On Bushido - Part II

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I wrote some stuff on this thing we all call, “Bushido,” and here is a link to search results on the subject at my primary karate and martial art blog: http://isshindo.blogspot.com/search?q=bushido

In a recent article that followed up a previous article by the same author where the concept of, “Bushido,” was once again addressed in what I see is an effort to convey a more truthful and factual understanding of this most often misunderstood Japanese concept called, “bushido.” 

It comes down to the human brain’s pension to create stories to support things we perceive as we travel through this very difficult life we live. If you want to know more about the brain’s work in our lives and how we live it according to that matrix called, “The Brain,” then read the book, to start, titled, “Incognito by David Eagleman.” 

This recent article will tell us that how we understand bushido and its connections to historical Japanese feudal era samurai stories (hint: strong emphasis on the term stories). It turns out that the creation of bushido is very much a modern thing and that it is more a propaganda effort to get a populace behind a mind-set leading to war, WWII to be exact as well as other skirmishes of the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, 

I quote, “Japan needed a way to stir up its people, to engage them in a dream of conquest and expansion, one fueled by the burning coals of their own righteousness and ‘specialness.’ The gas for this fire was, ‘Bushido.’” 

Bushido is a modern term to my understanding and its first real presence came when the first book was published on the subject that gave the Japanese the very thing they wanted to, “Stir up its people, etc.” The articles author actually spent a good number of years training in Japan and tells us that he had never once heard reference to the term and the author was studying the older more traditional, “Koryu,” martial arts where you would expect to hear the term if it was that important. He stated, “In the classical martial arts, bushido is never mentioned, because bushido does NOT really mean anything. It’s a vague term, like ‘Patriotism,’ that has emotional value but not much in the way of a rational definition.” 

Then there were one or two other things within the story that got my attention and one is our belief system that the peasants, etc., created empty-hand and farm implement tools to weapons for protection against samurai, etc. It appears historically speaking that samurai vs. peasants didn’t really spur on the need for empty-handed and/or kobudo like implements created from farming tools. It appears they didn’t actually need it and I quote, “Commoners could and often did stage strikes, even rebellions, usually over taxes (sound familiar). And armed with rakes and hoes, they nearly always defeated the samurai if things got violent.” 

It appears more and more that in truth things like their, “Confucianism,” belief in unquestionable loyalty toward interdependency was, like most things turned to the benefit of the Japanese leadership, was perverted to gain them what they wanted - just like any other human who takes actions either good or bad to get what they want. 

It appears that those in charge created and pushed myths and propaganda to, my words here - brain wash the people to achieve certain political goals, etc., to conquer others and so on. 

Now, our karate and martial arts are based on what the Okinawan and Japanese teachers passed on to their students and to us, the military occupiers. We need to remember that, “our teachers and our teachers teachers were all young men growing up in the prewar era of Japan and Okinawa and then the war time era that followed. The myths and propaganda, in strong likelihood, brainwashed them as well including the effort to “Institutionalized karate and martial arts into its educational systems.” 

The author continues to let us know that the modern dojo was effected by this mythical and propaganda driven effort more so that any so-called historical connection of samurai and confucianism, etc., that meant one who practiced and trained would have, “Bushido spirit,” and that they connected historically to some sort of samurai status more from stories of a mythical nature rather than reality. In truth, the author states, “In reality, much of the spirit of the dojo has more to do with the imperialistic goofiness of Japan’s fanatical military of the 20th century.” 

Misunderstanding, misconceptions, teachings based on myths and propaganda and other such nonsense have pretty much obscured the real spirit of budo. I also liked another martial artists who trained for a long period in Japan who said his Japanese sensei told him upon leaving to return home to America something like he is American and should teach as American’s teach rather than attempt to teach Americans in a manner like how Japanese teach. It makes sense. 

Bibliography (Click the link) + Lowry, Dave. “Karate Way: Another Look at the Historical Meaning of Bushido.” Black Belt Magazine. February/March 2016.

THEORY: Why Karate and Martial Arts Associations Work

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In a recent article by Michael Clarke Sensei of the Shinseidokan Dojo about, “Affiliations,” it came to me that these things work for a variety of reasons even when the reality of some organizations/associations ends up being an effort to mover your hard earned cash into their coffers. 

In a nutshell affiliations such as associations, etc., trigger an instinct buried deep in our DNA and it regards to natures zombie subroutines encoded in our amygdala toward, “Survival.” 

Although our modern society is allowing for more independence and safety with security there are still those survival needs nature provided that we have not evolved beyond - yet. Our very nature and lives revolve around that very instinct of survival. We may call it something else but in essence survival is the one driving instinct that effects every facet of modern life.

Humans in those early days as hunters and gatherers due to our physical and psychological limitations need, are driven, to group together for strength in order to survive. It starts with the family unit but that is often after the tribe or group has offspring and those offspring tend to gravitate toward others within their tribe with occasions when two tribes that unite for a social entity making a greater survival option. 

Affiliations are about bringing groups as well as individuals together under a need or discipline that is like-minded and appealing to all those who may, might and do gather. In karate and martial arts it tends to bring together and bind practitioners into a dojo or, “Tribe/Clan.” Tribe or Clan or Dojo affiliations may be about the practice, training and application of karate and martial arts for sport or, “The Way,” or “Fighting,” or “Self-Defense,” but in essence that need to find others and come together for reasons that are, “Like-Minded,” as to goals, disciplines and means of strength in numbers that in and of itself comes from those survival instincts makes the feeling, idea and associations of dojo’s, clan’s and associations extremely attractive and addictive. 

