2in1 Seminar - a weekend with Sifu Jack and Guro Evan

What an amazing weekend.  Since our family vacationed in Brisbane, Australia last Christmas I had been in touch with Sifu Jack Leung, who runs several Wing Chun schools in the greater Brisbane Area.  Although we didn't get to train together over Christmas, we kept on corresponding and working on a visit to Tokyo for a seminar.  Almost half a year later - it happened.

As it turns out, Sifu Jack is very good friends with another of my martial arts legends, Guro Evan Tai from Hong Kong.  The two meet frequently, train together and have hosted joint seminars before.  When Sifu Jack mentioned that Guro Evan might also be available I was even more excited!

We spent two days covering a wide variety of topics, with both teachers taking turns and building off what each other showed.  Sifu Jack's Practical Wing Chun was exactly that - fast, powerful, effective and very well suited to self defense applications.  He explains techniques from a very scientific point of view, focusing less on the Chi Kung and more on proper structure, posture and breathing.  The many technical options were based around three simple entries (inside/outside/split) which are universal and common in almost every martial art.

From there we explored a wide variety of potential outcomes using different weapons including strikes/punches, elbows, traps, grabs, kicks and so on covering high line and low line, too.  They all can end up in the same finish, or be adjusted for distance and circumstance.

No one can learn Wing Chun in 2 days, but for all of us without that background it was a very accessible set of material that we can continue to explore on our own.

As for Guro Evan Tai, I have been watching his videos on YouTube for years and always hoped to get a chance to meet him.  For anyone who thinks his videos are sped up, I can tell you - HE REALLY IS THAT FAST!  Guro Evan took us through some flows with knife, single stick and sarong/scarf that were really interesting.  He moves extremely fast but with great precision, exactly as you would expect from an expert at his level.  He also showed us a lot of options, often bringing the same techniques back into the flow in different steps.  Of course we were only scratching the surface in these 2 days but it was really exciting and fun.

Both teachers traveled with friends and family, who were very kind and open.  Together we got to make a lot of new friends in addition to some excellent training.  If you get a chance to see them in Brisbane or Hong Kong - TAKE IT!!  If you see a seminar from either of them (hopefully both) - ATTEND!!  You will be very glad you did.

Great thanks again to everyone who came out to support and, most of all, thanks to Sifu Jack, Guro Evan and their Entourage for sharing and giving us so much good stuff.

See you again next time!!

Why I love Silat

In this cycle, we are introducing some silat.  I must confess, I LOVE IT.  Of the many things that we do in Kali Majapahit, including Sinawali/Serrada, Panantukan/Sikaran, Hakka Kuntao, Muay Thai/Muay Boran and others, silat is always one of my favorites.  Years ago, at the Peaceful Warrior Camp, Dakilang Jeff Espinous introduced us to a variety of movements from his Kali Silat Concept and I was mesmerized.  I have been ever since.  In the interim, I have had a chance to experience some fantastic instructors such as Guru Berni Chu, Sifu James Nener and Guru Maul Mornie, who deepen my understanding further and help me make sense of this beautiful art.  Of course, I was thrilled to see silat shown in movies like Raid/Raid 2 and The Accountant.  Silat was even used as a basis for the fighting style of King T'Challa, the Black Panther of Wakanda.   

Why do I love it so much?

Low Stances

While not exclusively so, silat tends to be characterized by an extremely low stance relative to other fighting styles (like Muay Thai, for example).  As a smaller guy, this is to my advantage.  Practicing the Jurus/Langkas is also great for building leg strength and flexibility in the hips and ankles. Some styles like Cimande/Mande Muda have very low movements and are great for lower body physical conditioning. 

Unusual Weapons

I've always been a "weapons" guy, and silat training exposes us culturally to some of the most exotic tools in the martial arts - sarong, karambit, Kris, sabit, tekpi to name a few.  Even weapons which resemble those of kobudo (sabit and tekpi, for example) are used in a very different manner, which means a lot to learn, explore and discover.  Years ago, I was fascinated by a photo of Silat master Eddie Jafri with little blades held between his toes for kicking opponents...mind-blowing stuff.

3 Levels of Engagement

In silat, things are happening all at once, often on 3 planes at the same time.  While the hands are engaging/trapping and striking, the hips may be in contact and the feet may be entering for foot traps, low kicks, sweeps or other low-line attacks.  The fact that these all happen simultaneously make silat an extremely effective fighting system that is very hard to defend against.

Fighting Strategy

Many people observe the jurus (forms) of silat and comment that they are impractical or ineffective.  This is often derided from a point of view that does not understand the actual fighting movements and strategy inherent in silat.  Unlike other styles which favor showing opponents a tight, close guard, silat is very deceptive.  Often the silat artist will "bait" the opponent by offering a (seemingly) very open and available target such as the head or groin.  This is done to try to "channel" the attacker into launching an expected attack - which results in their defeat.  The open guards are usually done with other targets hidden or covered, limiting the attacker to one good (irresistible) line of attack.  I love the psychological approach of making an opponent commit to a doomed strategy.

Silat is not a static art.  The goal is always to use footwork to reach a place of advantage, flanking to gain access to the opponent's back or using footwork to adjust fighting distance.  

Locking Flows

Having come from a background of strong locking/throwing techniques (aikido/jujutsu/judo) I truly appreciate the beauty of being able to control an attacker or project him/her into other combatants.  However, silat has a wide variety of locking techniques that are rarely seen in other arts.  in silat, we lock with the feet, legs, arms and elbows and lock both standing and on the ground.  In general, these locks are a pathway to one of two outcomes: 1) joint breaks/dislocations or 2) strangles and chokes.  Like quicksand, the more the attacker struggles, the more they are locked, in pain and blacking out.  There are also throws in silat, but less the kind of dynamic projections seen in judo or aikido, and more likely to be sweeps or takedowns, usually flowing straight into locking.

Silat is not a submission style like MMA/BJJ or Aikido.  The locks are designed to dislocate or break joints and usually lead directly into strangles or chokes.

Groundfighting

Filipino Martial Arts has its own groundfighting style, called "dumog", but this is a bit different from silat.  Styles vary of course, but some such as cimande are extremely low and centered around in groundwork.  Almost like the BJJ guard, these styles seek to pin the opponent to the floor where they can be attacked with brutal full-power strikes, elbows and kicks without being able to retreat.  In general, three points of contact (two knees and one hand, two hands and one knee) will be the base while the remaining limb hits or kicks.  BJJ is considered extremely formidable on the ground, but silat is no less deadly.

Adab, Adat, Hormat

These three words, Adab (courtesy), Adat (culture) and Hormat (respect) form the foundation of good silat training.  This is consistent with all good martial arts instruction and promotes healthy, mature and responsible people.  The silat practitioners I have met all exemplify these traits and I am proud to call them my brothers and sisters.

The great thing about Kali Majapahit is the contrast between the different sub-systems.  There is always a lot to see and do, and it takes some time for the mind to feel comfortable with the vastness of the curriculum.

Train hard. 

