Martial arts magazine budo international 281 january 2 fortnight 2015

"To see clear it's enough to change the gaze direction."

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

B

eyond the evident lies the essential. The essential is invisible; what gives value to the cup is its emptiness, but we all look at the cup. That's how perception faces mystery.

We watch, hear, feel, store information, millions of data per second, to place in our environment, and react in it; we process the data according to learned codes, to schemes that have been internalized from the very moment they were born, and based on built mechanisms that are the result of millions of years of evolution with a single purpose: Prevail, exist, reproduce ourselves... and the wheel in which we are inserted as a species may keep turning.

At some point in our evolution, a spark of consciousness jumped and forced us to move forward in another process, quite different from the common tasks with other mammals: the one of our evolution as individuals, and, along with it, the need to place ourselves before the mystery.

What are we? Where does the essence of human beings lie?

Our body is a vehicle, certainly important, because it gives us the opportunity to interact and correspond to stimuli and the environment in the material plane, but it is a complex casing that wears out and ends up failing. The mind continues to be an accompaniment of this biology although it transits into much more subtle planes than the physical body, but anyway it's also exposed to the vicissitudes of the passing of time and the many limitations inherent in its biological nature.

The classics face the consequent dimensional jump to the next grade in many ways, because when we start talking about soul, spirit, or any sense of that which is intangible, we sail in stormy seas, in which setting stable parameters, almost always involves an act of faith.

Religions solve this problem with suggestions and explanations related to their own description of mystery, structured through prophets and revelations, and are satisfactory enough for most people.

Others, convinced that he that is born piglet shall die pig, roam throughout science, agnosticism and materialism, not quite knowing what to do with their innate brain portion destined to magical thinking.

Eventually, one and all, sooner or later, we will have to look at mystery, face to face, at least at the moment of the "ultimate fate"; with some luck, during our life journey, some occasions will come across our lives to make us wake up on our own to these other realities of the intangible and we'll be able to seize them.

"I have sometimes suspected that the only thing without mystery is happiness, because it justifies by itself."

Jorge Luis Borges

I love the ways of the midst, although they are not the easiest to be transited. I have checked with certainty (and even vehemently) that we have enough tools to not need build a faith based on something else than our own experience. But to have a possibility of interacting with the spiritual world, you need to travel along a way paved with something like the wisdom of the ancients, those who, long before us, dared to look at mystery with the zeal, daring and skepticism of a gypsy when it comes to buy a horse.

But these trails are rather scarce because few are those who embarked on this quest and even fewer those who were willing to share their experiences. When you leave the flock, the other sheep look at you like a wolf, especially if you are far away from them. Sheep, like humans, the closer they huddle in group, the more dust they raise by walking and the less they see; their defense lies in the stacking and the hope that the predator takes first those outside. But facing the Great Predator, the one with the scythe, no one can escape, and in one way or another, the finiteness of personal existence confronts us with dilemmas and questions that overcome the framework of the own natural concern about surviving or not, of that which is essential to us.

Those who have stood before a corpse perhaps have felt a kind of strange and quirky sensation of emptiness surrounding them. There's nothing there, even when we are seeing the body of the person we had met, there is only emptiness. Nothing animates (same word as soul in Latin, "anima") that individual and only the vertigo of an immense void is present.

One of the most recurring questions at this point is that of identification. He who is uniquely identified with his carnal wrap, knows only that. He who does it with his mental phase, prefers that. And finally, the one who does it with the intangible perceives the world from that watchtower. The latter are the least because in that regard, the law of the pyramid, as the definer element of everything in this plane, is inevitably enforced ... that is, many down... few above...

The mystery is such because it does not manifest within the common parameters, not because it does not have a nature, content and specific ways, but to penetrate it, you must transgress the normal limits of perception, the common agreements and the group consensus, which forces us to look at things as we all accept they are.

Said transgression involves at some point a necessary leap, an initiation that breaks the frame of references we have built working hard, and such maneuver supposes dying to what we are so that something new is born. I will

Alfredo Tucci is General Manager to BUDO INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING CO. e-mail: budo@budointernational.com

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not deceive you, neither everyone wants nor everyone can muster the required energy and courage to do so.

However much this is a subtle process, complex and painful, contrary to what one might expect, is something to which we are constantly bound.

Ancient Mexican shamans said that the hard part was not to take the leap, but to keep constantly our perception of active reality fixed on just one point: consensus. They said that the effort to do so consumed all our energies in such a way that we didn't have any more energy available to be free, clean and authentic. Infinity, like water, has a very thin snout and it seeps through every corner of our everyday, flooding us inadvertently.

Exploring spirituality is a horizon much closer than we can imagine; it ends up having nothing to do with religion, except that both focus on the mystery through different lenses. The latter conceives the inconceivable to make it acceptable, and teaches moral standards for traveling in this lifetime kindly in group. And the other faces mystery in a barefaced way, without formal barriers and other preconceived formulas than the own peculiarities of its lineage, based on the experience of the elderly. One judges and the other accepts; the first knows, the second verifies.

In the end, before the great arcane, there are no possible versions, only the great truth of an unparalleled experience, comparable only to that moment that none remembers... birth. Beginning and end are complementary opposites, and every minute in between is an exceptional opportunity to go beyond the obvious, the plausible, the consensus. Running the veils of Isis, revealing eternal truths‌ there has never been a bigger challenge since the spark of consciousness sprang out! Life explains by itself if we so decide, but for the hungry, curious, and courageous travelers of the infinite, this feels considerably short.

Good trip to everybody! End station: Eternity.

The DVD "Krav Maga Research and Development" comes from the will of four experts in Krav Maga and combat sports, Christian Wilmouth and Faustino Hernandez, Dan Zahdour and Jerome Lidoyne. To date, they lead several clubs and a group of twenty instructors and monitors from multiple disciplines, from Krav Maga or Boxing to the MMA, Mixed Martial Arts. This work is not intended to highlight a new method or a specific branch of Krav Maga, it simply aims to present a Krav Maga program that focuses on the importance of the "content" and share their experiences.

REF.:짜 KMRED1

All DVDs, wichi is produced by Budo International, si provided and alone in the formats DVD-5 or MPEG-2, in VCD, DivX or the like is however neves offered with a special holograma sticker. Besides our DVD is characteristed coverings by the hig quality in pressure and material. If this DVD and/or the DVD covering do not corespond to the requirements specified above, it concerns illegal pirat copy.

ORDERS: Budo international. net

Kenpo

Ethics, Principles and Foundations...

Ethics is a branch of Philosophy that deals with the rational study of morality, virtue, duty, happiness and good living. It requires reflection and argumentation.

The study of ethics dates back from the very origins of Philosophy in ancient Greece and since then its historical development has been wide and varied.

Ethics examines what is moral, how a moral system is rationally justified and how it must be subsequently applied at the individual and social level. In everyday life is a reflection on the moral fact, it seeks the reasons for adopting a moral system or another.

An ethical doctrine develops and verifies claims or certain judgments. An ethical sentence, moral judgment or normative statement is an assertion containing words such as "good", "bad", "right", "wrong", "compulsory", "allowed", etc., referring to an action, a decision or also to the intentions of the one who acts or decides something. Ethical judgments are used to morally

evaluate people, situations, things or actions. Moral judgments are established when, for example, it is said: "That man is bad", "you shouldn't kill", etc. In these statements appear terms like "bad", "should not", etc., that involve moral valuations.

I've always considered the relationship between master and pupil like the one existing between

parents and children, accepting of course the obvious differences.

Parents have children; give them love, protection, shelter, food, education, studies, home, family, etc. The teacher, instructor or Master, on his part, will provide them with a high expansion of the knowledge that concerns him. I am talking in vocational and school terms. And he will do it with

consistency and patience, correction, education, perseverance, respect as well as protection, according to his own teaching capability.

From the moment the child begins his or her first steps in school education, until he or she achieves the chosen specialization, graduation or degree in whatever branch of knowledge, the

Kenpo

“I've always considered the relationship between master and pupil like the one existing between parents and children�

responsibility falls on the persons concerned with teaching them every issue. To achieve this, boys and girls will have several or many teachers or guides and once they have completed this stage of their lives, they will have to make decisions about their future, like searching a job, for example, which they will get in their own city or beyond. As time goes by, they will gradually move away from the parental home and one day they will set their own home and will have children. In short, they will go away from their loved ones, lifelong friends, family, habits and customs, that is, their environments.

In the case of sports or Martial Arts, guidelines will be or will have been very similar. The father, the son or both, will previously study the market and its offerings. It's also highly recommendable that the student concerned has a clear idea, or at least a vague notion of what is related to what he should know and what he is actually looking for. He must know which are his goals or personal concerns. It is particularly important to know his physical, psychological and physiological qualities, as well as his own limitations, taking into account his age, morphology and genetic heritage.

Generally, when we decide to take up a martial art or a related sport, we do so under some influence.

Sometimes it is by what we know from the media, that is, an art or a fashionable sport. Perhaps it’s because our friends, neighbors or some relative are practicing it.

Television shows and movies also have a great influence on these things. I can still remember that old first "Kung-Fu" TV series - shot in black and white - with David Carradine that spread out borders worldwide making Kung-Fu fashionable, when still very few knew the difference among

“Generally, when we decide to take up a martial art or a related sport, we do so under some influence�

Kenpo Karate, Judo, Kung-Fu or Tae-Kwon-Do. There were things so absurd as books or videos that spoke of "Korean Karate" s o m e t h i n g unacceptable today ... simply because there is no Korean Karate. That same ignorance of the time took off the roll to Bruce Lee and granted it to Carradine, who was "worse than hunger" as a martial artist, and I would add that he was also a lousy actor.

However, the series was a big success worldwide.

We have endured and accepted the different fashion trends like Kung-Fu, Full-Contact, KickBoxing, Ninjutsu, Vale Tudo, MMA, and today, what is loudly sounding is the Israeli Krav Maga. But what is the difference among each and every one of them? And moreover, what do we want to do and for what?

Thanks to the currently available media, such as newspapers, books, videos, television, films, Internet, by dedicating a little of our time is very easy to investigate and uncover that halo of mystery or truth surrounds each. What is their reality? It is therefore advisable to research, read, speak with others who are already initiated or experts, ask and clear up questions before taking the plunge.

Just as there are a number of professional careers such as Engineering, Chemistry, Architecture, Medicine, Law, etc., there are also many styles, and styles within each style or art. The simple fact of knowing previously what we want, will avoid that we waste our time, energy and money, as well as upsets and disappointments.

By way of summary guidance, Judo is an Olympic sport and not a Martial Art. Judo is a combat sport of Japanese origin.

The Japanese term can be translated as "the path to the softness". This martial art was created by Master Jigoro Kano in 1882. Master Kano compiled the technical and tactical essence of two of the oldest Japanese schools of Close Combat or Jujitsu; these were the Tenjin Shinoy Ryu and the Kit-ryu, which were based on the melee and were practiced in Japan by medieval warriors in armor (or samurai) on the battlefield, until the beginning of the nineteenth century. Kano achieved to bring them together into one, Judo, within his school, the Kodokan. In its sports form, it specializes in throwing techniques, submissions and chokes. However, its comprehensive practice

Kenpo doesn't neglect blows, disarms, several joint dislocations as well as the using of pressure points and resuscitation methods, which makes it very suitable for security forces, blue helmets, police, military, paramedics, etc.

Boxing Boxing - At times also called English Boxing or Irish Boxing, is a combat sport in which two opponents fight using only their gloved fists, punching only from the waist above, in a platform specially designed for this purpose called ring (although it's a square, the term ring comes from early in boxing’s history, when fights were still bare knuckle and occurred in places far different from the lights of the Madison Square Garden) in brief fighting sequences and according to precise rules, which regulate weight categories and duration of the meeting, among other aspects.

