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.

Why Karate? (Why Empty Hand)


Originally, karate was born from the indigenous system of "Ti or Te or Toudi" of the culture that is Okinawa. Ti or Te means simply "hand." The individualized styles were born of the Japanese influences starting in the 1600's. No one can say definitively why the word hand or empty hand came to be the name used for this system of fighting. 

There is a great deal of speculation even with the Okinawan's today. We can attribute the influences being all over the Asian cultures with emphasis on both Chinese and Japanese martial arts. The greater of the two being Chinese. Still, as to why hand or empty hand is not obvious. The original system of Okinawa started out as I have already stated and before empty hand came into prominence it was called for a time "China Hand, i.e. where the characters/ideograms depicting the system were different yet the pronunciation was the same. 

If we speculate we can come up with something that tells us why they used Ti/Te/Toudi and Kara-te, i.e. because it was a means of fighting, combatives and defense using no weapons other than the practitioners body, i.e. being hands that would normally hold weaponry in combat now you have no weapons therefore you have empty hands or just your hands. 

As Ti/Te progressed and influences grew then to achieve acceptance the final name for this unique form of fighting came to be empty hand. When the Okinawan's developed a means of using everyday items as weaponry then that was added to the empty hand training and they called this "kobudo." I believe this name is more modern then ancient but who knows for sure. 

Today, karate is both empty handed and weapons. Some separate the two into empty hand and weapons, i.e. karate and kobudo. Some actually teach, train and certify separately, i.e. you may achieve sho-dan in karate while still holding a kyu level in kobudo depending on circumstances and training requirements. 

You can also say that what is practiced today is not really empty hand since a karate-ka will use hands, arms, elbows, feet, knees, etc. when applying karate in a fight or for self-defense. Makes me wonder, "What would be a proper name for the system of empty hand?"

In the end it is a matter of opinions, perceptions and cultural history of which not much is written on Okinawan. Speculation is still our best method of determining how things came to be. 
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