White Belt

(Thanks for the inspiration Guro Rose)

Starting something new is at the same time challenging and intimidating.  Especially martial arts class.  It's exciting to embark on the journey as a white belt, fresh and open to new ideas and new understanding.  At the same time, it's humbling to see the other students, some of whom started just a month or two before you did, looking like veterans after just a bit of repetition and guidance.  I've been in the Arts almost all of my life (all of it that matters, anyway).  I can remember every time I started a new style feeling like I had forgotten everything else I had ever done.

Kali Majapahit was the first Southeast Asian fighting art I studied.  I was familiar with wrestling from high school, fencing (especially saber) from college and boxing from my older brother. The others, ninjutsu, aikido, iaijutsu, karate, judo all had a lot in common.  Kali Majapahit, a Southeast Asian martial art encompassing Kali, Silat, Hakka and Muay Thai, as well as a host of weapons I had never used before, was a real struggle at the beginning.  For the first year everything felt wrong.  We fought right foot forward (Southpaw) versus the Orthodox boxing/kickboxing/MMA/Muay Thai left foot forward stance.  I couldn't "flow".  I was too stiff.  Nothing made any sense.  I kept berating myself, assuming I should be able to learn it all much faster.  I felt ashamed that I wasn't...better.

However, I was convinced that Kali Majapahit had Truth in it.  The senior students (Vince, Guillaume, Ben) were excellent.  The logic of body mechanics and physics was irrefutable.  The speed, power and gracefulness were enticing.  Guro Fred was very patient and kept encouraging me.  He knew my long background in other styles, as well as my frustration.   He assured me that I didn't need to give up decades or everything else I had done, telling me that it would all find its way into my Flow (it has).

The years teach much the days never know.

I have been running the KM group in Japan since 2011 - over 7 years.  With great support from KM HQ we have built a dojo of great people - a real FAMILY of like-minded people who love to train and share.  I couldn't be prouder of what we have achieved together.  Every year a few new faces make their way to us and join our little community.  Little by little we have grown.

This year many of my original students will test for Kadua Guro, 1st Dan black belt, a very important milestone in their journeys and a testament to their years of hard work and dedication.  Brining them from white belt to black belt gives me a tremendous feeling of accomplishment, especially seeing how they have also become great leaders, great partners and confident professionals.  Our future is bright indeed.

For our new joiners, you have some great role models around you that will help me lead you in the right direction.  You will learn Kali, but hopefully you will also learn about yourself and the people around you.  You will develop the confidence to succeed in every aspect of your life through your hard training and discipline.  You'll make new friends that will become closer than you expected.

Step by step you will change your life for the better, and this will influence the people around you.

So...if you're sitting on the couch...what will you do?

In 5 years your couch will still be there, but you could choose to be somewhere else - somewhere better.  Martial arts is an investment in yourself and your future.  Trust me, you deserve it.

Pugay.

   

The Shame Factor

(thanks for the inspiration IDP)

Great class on Friday and some great conversation, too.  Getting good at anything takes work, a lot of work.  At the beginning, everything feels so difficult and in Filipino Martial Arts the learning curve is particularly steep.  Because we learn so much and it feels so diverse, each new movement requires a lot of repetition to absorb and sometimes we feel we are hardly making any progress at all.

It made me think a lot about what I would call "The Shame Factor".  In fact, I am sure I could write a book just about that and its unique place in Japanese society.  However, when it comes to martial arts training this is one of the biggest traps new students fall into.

Especially if they have had a bit of training elsewhere, or think of themselves as reasonably fit/athletic, students imagine their transition into the FMA should be pretty smooth.  Grab the sticks and go, right?  Many of them are shocked when seemingly basic movements are very difficult for them to grasp.  There are so many details in each action, and so much happening at once that it can feel a bit overwhelming.

Then the shame sets in.

We start to tell ourselves that it shouldn't be this hard; that we should be learning FASTER or doing BETTER or not making the same mistakes so often.  This is rooted in ego and the feelings of shame.

The reality is that FMA, like piano or tennis or golf or math or chemistry or contract law or software engineering, has a completely different expression compared to anything else, even other martial arts.  Not only do we have a brand new vocabulary (which may include Tagalog or Bahasa or Hakka words, and I add in Japanese terms as well) but the body has a different language too.  To "move" like an FMA practitioner is not easy at all, despite how easy the KM Guros make it look.  At the beginning it is truly frustrating.

To get good, really good, at something we must set our ego aside, accept that we do not know and allow ourselves to move past any feelings of shame.  Only then can we freely invest the time and energy needed to master something.  Every Guro in KM has gone through this and it was not easy for any of us.  It will not be easy for you, either.  It will, however, be worth it.

Every minute you spend with the sticks makes them more a part of you.  Every step of footwork you do helps you own the movement a little more.  Before long, the muscle memory sets in and you can free your mind to focus on strategy and environment rather than trying to command your arms and legs to do the movements themselves.

O-Sensei (founder of modern Aikido Ueshiba Morihei) is famously quoted as saying "whenever I move, that is aikido".  Of course he was not born like this, and it took decades of practice for his movement to become so instinctive.  If he had given in to shame at the beginning, the story would have ended very differently, and tens of thousands of us would have missed out...

So, when you enter the dojo take your shoes off and leave them outside.
Take your ego off, too, and leave it outside as well, right next to any feelings of shame or self-consciousness.  You can pick them up when you leave after class (well maybe just the shoes).

Trust your training and each other.  You will get there if you stick with it.  I promise.

Being The King

(thanks for the inspiration BH)

"Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown" - Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2

Chess is a fascinating game.  For more than a thousand years, this game has been used to sharpen our analytical and strategic minds.  Chess has also contributed to our understanding of mathematics and psychology, as well as computer science.  Thousands of books and articles have been written about Chess and it continues to be studied intently today.

Despite having only a limited space and scope, 64 space and 16 pieces, the combination of possibles moves and outcomes is practically infinite.  At its most basic premise, this mirrors our lives very well - since we are also finite but with practically unlimited potential.

The King is one of my favorite pieces in Chess.  Many prefer the Queen, since she is often considered the most powerful.  However, even the Queen must be sacrificed if needed in order to protect the King.  This means that the King is truly the most important piece in the game.  This is ironic, since the King himself rarely captures another piece.  It is clever use of the other pieces, and a good understanding of the battlefield (the board) that makes a Chess master.  The game is a subtle blend of patience and aggressiveness that I continue to find fascinating.

There is an important understanding here.  In life, too, we are often focused on our individual contribution - our own KPIs - as a way of justifying/validating ourselves.  In this, we lose sight of the fact that the King's real power is the power of his supporting cast: the bishops, rooks, knights and especially pawns, that determines the outcome.  All of these pieces are aligned to protect the King and to wage war on the opponent.  They each have unique skills and limitations, but if used in combination they can be unbeatable.  Every piece matters, and each lost piece is significant to the overall outcome.  Sacrificing pieces is rarely an effective strategy and is usually not done without very specific gains associated.