In a broader sense, Boxing refers to a wide genre of combat sports in which two opponents face in fighting using exclusively the fists or not, differing according to the rules, different sports, as the already mentioned English Boxing, or Boxing properly said, French Boxing or Savate, Chinese Boxing or Shaolin Boxing, Kick Boxing or Japanese Boxing, Muay Thai or Thai Boxing, ancient Greeks hand to hand fighting systems as Pygmachia and Pankration, etc.

The first codification of the rules governing boxing matches date back to 1743, while the still current rules were established in 1889 by the Marquis of Queensberry, who among other things introduced the use of gloves.

Traditionally, Boxing has been considered an exclusively male sport, legally and culturally affected by gender bias.

The recognition of women's rights and the progress in the fight against discrimination, have brought about a boom in Women's Boxing in recent decades, so the 2011 Pan American Games and the 2012 Olympic Summer Games included female Boxing in several categories.

Karate, Karate-do, "the way of the empty hand", is a traditional Martial Art of the Ryu Kyu Islands of Japan, what is now known as Okinawa Island. It originated in the indigenous martial systems of the Ryukyu, called "Te" (literally, 'hand'; "Tii" in Okinawan language) and Chinese Kenpo. These styles of Martial Arts arose from the need of noble warriors of the island (pechin) to protect the last king of Okinawa, Sho Tai, and themselves, against the Japanese armored warriors (samurai). Gradually, Karate was developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom and subsequently expanded, being taught systematically in Japan after the Taisho era, as a result of cultural

Kenpo exchanges between the Japanese and the inhabitants of the Ryu Kyu islands.

Karate-do characterizes mainly by the use of punches and kicks, although its repertoire is not restricted only to these techniques.

In Karate-do, strength, breathing, balance and posture, proper hip rotation and a joint connection of muscles and limbs are coordinated, shifting much of the body weight and center of gravity in the impact.

Generally, it seeks to defeat the enemy by a single blunt impact, in the likeness of the thrust or cut of a katana or Japanese sword. The person who practices this Martial Art is called karateka.

Tae-Kwon-Do is a martial art transformed into Olympic combat sport since 1988, when it was introduced as a demonstration sport at the Olympic Games held in the city of Seoul, South Korea. Taekwondo stands out for its varied and spectacular kicking techniques and is currently one of the best known systems. Taekwondo is mainly based on much older Martial Arts, such as Kung Fu or Chinese Wu Shu (in some of its open hand techniques), Korean Taekkyon (in the way and execution of its kicks), and Japanese Karate do (Shi de Kan and Shotokan styles), from where it takes its punches, several open hand blows, its planimetry (or division of the human body by levels: high - middle - low), blocks, positions, the belt grading system, its first uniform and its first known forms, like "Palgwe" forms in the WTF (World Taekwondo Federation) and the "Hyong" forms in the ITF (International Taekwon-Do Federation).

Kick Boxing is a contact sport of Japanese origin, in which fighting or sparring techniques of Boxing mix with those of some Martial Arts, such as Karate and Thai Boxing, being thus connected with the ancient art of Muay Thai, although elbow strikes and knee kicks are usually not allowed. So is somehow similar to moder n Thai Boxing, however it's not considered a

forming traditional martial art or Gendai Budo par excellence, but a combat sport. A Kick Boxer is a tough competition for other combatants of standing fights who prefer other contact sport or Martial Arts, because of the physical resistance, strength, and endurance to blows of the Kick Boxing practitioner. Today is one of the favorites systems for the development of the fight standing, used in the combined mixed Martial Arts or MMA systems.

Muay Thai, also known as Thai Boxing, is a Thai martial art that is practiced from the standing position, using combined legs and arms techniques. It's very similar to other Indochinese boxing systems, such as Prodal in Cambodia, Tomoy in Malaysia, Lethwei in Burma and Muay Lao in Laos.

Today, Muay Thai has become a national symbol of the history and identity of the Kingdom of Thailand.

Its roots are to be found in the Muay Boran, a traditional variant and a martial art that includes figures, open hand techniques, locks, throws and takedowns. Today, this discipline complements the Muay Thai, along with Western Boxing.

Today, Muay Thai is often considered an extreme sport, which favors the placing of bets and therefore, a sport that is considered illegal in many states of the U.S.A. Kenpo is the name of some Chinese Martial Arts styles, with great methodological influence on the grading system and the uniform of part of the traditional Japanese Martial Arts or Gendai Budo and recently, in the Filipino Martial Arts, such as Eskrima. The word Kenpo is the Japanese translation of the Chinese word "quรกnfo", which means martial art / boxing of Chinese origin. It is important to note that the term Kenpo is used to refer to Chinese Martial Arts (Wushu / Kung Fu) specifically to Kung Fu, traditionally regarded as the basis of most existing traditional styles; these arts were created in China, practiced and developed in Japan and Korea,

later to be promoted in many other countries.

In its beginnings, it is believed that this martial art was trained in China by several Japanese warriors, as some medieval samurai traveled to the Continent in search of martial knowledge; they learned Wu Shu (also called Kung Fu). When these masters returned to Japan, they began to teach Chuan Fa or Quan Fa (as the art of Wu Shu was formerly known) as Kenpo and Kempo, with a greater Japanese influence; that's why sometimes it's considered a different style, with a greater emphasis on circular techniques and continuous striking with the hands, than Okinawan karate.

Kenpo literally means "method fist" which is conceptually translated as "empty hand fighting method", although given the polysemy of ideograms, today is erroneously translated as "law of the fist", since it has a more aggressive sound, despite its original traditional meaning is not really that.

Nowadays there are hundreds of moder n and post-World War II (1939-1945) Kenpo styles because, over time, several Japanese and foreign masters learned other Martial Arts, thus developing different streams and styles. So, several masters began teaching a modern Kenpo, based on Wu Shu, but with their own style. Among these masters, the best known are Adriano Emperado, founder of the Kajukenbo system, and Ed Parker, who founded the Kenpo Karate.

Fu-Shih Kenpo bases its art in 5 directions: Tradition; Artistic Self Defense in the school; Street Self Defense; Police Self Defense; Oriental and natural weapons management in a moder n and practical application, with influences in Shotokan Karate, American Kenpo-Karate, Tae-Kwon Do and Kick-Boxing.

Krav Maga (meaning in Hebrew "Close Combat") is the official combat and self-defense system used by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israeli

Kenpo

“Fu-Shih Kenpo bases its art in 5 directions: Tradition; Artistic Self Defense in the school; Street Self Defense; Police Self Defense; Oriental and natural weapons management in a modern and practical application�

Reportage Police, Security Services and numerous Law Enforcement units the of the United States. It is also taught at various institutions associated with the Ministry of Education of Israel and, since 1964, he is taught to civilians worldwide.

Developed and refined over years of conflict, Krav Maga is known for the ease of learning the techniques that have been tested on numerous occasions, in real confrontations. This style, born in the twentieth century, is a system of real defense, not designed for a society of peasants who have to defend unarmed in a culture of the Far East or the Middle Ages; every technique, movement and combination have been developed considering current needs.

We must also take into account that it was created in a society and in a country where violence is part of everyday life, much more than in other cultures, so the system must necessarily be simple and of a maximum effectiveness.

Krav Maga is divided into two main parts: Personal Defense and Close Combat.

The relationship between the Teacher, Instructor or Master and the student must also always be very close, correct, polite, professional and of a mutual respect. Our society (as well as the planet itself) is highly degraded. The worldwide political corruption and, consequently, shortage of work, low income, minimum opportunities and the limitations and frustrations that all this causes in most of the average population, are bringing about a sad and unfortunate result of coexistence, civility, honesty and belief in a better world. The crisis that this is triggering in major cities worldwide, has a constant impact

in everyday life which translates into an increasingly hostile and violent coexistence and a violation of all our fundamental rights as citizens of this world. The work of educators, parents or guides must be mature, rational, honest, understanding and of honor.

When those students, by circumstances of fate, obligations or contingencies should leave or separate from us (especially those who have stayed with us a number of years and with whom we have shared so many good and bad moments, with effort, pain sometimes, sacrifice, perseverance, etc., and with whom we have come to develop and create an almost familial relationship), ideally they should do through "the big gate".

Whatever the reasons, there is dialogue, understanding and submission or acceptance of said reality.

How beautiful is to never be forgotten by them and never forget them. It's like the love of parents, who understand and forgive everything.

No matter how large the physical distance might be, do not let it be so in our hearts.

Let's not forget that our children, as we did one day, and so did our parents and the parents of our parents, and our children's children will do ... when they decide or need to undertake other obligations, accepting the natural changes in our life cycles, they will never cease to be a part of ourselves or cease to be loved.

Just as our parents never leave us or reject us (except in very rare and specific cases), so a simple student should bring us in his heart forever, with great joy whenever a reunion might occur over time.

To do this, of course it will be very important that each Instructor, Teacher or Master, has planted a huge seed of affection, dedication, understanding, respect and love in each and every one of those beings who have passed through their schools or dojos. Every loss, every

separation is always "painful for both sides." No one wins, at least in the very moment of the facts. That's why Fu-Shih Kenpo proposes, suggests and recommends: a) Always be honest, serious and professional with our students and collaborators. b) Carry out a social and human labor with them, impregnated with respect, understanding, dedication and care. c) Share with them the suffering and act with maturity and dignity to be able to guide them properly in their training and make them understand that everything has an end and nothing is forever; either good or bad. We should be able to translate or understand the messages that life keeps sending us throughout our existence. d) Share and enjoy the good times with them, triumphs, successes as well as defeats. Let's never forget that winning streaks also pass and while we're in a run of good luck, we must take care not to get lost in vanity, excess pride, arrogance or conceit, and when we're on the dark side and a rough patch is overwhelming us, we must seize everything we've learned in order to recognize and accept humbly the natural blows of life, and work to overcome them as soon as possible, so that the pain does not become depression, which would lead us to worse states. e) Thank God there are many good people in this world, honest, upright, incorruptible, loyal, consistent, humble and strong at the same time.

Beings with great values, strong and deeply rooted principles of social and family life. f) Furthermore, we won't reject those fickle beings that are constantly changing according to their only and own interests, mediocre, hypocrites, envious, selfish and miserable people; we will also dedicate part of our good manners and customs to them, trying to bring something positive in their poor lives. But we shouldn't

Kenpo spend too much time with them if we do not perceive changes in their personal improvement, or, at least, a clear intend to change. Generally, in the end, the consequences for us will be worse if we let them entangle us. g) Also there are people who are "really bad" beings, they may even believe in God and ask him to "provide them a good heist, with a good haul," even if to do so they have to cause maximum harm to their victims. This I have personally lived with astonishment. These people are very hard to change.

They were born and brought up in that horrible dark side of life. They have been committing crimes throughout their existence, for they don't know or wish to do anything else.

Our mission in this regard is dialogue and example, considering that in the depths of their being, they would also like to be normal people and live a quiet life, surrounded by family and friends.

From these pages, with the greatest respect, affection and admiration, I remember my parents,

teachers and masters who have guided me, directed me or influenced me along these already 64 years of existence in this beautiful world. Also I want to dedicate a moment of good thoughts and best wishes for health, harmony and prosperity to all those who have been my students, collaborators, delegates or representatives; those who are not, those who have abandoned the way of Martial Arts, those who remain by my side, and a welcome to those to come. I hope to achieve someday to be a good master, or at least a guide in their lives. We all get on the train together, many get off at different stations, and others continue until they reach their own station. Thank you all.

STUDY, REPEAT, TRY TO UNDERSTAND AND APPLY THESE WISE WORDS: Try to be a good martial artist and become a good teacher.

Understanding comes when the mind is calm. MEDITATE. Anxiety comes from passion.

CONTROL YOURSELF. Misfortune comes from lack of humanity. HUMANIZE YOURSELF.

Errors come from carelessness. BE CAUTIOUS. Sin comes from impatience. BE PATIENT. You must be careful not look at harmful things and draw on the gift of sight to appreciate the good and beautiful things of life, as well as to read, which allows you obtain a better education. Give thanks to life for having eyes.