As a clan, group, dojo, tribe or social entity we also come together into said groupings for survival and in order for that to work it means we have to create within each group a means to designate roles for each member that is driven into a hierarchal model. Everyone cannot be a leader, everyone cannot be a hunter, everyone cannot be a gatherer and so on. It means the hierarchal model must have levels of expertise and levels of proficiency. It also must have a level of status so that those who follow and others who may lead above a certain status must exist so that the entity can be controlled, remain cohesive and become one strong social disciplined and powerful so that their chances to survive remains viable even in our modern and somewhat safer social environment. 

Add in not just our ancient survival instincts but the means to which survival is made possible in a world of humans with a natural pension toward conflict and violence as a means to survive and maintain a tribal status that speaks to other tribes they encounter of their capability, etc. That means is more about the use of conflict resolution strategies while actual tactics would include the use of violence as a communications tool to achieve the goal of survival without actually, unless it is absolutely necessary, causing grave bodily harm or death. 

So, in a nutshell, sports are a means to feed that need and help humans control our natural inclination toward conflict and violence from a level that is subtle to a more physically damaging means of violence to keep the status quo within the clan and without when encountering others. If you understand our need to gravitate toward a some what aggressive and violent sport then you understand that our survival instincts feed that need. We all are attracted to a variety of sports and the male bonding process, also a trait of the survival instincts, is seen, felt and understood when groups gather to watch, cheer on, participate in and experience sports like football, basketball and a fairly new American version of a somewhat violent sport of, “Rugby.” 

Dojo are hierarchal in nature; dojo are oriented toward status as symbolized by the dan-i belt systems; dojo are tribal in nature with practitioners holding various levels of expertise, knowledge and understanding; dojo are about associative bonding processes to make for cohesive strong connections; dojo are about relational training, teaching and practicing models toward mutual benefits that strengthen the individual and group as a whole, holistic and wholehearted single entity of many and so on - all traits and goals of the clan, tribe and dojo survival instincts of nature and the Universe. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

p.s. how I use the sub-principle of theory to gain understanding through questioning knowledge both old and new. 

Stroop Interference

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It unmasks the clash within the brain between the strong, involuntary and automatic impulse to perform a certain action and the unusual, deliberate, and effortful task demand to consciously cause a body part to move in a certain way. 

Our goal in training, practice and applications of karate and martial arts for self-defense is to reach a point where our actions are derived from the type of encoding that makes those actions strong, involuntary and automatic impulses in response to certain situations, etc. Most practices failing to achieve this state tend to be much slower, unusual, deliberate, and requires more effort. It comes down to applying a more instinctive like, procedural memory zombie programming or subroutines, action of stimulus to response that puts speed to your advantage to reach your goals in self-defense. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Othering - Another Perspective

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Well, othering is a process humans go through so they can do things to one another or separate themselves from others or create a mind-state so one human can do something to another human in a way that normally that human would resist doing. Military use othering so that soldiers can attack and kill enemy combatants or, “Those other guys.” 

Another kind of othering came to me when I read a post by someone on a social media space. It was about animals where an owner of an animal simply put that animal out by a road and fence, tied them to it and then left them in the heat of the day. Soon a good samaritan comes along, sees the heated animal, stops and then provides the animal water to drink. Then the comments became a tirade against the animals owner for being cruel but there may have be something else involved.

The animal owner made the assumption that some “Other Person” would come along and give the animal water. The goal might have been to push the costs of watering the animal on to “Others.” When the animal owner thought about it, I am assuming and guessing, he considered everyone else not his family or a part of his farm or ranch as, Those other people,” making it easy for him or her to simply put their livestock in positions where others would feed them and water them saving them money. 

I see othering as a human survival thing nature gave us way back when we were hunters and gatherers trying to live and survive out on the plains of way back in time. If we as hunters and gatherers found a watering hole out on the plain we simply let the animals to the water and let nature take its course. When, “others,” arrived at the same watering hole both sides already considered the other - Othered. If the water hole was not readily known and available in other places then survival might have meant one or the other group insisting the other take their leave so the dominant group could water their livestock and therefore survive. Can you see how such ancient gene DNA level instincts may effect how we handle things in our modern times. 

We might think the person leaving their animals out in the heat without water may actually not have enough water available to keep the humans and animals hydrated so he or she may have simply done the appropriate actions of their situation, times and beliefs to get the animals water while not losing the survival necessity of human need for water. 

Isn’t a modern survival instinct and strategy to use what we have today for survival. Isn’t the act of thinking out side the box a strategy toward survival especially as it pertains to conflict and violence as well as our self-defense efforts? 

Bibliography (Click the link)

p.s. there was a person who told me a story about a situation at a food distribution place where one of the volunteers would kind of take food from the baskets and take it home to the family. Another volunteer then wanted to confront the person but decided to wait. Much later at a gathering to celebrate the effort and its volunteers the same person left at the end before all the others so the person asked everyone, after she left, if they observed the person taking food. The leader then told the group the story of the person. Without divulging the story it involved a place not here in the United States where hardships were of such severity that you could then understand the motivation behind their taking food home to their family. The person asking about the situation understood and was so grateful they didn’t assume and confront because things are not always what they seem. There is a lesson in all of this I think. 

Realistic Bunkai: Basics, Kata, Drills and Kumite

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Are we training and practicing appropriate karate and martial arts bunkai for our times? We live in a different social environment and under different conditions then our karate/MA forefathers but in many cases we still train and practice BKDK appropriate, we think or theorize, for more ancient and primitive times on Okinawa and even Japan. 