Of course it is no accident that the role of the Queen is significant.  A bold partner is indeed a force to be reckoned with, and choosing a strong right hand to act in concert with the king and the rest of the team is key.  Using the Queen in a good balance of offense and defense is vital to victory.  Losing the Queen often results in downfall.

As BH wisely pointed out, the more senior we become, the more we act as an influence to those around us - the other pieces - making sure they are included in the strategy and aware of their unique contribution to it.  We can accomplish so much more as an orchestrator than we could as an individual contributor.  Using the King as a proxy for any other piece usually results in a loss, so it is important to learn how to adapt to a leadership role when the time comes.

In companies, the "King" (CEO), is also reliant on a host of other "pieces" in various departments such as sales, marketing, operations, IT, finance, HR to execute his/her strategy and keep him/her (and the organization) safe.  It is a reminder that selecting and curating talent is the most important factor for success in any organization, and the King's ability to influence others' mindset/culture is a big determiner of success.  Remaining clear about the roles of each group and keeping them aligned is also paramount.  Without clear guidance and direction, the pieces do not operate together as a team, and this usually ends in disaster.

Since IBM's Big Blue beat Chess Grandmaster Gary Kasparov in 1997, we have found that AI can be a big factor in chess.  Programmed well, these learning computers have the ability to perform deep analytics with a lot of computation to validate possible outcomes.  In business, too, strong leaders use data analytics heavily to validate their decisions and empower even their front line staff (pawns) to do so as well.  "Better informed, better performed" or so it would seem.

In martial arts the parallels to Chess are very common and well-discussed.  Even I have had a go at it.  However, as described above, it is interesting to consider that just like in chess, the different pieces yield different combinations of moves.  This is why it is so important to train a wide variety of scenarios and combinations involving different ranges and heights, different environments, different tools/weapons and even different numbers of participants.  Every variable we change offers a new chance to discover and learn.  Patterns and habits in Chess, like in fighting, can be read and used against us by a savvy opponent.

Although not a skillful player, I have always enjoyed Chess and appreciated its significance as more than just a game.  Martial arts, too, is much more than game and similarly can offer deep insights about how to improve our lives.           

Time Zones

(thanks for the inspiration Mike)

Here we are on this little rock, spinning around the sun.  This situation gives us days and nights and seasons as well.  It also gives us time zones, so my morning in Japan is evening in New York City and so on.  The fact that the times are different doesn't make one place faster or slower than another.

I was inspired by this video post.

It is easy to compare ourselves to others and think our lives are better/worse than theirs.  The reality is that we all have a different timeline, a time zone, for our lives and our paths unfold uniquely.  There really is no comparison.

Even in the martial arts, seeing someone effortlessly learn new material or pass rank tests and gain new belts can make us doubt our abilities or wonder of the training is right for us.  We can become discouraged at our apparent lack of progress.

The truth is that none of us were born with martial arts skills.  Even gifted athletes struggle to get their bodies to perform complex martial arts movements and lots of repetition is needed for muscle memory.  In my experience, since FMA is so diverse, no one picks up all the categories (varieties of different weapons, empty hands, boxing/kickboxing) easily or even at the same speed.  In my case, despite more than 25 years of martial arts study before KM, I struggled with many of the movements during the first few years and I am still trying to perfect them.  At times it has been frustrating, but I always knew I would get better at it if I just kept training.

Let go of any time pressure.  Relax and let the classes do their job.  You'll get there in your own time, and the journey will be worth it.

I promise.

Homework

Homework...remember that??

I have two boys in international school - one in high school and one about to enter middle school.  Homework means something a bit different to each of them.  For the elementary school boy, homework doesn't really exist.  After school they play basketball or do club activities, but no real study is needed outside the classroom. They are smart enough to let kids be kids - for the moment, anyway.

For the high schooler, in preparation for college, there are concurrent projects going on constantly.  In fact, time management is the real skill they must master since without it they would do little else but go to class, do projects and study for exams  - it's a lot like working.

In our KM school, we have 2 classes (Tuesdays and Thursdays) of 2 hours duration each (1900-2100).  That's four hours total each week.  I'd like it to be more, but I'm grateful for what we have.  Some students, due to work or other commitments, rarely make it to both classes.  That's 2 hours per week for many of them.

In each class we do warm ups and then cover at least 3 different skills (sticks/empty hand or knife/boxing or kickboxing).  In the new model that Guro Fred introduced just after Peaceful Warrior 2018, we will need to do conditioning/Tabata in each class as well.  That means that we have about 30 minutes of training for each technical part, plus 15 minutes each for warm up and conditioning.

Since I only teach adults at the moment, I normally don't give out "homework" as such.  During class time all of us, myself included, can forget the outside world and focus on our training.  We introduce new material, drill and apply in a variety of new ways.  My goal is to build understanding of all the ways we can move and solve situations.  I try to cover as much as I can in each cycle. 

However, martial arts can be understood with the mind but it must be mastered with the body.  The intellect can analyze the movements but only the body can perfect them and make them second nature.

This means that all students are expected to spend time outside of class working on what we do in class.  We provide videos of the material, done with great effort by Kasama Jeremy.  We are all available to meet outside of class for additional sessions as required.

My personal preference would be to spend our class time learning and exploring.  However, as a teacher, I need to spend at least half of it on repetition, since it is so important to develop muscle memory of our techniques.

The rule of 10,000 has proven to be very accurate when it comes to mastery.

Those who do their homework diligently always do better on tests than those who don't.

Anyway, wouldn't you rather do Kali Majapahit homework than trigonometry??   

The Big F U

Weeks later I am still thinking about the Peaceful Warrior Camp 2018.  Fantastic photos from our Peaceful Warrior Photographer, Elsa Girault, posted this week and helped remind me of that incredible time training with the world's best in the sun and on the sand.  As always, some topics simmer before being done and I am thinking about them long after we all go home.  This is one of them.

Every morning at 0630 on the beach we start out stick work with Guro Claes.  He is a Viking from Gothenburg, Sweden; a great big bear of a man.  Trust me when I say you want to remain on his good side.  Fortunately, he has a great big heart as well and has taught me much over the many years at camp.  He is a perfect role model in my journey to be a Peaceful Warrior.

His voice booms out as the sun rises "Someone is attacking you?  You tell them F@@k You!"  "We're Filipino Martial Artists; we're stick fighters. If he comes, you smash him!!"  When Guro Claes swings the stick, believe me you're smashed.  End of.

I'm still thinking about that morning, and many others we shared on many other beaches over many other camps.  Every time I think about it I know he's right.

With a stick or a blade in our hands we should feel invincible.  Many years of training have honed us.  Our weapons are extensions of us.  We can block any attack they try.  We know we can hit them anywhere we like whenever we want.  If not, we need to train harder.  Train until we are without doubt.  Until swinging the stick or the blade; striking and kicking are as natural as breathing.