Choose your words carefully; avoid lying; speak only with the truth, in a kind and gentle way; be constructive in your comments and stay always willing to give words of encouragement to whoever needs it.

Straight way of speaking!

Don't fall in with bad company, stay close to compassionate and good people. Behave properly in a kindly manner. Take care of your body and appearance, be clean and tidy. Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are.

Respect your elders; they are the voice of experience. Fulfilling years is the single best way to live life.

Many fail that privilege. We've lost so many beings on our journey through life!

Honor the virtuous character. Admire, celebrate and learn from them.

Choose smart and wise men as leaders.

It is the best way forward.

Wisely forgive those who are ignorant and poorly educated. We all have certain limitations.

You must not reject the person who is irresponsible. Show him the way by example.

Do not expect to be treated as if you were better than others. Humility and honesty is the best way to be respected.

Do not hold resentment about past things. Go ahead and learn the lesson.

When you hurt another, you're only hurting yourself. Bad thoughts and actions are born from the depths of our being and therefore they affect us in the first place.

If you depend exclusively on what others do, you only get to live in disgrace. Be useful to society and seek to create or do.

Control your temper peacefully and gently. Think thrice before acting; analyze what the consequences might be.

Evil is defeated by good deeds, always has been and always will be. Giving always to others, you control selfishness, a synergy flow is generated.

The truth will dominate hypocrisy. The lie has short legs.

Experts

Alexander Bennett Ph.D.

Know your Limits agakure provides a window on life in eighteenth century Japan. We get a sense of the frustrations samurai faced in a time of peace, and the stress that enveloped their existence. Actually, all said and done, they weren't that different to us. They had their foibles, and many of the passages contained Hagakure are surprising in their mundane simplicity.

For example, more than a few vignettes warn the samurai to know his limits and not over indulge when imbibing. The samurai, it seems, had a penchant for getting their fill of rice wine to drown their sorrows-something that many of us can empathize with I am sure. The urge to temporarily get lost in a bottle, for fun or through the frustration of having to deal with obnoxious people every day, is a fact of life in most cultures around the world.

H

Hagakure

“Hagakure provides a window on life in eighteenth century Japan.

We get a sense of the frustrations samurai faced in a time of peace, and the stress that enveloped their existence�

Experts

The repercussions of a night painting the town red nowadays might be an embarrassing photo on FB, or a bloodied nose for hitting on somebody you shouldn't have. The stakes for drunken revelry among samurai could be devastating, too.

Deadly in fact. At the lower end of the scale, careless drunkenness for a samurai had similar consequences for a young executive or job-seeking graduate caught on an iPhone with his pants down during a temporary lapse of sobriety-a massive black mark on is reputation.

“One should always be careful to behave properly at social gatherings.

Careful observation of revelries show that the majority of men are resigned to getting totally drunk. Partaking in alcohol is pleasurable so long as one ceases consumption at an appropriate time. It looks vulgar if one behaves recklessly, and it is an indication of one's character and [low] level of refinement. When drinking, the warrior should be aware that eyes are always upon him. Act appropriately in public.” (1-23) The specter of alcoholism was also a fact of life, so it seems. “Many men are defeated by alcohol. This is a lamentable fact.” As with many things in the precarious lives of the samurai, moderation was the key to keeping one's allimportant reputation intact.

“Be attentive to how much you can imbibe without becoming drunk, and do not exceed your limit. Still, one will become intoxicated on occasion. When carousing, be constantly on the alert to deal with any unexpected occurrence…” (1-68) “Unexpected occurrence” is referring to a brawl, and this could easily escalate into an exchange of cold steel as tempers frayed and testosterone took over. “Drinking is a communal activity, so be very careful of your public appearance.” Moderation and knowing your limits-a very pertinent piece of advice even today.

Hagakure

“One should always be careful to behave properly at social gatherings.

Careful observation of revelries show that the majority of men are resigned to getting totally drunk�

Hagakure

"Vital spot in Taekwon-Do is defined as any sensitive or breakable area on the body vulnerable to an attack. It is essential that the student of Taekwon-Do has a knowledge of the different spots so that he can use the proper attacking or blocking tool.

Indiscriminate attack is to be condemned as it is inefficient and wasteful of energy". - General Choi Hong Hi, ENCYCLOPEDIA OF TAEKWONDO, Volume II, page 88. Taekwon-Do is one of the largest and most professional martial arts in the world today, (founded on April 11, 1955, by General Choi Hong Hi, and continues to flourish even after the passing of its founder in June of 2002. Over time the sporting factors took precedence and much was either ignored or discarded in the area of the original self-protection methods. In the original writings of General Choi much of the focus, structure and even the use of the vital points "Kupso", as well as the weapon development to access them, was outlined but never fully taught. Kyusho International has developed a program to enlighten, educate, integrate and develop this incredible Martial Art back to it's founders concepts. This new program has the full support of the founders surviving son Choi Jung Hwa. The focus of this series is to investigate the Patterns (teul), which are performed in accordance with the founders precepts in "The Encyclopedia of TaekwonDo" (an astounding 15 volumes written by General Choi Hong Hi, including his "Vital Spots"). It is through this structure that Kyusho will be initially integrated back into Taekwon-Do. Kyusho International is proud to assist in this monumental and historic collaborative undertaking.

REF.: • KYUSHO20

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The Snake Range in Dog Brothers Martial Arts” Text: Guro Marc “Crafty Dog” Denny

As Juan Matus has pointed out, seeing what is not there as well as what is powerful in Life as well as in stickfighting. I often see doubt or the "BS alert" expression in people's faces when they hear that Snake Range, the first range of DBMA, is defined as "before contact is made". To most people, if no hitting is going on, then nothing of importance is going on. Yet the idea of Snake Range is that what is done in the absence of hitting in order to define the moment of impact (and its continuation) is one of the most important parts of fighting.

So what are the elements of the Snake in DBMA? First there is "the skill of moving your stick to protect your hand, hide your intent, create your opening, and mask your initiation."

Second, there is the analysis of your opponent's psychological type.

Third, and closely related, there is the analysis of his structure which we call "The Theory of Chambers".

Fourth, there is a specific theory of footwork.

Fifth, there is using this range to AVOID contact, which includes both ST. FOOM (an acronym for "stay the fornicate off of me") and the specific footwork theory for avoiding engagement.

Sixth, there is the theory of the skirmish (multiple versus one, and many versus many where numbers may or may not be equal) The first element we will leave for another day. For now we will note that Top Dog's distinctive circling of the stick we call "the clock" and that a fighter seasoned in the Attacking Block Drills will be able to use a Upward 8 in a similar manner.

Let's turn to psychological types and games that one should recognize in Snake Range. Here, in no particular order, are some examples: a) "Mongo" (after the Alex Karras character in Mel Brooks's movie "Blazing Saddles") Mongo looks to smash anything and everything that comes at him or is in front of him.

MA Legends b) The Stalker: he lumbers after you, often with step and slide footwork. c) The Evader: evades and looks to counter hit. d) The Blocking Counter Hitter: he presses forward and looks to counter hit after blocking your strike. e) The Posturer: he doesn't really want to fight. Typically Posturers strut and posture just out of reach in the hopes you will overextend yourself due to impatience. f) The Salesman: uses the stick deceptively hoping to trick you into exposing yourself. g) Three Card Monte: a variation of

the salesman done with double stick.

It mixes the chambers of each stick (e.g. holds one high and one low) and tries to hit you with the one at which you're not looking. h) The Speed Merchant: not much power, but he scores and moves. i) The Troglodyte: doesn't care much if you hit him, he's going to hit you. j) The Linebacker: comes after you like a linebacker blitzing a quarterback. He wants to crash and take it to the ground.

There's more of course and these types can be combined. For example,

a Mongo can be a Troglodyte Stalker.

The Theory of Chambers is the analysis of the physical structure of the man in front of you. From where does he throw? Some examples: a) From above the forehand shoulder is "the Caveman". b) Does he finish this swing with his elbow in centerline? Then he is "elbow fulcrum". c) A "backhander" prefers to throw from the backhand side. d) A "slapper" has bad form and tends to swing horizontally. e) "Off-lead" is with the weapon in the rear hand. f) Low Chamber is a low forehand

position. This sometimes is in an offlead. g) Siniwali Caveman is with the caveman strike in the rear, and the front stick is a jabbing/shielding position (a.k.a. "paw and pow"). h) Double Caveman is with each stick above its respective shoulder. i) False lead is left shoulder and right foot forward, right stick in right hand or vice versa.

These are but some examples.

For each of these structures you w a n t t o k n o w w h a t a re t h e s t re n g t h s a n d w e a k n e s s e s a n d have solutions.

In addition to the snakey stick, there is also "the snaky foot", which of course is an oxymoron because snakes don't have feet-- but never mind that.

There is a specific theory of footwork for this distance which we will leave for another day.

And in the street you may not want to engage and may want to keep the jackals away. ST. FOOM is moving your feet and your tool(s) so as to create a bubble around yourself into which no one wants to step.

And the Skirmish is all the skills you need for multiple situations. This is more tactics and strategy than

particular technique. Technical competence is already assumed, thus it is usually covered later in the training. If you can't fight one, you may not be ready to think about fighting more than one-but in our opinion the training of one on one skills should lay the foundation for multiple player problems, not install reflexes that will be counterproductive for multiple players. For example, in DBMA we believe strongly in developing the ability to fight both leads as equally as practical.

All of these are elements of Snake Range in Dog Brothers Martial Arts.

Paradox is the very essence of the Tao, so it doesn’t seem strange to anyone that it is through a Westerner that the essence of the Eastern Arts of Thailand are being opened up. Marco De Cesaris is making the difference. The very government of Thailand, involved in the organization and recuperation of their traditional Arts, permanently relies on this universal Italian to judge and reorganize the almost lost tradition. It was through his research and patience, the fruit of innumerable trips and continuous work, that Marco was uniting the skein of those old Masters to whom no one was paying any attention. The traditional forms had been passed over for novelty and the business in and around sports.

However, there they were, silently, without first or last name, forming a part of the training that the greatest instructors used with their students. From among these marvels, the kata stood out, the Mae Mai forms in the Thai tradition, a secret at last unveiled in the recuperation of Thai boxing as a Martial Art. It will probably be in the West where all of that will really take shape since there are more and more students who are interested in the martial aspects and less in the sportive aspects as they are lived and understood in Thailand. The life of a Thai athlete is too sacrificial and distant to interest the Westerner much; however, the Martial tradition and its way of combat continue to interest and stimulate Western Martial Artists more and more for their wealth, power, and effectiveness. Now, at last, we have their forms, another success for Marco De Cesaris. Congratulations!

Mae Mai and Look Mai Muay Thai: The secret forms of Muay Boran First part: The origins In order to preserve what was forgotten, in a cultural context such as this , the wealth o f Muay Boran—that is, the compilation of the fighting techniques developed by the Thai people and enriched by the experience of all the Siam Masters during centuries—the very T hai Minis try o f Educat io n g av e precise instructions to the National Culture Commission, one of the top o rg aniz atio ns in this co untry ’s government, to group and order all the technical repertoire of the ancient Thai Martial Art. This restoration effo rt beg an the fo rmulatio n o f co ncrete s tudy pro g rams and a complete technical progression that co uld als o be us ed o uts ide the borders of Thailand in order to help students around the world learn the true Siam warrior Art in the best way possible and not a watered-down version of the same with a dubious origin.

The result of the codification work done by the Masters called together by the director of the Culture Commission at the time, Mr. Payungsak Jantrasurin, under the guidance of the maximum authority in the material, the Grand Master and university professor Paosawat Saengsawan, led to the subdivision of all the Muay Boran empty-hand martial techniques into the five groups that we will now show you.

The first group of principles and techniques, denominated Chern Muay, incorporates the methods for the correct use of the natural weapons of the human body (hands, feet, tibia, knees, elbows, and head) to attack various sensitive parts of the body of the adversary: the attacks can be direct or preceded by a feint or executed in combination.

