To give a concrete example: suppose someone is jumped, punches their attacker, but is overcome and robbed. Does it make sense to say, “well, the punches didn’t prevent the attack, so punches must be useless?” Obviously not. And if someone else proposes, “well, to prevent this sort of attack in the future we are going to implant chips in everyone so we can track their movements, create a database of acceptable places these pople may go, and then put armed guards on every corner with orders to shoot anyone who goes somewhere they shouldn’t” should we consider trying it just because this is a “new” idea? Again, obviously not.

As mentioned, I have much respect for Rory Miller and his writings, and appreciate his contributions to the martial arts and law enforcement communities. But this particular comment of his did not sit well with me, especially in light of the innocent children who were killed that day at Sandy Hook. We need to think reasonably, rationally, and deeply about the issue of gun violence, and not allow politics (or money) to decide what courses of action should be taken.

And for the record, I am a martial artist who also likes guns.

Great job on the podcast!

“Olson, Ayers, Dohrn, America’s aging terrorists”

http://www.stephenwbrowne.com/2009/03/olson-ayers-dorhn-americas-aging-terrorists/

Thanks for the listen, much appreciated. There are no plans to transcribe the podcasts to written material in the near future. It is however a thought to be entertained. K+

Thanks, Charles

Regarding social and asocial violence: I think it is an excellent model however I do have some reservations about it. If things get out of hand in a social violent conflict then I think it can very easily become asocial or rather excessive or may be lethal force can be used so it is not always clear cut but I don’t suppose it is meant to be either. Just haven’t read that from Rory or Marc yet (probably missed it as they write volumes!). Also in a relative’s homeland it was common knowledge among locals that if a local or bouncer was losing a fight against a tourist then other locals would intervene as a source of pride/nationalism which has elements of social and asocial. Social in the sense of behaviour correction and asocial in the sense that they wouldn’t mind if the tourist was terribly hurt. The tourists were invariably lager louts but that didn’t justify in my opinion some things that I saw. Also I would say that some were sociopathic who enjoyed the process (process predation). So although the model does work completely for me I think it is very useful for the martial arts and general day to day living in order to hopefully avoid physical conflict. Thanks!

We agree!

K+

Thanks for the great addition Susie.

Be well

K+

Thank you for sharing your time and thoughts!

Best Regards,
Lonnie

You also brought up the excellent point about people not just waking up and deciding to be evil, that in fiction, the motives of a bad guy add depth. Ya, I suppose that’s often true. But I’d also say that that line of thinking is partially motivated by post modern flaky moral relativist academics, who want everything to be shades of grey with no real evil or good. They sneer at simple heroes and villains. Many gripping stories have villains that enter the scene purely evil, and the story doesn’t suffer for it. Think Darth Vader in the original movies, and Sauron in Lord of the Rings. Now, in the wider back stories from those fictional universes, we see the motivations, or at least that these characters weren’t originally evil. Especially with the case of Anakin and his gradual fall into evil, it’s a fascinating story. But we don’t need that story to enjoy Episode IV.

I’m probably reading way deeper than you guys intended. Feel free to say, “dude, it was just a podcast!”. Still, it was thought provoking and I wanted to share these thoughts with you!

Thanks for the clarification. Always appreciate it when people add good material to the conversation. Thanks for listening! Kris+

Get me in touch with Bill Kipp, we’ll make a effort to get it set up. K+

Thanks for the good words and making the effort to share the podcast – that means the world. Be well, and thanks very much. Kris+

Mike

Thanks for the nice comments. Clint makes it easy to work with him, he knows what he knows and is not afraid to say what he know to be true. As for TED, good grief they wouldn’t know what to do with him!

Thanks again. Kris+

Ever thought of taking Clint on TED?

Thanks for the good words. I am glad you enjoy our work, that means a lot. Kris+

Timothy_Monye

Thanks for your comments. Disparaging other faiths is not how I roll, you are mistaken in your comment, you have read something into the audio that simply doesn’t exist. As for secular humanism, yeah, I think that is a life not lived to its fullest, no question, just as atheists think that I am a fool. But those differences don’t stop us from enjoying each others company. Thanks for listening and thanks for getting up and writing a comment. Trust all is well on your end and life is good. Be well. Kris+

Thank you for taking the time to give a listen! I am really happy you have discovered Peyton’s work here. I think that the more you dig into his work the more you will find! Be well and thank you for the listen. Kris+

Be Well, Kris+

I’ve just finished listening to this episode for the third time and every time I’ve listened I’ve learnt something new every time.

I love Peyton’s no-nonsense, straight to the point approach.

Keep up the good work. Cheers.

Josh

Thanks for setting down and doing it! I make no secret that I am a fan of your work. Although you have a large tool box of technique you do what every martial artist should do I.D., The moment and act in moment appropriately. What is the old saying, “To a carpenter every thing is a nail?” Again, thanks to you for such a good – informative – interview. I am glad you are getting some bounce off the interview, it is well deserved. Be well. Kris+

Self-Defense to me (even as a Black Belt Hall of Fame Member) is first about knowing the ways and thinking of the human predators out there so you can avoid them and respond to them if they do not see you as suitable victim .Technique to me is totally secondary really. The only way to totally defeat an enemy in any fight is to avoid that physical part of the fight in the first place.

Take care,
Josh

Sigh… Oh well,
Josh

P.S. You better not disappoint me like Lee Childs.

I feel very proud that after moving on from my group, some 15 or so years later, he has gone onwards & upwards – keep up the good work

Doug

We should remember and why feel no guilt for taking out Saddam Hussein.

We have a tendency to start things and not finish them when the going gets tuff.

Thanks Djshad,
Josh

Great pod-cast that I’m ashamed took me entirely to long to get to.

Josh

http://www.amazon.com/How-Write-Lot-Practical-Productive/dp/1591477433/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310007497&sr=8-1

Stuff you guys already do, I’m sure, but clear and practical stuff to recommend to anyone who writes. Goes with the deadlines talk in this podcast.

Basically he said that if you seek ‘perfection’ in what you do physically, your mind is in a constant battle with your body because it is trying to force results that are not possible, i.e. perfect technique. It turns into a loop of always being frustrated with what your body cannot do, and your view of what is going on is colored entirely by the negative – stuff that is “not perfect”.

Regards,

Basho.

PS. An article I wrote about someone being under estimated in the street can be found here: http://www.outsidecontext.com/2010/03/03/the-harsh-judge/

I keep asking myself “man, how come I am so bad at this”, why do I not improve faster. Finally i’ve just given up and come to realize that that aspect of things is just gonna come to me in small increments, and it will never be “my” thing (there’s the part I learned from it, what I am and am not)..I just try to remember “stronger every day”, and even teeny, minute increments are ok.

awesome interview

Lawrence

Thanks

Thanks for the read and the good thoughts – yup…ego. I view it simply this way, Do I acknowledge the primacy of the individual or does the bureaucracy of which I am attached hold the value of the person. I know, 50 cent words but it is how I see it. Be well. K+

You comment about hurting feelings or being rude is a common comment – you have a right to your space, if somebody wants to call that being rude, that is on them. As for the iPod and Parents – ya caught us. I, through poor editing, deleted that part, we hope to redo it at a later time – Thanks for listening and good catch! K+

One thing though – did I miss the iPods and Parents segment? Just noticed the summary in the show notes and skimmed through quickly as I hadn’t remembered that bit and couldn’t find it.

I’ll be translating this into Japanese and reminding my colleagues of this for a while…

Thanks for the tip on The Iron Goat – I like this guy already. He needs more exposure, he has a message, so look for him via Martial-Secrets, The Newsletter, as well as a tip of the hat your way. Good stuff, inspirational, and speaks to the deeper parts of the arts. K+

http://talesoftheirongoat.blogspot.com/

This is what I have to say to your comment — Exactly! In regard to the students and yourself. As for the RSSOddly we are working on the RSS right now – but thanks for the tip, much appreciated. Making the whole experience as easy as easy as possible is very important.

Be well and thanks for the listen!

Kris+

I think there’s a fine balance that commercial schools have to find between drilling things over and over to avoid complacency, but at the same time holding students’ interest.

I’ve been very conscious of this in my own mind while training and have started to force myself to pay more attention when I feel the boredom creeping in and treat it more as an opportunity. Don’t always succeed, but this is a good reminder to keep working on it. Patience is a hard-won skill

BTW, having problem with your RSS feed at the moment – am only getting the podcasts through in RSS and not the blog posts?

It doesn’t really work like that though, alot of times you end up with something very different than the goal you were actively training for, and you never really complete anything, you’re never done.