I would call Kali Majapahit the "beautiful art".  We flow and evade, we strike and recover.  When I watch Guro Fred move he's like magic.  Fast, smooth and effortless.  Everything chains together in an elegant and deadly dance.  Nothing is coarse or crude.  Everything has a purpose and a strategy and it is all part of a never ending flow. It's hypnotic.  I love it because it is equally martial and equally art.

At the same time, there is much to be said for directness, and we often spend too much time getting out of the way with spirals and circles and evading footwork.  If it is part of our strategy, then fine.  KM is amazing partly because of the deceptiveness of our fighting tactics.

However often it is because we lack confidence in our blocks or our control of the fighting distance.  We lack aggressiveness.  We seek to avoid the conflict rather than dominate it.  We are timid and shy; afraid to tell the attacker "F@@K YOU".

If so, we need to train harder.  We need to train not until we welcome the fight, but until we feel confident in the outcome, regardless of the circumstance or situation.  When we grab our weapon or set our stance we should feel like a shark in the water - a predator completely in our element.

Being a Peaceful Warrior means that we do not seek combat, but we stand always ready to protect what we love, and we have the ways and means to do so without doubt or fear, confident in our training and our abilities.

There is a time for pleasantries and niceties. The battlefield is not that place.  If that time should come, we do what we must.  The greatest mercy you can give is to finish your opponent quickly.  Their last thought, an instant before they hit the floor, should be one of regret - that targeting you was a big mistake.

TRAIN HARDER.

Mortal Combat

A very interesting photo.  Here we see two snakes - a cobra and a python.  They fought - both are dead.  The python crushed the cobra with its strength, the cobra bit the python and killed it with its venom.

The influence of Hollywood movies and pop culture glorifies violence.  We watch movies like "Bloodsport", we watch or train gladiatorial combat methods like MMA/BJJ/kickboxing/Muay Thai and even imagine what it might be like if we used our Kali skills in a "real" fight.

Unfortunately, we can't know what led to the picture - fighting over potential food sources/territory or something else.  All we see is the result.  Nature is as cruel as it is beautiful and the struggle for survival is real for every species, plant and animal alike.  Humans struggle too.  Sometimes for food or resources, but also for ideology, territory, social reasons or sadly even religion.  As noble as some of these may sound, the result is rarely different from the picture. I doubt the python or the cobra set out that day expecting to die.  I suppose very few people do either.  Maybe in their last moments, neither one unable to escape or back down, they were both surprised as their lives faded away into darkness.  "Here?? Now??  Why??"

Our Kali skills are no less deadly than the crush of the python or the poison of the cobra.  Maybe more so given our ingenuity with tools and our environment and our ability to make and use so many kinds of weapons apart from just our bodies.

At the Peaceful Warrior Camp in Natai Beach, Thailand this week we saw all manner of fighting techniques involving sticks, knives, karambits, machetes and even axes, not to mention mundane items like our belts (thanks Guro Fred!!).  That said, we  should bear in mind that the results of our actions can be permanent - not just to an opponent but to ourselves.  We must always be calm and mature enough to use our skills judiciously for the protection of ourselves and others in need.

As martial artists we need to operate within the law wherever humanly possible, and apply as little force as needed to resolve any potential conflict.  As Guro Claes reminded us, it is our expert knowledge of distance, timing, structure, psychology and physiology that are the real weapons we must apply - far more than our fists and feet.  I don't ever want to go to prison and I doubt anyone else does either.
It is surely preferable to the grave, and a risk worth taking if others are potentially in danger, but in no case worthy of glorification.

Fights are not always physical - all too often we argue with others and cause them great emotional harm in the hurtful things we say.  Some of these wounds are as bad or worse than physical injuries.  Like the snakes, we all have unique attributes that make us deadly - physically and verbally and we have no shortage when it comes to ways to damage others.  This is why the Peaceful Warrior way is so important.  It is our compassion that defines us, not our ability to cause harm.

Verbal or otherwise, any fight could be our last.  Make sure it's worth it.

Ringing The Bell

The above picture is of US Navy SEALS going through "hell week", a tortuous part of the selection process that combines physical, mental and emotional strain with severe sleep deprivation.  It is an ultimate test of willpower and those who make it through are very likely to be successful SEALS.

The test is made incrementally more difficult by the bell.

The bell is an omnipresent symbol of choice.
At any time, with or without reason, a cadet can go up and ring the bell three times and quit the selection process.  There is no shame in this.  Having done so, they are returned to their former unit and former colleagues to continue their service.  They will not go on to become a SEAL.  Everyone knows this is an option.  During Hell Week the mettle of the cadets is pushed to the limits and beyond - in the surf, in the sand and everywhere else.  Their leaders push them to see if they will break under pressure; if they can overcome the limitations of the body and mind and truly break through whatever barriers may stand in their way.  SEALS get the job done no matter what.  They never quit.  They never give up.  They never lose.

This week at the Peaceful Warrior Camp 2018 we were blessed to have training from an amazing man.  He spent 20 years in the Swedish Navy Special Forces as a diver - now working as a SWAT team member in inner-city Stockholm.  He is a calm and unassuming man with a gaze of steel.  He has undoubtedly seen many tough situations in his career and been challenged time and again.  To me, he is the definition of a Peaceful Warrior - the kind of person we should all aspire to be; confident without being boastful; ready and willing to act when needed to protect others.

He ordered us into the pool where we spent the next 25 minutes in a "mini" version of what an average training session is like for those warriors (theirs is usually between 60 and 90 minutes).  We swam, dived, pushed and pulled ourselves at every instruction.  After 25 minutes we were spent.  He told us "At any time you feel like it, get out of the pool.  Take a break.  Rest.  Go back in and continue.  Or not.  Up to you".  The bell.

We may not be SEALS or special forces, but we are Peaceful Warriors, too.  Not a single one of us  gave up no matter how hard it was.  We struggled, but all of us did the training as commanded.  I am proud if I imagine we did not disappoint him.

The session ignited something primal in me.  Pushed out of my comfort zone (I am not a very good swimmer) and put under stress I could only tap into my most basic instincts and my raw stubborn anger to keep me going.  My fitness simply wasn't good enough.  I struggled badly and was consistently slower than everyone else.  Despite this, I refused to ring the bell.  I wanted to, desperately.  When it was over, the adrenaline started to leave and I crashed.  My body shook.

I realized that there are these bells all around us.  Very few situations are impossible to quit.  We always have the choice of giving up.  In our jobs, our relationships, our hobbies; when things are difficult or even just "inconvenient" we can ring the bell - no questions asked or answered - and go do something else somewhere else.  We may worry what others might think, but the stark reality is that the only person that will really care that we quit is ourselves.  We alone have to face the guilt and regret without knowing whether or not we might have achieved the goal.

In martial arts too, we see the bell.  So many students start out with "good intentions" about reaching black belt and even beyond, but later ring the bell for any number of reasons.  Guro Claes talked about "black belt death" where after achieving the coveted black belt, a student just...stops training.  We've all seen it.  So have I.  Bell rung.

