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.

Kumite or Sparring

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


"What is it good for or what is it NOT good for is a better question. Rory Miller is one of my go-to sources for understanding violence, especially the kind I would need for self-protection for self-defense. Along with Marc MacYoung and a dozen or so others these guys KNOW what they are talking about and what they teach so I suggest to my readers, "When these guys speak, listen-UP!"


Mr. Miller was asked, "What don't you like about sparring?" His response, "However, sparring has a bunch of bad habits, even for combat. And for self-defense, almost every aspect is a bad habit." - Rory Miller, Chiron Training on Patreon. 


Now, to know exactly what Mr. Miller’s telling us we would need to visit Patreon, join his group and then follow it up with the research on this particular subject. The true tragedy is that the mind-set of karate-ka tends to keep them away from these reality-based teachings for conflict and violence because of dissonances created over time in that same dojo environment. Now, if you teach and practice for philosophical or sport reasons ONLY then by all means continue on BUT if you are doing it or teaching it for self-defense, the legal stuff, etc., then you would want to reach out to Mr. M and Mr. MM, etc., to get a truer, reality-based and proper training regimen. 


In karate circles kumite or sparring is a major tool to train and you must ask yourself, "What is it good for, i.e., sport, combat, self-protection or something else. In my view I would say it is good for:

  1. Triggering an adrenal reaction.
  2. Teaching how humans deal with conflict.
    • Note here I am talking about how we do our best to avoid actual fighting and use such tactics to try and persuade the other guy to not fight through a type of posturing.
    • This is why you see the “bouncy-bounce” actions along with moving in and out, feinting, and trying to score points for what ever reason.
    • Also, although I used sparring as a part of the training in the dojo I never advocated it as being for combat, sport or self-protection for self-defense because it teaches bad habits for those skills. 
  3. It does provide aerobic benefits when two folks go at one another moving in and out trying to figure out how to score points.
  4. It is also a means to make contact, i.e., hitting and being hit assuming the dojo is doing self-defense and then tend to hit with effort, power and force up to a point. 
  5. It promotes movement skills so long as the proper type of movement is engaged and not just the forward-backward movement found in most dojo. 
  6. Teaches one to read others and act accordingly and this part also requires a reality-based feed rather then the typical back-forth bouncy-bounce tagging you find in most kumite or sparring. 

(Note: there are more things you can learn from sparring but as to its use, without considerable modifications, for protection and defense - not so much. 


It MUST be completely understood that sparring or kumite and both sport and “The Way (philosophy)” DO NOT PREPARE YOU FOR conflict and violence because that is a whole nother thing altogether. I refer to this side a bit more through my blog and tweeting, etc. 


If you really desire to modify your training to best handle self-protection for self-defense (legal term) then I suggest you start with the references listed in the below bibliography. 


For reference and sources and professionals go here: Bibliography (Click the link)


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