I think there is no way for someone new to training to understand that though, it seems to be something you figure out over time.

“Oh, there’s no actual end to this”.

For me that discovery was a great one, but I think for some it’s intimidating to realize that all these goals are just kind of …helpful mirages I guess you could say.

I think for new people though, they don’t understand so much, so having some sort of artificial marker keeps them involved, until they too can stop caring about it, and just enjoy themselves.

k+

I find that it’s not just grading that they do this with either. They often try and show off that they can do a drill or pattern as fast as they can rather than do it slowly, focusing on the details.

I think when you’re starting out that cold hard facts are comforting and reassuring, especially when you’re painfully aware that you know absolutely nothing! So you find them and cling to them until you have the confidence to let go a little.

The other thing that I’ve found, in my organisation at least, is that by preparing students above the requirements for testing they tend to stand out from other students, and as a result the overall standard of students starts to slowly climb. I’ve found that its relatively easy to spot students whose instructor(s) are simply teaching to the grading criteria and those that are going beyond. It’s a nice feeling to have the senior instructor come up and say “That’s one of your students isn’t it?”

Ditto

Second we have to get our kids to understand why they are learning (To get to a black belt, you are self motivated. But most kids are not) First we have to get our Teachers to understand why they are teaching. If you do not care about what you are teaching, you will do it poorly (I have been on all sides of teacher and student).

If teachers are only teaching to the test they do not understand they are only getting a sample of what they are to teach. Much easier to require memorization rather than understanding and critical thinking skills. Much easier to turn each kid into a cog in the machine rather than teach individuals and push them academically – teaching to standards does that. While you need to demonstrate the knowledge to advance, I fear our approach is doing more harm than good. Freshman year of college see’s almost a 50% dropout rate now (Statistic is iffy, I’m off memory this morning, but the rate is huge).

My Opinion

Thanks for the good words much appreciated. Look for more from Rory in the future. Trust all is well in Dublin!

Be well
k+

Jonny Figgis
Dublin, Ireland

Simple and great comment you make, “Teach beyond the test.” it is not an either or, it is an extension.

Not saying it’s easy. Not even saying I can always do it. Just saying it’s a good goal.

You are most fortunate to train with Mr. Angel. And thank you for your thoughts. Yeah. “The Old Guys” they know who they are and what they are doing.
Be well

Kris +

Great comment, you are fortunate and well centered in your needs in the martial arts. Once you find your anchor your good, and you have.

I came to Judo knowing next to nothing about all the other Martial Arts except what I learned through Saturday morning Kung Fu films. I say I'm lucky becauase the art does everything for -and to- me that I could ask of it; physically, mentally and is some regards, spiritually. There's never been that 'itch' to look for something else.

Until recently, that is.

I've been reading other blogs and sites dealing with just about every other martial art out there, and my curiosity has been piqued. I've got just this tiny little itch to try a striking-based art, if I've got the terminology right. Krav Maga, Jeet Kune Do, not really sure. I can't ever see myself leaving Judo behind, it's changed my life twice now, but I will admit to thinking about branching out just a little.

Respectfully,

Stefan

I think…check that, know that it is the practical application and the class room is only part of the formula.

when did you learn the most about what you do for a living?

Ans: For me, it was not in the class room. I spent personal time researching and studying but in the end it was the application that taught me the most.

Did you learn more in the classroom or the first year or two out in the field plying your skills?

Ans: Field work, doing it, even in karate or Tai chi I found I could learn and apply faster if I got out there and did it over and over again.

For me, the target fell away around fourth kyu or so. I know before that, my target was learning this or that form so I can progress to the next rank. After that, I can remember not just wanting to "do" the thing, but to do the thing right, if that makes sense.

But the thing is that sometimes the target re-appears. Happened after shodan and took a definitive "you're not quite ready for nidan" before I even realized it was there again. Sometimes the target just moves to a new place, perhaps. Or perhaps my path just has a few weeds, LOL…

Thanks for the cup of deep thought tea

A: First, excellent post. For me, the target fell away with out my fully realizing it. Point of fact is that I didn't give it the thought until this post.

I guess that my shift to the path occurred after I left the Marines and started to get involved with a more diverse group of practitioners, i.e. military, civilians and their dependents.

I feel the path has assumed a more important role these last four or five years where my growth, as perceived by me, as "more." I am focusing on this a great deal and it has influenced my practice and living more than I would have expected, a bonus. Thanks for the post, a very good perspective.

But, as a friend graciously pointed out when I was still waffling about leaving: bad karate is bad karate. Hard to have fun and grow in such a jacked-up environment…

Wish I would have read this post a year ago. Would have saved me lots of anguish, that's for sure

Getting "kicked out of the tribe" has far reaching psychological ramifications simply because it is an intricate part of mother nature's gift to us called, survival instinct.

They group dynamics are something a Sensei must consider when conducting training sessions, don't you think?

My background is also Goju and until about 8 or 9 years ago I would have thought, from what I was taught, that it was purebred. What I didn't know, I was only being shown Kihon and that none of my instructors were aware of the 90% on the knowledge below the surface. Sparring was from 'fighting distance' meaning that in the real world you wouldn't even engage.

Now that I teach, I include all the grappling, gouging breaking techniques that I can find. Many of these I have trained in other areas but when I then look back at the kata, it's all there if only I had known.

Back to my original question, but specifically to Goju. Are any of the styles that developed in Okinawa about 100 years ago, purebred or are they the mongrel mix that masters like Higaonna Sensei and Miyagi Sensei collected? Or is it the sanitising that occurred when karate was introduced into the schools that gives the impression of a purebred style?

This is not to say don't look elsewhere, but just don't be surprised when you think you have found something new, and it was right under your nose all the time.

My greatest teacher was a young man with schizophrenia who was tormented with voices, paranoia and a lifestyle many would consider pure hell. Yet, he could find in himself that place to keep up on going…day in day out.

The doctors told him to rest in bed, and to forget kung fu: he would never kick again.

With financial worries bearing down on him, Bruce could only lay flat on his bed for the next three months, and for another three months be confined indoors.

But even then, he refused to let this stop him. If he couldn’t work out his body, he could work out his mind. In those six months he wrote furiously, penning down his own thoughts and methods of the martial arts which he so loved.

In six months’ time, he had written eight, two-inch volumes of notes. And in all that time, with evidence to the contrary, he refused to believe that he wouldn’t heal; he was an avid believer that our thoughts create our reality.

After those six months he started working out again, moderately at first, and resumed teaching afterwards.

And even though his back would remain a source of pain throughout his entire life, you wouldn’t think it to see the man blazing faster in his movies than any able-bodied person.

This is what I find most inspiring about the man; that he not only reached physical heights most of us would deem impossible, he did it in spite of an injury that did make it impossible.

I wrote a post about this here:
http://the-tao-of-josh.blogspot.com/2010/12/moochs-and-looters.html

It's my call to arms. Lets no longer be guilted into being victimized by thoughs who can do for themselves but chose not to.

Sadly, my father was a putz. I took a different path and it ain't milken off others.

Good post and a real notice to the status of today's society, i.e. what can my country do for me; not what I can do for my country!!

Yes, I twisted it around a bit How many of those types will actually know this?

Sorry, pet peeve…arghhhhhhhhh

No hard and fast rule. It looks like a Venn Diagram. Further the transition space is flexible and contextual.

I look forward to your fevered ruminations and take on Context v. Content.

Be Well

K+

I'm starting to think this about how most martial arts handle knife defense and grappling in a street context.

I'm working on a post – I'll likely link to yours! Give me a week!

Some folks can't see past their context. It's refreshingly honest when someone can and doggone annoying when someone thinks that their art is the be-all end-all!

You have a method that is built around analysis and action. Perfect. No stinking thinking on your part. Thanks for the good ideas and methods.
K+

Be well K+

One thing though, what do you think is the right way to look at those things we just never seem to "get" over the long term?

There are some things i've been doing for a long time I still don't do too well, what do you think is the right attitude with those things that seem to never improve, or improve at a snails pace?

I tried clicking but am having trouble subscribing. Would it be too much trouble to add me to the newsletter? My e-mail is bpatterson67@comcast.net.

Thanks,

Bob

Keep defying the status quo. There are alarmingly few like you out there.

You touch on the bouncing back and forth from internal to external validation. I think you are right in that we should dance between those two aspects of training. I think it keeps one tethered and balanced.

"When it comes to your martial arts do you make it personal?" [Yes, but it took me a lot of years of self-reflection to get there. Even so, I still fall back into external validation mode once in a while but are much better of stopping those thoughts and getting back to what is truly important.]