I completely understand when a traditional dojo practices the very things the system or styles originators created those many years ago in a way that pays tribute to them and the historical significance of the system or style. Where things tend to drop off is when modern students try to make those same historical traditional practices into modern self-defense or combative model. 

Yes, in essence fighting tools are pretty much the same, i.e., the principles underlying every type of perception of said methodologies is universal and unchanging except in an individuals manifestation in the more outward rendition, i.e., principles don’t change but perceptions and models appear different making up the styles and systems. Yet, the environments and methods used for fighting to include socially driven perceptions and legal distinctions make things a bit different along with different repercussions both for the individuals, their families and society itself. 

How we practice, train and apply those principles as seen as an outward book cover, i.e., comparing styles presentation of principles, can be either effective application of principled multiple defense methodologies or they can be inappropriate and ineffective defense techniques. 

Two examples to provide a possible distinction to convey the idea I am trying to present. First, the proverbial head lock bunkai. In a school yard type scuffle between young adults may be realistic to that environment but in the world of fighting, combatives and self-defense - not so much. As to my personal experience the only time I ever saw a headlock used was in wrestling, the sport, or in some socially driven monkey dance between angry testerone driven ego status seeking men. In a real fight, especially in a real predatory attack, I have never experienced nor observed a headlock, Never! Lets look at a predatory attack of the kind I visualize, i.e., “A surprise attack from the rear or just off to the side rear; a total blitz that disrupted my balance and structure stealing away any type of response with force or power; the first of many a flurry of hits started just behind my ear, a real show stopper there.” No headlocks and no need for them. Attackers, etc., are well versed in what works and what does not work and I feel their using a headlock is not effective at all and does not give them the advantage that allows their success as predators. 

Second, as I described above and that is presented by one professional in conflict defenses, etc., stated, “A surprise attack from the rear or just off to the side rear; a total blitz that disrupted my balance and structure stealing away any type of response with force or power; the first of many a flurry of hits started just behind my ear, a real show stopper there. (reworded a bit for this article but the idea is the same)” How many bunkai of BKDK have you seen taught, practiced and finally applied in a reality based adrenal stress-conditioned training environment? Oh, yeah, most BKDK training and practices never even try to incorporate the adrenal reality type exposure of which I write about here. 

Again, historical traditional practices are awesome and I have observed and occasionally participated with those types of traditionalists and found them most illuminating - illuminating as to historical honoring of ancestral origins. When they also teach and preach those ancient ways as realistic self-defense systems, combatives for military use or simply fighting (both the illegal kind and the sport kind) I have my doubts. 

Just something to mindlessly meander about in a contemplative way!

Bibliography (Click the link)

Rooting - Connecting - Grounding

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In karate and some martial arts there is the concept of physiokinetic rooting to achieve power and force when applying multiple methodologies in self-defense. An issue worth discussing is that in those disciplines one is taught to root or to take a stance as appropriate the root themselves to the Earth while applying a situational methodology such as a strike to the solar plexus. 

What this entails more often than not is a karate-ka, etc., will move in kata and in drills to a specific stance, then take root by using the toes to grip, giving a slight twist to lock the feet in place much like the stances in Sanchin practice, then use the hips, spine, shoulders and arms with ship like actions, sequential locking and an application of that strike with dynamic type tension at impact. 

What really happens is the moment they root and lock the momentum of the body mass diminishes almost instantly and leaves the application of the methodology to rely almost exclusively on those actions that are augmentations and enhancements to build on the power and force generated by the body movement but instead the practitioner loses that force and power reducing their effectiveness and assuming what feels powerful is no longer powerful or forceful. 

Why do karate-ka practice this way? Well, you have to learn about principles first then you have to achieve a practice that brings them together into the one wholehearted effort in energy generation and use to create force and power in those same methodologies. This form is a great way to achieve that goal BUT it is a novice level basic learning tool. To achieve true applications of force and power maximized one must go beyond the basic learning and teaching tool described. 

In truth the term, “Rooting,” tends to convey that process of taking root in the Earth. The term is useful yet without the proper understanding of its true meaning toward a deeper and broader application and understanding we often make assumptions upon hearing from Sensei, “We must root our bodies to achieve power, force, etc.” This is simply not enough as it stands in most dojo, we as Sensei must go way beyond that basic understanding and teaching.

I believe rooting should be either fully and completely and comprehensively explained or another term or phrase must be used that achieves the goals of teaching that physiokinetic sub-principle. Connecting or Grounding seems more appropriate as both do not hint at or require one “Root their bodies/feet to the ground” leading one to believe and practice ceasing body mass movement to achieve that gaol. 

When I explain rooting I always lead to the belief that such rooting is another aspect of the intent to sequentially lock and apply instantaneous dynamic tension when the methodology used is applied in that appropriate moment to achieve application that reaches the adversary to defend and protect in a manner that stops the attack. 

Then I proceed to demonstrate, then I proceed to have the practitioner try it and finally I hands-on (tactually), verbally explain and guide the practitioner’s body as he or she attempts to learn and apply the concept physiokinetically. Then I leave them alone to practice and train while remaining cognizant to their efforts with occasional interruptions to reinforce the original teachings until they get it and encode it into procedural memory. 

