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.

What are (my) Precepts?

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

In short, "a general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought." A rule is, "one of a set of explicit or understood regulations or principles governing conduct within a particular activity or sphere." In our karate community there are the ten precepts, rules that speak to thoughts on the what and why of karate of Okinawa, of Karate. 

In his rendering of the precepts it appears he is trying to regulate thoughts as to what karate is, why one practices karate and how to apply karate. In my studies to date the following are the precepts I would provide my students in regard to karate as training, practice and applicability in reality: 
  1. Understand your intent in training and practice so when you apply it, the proper form and function is achieved from conditioned memory. 
  2. Understand that regardless of intent karate training promotes many benefits such as health, strength, agility, balance and other such things. 
  3. Understand that there are no short cuts to learning to apply karate because there is a natural rhythm and cadence to karate along with nature’s requirements to learn things especially to the state of application under duress. 
  4. Understand that body conditioning that hardens the bodies natural defensive armor is necessary to survive violent encounters so that one can apply skills to stop the damage. 
  5. Understand that regardless of technique(s) that principles hold more importance when one has to apply multiple methodologies at appropriate force levels to achieve appropriate, acceptable and both legal and social requirements of self-defense. 
  6. Understand that to achieve expertise and to maintain that level of expertise requires repetitive, ongoing, consistent training, practice and reality-based applications to self-protect with karate or any martial art. 
  7. Understand that karate, in essence, provides both health and the ability, if properly trained and applied, to self-protect self and others but one must decide and create a line between others aspects such as sport or self-improvement vs. self-protection in our personal defense against aggression and violence. 
  8. Understand the visual-imagery of situations and scenarios while experiencing reality based adrenal stress-conditions is best to achieve master of karate in self-protection and defense. 
  9. Understand that the human body has limitations in training intensity where overextending and compressing said training to expedite progress tend to lower progress and stresses our body to a state that harms rather than promotes health, fitness and endurance, all necessary in the attack. 
  10. Understand that karate as an all-round physical endeavor does contribute through its health and fitness processes to longevity as long as all other things are equal, i.e., like gene’s and DNA, etc.

I would also add these precepts to those I mention in the start of this chapter are the original and still valid to modern karate but mine are meant to be in addition to those precepts of Itosu Sensei as translated by Abernethy Sensei’s and readily provided on his site: https://iainabernethy.co.uk/article/10-precepts-anko-itosu

Bibliography (Click the link)

No comments: