Martial arts Magazine Budo International 318 – August – 2016

Kali is a very versatile and old system of fighting that includes empty hand as well as weapon training methods. It is a devastating Art unto itself, but when you add the Kyusho you become even more efficient, effective and advanced in disabling an opponent. Kali has always taught what is called "Gunting" for strikes to weaker aspects of the arms, in volume #1 the Kyusho added even greater potential and a perfect starting point for the Kyusho or Kali practitioner.

Many arm destruction methods were demonstrated as well as Kyusho Knockouts using only the nerves of the arm. This second volume expands on these powerful Kyusho targets by working from the arm traps of volume #1 and demonstrating additional and even more powerful head targets for incapacitation of the opponent. This video compilation will bring you far more advanced skills, even if you do not practice Kali... the two methods were meant for each other. Several KO's are demonstrated so you can see the efficiency and affect Kyusho brings to Kali.

REF.: • DVD/KYUSHO 25 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.com

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t's not the first time I see myself in this quandary, and probably it won't be the last one either. It's a bit strange trying to explain in a simple way what I am talking about when I say spirituality, especially when I want to distinguish it from religion or mysticism. Spirituality, as I conceive it, is the knowledge and positive interaction with the invisible. Therefore, the first point I must face when I give a talk on the subject, is to place people in front of the invisible, with eyes to see the invisible.

A Herculean task, since the concept of life is modulated by the mystery of perception and this is the basis of our entire subjective Universe.

Nobody, basing exclusively on reasoning, will be capable of changing the whole system of "subordination" of the world that has been established by pertinacious and forceful contumacy, in the consensus of the group, day after day from childhood… and much less someone from outside, with a simple chatting. So, I am aware that the only thing I can try is to make a breach in the impenetrable and consolidated concept of perception; the rest of the process will be, at best, like a fairy tale told to a child, and at worst, like trying to explain color to a blind man.

Not that I am intending to change or impose my outlook above other viewpoints, however, when I am asked to talk about something, I understand that the other party wants or needs to hear what I have to say, and given that we speak "different languages", I only can establish a bridge by questioning the mean of communication itself.

We spend tons of energy trying to keep up the castle of our personal universes; really the only thing capable of breaking those thick walls is a spiritual initiation on a path strewn with empiricism, a pair of hard bollocks to keep going when everything's falling down, and an extraordinary craving for knowledge.

For all this, the topic of perception is not however paltry, because when we studied it in greater detail, we understand how unreliable and limited our conception of the world is. Admitting this particular is easier to take my questioners to the real paradigm of Matrix, a universe of energies and tensions which the ancient Shizen priests, the Miryoku, so aptly described.

When we realize that the "skin" of matter is only a concept created by our mind, it's easier to understand that everything is a flowing of associative vibrations, vibrational frequencies and energies amalgamated by laws of affinity and repulsion. Matter is just a denser vibratory rate, which has at least two points to generate a frequency and what we see or perceive through the senses is therefore only a part of the range of energies that make

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up this material world and other parallel worlds.

The laws governing these worlds are what the ancient Shizen shamans studied in the e-bunto, "the great force common to all." It is true that such knowledge is so vast and so special that it has nothing in common with the kind of knowledge you acquire when you follow a correspondence course or attend University classes. Most of them are so complex and specific, that cannot be explained outside a system of relevant values (its own culture) and consequently through an initiation, something, like Shiniyuki Sensei said, "to be admired by many, practiced by few and understood by even less"...

But those experiences have opened my perception to a completely different view of the Universe and not simply to an opinion or a subjective assessment, but also to the possibility of interacting with those powers, energies and tensions in an effective, empirical and palpable way.

What does it mean? Well, one thing is what you might think, or the way you'd like to build your personal Universe, and quite another is to explicitly corroborate actions beyond the normality or the consensual agreement reached by the collective reason.

The achievement of the Miryoku was that of exploring the unknown with no value judgments, not even questioning the existence of the impossible, but doing it from empiricism.

Such empiricism of the Miryoku arose from the need and became strong through their incomparable tenacity; in the harsh Hokkaido winters, at 40 ° C below zero, you cannot go wrong twice... when villages were stalked by forces vastly superior in number, their oracles couldn't afford to be approximate or malleable.

If Universe itself has an Order, as everything that man has scrutinized seems to show, such order should be understood. Ring any bells? It's something that science as a method has been pursuing for a few centuries. Not satisfied with understand the Order, ancient Miryokus tried to establish an interaction with it and so they discovered that impossible is only a state of mind.

Spirituality is not mysticism, although there may be spiritual paths which are also mystical; spirituality is not religion, although for some people the latter is a necessity quite respectable.

“One thing is what you might think, or the way you'd like to build your personal Universe, and quite another is to explicitly corroborate actions beyond the normality or the consensual agreement reached by the collective reason.�

Great Masters

Raúl Gutiérrez, "Warrior's Soul" I have known Master Raúl Gutiérrez for many years. He has always seemed to me a very gifted person for the Martial Arts, a person, so to speak, born with the intrinsic skills of a warrior, but what is even more remarkable is that he was also born with the spirit, with the soul of a warrior.

Years, for all that, have only come to confirm what we already knew. Of course, everything was there, but the way it would develop and grow is always a mystery, because it belongs to the sphere of the own free will, the will that opens (or closes) a door instead of another, and each one leads us to a new stay, with a new outlook, new scenarios, with different stars and actors. But my friend's maturity arrived in top conditions and today he is a wiser, more serene and compassionate man. He's a better person and, as a natural consequence, a better Master. It's always a good time to bring him to our cover because he's a living legend in Kenpo's history; admired, followed by hundreds of people around the world, the life of this universal Chilean, has touched that of many, many people and many more still await him on their crossroads, because if his work so far has been great, it's in this stage where he shines with a stronger force, illuminating the ways and lives of many.

Alfredo Tucci

Kenpo

Great Masters

“We must always understand the value of time. Time can be properly exploited or it can be lost in the most stupid way. It is our decision, but remember that every second, every minute of our existence, is a miracle that doesn't repeat itself.�

My Personal History My beginnings in the world of Martial Arts were motivated by a simple "inner call" in a time when there wasn't too much information on the subject. Rather little of everything. TV was in black and white, we still used "crystal radios" and the first radio receivers were revolutionizing the market. There were few books about Great Masters and Martial Arts, all of which presented "erroneous" ideas because of the lack of knowledge and sufficient information to contrast them. Of course, the Internet had not yet appeared, and logically, neither existed CD, DVD, video, movies, specialized magazines, or television.

Not even I myself could explain the reason why one fine day I made up my mind to practice Martial Arts. Perhaps it was the fact of living in a world of constant personal clashes among human beings, misery, needs, uncertainty in what could be our future; wars, tough and extremist politics, American war movies. Now it's irrelevant. It doesn't matter. The important thing is that, living with a father who was a "carabinero", a cop, since he was a child, I coexisted in a permanent climate of challenges and confrontations that ranked from mild to severe and even fatal, seeing people fighting, mainly men against men, women against women, or women against men; they often faced in an all-out war as if it they were wild animal I saw many fights since my earliest childhood. Stupid fights for stupid reasons, or stupid reasons so that each one could let emerge his or her "stupid extreme evil". I witnessed the death of people around me in various circumstances, which I ended up considering as something completely natural. Sometimes when most adults were mourning the death of a loved one, my mother asked me why I didn't cry. And my answer then was also very logical and natural. "And why should I cry? I don't feel it inside, I cannot do it, besides, he (or she) has already died and there's nothing we can do about it. We're all going to die one day." My mother then threw up her hands and said: "This child has a heart of stone!"

Kenpo

“Not even I myself could explain the reason why one fine day I made up my mind to practice Martial Arts.�

Great Masters Perhaps the impact I suffered to see the death of some people had made that my attitude was that.

And now I'm glad that it was so. I saw a few people die at an early age in my childhood. Some in traffic accidents, or fires, suicides on the railroad track, knife fights or firearm encounters, etc.

Anyway, living in that environment was "probably" the reason for which I decided to prepare myself for what I assumed it would come at me. I found out that a close friend was practicing Karate, another one was learning Judo, some were doing Boxing and the majority of those who were truly dangerous, without having any type of special preparation on the subject, "really were the tough guys of the street." They always knew how to really hurt people at the moment of truth with no legal concerns and its possible consequences. They had always lived in misery in a hostile world that had so little to offer to both, the youngsters and those not so young. Therefore, at an early age they had begun to commit crimes to survive, and thus they gradually became accustomed to look for the quick and easy way to get whatever they might need in the moment they so decided to.

I always say in my lectures that it is much easier to destroy than to build. Breaking an object with a good blow is simple, you just have to do it and within seconds is destroyed. But how much time, effort, sacrifice, money and skill

had it taken to bring it to that point or place?

These simple arguments make us or should make us think that what is truly important in life is to protect, take care for and admire all things in the divine or human creation. Thank God and my folks, since childhood I lived in humble homes but surrounded by beautiful nature and animals.

It was my father who, with his infinite patience and dedication, built with his own hands the houses where we lived, he planted trees, fruits, vegetables and raised different animals. Then I was an only child and my everyday companions were dogs, cats, pigs, chicken, rabbits, ducks, etc. What better way to live and grow? Even if out on the street existed so much evilness and constant risks.

I began to get gradually immersed in the martial world, but despite everything that I was living in the Dojo looked "real good", I didn't know if it would actually work in the street, simply because it was not applicable or no one had yet applied it. Because nothing of that would work normally. With my street experience, gained since my childhood in constant willy-nilly clashes (because I never was aggressive or violent, rather I was shy, quiet and always trying to be a good boy), whenever my "Teacher"

“I began to get gradually immersed in the martial world, but despite everything that I was living in the Dojo looked "real good", I didn't know if it would actually work in the street, simply because it was not applicable or no one had yet applied it.�

Kenpo

“I always say in my lectures that it is much easier to destroy than to build. Breaking an object with a good blow is simple, you just have to do it and within seconds is destroyed.

But how much time, effort, sacrifice, money and skill had it taken to bring it to that point or place?�

“Nobody is perfect.

Everything comes at just the right time and therefore we must be patient, tolerant and humble.�

Great Masters in the gym took me out to fight, not with him but with the beasts that he believed he had, blood wood run, there would be loss of teeth, broken ribs, knees or other several injuries. Those were "other times"; Martial Arts were then regarded as something special, and Karate, Tae-kwon-do, or Kung-fu practitioners were respected. Also training was very hard on its physical and technical aspects.

As it can be easily imagined, there were no sports combat rules, nor equipment and protections like those of today. At that time, fights were to knockout or K.O.; without weight or degree categories.

A few years later, I decided a change the scenery because after my first steps in Boxing, Judo, Shotokan Karate and Kenpo-Karate, I began to travel, to investigate and to discover certain realities that had been hidden to me so far. Thereafter the personal history began to be written.

In Europe, and settled in Madrid from August 30, 1976, I set on a series of trips and initial contacts with some great masters and contact sports specialists. In this way I had great opportunities to meet, train with and share with characters like Bernard Billicky, Dominique Valera and Bill Wallace; Benny Urquidez, Tadashi Yamashita, Johan Vos, Jan Plas, Pepe Legrá, Jon Fanning, Robert Trias, Thomas Mitose, Mazayuki Kukan Isataka , Masafumi Suzuki, Ed Parker, Tatsuo Suzuki, Yosuke Yamashita, etc.

I have greatly benefited from the precious teachings, histories, knowledge and philosophy of life of all of them. In fact there was a time in my personal history that forced by various

“Do not let people take you into their storm.

It's better that you attract them to your peace.”

circumstances, fate and because in reality and despite all these steps and contacts, I had become a self-taught. When in my home country I stood out for my enthusiasm, dedication, creativity and originality, and at the request of students and instructors of the academy, the teacher assigned a few classes to me, in which I came to have more than 40 students per session.

And so I remained for a couple of years until I made the leap to Europe, a decision that I will never regret.

In Europe, I was surprised that there were no Kenpo Masters, however, there were many other masters who were very good in their respective disciplines. I never had objections to train with any of them. This always marked in me an enormous respect, regardless of whether they were Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Filipino or Americans. And precisely this attitude and way of life, was what led me at some point in my life to creating in Spain the first association open to all styles of Martial Arts. And this was

the historical and controversial "Spanish Association of Karate and Martial Arts" SUSKA, in honor, respect and admiration for the late Grand Master of Shuri-Ryu Karate, Robert A. Trias, president of the "United States Karate Association" USKA. Trias was the first who opened wide the doors for me, the first who believed in me. He taught me many things, he was "a Master and a Friend". I greatly regretted his early death from bone cancer, RIP.

RECONCILIATION For many years I have been angry, rebellious or intransigent with some people who in the past I considered "they had hurt me", at least some had tried. Gradually I have come to understand that it is not necessary to hold a grudge or speak ill of anyone.

"Talk about my life when yours is an example, and when you think that is an example, then you will realize that it's no longer necessary to speak about anybody's life." I understood that many times, because of our own mistakes or lack of understanding, we do not realize that the attitude or behavior of some

Kenpo is due precisely to the fact that sometimes we want, wish or expect an answer or a result from someone in particular, and that someone either doesn't see it the same way, is busy with other things or he simply doesn't consider it so.

In other words, nobody is perfect.

Everything comes at just the right time and therefore we must be patient, tolerant and humble, while it is true that there are envious, negative, harmful, obsessed people that live permanently with evilness. "Do not let people take you into their storm. It's better that you attract them to your peace."

Along the way we will find paths of glory, success and satisfaction. But there will be certain portions full of thorns, pitfalls and pain. Do not be alarmed, when problems appear they must be solved as soon as possible with a positive attitude and determination. We must never fall into the pain and sadness that can lead us to depression and thus to an even worse failure, nor play the victim and go around telling everyone our sorrows. Remember that such behavior bores people, takes them away from us and eventually they even refuse to greet us. People don't want losers or weepers by their side for too long. However, if you are a winner, you become a "magnet", all or many will want to be near you. And they come for their own will.

“Busy minds, clean hearts and satisfied souls never get into other people's lives.�

Great Masters "Busy minds, clean hearts and satisfied souls never intrude on nobody's privacy". To take distance and stay away from complicated or difficult people, greatly improves health. Today I choose to forgive those who have hurt me in the past. I know that at the time, many of them have given me love, support and understanding. But like everything in life, it must follow its own course. Many of us who once were friends and colleagues for those things of fate, there came the moment in which our paths separated, moved away and perhaps they will never meet again. The important thing is to always remember all the best we have shared in the past. And if over the years we meet again, may it be with those best memories, a smile, a "what a joy to see you again!", a handshake and a warm hug.

WHAT HAVE MARTIAL ARTS GIVEN TO ME Throughout my life, a perfect balance in mental, physical and spiritual health. A very powerful reason to wake up every morning giving thanks for a new day and the opportunity to improve in every aspect, to know that I still live, that I can see a new dawn, embrace the sun, breathe the air that gives me life or caress the rain; look at the mountain and admire its majesty; feel that I can run, train, see grow trees and flowers; contemplate the immensity of the sea and submerge pleasantly in its comforting waters; answer the phone when a friend calls me; listen to music, sing and dance if I feel like.

That is, so many simple, easy and free things that our wonderful world offers us.

Martial Arts have allowed me to sculpt my body, mind and spirit. They have made me humble, noble and simple, as well as

physically and emotionally strong. They have always been by my side in good times and bad moments. Also they have allowed me to travel around the world and get to know so many wonderful places of the Earth and meet excellent people, winning friends and achieve friendship and admiration. They've also served me to help, initiate, guide and share with others the experience and knowledge acquired, always with the best disposition and feeling useful, since over the years, I keep finding so many people from the different corners of the world, who show me affection, admiration and appreciation for all what they feel I did for them at some stage of their lives.

This comforts my spirit, relaxes my mind and makes me feel good.

I usually say that Martial Arts shouldn't be practiced only during training hours, whether on the mat, the training hall, at the open air or indoors, but for all day long, from the moment we get up in the morning. We practiced our arts from the very moment we open our eyes, giving thanks for reawakening, for the good things we have, for our children, our family, our friends... We must do so with a cheerful and positive attitude, singing if possible when getting into the shower. Look with love our loved ones and start our activities with the profound willingness to be the best at everything. Without running over anyone, but trying to be a good husband, father, friend and neighbor, and the best in our workplace, at school or wherever we have to spend the day, always helping those who need us and need.

This is practicing Martial Arts 24 hours a day.

It's not kicking or punching a fellow, a sand bag or an enemy. It's giving love, example and respect for society in general.