Do you define what is a success or do you allow others to do it for you? [I use to think that certain individuals had to validate my proficiency but in the last ten years I have found it better to be satisfied with myself from myself. Expectations is a huge hole, as you posted, and that hole will never be filled; that hole comes from low self esteem and not conducive to personal growth. In my opinion ...]

Are you a brand to yourself, or are you a part of a brand? [Your post is great and it should get folks to think that what comes from within is so far superior to an individuals expectations of others and others care only about themselves so your validation will never be satisfied.]

Ok, I will stop rambling now…your posts do get me to thinking about a lot of stuff

How do you define success in your martial arts? [Much the same as you, did I learn something and did I do well in what I did do.]

Further are you a brand unto yourself with your own internal guidance system? [I rely almost exclusively on my own guidance system. I believe that what other say and do are contributory in nature but in the end it is MY decisions I take and count.]

Nice, clear and crisp way to present the ideas. I am going to ponder, "performance vs. achievement goals" that is a great distinction.

Thanks for dropping a line

K+

Thats a good starting place

Not sure if you know about these fields, but if not, it's pretty cool to hear academic work being back-validated by common sense people.

The problem is that the tenure process creates–and sometimes damages–a given professor and his or her ego.

Long ago I used to work in the prison system. I've noted that higher education has the same mentality as prison gangs: You have leaders who build gangs and take out rivals, etc. The only difference is that they do it with the pen and not the sword.

I like that requirement, very cool.

K+

Well, the admiration goes both ways here. the comment that you made, "Why make a very complex subject matter more complicated and inefficient with unreliable technique?" is a strike to the core of the issue. Well said.

I think this is one of the most important posts that you've written yet. And the beauty of it is in the simplicity of what you wrote. Simple, short, sharp and direct techniques to rely on and drill constantly.

Why make a very complex subject matter more complicated and inefficient with unreliable technique?

Yes, taking a complicated idea and making it simple is a key to great instruction. It means the teacher has digested the concept and is able to deconstruct and construct at will.

That is well said, "Achieve validation."

Tatsuo never meant for Isshinryu to be this now complex system but wanted it to be simple and effective.

We tend to go complex to achieve validation and some mystical view that strokes our ego's…sigh

You had me for a moment, well done.

K+

The most important factor in it not destroying me was definitely my parents support. Martial arts also played a big role.

Food allergy bullying, it sounds silly, and i'm not sure that kind of hyper focus is worth so much..the general problem exists though.

I can say from my experience that some teachers and administrators didn't pay enough attention to bullying, i'm glad it's getting more focus, but ultimately I think person being bullied is going to have to 1) stand up to bullies eventually, independent of authority figured and 2) find some lasting sense of self worth, hopefully from facing the bullies in some way.

I am all for schools intervening, kids can be truly cruel sometimes. I would just hope that someone is also spending time teaching the kids the skills to really be ok, there are times when the teacher won't be around to intervene.

Plus, we all know that bullies don't just exist for kids, it's best to learn coping skills early on, I know i've used them well out of my childhood.

Not that I think it should necessarily be criminalized in young children except in extreme circumstances.

if you cant eat pizza or peanuts dont worry theyre bad choices

Marc – consider it stolen….again.

The same goes for getting off line of an attack, your 'block' may address the blow of the charging guy, but it's not going to stop his body weight. If you just stand there, he WILL crash into you

And JC, luuuuv the tone. I want you as my neighbor!

"Be aware of (what constitutes) pre-assault indicators."

And Charles you are bang on when you say, "Being aware is first attaining the knowledge necessary to accept instincts."

Brilliant.

Being aware is first attaining the knowledge necessary to accept instincts.

Instincts with the appropriate knowledge allows us to receive that uncomfortable feeling that something is amiss.

Acceptance of that voice allows us to turn on the awareness of "alert" for being alert is being forewarned.

Excellent post, thanks!

The introspection you are talking about can really force you to confront your self image a lot more than you normally would in daily life, for many people I think that's a very good thing.

Next stage, college. I started teaching more. I started to realize the authority I had in my life. This was a big one but went unrealized again after this revelation.

Final stage so far, my divorce, the martial arts have helped me realize many areas in which I need improvement. Things that affected my marriage, kids, me personally. Things that through the martial arts I am working to improve now.

There have been additional subtle changes but these are the milestones.

I came to a point where the mere physical was just not enough and I had always heard how karate "could" be a way of life (actually a way to achieve a better way of life; anything worthwhile can do this if you have the right attitude, etc.).

I decided to seek out more and to see how it connected through Karate and the rest is history.

Karate-do: my vehicle toward a better way of living!

Oh and I do exercise my right to change as change occurs almost daily now.

She "LISTENED" to her instinctual intuition and that gave her time. In her mind she already forewarned herself of danger and that allowed her mind to say, not here and not now and then fight.

Instinct, we tend to dismiss it under the guise, "can't happen to me; but it can."

Listen to it, mother nature gave it to us for a very good reason and apparently it is not time to evolve that aspect out of humanity yet.

That is a deep question, and I have to say it can be taught. I believe in this case her reaction was innate, part of her make up since she was a child.

Do you feel like this is something people have to arrive at themselves or do you feel like it can be taught?

You're all correct and our 55 year old runner is a example and lesson that we should not walk past lightly.

K+

So hats off to the runner who fought back and did what she had to do to stay alive. Thanks for sharing it, Kris

Nice comment, great thoughts, and loved the little, story too. Thanks for chiming in.

I remember years ago when learning level changes, I kept bending my back instead of bending at the knees and keeping good posture. I did this to one guy while sparring and ate a knee in the face. I learned a valuable lesson whilst not getting badly injured (only a bloody nose, which should be expected every now and again). We laughed about it afterwards and it came up for weeks when working on similar stuff.

As Marc MacYoung says just learning about the self defence side of things is a very limited way to train the martial arts as you miss out of lots of other valuable life lessons. When you speak of the dojo as a playground, it puts a smile on my face and reminds me why I continue to train and why I hope to train for the rest of my life.

Yes confidence can be a deterrent. I would hope the confidence would be an out growth of real skill, not perceived skill, but you are certainly correct – confidence helps you not look like a target.

It would be interesting to see whether or not this misplaced confidence can actually be helpful though. From what I understand about self-defense, confidence in the ability to defend one's self can be a deterrent to predators that want an 'easy lunch'.

(I'm not a current writer, nor the writer of that particular article, but I did write a dozen or so articles for them a few years back.)

No I have not seen that website. However I now cast my fist to the air and scream your name as you have sent me off into a time suck!

Looks like a good blog.

Be well.

K+

The original study suggests that the best way to introduce someone like the woman you mention to her actual ability level would be to enroll her in a genuine karate class.

The only part I consider "mandatory" is continued enjoyment, fellowship, and learning with people whose company I enjoy.

I think it's funny when people develop this idea that good martial arts training is about that kind of stuff…mandatory meetings and whatnot. Seems like they've completely missed the substance in favor of the trappings to me.

Perfectly said.

I wish more people would take off the blinders of devotion and loyalty and give their attention to the people who earn it instead of demand it.

It can be an eye opener!

My instructor always say: "Your karate is your own. The only one you have to live up to is yourself."

As long as you conduct yourself with respect for the people you're with, noone can say what and how you should do.

Jørgen (Denmark)

I often discuss the dangers of just going through the motions with techniques and developing a false sense of confidence.

We need dojos to train in but we should also interject sessions in non traditional settings.

Equally important, if not more so, is cultivating mindset. Encouraging others not to freeze up when a technique doesn't work as planned is crucial. Real violence and encounters are unpredictable and the ability to adapt under stress can make all the difference.

Mechanics. Not interested in the tech.

Sometimes, just making eye contact is enough. You don't even have to give a hard stare. Just putting them on notice that you're aware of them.

If you carry yourself like a victim, chances are, you are going to be a victim. Shoulders hunched, looking mostly at the ground, walking with quick, small steps…

Carry yourself with confidence, and nine times out of ten, the thugs are going to look for someone who looks like an easier mark. Carry yourself with your head up, shoulders back, a longer relaxed stride. It sends the message that you can handle yourself. It's subtle, but the would-be predators pick up on it.

But seriously – had Kris shot them the "I'm on to you guys!" or even the "Mess with us and I'll eff you up!" look (y'all know what I'm talking about) and they laughed at his bravado while they were simply walking down the street minding their own business, would they have been perceived as possibly even more of a threat? (not that you would ever do any of that, Kris

So I guess my question is if an ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure in this case – or does it end up making us turn up our "something isn't quite right" meters to hypersensitive? After all, one person's "punk" might be another person's "trying to blend in and look like every other male person my age."