There is no such thing as an easy life.  We all struggle somehow, someway.  We can all imagine the bell right in front of us reminding us that we could always....just...quit.  At various points in my life I have quit jobs and relationships, as well as various hobbies and especially gym memberships.  However, as I get older and (hopefully) wiser I start to focus in on what really matters to me - my family, my Kali, my friends, my work.  The rest is just noise really.

If you look for them, the bells are always there.  Each of us must decide if we ring them or not.

Essence of FMA

This is Guro Eugenia Valente of Kali De Mano, one of the expert black belts and a guest instructor here at the Peaceful Warrior Camp 2018.  We were very lucky to have a class from her this week.  She is a happy, friendly person when we see her around the camp.  Not overly talkative, but always with a bright smile and always eager to train.

She moved to the front of the room, surrounded by Swedish Viking Giants, Germans, Australians and other camp members some of whom are twice her size, we wondered what she would show us.  It turned out to be the Essence of FMA.

She moves directly, efficiently.  As soon as her opponent gets in range she blasts in.  Her counters are compact and powerful; he is disarmed and off-balance.  He's down.  She is in control 100% of the time.  The room goes dead silent.

We are all lifelong students of martial arts.  Guro Eugenia wordlessly reminds us that what we do is very martial indeed.  MARTIAL Arts.

Especially in Kali Majapahit, which is a beautiful, deceptively flowing style, we sometimes lose sight of the fact that FMA is meant to be savage and aggressive - it is meant to be compact and direct.  It is meant to deliver devastating responses to anything our opponent would consider.  Watching Guro Eugenia demonstrate we immediately recognize that she is RELENTLESS.  We are reminded that this, too, is part of what we need to be if we want to call ourselves Filipino Martial Artists.

She has invested a lot in her training and it shows.  She moves confidently and without hesitation.  She trusts her technique and she should.

The hour went by quickly.  Attack after attack led to the same result - Guro Eugenia standing over her attacker in complete control.  In this case, her "attacker" was another black belt instructor, and we all felt a bit of pity for him.  Thankfully he was not injured, but if the threat had been real there was no doubt what the outcome would have been.  It hurts to take those techniques and it requires a lot of trust between both teachers - Guro Eugenia has excellent control so she was able to go full speed and full power, stopping just short of actually damaging her partner.

I learned so much in that hour, reminding me to be more like Guro Eugenia - confident, compact, direct and powerful.  Above all - Relentless.  Not just in my Kali but in every important element of my life.

Thank you Guro!

No Pain No Gain

Here I am at The Peaceful Warrior Camp 2018 in Natai Beach, Thailand.  Sun, fun, training on the beach and so much, much more.  A chance to reconnect with brothers and sisters in the arts from near and far, catch up on the latest happenings and generally celebrate life.

The camp always includes a lot of training, but it is more than that.  We have at least 2 conferences every year on personal development and health, taught by Guro Fred, Guro Claes and the other masters.  It's a great chance to remember that it's not just about our skills as martial artists but also about our maturity and wisdom as human beings.

Today Guro Claes gave us a conference on personal development.  He showed us A.H. Maslow's hierarchy of needs which is a famous pyramid used in many such presentations.  Guro Claes also explained that these levels correspond directly to our chakras and as such are an integral part of the "I AM" part of our selves.  Many times we get stuck in certain levels of the hierarchy, unable to move forward.  Guro Claes explained that this often due to our reluctance to accept the pain of change.  All growth is painful, but it precisely this pain that allows us to go further.  Like the weightlifter in the gym - it is not easy but such effort is necessary to become stronger; simply wishing it does not make it so.

He challenged us to think about what we could do to really change our lives.  It's a powerful reflection to begin to really consider what is in our lives that doesn't work and formulate a plan to improve and change.  For some of us, having Guro Claes encourage us is a great motivator to take the next steps towards improving our lives, whatever that may be.

At the same time,  I realized that pain is a very important topic for me.  Looking at the word "PAIN" written in big letters I could focus on little else.  I worried I was going to have a "moment" and break down in tears during the conference.

For 30 years or so, I carried an anchor of pain around my neck.  Physical pain has come and gone, but the emotional pain of my childhood, and my anger as a reaction to that pain,  consumed me for so long I thought I could never be free of it.  This year, my birth mother published her memoirs, detailing many aspects of her failed marriage to my birth father and my early childhood (pre-agency and foster care) that I had never known.  I was riveted, reading the whole manuscript 3 times in one week and hardly sleeping at all.  So many wounds were reopened, and I cried an awful lot that week.  Once again I was a lost and forsaken baby, given up by my parents who never wanted me.  The pain was unbearable.  The love of my wife and children healed me like it always has.

I realized that now, at nearly 52 years old, I have the life I want.  I have MY family, who I love with every fiber of my being; my beautiful and patient wife who handles my dark moments without complaint; my two sons who surprise me and make me so proud.  So much more.  I love my job and where we live.  I love my Kali Family and my amazing students.  I have everything I ever wanted and so much more.  I am overflowing with gratitude for this fabulous life and I don't really feel any motivation to do much more than continue to enjoy it.  I'm in my sweet spot, my zone.  As one close friend tells me again and again, "Honeyman, you've aced it".  I really feel I have.

Maybe that's the problem.  I no longer subscribe to the idea that you have to keep pushing for the next goal; the next promotion, the next purchase, the next "level".  I feel content.  Moreover, I am not sure I am willing to "take the pain" of those changes any more.  I have lived in darkness for so long, I want some time to enjoy the light.  Is that really so wrong??

I know what it took to get here - thousands of nights of sadness and feeling unwanted...low self-esteem masked by sarcastic black humor.  My sharp tongue hurting everyone around me - pushing everyone away and building walls to keep everyone out.  Destroying every relationship and then wondering why I had to pick up the pieces again.  Everyone around me telling me all the things they thought I would never do or never achieve - me going and  doing them all (and more) anyway.  I had help from so many people along the way, known and unknown, but in the end I learned that no one can live your life but YOU.  I don't ever want to go back.  I love my life right now.

What if I just stayed on like this - happy??

No Pain No Gain? maybe to a point.  If I have nothing further I want to gain then maybe I don't have to take the pain, right? 

I have fought every inch of the way for this life.  As a warrior, A Peaceful Warrior, I am sworn to defend it and the people in it and I would without hesitation.  But maybe it's OK to stop fighting all the time.  Maybe I have the freedom I wanted for so long.  It sure feels like it.

Maybe this is what it really means to be a Peaceful Warrior...

QE Rebooted

This is our new boom.  Lately, my wife and I watch this show together when we have time.  If you haven't seen it yet, please check it out: http://collider.com/queer-eye-netflix-review-series/

Netflix in Japan even has Japanese subtitles.  All 8 episodes of the season are available for you to binge.

For those of you not in the know, the show's premise is that each episode someone gets nominated for a total makeover by the Fab 5, a group of gay men who specialize in different areas (fashion, interior, gourmet, grooming, culture).  During the segment, The Fab 5 spend a week with the nominee and at the end a full lifestyle makeover is revealed ranging from wardrobe (Tan Francis) to living space (Bobby Berk) to cuisine (Antoni Porowski)  to grooming/personal care (Jonathan van Ness) and attitude (Karamo Brown).  It's absolutely fascinating to watch these transformations happen.