Not being able to curb our fears, resentments, hatred or dissatisfaction and act with verbal or physical violence against

“I usually say that Martial Arts shouldn't be practiced only during training hours, whether on the mat, the training hall, at the open air or indoors.�

Kenpo

Great Masters

“It is important to say that I achieve every day more and more enthusiasm to continue the warrior's way.

Always fighting and overcoming my own fears or doubts.�

Kenpo someone, means we have failed as martial artists. Because being a good martial artist is acting well at all times, without offending or disturbing anyone. And if we lose control somehow, we must immediately apologize and reconcile ourselves with our fellow human beings. You'll be more respected if you are a noble, cautious and good person, rather than being violent, aggressive or offensive and causing physical or moral harm to others.

The term Kung-Fu means being able to do things right. Having Kung-Fu is being good at what you do, and so, you can have a great Kung-Fu as a parent, as a son, as a friend or as a professional.

Don’t you ever let vanity wins you. The more years of training and grades you have acquired, the nobler, humble and patient you should be. Don't you ever believe that you know everything, or that you are better than other people. Or that your style is the best. Every day is a struggle against our own ego, a constant fight against our own demons and flaws. Every day is a steady search for our inner peace. It is said that practicing Martial Arts is like watching the wide sea. You can see its beginning but

never its end. When we dedicate time and strive to achieve the highest level in any particular aspect of the art or life, there are other points in which we get weaker or lose skill. That is why we must always be prudent and noble. Reaching is difficult, falling is easy.

Finally, Martial Arts have always been a very important part of my life. They have allowed me to meeting many beautiful people, traveling, enjoying, sharing and always learning, and although I have gone through hard stages sometimes, in the end reward and recognition have always come.

Today, I can say that they have mainly been part of my best moments, being companions of traveling and satisfaction. It is important to say that I achieve every day more and more enthusiasm to continue the warrior's way. Always fighting and overcoming my own fears or doubts.

Thanks to you all who have been part of my way, my respect and best memories for those who are gone and I hope to give the best of myself to those who still are, and others that are to come.

"Yours in friendship and the world Martial Arts."

“Not being able to curb our fears, resentments, hatred or dissatisfaction and act with verbal or physical violence against someone, means we have failed as martial artists.”

“Being a good martial artist is acting well at all times, without offending or disturbing anyone.”

Pressure Points

Combat Hapkido

The Science of Self Defense in 60 minutes

By Master Mark S. Gridley

The title of this article is a challenge exercise for any self-defense instructor or practitioner to help focus on what they feel matters most. The following outline and topics are not absolute and represent my opinion based on over 25 years of experience. I encourage you to create your own lesson plan and test it by putting it into action. It should be obvious that learning and developing proficiency in self-defense cannot be accomplished in just 60 minutes.

Many readers have dedicated decades of study, practice and experience to this area and I do not mean to dilute the absolute necessity for practice, dedication, and lifelong study.

Pressure Points

Combat Hapkido

However, what if you only had a few minutes to teach someone with limited to no experience how to defend themselves or protect their loved ones? What would you share with them? What do you think would be crucial and effective? My hope is that these questions will stimulate your thoughts and creativity. It was a question I heard during a seminar while teaching a double impact seminar with GM Pellegrini, our founder of Combat Hapkido. I thought it was brilliant of the student to inquire “What if you only had 10 minutes to teach someone self-defense?” The answer I thought of was the warrior’s mindset and a very limited number of targets (tactical pressure points) to create injury that would stop the attack and provide the opportunity to escape. Yet, that question wasn’t completely answered in my mind and left me thinking for several days on what is a better response. I took some creative license with the question and decided we needed at least an hour. Of course your lesson will be suited to your student not the other way round. It is important to know who you are training and start with scenarios they are concerned about first before forcing your agenda, even if you do know best. This will help develop trust and lessen anxiety for them to follow your instruction and feel empowered.

Lesson one in the first ten minutes (0:100:20): Situational awareness and the warrior’s mind. Dedicated readers of Budo may have already read an entire article I have previously authored on this subject so I apologize for the brevity; however, the clock is ticking! So many critical incidents are the result of bad decisions or being oblivious to the world around us.

Being present and understanding the physical, moral, and legal impact of being unaware can go a very long way in self-defense. If you are anxious or unsure of your environment or surroundings, simply

Pressure Points

Combat Hapkido

leave or decide on taking a safer route even if longer and more expensive.

Few things are more costly than a violent encounter. In the United States, fire alarms and drills are required in almost every area we work, lear n, and play. However, it is interesting to note that a person is three times more likely to have a violent encounter than to have to escape from a fire. Acknowledging violence can happen is a key to selfdefense awareness. Be aware, plan ahead and implement your plan.

The Warrior’s mind is making the decision prior to any altercation of what you are willing as well as what you are not willing to do in a given situation. It is giving yourself permission to doing what is

necessary to protect those you love and yourself. It is a promise you must uphold to yourself and to others. Our goal is not to kill, our goals are to stop the attack by any means, while protecting and running home safely to those we care about. We will not permit any obstacle or person(s) to prevent us from coming home.

Lesson two in the second ten minutes (0:20-0:30): Targets for creating injury and escape. Once again, in previous Budo articles I have shared the rationales on why we use tactical pressure points in self-defense.

However, in its simplest form we are creating injury or the sensation of injury. Keep in mind that your student only has ten minutes to learn this segment and must be willing to create injury. There are a plethora of perfectly valid targets an instructor can choose with good result. My favorite personal self-defense target is Spleen 6 located just above the ankle on the inside of the leg. A solid stomp to this point will neutralize the attacker’s mobility while causing excruciating pain allowing a quick escape.

There are a number of reasons to why I use this target, though the strongest rationales are that it is difficult to defend against, easy to access,

very effective and quick to learn. I am guessing that many of you would go for the eyes or groin? I agree these are solid targets‌if you can access them and they are poorly defended. So my next choice would be to show the student how to attack the anterior ethmoidal nerve located on the nasal suture of the nose. This is generally less well defended than the eyes and will cause blurry vision, pain, and release the head and neck. Again, time is limited so I have provided both a high line and low line target and will drill them to proficiency versus providing a dozen options that will lead to indecision or confusion.

Lesson three in the third ten minutes (0:30-0:40): Protective postures. Often the importance of our posture, position, or stance is much underrated and thus undertrained. In Combat Hapkido, we maintain a shield position which provides us balance, mobility, protection of vital areas, and can be used offensively. We begin with open hands extended out greater than 90 degrees and elbows close to our sides.

This protects our head and torso while allow for quick strikes. We use a slightly bladed profile to minimize exposure of our body with our knees slightly bent to allow for both quick mobility and stability. Variations of the posture can be done from standing, sitting, and lying positions. Our main goal is to create injury in order to stop

Pressure Points

the attack while not getting injured during the encounter by utilizing a strong positon. Notice that situational awareness, mental commitment and creating injury come before protective postures. This is purposeful as a strong offense is often the quickest defense. It also gets the student into rapidly executing their plan versus focusing on a stationary position. All these are helpful tactics in supporting their escape and should be built on in a cumulative manner.

Lesson four in the fourth ten minutes (0:40-0:50): Basic strikes. As you turn the pages you will probably find any number of articles by some very well respected martial artists on the important technical aspects of strikes in addition to a number of useful tools for the serious practitioner. In this lesson, we find ourselves limited by the constraints of time and thus will focus on no more than two types of strikes, perhaps three at most if the student is a quick study. Equipment such as striking pads will be beneficial or something of the sort that can be struck full power without the risk of injury to the trainee or the trainer.

The first strike would be a low line front kick with a downward stomp to finish in order to maintain balance and forward pressure. We will drill this hard, fast, balanced, and most importantly with correct range of movement to fully penetrate a target. Next up would be the hammerfist in a rapid cycling movement with a focus on biomechanical correctness and targeting. Lastly, we would work palm strikes from multiple angles aimed at some vital targets that

can be exploited with gross motor movements as our short time permits.

Lesson five in the fifth and last ten minutes (0:50-1:00): Post conflict management. Time is going fast and we only have a few minutes left. Here we will focus on how to move tactically away from the injured assailant keeping the subject in sight and only turning your back once you are at a safe distance to run. Once we have defined “safe� for the student or those they are protecting we are ready to enter our post conflict state. We will focus a few moments on tactical breathing to help calm the primal mind from the adrenalized state to enable the student to think clearly.

Next, we must teach to assess if anyone other than the bad guy is injured and needs immediate medical attention,

Combat Hapkido

Combat Hapkido

explaining to the student that they may not have even noticed receiving an injury during the struggle.

Now the choice to report to authorities what has happened by starting with the fact that they were afraid for their life and only wanted the attack to stop. I would advise contacting an attorney to help navigate anything further while legalities are being sorted out.

Lastly, I would recommended talking through an after action report with a knowledgeable instructor with an emphasis on what went right and a just a few observations on what could have been done better. If time permits, perhaps even do a safe reenactment of a past scenario with the finish being an e m p o w e r i n g outcome.

As you conclude the lesson, make sure you offer yourself or other resources that a r e available to the student as you bid them farewell and wish t h e m

well. A quick tip sheet or overview of the lesson and a business card with your information can convert this 60 minute student into a multi-year practitioner. In Combat Hapkido, we focus on instructing students on three main objectives. That is, keeping them out of the morgue, out of the hospital, and from being on the wrong side of the legal system. Our definition of victory in self-defense is returning home safely with and to family and friends. In the end, at the very least if we have done our job well, there will be one more person better prepared to stay safe in this world.

So there you have it, the science of self-defense in 60 minutes; or hopefully it will serve as functional introduction to a lifelong pursuit of study. My goal is that you have enjoyed this article not just as an instructional column but more so as a way of stimulating your thoughts on how it can be done better.

Many of the ten minute segments have been or can be entire articles or even books in and of themselves so please keep an open mind as you critique and create.

Of course, this article cannot capture this subject in its entirety and you are encouraged to delve deeper to more fully understand these important areas of selfdefense. In future articles we will continue to expand on the Science of Self Defense through the teachings of Combat Hapkido. Of course, you don’t have to wait; all of this information is available through the Combat Hapkido Books, Online University, and DVD instructional series, which you can order directly from Defensive Services International at www.dsihq.com and Budo International at www.budointernational.net.

Please train safe, live with honor, and be well.

For certification information, seminars, or questions, please contact: info@dsihq.com

WingTsun

A few days ago, thanks to the curious world of the Internet, I read an interesting article on the blog of a known Wing Chun sifu. He spoke about the verbal incontinence of many practitioners who, on observing the work of a different branch or school from theirs, they unabashedly said “That's not Wing Chun!” Or even the alr eady traditional: “That's not authentic Wing Chun!”

Sometimes these discussions are caused by the lack of perspective and knowledge of the REAL history of the system. If you read carefully you will see that there never was a real Wing Tsun. Or at least, no one can be the possessor of such “responsibility”.

Styles within a style “The Art of the Thousand Faces”

Sifu Salvador Sánchez “Yip Man was an atypical case in the tradition of Wing Tsun. He had two masters: Chan Wa and Leung Bik-Sum. This fact, which in principle doesn't seem relevant, absolutely changed Grandmaster Yip Man's way of practicing and understanding Wing Tsun, and the evolution of the system itself.”

WingTsun

Styles within a style “The Art of the Thousand Faces�

I

n a system like ours, in which the learning method has undergone major changes in recent years, coupled with the fact that the very nature of this system places special emphasis on personal feelings, it's not uncommon to observe the existence of different forms of "DOING", different styles within the STYLE. This is undoubtedly one of the most important features of Wing Tsun. On the one hand, practitioners less developed, with a lower technical criterion, dare to say: "That's not Wing Tsun". I imagine that all this, reader of this article, regardless of the style you practice, will sound familiar to you... Obviously we are raising this question in order to try to clarify the issue and, incidentally, attempt to unite rather than separate.

To be able to assess whether or not it's Wing Chun, we must look back and review the history of the discipline itself. For this I would like to refer to the Master Teacher of our style: Yip Man Even he was faced with similar situations in the time in which he lived. Finally, one

Sifu Salvador Sánchez “To be able to assess whether or not it's Wing Chun, we must look back and review the history of the discipline itself.

For this I would like to refer to the Master Teacher of our style: Yip Man.”

WingTsun

Styles within a style “The Art of the Thousand Faces” realizes that history is cyclical... and that the facts related to humans are repeated over and over again.

Yip Man was an atypical case in the tradition of Wing Tsun.

He had two masters: Chan Wa and Leung Bik-Sum. This fact, which in principle doesn't seem relevant, absolutely changed Grandmaster Yip Man's way of practicing and understanding Wing Tsun, and the evolution of the system itself. They say that when Yip Man met Grandmaster Leung Bik in an almost incidental way, he couldn't recognize him as a practitioner of his own system. Yes, it is surprising.

Asked about the style he practiced, Yip Man who claimed to practice WingTsun, was surprised by the aesthetics of the practice of Master Leung Bik. Things were quite different.

The question I dare launch today is: How is it possible such a different style between two students of the same master?

Let’s study a little history of the style...

The famous Wing Chun teacher Dr. Leung Jan, of Foshan, wrote three books on the style. These books were manuscript and never published. Although this is not proven, it is accepted by common agreement in the history of this system,

WingTsun that Dr. Leung Jan marks a before and an after in relation to the fame he had in Wing Tsun so far. It's therefore a very important reference to try to clearly explain today's topic.

Among Dr. Leung Jan's students were, nothing more and nothing less than Chan Wah Shun, the "money changer", and Leung Bik, son of the doctor.

Yip Man had learnt his Wing Tsun from Master Chan Wa Shun, in Foshan, but a fortuitous and totally random encounter caused that a short time later, Leung Bik accepted him as a student. In fact, Yip Man had the honor of being the only student of Leung Bik during his early years in Hong Kong.

Yip Man arrived in Hong Kong at age 15, in 1908.

That same year he met Leung Bik with whom he remained for years lear ning from him all the refinements and secrets of Wing Chun Kuen. Despite that, Yip Man always referred to Leung Bik as Si Pak. (Surprising in these times in which anyone who argues with his Sifu disowns him and looks for a new SIFU...)

Leung Bik lacked economic resources and lived on the edge of poverty in Hong Kong. In fact, he lived with a relative and he could barely eat. Interested in him and his situation, Yip Man invited the master to live with him, a fact that no doubt caused a large strengthening of their martial and personal ties. Leung Bik taught Yip Man the art of Wing Chun to until 1912. During these years, Yip Man learned the entire system under the guidance of Leung Bik and, above all, he practiced diligently for years and daily on the most subtle and advanced works of the system. After the

Sifu Salvador Sánchez “Yip Man had learnt his Wing Tsun from Master Chan Wa Shun, in Foshan, but a fortuitous and totally random encounter caused that a short time later, Leung Bik accepted him as a student.”

WingTsun death of Leung Bik, Yip Man returned to Foshan to help his Kung Fu brothers with the knowledge he had obtained in Hong Kong. And it's precisely here where problems b The two masters of Yip Man, despite being students of the same Sifu (Dr. Leung Jan), s eemed t o hav e quite different s ty les and perspectives. A possible explanation for this may be the vital situation of each one: Chan Wa Shun was a man with a scanty cultural background, coarse in his manners and whose knowledge and form of expression were those of a common man. On the other hand, Leung Bik was a highly cultivated person, whose ideals and way of practicing and showing the style were heavily influenced by the Chinese traditional philosophy.

His knowledge of the Wing Chun principles was much deeper and refined than that of his younger Kung Fu brother, Chan Wa Shun.

Although Yip Man learned from Leung Bik as much as he had learnt from Chan Wa Shun, and despite he always stated that Leung Bik's lineage was much broader, deeper and impressive, he never said his Sifu was Leung Bik. Yip Man understood the respect that the students should have for their teacher. We all should look in depth this lesson of RESPECT and Kung Fu...

But the issue today places us in that historic moment in which Yip Man returned to Foshan and, when he showed what he had learned with Leung Bik (remember that he was the direct lineage of Leung Jan) his fellow practitioners, older school Siblings and the rest of the Foshan Wing Tsun community, were alarmed and say without blushing: THAT'S NOT WING TSUN!!

I can only imagine the profound disappointment that the great master could have felt when, trying to

WingTsun improve his system and show the finest flavors of this exciting style, he was refused by his peers for not having a similar aesthetics to what he used to practice years before. Today is exactly the same.

Let's look at it with some curiosity: despite Yip Man overcame each and every one of his fellow practitioners at a technical and combative level, the vast majority of them kept pointing to him as a traitor to the style, because he was training and doing things that differed from what their Sifu had taught them. And what is more, for having practiced with a master of their own school and their own style ... Incredible!