Rooting is better describes using the term, “Grounding,” where that grounding occurs, when appropriate and achievable, only in that, “One instance” when we bring together all the principles in applying an appropriate methodology to that moment and situation to defend and end the attack. Making that, “Momentary Connection” so that our body mass continues moving and then becomes enhanced and augmented with other physiokinetic actions that make for the maximum achievable force and power to end the fight in a defensively appropriate and acceptable way. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Karate and Martial Art Augmentations/Enhancements

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“The human body is designed to take force from the front through structure, movement, and both soft and hard armor (muscle and thick bones).” - Marc MacYoung, Writing Violence #3: Getting Hit and Hitting

“Positive relaxed state is that state where our muscles are loose rather than tight, i.e., just enough looseness to hold the skeletal system upright yet relaxed enough to allow flow of energy, i.e., blood, oxygen, etc.” - cejames

“Lateral forces, not from the front or back, tend to have more effect such as a sucker punch from the side.” - unknown

In karate and martial arts augmentation is about augmenting the force and power generated through the movement of the body, the mass, in a certain direction using our bodies weight, the energy of the forward movement and the movement of other augmenting actions of the body to augment force and power toward the target. A huge mouthful, huh?

I also refer to this as the use of, “Enhancers,” where additions to the movement of mass such as the arm moving the fist to the target; the correct alignment of hip girdle; alignment of the shoulder girdle; alignment of the upper arm to the elbow to the wrist, etc. to make a holistically connected movement adding force and power to that generated by mass movement along with positive relaxation to sequential tension to sequential relaxation and so on making for a powerful forceful use of a proper methodology to, “get-r-done.” Another mouthful, huh?

By adding in augmentation and enhancements of proper physics to physiokinetics increases and improves the energy results in power and force. It increases the quality of our bodies in action making for maximum effect in self-defense. 

We each have a set amount of generation of energy in our bodies. Once we reach that limit we then can enhance and augment our actions to “add” more energy generation to the process. In addition, the adversary’s actions also contribute to the augmentation and enhancement of energy so that force and power increase provided everything remains correct. 

Some of the factors that determine our energy flow and maximization of force and power are our overall weight. The bigger and heavier we are the greater the energy generation and resulting force and power all things being equal. Then we add in the speed of that movement along with the various speeds of implementing those augmentations and enhancements, etc. Add in the weight and mass of our adversary along with other like augmentations and enhancements that contribute to force and power and we have a very complex but forceful mix. 

Another augmenting action is to “Roll with the punches,” i.e., in effect causing a redirection of incoming force and power to deflect and deflate the adversary’s generation of energy for force and power. A reciprocal use of methodologies where one or the other dominates and achieves their goal depending solely on applying principles most effectively. Can you say, “Philosophical Principle of Yin-Yang?” 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Hiki-te or Chambering

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Let me start by saying the article on this subject is well-done and most excellent and I do have some contributions as a supplemental thought process toward a more expanded view. 

First, we call this process of hikite, “Chambering.” Chambering has its benefits but as a fighting, combative or self-defense move, process or technique - not so much. I suggest that this process or technique is a basic novice level teaching tool to be discarded as one progresses in the practice, training and especially the application of karate and martial arts. 

Second, the move itself is a, “Tell.” When I see someone move into a bladed position and they move the back hand and arm toward the waist line I go on full alert because that is a predatory warning move. Notice I said warning because a true attack from a professional who decides to take a shot is not going to make such a move where you can see it, a tell. The idea in the fight is to remove unnecessary and wasteful movement, right?

Third, the use of chambering or hikite does not provide you force and power, it enhances it BUT the movement often practiced by fledgling karate-ka and martial artists is way excessive and provides an adversary and opponent way to much information of what you are possibly going to do, not a good idea especially in self-defense. 

In karate and martial arts we have what I have, stolen/used, to term as principles with those immutable and necessary principles become the defacto means to apply multiple defense methodologies to reach a goal in fighting, combatives and self-defense. 

Lastly, these larger movements also serve another more healthy and fitness oriented purpose, exercise. Note that these more excessive moves in karate and martial arts, in my view, did NOT originate in Okinawan Te or Ti, sometimes referred to as “Toudi.” I strongly suspect and currently believe that the effort to get the Japanese Budo community to, “Accept Okinawan Karate,” as a Budo or martial art Okinawan karate was changed. Add in the effort to change it for the educational system in those early days you get a mixture of moves meant to teach students the fundamentals of karate or martial arts, i.e., how to kick, punch and so on. It was possibly reasoned that when young students reached a certain age and maturity they would be exposed to “More” going beyond that novice/beginner model of teaching. 

Add in the fact that the larger movements along with the deeper stances implemented in the new Okinawan, now termed generally as Japanese Karate, made it physically challenging stressing the muscular systems to create healthier, fitter and stronger karate-ka and martial artists. 

Again, the article on Hikite was a most excellent one and that may be enough. It is my intent to give more to expand mental thinking to embrace a wider span, depth and breadth of practice, training and applications. It is a most excellent thing don’t you think? 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Sagi, Brain. “The Hikite in Martial Arts.” http://www.fullpotentialma.com/pullback-hikite-martial-arts/

p.s. Hikite (引き手) has two translations according to the Tangorin Dictionary, i.e., the first means, “Knob; handle; catch; patron,” and the second means, “(in archery) right hand.” The first character does mean, “Pull; tug; jerk; admit; install; quote; refer to, “ and the second character does mean, “hand.”  On google translate the characters simply mean pull. I am not convinced that the term and characters mean, “Drawing Hand.” One can still understand it is possible since translations can differ between different social groups according to what they direct the terms toward in their belief systems, i.e., that is the way and complexities of translating such things. 

Read about Chambering

Isshinryu: traditional and innovative?

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Created by Arcenio Advincula
Sensei, click to enlarge view.

