Please take a look at Articles on self-defense/conflict/violence for introductions to the references found in the bibliography page.

Please take a look at my bibliography if you do not see a proper reference to a post.

Please take a look at my Notable Quotes

Hey, Attention on Deck!

Hey, NOTHING here is PERSONAL, get over it - Teach Me and I will Learn!


When you begin to feel like you are a tough guy, a warrior, a master of the martial arts or that you have lived a tough life, just take a moment and get some perspective with the following:


I've stopped knives that were coming to disembowel me

I've clawed for my gun while bullets ripped past me

I've dodged as someone tried to put an ax in my skull

I've fought screaming steel and left rubber on the road to avoid death

I've clawed broken glass out of my body after their opening attack failed

I've spit blood and body parts and broke strangle holds before gouging eyes

I've charged into fires, fought through blizzards and run from tornados

I've survived being hunted by gangs, killers and contract killers

The streets were my home, I hunted in the night and was hunted in turn


Please don't brag to me that you're a survivor because someone hit you. And don't tell me how 'tough' you are because of your training. As much as I've been through I know people who have survived much, much worse. - Marc MacYoung

WARNING, CAVEAT AND NOTE

The postings on this blog are my interpretation of readings, studies and experiences therefore errors and omissions are mine and mine alone. The content surrounding the extracts of books, see bibliography on this blog site, are also mine and mine alone therefore errors and omissions are also mine and mine alone and therefore why I highly recommended one read, study, research and fact find the material for clarity. My effort here is self-clarity toward a fuller understanding of the subject matter. See the bibliography for information on the books. Please make note that this article/post is my personal analysis of the subject and the information used was chosen or picked by me. It is not an analysis piece because it lacks complete and comprehensive research, it was not adequately and completely investigated and it is not balanced, i.e., it is my personal view without the views of others including subject experts, etc. Look at this as “Infotainment rather then expert research.” This is an opinion/editorial article/post meant to persuade the reader to think, decide and accept or reject my premise. It is an attempt to cause change or reinforce attitudes, beliefs and values as they apply to martial arts and/or self-defense. It is merely a commentary on the subject in the particular article presented.


Note: I will endevor to provide a bibliography and italicize any direct quotes from the materials I use for this blog. If there are mistakes, errors, and/or omissions, I take full responsibility for them as they are mine and mine alone. If you find any mistakes, errors, and/or omissions please comment and let me know along with the correct information and/or sources.



“What you are reading right now is a blog. It’s written and posted by me, because I want to. I get no financial remuneration for writing it. I don’t have to meet anyone’s criteria in order to post it. Not only I don’t have an employer or publisher, but I’m not even constrained by having to please an audience. If people won’t like it, they won’t read it, but I won’t lose anything by it. Provided I don’t break any laws (libel, incitement to violence, etc.), I can post whatever I want. This means that I can write openly and honestly, however controversial my opinions may be. It also means that I could write total bullshit; there is no quality control. I could be biased. I could be insane. I could be trolling. … not all sources are equivalent, and all sources have their pros and cons. These needs to be taken into account when evaluating information, and all information should be evaluated. - God’s Bastard, Sourcing Sources (this applies to this and other blogs by me as well; if you follow the idea's, advice or information you are on your own, don't come crying to me, it is all on you do do the work to make sure it works for you!)



“You should prepare yourself to dedicate at least five or six years to your training and practice to understand the philosophy and physiokinetics of martial arts and karate so that you can understand the true spirit of everything and dedicate your mind, body and spirit to the discipline of the art.” - cejames (note: you are on your own, make sure you get expert hands-on guidance in all things martial and self-defense)



“All I say is by way of discourse, and nothing by way of advice. I should not speak so boldly if it were my due to be believed.” - Montaigne


I am not a leading authority on any one discipline that I write about and teach, it is my hope and wish that with all the subjects I have studied it provides me an advantage point that I offer in as clear and cohesive writings as possible in introducing the matters in my materials. I hope to serve as one who inspires direction in the practitioner so they can go on to discover greater teachers and professionals that will build on this fundamental foundation. Find the authorities and synthesize a wholehearted and holistic concept, perception and belief that will not drive your practices but rather inspire them to evolve, grow and prosper. My efforts are born of those who are more experienced and knowledgable than I. I hope you find that path! See the bibliography I provide for an initial list of experts, professionals and masters of the subjects.

Is the Karate You Practice …

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

Is the karate you practice the “Old Karate” or the “New Standardized Karate?” Before you venture forth in this article take a few moments to read the following fine articles written by Charles C. Goodin Sensei, A Karate Historian that discuss the old karate and the standardized karate.


I have theorized for a while now that what is practiced today as karate is the educational version or what Goodin Sensei refers to as the “New Standardized Karate.” As his articles describe the two it does become clear that in the early 1900’s those who were growing up in those years were mostly exposed to the educational standardized karate practices. It makes perfect sense to me that the ones creating this system who knew intimately the old karate would just assume anyone who achieves proficiency in the educational standardized way would then have the skills and attitude to seek out the old karate way. At least that was their hopes as my assumptions believe. 

Itosu Anko Sensei and his associates who created, implemented and trained the young adults through the educational system had no way of predicting that a good many of those taught in this system would make their own assumptions, i.e., they knew karate so they continued to practice that karate. It comes down to one of those issues we still suffer with today, when someone is taught in a fashion and model created for an educational system there is an assumption that when a student completes the subject requirement that ends the lessons there. When I finished a requires science subject and passes I, like many, left that behind for the other subjects required as one progresses in an educational system. It may be that the most important subject to be taught in the educational standardization karate was its continuous progess beyond the initially taught subject, etc.

I say this about the educational standardized karate because the way it was created was to fit an educational subject oriented model of teaching rather than a model taught in the old way with expectations of progress that is never ending and takes you through your entire life span. 

Since I have provided the articles from Goodin Sensei I will leave you with one quote from those articles that summerizes old karate vs. standardized karate.

“Generations of Karate students were raised on the new standardized form only and never had the opportunity to learn the old way.  Given enough time, the new standardized way became the only way, and eventually was considered to be the "old way."  If an 80 year old instructor practiced a form of Karate for his or her whole life, that form will seem like the "old" way, even if it was in fact the new standardized form of Karate back in 1900. And when such a student practiced the Kusanku or other "old" kata, they were done the new standardized way.  They were essentially just the pattern of the old kata with the new basics replacing the old varied and variable techniques. And that 80 year old would swear the he or she was practicing the kata exactly as he or she learned them -- thus they were the old, original forms!  In this, he or she would be correct -- they were the original forms that he or she learned.”

It can be a bit confusing and finding and validating to learn the old way may be most difficult. It is the reason I left behind the old karate, if I even knew it even a little, and go beyond the educational standardized karate to a form of karate more realistic in learning it and self-defense, i.e., “A Fundamental Principled Multiple Methodology Self-Defense” model of karate based on principles and defense methodologies rather than technique based teaching models while retaining basics, kata and forms of drills and so-called sparring. When you view the principles as I have come to use for training, practice and application you can see that the principles, i.e., theory, physiokinetic, technique (not what you think), philosophy, self-defense and chemical cocktail, are more appropriate to learning karate and will drive its study, practice and use in self-defense, as karate was meant to do in essence, for todays karateka.

Bibliography (Click the link)


1 comment:

Brandon said...

I've just discovered your blog through a comment you made on Marc MacYoung's latest blog post. I've been reading through your posts, and I'm happy that I've seemed to find a like minded karateka. They are definitely few and far between. I find a lot of karateka paying lip service to functionality and "realism," but it's usually just choreography.