To the casual observer, a change of wardrobe or furniture or a different haircut is a very superficial change.  A change in diet or a discussion about self-confidence is a shallow attempt at change.  The truth is, in every episode I have seen so far, the nominee has at least one sort of emotional blocker in their life - the death of an influential loved one; the weight of complacency or fear of failure; lack of acceptance from others and so on.  As the lifestyle elements are changed, the personality is lifted and the nominees change from the inside out.  They are confident, engaging/engaged and moving forward (at least baby steps).  We cry every time we see the end of an episode because it is truly touching to see these people overcome their blockers, supported by the genuine, caring attention of the Fab 5.

As openly gay men, each of them have dealt with serious psychological challenges during their lives as they have fought for acceptance and confidence from themselves and others.  This gives them incredible insight into personality, conflict and change and honed their skills in helping other people through the same journeys.  Most nominees underestimate the impact that a week with the Fab 5 can have on who they are.  In the end, they don't just look different - They ARE different.

The takeaway is profound: we are emotional beings, and this reflects itself (sometimes subconsciously) in how we treat ourselves and those around us.  Like all living things, we need to be nurtured not just physically but emotionally and spiritually to be fulfilled.  Blocked; we stagnate and get stuck in choices and habits that prevent us from making positive changes and moving forward.  We need help.  Little changes in how we dress, live, sleep, eat can make big changes in how we feel.  As Tan Francis pointed out in one powerful episode "there's no blueprint for how to come out; there's no one way to be gay".  Each person has to find their unique way of being and celebrate it, whatever it is.  As our problems get resolved, we start to shine brighter and brighter.

As a Customer Success Manager for Microsoft, I can relate to this.  I deal with the same challenges at the corporate level.  It would be easy to treat digital transformation as a serious of "IT projects" and ignore the fact that these are really driving "cultural changes" taking place in the way employees collaborate to sell to and service their important customers.  We do a series of enablement activities (akin to changing wardrobe, interior, cuisine and grooming on the show) but ultimately we are invested in trying to help our customers break out of their stagnant working habits into a more positive and confident incarnation.  We are impacting the workplace culture using IT.

In the dojo as well, we sometimes reach plateaus.  We feel we are not making progress or are stuck in bad habits (especially working too much and missing class).  Maybe we think we are there to master punching and kicking and stick fighting or knife defense.  The reality is that we use those tools for Personal Transformation.  We build confidence so we can remove the blockers we face in any area of our life and never be afraid to go for our goals everywhere including the dojo.  All of us have been victims of fear, and learning to face and overcome those fears is the key to personal freedom.  The martial arts is a means to an end; an end where we find ourselves fulfilled and happy in every other aspect of our lives.

The Fab 5 are amazing people.  I hope they keep changing the world. 

Evolution Revolution

I love my life.  It goes without saying that I love my family.  I love Japan in general and Yokohama specifically.  I love my work at Microsoft.  The company is in the middle of an amazing transformation - going from a pretentious know-it-all to an empathetic listener who can learn as well as teach.  We are closer to each other and to our customers than ever before, and the genuine, sincere "humanness" is the cornerstone of our newfound success and energy.  Under the new leadership of Satya Nadella, we have been moving steadily from a product-centric approach (features and functions) to a solution-led approach (fit for purpose).  Now, we aspire to become even more.  We want to evolve to be a partner in business model creation, where we help our customers develop new markets, ecosystems and business lines to expand and grow their relevance to their own customers, using our powerful platform as an enabler.  We are working hard to be part of the future rather than just the present.  It's an exciting time to be here.

I am transforming, too. My martial arts journey spans almost 40 years now, with the most recent decade being anchored firmly in Southeast Asian martial arts - specifically Kali Majapahit.  I have gone from absolute beginner to teacher, learning all along from everyone and everything I could.  My quest is far from over, and as I have written before, I learn as much from my students as I have from my teachers.

I was initially attracted by Guro Fred Evrard's choice of terminology in the first KM class I ever took in an old shophouse on Yan Kit Road in Singapore.  He talked about "solutions" to "situations".  This blew my mind.  No teacher I had ever seen talked like that.  In the past it was about techniques and forms and repetition.  It was about patience and discipline and tradition and...waiting.  There was no creativity or innovation.  Systems were taught the way they had always been.  No one thought much about practicality or applicability - those things were for "sport" styles like MMA, Muay Thai or boxing, looked upon with disdain by traditional martial artists.  Guro Fred changed how I thought about martial arts.  He opened my mind to a new way of learning.  Thanks to him and my other KM brothers and sisters, my journey of evolution continues.

Over the years Guro Fred's emphasis has changed as he has evolved.  His focus has shifted, which is completely natural since people change over time, consciously and/or unconsciously.  While I look upon the old days fondly, I am always excited by his commitment to innovate the curriculum and find new ways to challenge us.  Nothing in KM stays the same for very long.  We continue to evolve and that keeps us fresh.

My approach has evolved too.  One of the most beautiful things about the FMA is the inherent ability to translate between sub-systems.  We start learning weapons (sticks) on Day 1 and we try very hard to link everything about the stick back to the empty hands movement and vice versa, using universal body mechanics/physics about centerline, weight transfer, hip rotation, extension.  We are reminded that our tradition comes from the blade, in KM specifically the barong, and we are encouraged to look at the stick and empty hand techniques through the lens of the blade movement.  Subtle changes are needed, but most of what we learn flows seamlessly from one to the other.  Our understanding expands to the world around us, whereby everything becomes a weapon proxy, including the environment.  As shown in many famous Hollywood films (Bourne series, Taken, etc.) trained kalista use anything and everything to win.

Now, when we see a technique, our minds begin to explore how the same concept can be reused and reapplied in a variety of other circumstances using any other tools.  One technique becomes hundreds of expressions and our creativity is unleashed.  This way of learning sharpens the mind.

We evolve our thinking from discrete technique to flexible solution.  Later we move beyond physical technique into aspiration, where our training is focused on making us better people - leveraging our strategy and psychology to negate the need for violent conflict.  Our journey moves from the physical to the mental/emotional and ultimately to the spiritual.  Our journey connects us deeply to everything and everyone and we manifest this awareness in every day of our life.

My arts at work and at home are no different from my arts at the dojo.  My life in KM has allowed me to evolve not just as a martial artist but as a husband, a father, a co-worker and a friend.  The evolution has brought me unparalleled happiness by keeping me connected.  I use what I have learned every single day and always will.

What is YOUR revolution?
How are YOU evolving?

Teachers and Students

I am very fortunate to have had several incredible teachers during my journey, starting officially from age 14 until now.  They taught me not only martial arts techniques, but so much about the world and my place in it.  I can honestly say that without my teachers I could never have achieved the things I have done or become who I have become - a teacher now focused on sharing what I have learned with the next generations.