The second group is the Chap Ko and concerns the work at short distance, also denominated hand-tohand, in which the fighter specializes in percussion techniques with elbow,

k n e e , h e a d a n d j o i n t - f r a c t u re t e c h n i q u e s a n d t h ro w s t o t h e ground.

The last two groups involve the techniques, the strategies, and the methods of use of the fundamental principles of Muay Thai Boran: the 15 basic techniques of Muay Thai are denominated Mae Mai Muay Thai (or Mai Khruu), and the 15 complimentary fighting techniques are denominated Look Mai Muay Thai (or Mai Kred).

The first as well as the second have been codified in a precise order, and the neophyte would have to learn them in accord with the set sequence, going from the simplest techniques to the most complex in order to build solid bases before being able to go more deeply into the most adequate strategies for their own morphology and psychological characteristics.

As with many other traditional Martial Arts “forms”, Mae Mai and Look Mai Muay Thai are susceptible to different readings with points of view that go ever deeper.

If, in fact, a superficial reading of these seems to give information only relative to offensive and defensive movements, with a more attentive examination, under the guidance of a true Muay Boran expert, they become an exceptional source of indispensable notions for martial combat, until today jealously guarded and never completely revealed to Western students.

These technical sequences, whose codification goes back, according to some specialists, to the XIX century, teach us, for example, the system necessary to develop indispensable skills such as the choice of timing in the student’s action of attack or

defense from the first training sessions; furthermore, they teach us how to train the sense of distance, an element related to the last point, with offensive or defensive objectives (see the emphasis given to the study of this element in the techniques belonging to the mysterious Hanuman style, the mythical White Monkey); they supply us with a map of the sensitive and vital points of the human body, along with the angles that must be used for striking them in a more devastating way; in conclusion, they indicate in a precise way what natural weapons (hands, feet, tibia, head, also the back, elbows, knees) to use to obtain the greatest effect when we attack the different targets previously identified.

Furthermore, each Mae Mai and each Look Mai has to be studied not only in its basic, codified form, but also in its principle variations (from 3 to 6 variations for each form), and must be applied with one or more combined techniques, called by some Thai Masters “devastating combinations”. In all, the basic forms and the variations come to ov er 100 and repres ent the true technical platform of the style currently in use among members of the IMBA. For us impassioned Europeans, the study of these principles and groups of techniques is practically an inexhaustible source of martial information of tremendous value, useful in primis for anyone interested in accumulating solid technical knowledge for self-defense, in secundis for the trainers of professional athletes who, through Mae Mai and Look Mai, can enormously improve the technical quality of their own students with short and long term benefits.

Thanks to the Grand Masters of the Inter national Association AITMA (Association Institute of Thai Martial Arts) with headquarters in Bangkok and controlled directly by the Culture Commission of Thailand, especially by the Grand Master Paosawat and GM Woody and the IMBA (International Muay Boran Academy)—the organization presided over by the Italian Arjarn Marco De Cesaris, who is in charge of the diffusion of Muay Thai Boran in Europe in the name of and on behalf of said association (for which De Cesaris is the supervisor for Europe)—Western practitioners today can lear n about these precious notions in a way that has never been possible until now. Finally we can go more deeply into the traditions of true Thai martial combat, on the surface easily interpreted but really very complex.

Second part: traditional Mae competitions

the Mai

As we have provided evidence for in our most recent reports from

directed by the country’s Culture Commission and, most recently, organized by the AITMA, the entity for the conservation and the development of the Thai martial traditions.

Thailand, the fashion of competitions based on elements of the Siamese martial tradition is, in fact, exploding in the motherland of Muay Thai. It is with pride that we from the International Muay Boran Academy can affirm having had an important role in the rediscovery and valuation of an enormous technical and cultural patrimony that, according to the very Thai authorities, have been in decline for years and practically on the verge of being lost. For that, it was natural that the athletes of the IMBA were among the first to be officially invited to take part in the official competitions—that have been unfolding for some years—in the places most suggestive of Thailand,

In order to also be competitive under the “professional” profile, during these technical competitions, denominated “fights predisposed for the obligatory use of traditional Mae Mai and Look Mai Muay Thai techniques”, during this year the IMBA technicians have promoted numerous meetings among the European members (Italians, English, Spanish, German, Dutch, and French) to improve the provisions of the athletes who must confront their Thai colleagues during the international championships, like the last one done this year in Ayuddaya, the old capital of the Siam Kingdom.

Now we are going to look at some of the elements that can “make the

difference” in terms of scoring on the part of the judges during an execution of Mae Mai. - Utilizing sophisticated movements to neutralize various kinds of attacks, like, for example, the bridge movement in order to enter inside the strike facing semi-directs. It’s clear that for each Kon Muay Kee action—that is, each defensive action facing any strike and counterattack—there are

innumerable technical possibilities among which the athlete can choose on the basis of his own skill and knowledge of the material. Furthermore, it is also clear that for better performance (and a higher score), technical solutions that demonstrate a great domination of the discipline are preferred.

- Executing the techniques in a correct and efficient way, also in the case of athletes with different sizes and weights:

for example, we study how to get the most out of the circular kick, moving ourselves backward in diagonal in order to later react advancing. When one chooses an action, especially defensive, it is important to keep in mind the fact that the traditional fight with ropes, Muay Kard Chiek, or, without ropes (in a preceding epoch), was done among athletes of very distinct weights, the opposite of what now occurs in sports rings. A consequence of this is that some strategies and techniques, especially checks, blocks, and throws, in use today are not very appropriate for confronting adversaries who are much heavier than we are; for that, it’s important that when techniques are chosen to insert into the Mae Mai routines, to verify whether they respond to this requisite that, without a doubt, the judges value a great deal.

- Also introducing spectacular and efficient movements taken from the Hanuman style in the technical routine: for example, in the oldest forms, there are many jumping knee and elbow strikes enacted from the medium and short distances, often surprising for the adversary who is not accustomed to these devastating actions. Often the spectacular aspect is not synonymous with efficiency, but in many actions of the Muay Boran styles that have specialized in anomalous and surprising techniques, like

the famous Hanuman style (the mythical White Monkey), one can find a wise combination of the two aforementioned elements, the spectacular and the efficient. In the majority of cases, the one who prepares a Mae Mai routine keeps the Hanuman elements for the last part of the performance, gradually increasing the difficulty of the technical executions so as to arrive at the

hypothetical conclusion of the fight precisely with an attack taken from the technical base of that style. It’s also clear that the judges hope that at least one of those techniques will be included in the execution of the routine, and it often happens that the way in which one combines them with the rest of the actions favors the scoring of the whole exercise.

In conclusion, we can say that the correct preparation for participating in a traditional Mae Mai Muay Thai competition, not only provides a notable development of technical and athletic skills, but is also the most efficient method to dominate—also in real combat—actions that are potentially very dangerous if not trained with attention, and which reveal to us the true essence of a truly martial method such as Muay Boran.

Today, Salvador Herrรกiz, our regular collaborator, brings us closer to a curious character of the island of Okinawa: Roshi Sakiyama Sogen, chief monk of Zen Buddhism on the island and a Karate lover, who was a disciple of the legendary founders of Goju Ryu. Herrรกiz makes us a brief outline on this important Zen and Karate Master, who widely exceeding the 90 years of age, has been an example of austerity, humility and discipline.

By Salvador Herrรกiz, Karate 7th Dan Shuri (Okinawa)

A

lthough, I logically had heard about him for years, I didn't meet monk Sakiyama Sogen until 2010, when a mutual friend took me to his temple Kozenji and introduced him to me.

Roshi Sakiyama Sogen was born in Naha in 1921, at the dawn of a development of Karate in the world, which was to be produced from the hands of masters such as Gichin Funakoshi, Kenwa Mabuni, Chojun Miyagi, Kentsu Yabu... legendary masters who would export Karate in their trips to Japan's main island and far away overseas places, as Hawaii or California.

He began in the practice of Karate during his High School years under the guidance of Master Juhatsu Kyoda. Soon after, in the Teacher's College, Sakiyama also practiced Karate with the prestigious Master Chojun Miyagi, creator of the Goju Ryu system, while introducing

BASIC PORTRAIT OF THE KARATEKA MONK Salvador Herraiz and Master Hokama chatting in 2010 with Sakiyama Sogen at his home, in Shuri, in the presence of a group of American karateka.

Left: Salvador Herraizn bids farewell to Sakiyama Sogen at the door of his house, next to the hills of Naha, in 2012.

Below: Sakiyama during an event along with masters Morio Higaonna and Zenpo Shimabukuro.

himself into the practice of Zen, from the hand of Roshi Matsuhisa, who was teaching in the same place.

Sakiyama Sogen served in the Army and when he returned home, he resumed his practice of Karate, this time with Master Seko Higa. In 1949, in full postwar period and under American occupation of General Douglas Mc Arthur, Sakiyama moved to the main island of Japan, to deepen the Zen in the Bairinji temple, founded in 1620 in the city of Kurume, where next to Chikugo river, the monk Sakiyama immersed himself in the study of the Myoshinji school of the Rinzai stream of Zen Buddhism. In fact, shortly after, he studied in the Myoshinji temple itself, majestic place in Kyoto, founded in 1337, with more than 50 minor temples in its enclosure.

Karate & Zen

Sakiyama continued to deepen in Zen Buddhism of the Rinzai school, studying also with the renowned master Roshi Yamamoto Genpo, in Ryutakuji temple founded by Hakuin Ekaku in Mishima, Fukuoka, in 1761, and later, with the no less prestigious Roshi Asahisa Sogen (1891-1979), in the mythical Engakuji temple in Kamakura, where Gichin Funakoshi had often sought refuge to mitigate the suffering caused by the loss of his dojo, his son Yoshitaka and later his wife, in 1947.

In 1970, the monk settled in the United States, where he developed and taught Zen for two years, also imparting Karate classes. The time he spent in the USA served him to decide creating his own center in Okinawa, Kozenji, in the heart of Shuri, a few meters from the famous and legendary castle, where he settled on his return.

Having become a Roshi, title or position of "veteran master", that in the Rinzai school means having been granted permission (inka shomei) from another Roshi, after

having completed the Koan study and receiving Dharma transmission that made him successor in the line, without interruption.

Sakiyama is a real symbol in Okinawa. Throughout his later life, he has enjoy a great prestige in the Zen world and especially in the Karate circles of the island, for having been also a great expert of Goju Ryu and important masters having come to him in search of correction and advice. Indeed, Sakiyama has regularly participated in events of Okinawan Karate or homages to the old masters.

In 2007, when a monument to Master Gichin Funakoshi was raised close to the Budokan, in Naha, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his death, Sakiyama performed the honors along with his Buddhist rites. For years now, Sakiyama has become the main Zen Buddhism master on the island.

In 2010, along with a couple of karateka fellows from United States and a local master, I visited Sakiyama at

Karate & Zen

home, a small building facing the temple.

Sogen Roshi had a big impact on me, not only for his high position in Zen Buddhism, but also for being a survivor of the teachings of Chojun Miyagi and his indomitable spirit, forged after a proven life of humbleness and austerity.

Sitting in one of the rooms of his house, the prestigious monk spoke to us and none of his phrases was empty of content and intent. His

concern was patent and he didn't waste a moment so that traditional values were not lost.

Both on arrival and at parting, Sakiyama knelt on the floor to greet us, we all did. His movements were slow and it showed that it was taking much effort for him to do it, but when we made the gesture of trying to help him stoop or get up; his pride, honor and discipline led him to reject our help.

Last time I saw Sakiyama was in 2012. It was s carcely a few

mo ments , as he had t o g o to hospital to treat ailments that age inevitably brings, especially after widely exceed the 90 years of age.

As he got into a taxi, Sakiyama saw himself in one of my books and told me: "The next time you come to Naha don't forget to call me and visit me."

I only hope to return soon to the island where Karate was born and that Sakiyama Sogen is there to receive me!

“TAOWS Academy. Wing Tsun Advanced”. Sifu Salvador Sánchez Wing Tsun is an excellent style of Chinese boxing that permits a lifetime training experience and an integral development of the individual.