Doesn't it sound familiar to you? Well ... today is exactly the same. Those things of the pendulum...

Years later, asked about what it was or it wasn’t Wing Tsun, Yip Man said some wise words that for me summarize this system and solve any doubt. He said: "If it meets the principles, it's Wing Tsun ..." The principles of Wing Tsun are often recited aloud by the practitioners of this style, but they rarely studied in depth for their practice: I would like to invite Wing Tsun practitioners to look at what they do with deeper eyes, and to avoid judging the personal style of others. I firmly believe that this system has created (and still creates) outstanding Martial Arts practitioners and the simple fact that the aesthetics of what they do is different from yours doesn't give them the "patent" of the style.

“I would like to invite Wing Tsun practitioners to look at what they do with deeper eyes, and to avoid judging the personal style of others.”

Sifu Salvador Sánchez “Years later, asked about what it was or it wasn’t Wing Tsun, Yip Man said some wise words that for me summarize this system and solve any doubt.

He said: If it meets the principles, it's Wing Tsun ...”

Moreover, if you look and reflect, you will realize that in many cases, there are people who do movements with an aesthetics that is called Wing Tsun, but behind there is no principle at all, only choreography.

They say that he who forgets his past, buries his future. Let's take a look at the history of this style and many of the problems before us today will disappear when we understand that the only path for the martial artist is daily practice.

What others do or the personal style of each one shouldn't matter to us in an individualistic art by definition.

The extreme wealth of this discipline allows us to observe personal styles as different as those of my Seguing K. Kernspecht, my Sifu Victor, Sifu Sally Avcy, Sifu Emin, Sifu Tasos, and so many others that, despite being very different in appearance, all of them are extraordinary at a martial level. So we shouldn't judge anyone by the aesthetics of what they do and instead, we should strive to see the good things in each of them and try to improve our individual practice.

I hope this serves to understand.

The Philippines has a long history of life and death combat. From ancient times to the modern day, the fighting arts of the Filipino archipelago have proven themselves time and again to be efficient, effective and extremely deadly forms of fighting. There are countless systems of Filipino martial arts spread throughout the thousands of islands in this region. Many are family arts and no “outsider� will likely ever learn them. Fortunately, many have also been made available to the rest of the world. From the Kyusho perspective the study begins with learning revival and restorations, but then develops mobile arm targeting as its Martial foundation.

When you dissect an attack, besides a kicking action, all other attacks start with the arms, but the challenge is that the arms are the fastest moving parts of the body with the greatest range of motion and directional attack capability.

So it is a very challenging section of training that should be integrated into every session, in so many variations. There are other ways to make this level a bit easier and one is in the skill of Arm Trapping. Kali Master Raffi Derderian and Kyusho Practitioner Evan Pantazi - a collaborative film

REF.: • DVD/KYUSHO 24

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.com

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Isidro Sensei - Aikido 8th Dan KENKIDO-HOMBU-DOJO C / SAN MARIANO No.110 - MADRID - 28022 - SPAIN +34 655 92 11 37 +34 910 344 613 E-mail: jlisidro1717@hotmail.com

Aikido T h e e s s e n t i a l i n T h e A r t o f Wa r i s Eternal, so since the dawn of time, experts have searched the underlying common principle in its dynamics so as to draw conclusions that would allow them to anticipate bringing order and meaning to the chaos in which every battle transforms.

Ueshiba established these principles by applying keys that finally crystallized in techniques, but behind them there was the essential, that is, the Eternal. So Aikido principles possess a Universal v a l i d i t y, b u t n o t a l l p r a c t i t i o n e r s understand the greatness implicit in the approaches of this art, considering at the same time a succession of techniques.

Isidro Sensei demonstrates to us once again through the teaching the noble art of the two swords, a technical innovation in the Japanese Budo that came from the hand of one of its gr eatest legends, Miyamoto Musashi. This magnificent work, pr esented now on DVD, teaches the student not only the technique of the two swor ds, but also encourages him to understand that behind every technique there is always a tactic and behind this, clearly underlies a strategic principle that derives from a philosophical understanding. A book on the subject is being prepared and we hope to offer it in the course of next year, thereby deepening even more in a matter as little studied as interesting. Therefore, as indicated in the opening kanjis, this as a job about Aikido, Iaido, even Kenjutsu, but ultimately everything treated here is pure Bushido.

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“When unsheathing, we mustn't exceed with our hands the height of the top part of our Hara, otherwise we will remain fully discovered and at the mercy of our adversary, without forgetting that the longer the path the bigger the reaction and execution time of the technique.�

Aikido Nito Kenjutsu is an ancient Japanese discipline of the so called traditional Martial Arts. There are several schools, called Ryu in Japanese, which aim to instruct in combat in an effective way with the Katana and the Wakizashi, whose variants in wood for training are the Bokken and the Kodachi. The practice can be developed in many ways depending on Ryu to be practiced.

The different Kenjutsu styles that we know today were forged from the Muromachi period between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Among the most prominent schools of that era we can find the following: • Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu • Kashima Shinto Ryu • Kasumi Shinto Ryu • Ch j Ryu • Nen ryu • Shinkage Ryu The further expansion of Kenjutsu took place during the Edo period (sixteenth to nineteenth centuries), registering more than 500 styles. At the end of this period some styles began to use Hindi, bamboo sword and armors for body protection, thus providing a greater security to the practice of the discipline. This modern way of practicing the art of traditional Japanese sword was the birth of Kendo.

However, new schools or styles of Kenjutsu appeared in the Edo period, of which the most prominent ones are listed below, among others that undoubtedly, perhaps out of ignorance, we have missed to mention: • Niten Ichi Ryu, founded by the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi.

• Shinkage Ryu, founded by Yagyu Muneyoshi.

• Itto Ryu, founded by Ito Ittosai Kagehisa.

• Suio Ryu, founded by Mima Yochizaemon.

After the Meiji restoration, the carrying of swords was banned and therefore various styles eventually disappeared, an event that was repeated after the Japanese defeat in World War II. However, there are still a number of schools that have survived to date today.

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Kenjutsu training varies depending on the style to be practiced. Most schools base their practice in the Kata (with pre-set movements). In some Ryu, the practice of Kata is complemented by training sessions based on combat or multiple Randori, using protective armor in some of them, to prevent unwanted injuries.

In the Kata based training sessions, a wooden sword like the Katana, called Bokken or Bokuto, is routinely used. Each style of Kenjutsu usually imposes specific measures long, wide and curve for their Bokuto swords.

Others, at higher levels, opt for the Suburi Bokken, heavier and larger, in order to increase the skill with such a heavy weapon.

Kenjutsu is a discipline more spiritual and mental than physical, and for its practice it becomes necessary and essential to find balance between body and mind, assimilating the brandished steel as part of one's own body, and feeling contact with the spirit, the physical strength is relegated to a lower plane. The teaching of this discipline, as well as that of Kyudo, has a great physical and religious connotation and at the same time spiritual, basing its strength primarily on the influence of Shintoism, Confucianism and Zen. Many schools of Kenjutsu have been able to survive after the

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Arts of Japan disappearance of the Samurai class, managing to reach our days; of course, after evolving and branching in a variety of styles and schools, since progress is inevitable and necessary, and so other Ryus have emerged as new forms expression. Through the saber we may be able to describe in the space the just and precise technique at the present moment, like if it was a feather, drawing in the space, in the emptiness that fills everything, the feeling of the steel that represents life and death, as an essential ritual warrior.

The warrior With respect to the legendary Miyamoto Musashi, there has been a great deal of talk; some say he used nothing more than a Wakizashi and Katana, i.e., short sword and long sword. Others say that this is not correct, since he fought most of his bouts with a Bokken, that is, a wooden swords, being his style so refined that he didn't need a cutting edge to defeat his opponents. This, a certain stage of his life, was true.

Others deny that Musashi created the Nito-Ichi, the style of the two sabers, perhaps because the more orthodox ones within the Japanese tradition refuse to accept that a samurai could learn or simply inspired himself for the development of his art and school, in Western swordsmen who fought with a skill that had nothing to envy the Japanese art. The stories tell that after seeing a European duel in the Nagasaki area, understood the need of developing a strategy for

fighting with two swords at once, a fact that seems to be more certain than the stories of those who deny it.

Let us not forget that at the time the European duels, a long sword and a short were used, as Musashi would develop later, and by then, the influence of the Europeans was of great importance in the land of the rising sun. Musashi developed the Nito-Ichi school of the two swords. The work we will expose now, was made by collecting ancient techniques and others less so. Techniques that have nothing to do with the style of Miyamoto Musashi, and to which we call so only as a way to refer to the work of the two sabers at the same time, as art of the advantage.

We can denominate this art as Koryu, Japanese word which can be translated literally as old school or old tradition. It is used to describe those Martial Arts that arose before the Meiji Restoration, political event which accelerated the modernization process of Japan. Martial Arts that emerged after this event, the so-called Gendai, that we can exemplify through Aikido, Iaido, Karate, Kendo, Judo or Kyudo, to name a few, are evaluated as sports or arts oriented to the development of the person, unlike the arts classified as Koryu, which refer to the teachings of a strictly military culture, focused on the art of war.

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Aikido The Bokken The Bokken sword, traditionally the basic weapon par excellence for the study and practice of Japanese fencing regardless of style or school, is essential for the hard work that represents the study in the Dojo, which it will extend for years of daily training in order to achieve an average level.

In ancient times, during the Muromachi period, the use of the Bokken, also called Bokuto, became very popular because the samurai began using the art of dueling in peacetime. From this form of combat emerged the specializations of the different schools or Ryu, until our days.

As in the Dojos of the various Ryu or styles they began to teach the art of fencing to students, it became necessary to replace the original steel sword by the simile in wood (Bokken). The Katana was a great work of art in itself, noble and inert that came alive when wielded by the Budoka. Its edge was brittle and sharp as a razor. Its back side was forged to absorb the cutting force or Kiri, stabbing or blockage.

But the edge could be chipped upon contacting the sword wielded by the opponent, since an inexperienced management of the weapon would be detrimental to so considerate gem.

Through the ages, the different Ryu or styles specialized in the art of Kenjutsu; like in Iaido, virtually all of them used the Bokken wooden sword to train and avoid serious injury. While using the Bokken students became Masters of handling such a noble weapon, obviously they became extremely dangerous with his instrument training, i.e., the Bokken.

So, at the same time that the students using the Bokken turned into real Masters in managing such noble weapon, obviously they also became extremely dangerous with their training instrument, i.e., the Bokken.

Several Japanese chronicles talk about warriors who for one reason or another used the Bokken against enemies who wielded real swords with steel blades and nevertheless were defeated. The most famous samurai in the history of Japan and worthy of praise for such feats was without doubt the legendary Miyamoto Musashi.

A brief biography of Musashi His real name was Shinmen Musashi No Kami Fujiwara No Genshin. To be fair, no one knows with absolute certainty his birthplace. Some historians say he was born in the village called Miyamoto, in the former province of Mimasaka, in 1584. "Musashi" is the name of an area southwest of Tokyo and the name "No Kami" means "a noble person of the area", while "Fujiwara" is the name of one of Japan's first noble families, dating back over a thousand years ago.

Musashi himself says of himself: "I am a samurai of the Harima province."

Hirada Shokan, his grandfather, was a server of Shinmen Iga No Kami Sudeshige, lord of the Takeyama castle. It is thought that Hirada Shokan was a favorite of his master, who finally married his daughter.

When Musashi was seven, his father Munisai died or abandoned the child, about a year after his mother Omasa died. Ben No Suke, as Musashi was known

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during his childhood, was in the care of a maternal uncle, a Buddhist priest. So we find Musashi an orphan son of a samurai, during the campaigns of unification of the Shogun Hideyoshi, in an unhappy and violent land.

He was a boisterous young, strong-willed and physically large for his age.

It is not known whether his inclination towards Kendo was at the behest of his uncle, or it was his aggressive nature what led him to it: "From my earliest youth my heart inclined toward the Way of the Warrior", but it's recorded that in the first fight in which he killed a man, he was only thirteen years old.

Do not forget that the time we are talking about, the sixteenth century, was one of the bloodiest periods, both in Japan and in the West. Still, at 13-year-old one is too young to kill someone, especially in a duel. The

opponent was Arima Kibei, a famous samurai in the area, of the Shinto Ryu Kenjutsu School, an expert with the sword and spear who had been walking through the village challenging everyone and had placed a notice saying: "Whoever wants to challenge me will be accepted."

When Musashi read the notice he added down: "I will challenge you tomorrow", and wrote his name. That afternoon came a note of Kibei accepting the challenge and indicating the place of the duel. The next morning Musashi headed for the site of the duel with a wooden sword in his hand, the boy knocked the man when he drew his sword, and struck him on the head when he tried to get up. Kibei died vomiting blood. Originally, Kenjutsu schools were founded around the Shinto temples. The oldest were in the region called Kanto,

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near Tokyo, where the important temples in Kashima and Katori were situated.

The next recorded duel occurred when he was sixteen; he defeated a samurai named Tadashima Akiyama, in the province of Tajima. About this time he left home and began traveling in search of experience, finding all kinds of duels and contests in which he was the winner: "I crossed province after province to fight warriors of all kinds and training, but no one could beat me in the more than sixty duels in which I participated.�

Until he finally settled down the age of fifty, having reached the end of his quest for knowledge. There were many Ronin (samurai without a master) traveling the country on similar expeditions, some alone like Musashi, others who enjoyed the patronage of a school or feudal sector, such as the famous samurai Tsukahara Bokuden, creator of the school Mutekatsu Ryu, who had traveled with an entourage of more than a hundred men in the previous century. This type of pilgrimage trips in search of experience and refinement was called Musha Shugyo.

In this period of his life, Musashi practically lived ostracized from society, dedicated himself heart and soul with a fierce individualist mentality to the exclusive pursuit of enlightenment in the way of the sword. He was only interested in perfecting his skill; he lived like a wanderer, traveling around Japan and sleeping outdoors, enduring the cold winter winds, not arranging his hair... he never took a wife (although there are some references that he had a girlfriend named Otsu), nor was he devoted to any profession. It is said that he never entered a bathtub for fear of being caught unarmed, and that his appearance was rough and wild.

In the battle of Sekigahara (1600) between the armies of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Ishida Mitsunari

for succession to the throne as Shogun of Japan, Musashi, who was 19 years old at the time, joined the army of Ishida to fight Tokugawa. He survived three days of terrible fighting, during which seventy thousand people died in the battlefields, besides the subsequent hunting and killing the defeated army.

The legend At twenty he traveled to Kyoto; this would be the scene of his vendetta against the Yoshioka prestigious family. The Yoshioka had been for generations the instructors of the Ashikaga Clan. Munisai, Musashi's father, had been invited to Kyoto years before by the Shogun Ashikaga Yoshiaka. Munisai was a competent swordsman, and an expert with the "jyutte". The story says that Munisai fought three members of the Yoshioka Clan, winning two of the duels, and perhaps this had something to do with Musashi's behavior toward the family.

Seijiro Yoshioka, head of the family, was the first to fight Musashi, in a wasteland outside the city. It is not known why Seijiro accepted this challenge since he belonged to a high social class samurai family and Musashi was just a 21-year-old unknown samurai, of a lower class and it didn't bring Seijiro any merit.

When the hour agreed for the encounter was due, Musashi didn't show up; servants were sent to looking for him and they found him two hours later in an inn, sleeping. Musashi sent the relevant apologies saying he'd go quickly, but it took him two more hours to get to the spot. When he finally arrived at the scene of the duel, Seijiro was angry and impatient, armed with a real sword, while Musashi held a wooden sword. Musashi hurled himself forward beating Seijiro savagely and knocking him down unconscious. His servers took him

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Aikido home, where he cut off his chonmage (samurai queue) out of shame.

After this feat, Musashi decided to stay in the capital, his continued presence further irked the Yoshioka family. The second brother, Denshichiro, challenged Musashi to a duel, in an attempt to restore the family honor. Musashi, intentionally delayed again the appointment, when he finally appeared, Denshichiro was sufficiently decentralized and angry.

A second after starting the fighting broke his skull with his wooden sword. Denshichiro was dead. The clan issued another challenge, this time in the person of Hanshichiro, the young son of Seijiro. Hanshichiro was a child; he hadn't even reached adolescence yet. This means that it was actually a ruse; even though the challenge had been launched in Hanshichiro's name, Musashi should face all his samurai guard. The duel would be carried out under a large pine tree adjacent to a rice paddy; this pine was known by the name of Ichijoji Sagari Matsu, "the pine coming down from Ichijoji." Ichijoji was a temple that had been founded by the monk Tendai in the year 981, which no longer exists, and of which the area also takes its name.

