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.

Chinkuchi - more is sometimes better!

Caveat: 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.

This article is mine and mine alone. I the author of this article assure you, the reader, that any of the opinions expressed here are my own and are a result of the way in which my meandering mind interprets a particular situation and/or concept. The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of other martial arts and/or conflict/violence professionals or authors of source materials. It should be quite obvious that the sources I used herein have not approved, endorsed, embraced, friended, liked, tweeted or authorized this article. (Everything I think and write is true, within the limits of my knowledge and understanding. Oh, and just because I wrote it and just because it sounds reasonable and just because it makes sense, does not mean it is true.)

“Chinkuchi is a psycho-physical system of internal energy management in which a synergy of specific mind and body actions direct the human subtle energies for practical (which include defense and combat), health-generating and/or spiritual gain.” - Hayashi Tomio, Isshin Kenpo

Quote comment: What is phychophysics, it is a relating of mental and physical qualities. In this it may mean the inter-connectedness of the mind and body in physical disciplines that would follow the intent, if one can truly divine the ancients intent with karate, of the Okinawan martial art now called, “Karate.” Now, as to subtle energies that is questionable and could be explained by comments that follow later in this article.

“One of the priceless survival skills in the academic world is the ability to utter sequences in computer mode, within the field of discussion, for almost any length of time and at a moments notice, without ever saying anything with significant content.” Computer mode is about performing with a straight face, behaving and if the words, etc., have meaning and the response will be people who will take notes (the content I can only imagine), and they will nod wisely to indicate their agreement. 

A discourse of babble that seems wise and full of importance while literally saying absolutely nothing because the words, terms and phrases have no bases in fact or research or reality while causing those to listen as if said by a wise person. And of course, you can chain such words and phrases together literally forever while saying absolutely nothing yet give the listeners a feeling, due to their ignorance on the subject, that what they are hearing is wise beyond words while impressing on them this mystic meaning that has no meaning such as, “Chinkuchi is the management of a non-material energy that avails itself through the conduit of a precisely organized body.”  

Quote comment: non-material energy, well all energy in my world is non-material and anything that produces energy may be of material substances but the energy produced is definitely non-material although I might consider that the remaining part of the quote would help explain a unnecessary term because the body when apply fundamental principles of martial systems does generate energy that creates a possible force for striking, etc., but does not guarantee that force will be generated simply by dynamic tensioning. Dynamic tensioning or isometric activities do strengthen muscles, tendons and ligaments but that does NOT actually generate power as power comes from a combination of factors such a, and this is the big one, body mass movement along with structure, alignment, etc. that are “Enhanced” through chinkuchi tension application through sequential locking and relaxation, rotational hip girdle/waist twists and finally that snapping effect using that dynamic tensioning at point of impact and penetration, small two to five inches depending on the circumstances and target, etc., and instantaneous rapid retraction, etc.

“Where the whole body structure, breath and inner visual foci are set accordingly, chinkuchi is present. In essence, chinkuchi is an old Okinawan term for internal energy control.”

Quote comment: One cannot control energy but one can control how energy is generated but reality says it is not necessarily the energy that provides us the force and power in our techniques but rather force and power are controllable. One does have a finite amount of energy, force and power the body and mind can generate, there are physics limits here, but what you do have can be enhanced and that is where chinkuchi or dynamic tension type actions come into play. Chinkuchi does NOT create all the force and power necessary to get the job done but it DOES enhance the bodies levels of energy, force and power. True power is about a chain of events that also bleeds energy, force and power when not applied properly and that is the “Way of fighting, combatives and self-defense.” Ever wonder why in most fist fights, even on the street, you seldom see one gravely injured, etc.? Well, as some of my sources indicate fighting using the empty hands seldom result in a lot of damage, injury and grave bodily harm unless those techniques result in a loss of balance where “Gravity” causes them to hit pavement with head and cause harm or even death, it is just a fact of nature and of human nature.

“It is noteworthy that the word is not bone/muscle/control but bone/sinew/control. Some light is shed on this distinction from the Kiko (Okinawan Qi Gong) tendon-strengthening practices which use static postures, two person drills and mental visualizations to increases tendon strength.”

Quote comment: I will limit discussion here to increasing strength by mental visualizations, not how it works. You can increase your capability to perform those disciplines that truly increase strength by first visualizing your performance and ability to get those processes done better but visualization itself does not increase strength and strength of the muscles, tendons and cartilage do not equal force and power. Force and power come from the stability that comes from physiokinetics such as structure, posture, alignments, etc., applied correctly where the muscles, tendons, and cartilage, etc. stabilize say the shoulder, elbow and wrist when striking along with the other stabilizations through the stabilizing of the ankle, knee and hips, etc. when striking or kicking, etc. When applying force and power it is about how those chinkuchi sinews (tendons), muscles, cartilage, skeletal system, etc., are stabilized and supported. True force and power come from your mass, your movement and the coordination of events of the body to that one single moment of impact/strike to the target. Then you have to add in other variable out of your control such as what target, what your stability is as to balance and structure while trying to apply said force and power in a chaotic, dynamic and constantly changing environmental influenced arena, etc. Chinkuchi in reality is a great enhancer and applies principles critical to defense but it is not the source of energy, force and power - merely an enhancement like the use of a weapon. 