Its ideas, techniques, philosophy etc , it all belongs to an ancient art and must be studied and understood in its whole. Sifu Salvador Sánchez focusses his second dvd on the wooden dummy and how it influences all of the Wing Tsun practice. Given that the wooden dummy form is taught at the final levels of the actual system of today, most practitioners that leave the system before time don't have the opportunity to know the ideas and concepts hidden within the form, and they cannot incorporate them in their practice.

For TAOWS academy it is very important that the practitioner understands what he is doing always and in every aspect, and for this, in this dvd we are going to follow the same outline that we follow in our classes, seminars and training sessions. Our outline follows six steps, the first one is to develop an idea, what we want to achieve. The second part are the forms, Siu Nim Tao, Chum Kiu, Biu Jee, the wooden dummy form, depending on each s level, the third part is footwork, mobility understood. The fourth pillar is Chi Sao, Chi Gerk, stickiness, the soul of the system. The fifth element is non stickiness and no contact, to know what to do in order to reach contact with the opponent in a safe way.

REF.: • TAOWS-2

All DVDs, wichi is produced by Budo International, si provided and alone in the formats DVD-5 or MPEG-2, in VCD, DivX or the like is however neves offered with a special holograma sticker. Besides our DVD is characteristed coverings by the hig quality in pressure and material. If this DVD and/or the DVD covering do not corespond to the requirements specified above, it concerns illegal pirat copy.

ORDERS: Budo international. net

Within the reality of the attack Never before there had been so much talk about the reliability of the techniques applied in Aikijujutsu and therefore in the arts derived thereof. Of the many emails I daily receive, mainly from the earnest masters, one way or another I perceive that we are coming to the same conclusions: their functionality, seen in an empirical way and without adaptation, was only really effective to meet the needs of ancient times ; but, even so, although it should be borne in mind that history is only imaginable and there is no way to confirm anything, there is a range of possibilities which certainly can be explained, if historical concepts have been relevant to the explanation of each practiced form. In other words, since there is no means of verification, we keep practicing in the belief that we are doing the right thing, which for this type of occasion is shown in the Seiteigata.

Moreover, such techniques, when applied nowadays, need a strong and coherent adaptation: different times require different thoughts and adaptations.

Could it be so? Practicing the Seiteigata favors the development of the thought of the time when swords, spears, naginata, etc., were the most dangerous weapons.

Certainly, the wisest masters have adapted these concepts and thoughts, making them applicable in whatever situation. The majority of them used many strategies - Heiho - as sources of inspiration and adaptation to real, empirical situations. If these strategies (Heiho) are part of the studies of Aikijujutsu, for sure they will be using the techniques of this art. No more and no less! The phenomenon will have been just of adaptation!

If we look at it thoroughly, we can see that the principles used as a teaching method, always involve hazard perception and various forms of overcoming it: it is interesting to observe that among the many enigmas to which often resort the different peoples of Asia by an automatic habit and that demand solutions filled with malice, there is one where the wolf and the goat (instead of lamb) also play a role. Only man can be the wolf of another man!

Most of the samurai class, mainly in the Sengoku period, developed many strategic ways to surprise the enemy; undoubtedly, these forms are applicable even today. It's the "simultaneity of time", so often referred to by Zen masters, what makes itself present. Could we then say that Aikijujutsu is timeless, as the other martial arts are timeless? Who hasn't heard the phrase: "Put your head so that I attack you without hesitation"? We cannot deny its timeless functionality!

Ogawa Ha

Deep down, techniques, attack and defense strategies, are grafted on us; like everything that exists, these also exist within ourselves. Everything, every being, everything in this world is nothing more than time. The reality of each attack is at the time of its application! Uke and Tori share the same chalice of wisdom in relation to time; however, each one drinks their way.

No Uke stands as an obstacle to any other Tori, nor can time ever oppose any other time: each one flows within own reality. Attack and defense, truths and lies ... Is it perhaps like your relationship with yourself?

There are two important aspects: practice and reality.

A friend of mine used to say: Aikijujutsu is another name for pain. In other words, he meant that the techniques practiced within these forms were designed to cause inner physical and psychological harm; they existed just to There are two important aspects: practice and reality.

A friend of mine used to say: Aikijujutsu is another name for pain. In other words, he meant that the techniques practiced within these forms were designed to cause inner physical and psychological harm; they existed for demolishing. But how can you practice something like that? Consciousness is the best medicine: the separation of reality and practice begins and ends with respect.

No need to shoot someone to know that a gun can kill. The mind of the practitioner who relies on ignorance certainly will suffer the so much longed principle in the techniques: efficiency! The biased mind clings to: "I want to see if it works"; "Do it again for me to see"; "And so, will this work? But how can you practice something like that? Consciousness is the best medicine: the separation of reality and practice begins and ends with respect.

No need to shoot someone to know that a gun can kill. The mind of the practitioner who relies on ignorance certainly will suffer the so much longed principle in the techniques: efficiency! The biased mind clings to: "I want to see if it works"; "Do it again for me to see"; "And so, this works?

However, we must remember, before any further manifestation, that your body is not ready to receive a technique performed in an empirical or firmer way. There have been many cases of students who after questioning how a teacher might have carried out a technique in a more adjusted way, they've learned that he could have broken their arm! Anyway...

Now we come to the issue: it's not compulsory for the master to force "maturing" the mind of a rigid and uncompromising student. On the contrary, he must preserve peace and hope that gradually the student will clears his mind....

This is so because, understood all conflicts, frustrations, disturbances, shocks

Ogawa Ha

and internal suffering, he must remain serene and therefore he knows externally that this state makes him intensely active; his conscience is alive with his entire senses alert, therefore, he is able to observe without disfiguring anything, to review each fact in a non-biased manner.

The magic of the domain, of the altering the force of Uke; the driving of his energy and his inner transformation... we understand these placements only as cognitive and abstract; however, I am referring to the moment in which Uke ceases to be Yang and turns into Yin, when he no longer carries out any action and becomes peaceful.

Different forms of Osae (immobilization) and Kansetsu (locks and twisting) may be examples of this moment in which the axis of Tori stabilizes itself and passes to lead the axis of Uke. JouRiKi: Jou - Pure Ri - Reason Ki - Energy It is the phenomenon of the eternal and natural polarization of Yin and Yang energies, which expresses in its cycles the duality of harmony and conflict problems, stupid fights. It's at that moment when many crises are triggered. It is the time when the world around Tori and Uke is only Mujou, impermanence. Such is the true aspect of life and the world!

Everyone has this power, but we must wake up to that moment existing between the two; if there isn't such awareness, it will not manifest and, unless we realize it, we cannot learn about it.

In any martial practice, within the various degrees of knowledge that evolution offers us, are achieved with different types of intelligence, levels of development that are proportional to the biological level conquered by the individual. For higher forms practiced in Aiki, primitive people are completely immature. They can receive it, learn it, repeat it, possess it in appearance, but the practice fortified with understanding obeys only those who are really interested in it. Knowledge cannot impose itself over experience, because it is a result thereof. So, what makes us flow...?

In fact... nothing! A dojo doesn't partake of the same properties of a river which, with the force of its water, leads us in other directions, regardless of our will. This means that different situations lead to different reasoning. Uke, Tori, Dojo, all are part of the interpersonal universe that sets the different conditions of a good technique.

Ogawa Ha

Mainly acting as Tori, which is very different from Uke, we mustn't make the mistake of thinking that a simple attack determines the moment. Even if the studies are made in the form of Seiteigata, every move has a complete phase in itself; if in the course of a movement, Uke alters his technique, then we'll have two phases to be completed, and so, each one will have its own past and future.

Therefore, at the time that the techniques are completed, the apex of the much sought harmony, the mind is called no-mind. Then, when the technique has already reached its end, the moment in which Uke no longer interacts with the instant is also a phase complete in itself; it has its own past and future; it is then said that the time is the "no-time".

At this stage of understanding, Tori is only the person who has executed the technique and Uke is nothing more than the person who has received the movement. Therefore, when the moment manifests itself in the form of fluency, it hardly means itself: had it not been for the interference from both sides, nothing would have made it flow.

So our problem is not knowing what independence is; the true function of the technique, as well as Tori and Uke characters, implies the interaction of all in a single moment. With the comprehension of the moment, the instant, the figurative Dojo as the pathway of these relationships, which is the behavior among human practitioners - those who believe they are always learning, whether they are close or strange, near or distant - we will begin to understand all the process of existence and the conflict among the technique itself, how we execute it and the reality / fantasy independence.

We all love to talk about fluency, but we forget that such practice begins long before we enter the Dojo.

"If you measure success in terms of praise or criticism, your anguish will be endless."

Lao Tzu The point is that being an art eminently of the Japanese aristocracy, and seen as art, the pursuit of perfection arises through the inevitable: war and peace! And from there, the reasoning that the center generated from the AIKI force is the center that in a centripetal or centrifugal manner transforms the opposite energy, shaping its jolts. But there is an extremely important axis of the using of this force: "Joge no Rasen-j" (spirally energy in vertical directions); and also, in this same axis, straight flows without a break - "Oroshi".

Ogawa Ha

For Haragei masters, who are also Aikijujutsu masters, there is a central force called "Ch ki", which is the eliminating force, whose reserves are located in the lower parts of the Hara. When this force is produced either by adrenaline or by directed breathing, a pressure is generated which, by producing heat (energy), gets strong and goes to the center where it concentrates to expand its energy along the spine throughout which runs our whole nervous system.

Once you are aware of this energy and, logically, with the necessary knowledge to use it, practices related with Aikijujjutsu or other Martial Arts in general, expansion of consciousness becomes possible in such a way that the human being is able to unite his everyday conscience to his inner or energy awareness, in a regular or quotidian way, carefully practicing a series of exercises combined with meditation. Soon the practitioner student feels the movement of energy within himself and around his body and thus, consciously, begins to direct the energy fluid to stimulate and awaken the centers that wrap the Hara.

Especially nowadays, many masters use this knowledge to an awakening of inner peace. Likewise, they lead students through an explanation of the spiral that raises or lowers our feelings.

For such masters, the heart of peace and harmony, especially the one that expands consciousness, is the one without ego. It is respect and esteem for all beings and learning from others; it's the right actions and the right way of life as well as a good conscience; it's silence, blessed stillness, the most important element of the inner path of energy that awakens from the very center; it's neither more nor less than Mushin!

Why "honors" generate displeasure?

Displeasure stems from the fact of having an ego.

And you cannot please the ego!

When we can free ourselves from the ego, there's no more trouble.

Therefore: “He who stays free from favors and unpleasantness is released from the idolatry of the ego.

Only he who is willing to selflessly serve can possess the Kingdom!

Only to him the Kingdom can be entrusted.�

Tao Te Ching

Ogawa Ha

2014 WKO World Championships The stage was set for the 8th World Karate Championships in Curitiba Brazil but no one expected it to unfold the way it did.

It turned out to be one of the most amazing events I personally have ever attended for competition. It was not the biggest but it had all the makings of one of those events that will go down in the memory of all the attendees that they will never forget.

I

t started two years ago 2012 in Phoenix Arizona when the Brazilian Karate Organization headed by the dynamic trio of Marco Ferreira, Julio Bassan, and Samuel Ferreira were awarded the 8th WKO World Karate Championships.

They immediately went back and started to put the event together utilizing all their resources and contacts.

The Championships started on Friday morning at 10:30 am November 21st 2014 with all Kyu belt and children's divisions ending at 7:30 pm right on schedule and then Saturday it was time for the Black Belts to take the stage front and center.

The competition was kept under control by head referee Rui Marcal of Brazil and Arbitrator Spain's Dr. Eloy Izquierto from Valencia.

