Smaller Updates and Food for Thought

I haven't posted in a while, and while I had honestly intended to release a few posts over the last month, I have found myself busy with other small projects and work.

Anyways, I wanted to post a few things floating around in my head recently.  There are several great posts,  two of which I really liked,  at Prevail Training:

Sport Isn't Fighting

Kit N Slick

What I thought was really interesting about the first post I linked is the idea of partner drills.  I think it is very easy, at least in my experience, to forget how serious you need to treat drills.  Just because you know the technique and you can apply it, it doesn't mean you should treat it lightly.  You are doing yourself a disservice, not to mention your partner, your art, your teacher and the lineage of people who have sweat and bled to bring it to you.  I should note that it is very tough to ever truly know a technique unless you have years or decades of experience, so just because you think you know it, doesn't mean you do!

To pull a quote from the post, I thought this was the most important aspect.  When working these sorts of drills (kakie comes to mind for my own art (a sort of partner based grappling drill to work various joint locks and takedowns)), there is (or should be!) an escalation of practice:

1) Consensual, cooperative drilling
Followed by:
2) Resistive, cooperative drilling
Followed by:
3) Resistive, non-cooperative drilling.

This sort of escalation helps build the skills and then the detail work needed to apply a technique.

Food for thought and I think this applies as much to sparring as it does to individual technique work.  Choose a technique or three that you have been working from a kata, and then see if you can apply it in a (careful and) serious manner - I will need to try more of this myself in the future.

The second article just reaffirms, in my mind, the validity of ancient martial arts, and is a good read.

Intuition and Learning

I was reading a great post over at Goju Kenkyukai entitled Stop Making Excuses.  I thought it was a great post, so please take a look over there.

But, as usual with good source material, it made me think.  In my usual disjointed style, here are my thoughts.

First, the use of Shu Ha Ri as a guide for the phases of a person's education.  It made me look up the definitions of both shu ha ri and jo ha kyu (with which I am more familar).

Jo Ha Kyu

My Sensei has always mentioned the importance of utilizing jo ha kyu when we are performing iaido kata.  There is a certain element of drawing in the enemy with a purposefully slow beginning, increasing the pace to be prepared for the attack, and continuing the acceleration in order to arrive on target before the enemy can react to save themselves.  There is also an element of Go No Sen to this, in that you appear to begin behind (you are actually so aware that you are well aware of the coming attack (or at least I should be)), then catch up to the present, then get ahead through body positioning, intent, focus, and application of a waza designed to accomplish this feat.

He has also mentioned this in our karate classes, although usually this is more from the point of warming up, or presenting techniques or forms that are correct (to the best of our ability).  The first time you do it, jo, you move more slowly, "remembering" the movements and techniques with your body and loading them into muscle memory.  You might make a few mistakes in a kata you haven't done in a while.  The second time, ha, you increase the speed, bring some elements of kime, speed, or power into play, while consciously correcting your form.  Finally, kyu, you are at your maximum of speed, power, technique and focus.  That is the form you would want to present at a grading, for example.

I raise this, as it is a related metaphor to that of Shu Ha Ri.  Although the meanings are different, the application and intent are similar.

Shu Ha Ri

Upon reading about shu ha ri, I found that it was much more apt to Garry's use than my own understanding.  But for the sake of discussion, the similarities are simple enough to see.

At the shu stage you are learning.  When learning a form it is necessary to go slowly to understand and learn the movement.  At the ha stage we are removing ourselves from the slow original, breaking away and trying to add in the sum of our education to date.  Finally, in the ri stage, you are at the peak, having transcended the previous attempts, achieving (hopefullly) perfection.

Alright, maybe its a big of stretch, but I don't think its too far from the mark.  At any rate, this is also a great way to view education, particularly from the context of the martial arts.  I have been thinking about this aside from the above, so I wanted to share my findings/thoughts.

There is a bit of a divide in the way in which Western thought and Eastern thought attempt to reach the same goals.  Any one who has read or visited an Asian martial art school, or trained with old masters of the arts, can attest to the importance of observation.

