The New Karate

     I mentioned before, in my last post, that Karate is more than just Kick, Punch, Takedown (see previous clip).
What I didn't mention is why Karate is more than that. Karate, as a martial art, is principles. Karate is science and technique conjoined with spirituality.
     Before you raise too many questions or objections, let me explain what I mean. Starting with the most culturally controversial: spirituality- Karate is from the inner most parts of who you are. Like its running counterpart, Parkour, Karate is about pushing your own limits and finding your own freedom. Karate is not just about brutal survival, it is about living. It is a way of life. As Ginchin Funakoshi said: Karate begins with rei. Rei is the Japanese word for what many Christians would call "agape" a mutual respect of the lives of others. As we know in the West: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Without this, there is no hope. There is no "life after the fight" there is just fighting. Not true fighting, but reckless violence. This is not Karate, this is unprincipled behavior where one no longer has control of the self. Without yourself, what are you even fighting for?
      Secondly, Karate is technique. It is not simply choosing your target, or what to do, it is choosing your weapon, in accord with your intention, executing it rightly, and the most effective and efficient means of getting there (not in weighing one against the other in a computation, but finding that "place" where effeciacy and efficiency meet. This is art and technique. It requires practice, study, and determination- all conjoined with mental discipline. Here is where Karate is more than kick, punch, takedown on the physical level. Karate is toe kick, heel kick, blade kick, instep kick, inner foot kick, inverted kick, bahl of foot kick, two knuckle punch, sun fist, backfist, phoenix eye punch, hammer fist, knife hand, ridge hand, spear hand, one finger, two finger strikes, ox-jaw, palm, elbow tip, elbow smash, and continuing! What weapon do you use, and why and how? This is MUCH more than kick, punch. A wrongly executed instep kick to the wrong part of the body can destroy your foot. 
      Finally, Karate is also science. I do not mean "martial science of close-quarters combat survival." I mean study and implementation of the discoveries you find in you and in the storm of life. In yourself, if you cannot kick with your right leg because of a knee, ankle, or hip injury, you must know and work around that. In life, if your purpose is military, civilian, police, victim, rebel, etc. you have to act accordingly. In war you may be studying combat to take a life, but in peace you may need to restudy your actions to be in accord with a "live, and let live" principle. This is where I see the new Karate. I see the constant re-invention of Karate every decade in a new "ex-marine shares killing art" style. The fad in striking arts is elbows and knees. The muay thai style is popular because it is not only ancient but proves devastating. Krav Magna does much of the same work, but is re-invented in the modern era, and is revered because of its war proven effectiveness, so what's the difference? Techniques? Some. For the average laymen, perhaps kickboxing and hapkido may be the same as Krav Magna training. The difference: creative spin. Letting someone see how something is effective makes them a believer, which opens the door for learning. I see elbow blocks and strikes in many new "flow drill" and "gross motor strike" module systems for sale nowadays. I also knew about these for 10 years because I studied Tang Soo Do and utilized them as a green belt. Karate is being rebuilt from the ground up by fight survivors because there is not application of Karate in their lives.Here, Karate is more than kick, punch, by ingenuity. Only a teacher and student with creative minds truly take advantage of the extensive stand-up and striking art of Karate.I list Karate as both striking and stand-up for a reason, but that is for another post.

Don't re-invent the wheel. Train creatively, train traditionally, train hard.



   

Karate is More than Kick, Punch

     Karate is more than Kick, Punch.

    Consquently, it is also more than Kick, Punch, Takedown. Karate, as an art, is a number of things with the same name. In the broadest sense, Karate is the name for the conglomerate of weapon, empty hand, and partnered forms with individual techniques and demonstrable and repeatable pricniples associated with them. In the strict sense, karate refers only to the empty-hand fighting techniques, forms, and form-applications that have been handed down in a particular tradition.

     Many take to either one of thee two extremes, simply based on what they believe is the "right way for karate." But, its just a name. It's not what you are calling it, it's what you are doing that is your art. The name is just something for inter-human communication.