Two strong teams of men fighters from Brazil including some of the best fighters Brazil has, coming from Curitiba and Brasilia were expected to run away with team fighting but the United States team directed by Adrian Ellis won the Team championships. The Americans who only had two fighters adopted Sweden's Lucas

President Don Warrener Ph 1-818-891-1133 Cell 1-310-926-7808 donrw@earthlink.net

Karate

Bokelius to form the team. Then they imported Canadian coach CONROY COPELAND as their official coach as Adrian Ellis was enlisted as an official.

The team ended up being dubbed the United Nations team instead of just the United States team.

In the women's forms it was Canada's Marcia Budd Scheneff who walked away with the World Champion title. Her form was excellent and a total credit to her Sensei Dave TURKOSKI from Brantford Ontario Canada. TURKOSKI from Brantford Canada brought a team of nearly 40 competitors coaches officials and team assistants.

When it came to men's forms the decision was easy to make. Although there were good forms done by Ian Pollet of Australia, know one was in the same league that day as the Brazilian super star Champion Mario Hayashi Jr. His "Unsu" kata was simply flawless and his scores showed all why he really was the best in WKO on that day in kata competition.

The Australian team headed by Ian Pollet was very strong with his wife 5 months pregnant winning her division in kata.

Women's KUMITE competition seen Brazil's Cinthia Carolina Costa take top honors beating out Canadian Mary Power in a great fight. Her long arms, great timing, and solid defense were her keys to winning the gold medal.

When it came to the grand champion in kumite Mario Hayashi Jr. once again stood tall and beat Brasilia's Wilson Miranda in the final match.

Hirokazu Kanazawa once said that the mark of a true champion is one who can win first place in both kata and kumite at the same championships. Well if this is the true standard then I guess we can say Hayashi is a true champions champion.

The WKO is much different then other international karate organizations as they are going back to the original essence of Japanese Karate by applying the original principles of karate especially the word Zanshin which has a much deeper meaning then just focused mind.

Karate

The deeper meaning when applied to competition is that of a good win and bad win are quite clear. As are a good loss and a bad loss.

For example if when fighting you score a point on your opponent and you do not celebrate or anything just simply accept it this is what we are after as jumping up and down, celebrating in your opponents face is disrespectful.

A good loss is again when you simply accept the decision and a bad loss is when you complain about the results. This is the job of your coach not you and again this needs to be done with respect for your opponent.

Celebration is of course permitted outside the ring.

So the WKO will disqualify you if you do not exemplify the true spirit of positive Zanshin and display always a good win and a good loss.

The other thing that makes WKO different is the promotion of its winners as they are not pro mo ting t he direct o rs but they are promoting the CHAMPION'S and they will do this thru web sites, face book and Twitter plus Budo International Magazine plus they will put their faces in front of Hollywood directors and producers in hopes of landing them roles in films.

In other words WKO is all about the competitors not those who run the organization.

The other interesting distinction is that WKO has as its ultimate goal camaraderie between nations and the exchange of different cultures as the World Championships moves from one country to the next. The president Don Warrener said that this is our little bit towards world peace and it may be a dream but it is a good dream.

This year was no different as the Sayonara party hosted by the Brazilians featured a feast for a king. Brazil is well known for what they call Churrascuria (BBQ) which foreigners often call a cholesterol overload as they brought out at least 30 different plates and they even had a person who looked like Argentina's Eva Peron singing Opera to the room which was packed to the brim. Close to 100 people for the banquet alone.

Watch Budo International for in depth articles on these young guns of the future as we present articles on each of them and how they became world champions.

Karate

All Martial Artists work in 3 - 5 dimensions with the 4th & 5th being in the more advanced practitioners' realm. Each dimension has a dual meaning when utilized in conventional Martial Arts and a secondary application when applying Kyusho. The conventional or rudimentary level or scientific explanation is sound physics and athletic in nature whereas the Kyusho explanation is more rooted in micro physics and greater depth. It is this micro physical attention that allows the Kyusho practitioner another level of application and affect.

This is not a typical Martial Art topic as it is based more in the scientific realm, but it is at the core of all Martial Styles, as is the use of Kyusho. The intended goal of this article is to illustrate the difference in these staid laws from typical Martial Arts to Kyusho.

The 5 Dimensions of Kyusho

Kyusho

The 5 Dimensions of Kyusho 1st Dimension In regular Martial Arts practice the first dimension is distance‌ the range if you will to deploy your methods or art. This is in all schools and lessons, but there is more than the simple scientific application, there is the internal application (or Vital Point if you will).

When applying Kyusho, this dimension is considered more as Depth or level of Penetration. In regular Martial Arts we strike the exterior as hard and fast as we can, however the body has natural protections to maintain life. The body may break, but this in affect disperses the force so that deeper penetration is averted. Of course with greater force than protective capability there will be serious ramifications, but this is extremely difficult to achieve in a typical application‌ just look at the abuse the MMA fighters can endure.

Most MA look at the distance between themselves and their opponent, but they do not look into that opponent, nor do they seek to reach inside them. They only seek the shell whereas the Kyusho practitioner goes deeper into the first dimensional space.

The 5 Dimensions of Kyusho

Kyusho

So then what would the second MA dimension be (in natural law terms)?

2nd Dimension Now the second dimension in MA is of course angular moves off the original distance line, or the line of approach or escape. In science this is the Y axis of the X axis of the straight line... and yields huge advantage as well as disadvantage. This is for leverage, avoidance, redirection and a host of other physical motions of one to take advantage of the opponent.

But the second dimension for a Kyusho practitioner is the internal angle of attack on a specific anatomically weak target to maximize the affect and internal dysfunction. This is crucial if we are to supersede the natural protections and energy dispersing attributes of the external body. We must penetrate at various angles to get between muscles, tendons and bones to access the nerves and blood vessels for maximum affect or destruction.

These first two are easily understood even by the beginner of either discipline, the next dimensions pertain to those more advanced practitioners in either.

3rd Dimension The third dimension is height or in its most basic terms perpendicular to the X-Y axis (Z). So how is that used in typical MA? The 3rd dimension can enable the MA to use height of the strike once off the straight line and into the second dimensional plane. It

The 5 Dimensions of Kyusho

Kyusho “The better definition that helps people not only understand to a higher degree, but also enables them to actuate Kyusho affects more effectively and efficiently is ‘Trajectory’”

could also be realized by dropping or lifting an opponent or yourself for a selected technique and forcing a new angle or plane.

So how could this relate to Kyusho? The third dimension is used once in contact with the anatomical structure, be it nerve, blood vessel, tendon or organ in order to stretch, tear, compress or rupture that structure.

Now the first two dimensional attributes most Kyusho people learn and can do (not all). The third is what separates many a better skilled Kyusho practitioner as they add the twist, the cut, that little extra that increases the affects.

Now it is the fourth Dimension fully exploited by very few is actually common knowledge displayed by most.

4th Dimension So what is the 4th dimension in Martial Arts? It is Time.

They say timing is everything, well maybe not but it is high on the Martial Artists list‌ and what separates the truly advanced practitioners from those not yet developed. If you are a split second faster in a situation you have advantage, if you are a second late you are at disadvantage.

In Kyusho the time factor is twofold: • The aspect of time on target is a key factor as some targets are better struck quickly, others need more time on the target depending on the structure you are attacking, the surrounding structures and the depth (1D) of that target. • The other aspect is staggered timed hitting, avoid striking in the same space of time, for greater affect (unbalancing of the physiological systems) you must alter it, change the timing of the strikes so the opponent's body will not expect the next hit and will not be able to defend against it as readily. This even extends to

The 5 Dimensions of Kyusho

Kyusho

The 5 Dimensions of Kyusho

Kyusho 5 Dimension synopsis: 1. You need to "FEEL" the structure.

2. You need to "FEEL" the way you compress it (with stretch).

3. You need to "FEEL" the structure give way to your strike, manipulation, etc.

4. You need to "FEEL" the affect through empathy that it causes in the opponent or patient.

5. You must "FEEL" the opponent crumble, jump, relax, etc. as this will tell you all you need and open so many more possibilities.

Joint Manipulations whereas you should not maintain the same pressure for a long time, as the body can adapt.

5th Dimension So what is the 5th dimension in Martial Arts?

In science the 5th dimension is consciousness, this allows perception of all other dimensions, relating it to the future, the past, variations off that linear time path as well.

It can also be called awareness or intuition (all from experience). A prime fighter has this awareness in the ring, the soldier has it on the battlefield, they sense trouble or eminent threat and are prepared.

Those who have ever had a close brush with death as a result of an accident or nearly being in an accident, may have noticed, that their mind starts moving more slowly in these situations also. Everything appears to happen in slow motion. They are in the 5th dimension consciousness in these situations and their perception of time slows down.

In Kyusho this dimension is again twofold: • First there is empathy, feeling the action or intent (this is developed fromtaking the Kyusho as well as giving it)…and predetermines the success of the strike, or the failure of it in accomplishing the task. If you know what an attacked target does physically (from experience), you can apply it far easier and with greater success.

• Second is knowing exactly what you are attacking and the reactions of the body when we attack/stimulate those structures. But more than that already knowing how that person will react physically, mentally and or spiritually (will they still have the will to fight).

So to engender the 5dimensions of Kyusho (along with those of Martial Art): 1. First the student must lear n that the need a penetrating attack or manipulation and they get a slight reaction.

2. Next they must begin to use better angles (and weapons) to more accurately penetrate to that correct depth and with less resistance of surrounding structure.

3. Then the need to stretch, twist or co mpres s t h e u nderly i n g ph y s ical structure (nerve, vascular, organ) in the most advantages way for the desired result.

4. They must learn to stagger timing as well as pressure to unbalance the physiological functionality of the opponent.

Finally they must know what the attack feels like, how the opponent will feel, react or fall so they can escalate or use strategically for multiple opponents.

So how do we accomplish all of this?

Through experience and the use of Trajectory.

As we look at this photo of a bullet travelling through gelatin, we are allowed to see the very difference between conventional ballistic attack and that of Kyusho.

If we see the cube of gelatin as the human body and the distortion as the affects of a ballistic strike on that body we gain a very valuable insight. With a heavy blow from fist, elbow, knee or any blunt weapon, we see that at the surface and even interior, there is a massive trauma or expansive affect on that structure. It's force is captured and absorbed as it dissipates within the structure at the point of impact. Yes it damages the tissue or integrity but is solely dependent on the amount of force utilized.

The idea of Kyusho which can be depicted by the bullet traveling on a path through the target on a specified path through space and object, is vastly different. But first we must get terminology straight as the confusion lies with this.

In Kyusho the typical manta is “Angle and Direction” and on the surface, (pun intended), this is a valid approach, yet very limiting.

Angle: translates into the way your weapon approaches a specific target (some still call a pressure point), it is a descriptor of your physical action. This is from a starting position to a finishing position, front to back, high to low, low to high, right to left or left to right, etc.

Direction: translates into a course along which someone or something moves and can mislead the new practitioner in the study of Kyusho. It is also why many try fruitlessly to realize great affects but fall short… unfortunately also why many give up, stating that Kyusho does not work.

The better definition that helps people not only understand to a higher degree, but also enables them to actuate Kyusho affects more effectively and efficiently is “Trajectory”.

Trajectory: is the path followed by a projectile flying or an object moving under the action of given forces through space or object. In Kyusho that is everything as we seek to send our kinetic energy toward a specific path in the human body not at the site of impact, but deep into the

“In science the 5th dimension is consciousness, this allows perception of all other dimensions, relating it to the future, the past, variations off that linear time path as well�

The 5 Dimensions of Kyusho

Kyusho core. We do not seek to traumatize the exterior or the shell of the body and all structures, instead we seek a trajectory along an accessed structure to the core. In Kyusho this is the central nervous system (spinal column and brain), via the nerves.

This is why there are no injuries in Kyusho as we are not using, nor do we need, heavy blunt trauma or power. Yes Kyusho will still work like that as this picture also illustrates, the damage can be inflicted and the trajectory also realized. But in the training the importance is placed on the trajectory and reaching the core with as minimal a force as possible. Once that is trained and ingrained, adding force (if ever needed) will of course multiply the affects (and legal issues)… for a even more reliable protection.