Already in ancient times, the pine was a landmark for travelers because it was the point where the limits of the provinces of Shiga, Shiratori and Imaji, east of the mountains of Kyoto, converged. A piece of that tree is preserved in the nearby temple of Hachidai.

The pine is still there, is the fourth generation of that.

For these reasons, this event is historically known as the Ichijoji Duel. This time, Musashi arrived at the meeting place before the appointed time and waited hidden for the arrival of his enemy.

The kid arrived dressed formally in his armor of war and surrounded by his entourage of well-armed retainers, determined to do away with Musashi.

Musashi waited, hidden in the shadows. They were planning what they would do when he arrived, for surely he'd be late again; at that moment he suddenly appeared in their midst and attacked the boy. Then, using both swords, he opened a way through them, escaping the trap, followed by a rain of arrows.

After that remarkable episode, he wandered about Japan, becoming a legend in his own time. Mentions to his name and stories of his prowess are found in files, diaries and monuments from Tokyo to Kyushu. At the age of twenty-nine he had faced more than sixty duels and he had won them all. The earliest collection of these facts appears in the Niten Ki, or "Chronicles of the Two Heavens", a record compiled by his pupils a generation after his death.

The same year that the events with the Clan Yoshioka, 1605, occurred, he visited the Kofuku Zen temple, in the south of the capital, Nara. Here he had a duel with Hozoin Kakuzenbo Inei (1521-1607), a priest of the Nichiren sect and skilled warrior. The priest was an expert with the spear (creator of the Hozoin Ryu spear school, still active), but Musashi defeated him twice with his short wooden sword. He stayed in the temple for a while studying fighting

techniques and enjoying talks about Zen with the monks.

Currently, Hozoin monks continue practicing the traditional fighting forms with spear. It is interesting to say that the word "Osho", which now translates as priest, in ancient times meant "master of the spear."

Hozoin Inei was a student of Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, a Kendo Master and a Shinto priest. Spears used by these priests were cross-shaped, and their real name was Jumonji Yari While travelling around the province of Iga, he faced Baiken Shishido, an expert in managing of Kusarigama (a kind of sickle in the handle of which is inserted a long chain that ends in a small metal ball).

Using his strategy, Musashi led the development of the fight into a small copse and when Shishido wanted to use his chain, it got tangled, and then Musashi drew a dagger and plunged it into his chest.

Shishido companions attacked Musashi, but he made them flee in all four directions.

Once, Musashi was in Akashi, Harima province, cutting a wood to make a bow, and a samurai named Mus Gonnosuke showed up to challenge him. He was a skilled samurai in the Kenjiutsu Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu and Jikishinkage Ryu, his skill was such that he had never been defeated, until he met with Musashi. Gonnosuke was armed with an Odachi (long sword) and on the lapels of his Haori (sort of big coat that was put on the kimono), he had written: "Heiho Tenka Ichi" (the best martial artist on earth). He was surrounded by six followers and he began to brag about no one was his equal. He said, "Years ago, in my travels, I have seen the techniques of your father, Munisai, but I still haven't seen your own." Musashi, who was beginning to get irritated, replied: "If you have seen my father techniques, mine are no different." Gonnosuke, showing off to his pupils, pressed further by saying: "My techniques are not to show them to anyone." Musashi snapped: "No matter how you attack me, I'll stop, that's my technique, do what you want and the way you want". Taking a wooden sword more than 1.20 meters long, without any formality, Gonnosuke launched a fierce attack on his opponent, but Musashi, walking straight toward him, hit him lightly between the eyes with the rod, as if it were a sword. Gonnosuke hurried away.

In his constant wandering he reached the province of Izumo, visited Matsudaira, the feudal lord of the region, and asked him permission to fight with his strongest Kendo expert. There were many good strategists in Izumo. Permission was granted to do it against a man who used a wooden hexagonal Bo nearly two and a half meters long. It was a "friendly" challenge, so it wouldn't be a mortal combat; it was held in the gardens of the mansion. In just two moves, using two wooden swords, Musashi cornered the samurai against a porch and disarmed him hitting him in both arms. To the surprise of the assembled servants, lord Matsudaira asked Musashi to fight him.

When Matsudaira began to assume a guard position,

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Arts of Japan and before he finished preparing, Musashi struck strongly the lord's sword and split it in two. Matsudaira recognized his defeat and Musashi stayed in Izumo for a while as the lord's master.

But Musashi's most famous duel took place in 1612, in the city of Ogura, former province of Buzen, Kyushu.

His opponent was Sasaki Kojiro, a man of about forty years of age, who had developed a strong fencing technique known as Tsubame-gaeshi, inspired by the movement of the tail of a swallow in flight, and creator of the Ganry Ryu style, which had become his pseudonym, as everyone referred to him as Ganry .

Such was his fame that this fight went down in history as "the duel of Ganry 's Island", although, of course, the island had another name.

Sasaki Kenjiutsu served as instructor for the lord of the province, Hosokawa Tadaoki. Musashi asked Hosokawa permission to fight with Sasaki through one of his officers, called Nagaoka Sato Okinaga, who in due course had been a pupil of Musashi's father.

Permission for the duel was granted and the encounter should be carried out at eight o'clock of the following day, April 14, 1612. The place would be the small island of Funa Shima, at a few kilometers from Ogura (near what is now known as Shimonoseki).

That night Musashi left his lodging place and moved to the house of an old acquaintance, named Kobayashi Taro Zaemon. This inspired the rumor that he had escaped, frightened by the technique of Sasaki. The next day at eight o'clock Musashi was still asleep because he had drunk a lot the night before, and he had to be awakened by one of the officers assembled on the island. He got up, drank and washed himself with the water brought to him, took his time for breakfast and then went down straight to the seaside.

While Sato rowed to the island, Musashi decided to relax by making a string of paper that he would use as a Tasuki (string or strip of cloth used to tie the wide kimono sleeves to avoid disturbing or harming movements), then he made a wooden sword with the spare oar.

"The true Art of the Sword cannot be understood from the narrow confines of mere swordplay."

When the boat reached the scene of the duel, Sasaki and the officers who were waiting for him couldn't believe it, astonished to see the strange appearance of Musashi, with his unkempt hair fastened with a towel, his kimono sleeves tied with strips of paper, jumping off the boat with a long wooden oar in his hands and rushing through the waves toward the beach, to meet his enemy.

Annoyed by the spectacle, Sasaki unsheathed his long sword, a fine blade made by Nagamitsu of Bizen, and threw away the scabbard. Seeing this Musashi said: "You've already lost, you did that because you won't need it any more" (meaning that the fact of throwing the sheath indicated that he had assumed his own death), which angered Sasaki even more and provoked him to launch the first attack. Musashi jumped up and back, probably using a technique known as Nuki Waza in Kendo, and, dodging narrowly the attack, hit him with the oar on the head. When Sasaki fell dead, his sword had cut the towel from Musashi's head and the hem of his hakama. Musashi saluted the stunned officers and ran back to his ship.

Thereafter, he never in his life would use again real swords in any duel. He was invincible and henceforth he'd be devoted to the search for perfect understanding by way of Kendo.

In 1614 and 1615 he had the opportunity to gain more experience in the art of war and siege. Ieyasu Tokugawa besieged the fortress of Osaka where they had sheltered the insurgents that supported the Ashikaga family. Musashi joined the Tokugawa forces during the winter and summer campaigns, now fighting against those who in his youth had fought alongside him in the battle of Sekigahara.

According to his own writings, he came to understand the art of strategy at the age of fifty, in 1634. That year, he and his adopted son Iori, an orphan he had found in one of his trips in the province of Dewa, settled in Ogura. He never again left the island of

Aikido Kyushu. The Hosokawa House had tasked him with the command of a hub place in the province of Higo, the Kumamoto Castle, and the new lord of Buzen was Ogasawara. Iori found a job under Ogasawara Tadazane's orders; as captain of his army, he fought against the Christians in Shimabara Uprising of 1638, Musashi was fifty-four years.

The lords of the southern provinces had always been antagonistic to the Tokugawa and were the instigators

of intrigue with the foreign powers and the Japanese Christians. Musashi was a member of staff of the army of Ogasawara in Shimabara, where Christians were massacred. After this, Tokugawa closed the ports of Japan to foreign communications, and would remain so for over two hundred years.

The lords of the southern provinces had always been antagonistic to the Tokugawa and were the instigators of intrigue with foreign powers and the Japanese

“The true Art of the Sword cannot be understood from the narrow confines of mere swordplay.�

Arts of Japan Christians. Musashi was a member of the Ogasawara Army Staff in Shimabara, where Christians were massacred. After this, Tokugawa closed the ports of Japan to foreign communications, and it would remain so for over two hundred years.

Musashi wrote "When you have understood the Way of strategy, there will be nothing that you cannot understand" and "You will see the Way in everything".

In fact, he became a Master of Arts and Crafts. He produced masterpieces of ink painting, probably more valued by the Japanese than the ink paintings of any other authors. His works included cormorants, herons, the Shinto God Hotei, dragons, birds with flowers, bird in a dead tree, Daruma (Bodhidharma), and others. He was an expert calligrapher, a fact made evident in his work "Senki" (War spirit). There is a small wood sculpture of the Buddhist deity Acala in private hands.

A sculpture of Kwannon recently lost. He made metal works and founded a school of "Tsuba" manufacturers (sword guards) in which he signed "Niten" after his name (in allusion to his school Ni Ten Ichi Ryu). Word is, he wrote poems and songs, but none of these has reached our days. It is also said that he was commissioned by Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu to paint the sunrise over Edo Castle.

Musashi is known to the Japanese as "Kensei", i.e., "Divine fencer" or "Sword Saint".

His Go Rin No Sho (The Book of Five Rings, referring to Earth, Water, Fire, Wind and Emptiness, the five elements of the Universe of Buddhism), which heads each bibliography of Kendo, is the only manuscript among Martial Arts books that not only deals with military strategy or individual combat with sword, but treats about any situation where you need to use tactics. Japanese businessmen use the "Book of Five Rings" as a business management manual, developing sales campaigns as if they were military operations.

That it works well or not, just depends on how well the user has understood the principles of the Strategy.

"Upon reaching thirty I reflected on my past. I understood that all my victories were not due solely to my mastery in combat; may be they were only due to my natural ability, or perhaps Heaven's wishes favored me, or even that the strategies of other schools were inferior to mine. After this conclusion I studied day and night searching the Principles and only at fifty years of age I came to understand the Way of the Warrior. Since then I have lived without following any particular school, and with the warrior's virtue I practiced many arts and different skills: everything that no teacher could teach me."

The book is not a thesis on strategy; in his words, it's "a guide for men who want to learn strategy". He wrote about the various aspects of Kendo in such a way that everyone can study according to the personal level. A beginner can take advantage at a beginner's level and an expert can capture subtleties at the expert level. The more you read, the more you find in its pages. It is definitely his last legacy, the key to the path walked by him. When at thirty years he had become a fighter ace, he didn't establish and founded a school, replete with success, but he doubly devoted himself to study. In his last days, disdaining likewise the life of comfort with lord Hosokawa, Musashi lived two years alone in a cave deep in the mountains, immersed in contemplation.

In my opinion, Musashi's life is concerned with the searching of an objective, i.e., with setting a goal and chase it beyond setbacks and difficulties. It's having strong convictions and defend them, accumulating experience during our learning in life, capitalizing and empowering the good things without forgetting the mistakes, so as not to make them again. Errors don't exist for a Warrior, as long as he becomes aware of them, because they turn into an open door to knowledge.

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Aikido

“The technical arsenal that we aikidokas have in Kumi-Tachi is impressive.

Only in Irimi-nage we have twenty different basic variants in Sakate, and twenty in Junte.�

Arts of Japan "Stories are but events told and written at the convenience of the authors, full of lies and truths. So is described the history they teach us".

Kenjutsu or Kumi-Tachi?

When we listen to certain teachers or Masters of Aikido, or even when we read many of the writings on the handling of the Tachi or Bokken by experts in Aikido, we see that in many occasions they assigned to the weapon a handling or use that has little or nothing to do with the Aikido and the Kumi-Tachi that we develop in this beautiful discipline. In most writings on the subject, it is often clear that techniques are drawn from various Ryu of Kenjutsu, thus giving out the signal that there is a big gap in that area in Aikido. What has never been learnt, can't ever be explained, taught or conveyed.

Aikido has its own identity in this matter and it doesn't need resorting to other Ryu or schools to fill the void created by a technical deficiency in this area.

The handling of the Tachi or Bokken in Aikido is as easy as doing Aikido with the Bokken. When we work out with the saber, we understand it as a simple extension of our arms, varying only our Ma-Ai, since the other concepts remain unaltered. That is, we perform with the sword all those Aikido techniques that we train in our daily classes, in both Tachi Waza and Suwari Waza, etc.

The technical arsenal that we aikidokas have in Kumi-Tachi is impressive. Only in Iriminage we have twenty different basic variants in Sakate, and twenty in Junte.

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Aikido “If you think you still have to learn, you increase your grace; if you think you are wise, you become a fool.”

“The saber must be understood as a pen with which we must draw in space delicate and continuous lines, without pauses, turning each technique in one single motion.”

Karate qÉñíW=p~äî~Ççê=eÉêê•áò mÜçíçëW=läÖ~=jì¥çò

For his charisma and proven toughness, Master Tak Kubota, 10th Dan since 1994, is undoubtedly a living legend of Martial Arts that has managed to combine the Karate tradition of the purest Samurai style with his film career in Hollywood. Our collaborator, Salvador Herráiz, has visited him several times in his Dojo in California, and brings to our pages an interesting report about him.

The Gosoku Ryu living legend Takayuki Kubota was born on September 20, 1934, in Kumamoto, the same Japanese city where the famous master of the sword, Miyamoto Musashi passed the final years of his life. Young Tak began practicing Karate and Ju-Jutsu at the early age of 4 years, first from the hand of his father and then with Terada and Tokunaga, two

Okinawan experts in To-de who were at his home in Kyusho during World War II. In his words, "I had many Masters, some of them famous. Not being able to mention them all, I prefer, out of respect, not to mention any".

Those were times in which training was very hard and it wasn't granted too much respect for physical integrity. You didn't train to compete but simply to survive. Each part of Master Kubota's body, from his head down to his toes,

Great Masters turned into lethal weapons, while the makiwara was an essential part of his life. "During my youth, all my training was intended to teach me how to kill.

We were instilled the idea that when we fight our enemies, they should end up dead", he recalls. Kubota trained for some time in the Dojo of Kangen Toyama, a direct disciple of Anko Itosu and Kanryo Higaonna.

At the tender age of 13, Kubota went to Tokyo in search of fortune, although initially, hunger and suffering were his only achievement. He slept in temples and train stations, while trying to survive in the violent streets of the suburbs. There he began to develop his style, Gosoku Ryu: "I liked the Goju Ryu for its strength and power. From this style I took out the word GO. Shotokan is fast and strong. I extracted SO from it. My style intends to be strong yet relaxed, to develop a power that is formed in a triangle. I chose the name in Japan by 1950."

Kubota's expert knowledge about Taihojutsu - Police arrest techniques gave him the opportunity to teach baton techniques - that he had learned from his father - to a Tokyo police agent in exchange for food and lodging. Shortly after he began teaching Martial Arts. Between 1949 and 1959, Kubota trained the Kamata Police, and from 1958 to 1964 he did the same with the American Military Police in various bases in Japan.

On August 2, 1964, Ed Parker invited Kubota to conduct a demonstration at the opening of his 1st International Tournament held in Long Beach. Anecdotally, it is noteworthy that one of the demonstrations was given by Bruce Lee himself. Just a few months later, Kubota returned to Los Angeles to take up residence and teach Martial Arts in various government agencies, including FBI, Police Departments, Sheriff Offices, DEA, etc. During that period, the later famous Tonny

Tulleners, Harvie Eubank and Ben Otake (Ed Parker's tour nament champion, LAPD Sergeant and Police officer respectively) put themselves under the orders of Kubota. "Already in the United States, I was sponsored by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), where I taught Baton and Self-Defense techniques, as well as other techniques of my own. More than 20 years ago I created the Police Tonfa for the Police Department, designed to meet law enforcement needs. Later, many other departments adopted it too. I also created the socalled Kubotan, a kind of keychain less than a hand span in length, and is very useful to strengthen the power of control over people through pressure points, etc. as well as being a complement when you are going to handcuff someone", says the Master as he pulls one out of his pocket and shows me.

