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.

Push Up Bars


Caveat: this is not to denigrate the chinkuchi push up bars nor the definition used for these devices. I don't mean to convey that this is either right or wrong or that this device is useful or not. I feel it is a good device to use for push ups, I also agree that they are by observation difficult to use thereby providing a benefit to the user if used properly. My only effort here is to question things for clarity and I hope readers will provide input along with a source to get a pair for myself. I also want to express that this is strictly an academic analysis until I do have a pair that I can use and test and theorize on their usefulness along with their association with the Okinawan quality called "Chinkuchi."

I am curious. I use a push up bar to do push up's every other day. I like them because they allow you to go deeper so you get a full cycle for a push up. You can move them around to achieve various angles thus various parts of the upper body to receive benefits, etc. 

What I am curious about is the normal push up bar has a T-bar at the bottoms of them for stability. I am curious how one can perceive chinkuchi from the bar's pictured on that face book page. On initial analysis, without having a pair to use, it seems that this is more a means of strengthening the grip and wrist while still getting a deeper push up. I feel to say that as long as you can maintain them in proper position is maintaining chinkuchi and the loss is loss of chinkuchi to be a bit iffy in truth. 

I also feel like using free weights that there are benefits, i.e. using free weights is more difficult vs. using a machine. A machine allows more weight and a more direct focus on a muscle group vs. free weights that require control to achieve good exercise with heavy weights. This may actually be the same principle for the chinkuchi push up bars. 

Now, to fully appreciate chinkuchi you really need to understand its concept. Many of the explanations, including the one Advincula uses, seem to be a bit limited. I actually feel that chinkuchi is actually the use of all the fundamental principals of martial system I believe in but I am not an expert. 

If I look at it from afar as I am doing now. I look closely at the pictures used to demo the bars on the face book site and notice that it requires the user to have their legs and feet spread out for greater stability. I wonder if the bars can be used with the feet together, legs straight and together as is done in a classical push up. I also question the push up bars being used on natural ground like in the yard. The formation of the bottom of those bars being round means they will push down partly into the ground forming around the base giving it limited stability that along with the spread legs and feet contribute to overall body stability while doing push ups.

I am not saying that those pushups are not difficult. I find the one's I do with my classical push up bars is difficult if for no other reason that when done properly it provides a much deeper and complete cycle of up and down. After all, push ups are the best if not the top three exercises anyone can do for health, fitness and upper body strength. 

I guess I am wondering if it truly is a matter of maintaing chinkuchi or just difficult enough requiring a greater focus and concentration on certain body parts to do it right and benefit. We tend to adhere names and stuff to things on a whim before truly vetting out these things so I ask these questions.

Anyone have comments, ideas or experiences with these push up bars? Anyone know where I can get a pair?

Click for a larger view and clarity.

2 comments:

John Vesia said...

Chinkuchi push up bars. That's a new one.

I've used the T-base push up handles, but I've found that if I want to go a bit wide they tend to collapse. Right now I use a variant of the 'Perfect' push up handles; they're circular and they rotate, but best of all they won't topple no matter how wide you go.

I like push up handles because they keep the wrist straight. Traditional push ups compromise the wrist joint.

Be careful about how deep you go -- it's true those devices can give you a longer range of motion with your push ups, but that hyper stretch can wreak havoc on your shoulders. The same goes with bodyweight dips or dumbbell presses. A ninety degree bend in the arms is optimal.

Charles James said...

Thanks for the feedback John, much appreciated.