We see in MMA now the hard realities of this as well. We see the heavy force and brutality, that is often absorbed and fought past… but every so often

we see the proper trajectory used in a location that even with less power, incapacitates the opponent. But this and most Martial Arts are of this Yang nature and is not concerned with the inner workings as much as destroying the outer aspects.

And as a Yin comparative, we look at the skill of Kenjutsu or the Japanese Sword styles. They do not use force to make their cuts, but instead use trajectory to go through the outer… this is what Kyusho is all about, or should be.

It is not the power, it is not the angle or direction… it is all in the trajectory.

hen a situation occurs where you may feel threatened your body will automatically go into “survival mode”.

When this happens a series of changes occur within us. Without getting too deeply into the aspects of survival mode, what we are most concerned with is the loss of Fine Motor Skills, i.e. inserting a key in a lock, picking something small up with two fingers or writing neatly with a pencil.

What takes over are Gross Motor Skills which are big movements; arms extending forward, upward or downward in big motions. Just watch internet videos of real attacks.

You will notice the majority of people move the same when survival stress kicks in. Even in professional boxing and mixed martial arts GMS dominate. The only difference with people in competitive sports is that they are using what I like to call “Trained Gross Motor Skills”.

Now if you look at the Stick Work of FMA you will notice that most of the movements fall into the description of Gross Motor Skills. The drills experienced in the FMA Class hone your GMS to strike in a certain way specific targets of an attacker's body. It teaches your muscle memory how to have your body react and move. Now take away the sticks and do the same movements emptyhanded. Now add a knife in your hand or a machete.

Then take these skills and use them to defend against an attacker wielding a weapon. All of these use the same Gross Motor Skills with minor adjustments.

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Why is Kyusho a great companion to FMA? Kyusho Targets are specific areas on the body that we manipulate to take advantage of anatomical weaknesses.

The external body was designed by nature to take abuse and can cope with hits from the FMA Stick. By understanding how to manipulate the Kyusho Targets we can affect the internal systems of the body and bypass our body's natural defenses. With Kyusho we focus on several anatomical systems to cause physical dysfunction and possibly affect the opponent's level of consciousness.

These systems include the nervous, respiratory, muscular and skeletal systems. When we strike Kyusho Targets we are actually attacking the internal body as opposed to the external structure. Kyusho has been tested not just on the training floor but in many real life situations, all under adrenalin pumping stress using Gross Motor Skills. As mentioned earlier, the stick movements of FMA are based on GMS. Now we take this set of movements that focus on your body's natural defensive reactions and apply them to a multitude of defensive as well as offensive maneuvers aiming at Kyusho Targets. When working with the Stick we have a certain intent and flow. The intent used when striking with a stick fits perfectly as the first step to activating Kyusho Targets. The flow action of FMA enables us to hit a series of targets. Kyusho makes our strikes more affective to achieve optimal results.

In a series of three articles we will explore the benefits of Kyusho to the Filipino Martial Arts, specifically using the Kyusho International Curriculum. The first will be on how Kyusho fits into the use of the stick in long, medium and short ranges. The second article will look at the knife, using the weapon as well as defending against it. The third covers Hand-2-Hand.

Let's look at some examples.

In all three ranges we can use the stick to strike nerve, muscle and tendon. These are not struck the same way and the reactions are not the same. Knowing how the attacker is going to react helps you with your follow up.

Long Range Stepping to the right, right stick blocks attack. Left stick attacks the Target known as GB-26 which is the Iliac Nerve found just above the hip bone. This will cause severe pain, loss of physical motor function of leg, release the joints of the hip and knee and cause rapid withdrawal. You can now follow up with the end of the right stick striking the cranial nerves on the side of the head by sliding off the skull causing pain and affecting consciousness.

Getting to the outside of our opponent we strike into the hamstring muscle then downward, stretching the fibers affecting the Muscle Spindle Cell* causing it to contract. This will bend the opponent's knee exposing a nice follow up strike to the occipital nerves on the back of his neck with the end of the stick. These nerves are well known for altering the state of consciousness.

Medium Range Moving to the inside we use a “stop block”. Grab opponent's stick hand with your left. Coming underneath the arm, strike using the punyo (butt-end) of the stick to the Target known as SP-21, lateral branch of the T5 nerve, which is midline on the side of the body between the ribs. This will cause the diaphragm to spasm, affecting the breathing as well as cause intense pain and dizziness. Follow this by bringing your stick under his arm and attacking the Golgi Tendon Organ**, Target TW-11, just above the elbow with a quick rubbing action hyperextending the elbow.

A backhand strike is delivered. Step to the left and as you apply a “stop block” strike the Ulna Nerve, Targets SI-5, above the wrist pinching the nerve against the bone. This will cause much pain and open the hand. Physical dysfunction and dizziness can also occur. With your palm up “punch strike” with the stick to the side of the neck attacking Cervical Nerve, Target LI-18, inward and upward. Not only will this cause severe pain and physical dysfunction of the whole body but will also alter the level of consciousness, affect the breathing and cause an extreme headache.

Close Range Closing your range and getting to the outside, position yourself behind the opponent. Strike down with the punyo to the Trapezius Muscle midway between the shoulder and neck. This Target is known as GB-21.

As you strike downward you can also rub the muscle towards the shoulder.

This will affect a branch of the Accessory Nerve as well as cause a Muscle Spindle Cell reaction.

Because two Anatomical Systems are attacked the whole body weakens, severe pain is caused, there is a loss of physical motor function, consciousness is altered and coherent thought is lost. Now slip your stick across opponent's face under the cheek bone and roll up on Target SI-18/ Facial Nerve, executing a face choke. This will affect the somatic nervous system causing a loss of motor control as well as altering his level of consciousness.

Thank you Freddy Gonzalez and Andrew Ng for assisting with the pictured examples.

Tom Gallo, founder of T.A.C.T.I.C.S., is a Certifying Instructor with Kyusho International; member of the Kyusho-Jutsu Kokusai Shihankai: International Association of Kyusho-Jutsu Master Instructors; KTCP Instructor: Kyusho Tactical Control Program; trained in several Filipino Martial Arts Systems and has a Black Belt in Hwarang Do. He is currently teaching FMA, KMA, Kyusho and Close Quarter Tactics in New York. www.TomGalloTACTICS.com

Opponent delivers a forehand strike. Close in by crashing into the arm. Your left stick strikes the inside forearm at the PC-6 Target/Medial Nerve and the tendons. Your right stick strikes the center of the bicep, NU-E-9 Target/Musculocutaneous Nerve.

The will cause dysfunction in the entire arm. Control the opponent's right arm by wrapping your left arm around it. As you do this, using the punyo of your left stick, strike Target GB-22/lateral branch of the T3 nerve, on the side of the body just under the armpit. With the punyo of your right stick strike Target TW-17 which is a branch of the Facial Nerve located under the earlobe on the back of the jaw hinge. This combination will affect breathing and consciousness.

*The function of the Muscle Spindle Cell is to prevent the muscle from damage by being overstretched. By activating the MSC the muscle tenses and causes the body to contract. **The Function of the Golgi Tendon Organ is to prevent the muscle from being torn from its origin and/or insertion by a sudden increase in tension. By activating the GTO the corresponding joint becomes vulnerable and hyperextends.

You are not drastically changing what you already do with the sticks, just making slight adjustments.

In the end even if you do not cause a “Kyusho Effect� you are still hitting anatomically weak areas of your attacker.

Caution is needed when applying these strikes. Always use safety equipment. Do not use a rattan stick to strike anyone's head.

Always train with a Certified Kyusho Instructor.

Always with the Ochikara, "The Great Strength" (called e-bunto in the Shizen vernacular tongue) or secret wisdom of the ancient Miryoku Japanese shamans, as a backdrop, the author takes us into a world of genuine reflections that are capable to move at once both the reader's heart and head, thus placing him continuously in front of the abyss of the invisible, as the true final frontier of personal and collective consciousness.

The spiritual taken not as religion, but as the study of the invisible, was the way of the ancient Miryoku sages to approach the mystery in the framework of a culture as rich as unknown, to which the author has wholeheartedly devoted.

Alfredo Tucci, Manager Director to Budo International Publishing Co. and author in the past 30 years of a large number of titles about the Warrior's Way, offers us a set of extraordinary and profound reflections, which can be read individually in no particular order. Each one of them opens up a window to us through which we can take a look at the most varied subjects from an unexpected angle, now dotted with humor now with forcefulness and grandiosity, placing us in front of eternal matters with the view of the one who has just arrived and doesn't agree with the common places in which everyone coincides.

We can affirm with conviction that no reader will be indifferent to this book; such is the strength and intensity of its contents. Saying this is saying a lot in a world crowded with collective mangers, interested and behavioral ideologies, manipulators and, in short, spurious interests and mediocrity. It is therefore a text for big souls and intelligent people who are ready to look at life and mystery with the freedom of the most restless and scrutinizing minds, without dogmas, without transient morals, without subterfuges...

My last two articles dealt with an interesting but highly controversial issue that has been debated in our industry for several decades: the role of the martial arts (if any) in the training of police forces. In this article I want to continue challenging our readers by pr esenting and discussing an equally interesting and controversial topic that has been part of our culture since the beginning of modern history: the role (if any) of the martial arts in military training.

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or the first two thousand years of martial arts history there was never a question that warriors should, indeed must, engage in some form of “martial” training. In fact, we all know that, originally, “martial disciplines” were developed exclusively for warriors training and designed specifically for the battlefield. After all, the word “martial” comes from Mars, the Roman god of war! And we know from history that, for many centuries (both in Asian and Western traditions), martial arts training (with weapons and unarmed) was reserved to the warrior classes. The Spartans, the Knights Templar and the Samurai are just a few examples that quickly come to mind. The martial training of those warrior classes evolved, over the centuries and across many cultures around the globe, into hundreds of styles and systems, many of them familiar to us today as martial “arts”. It must be noted, however, that the majority of a warrior training was, for centuries,

Grandmaster John Pellegrini

“For the first two thousand years of martial arts history there was never a question that warriors should, indeed must, engage in some form of “martial” training”

dedicated primarily to the use of weapons while unarmed combat was seen only as a last-resort, “default” option, when weapons had failed or were not available.

With the martial arts and the military so inextricably connected throughout history, there should be no disagreement as to their role in the training of combat troops. But, beginning in the 1970s, certain military “experts” (some of them civilians with no combat experience) started asserting that martial arts training for modern armies was not relevant to today's battlefield conditions and advocated not “wasting time and money on such obsolete and useless techniques”. Some reluctantly conceded that, at best, some martial arts training could have some benefits as “physical exercise” or as “competitive sport”.

Their argument rested on the following points: • Modern soldiers carry high-tech weapons.

• Modern soldiers carry a lot of gear (up to 65 lbs. / 30 kilos).

• Modern soldiers almost NEVER engage in hand-to-hand combat.

For those reason, martial arts techniques are impractical, unnecessary, and possibly even dangerous to the soldier.

I will now present the opposing argument in favor of expert, practical and effective martial arts training for modern soldiers. I believe to be properly qualified in this area because of my real-life experience, training military units around the World for over 25 years. Those experiences include NATO troops in Europe, counter-terrorism unit in Colombia and elite Army units at U.S. bases. I also had the honor and the rare privilege to have trained U.S. and Allied troops in Afghanistan (2006) and Iraq (2008). I also served (1968-1969) in the elite Paratroop division of the Italian Army.

Now that I have established my credentials and expertise on the subject, here is my argument in favor of martial arts training for the

“More and more, military units around the World are called to conduct “peacekeeping”, “nation-building”, “community-policing”, “disaster relief”, “crowdcontrol” and other “humanitarian assistance” missions.

Martial arts skills will help protect the troops while minimizing the violence”

Grandmaster John Pellegrini

“Martial arts training contributes significantly to the development of the warrior ethos. For centuries, the blending of physical, mental and spiritual discipline required by hand-to-hand combat training, has greatly assisted in the overall forging of the warrior spirit and mindset�

“In certain situations, soldiers are tasked with capturing enemies alive for intelligence value.