Kubota, founder of the International Karate Association (IKA) in 1953, has

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high ranks in different martial disciplines, highlighting his 10th Dan in Karate, 5th Dan in Aikido, 3rd Dan in Judo and 1st Dan in Kendo. Established in Los Angeles (California), he initially opened his Dojo in the heart of Hollywood, to move later to Glendale. Immediately after he opened his Hollywood Boulevard Dojo, two girlfriends signed up for Karate classes. One of them, eventually gave up training, the other, Thea, became the wife of Master Kubota - now over 35 years ago - and mother of his son Tyler and his two beautiful daughters.

Master Kubota has been featured in over 300 films, TV shows and commercial spots.

"The Mechanic", starred in 1972 by Charles Bronson and Jan-Michael Vincent, and "The King and I" with Yul Brynner, are the two most representative of a long film career. In 1975 she played Toki Negato in "The Killer Elite", with his student James Caan, and three years later he made "Bad News Bears Go to Japan". In 1986 he shot "Gun Ho", directed by Ron Howard and starring Michael Keaton, where he plays a failed executive. A year later he participated in "Steel Justice", directed by Robert Boris and starring Martin Kove, Sela Ward, Joseph Campanella and Jan Gan Boyd.

Years later he participated in "Black Rain" with Andy Garcia, Michael Douglas and Toshishiro Obata. In 1993 he played the role of the Yakuza Nakamoto - besides those played by Fumio Demura and Tadashi Yamashita - in "Rising Sun", a film starring Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes.

Two years later he filmed "The Hunted", an interesting film written and directed by J.F. Lawton and starring Christopher Lambert, John Lone, Joan Chen (Steven Seagal's partner in "On Deadly Ground"), Yoshio Harada, Yoko Shimada, Mari Natsuki, Toshishiro Obata and Master Kubota who plays the significant role of Oshima. Suspense and action, wrapped in the attractive spiritual atmosphere of the Japanese culture and the swords are the

keys to a film where, once again, the handling of the Japanese sword plays a fundamental role.

In 1996 he appeared in "The Bottle Rocket". He has participated in "Power Rangers" and "True Lies", starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Kubota's lifelong student, James Caan. Even he could be seen playing the role of a sympathetic Japanese tourist who is mugged in one of the episodes of the television series "Pacific Blue," starring bicycle policemen and set in Venice Beach, Santa Monica. In 2001 he played Admiral Naguma in the famous film "Pearl Harbor".

Currently, Master Kubota doesn't have much interest to continue with his film career. "Last week I had an interview for a film, but I think I'm not going to do it. What really interests me is Karate, not the movies.

I love Karate. There are over 100,000 people affiliated with the Actors Guild and only 10 % work as such. Karate is what I really like although I have been very fortunate to combine it with films. In the movies there are many negative things that I don't like.

What I most value is Karate", he says.

Kubota and his famous female students: Among them is Tammy Lauren, the famous actress whom we have seen, for example, in some of the episodes of "Martial Law" and in a couple of episodes of "Walker, Texas Ranger". Previously she had starred in "The Music Man" and "Who is been watching the kids?� She has also worked on TV in "Mork and Mindy", "Out of the blue", "Wishmaster" ... As Tammy affirms, Kubota is much more than a teacher: "I want to congratulate Master Kubota for his 60 years of distinguished and celebrated service to Karate, to the Martial Arts and to the film industry. I am very lucky of being able to call him teacher, I feel much

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honored to have him as a partner in the movies and very fortunate to have him as a friend."

Hillary Swank, star of "The Next Karate Kid" and Oscar winner, has also lear ned Karate with Master Kubota.

Another actress, who is very earnest in her karate training with Master Kubota, is the brunette Nancy McKeon. Besides, during this talk she was present in the morning workout and she accompanied us to breakfast, asking me about my years in Karate and my books and articles. She is pretty and nice, besides being a fine karateka who has perfectly understood Master Kubota's teachings. With only 34 years of age, she had already featured in more than 40 films and TV episodes. In her native New York she had appeared in numerous commercials, but when she moved to Los Angeles, Nancy had to start from scratch: "I had a very hard time, I was down in the dumps, it was like starting all over again. People here didn't know me..." Shortly thereafter, she recovered the good run and her first appearances on screen were back in "Starsky and Hutch" (1977), "Alice" (1978) - where incidentally also worked his brother Philip -, "Love Boat" (1977) and many other. Her major intervention was in the "Facts of Life" series, where she remained over eight years and with which she reached an enormous popularity. Although she has been consistently working, in her most recent interventions there are "Style and Substance" and, already in 2001, "The Division", playing the role of the police inspector, Jinny Exstead. For Nancy, Kubota Master is someone very important as she herself admits: "I remember well the day I started my training with Master Kubota, because

it was a shocking change in my life. I didn't only have the honor of learning from one of the greatest Karate Masters, but I had the extraordinary gift of his friendship. It's a real privilege to belong to his Karate family".

The Dojo Master Kubota has an acceptable size and is very well maintained. On its walls two large windows provide abundant light. It has a wooden floor and the large mirrors seem to add space and light.

Next to a tiny reception (which scarcely has enough space for a small table and two chairs) and a small waiting room for family or friends, a wall is home to many trophies and souvenirs of police corps and pictures of Master Kubota with actors and actresses with whom he has worked or to whom he has given classes: Arnold Schwarzenegger, James Caan, Tammy Lauren, Christopher Lambert, Wesley Snipes, Nancy McKeon, Hilary Swan, Sean Connery, Pamela Anderson... are some of them.

Seizing the Master's connections with the great Hollywood stars, I couldn't pass up the chance of asking him to tell me about the way actors and actresses understand the philosophy of Karate, to which Master Kubota replied: "I have taught Karate to a lot of famous people. Some of them learned in private lessons, but I don't like it, I prefer that they attend classes together with other students, like one more of the group. In this way they learn other values. I usually help actors prepare for the fight scenes in action films. I have much experience in film and I know how to prepare the angles, etc. The camera works very differently from the human eye, so that the effects are different."

"Two years ago I was here in your Dojo, and I remember that you were

about to set off for Japan with some of your students. Have you repeated the experience?" "No. This year I couldn't go for lack of time. Exactly, that was two years ago, and maybe next year ... Many people ask me to go to different places to teach courses, but I usually refuse to accept because I don't like leaving my Dojo.

If I took many trips I would neglect my obligations, and although I count on highly qualified instructors, I prefer to stay here to keep the mysticism and philosophy. I want to maintain that integrity." Among the instructors referenced is Val Mijailovic, Karate 6th Dan, a native of the former Yugoslavia but grew up in the USA and present in our talk with the Master, along with Antonio Antonetti, an Argentinian established in Califor nia who decisively collaborates with us. Not this time, but on other occasions, we had the opportunity of also speaking with the legendary Carmen Kim, an aged lady of white hair (who incidentally speaks Spanish quite well) and that has helped Kubota in his Dojo practically from the start.

Interestingly, Carmen was the victim of an attempted robbery long ago and she sent her two huge muggers to hospital, one of them to the intensive care unit. "We have many people training in this Dojo, although most of them can only attend classes one day a week. In my organization there are people from up to 52 countries around the world. 30% of the students are children," explains the Master. Many of us know the extraordinary body hardening that Master Kubota has developed. I've seen demonstrations in which he puts his hand on a table and hits it repeatedly with a hammer. What can he tell us about this? "When I was young, hardening was very important

Great Masters for me because it gave me a lot of power. But it is better to start slowly. Otherwise, if you do what I did, you could tear up your hands. The makiwara is essential to develop a firm wrist and tighten the bones. My whole body is conditioned.

I am like a stone." Kubota asks me to touch his right hand, a genuine hammer unparalleled! "From my head to my toes, all parts of my body are authentic weapons", he says. Joking, I ask him if he can play the piano and following the joke - he simulates to do it while he intones the first musical notes. We all laugh. Then I ask about the piano, thinking that maybe he had shattered it.

Master Kubota has an excellent sense of humor. During part of the talk at the restaurant where we ate breakfast, he continued to joke with the young waitress who waited on us. Anyway, they both know each other well, as the restaurant is very close to the Dojo.

Although Master Kubota has created some forms, such as Tsuye no Kata - where a stick is used - or the newly created Ju Hachi No Tachi Kata, most of them come from Shotokan, with some modifications. "Our basic Katas come from Shotokan, besides we develop fifteen of Goso with some modifications. I keep certain fidelity so as not to

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deform or distort the style. It would be a disaster. Shotokan Katas are too square, very geometric and in Gosoku I've made them more circular and semi-circular. If you are attacked by a big, strong man, you can't defend yourself with direct forms; you have to adapt and look for circular paths at different angles. That's why my style is so flexible. You have to do all the Katas with strength and concentration, and it is essential to know their application in real situations."

Tak Kubota, without losing the power as the essential feature of his combat, has undergone a logical transformation in his way of practicing Karate, and Kata training has become tremendously important to him, something probably unthinkable only a few years ago. In this regard, he himself affirms: "When you're in the war they teach you to kill, to exterminate. When I was young, in Tokyo, I trained punches, punches and punches ... I trained to kill! I didn't practice much Kata. With age I have changed and now I do a lot of kata to remain active. It's important. Katas are movement and concentration. With age you can't go out there jumping around and all that. You have to do kata if you want to keep practicing.

Techniques are OK, but Katas... they are so beautiful! If you can't do something physically hard to perform, then you can do a dry run of that technique in a smooth way.

But the important thing is to try. It is a good exercise. While you're young you can focus on combat, however most young people who are only engaged in combat end up leaving the Karate because of injuries. Kata, Technique and Combat are the perfect combination, the perfect balance."

For very many years, Master Kubota organizes his tournaments that are widely recognized in many countries worldwide. In 1970 two of his students, Tony Tulleners and John Ghelson, were selected for the I WUKO

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World Championships. The first one, Tony Tulleners, won the individual bronze medal. John Ghelson, which was also vice president of the IKA organization of Master Kubota- also competed in the next World WUKO Championships. Ghelson died prematurely in 1977 at the age of 36 years.

Kubota has a view of the competition combat similar to other facets of Karate: "Many competitors lack power. They are weak. Power is a f u n d a m e n t a l a s p e c t . I w i s h t h e re w a s m o re seriousness in the scoring system (wazari or Ippon). It should be taken into account especially

the execution, instead of granting points for nothing. Before, it was to one point and now is to eight, so many techniques are needed, but they m u s t b e c o n c e n t r a t e d a n d s t ro n g . I n m y organization we haven't changed competition rules since 1964. Only the development of the bouts to 3 Ippon (Sanbon). In my tour naments different schools and styles take part, some competitors also participate in tournaments of the World Karate Federation. But my people want the rules remain faithful, without deviation."

Master Kubota, thank you very much.

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SOME ILLUSTRIOUS OPINIONS ABOUT MASTER KUBOTA "I commend the work of Master Kubota to preserve and promote Asian culture and Martial Arts for over 60 years. Like him, I understand the relevance of sports in society. The principles of sportsmanship, fair play and constructive competition are very important in the paths of life, and I appreciate the effort made by Kubota to promote friendship, unity and discipline through the study of Martial Arts ".

Al Gore, Ex-Vice President of the United States "From our first meeting, more than 30 years ago, Master Kubota has given me many gifts, and I find it very difficult to decide which one is the most valuable.

Perhaps the patience and tolerance that he has had me, but certainly the best of all has been his friendship. I am more than grateful to have been able to continue training Karate under his tutelage. I feel much honored that he considers me his pupil and to hold the rank of Soke-dai".

James Caan, actor. Los Angeles, California "The constant training of Master Kubota to the police and government agencies is legendary. Equally impressive have been the decades he has devoted to inculcate children and adults the discipline and respect that implies his teaching style. It was a great pleasure to meet him personally and having him on the set of my movie "Eraser". James Caan, my partner in this film, often tells me about his 30 years training with Master Kubota".

Arnold Schwarzenegger, actor, Los Angeles, California "For many years, Master Kubota has been friend, partner and instructor of our Police Department. As many of our police officers can attest, the intensity, dedication and excellence of his training and philosophy is being demonstrated through his students".

Russell K. Silverling, Chief of Police, Glendale, California "Master Kubota has been instrumental not only in teaching baton techniques, but also in teaching one's attitude when it comes to physical contact. Our officers continue to be grateful for it".

Ted Cooke, Chief of Police, Culver City, California "I guarantee that Master Kubota's teachings have saved hundreds of lives through his training and selfdefense techniques, especially the lives of the protectors of our nation, that is, police officers. His pioneering spirit to create police tactics and defensive technologies has played a large role in policemen's safety. I learned a lot from him, but the greatest gift I ever had is his friendship."

Sergeant Michael Gardner, Police Division Cincinnati, Ohio

The Pukulan Pencak Silat Serak is a system based on both weapons and empty hands at the same time. It incorporates many of the new-generation weapons, swords, knives, circular kerambits, bars, batons of different lengths and other more particular weapons. Even in our empty hand training methods we face an opponent who attacks us with weapons in both hands, as well as several opponents at once. This type of training makes us more aware of everything that happens during an altercation and what do and not do when facing one or more armed aggressors. In this second DVD, Maha Guru Horacio Rodrigues, heir to the lineage of Pendekar Pak Victor De Thouars, of Pukulan Pencak Silat Serak, addresses its particular way to train and use the different weapons, laying the foundations for more advanced future plans of study and the application of technique.

This video includes the principles of work, angulation, Sambuts, Jurus and drills with the short sword "Pedang", short knife "Pissau", short stick "Tonkat Matjan", Sarong, and applications of selfdefense with empty hands.

REF.: • DVD/SERAK-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.com

Anger and Love have no limits

“The problem in the world today is that people are used and objects are loved. We must learn to love people and use things, not to treat people as objects and objects as people.”

Justo Diéguez

Keysi

Budo International: And where does it begin?

Justo DiĂŠguez: Like everything in life, it starts with a small step; from the romantic and beautiful moment in which you meet her, and all you wish is that she pays you a little bit of her attention, a look; to be able to greet her and that she smiles at you; to date her and take her out for a drink, to hear her words, to want to be part of her breathing, to caress her hands like something so beautiful, it seems that it's just a snare to come to own that person and lock her in the dungeon of our insecurity.

This is the greatest contempt and lack of respect that a human being can inflict on the dignity of another person, and to do so as I said before, there is only one step.

B.I.: How can you avoid it?

J.D.: You can't. We are a species that needs to hurt others in order to feel fulfilled; yes, we are educated in a superficial way. How on earth can be aware that within us there is a human being if we are trained to worship the objects instead of respecting each other as

persons? We worship the "This is mine and it only belongs to me". But what the heck is happening to man?? When the person he dreamt of and for whom he drooled has finally fallen in his network, he's no longer interested in her conversation, he can't stand that she grabs his hand... Do you remember when he would have given everything for a simple caress from you? Or when he longed to breathe your breath? Does he feel upset because you give him heat? Where has all that immense and intense romanticism gone? Well, most of times it's in the garage in the form of a car.

B.I.: Does the woman's instinct know?

J.D.: Don't you recognize who you have in front of you?

Just ask yourself who it is the one that keeps you from being happy ... who makes you doubt everything you do or say, who has made that you don't recognize yourself as a woman in this life, taking away all the values from you... who is continuously blackmailing your emotions, the plans you try to carry out; your travels, your projects, your friends and your family ... Yes, you know that person very well, if you close your eyes for a second you'll see him.

B.I.: Self-esteem, friend or foe?

Keysi J.D.: Psychological abuse and fear of physical abuse cause the loss of those values, and gives way to another no less dangerous and brutal enemy. Do you know who I'm talking about? I'm talking about "Low Self-Esteem", in this case a great enemy, who will keep repeating you all the time how worthless you are, where you will never reach, what you will never be, and what you won't be able to get or have ... . what you think is what you are. Yes, that's the way it is. Such is the abuser's modus operandi, who manipulates the life of a person to make her fall in the lower self-esteem, making her live in hell. He makes her believe that her life is worth nothing, that she is clumsy, not attractive, that no one will want her and he leaves it there.

"Self-esteem" will do the rest of the work. But, here we will give a twist to Self-Esteem, which is also called so because it is our best ally. My dad told me as a child: "You can be in this life whatever you want, all you have to do is maintaining high your Self-esteem. I wanted to be who I am. Who or what do you want to be?

B.I.: Can you prevent low selfesteem?

J.D.: The first step is recognizing what is happening and that you are allowing it to happen.

T h e n y o u h a v e t o a l s o re c o g n i z e t h a t y o u a re responsible for your life; it's not your sentimental partner, or your family, or your friends; not even the circumstances. The only person responsible for almost everything that happens to you, and above all, for the way you face what you get at every moment is You. This is great news, because although sometimes we are not able to change the external circumstances, nevertheless we always can change the way we react to them. So set out on the road!, now!, and begin changing your life.