A karate-ka asked what I perceive as a great question regarding the apparent diversities within the Isshinryu community. In a nutshell we have what I have termed in the past is “Isshinryu Factions.” These factions are divided into five distinct belief systems regarding the study, training and practice of the Okinawan Isshinryu system, i.e., Nagle Faction of New Jersey; Long and Wheeler Faction of Tennessee; Mitchum Faction of Georgia; Armstrong Faction of Washington State; Advincula Faction of Souther California. Everyone valid yet everyone different in very distinct ways. 

The question itself asked by Samuel Saddig Sensei: “There are a great, considerable amount of Isshin-Ryu practitioners, proponents and exponents believe that our Art is traditional, not innovative at all. What is your analytical Perception on this matter?” 

Since the question was asked of Advincula Sensei, of whom I have the greatest of respect and admiration for his work in Isshinryu communities, I would provide his comment, in part. 

AJA Sensei Comment: “Arcenio Advincula First it is both traditional and innovative. Most who studied with Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei only studied a very short time, the reason we have so many doing kihon, kata and kumite so many ways that do not teach the very fundamentals that Isshin-ryu karate is based on which is punching, striking and kicking with power based on chinkuchi.” (Note: if you click the name link it will take you to where this question was asked and commented on.)

My perceptions of Isshinryu in answering this question: First, as my understanding to date of the history behind the creation of Isshinryu I find it to be innovative if for no other reason then Tatsuo-san’s effort being in direct contradiction to the current, at the time of its creation and naming, Okinawan karate community governing body of masters. It was also my feeling it was innovative because at that time and due to its distinct separation from influences outside of Okinawa the innovative aspects implemented into the Isshinryu system by Tatsuo-san were merely re-acquiring those principles or traits that made and would continue to make his system both a combative form as well as a self-defense form of karate to replace the recently created educational version implemented in the early 1900s toward a war effort by Japan. 

As to traditional that is a very interesting and often contested question and answer, what makes for a traditional system and who decides. I tend to consider it traditional if for no other reason is the Isshinryu system was created from the more accepted traditions of Okinawan karate over some recreated form from influences of the Japanese budo systems. It has direct connections to those systems that taught, trained and inspired Tatsuo-san, a master of Okinawan karate in his own right and recognized regardless of his innovative changes, etc., by the karate community of the times, the systems of kobudo, goju and shorin karate systems. 

Regardless of the wide range of interpretations of the practice of Isshinryu the system from where I sit, train, practice and apply karate tell me it is truly a tradition that is also due to the founder or creators innovative inspiring effort to create a wholehearted, holistic and “one whole” true sport, fighting, combative and self-defense system. 

I can or could go on expressing the whys of Isshinryu being a traditional and innovative system or style of karate but there is no need. The above information gives the reader information to seek out more and to make their own determinations as to the validity of this. Traditional Isshinryu was a very innovative endeavor for the times Tatsuo-san developed, created and named Isshinryu. There are so many things to learn from this type of innovative creative endeavor that Tatsuo-san exemplified as well as conveyed by his teachings and presentation of things like the ken-po goku-i. 

Like “All bottles are good, they all serve a purpose,” as stated one evening by Tatsuo-san, all the differences are good, they all serve a purpose and they all create a legend that is Tatsuo Shimabuku, master of Isshinryu as well as this legendary system named, “Isshinryu!”

Bibliography (Click the link)

Yin-Yang, a Chinese Concept of Duality

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In the fundamental principle of philosophy they indicate that yin-yang are important to practice, training and the ever critical application especially in regard to conflict and violence. A concept of that sub-principle, i.e., yin-yang, we arrive at one of the most important understandings that all of us must battle not just in violent conflicts but in the very way we live our modern lives. 

What is this duality of yin-yang to which I elude, it is the human brain-monkey brain or the recent evolutionary addition to the human of a logical brain to the ancient survival emotional brain. Our ancient selves had a dominant emotionally driven brain that allowed us to survive as ancient hunters and gatherers. As we survived and as the world in which we lived and survived evolved the brain found a need for a more logical driven ability thus evolved a logical, unemotionally driven, brain. But it doesn’t stop here, the brain needed to have a balance as our world evolved a dominant emotional ability needed to be tempered and controlled so the emotional brain needed to be tempered by a logical brain. So we evolved and our brains evolved so that we now have a human (logical) brain and a emotional (monkey) brain. 

Look at the monkey side as the one governing and controlling our “Immediate Gratification” networks while the human side as the one governing and controlling the “Long term less-gratifying” networks. Our logical side can analyze, theorize and come to conclusions where the long term needs of survival can be achieved. Our emotional side then does a quick and dirty assumption leaving logic out in the cold so that our immediate survival instincts driven needs are met causing us to experience “Instant gratifications,” i.e., in other words it triggers that part of the brain that says, “I want it now,” or “Must succumb to our impulsive behavior, including things like drug addiction, overwhelming needs. 

One research finding said, “Some emotionally involved brain structures are highly activated by the choice of immediate or near-term rewards explaining the phenomena of ‘Instant Gratifications.’  These areas are associated with impulsive behavior, including drug addiction. Longer term rewards involve the areas of the cortex involved in higher cognition and deliberation are more active. The higher the activity the more a person is willing to defer gratification further validation of the phenomena of Instant Gratification.” 

To add to this the findings also made the statement, “Our emotional brains being a part of our survival system for far longer than the newly evolved and developed logical brain where reason find the fight agains the emotional networks an uphill battle so we as practitioners need to constantly and diligently fight the monkey dance to remain in a balanced state of logic-emotional actions and especially reactions. It is said, “Religions are optimized to tap into the emotional network of humans, and great arguments of reason amount to little against such magnetic pull.” You can say that all advertisements for products and services are geared toward the emotional networks because they know that fighting such pulls from our ancient emotional survival systems is literally, almost, impossible especially when you take into account the social conditioning of modern society. Every thing we do in our lives is a result of the battle of networks that are referred to in the self-defense karate and martial arts world as the human logical brain vs. the emotional monkey brain.”

