth without becoming bored or repetitive.

This freedom has been absent from most martial arts taught in Japan, Korea, and China. Many of those schools rely on rote memorization and adherence to a pre-defined set of movements or techniques, not allowing for individual expression, progression, or evolution. In many cases the original deep meaning of the movements has been lost forever, especially in the importance of footwork.

If you are in the FMA, remember how lucky you are to have FREEDOM.
If you are not, there is a world beyond technique and kata for you to explore.
I encourage you to seek it out.

LIVE FREE OR DIE

Heads Up

Ah, the headbutt...an all-time personal favorite aka "the nutter", "the Glasgow Kiss" or botter in French. This is an absolutely devastating close-quarters attack, easily on par with the knee and the elbow when space is tight. Who can ever forget French football legend Zinedine Zidane (above) giving one to the chest of Italian Marco Materazzi in the 2006 Wold Cup Final (for which Zidane got a red card and a 3 match ban and Materazzi hit the ground like an anchor).
A classic, and very educational.

Guro must have shown this one a thousand times in the flow. jab, cross, pary, trap -> BAM! Headbutt to the face or chest and the fight is over. I still forget to get as much use out of this savage attack as I know I should.

To do this properly, it is necessary to hit the target with the crown of the forehead (not with your own NOSE, in case any Romans are reading this). The best places to apply it are to the opponent's nose/face/mouth (the most common) or to the sternum (thanks Zidane). one very interesting gunting even guides the opponent's punch into the crown of the forehead, thus breaking the attacker's hand - OUCH!

They are also very effective against the cheekbones or temple, or even the bicep (sounds odd but trust me on this). You also see the rear headbutt (and its grappling variant, the crown crush) get used when the attacker is behind you.

Of course, this attack works best with a lot of force behind it. This means either catching an inbound opponent (just ask Materazzi), or for you to step in strongly and close the gap yourself. I especially love a headbutt when I am trapping up my opponent's arms or when I am in their guard. Another beautiful place for this is in clench with your hand behind your opponent's neck. Remember to clench your teeth and tense your face muscles at the instant you strike, as well as tilting your head slightly forward and bending your back for acceleration. Expect a satisfying crunch when you hit the target.

I think it is fair to say that a few of the common headbutt attacks are expected by most street fighters, like the rear headbutt against a bear hug, for example. The slightly unusual (although no less effective) attacks like the chest or bicep are high percentage hits because they are unexpected and usually get in very fast.

Have a play next time you are in close - see if you can find the headbutt attack.

Zidane would be proud.

Gasshuku

No, I didn't sneeze (but thanks for the blessing anyway)

Gasshuku, actually written 合宿, is a tradition in most Japanese martial arts, and even extends to other sporting clubs such as tennis. Gasshuku are weekend intensive training camps, usually done once or twice a year on long weekends, where we go off to the country and do a focused training event.

Especially for Japanese Budo, this is a must. In many schools where I trained, gasshuku were twice a year (summer and winter) and a time of great camaraderie and friendship, hard training, and good food. Some aikido and karate schools like to do these in the hottest and coldest weeks of the year for spiritual purposes as well.

Gasshuku were times when we students and teachers could really bond together. These intensive camps were also great training times where we could cover huge amounts of material in detail in an immersion setting, which really helped many of us to increase our skills. They were also events that our overseas brothers and sisters came home for. For Japanese, gasshuku have a certain nostalgia.

A typical aikido gasshuku, for example, went a bit like this:

FRIDAY
Arrive late Friday night (usually a place 4-5 hours from Tokyo)

SATURDAY
Training starts 6 am with a 5 km run
First class at 7 am for 2 hours
Breakfast
Second Class from 10 am - 12 pm
two-hour break (including lunchtime)
Third class from 2pm - 4 pm
ONSEN (natural hot springs) from 4pm - 6pm (one of my favorite parts)
Meditation/lecture from 6pm - 7pm
Dinnertime from 7pm onward (usually followed by very heavy sake/beer drinking as part of Japanese martial tradition!)

SUNDAY
Usually a half-day session including 5 km run (tough after drinking until 3 am), and two more classes. Then we went home by car, bus, or train.

These Gasshuku remain some of my fondest memories of training in Japan. Here in Singapore, we can have access to some outstanding places such as Thailand, Malaysia, Bali, etc. where we could have some awesome and memorable Gasshuku.

Let me know your favorite Gasshuku stories!

Osu!