B.I.: Should a woman who has been psychologically abused practice self-defense?

J.D.: A woman who has been abused doesn't need to learn any self-defense technique, because we are not talking about something physical, although the final visual result is physical. Here we are discussing about emotional blackmail that

makes a woman loses her dignity and which is most important in a human being his or her values.

In Keysi we search something that is hidden, concealed in the depths of the heart and must be rescued from the clutches of an abuser and this is the values, values that perhaps this woman and millions of women like her have lost along their lives, and those values are what we identify with, so in Keysi, the important thing is regaining the "I", to have dreams again, to know who we are, where we are and where we go.

And for that we must stop "trying it"; in Keysi we change that word for "must do it". Commit with yourself so that you feel you have to do it, plan it and set it in motion; whatever it is, whatever you wish you can do it; the longest journey begins with one small step; they have made us believe that we are incapable; trust yourself because it's possible to do it, just think about how you'll feel when you'll get what you want in your life. If you visualize yourself, if you really feel it, it will be, it is inevitable.

Keysi

Keysi

Como hemos documentado en los últimos 6 años, el Kyusho se traduce como “Punto Vital" y es el estudio de la condición humana y de su fragilidad. Aunque es similar en apariencia a la antigua Acupuntura y a los métodos de masaje sobre puntos de presión, el método Kyusho también puede tratar los problemas inmediatos y hacer desaparecer las dolencias comunes del cuerpo.

En segundos podemos empezar a aliviar las molestias asociadas al dolor de cabeza, de espalda, los tirones musculares e internos, el hipo, el asma, las náuseas, la congestión nasal y otras muchas enfermedades comunes, tanto por causas naturales como provocadas. Estos efectos se consiguen rápidamente y de manera eficaz, sin necesidad de recurrir a pastillas o medicamentos que puedan tardar 20 minutos o más en hacer efecto y que pueden provocar graves efectos secundarios en otros órganos o funciones corporales. Las ramificaciones son muy amplias y creemos que merece la pena seguir investigando y logrando beneficios para la sociedad. Este tipo de enfoque holístico ha resultado eficaz durante muchos miles de años en diferentes culturas de todo el mundo y ahora hemos querido hacerlo posible para ti. Una vez que aprendas estos métodos simples de Kyusho Primeros Auxilios, tu también podrás ayudar a tu familia y amigos con muchas de estas dolencias comunes que todos sufrimos. Esto te servirá para tener un breve resumen histórico de cómo se desarrollaron estos métodos y otras posibilidades de salud que se necesitan en el día a día. Sin embargo y como cabría esperar, aquí no está el programa completo, pues los conceptos más profundos y complejos sólo pueden alcanzarse con las manos, aplicándolos y practicando bajo la atenta mirada de un instructor. La práctica regular de estos métodos no sólo aumentará tus habilidades para aplicar las fórmulas aprendidas, sino que te enseñará la aplicación intuitiva de muchas otras técnicas de salud. No deberían considerarse fórmulas aisladas, sino caminos para corregir ciertos problemas en el cuerpo humano, basados en los conceptos presentados. En los siguientes capítulos de Kyusho Primeros Auxilios veremos primero el origen inmediato o la necesidad de curar muchos problemas diarios. ¡Qué disfrutes del viaje!

Come abbiamo documentato negli ultimi 6 anni, il Kyusho si traduce come “Punto Vitale” ed è lo studio della condizione umana e della sua fragilità.

Benché sia simile in apparenza all'antica Agopuntura e ai metodi di massaggio sui punti di pressione, il metodo Kyusho può t rat tare anche i problemi immediat i e far spar i re le problematiche comuni del corpo. In pochi secondi possiamo alleviare i disturbi associati al mal di testa, di schiena, gli stiramenti muscolari e interni, il singhiozzo, l'asma, la nausea, la congestione nasale e molte altre malattie comuni, sia per cause naturali che provocate. Questi effetti si ottengono rapidamente e in maniera efficace, senza la necessità di ricorrere a pastiglie o medicine che possono richiedere 20 minuti o più prima di fare effetto e che possono provocare gravi effetti indesiderati in altri organi o funzioni corporali. Le ramificazioni sono molto ampie e crediamo che valga la pena continuare a investigare ottenendo benefici diretti per la società. Questo tipo di impostazione olistica è risultata efficace per molte migliaia di anni in differenti culture di tutto il mondo ed ora abbiamo voluto fare il possibile per te. Quando impari questi metodi semplici di Kyusho Primo Soccorso, anche tu potrai aiutare la tua famiglia e i tuoi amici con molte di queste patologie comuni cui tutti sono affetti. Questo ti servirà per avere un breve riassunto storico di come si svilupparono questi metodi e altre possibilità di cura che sono necessarie nel quotidiano. Tuttavia, ovviamente, qui non c'è il programma completo, perché i concetti più profondi e complessi si riescono a capire solo con le mani, applicandoli e praticando sotto l'attento sguardo di un istruttore. La pratica regolare di questi metodi non aumenterà solo le tue abilità nell'applicare le formule imparate, ma ti insegnerà l'applicazione intuitiva di molte altre tecniche di salute. Non si dovrebbero considerare formule isolate, bensì vie per correggere determinati problemi del corpo umano, basate sui concetti presentati.

Nei seguenti articoli sul Kyusho Primo Soccorso vedremo in primo luogo l 'or igine immediata o la necessi tà di curare mol t i problemi quot idiani .

Godetevi questo viaggio!

Comme nous l'avons vu ces six dernières années, le Kyusho se traduit par « point vital » et est l'étude de la condition humaine et de sa fragilité. Bien que similaire en apparence à l'ancienne acupuncture et aux méthodes de massage sur les points de pression, la méthode Kyusho peut également traiter les problèmes immédiats et faire disparaître les douleurs physiques communes.

En quelques secondes, nous pouvons commencer à soulager les troubles associés aux maux de tête, de dos, les crampes musculaires et internes, le hoquet, l'asthme, les nausées, la congestion nasale et de nombreux autres troubles communs, surgissant aussi bien pour des raisons naturelles que provoquées. Ces effets sont obtenus rapidement et efficacement, sans avoir besoin de faire appel à des médicaments qui peuvent prendre vingt minutes ou plus à faire de l'effet et peuvent provoquer de graves effets secondaires sur d'autres organes ou fonctions corporelles. Les ramifications sont très vastes et nous croyons que ça vaut la peine de continuer la recherche afin d'obtenir des bénéfices pour la société. Ce type de point de vue holistique a été efficace pendant de nombreux milliers d'années dans différentes cultures du monde entier et nous avons maintenant voulu le rendre possible pour vous. Une fois que vous aurez appris ces méthodes simples de Kyusho de Premiers Secours, vous pourrez également aider votre famille et vos amis et soulager beaucoup de ces maux communs dont nous souffrons tous.Cela vous permettra d'avoir un bref résumé historique de la manière dont ces méthodes se développèrent et d'autres possibilités de santé dont nous avons besoin au jour le jour.Cependant, comme on pouvait s'y attendre, le programme ici n'est pas complet car les concepts les plus profonds et complexes ne peuvent être atteint qu'avec les mains, en les appliquant et en pratiquant sous le regard attentif d'un instructeur. La pratique régulière de ces méthodes augmentera votre habileté à appliquer les formules apprises, mais encore vous enseignera à appliquer intuitivement beaucoup d'autres techniques de santé. Elles ne devraient pas être considérées comme des formules isolées, mais comme des voies pour corriger, certains problèmes affectant le corps humain, en se basant sur les concepts présentés. Dans les prochains chapitres de Kyusho Premiers Secours, nous verrons d'abord l'origine immédiate de la nécessité de guérir de nombreux problèmes quotidiens. Prenez plaisir à ce voyage !

As we have documented over the past 6 years, Kyusho translates as "Vital Point" and is a study of the human condition and it's frailties. Although similar in appearance to the ancient acupuncture and pressure point massage methods, the Kyusho method can also deal with immediacy for certain trauma as well as easily rid the body of common ailments. Within seconds we canm begin to relax and ease the pain associated with headaches, backaches, muscle and internal cramps, hiccups, asthma, nausea, sinus congestion and so many more common maladies both of natural causes as well as trauma inflicted.

This is all performed quickly and efficiently without expensive pills or drugs that can take 20 minutes or more to work or have serious side effects on other organs or body functions. The ramifications are enormous and we believe to be of such worth for continued research and societal benefit.

This type of holistic approach has been effective for many thousands of years in cultures throughout the world and we have added even more possibility and purpose to it for you. Once you learn these simple methods of Kyusho First Aide, you too can help your family and friends with many of these common ailments we each suffer through. Let this serve as an historical record of how these methods developed and the other health possibilities they hold for day-to-day living. However it is not the full curriculum, as one would expect, the depth and intricacies can only be conveyed with hands on application and practice under the watchful eye of an instructor. The consistent practice of these methods will not only increase your abilities to relieve the practiced formulas, but also instruct you in the intuitive application of many other health issues. They should not be considered standalone formulas, but rather ways to correct certain problems within the human body based on the foundation presented.

Wie wir in den letzten 6 Jahren dokumentiert haben, übersetzt sich Kyusho als „Vitalpunkt“, es ist das Studium der menschlichen Beschaffenheit und ihre Zerbrechlichkeit. Auch wenn es dem Anschein nach der alten Akupunktur und den Massagemethoden auf Druckpunkte ähnelt, so kann die Kyusho-Methode doch auch sofort Probleme behandeln und die normalen Leiden des Körpers verschwinden lassen. Innerhalb von Sekunden können wir anfangen, die Beschwerden im Zusammenhang mit Kopfweh, Schmerzen der Schulter, Muskel- und innere Zerrungen, Schluckauf, Asthma, Übelkeiten, Verstopfung der Nase und vielen anderen normalen Krankheiten lindern, egal ob sie natürlicher Ursache haben oder hervorgerufen sind.

Diese Effekte werden schnell und effizient erreicht, ohne auf Pillen oder Medikamente zurückgreifen zu müssen, die 20 Minuten oder länger brauchen, um Wirkung zu zeigen, und die starke Nebenwirkungen in anderen Organen oder Körperfunktionen haben können. Die Verzweigungen sind sehr breit gefächert und wir glauben, dass es der Mühe wert ist, weiter zu forschen und so Nutzen für die Gemeinschaft zu erzielen. Dieser Typ der holistischen Zielsetzung war über viele tausend Jahre hinweg und in verschiedenen Kulturen auf der ganzen Welt wirkungsvoll, aber jetzt wollen wir es zugänglich machen. Wenn Du einmal diese einfachen Kyusho-Methoden der ersten Hilfe gelernt hast, kannst auch Du Deiner Familie und Deinen Freunden bei vielen der gewöhnlichen Leiden helfen, unter denen wir alle leiden. Es wird Dir dabei helfen, eine kurze historische Übersicht darüber zu erlangen, wie diese Methoden und andere Möglichkeiten der Gesundheit, die man Tag für Tag braucht, entstanden sind. Aber wie erwartet liegt darin nicht das komplette Programm, denn die tiefsten und komplexesten Konzepte können nur über die Hände erzielt werden, indem man sie unter dem aufmerksamen Bl ick eines Ausbi lders anwendet und übt . Das regelmäßige Ausüben dieser Methoden wird nicht nur Deine Fähigkeiten wachsenlassen, die gelernten Formeln anzuwenden, es wird Dir darüber hinaus auch die intuitive Anwendung vieler anderer Techniken der Gesundheit lehren. Sie sollten nicht als allein stehende Formeln betrachtet werden, sondern als Wege, um gewisse Probleme im menschlichen Körper zu korrigieren, auf der Basis der vorgestellten Konzepte. In den folgenden Kapiteln von „Kyusho - Erste Hilfe“ werden wir zuerst den unmittelbaren Ursprung der Notwendigkeit sehen, viele tägliche Probleme zu heilen.

Genießt die Reise!

Wt Universe

Article of the Si-Mo the WTU: Sifu Rosa Ferrante Bannera Why we call WTU Wing Tsun as a holistic martial art?

Unlike many martial arts styles, and organizations the WTU Wing Tsun unfolds out of the center.

At the center there are • the forces / interactions that govern the people,

• the principles of dealing with the forces and interactions and • the qualities that are inherent to humans and refined, sharpened and networked belong.

This genrates the natural movement of the body in the gravitational field of the earth.

Other, conventional Wing Tsun Styles / organizations are incomplete or incomplete and motley grocerystore.

Wt Universe

This can be recognized: • permanent search (in other styles, with other organizations, exchange with other teachers), because they know that a little lacking. This is called development and research.

A mix together of different styles, among themselves contradict each of the concepts. For example, Wing Tsun, Escrima, Grappling, Chi Kung, etc.

This testifies achieved in humans not unity but creates confusion and distraction (which you can then know achieved also very clear on the physical and mental imbalance).

Wt Universe

• A still further swelling in width, to achieve the greatest possible mass (target group). This does not mean that everything makes sense - quite the contrary. • That they make use of other and adapt to their own "art" and say that they had invented and developed it.

Wt Universe

• verification searches on organizations, institutions, style and foreign teachers of general social structures to can be legitimized.

Back to WTU: The WTU creates with her movement lessons new neural networks in the body. There is a control training and a clearing of old, uneconomical leading to wear movement patterns. Only then, a man can begin to move freely and adapt to the situations at the moment.

Wt Universe

We teach any techniques we improve qualities in people with our principle-based teaching. We teach the body to deal with forces and situations in an economical and highly effective manner. The positive side effect is a very fast self-defense capability of the people in all areas.

We declutter the most impenetrable tangle of internal and external conditionings.

Since the WTU practitioner always moves and acts more naturally, he moves guided by the principles

Wt Universe

• without weapons - that is, with his limbs, • with weapons all kinds - Palm Stick, stick, mace, Sax, knife, Short staff, Staff, Sword, long pole, double knife, which sees the Wtuler as body extension, which he integrated into his neural network • on the ground • standing • walking • lying just always.

In the WTU all three centers of man (moving-, thinking- and feeling-center) are trained. Only then can one speak of a holistic martial art.

The WTU is a bud that blooms at this time for Rose.

Salve Si-Mo

We are pleased to present the second work of the KMRED group. This video bearing the name "Concept and Education" aims to make you discover a part of the concept Krav Maga Research, Evolution and Development, as well as the pedagogy developed within our group. The different exercises that you will discover here are not intended to "feast your eyes" or demonstrate our combative attitudes, because our priority here is that of explaining how we prepare our students so that they become "warriors", capable of "adapting" to the different evolutions of street fighting.

REF.: • DVD/KMRED-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.com

GM Sewer

A look into the future When I talk to my students and people outside my school who follow our career, l am asked again and again wher e we ar e heading.

Attentive r eaders know that one of my biggest endeavours is to introduce and maintain structure, which should secure the survival and growth of the art.

In this article though, I would like to go a bit more into detail and inspire others from the martial arts scene to think ahead and to secure their art.

Exams: Ever since the famous Shaolin monasteries exams have been used to test the level of students and to ensure the quality of the art. Up to this day, how else could it be, exams are relevant for, in my position, they present an opportunity to recognise a student’s potential during his education and to act accordingly. A long time ago, when the KUNG FU SCHOOL MARTIN SEWER consisted of only one school, it was I who defined the educational programme up to the black belt and who put it down on paper. After many years of

“Ever since the famous Shaolin monasteries exams have been used to test the level of students and to ensure the quality of the art.�

GM Sewer

“Teaching has also been developed at my school over the years and is more efficient than ever.

Everything, from the warm-up to the theoretical part at the end of each lesson.�

experience, this educational concept has been improved and has been developed into what we require from the student today. And in future we are going to improve it even more. This year, we are adding further aspects to the education up to the black belt, such as for example simple and predefined application exercises, which should help the student to achieve efficient self-defence more quickly and to make sure that the black belt is a reliable degree.

Teaching: Teaching has also been developed at my school over the years and is more efficient than ever. Everything, from the warm-up to the theoretical part at the end of each lesson, has its meaning and purpose and makes the training the valuable teaching that it is today. In future, in all probability there is going to be very little change in the teaching per se, as it is, as I have already mentioned, already very refined.

However, my instructors and I are working intensely on supporting each instructor even more by means of tools such as lists or technical devices in order to professionalize the management of each branch.

Whereas in the past a student’s level used to be recorded in dozens of heavy books, today we have access to moder n technology and computers, which allow us to run our schools more efficiently and, perhaps, to even provide each student with a platform, on which he or she can log in to exchange thoughts with other students and on which he or she can assess his or her progress.