Yes, this is another way to say the same things other professionals state as to how the human brain works in conjunction to that monkey, trouble maker, brain - logic human vs. emotional monkey. They are correct and this simply adds to that need, the need for use to recognize these differences and how they affect us not just in self-defense but daily. Take for instance, “Plugging into the “Instant gratification circuits” of the brain is how things like the subprime mortgage system was possible resulting is such devastating effects on individuals and the economy.”

We need to train ourselves to be cautions of “I-want-it-now” deals. (The archetypical dual-process conflict; the deal with the devil; your wishes granted now for your soul in the distant future.) 

We must develop the ability to resist temptation rather than allow our dual-process conflict to tip toward the side of instant gratification. It is so easy to yield to impulses, and inordinately difficult to ignore them. Arguments stemming from the intellect or from morality are weak when pitted against human passions and desires. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Visit artists site to view more of his art and to discover who the artists is: https://thesoundoffragments.wordpress.com/2014/11/04/make-good-art/

The Pull of Distancing Humans

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

Distance, an important concept in karate, martial arts and their use in self-defense. It would seem from observations of modern karate and martial arts practitioners instinctively assume a certain “distance from an attacker, opponent and/or adversary.” There is a reason why empty-handed disciplines end up gravitating toward the use of the legs then on into the use of weapons.

“In earlier times in our evolution, there was no real way to interact with others at a distance any farther than that allowed by hands, feet, or possibly a stick. That distance of interaction was salient and consequential, and this is what our emotional reaction reflects. In modern times, the situation differs: generals and even soldiers commonly find themselves far removed from the people they kill.”

“We have this emotional component, i.e., the war between the human brain and the lizard (logic vs emotions), of touching someone - that is, interacting with humans at close distances. This hands on close interaction of humans activates the emotional networks. It makes what would be an abstract issue into a personal emotional one. (Emotional and Rational Networks)”

Our emotions have been our survival go to trait ever since we humans first walked upright and gathered into social clan like groups tor survival. Our more logical brain is a recent development in the evolution of humans and therefore sits second to our emotional side. This gives us a good idea to why we call the more emotional side of our brains the symbolic naming of, “The Monkey Brain.” Yes, this is just another way to explain the human (logic) brain, the monkey (emotional) brain and the lizard (limbic instinctual) brain. 

Apparently we depend on our emotional side a lot more than we actually know consciously. We must have a combination of logic and emotions to make any decisions made in our daily lives and this becomes critical when conflict and especially violence are used. It comes down to this:

“The emotional systems are evolutionarily old, and therefore shared with many other species, while the development of the rational system is more recent in the evolutionary process. A balance - a teaming up of the internal rivals of emotions and rationalities - is optimal for our brains.“

Achieving this balance is critical to our modern times. It comes to my mind that in order to achieve this goal we MUST know and understand the many myriad facets of our brains regarding emotions and logic to achieve any semblance of control toward making more rational and logical decisions even tho emotions must be present to get the job done. It comes down to just how much influence we allow our emotions, the monkey, when making any decision but so much more critical when making decisions involving conflicts with violence. 

“Our emotional reactions are critical to our social interactions, some balance of emotional and rational systems is needed, and that balance may already be optimized by natural selection of human brains. The emotional and rational networks battle over moral decisions, but in another familiar situation as well: how we behave in time.”

Social interactions are the necessity of social survival yet also the bane that results in unnecessary violence with all that comes with the use of violence. Even if natural selection over the millennia  has achieved some semblance of balance our modern times seems to have reversed that evolutionary progress into a loss of humanity.  

In a nutshell it may best serve self-defense through karate and martial arts to encompass a training model that includes a way to train our minds to reduce to minimum that emotional and rational battle of the brain systems for a more moral decision process. 

Distance, we naturally gravitate toward using the legs so that we overcome our natural instinctive resistance to laying on hands to other humans even when we “Other them” to create a psychological distancing. So it now is better understood why karate, an empty handed system, has morphed into a more weapon oriented system often sub-titled karate-n-kobudo. This also goes a long way to help us validate the theory and idea that empty handed practice and training was more of a “prerequisite requirement” to learn, train and use weapons. Weapons take us further away from the emotional natural resistance of laying hands on to other humans to a more distant and acceptable reaching of non-handed, weapons, to defend, compete and win contests. It also allows us the ability in military combat to kill. 

I have heard from others who profess to have experience using knives in fighting, maiming and killing where it is thought that to act and use even this instrument that actually puts a mediocre amount of distance in the equation it still takes considerable discipline and mind-control/mind-set/mind-state to actually cut and kill. This gives us the true feeling that laying on of hands can be one of the immense efforts of discipline to cross the line. As we add more distance we add more of the psychological ability to harm others with more than socially driven communications with the use of violence to reach our goals. 

See second quote, underline and bold text. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Returning Students and Responsibilities Involved

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

I understand this issue crops up a lot in modern karate and martial arts yet I feel that handling it with emphasis on ranking over a more effective approach to the black belt would have lead him to stay and re-assess/re-learn the necessary traits and principles.