I'm just sayin'…

If Middle Eastern Muslims are bombing American's, then focus the majority of your efforts on them. If it is white supremacist nutjobs, then focus on them.

Ask yourself this questions.

Why is it that common sense isn't very common anymore?

You can kindof see a psychological 'click' in this when the congressman realizes what he was doing and attempts to make it look like more of a photo-op by putting his arm around the kid.
In either case he was on tape impeding the individual without probable cause.
'Who are you' does not cut it and being a congressman does not give a person the right to detain without cause.
Had they been actual reporters and not working for some school project that type of thing would not fly.
The kid did not need to answer his questions, just as the congressman could have said 'no comment' and kept walking.

The Congressman is an idiot to react that way and serious needs to work on his Thai clinch. He's lucky the kid didn't throw him when he tried to hug him.

Putting something in a complete stranger's face is an open invitation in my book. He NEVER answers the Rep's question, and clearly can't be bothered with something as mundane as personal boundaries, common courtesy or asking permission to film and record an impromptu Q&A.

People get all huffy when they tap dance on someone else's toes while wearing golf shoes, and then get kicked in the balls for it. Like they never saw that coming. Now THAT takes a real special kind of stupid.

And knowing the unreached high-water mark for collegiate political wannabes in Maryland, I'll bet Woodward and Bernstein there didn't learn a friggin' thing from this. Go shove a mic in a strange Rottweiler's face next time, big balls…Let me know how that works for 'ya.

I was waiting for the student to rotate his wrist and snap his arm down, yanking the congressturd off-balance, even if the student didn't follow through with any other moves.

As far as the reporter (student) goes… I believe he had the right to break free. We all know the "break away" on that kind of wrist grab (going against the thumb) and rotating the hand around and turning it into an "arm bar" on the attacker. But doing that against a Congressman, in hind sight, wouldn't be the smartest thing to do.

The student still could have broken away even without executing the"arm bar" maneuver. I didn't hear the Congressman say out loud "You're under arrest" so it would've been just a defensive maneuver.

That is, if we're talking about self defense here and not politics! Lol

thank you very much..

I would love to come up and just might be able to do it. I have a 3-day law enforcement/military conference here in Reno on August 10, 111, and 12th that I am teaching at all three days, so that is my first obligation. However, I am going to try and make it. Please send me all the details to my personal e-mail address.

Thanks be to GOD that your student Lisa is better. Please pass on our best wishes to her and her family and friends from myself and my students here at Reno Krav Maga.

Shawn

Still, the humanity within one's self will not let one remain silent in the face of a friend's grief.

Therefore, I shall try…however feeble.

I've always loved a phrase I first saw online many years ago. A simple two-word phrase that seem almost not to make sense and belies its profound depth and wisdom — wisdom which we would hear if we have the heart to listen.

It has brought me much comfort, peace, compassion, understanding and acceptance of the Ways of Life.

May it do the same for you, for David and for Lisa…

"Leaves Fall"

I also am at a loss for words, and all that really come to mind are these that have always been comforting to me.

May GOD bless you, Lisa, and her family, and watch over you all during this time of crisis.

May all work out to the highest good for all concerned.

Well put, good stuff.

Strive for the most perfect practice. Strive to always be better, every single time you run through a kata, every strike on the makiwara, every sparring session, every time you run through the stretches, calisthenics, and charts.

Strive for your very best, and in giving 100%, let that be "perfect."

It's all about inertia: A body in motion tends to remain in motion, while a body at rest tends to remain at rest. There are many people who are at rest, and work hard to come up with the "perfect" reason to remain thus, and as such, they reap what they sow.

To me, training is a journey or a process, it is always changing and I am always learning, if I had an unchanging list of "proper" things that must be done to have Karate ™, I am not sure I would want to keep going.

I know it's cliche, but I can't help but be reminded of the Zen story about the guy who can't empty his cup.

I too have met a few of these people!

I suspected it was broader. Thanks for the confirmation.

I had a student that was elderly, but doing a fantastic job and was a regular attendee in classes and was even getting in a dramatically improved state of physical well being. However, he talked himself right out of continuing his participation in classes.

Some people tend to over-analyze what they are learning and make things infinitely more difficult than they actually are.

This students "excuse" for discontinuing his training was so ridiculous that I was literally without words after he finished his explanation. I literally didn't know what to say.

His excuse was that he felt that he was too old to have to worry about defending himself and that nobody would ever attack an old man.

After a few seconds I simply told him that when I woke up that morning that this was still the U.S.A. and that he still had the freedom to do what he pleased.

I hope that he never does face an attacker, but realistically he probably has a greater chance of that happening than I do.

I'm with you Kris, better to die on my feet than duct taped in a cardboard box under 18 inches of dirt. What they did worked for them that time but I wouldn't trust my life to the tender mercies of a sociopath. The odds don't favor you at all.

You state that every citizen should own a firearm and be willing to use it. It sounds like the two individuals who survived this used their defensive weapons well, their ability to make a connection and walk out alive. yes, they probably need some martial arts training.

Why turn everyone into a potential killer? Isn't that turning all potential threats into a "monkey dance"? Isn't discerning the situation and acting from that better?

A gun is merely a tool that can vastly increase your chances of surviving a potentially lethal encounter as it is a great equalizer.

I would actually like this couple to buy a couple of lottery tickets for me because it's obvious that lady luck was definitely smiling upon them that day.

Secondly, getting beaten is what Sanchin is all about. You'd probably enjoy it.

Not an indictment of the profession. it is about the people who live dull lives in the shadows of the process. Clearly the individual rises to the top in your experience.

2. It's better to be tried by twelve than carried by six.

3. You can't do sh*t if you're dead!

commitment
balance
relaxation

May not be totally original, but states it clearer than I could.

What that entails? Here lies the crux of it.

Either way, you have made it better than it was before. Not all things can be modified because often times they work fine if you are shown how to use them correctly in the first place, which unfortunately seems to be the rarity rather than the norm.

However, don't get all caught up in the world of "What if…" because that can end up dooming you to failure if you do too much of it. A little is fine, but overdoing it causes more problems than you will ever be able to solve or handle.

Realism is in the field, the laboratory is not real, however it is an way to seek controlled and consistent information.

2 cents

It's sort of like the people that try to quantify martial arts techniques just by the force measured by an impact sensor, or some basic (or advanced) physics calculation the researcher hypes up thereby telling us what techniques do and do not work. the techniques might not work for them, but it doesn't mean they won't work for everyone or in the reverse case, on every opponent.

Still as self examination, this is a great idea, even better if you apply it to other scenarios and get yourself thinking in a tactical mindset, always asking yourself "What if…?"

There is no doubt that 90% of the substance of the "true" martial arts has been removed. However, it hasn't gotten 10x cheaper, if anything it has gotten 10x as expensive.

Remember quantity and price will never replace quality, AT ANY PRICE!

Go to a ritzy restaraunt and you might get a small pladder of tartar for quite a chunk of change – it isn't even cooked, so the health implications are huge too.
Other dishes are extremely small – what you are paying for is a high class chef to cook your meal, arrange it in an artistic fashion, then send it out to be eaten.

Not knocking the culinary arts, but it just shows that the money is paying for the package, though it may not be filled or filling.

Not functional, but asthetic.

Takes forever, I tell you.

Unless you are in a sanctioned "sporting" event like the UFC, literally anything goes in order to win. On the street the only rule is to defeat your opponent by any and all means necessary.

Mike

That Sailor did what any self-respecting martial artist should – heed Sun Tzu, and refuse to engage an enemy on a battlefield of his choosing, instead choosing a battlefield of your own. The kid wanted to box. Fine. The Sailor didn't. The kid lost.

How does that adage go? "Age and treachery will always defeat youth and exuberance."

It is not only that something is drilled to the point of dialing instantly, but that one can do it cold.
Granted this was a Dojo environment.
It was a fun little forray, have not gone back to the school since, but it was fun.
Met this old Japanese guy who had decided late in life to start training, awesome character.
His name was Tony. How is that for off the top of my head? Took a minute.

As for old library card; this is from fived years ago, code was my oldest son's DOB. That was easy.
Wonder if I'll remember that in a couple years?
This was an interesting post, brings up an interesting exercise proposal! One that really should be more common than it is.
Cell phone age – lack of mental exercise. All of us are guilty from time to time.

I used to practice writing forward and backward, left handed and right handed.
For me it was a good workout, others might think it is wierd, or some kind of special skill.