“Chinkuchi has also been translated as ‘destructive power,’ or bu no chikara because one of the outcomes of executing its principles leads to instantaneous and extraordinary strength.”

Quote comment: Well, there is no direct relation to any kind of destructive power using chinkuchi for using it as manifested and trained through sanchin, etc., does not create and apply force and power alone but enhances, see that term just keeps rearing its head again and again, the process to achieve force and power in applications of fighting , combat and most important self-defense.

“ … internal energy management enhances all manner of martial technique including the means to strike through the Iron Shirt as well as adding to one’s overall vitality.”
Quote comment: Iron shirt is the proverbial natural body armor from nature where one strengthens the musculature to enhance that armor through dynamic tensioning of that same musculature. This is dynamic tensioning or an isometric exercise to strengthen. One can penetrate the natural armor of the human body by simply avoiding or circumventing those protections. You simply use the various types of attack methodologies in combination of punches, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression techniques and principles. You also use sparingly the strike or punch while adding the open-handed slap and the rear power house of the elbow to end the threat. It is those types of things that will get you past the natural armor of your adversary/attacker and you then have to move in such a manner in conjunction to bleed of your attackers force and power in applied techniques so that our armor and dynamic tension can achieve its goals yet if your attacker is using those types of attack methodologies as described, simply for teaching simplicity, will over power your natural and “Enhanced protection from chinkuchi/dynamic tensioning” and you are going down. 
This form of verbal fencing goes on and on in the particular article read on this subject and comments were added to each example before I finally said, “Enough already.” I realize that the author truly believes this yet cannot provide any kind of concrete proof that is the hallmark of such sound-bite oriented presentations. 
Granted, I also cannot prove my perception and perspective on chinkuchi but I do present some information that is more readily available to study and render opinions on for discussion and for teaching and learning. 
I do agree with the author that the times and practices of such arts would lack adequate terms, definitions and explanations that would bear up under research studies of a scientific nature but that still holds today even for the presentations I provide, no one can, will or fund such studies that would not be biased in some way but that is the nature of such efforts. 
The entire article up to this point inter-connects specific physical practices with the mysticism of what one or many believe is chinkuchi but fail to consider that the actual translation of the term to mean, “Sinew, bone, and energy.” 
Lets start with sinew, sinew is, “A piece of tough fibrous tissue uniting muscle to bone or bone to bone; a tendon or ligament.” When you research definitions of sinew you will be directed to “Tendon.” 
Tendon: A non-distensible fibrous cord or band of variable length that is the part of the muscle (some authorities, however, consider it as part of the muscle complex), which connects the fleshy (contractile) part of muscle with its bony attachment or other structure; it may unite with the fleshy part of the muscle at its extremity or may run along the side or in the center of the fleshy part for a longer or shorter distance, receiving the muscular fibers along its border; when determining the length of a muscle, the tendon length is included as well as the fleshy part; it consists of fascicles of densely arranged, almost parallel collagenous fibers, rows of elongated fibrocytes, and a minimum of ground substance.
Tendons can be strengthened by weight bearing exercises, etc., but the practice of dynamic tensioning or what the early body building pioneers called, “Isometrics.” 
Read more: “Sanchin or Dynamic Tension or Isometrics.” http://isshindo.blogspot.com/2013/12/sanchin-or-dynamic-tension-or-isometrics.html
Read more: “Prolonged Dynamic Tension” http://mymartialselfdefensephilosophy.blogspot.com/2013/11/prolonged-dynamic-tension.html
Bones: Yes, bones can be strengthened. Yes, by weight bearing exercises that help build the density of those bones but there is a limit. The limit is “Enhanced” through the development and strengthening of the muscular system and proper application of what most call body mechanics and physics but refer to the principles from physiokinetics, etc. When I define chinkuchi I tend to perceive that as a combination of efforts that martial arts like karate really address in a lot of ways better than individualized physical fitness programs achieve (I would enhance my karate with these programs tho).
Energy: This has been discussed a lot above in comments and quotes so I won’t continue here but all of this has a purpose, to create a curiosity in your training, practice and studies so that you will verify, test, re-test and validate it to confirm and then open the door to other possibilities. This is not meant to denigrate the connect and theories of the Okinawan chinkuchi but to provide a more modern, expressive and understandable/coherent discussion and explanation of this often misunderstood term. 
Now, just ask yourself, is this another tirade just like the article that inspired it that simply results in notes taken, heads nodded and one thinking they are coming to understand chinkuchi - enlightenment or is this really a viable perspective, perception and understanding of chinkuchi, etc.?
Primary Bibliography of Self-Defense (Some titles have RBC drills included):
MacYoung, Marc. "In the Name of Self-Defense: What It Costs. When It’s Worth It." Marc MacYoung. 2014.
Miller, Rory Sgt. "Meditations of Violence: A Comparison of Martial Arts Training & Real World Violence" YMAA Publishing. 2008.