Empty-hands controlling techniques are necessary” military, based on the following points: • Martial arts training contributes significantly to the development of the warrior ethos. For centuries, the blending of physical, mental and spiritual discipline required by hand-to-hand combat training, has greatly assisted in the overall forging of the warrior spirit and mindset.

• Because of the increasingly strict “Rules of Engagement” imposed by governments and international organizations (and scrutinized by the media) on modern warriors, additional (less-than-lethal) combat skills must be incorporated in the training, especially regarding troops interaction and dealings

with civilian populations.

• In certain situations, soldiers are tasked with capturing enemies alive for intelligence value. Empty-hands controlling techniques are necessary.

• During the interrogations of prisoners, the personnel involved will almost always be unarmed. Again, empty-hands skills are vitally important.

• More and more, military units around the World are called to conduct “peacekeeping”, “nationbuilding”, “community-policing”, “disaster relief”, “crowd-control” and other “humanitarian assistance” missions. Martial arts skills will help protect the troops while minimizing the violence.

• Lastly, weapons (high-tech or not), even when promptly employed, may malfunction, run out of ammunition, can be dropped, taken out of the hands, or, when suddenly needed, may not be immediately available.

I think you will agree that we have proven the case for the usefulness, importance and wisdom of competent and relevant martial arts training for a modern, professional military.

It is our duty to convince the high-ranking leadership as well as the individual soldier of the benefits our training has to offer.

And let's hope that the accountants and the politicians will not be the ones to make the decisions.

“ It is our duty to convince the high-ranking leadership as well as the individual soldier of the benefits our training has to offer. And let's hope that the accountants and the politicians will not be the ones to make the decisions”

Police Techniques

Jim Wagner has already been opening up the world of professional defense to civilians for some years, but without leaving aside his central focus as an expert among professionals.

Today we present you with his work (also, as is customar y, available on DVD) in which he analyzes the work and tactics proper of the American police baton. Apart from the specifics of the weapon, this tactical work can be extended to other defenses that are more common in other countries in Europe and South America. A new work not to be missed fr om an exper t recognized around the world.

Reality-Based Police Baton Tactics Officer Judy Ochoa called for back-up. She was about to make an arrest and needed additional officers. I was just down the block, so I got onto the radio to the dispatcher and said, “I’ll assist. Put me on the call. I’m almost 97.”

As I put my patrol car into park and walked down the alley I could see Judy talking to a man who looked more like he was ready for the beach than to go to jail. He was a well tanned man in his 30s, bleach blond hair, wearing a Hawaiian print shirt, tan shorts, and sandals.

Coming up the alley behind me was Officer Ted Williams, who also placed himself on this call.

He was a short muscular guy who you would want next to you if someone decided to fight.

But, by the looks of this guy that Judy was about to arrest, it did not look like a fight would take place.

The suspect was wanted for drunk driving.

He had been running from the police for two years, and now he had been caught. Instead of giving Judy a hard time, he was polite and very apologetic. He said to us, as Judy had him place his hands behind his back, “I’m really

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Police Techniques

“Learning individual strikes and blocks is obviously necessary, but they would be worthless without trying them out in conflict exercises”

sorry for this. I have wanted to turn myself in for a long time. I’m glad you are here so I can take care of this once and for all.” I offset myself in front of him, and Officer Williams did the same. Judy, who was behind the docile suspect, pulled her handcuffs from her leather case and pressed the metal against his left wrist. We formed a tactical triangle around the suspect for safety. This was going to be an easy arrest.

Suddenly, the suspect grabbed Judy’s right hand before she could get the cuff on the first hand. With his free hand the suspect whipped around and caught Judy in the face with a solid backhand. The force of the strike caused Judy’s head to snap back and the impact split her lip. The suspect knew he could not get past me and Officer Williams, so he broke free from Judy’s hold and bolted sideways and started running from us. I immediately took up chase and caught up with him down the alley. Officer Williams had managed to grab the man’s right sleeve, tearing it violently, but the suspect started to swing his arms like a windmill hoping to land one on each of us as well. From my peripheral vision I could see that Judy had recovered from the shock of being struck, and was charging up the alley to join in on the fight.

However, I was in no mood to fight, and I certainly did not want to get hit by this deceiver. I instantly reached down on by right side, just in front of my pistol, and grabbed the handle of my telescoping baton. I pulled it out of its holster, brought it up to shoulder height, and then swung as hard as I could against the suspect’s shin that was just about to kick me. I heard a thump like one would hear when hitting a hanging rug to rid it of dirt. The man screamed out, “Okay, okay, I give up!” It only took one hit with my thin metal baton to take the fight out of this man. Although I was ready to give him a second strike, his scream convinced me that he was done, and he was. Lying on his back on the warm summer asphalt, he put his hands up in surrender. Officer Williams cuffed him, and I put myself between Judy and the suspect, because I knew that she wanted to get at this guy for what he had done to her.

This event took place a few years ago when I was a patrol officer for a police department in Southern California. Since then I have worked in dignitary protection for the Sheriff’s Department and counterterrorism for the United States government. I am currently assigned as a Weapons and Defensive Tactics instructor, and am teaching others how to survive dangerous confrontations. I have not hit anyone with a baton since this event, and I hope I

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won’t have to in the future. However, learning how to use an impact weapon and maintaining those skills is vital to police training, and for most of you, civilian self-defense training, be it with a stick, a broom, or a tool that you happen to pick up in a crisis situation.

Keep It Simple Before I was a police officer, I was a martial artist first. In fact, I was one of Dan Inosanto’s original Jeet Kune Do / Filipino Kali students back in 1978. I trained extensively with Dan Inosanto, Richard Bustillo, and later with Ted Lucay just as the Filipino Martial Arts were starting to gain popularity.

They did not gain real popularity until the late 80s.

For years I had always thought that the Filipino Martial Arts were the most superior systems around when it came to bladed and impact weapons. I was not only a devoted student, but became an even more devoted instructor passing down to my students what I had been taught as if it were the Gospel.

It was not until I was in the police academy in 1991, in my baton training course, that I realized that actual conflict with a baton was much simpler than the way I had been practicing all those years. And, of course, when you enter your first real fight with a baton, all the fancy stuff goes out the window. Now, I’m not faulting my instructors for what they taught me, but there is definitely a difference

between traditional-based Martial Arts and the realitybased Martial Arts. The first is based on ancient conflict (old training methods and techniques) and the second is bas ed o n mo der n co nflict (what g ang s are do ing , criminals, terrorists, etc.). When you are protecting yourself for real, you will resort to gross motor skill techniques. Gone are the spectacular twirls, the loose grip, the pretty fan moves, and multiple taps that are supposed to represent strikes that are found in most

Police Techniques

Martial Arts weapons classes. When you are in a real fight with an impact weapon you end up swinging that weapon like a gorilla. It’s not pretty.

A few years later, in 1995, I trained with S t ev e Tarani and to o k a s eminar wit h Grandmaster Leo Giron to see if anything had changed since my JKD days, and it had not. I have not been back since, although I’ve had quite a few JKD students come to me. One of them is David Cheng, who just wrote a book titled Jeet Kune Do Basics (Tuttle Publishing, 2004).

Now For Civilians Since 1992 I have trained literally thousands of police and military personnel in Defensive Tactics, which includes the proper use of impact weapons. Coupled with my own experiences on the streets as a police officer I have developed a rather easy-to-learn and applicable system that will work in real conflict situations. Up until 2001, my teachings were restricted to government entities. Then in 2001, after the terrorist attacks on the United States, I came to realize that civilians needed to know how to protect themselves as well, and I just didn’t see a lot of civilian Martial Arts instructors who were providing their students with realistic training. One of the reasons for this is that very

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few civilian Martial Arts instructors have been in real confrontations, especially with weapons. Most civilian instructors learn from other civilian instructors and have no military or police background. It’s an important connection because the military deals with enemy combatants and the police deal with mentally unstable people, criminals, and in some cases terrorists. These, of course, are the enemies that anyone of us can end up facing. Knowing this, publisher Alfredo Tucci of Budo International and I got together to produce a new DVD titled Reality-Based Police Baton Tactics. This new DVD is everything a person needs to know in learning how to use an impact weapon. Although it is geared for security and police personnel, the concepts and training exercises are exactly the same for civilians who may be armed with an improvised weapon for self-defense.

What Makes It Work The system, like my new DVD, starts off by showing the student the impact areas of the human body. In a real conflict you cannot just hit a person wherever you like. Your strikes must fall within the proper legal use of force. For example, if you are striking an unarmed attacker with a stick because they are trying to kick you, the proper place to strike would be large muscle groups, like the arms or the legs. On the other hand, if a criminal is about to pick up a gun from the floor in order to shoot you, you may have no choice but to strike a RED ZONE target such as the head, spine, or groin. Like any fight, it all depends on the totality of circumstances.

Once a student knows the legalities, they are taught how to warm up with the weapon and how to hold it in a conflict situation. Of course, the proper grip is the fist grip. This grip is no different if you are slugging someone, if you’ve got a knife in your hand, or a gun for that matter (the only difference with a gun is that the index finger is along the receiver or on the trigger).

Almost everything we do is with the fist. That is our primary striking tool.

The proper stance when holding an impact weapon is to have the body bladed with the primary hand back holding the weapon. If you are right-handed, like 80% of the population, then

Police Techniques

“There are only 12 angles in which to strike the human body”

“The proper stance when holding an impact weapon is to have the body bladed with the primary hand back holding the weapon”

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your primary side is your right side. If you are a lefty, then your left side will be back. However, if your opponent is also armed with a non-projectile weapon, you may lead with your primary side in order to have a better reach.

There are only 12 angles in which to strike the human body. In the system, and in my new DVD, I cover all 12 angles step-by-step. These angles are no different than the way the ancient Europeans, Filipinos, or the American Apache Indians for that matter, had established them. Even the new United States Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP) follows the same angles, minus a few.

Blocking is easy. There are only four primary blocks: up, down, horizontal (inside or outside). If you add in the four diagonal blocks, which are

nothing more than variations of the first four, then you can block any incoming strike. It is laughable when traditionalbased instructors tell their students that it takes years to learn how to strike and block, when in fact it can all be learned in a single day. What takes years is maintaining those skills.

Lear ning individual strikes and blocks is obviously necessary, but they would be worthless without trying them out in conflict exercises. In this system we have three major exercises, starting from easy and becoming more difficult due to realistic speeds: the One Point Sparring Drill, the Feeding Drill, and the Free Style Drill. Of course, the ultimate test is to put it all together into Conflict Rehearsal (realistic actors, costumes, props, and an authentic environment).

Conclusion As I’ve said before, there are two types of Martial Arts, traditional-based and reality-based. Actually, there is a third category as well – sport-based. If you’re not in the Martial Arts to learn self-defense, then there is nothing wrong with learning fancy ancient weapons techniques, doing katas, and following old traditions. However, if you study the Martial Arts for the sole purpose of protecting yourself, or loved ones, then simple, stripped-down techniques interjected with proper mental conditioning, as I have mentioned in many previous articles, is the only way to go. My reality-based system is for those who fight for a living and my new DVD Reality-Based Police Baton Tactics may just be what you need if you have to fight for your life.

Police Techniques

WING CHUN GUNG GUNG FU: FU: The Explosive Art of Close Range Combat

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Sifu Randy Williams’ extensive collection of books on Wing Chun in 6 volumes, the series contains the history of Wing Chun, the theory and description of all Wing Chun forms in detail, Volume 6 is focused on instructing the system and provides additional information about Wing Chun Combat Theory from A to Z! This great work, originally written in 1988 and newly revised and updated is a must for the library of any serious student of the art.

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“Look Deem Boon” Gwun Volume 2 (60 min.)

Heavybag Drills, Dummy Drills, Two Man Drills, Form overview, Pole vs. Knife