In the Western world, education is something to be questioned, analyzed and set out before everyone was discussion and understanding.  The empirical method has been the mainstay of modern scientific thought, and to a large extent this has affected the view of the entire Western world and its cultures.  Something needs proof, and answers are given to those who ask.  If I recall some lecture material from Sensei Richard Kim, this would be tied to the intellect - he would say this was public knowledge of the external world.  It is a valuable method for exploring and understanding the world we live in.

In contrast, we have the Eastern approach focusing on a more internallized and intuitive approach.  The student follows the path of their teacher, accepting that their wisdom is sounds.  After all, a teacher is one who has tread the path before - they know the pitfalls and has some meaure of wisdom with regards to what and how to view and use what the student will find.  Richard Kim would call this private or self knowledge.

Now, lets get back to the martial arts.  Are we learning more about ourselves on this path of insanity (what sane person prepares for a day that they hope won't come and might mean their death ;) ) or more about the external world.  I would have said, in my own naivety, we are learning about the outside.  After all, all philosophy aside, we are training to defend ourselves in the real world.  We want to come home safely, when all is said and done.


But the more I thought about it, especially after Garry's post, the more I realized that we are on an internal journey of self perfection.  That is the mastery which is the peark of the mountain we all climb.  And it really made me realize that this was a case where the West needs to listen, watch and take the steps that the East has done already.  How else can we learn and internalize the concepts we strive to understand to an unconscious level without developing the intuition and internal knowledge of ourselves.

Kumite vs Kumitachi

I have been thinking recently about the history of karate, the "invention" of kumite (in its various forms) and comparing it to the koryu practice of kumitachi.

First, lets break down both words.  My japanese is horrible, so if anyone can confirm/deny my translations, it is appreciated.  Kumi is a noun meaning a set, group or collection.  It has the implicit meaning of pre-built or pre-arranged.  Tachi means sword, and Te means hand/fist.  Kumitachi is often translated as a pre-arranged two person sword form/practice, and kumite is the same but for empty-handed combat.  The meaning inherent in each is a format to let the student understand the techniques being worked on in an environment which, while somewhat safe (at least to start), still adds in the variables and challenges presented by a thinking human.  The responses of the attacker, while arranged, are subject to distance, timing, correct execution while at speed and under duress, to name a few variables.

During a recent seminar, I had the chance to practice some kumitachi of Ni Ten Ichi Ryu (the sword style made famous by Musashi).  I really got into it, despite being banged around, and I found myself trying to emulate the feeling behind the techniques.  Oddly, this is something I have yet to experience in kumite, the karate equivalent.  I have tried to embody certain animals while sparring (crane and tiger, most often), but there was never the driving force of worry of injury.

While injury is prevalent in sparring conditions in karate, I think that most people do not take it as seriously, mainly because there is no clear weapon.  Even using a "soft" weapon like shinai, there is a greater sense of urgency, danger and realism that is often not captured in karate sparring.

I found this after recently working on footwork.  While the footwork was interesting, it was not a new concept and I found that I have been using similar techniques unconsciously.  I hope to attribute my use to over a decade in the arts, but perhaps it was mere fluke.  But this brought me to the realization that I wasn't getting as much out of my kumite as I did out of the kumitachi.  My partner was never in any danger of doing me serious harm - if they had been armed with any form of weapon, the intent and seriousness of my response would be altered.  I realized that this same intent was not mirrored by my partners - jiyu kumite (free sparring) was more of a game.  Indeed, the footwork we had been working was from a sort of "bouncing" movement common in sport fighting.  The term we use if yadi-yashi or yadi ashi, neither of which I can find as correct or adequate translations.

This led to another realization on my part.  I don't care for sport kumite.  While footwork, distancing, timing, stances, generation of power are all the same, the sort of in and out bouncing movement is entirely in-congruent with a realistic self-defence scenario.  My interests lie outside of that, to something which stretches to reach the mental state of ancient warriors of times past.  The ability to summon and maintain mushin (no-mind) and assert my ability to get home alive is the real goal.