We live in a lazy-boy era, and those lazy-boys are comfortable, but try to get up and move after sitting on a lazy boy every day after work instead of doing something, not fun from what I have seen, and the cracking bones I have heard.
Slow creaking, weakened joints under gaining weight, not a good combo.
I think the brain itself does the same thing – grows useless, numb, cumbersome when use is required of it.

I like those DS Brain games when I do finally sit down.
Might be worthwhile to look into this approach for training with certain people.
A flashcard method, random little things, shake things up a bit. Speed dial in a sense. hahaha.

Stretch the metaphor a little further: there have always been some numbers that I have to think really hard to recite, but that my fingers do automatically when I get near a phone. Kami's number when we were dating; my library card number (how's that for a geek medal?).

That's where your ukemis and counter-ambush skills have to be…

Rory

Fascinating and completely valid. I like the points.

The amount of material they learned was not very large, but the depths to which they learned it was far beyond what many instructors in town expect from their children's classes.
One instructor even told me they had a separate cirriculum for children and a separate ranking system because Goju was too complicated for them to learn.
For me, that was a challenge, because if something is too complicated for a child to learn and too hard for an old man to perform then it has no value for me.

However, when belts get brought up it is usually more about the ego than critical thinking.
The 'to covet' the black belt is a program in our modern society brought on by generations of martial arts action movies and sports.
When the question is asked it often has nothing to do with learning to any sort of depth.

Did you always ask your grade school teacher when you were going to graduate?
Of course not, that was often the furthest thing from your mind as you were constantly busied with learning and playing, playing moreso than learning for some, unfortunately.
It is the same today. Kids are kids.
They tend to do better when their minds are engaged and guided.

But similarly, I see fights break out at Costco. Starbucks. You name it. I think the name of the game is stressing the avoidance in every day situations that are common to YOU.

I've avoided an altercation at a theater by ducking into the men's room, jumping up on the sink stands and pissing on the floor in front of me (laugh if you want to – it worked).

The bar setting was, first and foremost, a place that would hold more people. Thank seven Gods it did, because a couple of my hooligans wouldn't have been able to attend otherwise – The original location was filled up in record time. Everything else was sort of just icing. Being in a roughneck bar setting was a cool kind of ambiance, particularly since I don't go to that kind of place usually. English Style Pubs are more my speed. Also, surprisingly, there really was plenty of floor space.

Conditioned to follow the fad, hopefully this is not the case, but if it is then the majority of society has ADHD en mass.
Times are changing and things are becoming more and more unconscious, that is, if they were not unconscious to begin with.
Creatures of habit do not know patience, this takes conscious effort.
Not particularly true of everyone, but I have noticed it in the younger crowd.
Maybe I am just noticing something that was always there, something they will outgrow.

I have noticed Schools in my area seeking to mass produce black belts in just a few months worth of operation.
Then you get these cocky kids, or even cocky adults, who try to get someone's goat and end up getting the crap kicked out of them.
All because they put their confidence in some piece of cloth that will fall apart in a few years, or collect dust as some kind of trophy used to stroke the ego every once in a while.

I was one of those people, so it is not a new thing; I challenged tests all the time, but once I hit brown belt I stopped, trained for three to four years, then tested again.
How long does it take to get to black belt? I remember a story about this written by Rev. Kensho Furuya.
10 years! Furuya said, but what if I work extra hard? The guy asked, then in that case 20 years! Furuya replied.

You don't see this anymore and, sadly, you can tell by the quality, by the feel, or lack-there-of.

A dying breed. I don't mind hobbyists, they are refreshing, and I am a hobbyist half the time. Have you ever seen a train hobbyist work? Their attention to detail is an art and science rolled into one! They often work harder than professional conductors!

So many people in this world are barely-controlled nutcases as it is. Get a few drinks in 'em, and only God knows what they are willing to do. I'd just as soon let them enjoy each other's company, not mine.

We should be friends.

K-

Most security guards are a joke.

We do live in a very "me" society these days where I think many folks think twice about intervening due to the repercussions they think they might face. People are not concerned enough with one anothers well being.

However, I have also read many accounts of people freezing through watching someone else get nearly beat to death, and in fact I have seen similar events happen myself.

I personally have had the living crap beaten out of me by (I think) three people in way back in high school, they joined in at different times, but it was three guys whoopin' on me.

The crowd did nothing.. I had to run away into a ditch and hide, basically. I have seen both teachers and police just watch violence happen before, I don't think it's that unusual.

I was not nearly so badly injured as the victim in this situation, but I think it's worth examining the idea that this is not that uncommon an occurrence, and that maybe some kind of analysis is worth more than simple moral condemnation of the individuals involved.

I have no idea whether these guards did what they did out of some fear reaction, or just some callus sense of self interest, or fear of breaking company policy or some such… my suspicions are probably a bit of all three.

As much as a part of me wants to jump down their throats, another part of me wonders who they were…were they really "security guards", or were they kids not far out of high school themselves who are walking around in uniforms getting paid minimum wage?

Obviously that doesn't excuse the behavior, but if you stop trying to view them as "authority figures" (maybe they were, maybe they weren't…there are plenty of security guards who are similarly toothless)and view them as simply bystanders to violence…then sadly their behavior isn't that unusual.

Also I will throw this out there, it may come out as unfeeling to some, I assure you it's not intended that way:

Depending on where you grow up, and the kind of life you have led, people getting the crap beaten out of them on street is not that unusual at all.

All I would expect out of most folks (not saying it's right, just what i'd expect) is that they would notify the authorities. Direct intervention in violence isn't something most people are ready to do, for better or worse. And if they are, likely they have had some training or experience in doing so.

Everyone always says they would be the one to intervene, I hope that is true, but personally I take it with a grain of salt, no offense guys.

The difference here is that there are "security guards" not intervening rather than simply civilians.

As mentioned previously though, i know for a fact that both the training and parameters of action allowed on many of these jobs is quite limited, maybe the problem is putting someone out there as a "security guard" that is so toothless.

We do live in a very "me" society these days where I think many folks think twice about intervening due to the repercussions they think they might face. People are not concerned enough with one anothers well being.

However, I have also read many accounts of people freezing through watching someone else get nearly beat to death, and in fact I have seen similar events happen myself.

I personally have had the living crap beaten out of me by (I think) three people in way back in high school, they joined in at different times, but it was three guys whoopin' on me.

The crowd did nothing.. I had to run away into a ditch and hide, basically. I have seen both teachers and police just watch violence happen before, I don't think it's that unusual.

I was not nearly so badly injured as the victim in this situation, but I think it's worth examining the idea that this is not that uncommon an occurrence, and that maybe some kind of analysis is worth more than simple moral condemnation of the individuals involved.

I have no idea whether these guards did what they did out of some fear reaction, or just some callus sense of self interest, or fear of breaking company policy or some such… my suspicions are probably a bit of all three.

As much as a part of me wants to jump down their throats, another part of me wonders who they were…were they really "security guards", or were they kids not far out of high school themselves who are walking around in uniforms getting paid minimum wage?

Obviously that doesn't excuse the behavior, but if you stop trying to view them as "authority figures" (maybe they were, maybe they weren't…there are plenty of security guards who are similarly toothless)and view them as simply bystanders to violence…then sadly their behavior isn't that unusual.

Also I will throw this out there, it may come out as unfeeling to some, I assure you it's not intended that way:

Depending on where you grow up, and the kind of life you have led, people getting the crap beaten out of them on street is not that unusual at all.

All I would expect out of most folks (not saying it's right, just what i'd expect) is that they would notify the authorities. Direct intervention in violence isn't something most people are ready to do, for better or worse. And if they are, likely they have had some training or experience in doing so.

Everyone always says they would be the one to intervene, I hope that is true, but personally I take it with a grain of salt, no offense guys.

The difference here is that there are "security guards" not intervening rather than simply civilians.

As mentioned previously though, i know for a fact that both the training and parameters of action allowed on many of these jobs is quite limited, maybe the problem is putting someone out there as a "security guard" that is so toothless.

I cosign that.

A good friend of mine was an employee for a large security company here in South Florida. There policy was indeed to observe and report. Their presence was designed to deter crime and not to cope with it. It was this company's policy also to fire those that got involved, perhaps to prevent the security guards from becoming a bunch of Batman's or sheriffs from the wild west.

Either way, I think it would've been pretty safe for anybody to stop the beat down while the girl was stomping on other girl's head.

I agree too that violence has it's place. Self-defense is a right of self and I can't stand the idea that if someone attacks me with a knife or a gun and I hit them, and then they wind up with head injuries IT'S MY FAULT? Bull. Just like buying a car – buyer beware – you never know who is going to be on the other end of your knife.