My teachers have always appeared just when I needed them to.  Whenever I felt a plateau on the path or began to lose my way, a teacher would always be there to bring me back and keep me moving forward.  Sometimes it felt like inches at a time, but forward nonetheless.

However, if I am honest, I learned just as much from my training partners.  Together we explored every technique making countless mistakes along the way.  We found out what worked and what didn't and the trust in each other kept us from injury.  They, too, were my teachers.

Now I find that I learn so much from my students.  They come to class with bright eyes and focus, eager for each new bit of knowledge.  Their questions and the way they move teaches me a lot about how people understand our art.  Among our black belts we take some things for granted - newer students do not.  They don't assume something works (or that it doesn't).  I am fascinated by how to make the art easier for them to absorb.  In many ways, they are now my teachers.

Punong Guro Fred Evrard and Guro Lila Evrard have been among the most important of my teachers.  Starting me on my current path and selflessly sharing their lifetime of experience in arts I had never seen before.  They changed my mind about so many things, and I am forever grateful. 

At the same time, Guro Fred was always clear that he was not the art.  The art is the art.  What does it mean??

Make no mistake, I started Kali Majapahit because of them.  I continued (and still do) because of everyone else, the other teachers and students and the broader KM global community we have built together.  I don't get to see them as often as I would like, and certainly not as often as I did when we were all in Singapore.  However, that does not mean that I don't still learn from them.  It means that at my level I must focus more on adding to the art by incorporating my own background and experience (25+ years of traditional Japanese arts) into KM.  That is our KM Japan "flavor".

My students will outgrow me.  That's what I want.  Then they will take the art even further.  That's also what I want.  To do this, the students cannot sit back passively and wait to be "spoon fed" the knowledge by me.  They must become proactive and seek out understanding on their own so they can discover THEIR Kali Majapahit.  It is THEIR journey after all.

For the past 8 years I have tried to be at every class.  However, try as I may I can't always be there.  This shouldn't matter.  I am not the art.  The art is the art.
Come to class regularly and learn from each other.  You will be glad you did.

That is all. 

 

Just Like Walking

(note - the above photo is not me).  Although it could have been.  In fact, it could have been any of us.  Barring disability, usually in the first year or two, we learn to walk.  It's a trial-and-error process that is fraught with initial failure.  We stand, we wobble, we fall, we cry.  We get up and try again.  Eventually, we make it.  It's not easy and inconsistent at the beginning.  It hurts and is frustrating.  Still, we persevere and, having done so, experience a new world of possibilities that come from no longer crawling but from standing and walking upright.  We are faster and can now use our hands at the same time to reach something higher than we could on all fours.  We experience a completely new vantage point where things look different than before.

I can't think of any baby, barring disability, that does not ultimately figure out how to stand and walk.  That said, every baby struggles and falls for awhile at the beginning.  Every baby experiences the frustration associated with being unable to do something the first time you try.  Babies cry but they don't give up.  At the beginning they rely on help from adults but they are also striving for independence. Babies don’t decide “ walking is too hard. I think I’ll just stay down here...”

Our training is often like this.  There are setbacks and frustrations at the beginning.  Often, it feels like the body will not obey the mind.  The hands and feet just don't go where we want them to.  Intellectually we understand the movement and principle but we have trouble doing it.  We are inconsistent and our performance varies with each rep.  Sometimes, people give up on martial arts training because they "just can't get it" or "it's not for me".  Luckily, babies don't have the same ego, and they intuitively know that walking is worth the struggle.

Eventually, walking becomes second nature for people.  Given enough practice, so does almost anything else.  I am always amazed by the incredible things human beings can do through practice - not just physical things but mental and emotional things.  I am amazed that through practice and habit people can overcome nearly any obstacle - many disabled people learn to walk and run as well as anyone else.

In Zen Buddhism we often refer to a "Beginner's Mind" or "Children's Mind" and infer the sense of curiosity and wonder at the everyday beauty of our life.  To me this Beginner's Mind also means letting go of the ego associated with failure so that we can invest the practice needed to acquire, and ultimately master, new skills.  As far as we can tell, babies don't feel shame that they can only crawl when other toddlers can walk.  Instead, they focus on imitation and practice until they, too, are up and moving.

Whatever you want to do, the first steps will be tough, but don't give up.
You will get there.  I promise.  When you do, it will be worth it.

Keep Walking.

What We Are About

This is Sarah Silverman.  If you don't know her, she's a comedienne, actress, producer and writer who used to work on Saturday Night Live before making her own shows for Comedy Central.

I was reading her exchange with a Twitter poster and it really resonated with me, since a conversation last night with a close friend covered some of the same ground.

TLDR?
In summary, a guy posted a single word on her Twitter feed, "C@nt".  He seemed to be trolling for a response.  Instead of just reacting with vitriol of her own, she did a bit of digging and responded with compassion and concern for his situation, the motivations for why he would post like that.  She uncovered his history of childhood abuse, his painful medical problems, and his anger at not being able to do more.  His comments were a self-destructive cry for help.

The result?  A deeper connection with this new fan, and some outside help that may get him the support he needs to turn his life around.  It's a beautiful story, sorely needed in this modern world where all too often people react with contempt for each other.

We need more love and compassion.  We need more empathy and kindness.  We need to learn to let go of fear.

My conversation with my friend last night was about what I called "The Fear Equation".  Very often, people react from fear.  Fear causes us to lash out in a classic "fight or flight" response.  This fear reaction often causes the situation to escalate further.  This sometimes becomes the catalyst that triggers a violent encounter --- words are exchanged, physical space is violated (finger pointing/shoving), punches are thrown, police and ambulance are called...the damage is done.

I use the term "equation" because there are two sides involved.  When someone engages us with a fear-based action (verbal or physical), we respond in kind (or worse).  This ladder effect goads each side to continue to up the ante until something bad happens.  It can occur between strangers, but often happens with our partners and family members as well.  We say or do unintended things, which cause harm that may have lasting negative consequences.  In many cases this can and should be avoided.

The first step to breaking out of this cycle is to recognize that we own our responses to what other people say and do.  We can choose.  Rather than just instinctively striking back, we can choose to let go of our fear and ego and try to connect instead.  We can try to turn a negative situation into a positive one.  People have emotional power over us only when we give it to them. If undeserved, we can take that power back and no longer be subject to their judgments or emotional manipulation.  We don't automatically have to fight fire with fire.

It is important to consider interactions from the standpoint of our own fear response and how it is an integral part of the Fear Equation, adding negative energy and fueling the fear of others.  This is a bomb we can choose to defuse instead of trigger.

Martial Arts training is also about building self-confidence and self-esteem.  As we grow, we are less likely to be afraid of the words and actions of others.  This minimizes the need to react from fear and hopefully frees us to respond with empathy and compassion.  With support from our peers we can train to recognize and explore our fears - understanding them so we can finally let them go and be free.  This is what I really want.

Let's try to make 2018 "The Year of Empathy".  This world needs it.  WE need it.

Thank you, Sarah.  You are beautiful.