Shaolin Masters: My team has been organising the Shaolin Masters tournament for over 20 years now. At the beginning it was a mere tournament for children, which has developed into a fullfledged event with adult, Lei Tai and now also push-hands categories. Especially the latter should bring us, even more than Lei Tai, closer to reality, and thus reduce any possibilities of injuries to a minimum. With this category, we have not only fulfilled one of my sifu’s wishes, but we are also going to establish an unprecedented

GM Sewer

category. As a matter of fact, we have long since had electronic support due to our proven tournament software.

Again, concerning the tour nament, we are intending to implement more efficient processes and referee courses. And who knows, whether we can also make these successes, together with everything else, digitally accessible for the student? In any case, in comparison to other schools and styles, the Shaolin Masters has great potential and is an important priority in our plans.

Mega Event: Initially, my students organised this event in an effort to celebrate my birthday. Now the MEGA event, which is highlighted in each student’s calendar, has developed into a big gala evening. In a recent development, we are not just talking about one evening. We have extended this particular Saturday into the afternoon by organising instructive seminars. Before the big evening starts, the participants have the opportunity to get to know our art better at several small seminars. In future, it is not only our own instructors who are going to enrich the seminars in the after noon, but also external masters who are invited as VIPs to the Gala dinner. As of yet, I do not want to predict precisely how the MEGA event is going to develop exactly. There are, however, many ideas and plans and if we implement only half of them, the MEGA event is going to develop into a real Kung Fu Expo.

GM Sewer

World Kuoshu Federation: Today, international relationships in the traditional martial arts are more important than ever. Especially in a field that is based on physical training, it is important that one meets up in person to exchange ideas on a regular basis. My instructors and I try to take part in international events of high quality in order to demonstrate our Kung Fu to the world and to make new friends. My sifu once said: “There is no use being the greatest and strongest, if nobody wants to have anything to do with you.” With this in mind, again and again we try to share our success with the community and to support our Kung Fu brothers by participating in events. And who knows, those numerous institutions and schools, with which our structure is popular, are going to adopt this very structure one day.

Assistant instructor education and training: A strong basis is important for the survival of an art like ours, so is to give the student the possibility of becoming a solid member of the senior instructor team.

Ever since we have always trained particularly eager students to become an instructor. With the latest adjustments to the educational programme we have taken one step, which makes it possible for the student to get an excellent education. At the beginning, I was the only one who could make a living from the business of the KUNG FU SCHOOL MARTIN SEWER. Today, there are already the first students who also teach full-time. And this should be possible for every student. With the new educational programme the student first is a candidate for assistant instructor, then assistant instructor, then instructor, and finally senior instructor. Thus, we enable people to fulfil their dream job or vocation and at the same time we bring our art forward and strengthen it.

To summarise, there is one thing to be emphasised in particular: THE KUNG FU SCHOOL MARTIN SEWER is already one of the most successful schools in the martial arts scene or the biggest school in Switzerland as regards the traditional martial arts, respectively. And yet, as we can see from our projects and plans, we consider ourselves to be still at the beginning. It might very well be that my generation won’t see it any more. But by means of our students, who are constantly growing in their numbers, and a team of senior instructors who is excellently educated, I am convinced that the KUNG FU SCHOOL MARTIN SEWER has the potential to become one of the biggest martial arts schools in the world.

“HE KUNG FU SCHOOL MARTIN SEWER is already one of the most successful schools in the martial arts scene or the biggest school in Switzerland as regards the traditional martial arts, respectively.”

2016 WENG CHUN SUMMERCAMPS IN BAMBERG GERMANY PERSONALLY CONDUCTED BY GRANDMASTER ANDREAS HOFFMANN

OPEN FOR EVERYONE! What: 5 days of training, sweating, enjoying, meeting, conducted by GM Andreas Hoffmann in his home and World Weng Chun HQ in Bamberg Germany. The Camps will focus on Weng Chun Kung Fu for all levels and is open for everyone. During the camps we have also optional sessions on Vietnam Weng Chun,Sanda,BJJ, and Shaolin Qigong/Philosophy.

You can also join just one or two days. The cost of the camp is just 250€ (member)/300€ (regular) for 5 days, 1 day 60€ (member)/70€(regular).

When: WENG CHUN SUMMERCAMP 1: Wednesday 3rd - Sunday 7th August 2016, Wednesday 2pm - 7pm, Thursday/Friday/Saturday 10am-12:30pm, 2:30pm-4:30pm, Sunday 10am-2pm optional sessions extra at evening - this camp is designed for all levels with the focus on the basic and middle level of weng chun WENG CHUN SUMMERCAMP 2: Wednesday 10th - Sunday 14th August 2016, Wednesday 2pm - 7pm, Thursday/Friday/Saturday 10am-12:30pm, 2:30pm-4:30pm, Sunday 10am-2pm optional sessions extra - this camp is designed for all levels with the focus on the middle and advanced levels of weng chun Where: Weng Chun Kung Fu HQ, Memmelsdorferstrasse 82 R, 96052 Bamberg, Germany. 5 minutes walk to the trainstation and 40 minutes by car or train from Nürnberg/Nuremberg airport.

If you are interested or you like to enlist email wengchunbamberg@googlemail.com www.weng-chun.com

Andreas Hoffmann International WengChunÂŽ Association HQ Weng Chun Kung Fu, Selbstverteidigung, Fitness durch Kampfkunst, Kinder Kung Fu, Sanda, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, MMA, Ginastica Naturale Shaolin Qigong, Shaolin Chan, Tai Chi Chuan, Ba Gua, TCM email: wengchunbamberg@googlemail.com website: www.weng-chun.com address: Memmelsdorferstrasse 82 R, 96052 Bamberg 095137379 Konto IBAN DE02 7705 0000 0578 7215 32 Swift Bic BYLADEM1SKB

Jeet Kune Do

Bruce Lee, Martial Artist and Philosopher To talk about Jeet Kune Do is a difficult task, but one thing is certain: there is no Martial Art or combat system that has ever provoked so much controversy, altering the whole martial community. Rivers of ink were written, and in spite of the more than forty years that have elapsed after the death of its creator, it still remains the combat system that interests to a lot of people in the world. Few people know that Bruce Lee, after creating his art of total combat, technically almost perfect, innovative and in tune with the times, provided his "style no-style" with philosophical principles and concepts linked to the ancient tradition of the art of Kung Fu, basing himself on many philosophical schools of thought, such as Confucianism, Buddhism Chan and Taoism. And it was exactly from the latter that he extracted the Jeet Kune Do philosophical structure, which is based on individualism, the pursuit of self-liberation and anti-authoritarianism, values which, in all honesty, he tried to introduce in the Martial Arts through a project of his which he called Jeet Kune Do. And that's why it was so critical with traditionalists, denouncing the prioritization of schools, rigidity and uniformity.

“To talk about Jeet Kune Do is a difficult task, but one thing is certain: there is no Martial Art or combat system that has ever provoked so much controversy, altering the whole martial community.�

Jeet Kune Do herefore, the JKD derived essentially from the Taoist philosophy, though it was greatly influenced by the Western scientific positivism (which resulted in the scientific conception of training) and the American practicality in the search for efficiency and economy of movement. A maxim that characterizes and identifies the JKD Taoist philosophy is: "Using No-Way as Way, Having NoLimitation as Limitation". It is a typical Taoist sentence that plays with contradictions, pairs of opposites, Yin and Yang and paradoxes, encompassing all in a world of wisdom. The fact that the pure Taoists were essentially individualistic and liberal, is something that Bruce Lee reminds and shows through in the first part of his principle, because when he speaks of the No-Form he refers to the fact not having links with any institution or system whether fixed, coded, or predetermined, and therefore with no style or combat system, since liberation and full personal development is only determined by oneself, as each individual is unique and unrepeatable.

As for the second part of the maxim, Bruce postulates that there's no need to be limited by traditions, prejudices, dogmas, rituals and all that can result in crystallization of a system. Many don't know Bruce Lee the Philosopher, but it is precisely this aspect that made the JKD a very special system. My encounter with Patrick Strong (student of Bruce Lee's first generation, called "The Lord of Speed"), beyond improving my technical skills, he served me of great help as he took me to learn in depth the philosophical aspects of Jeet Kune Do, till then unknown to me, showing me how deep had been the work that Bruce Lee had carried out at a superior level; not by chance he had learned from his father the Art of Tai Chi (the Art of the Great Supreme Fist), who started him in the study of classical alchemical texts, to reach a deep understanding of how the human body operates at an energetic level (union of body and mind), so much so that one of his most striking philosophical maxims is his constant reference to the Water Element.

"Be water, my friend" - "I like water," he would say, emphasizing the Water Element that, in the reality of things, represents the foundations and the nature of traditional Kung Fu, wherefrom he obtained much of his martial philosophical knowledge.

Concepts and principles such as sinking and floating, diving and emerging, the flowing of a river into the sea, fight without fighting, working intentionally without intention, the mind no-mind, the Wu Wuei principle of void, the emptying the cup, etc. As you can see, his propensity toward Eastern philosophy was an important piece in the building of his eclectic combat system, and there are few people who have had this information. I have been fortunate and pleased of knowing, studying and deepening this knowledge with Patrick Strong, who learned of Bruce this aspect which probably is the less known in the world of JKD, but in my opinion the most important.

JKD, my friends, is nothing more than a grouping of elements and principles extrapolated mainly from Kung Fu and, especially, from the Wing Chun style of Master Yp Man. Some elements were also

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Jeet Kune Do taken from different disciplines such as Taiji, Tang Lang, Western Fencing, etc. There is a maxim of the Tao Te Ching, the Gospel of the Taoism that he was in the habit of reciting: "When alive, man is flexible, soft; when he is dead is inflexible, rigid. Even all other creatures, the grass and the trees are malleable and flexible while living, and dry and crumble when they are dead. An inflexible rigidity is the companion of death and the ductile malleability is the companion of life.

Inflexible soldiers do not get the victory; the stiffest tree is the one most ready for the ax. The strong and the powerful fall from their sites; and the humble and the submissive are raised over all of them." The way of moving and handling the body in Kung Fu is closely related to the movement of the mind. "Mind that moves, body that thinks" is the deep meaning of the internal process used in Jeet Kune Do. The references to Yin and Yang, the Taoist universal principles that Bruce Lee extrapolated from the Taiji and that he had thoroughly studied with his father, accompanied him throughout his life, giving him the adequate energy to confront the route of his brief but tortuous and tormented life.

The Yang principle (represented by the white color) is the positive, the day, the sky, the sun, the luminosity, the heat, etc., while the Yin principle is the negative, the night, the darkness, the coldness and so on. Bruce Lee had perfectly understood the way these universal laws regulated and balanced the body, and he knew how to use them wisely. And here again resurfaces the Water Element, which for the development of Bruce Lee's JKD was essential; water, my friends, is the natural phenomenon which is closer to Wu Wei: Nothing is weaker than water. But when it attacks something hard and that opposes resistance, then nothing can withstand water, and nothing will modify his/her course. These verses explain to us the nature of the water, that being so light, you cannot grab it, if you cut it you don't hurt it, if you hit it you can do no evil, if you try to separate it will never divide; it doesn't have a specific form but it adjusts to its containers; it manifests itself as powerful and impetuous as Niagara Falls and then stays calm in a pond; to my notice, the dominant element of the universe is undoubtedly Water. "In the interception defend yourself, control and attack in unison, turning your body into an unstoppable tsunami."

Hwa Rang Do

The Roots (MISSION STATEMENT OF THE WORLD HWA RANG DO® ASSOCIATION) HWA RANG DO®: A legacy of Loyalty, Relentlessly seeking Truth, Empowering Lives, Serving Humanity

Hwa Rang Do® Grandmaster Taejoon Lee (8° dan & President of the World Hwa Rang Do® Association) reflections about the roots of our problems and the relationship between them and the concept of “meaning” in what we do and want: “I have been teaching now for over 35 years and have taught tens of thousands of people all over the world. In the process, I have come to know my students personally as they have confided in me with many of their struggles in life. What I have come to understand now is that all of them think that their problems were unique and the most common rhetoric from people when you try to advice them is, how do you know when you have not lived “my life’, walked in my shoes, etc.”

“And however great or small the magnitude of their pain, they all suffer the same.

Whether the scale of one’s experience is small or great, one can only perceive the world from their perception and no one else’s”

“However, in listening to so many people, what I find is that most of their problems have common roots. Although they vary in the look and feel, in the sequence of events, in the differences of circumstances, but all arising from the same foundational problems. And however great or small the magnitude of their pain, they all suffer the same.

Whether the scale of one’s experience is small or great, one can only perceive the world from their perception and no one else’s. In the discussion of pain, if the extent of a person’s experience is only the pain caused from being struck by a pencil, then they cannot know the pain caused by being struck by a car. And, when one argues that there’s no comparison in the pain caused from a pencil from the pain caused by an impact from a car, what we discover is that pain is still pain and it’s very personal.

Foundationally, it is the question of meaning, of purpose and this has remained same all through the ages as man came to acquire, intellect, knowledge, since Adam & Eve ate the fruit from the forbidden tree of knowledge. As I

“Therefore, the answer does not lie in what we can see and what is apparent; the truth lies in what is not visible or apparent, in the immaterial, in the ethereal, in consciousness, in what is harder to acquire�

Hwa Rang Do

have said, in order to change and transform a tree, what do you do? If you only focus on what you see and what is apparent then you would have to touch, change, transform every branch, every leaf, every flower, every petal. However, there is a way you can transform the entire tree by addressing only one thing – the roots. When you change what you put through the roots is how you can transform the entire tree in one shot, so to speak. As Einstein has said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results”. Therefore, the answer does not lie in what we can see and what is apparent; the truth lies in what is not visible or apparent, in the immaterial, in the ethereal, in consciousness, in what is harder to acquire.”

About the author: Hwa Rang Do® Head Instructor, Lieutenant Colonel of the Italian Military Police Force (Carabinieri) and Engineer, Marco Mattiucci is the Chief of the EU Branches of the World Hwa Rang Do® Association and one of the main followers of Grandmaster Taejoon Lee. http://www.hwarangdo.com http://www.hwarangdo.it http://www.hwarangdo.nl http://www.hwarangdo.lu http://taejoonlee.com http://cyberdojang.com

Before I go in detail about Frank Sanchez’s art and organization, I first want to take you down my personal memory lane when I was a young military enlisted service member with previous martial arts experience in Karate and a 2nd dan in Tae Kwon Do. I thought my training was strong enough to allow me to effectively defend myself against a viable attacker. It was 1996 when I met Frank Sanchez at the local tax collector’s office in Jacksonville, Florida. Frank Sanchez was the attendant assisting me when I noticed a brochure and business card slightly behind him on a counter.

Asking for one and reading it while he was assisting me I realized it was a San-Jitsu brochure with his picture on it. I said to him “wow, this is you.” Humbly and with a smile he replied, “yes, it’s me.”

By Chris Marquez

sking to come visit his dojo, I showed up the next week in my dobok, 2nd dan belt and spouting all about what I knew and how hard I train. If you can’t tell by now I was more than full of myself as I looked around the room at the lower colored rank belts thinking I was going to show them up. Mr. Sanchez graciously allowed me to step on the mat and train with his students.

Then came the sparring; Not only was I out-classed by his lower rank San-Jitsu students, but I was tho ro ug hly humbled as I was literally picked out of the air and wrapped up like a pretzel in a few quick s eco nds . It was at that mo ment t hat I realiz ed I was missing this critical component of my martial arts training. Taking my black belt off I respectfully asked permission to be accepted as one of his students. Starting over as a whit e belt in S an-Jits u was a pivotal moment in my martial arts life. Now the real work began in my physical, mental and emotional t raining . I als o lear ned abo ut bushido and the real meaning of the way of the warrior. The years following in San-Jitsu were where I was fo rg ed into a fo rmidable martial artist under the tutelage of Frank Sanchez.

San-Jitsu was created by Frank Sanchez, a 68 year old native of the U.S. territory of Guam in 1971 based on his martial arts training and experiences in various arts. It was also officially recognized by Guam’s Legislature as Guam’s first international martial art system on April 21, 2016 of this year. Mr. Sanchez holds black belts in JuJitsu, Judo, Karate and a red sash in Jing Jo w P ai K ung -F u.

Additional elements of his training included boxing and wrestling.

Us ing all o f thes e v aried experiences, skills and knowledge he created one of the more brutal Ju-Jitsu systems practiced today.

Some of his notable instructors include the late Professor Siegfried K ufferath o f the K o denkan Danz an-Ry u Ju-Jit s u s y s tem,

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Yasutoshi “Moon” Watanabe, former Hawaiian Sumo and Judo Champion, and lastly but not least his Father, Francisco Sanchez who was a Pacific Naval Fleet Boxer.