I've never been in a fight as I've been able to talk my way out of them (including one guy trying to literally haul me out of my car), but I have to agree that there is too much punishment handed down on the defender these days. That's a big part of the reason why I try to avoid violence.

To a martial artist, a first-degree black belt only means I've got a decent grasp of my basics. To the cops and a jury of "my peers", it means that I'm a finely tuned killing machine from the Cobra-Kai dojo, ready to unleash some Bloodsport style carnage on anyone with a pulse.

Man, I couldn't kill my way out of a paper bag, but they don't know that.

I was trained and liscenced in Security in the State of Washington for a time. Went through training with a local agency ran by an ex-deputy.

What they told us was that our primary duty was to observe and report, but we were authorized to use force when necessary to protect property and lives (open-handed techniques only was their policy).
We were not only authorized, it was mandated, that was our job. This company had everything from unarmed desk jockies to armed security patrol cars, many of which were overseen by off-duty cops.

The policies for their company and if they were in a different state with different liscencing laws, these may have played a role.
However, something like that should have been a no-brainer. It would have been justifiable as a citizen to step in and do something about it, so I honestly cannot see why someone would stand idly by unless they just did not care.

That is really sad.

Although we don't know the events that transpired prior to this taped incident, therefore we don't know what led up to it, which does not in any way shape or form give any credence whatsoever for the despicable behavior of these so called "security guards." They are an embarrassment not only to themselves, but also to anyone who has worked in that profession.

These are the same type of people that would stand around while a woman was being raped and not do a damn thing about it. They and all human scum like them disgust me to the highest degree.

As far as not condoning fighting, I would agree wholeheartedly. However, I do condone, promote, and encourage my students to protect themselves by whatever means necessary and to do so in an extremely decisive manner.

Whoever said, and whoever thinks, that violence never solved anything is a complete and total idiot. No questions asked, nor excuses needed. Just go back to sticking your head in the sand or up your *ss, whichever place you frequently visit.

I am in agreement that society is trying to turn everyone into a bunch of gutless sheep that do nothing but whine and cry to the supposed authorities who more often than not do absolutely nothing, or worse yet, take the side of the poor oppressed and down trodden piece of human crap that is causing such a blight upon our way of life.

My dad had a saying, "You can't piss on a forest fire and expect it to go out." By the same token, you can't reason with human crap. The only thing you can do is either learn to live with it, or every time you see it, you get rid of it.

Think about it, when you use the bathroom do you leave your crap sitting in the toilet? Or do you flush it down into the sewer where it belongs?

What you do with real crap you can do with human crap. Don't coddle it, don't feel sorry for it, simply FLUSH IT!!!

Charles Bronson had it right!

I'll wallow a little.

Wim

The 'style' is only important insofar as it leads beyond the 'style' itself.
It is like taking an art class, you are shown techniques for drawing, then you are to draw an item in front of the class utilizing what you have learned, sometimes even copying the teacher's artwork, then you move on to painting or drawing on your own, in which you discover your own way, but this way is grounded in the foundation of the art class itself, yet moves beyond it.

The only Kata I really practice anymore is Sanchin; I often start out in other Kata, then follow through to something else entirely.
The form becomes the spring-board for self-expression, in fact, moving to self-expression is key to understanding anything on any level, and key to practical understanding at that.

Attachment to particular 'style' or 'method' because Sensei says so is mistaking the forrest for the trees.

Truly deep and profound post there Sensei, thanks for sharing it.

Very profound.

My instructor has spent a lot of time trying to give us insights into Goju as an art form.

I find it very hard to get to a point of Goju being self expression, while staying the framework set out by Goju.

Trying to have consistency in form across all our goju katas, and creating the self expression within that consistency is very difficult for me.

I'm reminded of the Impressionist painters who seemed so radical in their paintings, but formed a group to advocate staying in the framework of their style of paintings. They didn't pursue painting whatever sold for the most money, but instead pursued self expression within the boundaries of their style. They had a group which monitored painters, and who could be categorized as impressionists.

Trying to see goju in a similar way, has helped me understand the structure that my instructor requires in our classes.

Nobody ever accomplished anything by following the path that everyone else walked, it is when you step off into the unknown that great discoveries are made.

http://www.mokurendojo.com/2007/11/nitty-gritty-truth.html

Thank you for the good words, and thanks for getting the vision. I truly appreciate your words. Now worries on the link – it was pretty interesting. Feel free to share The Striking Post link with those you think might enjoy it.

Be well.

Kris

Thank you for a wonderful post…and a wonderful blog. And thank you for retaining and presenting a voice of sanity in a world gone mad with commercialization, and worse still, organizational politics.

As for the reason why I train, if I may be permitted some poetic license: I train to look into the mirror of my soul (at least I hope to catch a little glimpse every now and then, for the mirror, alas is much blemished)

That's the, shall we say, politically-correct version, with the requisite Zen-nish-ness thrown in for good measure.

However, part of me can't resist wanting to train for more "Epicurean" reasons, such as these, which actually summarizes the reasons I pursue what I pursue: http://kennethtang.info/2009/07/sway.html

Best regards, and with respect,
Kenneth Tang

Ps. Forgive the link to that old post on my (rather inactive) blog. It was the only way I could show all four videos conveniently. Please feel free to delete if necessary.

Wim

Thanks for the kind words Shawn

And obviously from this blog, Kris feels the exact same way.

Always an honor and a privilege to read his enlightening words.

Allen

Roald, hope your brother enjoys the book and thanks for your purchase.

Shinzen – April it is, we'll send the good vibes your way.

Again, great job…you're a great credit to Budo…and have earned it!

That is absolutely wonderful. However, lets not rest on our laurels here, I expect you guys to hit the #1 spot in the future. Only 127 spots away from the coveted position.

Shawn

There are a couple of thresholds with this. The normal human when faced with a human threat, feels a need to categorize the relationship as part of the force equation- we don't swat them like flies. We need to either recognize them as 'other' or classify them as other (subtle difference, but important) and how far we can 'other' determines how much force we can use.

The attacking criminal has already done this and, even more, has skill and experience at de-humanizing his prey in advance… and it is a skill.

Sure, we could describe the monkey mind as our own weakness, but it is also the weakness of those who attack us.

While some will say that criminals are inhuman and therefore immune to "social attacks", it really is a question of skill, isn't it?

It might not seem as such when someone is snarling and spitting, shouting obscenities as he has a scruff of our shirts ready to pound our faces in, but the exchange is the same.
Is it human, is it animal, is it monkey?

If the monkey mind persists, then we are not monkeys, we are sheep; lead this way and that to the whim of the puppeteer.
That is the spirit of our age, signified by a sheep in monkey's clothing.

If we truly train the way we are meant to train then we become wolves, master trackers of that inner world.
Recognizing the pathways, where they lead, how to use them, thus we leave the realm of predictability, we become a dangerous predator.
We can see through the facade of morals as a means of control and directly utilize them to control ourselves, knowing full well we can change gears when the need arises.

A wolf is a pack animal, a social animal as well, but when in the hunt, each individual operates on an individual level that benefits the pack as a whole.
If a person cannot do this, then they have not broken the cycle, how can they be of any benefit to themselves or others?

I often think about this in life, if I cannot do what is right and stand by it, regardless what others think, then I am not being an efficient teacher, an good father, a stand-up role model.
If I am not questioning what I teach and implimenting changes according to findings that produce a beneficial outcome, rather than worrying about what the rest of the 'community' might think of my 'tampering' with tradition, then I am not an effective guide on the path of Martial Arts.

Confucius once said not to do what is right for the sake of others or for fear of punishment, either human or divine, but to do what is right simply because it is right to do.
Confucius was a Martial Artist as well.

One cannot train to know the difference if they are stuck in the cycle of the sheep-monkey.

There is also the saying, 'Know thy self' attributed to Socrates, another Philosopher and Martial Artist.
I take this to point the way to knowing yourself completely, all the light and dark places.
To accept the civilized as well as the animistic aspects, the lizard is wise and long lived for a reason.
Ruthlessness does not need to mean lack of compassion or morals, but when it comes down to it, you have to know when and how to switch gears.
For me, this is in recognizing things for what they are and accepting them.

The sheep-monkey and its' quest for security, comfort, and a form of social acceptance bread by fear has no place.
Alan Watts wrote a great book called the Wisdom of Insecurity, I recommend it to anyone.
Security breeds the above, recognizing that security is an illusion is the path to true wisdom, breaking free of the cycle.