Looking Toward 2018

Webster's Dictionary defines "resolution" as being "a formal expression of opinion or intention..." but also "a decision or determination (to do something)".  It is well-known that most New Year's Resolutions fail.  US News and World Report famously wrote that 80% fail by the second week of February.  Those are bleak odds indeed.

There are lots of suspected reasons why, but for most of us a combination of factors is to blame.

One popular method for goal-setting is to use the SMART acronym.  That is, 

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely.  My previous employer, Salesforce.com, was very focused on a process called V2MOM, namely Vision, Values, Methods, Obstacles, Measurements.  This is a great way to ensure that your goals (vision) are aligned to your personal beliefs (values) and tied to specific actions (methods).  It also challenged us to consider what problems we could foresee (obstacles) and how we would numerically quantify our success (measurements).  This practice was followed from the CEO all the way down to each new graduate and is deeply embedded in the company cultural values.

Martial Arts is a great way to help build a track record of achievement for yourself.  We set regular goals and work together to achieve them, demonstrating our progress through the cycle testing every 3 months.  We are very fortunate in Kali Majapahit that Guro Fred Evrard's curriculum is well-defined and specific about the skills mastery of each level from white belt through several levels of black belt instructorship.  There is always something new to learn.  What we can learn in the dojo we can apply everywhere.  If we teach ourselves good habits like coming to class regularly and on-time, training hard, giving 100% and being focused on our outcomes we will progress.  Together.  I have seen this time and again with students I knew as white belts who are now capable, confident instructors.

As for me, 2017 was a year of tremendous change.  I bore it the best I could and I am closing the year with a lot of bumps and bruises (mind, body and soul).  But I am still standing, and that's what matters.  I am filled with gratitude for this wonderful life I have and my many friends and family in every circle to which I belong.  I am grateful for being able to do what I love, together with the people I respect.  I am truly blessed.  In 2018, no matter the challenges, I am hopeful it will be a better year and I will stay the course, step by step, with all of you.  Let's enjoy the journey.  Together.

So...let's bag this one and awaken tomorrow to New Possibilities for Us All...

LOVE, JOY, PEACE,

John

"Imagine where you will be and it will be so...Brothers, what we do in life...echoes in eternity."   --- Maximus Decimus Meridus  (Gladiator)  

Deep and Wide

I just finished reading "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F@ck" by Mark Manson.  Highly recommended as a great series of practical tips for focusing on what matters most to you (and learning to let go of the rest).  Something in the book really resonated with me - it reminded me of a powerful conversation on the stunning beach in Pranburi, Thailand at the Peaceful Warrior Camp last year.

Guro Claes Johansson of KDM, a super martial artist and a super person,  was telling us to "go deep" in our training, sharing insights he has gained from decades of training with some of the world`s finest martial artists.  He advised us to wring every drop of understanding from every single technique we experience.  He advised us, very rightfully, to take plenty of time to dissect each technique and study it from every possible point of view, considering the origin and context of the elements, including the cultural and social influences as well as just the physiological aspects.  During the camp we explored in great detail the fundamental movements and where they came from, slowly working up to combinations and variations.  We built a strong understanding that we could continue to explore for years to come.  I am looking forward to sharing this research and going even deeper at the 2018 camp.

Often, too often, we are in a hurry to see and try as many techniques from as many styles and systems as possible.  With barely the briefest of explanations we dive right in, tails wagging, and try to do whatever we can - eager to quickly move on to the next and the next and so on.  We don`t invest the time needed to truly understand what we see and experience.  As a result, we fail to translate the concepts to other movements we know, which as FMA practitioners should be automatic.  Our attention span is short, and growing shorter, and we sometimes lack the patience to really OWN a technique and commit it to memory.

Mark Manson argues that "more is not always better", reminding us of the paradox of choice.  Too many choices bombard us with doubt and indecision, creating a type of "analysis paralysis" that makes every choice seem wrong.  Faced with an overwhelming amount of options, we end up being unable to choose any of them.  It is very much like staring at a comprehensive food menu and being unable to decide even a soup or salad or beverage.  Time passes while the waiter stands by impatiently... Suffice to say, there is value in simplicity.

Some students are wide in their training, too.  They have spent 6 months or a year in a handful of different martial arts, never really committing to a path or settling into a long-term training regimen in any of them.  This "Jack of all trades; master of none" approach ultimately robs the student of achieving a deep frame of reference by which to compare and contrast.  They end up learning a handful of techniques, but never developing any solid foundation as a martial artist.  This is not a recipe for developing mastery.  Youtube, while giving us access to seemingly limitless global content,  provides only a very superficial glimpse of the techniques, and generally without the context for correct application.  Youtube is a great tool, but I suggest using it carefully.

Wide is good, sure, but deep is better.  Go Deep.

You'll Never Move Like Me

See Guro Fred's Amazing Karenza.  Every time I watch him I feel excited. I feel...jealous.  I want to move like that.

One day after watching his solo training / shadowboxing, Guro Fred noticed I was following his movements intently.  He told me "You'll never move like me."
My heart sank.  He was right.  After a lifetime of martial arts training, a Kung Fu World Championship, a stint in the French Paratroopers, a cupboard full of black belts and instructor certificates in just about everything, and so on and so on.
OF COURSE I WOULD NEVER MOVE LIKE HIM...I gave a deep sigh...

That's when Guro Fred smiled and said "you'll move like YOU".

Mind. blown.

Each of us are different.  Not only physically.  Some of us are taller/more flexible/stronger than others.  Some of us are visually impaired or even missing a limb.  Some of us have long-lasting injuries we are recovering from that may limit what we can do at a given time.  In some arts this is a barrier to progression.  As it is said in Kenjutsu "there are no left handed swordsmen".  Meaning that no matter what, we always train right-handed with the katana (the truth is, many schools have a left-handed draws and techniques for the katana as well...shhhh...don't tell them I told you...).  Officially anyway, everything is right-handed.

In Filipino Martial Arts, "handedness" almost does not exist at all.  We spend time from Day 1 working with both hands including double sticks as well as espada y daga and various other combinations.  In our empty hand flow we often have both hands doing different movements simultaneously (and sometimes our feet, too).  In boxing/kickboxing we are comfortable to fight in either orthodox or southpaw stance with no handicap.

Beyond this, however, our flow is OUR OWN.  It is not just about who we are physically.  It's as much about who we are emotionally, spiritually, ethically.  We move with differences because our intentions in each encounter are different from each other.  Two people rarely react exactly the same way to anything - fighting is of course the same.

As a student, the goal is to master the vocabulary of the art - sounds leading to words leading to phrases leading to sentences leading to paragraphs.  In the beginning there are patterns and expressions, but the goal must always be to express yourself in your Kali.

As a teacher, we are guides on this learning journey with the mission of enabling students to explore and find their own unique Kali "voice".

This is materially different from the ideas behind many traditional styles and, to be honest, I love it.  It's a major reason why Kali will be with me for the rest of my life.  It's who I am.

So don't worry about the person next to you.

Move Like YOU.