This is the attitude that I will strive to induce and use in my own sparring from this point onwards.  But this leaves the question, what should replace traditional kumite?  Is it just a matter of intent?  Do we (karateka as a whole) need to work more realistic scenarios, pulling from our knowledge of kata?  While some may do this, I cannot say that this is my case.  I have yet to internalize the intent of kata and been able to apply it in a kumite fashion (perhaps due to the aforementioned sport-style).

A sobering set of thoughts, on my end.

Footwork, Timing, Distancing

After class on Wednesday night, and catching an article over at The Dojo Floor about feet (Foundations), I have been thinking about maai again.  And I came to a bit of a realization, tying in the martial arts as a whole, I think.

We were working a simple drill of exchanging techniques.  Basically the drill consisted of standing opposite one's partner, while both have their guards up and in a fighting posture/position.  Then each partner takes a turn jabbing to the head (kizami zuki), then each partner takes a turn following up with a reverse punch (gyaku zuki).  Neither partner is in range for the techniques, so movement back and forth is necessary.  The resulting exchange can get very quick if your partner is fast on their feet, or you a bit of a sluggard (I hope I wasn't!).

The drill can be endlessly adjusted to different techniques.  Among the most challenging is to include front kick (mae geri) or other kicking techniques after the punching.  Moving into and out of range for kicks after punching is not a trivial exercise.

What my Sensei stressed was the importance of moving the feet and the body in a coordinate fashion.  Being able to maintain ones balance and centre of gravity while moving, or to establish it quickly after a motion is of critical importance.

Another importance aspect is the timing.  You can easily develop a rhythm which is unrealistic upon the inclusion of kicking techniques or other movements.  This necessitates an understanding of how one moves and when, and how that is in response to one's opponent.

An interesting further drill to timing is adopting the opponent's timing, or creating your own, in order to break it.  What I mean is that the give and take of the exercise develop into a certain pattern and pace.  By being able to control that pace and own it, you control the outcome of the encounter much more readily.  I believe that this applies mentally as much as it does physically.

What does this boil down to?  Footwork, timing, distance - all combined.  Sounds like maai to me.  I am probably misusing the term to some degree, but I think this applies to all martial arts.  In the striking arts (karate, kendo, etc) I think that this is very obvious.  Hard to hit someone who isn't there.  But I think this also applies to more grappling oriented arts.  As I understand it, this idea of entering into the opponent's sphere of influence and controlling them from there is a subtle yet vital part of aikido, judo and jujutsu.  This seems like the concept of irimi (entering) is tied to maai (distancind + timing) in ways I have yet to express, but can feel on a physical level.

Fundamentals of a Martial Art

I have spent some time researching and thinking about some koryu and their approach to combat.  This is a topic of endless fascination for me as I find myself holding on to old, childish thoughts of "The Way Things Should Be", according to some primitive and deluded model.

Let's start with my delusions of martial arts from as early as I can remember.

Cartoons like G.I. Joe and shows like Kung Fu: The Legend Continues both were a formative part of my childhood, in some way or another.  Not that they were necessarily my favourite shows, but I think they formed the basis for what I thought the martial arts were and what they should be.  Most of all, how to learn them and how they were developed (somehow development got tied into how they were used).  What is the first thing that the "Good Guys" do when confronted with an enemy?  Drop their weapon to give their opponent a fighting chance!  Clearly using weapons was a bully's resort of choice - the good guys didn't need weapons.

Enter martial arts movies - Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Jackie Chan, Steven Seagal.  When the going gets tough, the tough use their bare hands.

So, in my mind, until the last year or so, I never really understood the formulation, usefullness and purpose behind the weapon arts.  They just seemed like something cool and superfluous.

But back to my original point - koryu.  Kenjutsu, jujutsu, iaijutsu - the list goes on.  What are the relations between them and how do lessons from one apply to the other.  I recently saw an interesting video (which I might dig up, if I can) in which a Sensei was showing the purpose behind some sword work through the use of empty-hands.  The subtle but critical arts of distancing, timing, entering and capturing balance, all within the "simple" movements of a downward cut. Another lessons learned.

The one thing I love about the martial arts is that you can learn sometimes as much from reflection while not physically training as from messing about with a comrade.

Gambatte.