Note I: Let me explain the situation that promoted this tirade of an article. A former student for what ever reasons left the dojo after achieving sho-dan. During his or her hiatus they practiced when they could alone in their garage. It appeared circumstances of life led them to stop the dojo and practice as they could in the manner they did. The practitioner returned to the dojo much later for the idea and goal of moving up to Ni-dan or second level of black belt. He had some misguided assumptions upon his return. It appeared in the story that some assumptions were also assumed by the dojo, the senpai and the sensei so that things escalated to a conflict that should not have been. It led to anger, resentment and disappointment for the returning sho-dan as well as the dojo members and leadership. It was this that lead me to the following feelings and comments. 

For instance, if he had been taught properly up to the award of sho-dan he would have returned later, as his life indicated his need for the time away, and restarted in some more appropriate way.

Second, because his journey to sho-dan was incomplete his return to the journey is expected so the response, while an attempt to be corrective, ended up aggravating and exacerbating an already poor situation that speaks more about the dojo and sensei then the student.

Remember, if a student fails, the sensei and senpai failed. They failed to instill in him or her the spirit that would have in all probability led to his remaining in the dojo over leaving for a time and just practicing in the garage.

To also criticize his attempts at maintaining his skills in the garage was inappropriate to my eyes. Criticism has its place and time while to resort to the criticism was a reflex action due to the missing teachings that should have been instilled in those early years leading up to sho-dan. It comes down to the dojo blaming the black belt for their mistakes and omissions. 

If they had done their job then the student would have returned, lined up regardless of the color of belt worn, and acted like a new student to reacquire those lost skills.

In my years I have had many who joined my dojo who were from other styles and many levels including the dan-sha and they all wore their belts without assuming said color provided them any type of status in the new dojo. I explained that to them upon entering.

The belt someone has regardless of their expertise and skills is a symbol of another sensei's confidence in that individual and therefore we as marital artists and karate-ka should hold respect for their previous achievements. 

Many who wear a black belt who have returned after a hiatus should wear it with pride while working diligently hard to reacquire those lost skills and we as sensei and senpai should not "ASSUME" anything about skills and expertise simply because we have no idea what it was when they achieve black belt nor what they may have lost during the hiatus from practice, training and study of their art or any others. 

The lesson here is patience and understanding, not criticism, disgust or some misguided way we assume is proper to Asian study of karate and Martial Arts.

The goal is to learn, study, "Understand," and practice to the benefit of all dojo members regardless of history even if it is another former member. 

If a former member returns and assumes then before criticizing take stock of why that part is missing, reevaluate the way the dojo teaches and leads and then fix the dojo first, then the teachings and finally the practitioner. 

The true arrogance was the dojo, not the student. The student followed the dojo not the other way around. 

The dojo should "Invest in the Loss," the loss of integrity and skill in teaching, leading and mentoring the student, the practitioner and the sempai to the kohai connection.

Bibliography (Click the link)

Note II: It should be expressed that I am not the consummate sensei, instructor or teacher but I have a great deal of experience, not just in the dojo, teaching, etc., to include a professional instructor for a military branch of service where I trained, taught, instructed and mentored other fledgling military into being proud military professionals. I have also about twenty years or so of experience as a sensei of karate where my flaws, omissions and mistakes have taught me the hard truth about my efforts and abilities. I have also spent a considerable time studying traits and efforts of teaching and mentoring in my work and play to include karate and martial arts so I do have some valid theories based on proper research and studies of others far more professional and valid then my mediocre experiences and education. 

10,000 hour Rule

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

First, here is the rub, like the 21 foot rule called Tueller’s Drill that rule and this one are merely guides. These rules are not truly “Rules” that one must adhere too and they are not concrete as to what it takes to become proficient in any one discipline. What happens tho is someone will use the rule on its own and declare that if one practices diligently for 10,000 hours they will master the discipline. They don’t take into consideration all the factors involved in become proficient in any discipline.

Second, practice alone is not enough. The factors I mentioned involve a lot more than simply going out there and practicing something, i.e., like in karate simply punching the air looking to such things as your form and a feeling one gets used to denote power is not enough, it needs more - much much more. 

Third, then there is the complexity factor. If the discipline is of a very, very “Stable Structure” then one can achieve proficiency, even mastery, with repetitive practice but then agin even in such a stable discipline there are other factors toward practice, even repetitive practice.

Fourth, practice must be deliberate to achieve success in a discipline. When the structure of a discipline is fluid, lacks any real or stable structure as self-defense, karate and martial arts tend toward, then this rule goes out the window because then proficiency leans heavily toward individual capability, individual dedication, individual due diligence and other such “Factors.” You really have to push your skill sets as much as possible and as often as possible to create efficient master over those types of skill sets.

Fifth, the incremental rule also, “Rules.” Practice must involve smaller incremental improvements to achieve mastery or efficiency in application of the discipline. Going through the motions of say, that punch I mentioned, being performed over and over again up to that 10K rule means you can perform that move 10,000 times. Remember, other factors are involved.

Sixth, here is a quote about complexity in practice that affects such hard coded rules: 

"There is no doubt that deliberate practice is important, from both a statistical and a theoretical perspective. It is just less important than has been argued," the study's lead author, Brooke Macnamara, said in a statement. "For scientists, the important question now is, what else matters?"

Exactly, what else matters for it truly does matter and no more so in such disciplines that involve conflict and violence, i.e., karate and martial arts in self-defense applications. As modern experienced teachers and mentors have indicated in the last decade involving self-defense there are other “Factors” involved in making self-defense work.  