Compassion? I think it is a word that people often use, but rarely understand.

What is important is the message of operating from a place of benevolence and compassion.

At first I was surprised, but then came to realize that people in the same profession and/or mind-set always seem to be able to spot like minded or like individuals. Most of which is noticed on a subconscious level that we often don't even realize.

I know that this isn't entirely on topic, but I figured I would throw it in as my two-cents worth.

Unless we are talking about playground, college fight. When no one tends to seriouly harm/kill the other over a small matter. You can choose the level of your reasonable force.

If we talking about facing a gangster, drug induced criminal, serial rapist, psyco…remember Predators ONLY hunt for preys weaker, and smaller than them especially. It's really not up to us to decide "oh, i should go easy on him and use aikido to avoid legal issue". Not when you are against someone who sees you as his prey of the night. In this case, I'll stick to 'tried by 12' principle.

The other thing we talk about is to not be afraid of the police. If something happens, get on the phone as soon as you can because it makes you the complaintant and whatever happened was done to you. The police will tend to side with whoever makes the complaint to begin with, so it helps out your situation more if you're the one doing it.

1. Avoidance
2. Escape (run)
3. Diplomacy (talk your way out of it)
4. Engage in order to disengage
5. Engage and neutralize

When dealing with law enforcement, here are the things I tell my students to do ALWAYS!

1. Be polite and respectful.
2. Do not appear threatening to law enforcement in any way.
3. Other than giving your name, date of birth, and possibly your social security number, KEEP YOUR PIE HOLE SHUT!!!

NOTE TO STUDENTS: Attorney's are the ones paid to talk, you are not! Always remember your Miranda Rights guaranteed you by the U.S. Supreme Court, "You have the right to remain silent, ANYTHING you say can and WILL BE USED AGAINST YOU in a court of law.

ADDITIONAL NOTE TO STUDENTS: If you can't understand what I am trying to tell you, remember this; KEEP YOUR F*CKING MOUTH SHUT!!! And let your attorney do all the talking.

Hmmmm. A few years ago, I wrote a review of his book on Sanchin. I guess I ought to get 'round to republishing it.

"Yeah, this crazy guy jumped at me and I was scared to death so I got out of his way and pushed him off of me. I think he tripped and fell down when I pushed him."

I can hear it in your trial. "Officer, what did he say about the victim?"
"He said "He was a crazy guy."
"What did he do?"
"He said that he pushed him."
"What else did he say?"
"I continued to question him and he admitted that he had four years of martial arts experience."

I wonder who'll visit you on the weekends…

If it's something that works, and needs only moderate physical abilities to apply, HOWEVER, requires a lot of effort to understand and apply correctly…hey, I've got nothing but time. I believe that the underlying principles of any well-structured technique will present themselves if you are putting forth effort, and it's the principles that are important – not the way they're strung together.

Also, a thing to look at (in my opinion) would be the attack that said technique is a response to. For instance, that high-low double punch in Rohai Kata…That attack is almost exclusive to the Kata itself & I have never seen it executed in a fight, under any circumstances. (This is leaving out such particulars as "alternate bunkai" or any tuite techniques it might contain. I am speculating purely on the physical aspects of the technique as they are presented in Kata.)

I've seen some techniques in forms that are responses to attacks that, frankly, I can't bring myself to work because people just don't attack that way. It's rare, but not uncommon.

His dojo kun. Good point.

Good to see your hard earned wisdom show up on the blog. Trust all is well in NV.

Ed Sumner

I have a bad knee because of doing Shiko Dachi too low, and I practiced A LOT of Seiyunchin.
I raised the stance because I refused to quit practicing when the doctor said to (Not necessarily the best thing, but it actually did help).
So, as a result I looked at all the stances, shortened, raised, ect.

My kicks are also lower, I'm not going to pull a muscle trying to kick the head when I am not that flexible to begin with.
I aim Mai Geri at about knee level, if there is a groin kick, I use the knee, seems easier and more natural for me – less work.

I have caught a lot of flack for this in mainstream groups.

Another thing to look at is the stress placed on the lower back in bouncing around during a sparring session if there is no 'give' in the floor.
I know an Aerobics Instructor that got put out of a career due to a back injury because of this and they said it was prevalent in the biz.

Its' not breaking with tradition, it is refinement of tradition and I don't think there is any better way to honor tradition.

That is clearly a large part of the picture. The historical context is critical, and so is the present context.

K-

Today, our reasons for training are for health…physically, emotionally, spiritually.

Jo Roman

That is one of the primary things that are taught to US Secret Service agents is to look for that which doesn't belong.

An easy way to practice your "people watching" skills rather safely is to go the mall and sit down somewhere and just watch how people act and interact with each other.

Another training practice I have my students use is to watch Animal Planet where the big cats are hunting and stalking their prey. Very similar to what human predators do. Although you also need to put it into the proper context concerning humans, but in reality it is quite similar.

Good post Chris!

Wim

This concept has become unpopular with the assembly line ranking systems of "modern karate".

Simply true!

"OSU!" For the uninitiated, push to endure.

So long as both proponents have excellent control, those little bumps and bruises are very much excusable!

Very nice post.

Best,
Matt

We spar similar to Kyokushin-style, at least my adult students and I do whenever we get together.
Face shots do happen, but nothing major, we try to go a little lighter, but not so light that it doesn't count.
I think it is good for confidence and control.
We throw a bit of sticking/feeling in to make it interesting, lots of cool stuff comes out of that.

Sounds like you guys did have a lot of fun, would have been cool to partake with you guys, though I'm sure I would have been pummeled.

I tell my students, no pain/no gain.. is a lie… I will be 58 in a month and been training a long time. Every day in the dojo I start with My back and loosen it up, then I put my knee brace on both knees, Then I loosen up my neck because like my lower back I have arthritis.

I dont spar much any more but when I do I can only kick you in the head with my right leg, my left wont go that high anymore because of scar tissue on my spine that prevents it. You want me to keep going?????

30 years ago we trained hard and basiclly beat the crap out of each other,every class. Now I feel every one of those injuries on a cold day.

10 or 15 years ago I did a kobudo seminar for a group in the Seattle area. One of the participants heckled me because I my back stance was higher on one side than the other, when I explained that I had a bad knee he made a joke about being old. A few months ago the same person was on one of the karate lists talking about how you train when you get old. He is now almost 45 and feeling a bit of age here and there. I explained that proper training and not going full out during practice is key… he remembered the incident and expressed that he was feeling a bit humbled.

Realizing that the one body you have needs taking care of often does not dawn on folks until it starts to break down. My sensei told me years ago: " Many people start to train in Karate because they want to learn to defend themselves, they soon find out that it doesn't take that long to become efficient in defence and they continue to train for health and interest in the techniques. Later in life we search the techniques and continue to train in order to learn how to get along with others. "

I found this true.

Take care…

Mike O'Leary

Just get out the jow and warm up the hot tub…life is good.

Great point, we think we have gotten better why wouldn't anybody else. Simple, clean point. Like it.

This is a great point here, and a reminder for all of us to be careful on where we sling judgment. Certainly we all think we've personally improved, so why wouldn't others as well as they've grown into their art?

Best,
Matt

Kind of reminds my of a saying I have heard many times.

"Yesterday is gone forever, tomorrow may never come, but today is here, and now."

As a professional, if I swear at a customer or lose my temper, then I'll get fired and won't get paid. Period.

Why should these "sportsmen" get treated any differently? Because they're talented? — Not a good enough reason in my book.

Sportsmanship, is a discipline all its own….which is why it is such an important aspect of martial arts training, and any sports activity whatsoever. Just like in any other disciplined activity, there had to have been an example she has followed. I can only hope, that her coaches and training partners were not of the same behavioral bent, and that Serena's outburst was just a "crime of passion". But even then, consequences as a result of her behavior should indeed be in order.

If was never in politics – we just like to think so.

In 1856 Senator Charles Sumner was caned on the Senate floor by House member Preston Brooks with a metal tipped cane…for a full minute!

Yes – Hayden was a lot of things, OSS, Sea Captain of a ship and crew at 22 years of age, and other things as well. A huge life, and a fascinating one too. I just didn’t want to obfuscate the message with the list of this guys various lives. It is said that after almost every picture he was on would wrap he would ask the producer or director, “Now tell me who did you REALLY want for this part.”

He is well worth looking up like you did yes?

I think we can all learn a thing or two from this. If not to throw everything overboard but at least to stop worrying so much. And as Shinzen Nelson pointed out, to pursue your passion…

Good post. Pursue your passions…your inspirations…and you are right, it is never too late.