     Too often there is a sitting around of instructors and masters, alike, that simply make the assumption that the makers of the art took months of their life just decided on the most accurate and appropriate name for the arts they spawned or inspired. In the end, many names were simple utilitarian for communication. Shotokan for example: Shoto's School. Shoto was Funakoshi's nickname. Goju-ryu Karate: the Hard-Soft School of Karate. The name explained the primary distinction of the art, that there were both hard and soft techniques in this style of karate, and that was important.

     The real importance is the substance being taught. Many people view karate as the eastern form of boxing. But it is much more. Karate, as we know it, employs the techniques and pricniples of the Chinese, the form traditions, interpretations, and rhythms of Okinawa, the one-strike methodology of some Japanese martial arts (like Iaido). Even now, in the Americas and Europe, Karate also employs the dynamic movement of Western Boxing and Wrestling. Karate, itself, is a mixed-martial art, and it is high-time its practicioners realized that fact. Not simply realizing it by acknowledging it, but by accepting and practicing it.

    This is not to say that there is not more for karate-ka to learn. There is something to learn from Tai Chi Ch'uan, Judo, and Freestyle Wrestling, but it is important that karate-ka do not hold what valuable lessons and training they have learned and engaged through karate in contempt.

     Karate is Kick, Punch, Takedown.

    It is also so much more. Stay tuned.

Train hard. Train right.

Three-Step Sparring

Last night, Samdan Travis Morton had decided to grace our Dojang with his presence. At the same time, he brought a fantastic drill with him.

I have been familiar with the three and five -step sparring drills of the Okinawan Masters for a few years. I often saw value to them, but never had a chance to exercise anything remotely similar to them with anyone else. Samdan Morton offered such an opportunity.

Yesterday, he introduced a three-step drill. The three-step drill involved not only a striker and defender. Each step was seperated intermittently by an analysis. It was the opportunity of the defender to read the situation and positioning of the striker. The defender state his analysis, each time with less words, concise reasons, and greater certainty. It is the responsibility of the attacker to honestly and definitively decide and then slowly execute the technique.

This drills requires both honesty and determination. While the striker must have honesty in what he/she was giong to do, the defender also must honestly execute the block of what he had chosen. Due to the inherent risk of contact, the moves should be executed at half speed. Eventually the drill can be executed at higher speeds with quicker exchanges,. The drills, as is, is very well suited for both beginners and advanced students.

I found the timing, additionally amusing. I had just discussed the effects of such a drill with another Master friend of mine, for use of sparring with gear. This seems easily adapted and I will keep up posts if this happens in the future.

Train hard. Train smart.

What to Expect at Our School

This is a post concerning what to expect when you walk in the doors of a Dojang.

Our Dojang, as with other schools, is accepting of walk-in students. In our Dojang, expect to walk in and, if class is not in progress, to be greeted by the owner or an instructor.

If class is going on, please feel free to either sit and watch class to its finish, or join to try it out. If you arrive to the Dojang when class ahs begun, please prepare yourself accorind to the protocol below, bend your left knee and place your right knee on the ground and wait to be acknowledged. Once the instructor sees you, he will find a place for you in class at the next break in action (no more than a minute or two).

Preparing yourself to enter the Dojang:

When you enter the Dojang, you will enter the lobby area. It is acceptable to wear your shoes, here. What you will see in front of you is the Dojang training floor. The training floor is, in sense, a sacred space. It is set apart for training the mind and the body. Shoes are not permitted. The only exception are shoes which are specially made for being worn in the Dojang and have no other use, so that outside contagens and dirt are not trekked into the school.

If you have more questions please call the Dojang any time of the day or evening:
724-610-5029

GRAND OPENING

GRAND OPENING

Come visit us for our GRAND OPENING.

Instructors and Masters from the Asia Tang Soo Do Federation will be present to both witness and exhibit professional standards in Tang Soo Do.

We will also have our own Shihan Dan to demonstrate the Art of the Japanese Sword - Kenjutsu.

The event starts at 11:30 AM on January 15th, Saturday.

The Demonstrations will begin at Noon on that Day.

Steeler Game? No Issues: The event will be finished in plenty of time for your return to where ever to watch the game.