   

Seventh, another quote to convey the proper concept of a rule that is not a rule:

“There are no quick black belt experts, the one or two year wonders or the youthful wonder black belt in karate and marital arts especially in their use for self-defense, fighting and combatives —certainly no instant masters or grandmasters. There appears not to be on record any case where a person reached master level with less than about two or more decade’s intense preoccupation with the discipline. We would estimate, very roughly, that a master has spent perhaps 10,000 to 50,000 hours with intense effort, discipline, diligence and preoccupation…”

Intensity and preoccupation are key here along with dedicated continuous diligent practice with incremental improvements with effort, intent, discipline, and due diligence.

Eighth, then there is “Talent.” To gain a high level regardless of the hours or years in practice and training one must have a certain talent to reach high levels of mastery especially in a fluid like discipline of self-defense with karate or martial arts. You really have to prepare properly, find a solid teacher and mentor and then apply yourself but when adding your innate talent to the fourmula of factors to make you a master or proficient practitioner you then have a formula not just for success but to reach the lofty height of master in the chosen discipline. 

Ninth, in self-defense of conflict and violence and especially adding on a complete discipline of karate and martial arts one must use operant conditioning in a reality adrenal stress-conditioned environment to achieve proficiency in self-defense. As one expert says, “There are no naturals.” The degree to which we practice and the amount of practice necessary for exceptional ability and proficiency is very extensive and subjective, i.e., governed by an individuals abilities, etc. 

Tenth, the rules in question for this article then must be viewed as minimal recommendations but in my mind, in my view and in truth - one who wishes to achieve proficient mastery especially for self-defense must ignore such minimal rules and requirements. They must accept the fact that all things worth anything take “Time, effort, intent, diligence and most of all patience,” to achieve mastery or even proficiency.

Lastly, there is one rule that is immovable and set in stone, the necessity to continually practice and train appropriately to the discipline involved for it takes far less time to lose those proficient skill sets if you don’t maintain them. Once you take up that sword, metaphorically speaking, you must maintain your abilities or they will be lost.   

As a mentor and teacher the use of the 10K “Recommendation” is one that tests the practitioner and makes sure they understand the dedication and life long dedication that is required to achieve goals of karate and martial arts for self-defense. Teaching them that this is just the very start of a life long discipline, a way of life, is very telling to a novice. 

Bibliography (Click the link)

Muscles that Twitch: Karate

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

There are two types of muscle “Fibers” that are termed, “Fast twitch (Type II Fibers) and slow twitch (Type I Fibers).” Fast twitch contract quickly but tire rapidly while slow twitch contract slowly and keep going for a long time. 

If a person is looking for endurance or speed they may want to focus on the slow twitch muscles development because endurance allows them to go a longer time without tiring out and succumbing to the effects of fatigue. 

If you need speed for rapid-movements where the muscles must contract swiftly you work on the development of the fast-twitch muscles. There are two repercussions involved in the use of fast-twitch muscles, i.e., you get tired fast and you consume a lot of energy.

According to the source I used for this article, the BBC Science section on the human body and mind they state, “Most of your muscles are made up of a mixture of both slow and fast twitch muscle fibers. But, your soleus muscle in your lower leg and muscles in your back involved in maintaining posture contain mainly slow twitch muscle fibers. And muscles that move your eyes are made up of fast twitch muscle fibers.”

Keep in mind that alone these terms and their development for karate and martial arts also depend and are connected to other factors necessary to make it all work, i.e., slow twitch muscle fibers contain a lot of blood vessels and rely on a need for rich supply of oxygenated blood (think of your deep diaphragmatic breathing methods, etc.) and don’t forget they also use up oxygen to produce energy for the muscle contractions. The fast-twitch muscle fibers don’t use as much oxygen to make energy so the need for a richer blood supply is less. The fast-twitch muscle fibers produce smaller amounts of energy very fast where slow-twitch muscles produce larger amounts of energy more slowly. 

Anyone with any experience and understanding in karate and martial arts for sport, combatives, fighting or self-defense can already see the value of muscle fibers for fast and slow twitch. In essence it would be optimal to have a balanced set of fibers to achieve speed when needed then the slow plodding type of slow that does not need speed to be effective. That is not how our bodies work. 

We, apparently but in need of further research and validation from medical sciences, are endowed with certain proportions of fast and slow twitch muscles. Some of us are actually born with a 50/50 split of fast vs. slow twitch. Your muscles as to fiber composition come from your genetics so the 50/50 may be a good general rule but is actually not set in stone. As individual humans that setting will be dictated by genetics and possibly other factors such as health and fitness with programs toward enhancing both that may effect the ratio’s.

It comes down to genetics along with your attitude and determination when training and practicing in programs meant to develop one type of fiber over the other. There are exercises that actually develop fast twitch muscles as there are exercises that develop slow twitch muscles. I tend to think anaerobic vs. aerobic types of exercise. 

Slow Twitch Example: Exercises that feature sustained isometric contractions with little-to-no joint movement keep the slow-twitch muscle fibers under contraction for an extended period of time. This can help improve their ability to utilize oxygen to produce energy. Examples include the front plank, the side plank and the single-leg balance.

Fast Twitch Example: Performing explosive, power-based movements, whether it is with a barbell, kettle-bell, medicine ball or simply your own body weight, will recruit greater levels of fast-twitch fibers.

In karate and martial arts practitioners often focus on how to develop and use speed but a more robust focus should be on what muscle fiber is needed to apply the methodology necessary to defend in any given situation. Some methods may do better with the slow-twitch developed muscle fiber while other methods the fast-twitch.

Bibliography (Click the link)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/factfiles/fastandslowtwitch/soleus.shtml

https://www.acefitness.org/blog/5714/slow-twitch-vs-fast-twitch-muscle-fibers