Bibliography Articles on Self-Defense/Conflict/Violence

The main page leading to the articles I have chosen as a starting point to attain knowledge of conflict, violence and self-defense is: http://ymaa.com/articles/society-and-self-defense where you can navigate to the below or you can simply find a title below and click for direct access to the articles. Most of these are actually introductions to the references written by the authors themselves. It is advisable to start here then move on to the more in-depth stuff in their publications. This section will get you a beginning understanding necessary in phase one of learning self-defense. 

I.M.O.P. Principle—Intent, Means, Opportunity and Preclusion http://ymaa.com/articles/2014/10/imop-principle-intent-means-opportunity-and-preclusion
Introduction to Violence: Scale of Force Options http://ymaa.com/articles/introduction-to-violence-scale-of-force-options
Facing Violence: The Unconscious Stuff-Finding Your Glitches http://ymaa.com/articles/facing-violence-the-unconscious-stuff
Violence: What Everyone Needs to Know About Fighting http://ymaa.com/articles/violence-what-everyone-needs-to-know-about-fighting

Secondary Bibliography of Self-Defense (Some titles have RBC drills included):
Ayoob, Massad. “Deadly Force: Understanding Your Right to Self-Defense”Gun Digest Books. Krouse Publications. Wisconsin. 2014.
Branca, Andrew F. “The Law of Self Defense: The Indispensable Guide to the Armed Citizen.” Law of Self Defense LLC. 2013.
Goleman, Daniel. "Emotional Intelligence: 10th Anniversary Edition [Kindle Edition]." Bantam. January 11, 2012.
Miller, Rory. "ConCom: Conflict Communications A New Paradigm in Conscious Communication." Amazon Digital Services, Inc. 2014. 
Miller, Rory and Kane, Lawrence A. "Scaling Force: Dynamic Decision-making under Threat of Violence." YMAA Publisher. New Hampshire. 2012
Miller, Rory. "Force Decisions: A Citizen's Guide." YMAA Publications. NH. 2012.
Miller, Rory Sgt. "Facing Violence: Preparing for the Unexpected." YMAA Publishing. 2011.
Miller, Rory. “The Practical Problem of Teaching Self-Defense.” YMAA. January 19, 2015. http://ymaa.com/articles/2015/1/the-practical-problem-of-teaching-self-defense
Elgin, Suzette Haden, Ph.D. "More on the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense." Prentice Hall. New Jersey. 1983.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Last Word on the Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" Barnes & Noble. 1995
Morris, Desmond. “Manwatching: A Field Guide to Human Behavior.” Harry N. Abrams. April 1979.
MacYoung, Marc. “Writing Violence #1: Getting Shot.” NNSD. Amazon Digital. 2014.
MacYoung, Marc. “Writing Violence #2: Getting Stabbed.”  NNSD. Amazon Digital. 2015.
MacYoung, Marc. “Writing Violence #3: Getting Hit and Hitting.” Amazon Digital Services, inc. NNSD. April 20. 2015. 
Elgin, Suzette. "The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense" Barnes & Noble. 1993.
Elgin, Suzette. "The Gentle Art of Written Self-Defense" MJF Books. 1997.
Maffetone, Philip Dr. “The Maffetone Method: The Holistic, Low-stress, No-Pain Way to Exceptional Fitness.” McGraw Hill, New York. 2000
Strong, Sanford. “Strong on Defense_ Survival Rules to Protect you and your Family from Crime.” Pocket Books. New York. 1996.
and more … see blog bibliography.
Jahn, C. R. “FTW Self Defense.” iUniverse. Amazon Digital Services. 2012
Jahn, C. R. “Hardcore Self Defense.” iUniverse. Amazon Digital Services. 2002.

Bibliography of RBC Drills (Some titles have RBC drills included):
MacYoung, Marc. "In the Name of Self-Defense: What It Costs. When It’s Worth It." Marc MacYoung. 2014.
MacYoung, Marc (Animal). “Taking It to the Street: Making Your Martial Art Street Effective.” Paladin Press. Boulder, Colorado. 1999.
MacYoung, Marc. "A Professional's Guide to Ending Violence Quickly: How Bouncers, Bodyguards, and Other Security Professionals Handle Ugly Situations." Paladin Press. Boulder, Colorado. 1996.
Miller, Rory. “Drills: Training for the Sudden Violence.” Amazon Digital Services, inc. Smashwords. 2011.
Quinn, Peyton. “Real Fighting: Adrenaline Stress Conditioning Through Scenario-Based Training.” Paladin Press. Amazon Digital Services, inc. 1996

My Blog Bibliography
Cornered Cat (Scratching Post): http://www.corneredcat.com/scratching-post/
Kodokan Boston: http://kodokanboston.org
Mario McKenna (Kowakan): http://www.kowakan.com
Wim Demeere’s Blog: http://www.wimsblog.com
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