What makes San-Jitsu interesting is the use of rolls in destructive finishing moves and the approach that San-Jitsu practitioners have grown to know and appreciate of “over kill or over skill.”

Most Ju-Jitsu systems train with the “one on one” enemy on the ground factor in mind. Mr. Sanchez believes that SanJitsu practitioners need to train for the quick and immediate stop of the attacker(s) while preparing for the next one. This facet of training has been criticized by some as unrealistic.

Regardless of opposing views, it is preferable to train in this manner and give yourself a fighting chance than not training in this manner at all and having no chance of survival should a practitioner encounter the multiple attack situation. As mentioned previously, getting ready for the next attacker is the underlying reason for the over kill approach. San-Jitsu practitioners are trained to not give the attacker a second chance to recover and be wiser. Using destructive finishes such as bone breaking, joint dislocation and tissue tearing are one of several ways to deter attackers and hopefully discourage on lookers from jumping into “gang style” attacks.

If you have ever seen Mr. Sanchez demo his techniques at any of the hundreds of worldwide venues he has

been to, it is a real treat. Most onlookers silently wonder how this “little guy” is going to take the bigger guy down. Seconds later, it becomes apparent that he is not at any disadvantage. The techniques he uses are effective against a variety of attackers; size does not matter much when you understand the universal truths about points of vulnerability of the human body. San-Jitsu practitioners specifically train to capitalize on these points of vulnerability. Frank Sanchez invested 45 years training martial arts practitioners in the art of San-Jitsu.

Today, internationally recognized and practiced, there are San-Jitsu practitioners in the United States, Germany, Portugal, Poland, Sri Lanka and growing. Seeing the success of his growing martial art system, what did Mr. Sanchez see as his next vision? Creating the first and most elite organization of inter nationally recognized Grandmasters and Masters of course; known as the World Head of Family Sokeship Council.

The World Head of Family Sokeship Council, founded by Frank E. Sanchez, is America’s first and most elite council of Grandmasters and Masters from various martial arts systems that expands around the world from six continents. Formed in 1992 in the United States, Frank Sanchez continues to dedicate his time and

effort to leading and expanding the organization. Currently, there are nearly 300 elite members of Grandmasters and Masters and growing yearly. The membership process is stringent and is reviewed thoroughly by a Board of highly regarded Grandmaster advisors and Frank Sanchez himself. The organization and its yearly event have gained the attention of martial arts publishers on an international level. Held yearly at various venues, the event draws martial arts practitioners from around the world who partake in two days of seminars led by a host of Grandmasters and Masters that could very well make up the who’s who list in the industry. Concluding the event with an awards banquet on the last day, guests are treated to resort style cuisine and of course the entertainment is conducted by various students of organizational members who share their various talents. Every event is an unforgettable moment in time.

What is unique about the World Head of Family Sokeship Council event is how successfully Frank Sanchez brings like-minded practitioners from varied backgrounds, styles and systems into one location sharing information and techniques in the spirit of martial brotherhood.

Mr. Sanchez does not “pay” anyone to become a part of the

organization. Members seek to be part of the organization because of the high standards set and the mission as noted on WHFSC.COM “Unlike other organizations, there are no membership dues. The WORLD HEAD OF FAMILY SOKESHIP COUNCIL grants membership solely by invitation or sponsorship only.

The main purpose of the Council's focus is to bring communication between the different systems through its grandmasters and proliferate the growth of the martial arts through its programs. The World Head of Family Sokeship Council will celebrate its 25th anniversary year in existence in 2017. This event will mark an historic moment in time with special guests and a wealth of knowledge shared during its seminars. More information on Sanjitsu Ryu and the World Head of Family Sokeship Council can be obtained by visiting www. Sanjitsu.com and www.WHFSC.com .

SIDE BAR: Shihan Chris Marquez is a SanJitsu practitioner with over 37 years of martial arts training and teaching experience. Nearly two decades of his martial arts career have been dedicated toward the expansion of San-Jitsu under the direction of internationally known Grandmaster Frank E. Sanchez. Further information can be obtained by emailng Shihan Marquez at: MarquezSJR@comcast.net

History

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu VACIRCA BROTHERS JIU-JITSU The Origins and Development of Jiu-Jitsu Š 2016 Franco Vacirca, Sandra Nagel

The rise of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Even if we assume that the Kodokan group with the masters Tokugoro Ito, Mitsuyo Maeda, Shutaro Ono and Nobushiro Satake arrived in Manaus already in 1914, the first official Jiu-Jitsu/Judo school in Sao Paulo was not until 1918, founded through Master Sada Miyake and Master Takaharu Saigo.

Eleven years later, in 1929 also in Sao Paulo, another Japanese master, Geo Omori, founded his Jiu-Jitsu school, which also laid the first milestone for the Brazilian style of this fighting method. Some local sources claim that Master Omori was a pupil of the masters Miyake and Saigo, others claim that he came from the Kodokan Institute in Tokyo, however I believe that it will be quiet difficult to confirm either stories after so many years. During that past time, most Dojos could be found in the backyar ds of a house, but Master Omori was one of the first to set up a professional Jiu-Jitsu Academy in his new homeland.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

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arlos Gracie first contact with Jiu-Jitsu was when he became the assistant of Master Donato Pires dos Reis, a police officer and self-defense instructors, who in turn had learned the "Arte Suave" personally under master Mitsuyo Maeda. At that time Master Pires was the Jiu-Jitsu representative at the special police and Carlos Gracie was to become interested in one of the first coach course taught by Master Pires, where Carlos Gracie entered and successfully completed the three-month course under Master Pires in 1928/29 in Belo Horizonte.

In April 1929 young Carlos Gracie, living again with his family in Sao Paulo, after he had spent during three months alone in Belo Horizonte, he had applied for the job to teach self-defense at the "Guardia Civil" which was under the direction of Master Geo Omori.

But these positions were occupied mainly by Japanese Jiu-Jitsu masters or other experts mainly from abroad. When interviewed by the head of the police special forces, Carlos tried to give to understand that he had learned Jiu-Jitsu under various (Japanese) masters, but he had learned from Master Pires, so his application was refused. Master Omori, who was impressed by the young Brazilian and its Jiu-Jitsu ability, he tried to help the young Gracie, but the job was awarded to a Swedish expert with more teaching experience and excellent contacts to the commander in charge.

Geo Omori regretted this decision and saw in the young Gracie much potential, so Omori offered to Carlos a prearranged fight so that he could show to a large audience his Jiu-Jitsu skills. Between the two, it was agreed that no one should win, but that the fight should end with a clear draw. That was finally the chance which Carlos Gracie could use to bring his Jiu-Jitsu career ahead. But Carlos father GastĂŁo Gracie wanted to see his son to win that fight. But since Master Omori was a very skilled and experienced fighter, and with his offer he wanted only to help the young Gracie, the agreement was not changed. But there was also another problem, because until that moment Carlos had no real fighting experience in the Ring. He had learned only the selfdefense techniques of Jiu-Jitsu, but never for a ring fight. So Omori had to prepare him also well for this fight. Along with Carlos also the younger brother George Gracie (also sometimes spelled Jorge) joined the training. George was a few years younger than Carlos, but the Japanese master discovered very soon that he (George) had all the qualities to become a great fighter.

History

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu At the age of 28 years, with no previous combat experience, Carlos walk in the Ring on January 5, 1930 for his fighting debut against his new master Omori. That same evening, George joined also in the ring to fight a well experienced boxer named John Tones; this fight was not pre-arranged. The Jiu-Jitsu fight between the champion Omori and Carlos Gracie ended with a draw. But George Gracie made an incredible fight against the well-prepared boxer and won his debut in the Vale-Tudo Arena.

Shortly thereafter and in the same year (1930) Master Donato Pires made to the two Gracie Brothers, Carlos and George, an offer. Since he got a new instructor position in Rio de Janeiro and in the same time Master Pires used the possibility of opening his own school, Carlos and George would now be able to help him as his assistants in Rio de Janeiro.

Pires school was at that time the second official Jiu-Jitsu school in Rio de Janeiro, since the first was opened by Master Angenor Moreira Sempaio, a student of Master Sada Miyake from Sao Paulo, in the year 1925.

Master Sempaio was already quite famous with his Jiu-Jitsu school and successfully led the training division of the "Guarda Civil" in Rio de Janeiro; unfortunately he died at a young age on August 8, 1962 in his city.

Master Pires reputation as Jiu-Jitsu teacher and his connections to the local police in Rio de Janeiro was well known, so that local media reported heavily on the opening of his Jiu-Jitsu school back then.

A year later, on June 27, 1931, Master Pires again receives another offer and traveled to Santa Caterina.

This was the chance for the Gracies, to start their own school at Rua Marquez de Abrantes 106, in the district of Flamengo, in Rio de Janeiro.

Still very impressed by George Gracie's fighting spirit master Geo Omori decides to offer to the young Gracie a fight against him. On April 10, 1933, finally both where ready to face each other in an official fighting ring. Many newspapers reported on it, including the "Journal A Noite": Both athletes fought that night over 80 minutes against each other and at the end there was no clear winner. On the next day, the newspapers wrote that Jiu-Jitsu was no longer only Japanese, since the Brazilian (George) who learned the fighting style in his homeland, was good as the master itself.

The youngest brother of Carlos, HĂŠlio Gracie, who now also was strongly involved with Jiu-Jitsu, had his fight debut, based on the information I have, in 1932 and had a total of 19 reported fighting until 1955, with the final battle against his own former student Waldemar Santana.

But George Gracie, unfortunately only a few know today, had managed an incredible fight record of 40 fights in the ring; his fighting carrier begun in 1930 against the boxer Tohannes and ended in 1950 against Hélio Gracie's best pupil Pedro Hemetério (my JiuJitsu teacher) taking place in Sao Paulo. To my knowledge, they wanted to send a clear message to George Gracie, since he owned his independent Jiu-Jitsu school in Sao Paulo. At that time Master Pedro Hemetério who was teaching in Rio

de Janeiro at the Gracie school was send to fight him in the ring. During various conversations with Professor Pedro regarding this event, he told me that this fight was his biggest and most difficult task in Jiu-Jitsu. But I also understood that he was not only referring to the physical challenge, because George was very well prepared, but also on the emotional and mental, because to fight against the brother of his own teacher, was certainly not an easy thing, independently if he would win or lose

the fight. I always had the feeling that this particular event had changed his relationship with the Gracie’s, of course he (Hemetério) until his death followed the teachings of his master Hélio Gracie and respected also all his decisions. These are the fights of Grandmaster Hélio Gracie, or at least the ones I know: 1932: wins over Antonio Portugal 1932: draw against Takashi Namiki 1932: draw against Fred Ebert 1934: draw against Wladislaw Zbysko

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu 1934: wins over Miyake, not Taro Miyake – but a student of the Ono brothers!

1935: wins over Orlando „Dudu“ Americo da Silva 1935: draw against Yassuiti Ono 1936: draw against Takeo Yano 1936: wins over Massagoichi 1936: draw against Yassuiti Ono 1937: loses against Orlando „Dudu“ Americo da Silva 1937: wins over Erwin Klausner 1937: wins over Espingarda 1950: wins over Landulfo Caribe 1950: wins over Azevedo Maia 1951: draw against Kato, match break after 30 minutes 1951: wins over Kato 1951: loses against Masahiko Kimura 1955: loses against Waldemar Santana And as follow this was the Fight record of Master George Gracie: 1930: wins over Johannes Tones 1931: wins over Coronel 1931: wins over Jaime Ferreira 1931: wins over Mario Alexio 1933: draw against Geo Omori (Jiu-Jitsu match) 1933: wins over Tito Soledade 1933: wins over Manuel Fernandes 1933: draw against Geo Omori (Vale-Tudo match) 1934: draw against Orlando „Dudu“ Americo da Silva 1934: wins over Shigeo 1934: wins over Jack Conley 1934: loses against Wladek Zbyszko 1935: wins over Ary Martins 1935: draw against Takeo Yano 1936: wins over Geroncio Barbosa 1936: wins over Roberto Ruhmann 1937: draw against Orlando „Dudu“ Americo da Silva 1937: loses against Yassuiti Ono 1937: wins over Naoti Ono 1937: loses against Grillo 1937: wins over Grillo, Rematch 1938: loses against Jack Russel 1938: wins over Jack Russel, Rematch 1938: wins over Campbell 1938: wins over Takeo Yano 1938: loses against Takeo Yano 1939: wins over Naoti Ono 1939: loses against Roberto Ruhmann 1939: wins over Benedicto Perez 1939: wins over Fritz Weber 1939: draw against Takeo Yano 1939: draw against Takeo Yano, Rematch 1940: draw against Takeo Yano, 2. Rematch (match-break after 1 hour) 1940: wins over Fritz Weber 1940: wins over Budip

1940: wins over Naoti Ono 1942: loses against Mestre Tatu 1948: wins over Oka 1948: wins over Oka, Rematch 1950: loses against Pedro Hemetério (Jiu-Jitsu match) Around 1941 the Gracie’s in Rio de Janeiro had a big crisis. It is said that Master Hélio had now alone to take care of the school in Rio. Carlos had to move away from Rio de Janeiro, because he had come into conflict with the law, and only eight years later made it back. Several national and local newspapers reported on this case, which are

open to the public even today. In the 60s, Carlos Gracie came again before a court, this time it was a matter that he allegedly, it described the doctor Oscar Santa Maria, the applicant and former student of Carlos that he had stolen more than 400-thousand CR$.

The doctor also claimed later in court that he was the real owner of the building of the JiuJitsu school. During this time, different stories came to the very harm the image of the Gracie’s, including reporting on the "true" story of the so-called Gracie Diet.

M a n y n e w s p a p e r s , w h i c h a re a v a i l a b l e today, reported extensively that Carlos Gracie supposedly had a "secret master"

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu that he met who lived in Peru. It was also mentioned that it was this mysterious master who gave Carlos new life knowledge, but on the end, it turned out that no one had ever seen this mystical master. Furthermore, reported the journalists that Carlos had copied a book about nutrition and that he sold it as the "Gracie Diet", although it from a (Argentine) nutrition expert named J.P. Dourado; all this and much more has been reported, among other things in the daily newspaper "O Diario" on November 5 1963.

"Brazilian" Jiu-Jitsu was never a "business" of only one family, even if it was marketed in the late 90s like that. Since there was virtually only one source numerous Martial Arts magazines in the U.S. and Europe copied each other. Yes, even I thought that this was really the true story. Important schools from Japan such as the famous BUDOKAN established in various countries and cities, around the world, to promote Judo and Jiu-Jitsu for many years before, the name "Brazilian" Jiu-Jitsu became known. In the late 50s the BUDOKAN also founded schools in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. Master Augusto Cordeiro was one of the leading experts at that time organizing Jiu-

Jitsu Championships, in August 1959, where more than 800 (!!) young athletes at the 21st Jiu-Jitsu Cup where competing.

Another expert, who was also well represented in the 50's in Rio de Janeiro, as well as in other South American countries has been very active, Master Oswaldo Fadda, a high graduated students from Luiz Franรงa Lineage, which in turn was formed by Grand Master Mitsuyo Maeda personally. Many of Fadda students came from the military and the police, and when he retired, even after several years of military service, he founded his own Jiu-Jitsu school, which emerged in the late 30s in the northern part of Rio de Janeiro. Thanks to his incredible efforts, Jiu-Jitsu was also available in the northern part of the city, where more poor people where living. Master Fadda also developed a special teaching program for people with physical disabilities. Finally newspapers and magazines around Brazil started to report on the positive site of Jiu-Jitsu, and not only after fights and championships.

Franco Vacirca www.vacircajiujitsu.ch

In this DVD, G.M. Larry Tatum (10th Dan) develops techniques of the Kenpo program at the highest level.

Particularly, some of his “favorites” like Flashing Mace, Parting Wings, Entwined Lance…

Masterfully executed and based on the experience of the movement, G.M. Tatum incorporates his innovative teachings in these techniques that will help you add and complement your training in the Kenpo system. Besides, they provide the individual with the best choice for selfdefense, based on the logical and practical thinking, and place him in the path of understanding the art of Kenpo. These are the self-defense and fighting systems of the modern times we live in.

They are designed so that the practitioner gets all the benefits that training these techniques can provide. This DVD has the support of Master Adolfo Luelmo (9th Dan), who goes on with a series of techniques performed in a smooth and strong way, for situations of extreme aggression, in which can be appreciated different states of the movement, in a logical and effective way. As a conclusion, Master Camacho Assisi (8th Dan), displays a technique that combines the strength of the arms and his expertise with legs.

REF.: • DVD/LARRY4

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.com