It is only too late when they put the lid on your coffin!

Great post, perhaps your very best!

Best of luck with the new place Kris!

Roger Wilco

Congratulations on the move, and I hope to drop by soon to say hello.

It is said that the greatest trick the devil ever played was, to make the world believe that he didn't exist.

So does it really come to be any surprise whatsoever for those of us that still use our ability to think that modern society is being lied to and deceived on such a massive scale that seemingly important events are in reality non-events, and the events that we should really be concerned about barely register at all?

I recall a movie released a few years back entitled, "The Last Days." It was about four (4) survivors of the Holocaust that were telling their stories. One of the four said that the most often asked questions was why didn't they leave the country before everything went bad. The person's answer was really quite simple and drove home a point that is painfully obvious today. Their response was, "We didn't realize it was going to be so bad until it was too late. We thought that it was only a passing thing and that things would return to normal."

Evil doesn't all of a sudden appear in all of its sinister fury. It arrives a little bit at a time, and before you know it, it is all around you.

A little something to think about.

Now more than ever, with the advent of technology, certain jobs require less thought than ever before. For me personally, crunching numbers in Excel and SPSS takes very little thought other than making sure that I click the right little button. This means that having music, audiobooks, non-visually oriented TV, and podcasts make the work much easier. It also prepares me mentally to multitask and quickly change tasks when I'm in a classroom working with 30+ students.

As you say, there are times when silence is necessary for thought, but having specific non-work, non-play thinking times (like Edison and Tesla) rather than shutting off all noise would probably have just as much positive benefit.

I've always resented the intrusion of certain media. The assumption that owning a cellphone puts one permanently 'on-call'. That having an e-mail is an open invite to contacted by all and sundry. Or that contributing to a forum in a limited fashion automatically means we are now 'friends'.

Shouting, is a strategy (distraction) used to point away from lack of content, and at the same time desensitizing. These days, I leave the 'drunken monkeys' shouting down intelligence in pits like FA.com.

Too many books to read, too few quality blogs, and certainly not enough time for private discourse with the individuals that promote creativity.

(BTW…I enjoy your blog. )

Weight Loss Pills

In my job, some days are slow, until that flight calls in with an engine out half way between Barrow and Fairbanks. And the Captain calls up asking which airport should he go to? I like term 'Deliberate Calm'. Very descriptive.

When it comes to stress management, I've never decided if my Karate has helped my job, or if my job has helped my Karate… So I've decided they're each complimenting each other.

I agree with you that 'repetitive martial arts training attempts to bring this to the partitioner'. For me, I have found that – The repetition of bunkai or other 'one-on-one' drill is more effective "repetition" and more beneficial training to a real event threat.

This is not to say kata repetition, punching the makiwara (or in my case "Bob" which is one of those rubber man-like punching bags) is worthless. It DOES have value. But that tension of having an opponent in front of you is good training for the real event stress of a one-on-one threatening situation.

Sensei Jeff
West Seattle Karate.

Love the comment. "…high repetition of simple movement."

That is brilliant!

"Often times we can over-think a problem while at other times we can under-think a problem."

This is a perfect example of awareness and instinctive behavior come into play. If you are aware of something, you are better prepared to deal with it, and, if through proper training, your response to certain outside or even inside stimuli becomes instinctive, you can and will actually execute that particular function without forethought as you already know what to do. However, if there are too many choices available, then you hesitate in order to choose which one, rather than simply doing a particular technique or response.

For the layman I guess you could boil it down to the acronym; K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid). A bit of an oversimplification, but I think you get my point.

He had used an axe handle he borrowed from the general store where the rowdys ganged up on the local.

Man you could wing those things. A less then stellar example of my point…however, man you could launch those apples!

My own skill level increased dramatically after I started teaching. I don't mean a year or two later, I mean almost after the very first night of teaching, and that is just the physical part of it.

Knowing that you have had a profound impact on someone else's life is nothing short of eye-opening and life changing.

I know that I am a better person, although a far cry from perfect, from the interaction I have had with all my students, both the good ones, and yes, even the bad ones.

Thanks,

Lawrence

True compassion draws from something deep, even beyond the desparate need to 'make a difference.'

Jeremy

Are you trying to be politically correct?

I may have read the story wrong, but from what I got out of it, it should have read, "Three immature female skanks."

Is the individual that killed the elderly man more stupid for actually killing the elderly man, or listening to the three skanks in the first place?

I don't know, I'm writing this at 1:30 am and I am really tired, so maybe I am just blowing off steam, but I think those skanks should be serving the ten years right along side the actual offender.

Oh and as a side note, he shouldn't be referred to as a "killer," because killers aren't necessarily bad. The more appropriate term for him should be murderer, because murder is an unjustified or illegal killing.

I may be splitting hairs here, but there is a profound difference.

Just my two cents at damn near 2:00 am.

There are ways this death could have been avoided, naturally, I feel both were at fault.
Whose sentence was greater is not important, what is important is that both parties could have approached this with a bit of common wisdom and done something to avoid the incident… Sadly this is often rare.

(Please note that I don’t feel this way, so everyone just relax and continue reading.)

Therefore, what would be exciting about seeing you on television?

I know, we’ll just spice things up a bit to give the viewers something to watch and talk about. Who cares if it is true, we’ll just take some what do you call it… Oh that’s right, liberties with you and the story.

I have to confess here that I have a guilty pleasure that I enjoy watching on TV every time it is on and that is “The Ultimate Whiner” which is shown on SpikeTV. What? You have never heard of it! Well perhaps you know it better by it’s original title, “The Ultimate Fighter.” I believe my title is actually a lot more accurate.

Anyhow, I have always wondered if the individuals on the show are actually like that of their own volition, or if the producers of the show encourage them to do the things they do in order to get something going.

Imagine 16 legitimate martial artists living in a house for six weeks. Boy the shenanigans that wouldn’t take place are just mind boggling! Can’t you see the intense discussions and sharing of knowledge, the cross-training workouts, and the actual showcasing of decent human beings. What a concept! Oh but who would watch it?

Shawn

1. That in an ideal situation, it shouldn’t apply to beginners.

2. Be discriminating in where you look for advice, and give all feedback the ‘internal check’. ‘Does it feel right’ is still important…even if there is the danger of lying to one’s self.

I don’t know, just my two cents being thrown in again.

So now the choice… Back to the drawing board.

K-

I got angry at my peers, my instructor and the whole system – to start with because they would only stick work within stylistic boundaries. I burned my boats and, though I honestly don’t feel sad distraught about it, I know I could have handled it better.

After all, the ideal way of handling a self-defence situation is to be able to avoid trouble rather than get into the argument in the first place…

Its all learning though!

I think that’s when we finally strip away style, when we can just be ourselves, expressing our understanding of physical combat, or just being ourselves – again.

Reminds me of something Higaonna Sensei said when speaking of his teacher <An’ichi Miyagi:

“He taught me that one should always seek humility and that the stronger one becomes the more humble one should be. He likened this to a stalk of rice, which bends lower as it grows taller. Human beings are to do likewise, he said.”

I really like that quote.

Sensei Strikes again.

Of course, a fool might mistake courtesy for weakness. But Chojun Miyagi named his style GOJU (Hard-gentle) in part because he believed that it required great strenght to be a truly gentle person. At lease, this is as it was explained to me by Sensei Chinen.

Ed

I was taught very early on, and I believe it to be true, that only those who are genuinely powerful and strong can afford to be sincerely courteous and respectful. Otherwise, on some level, it’ll be done out of fear – of injury, of reprisal, of social embarrassment, etc.

So those who are genuinely sincere in their kindness are probably the strongest of all…

However those “Instructors” who expect the same level of “respect” outside the Dojo…..

It really doesn’t get much better or profound than that.

Of course, that is just my two cents worth.

This reminds me of a saying by the Buddha to a layman, outlining the guidelines to live a life with integrity in the Diggha Nikaya of the Pali Canon.
“Can a man without integrity recognize a man without integrity?”

Integrity, principles, morals, manners, courtesy; these things might be mistaken for weakness, thus, a man without integrity cannot recognize a man with or without integrity.
I would not want to cross such a person, no matter how nice they are.

Only a Warrior can choose pacifism – everyone else is condemned to it.

I think Jeffery, and of course you too, Kris are both right on about this.

Do y’all recall a quote by Gandhi about the ultimate travesty of disarming an entire nation and the results it will produce?

One cannot truly be gentle or nice without strength. If I am being “nice” because I am weak then I am really just being cowardly and obsequious. I cannot show restraint unless I have something to restrain.