TRADITIONAL MARTIAL ARTS

TRADITIONAL MARTIAL ARTS

Monday, March 18, 2024

THE FIRST STEP

 by Phillip Starr

So you've received your first-grade black belt. You're thrilled and proud as well you should be. After all, you made it! But...is this the end of it? Are you an “expert” now?

Some time ago, I lost count of all the first-grade black belts I've known who, after having strapped that coveted piece of black cloth around their waists, closed the book on traveling the martial path. Such a pity!


In the West we tend to place great emphasis and meaning upon the acquisition of the black belt but in the East, it's not regarded as such a big deal. There are, after all, 10 “dan” grades, with 10th being held as that of perfection (or as perfect as is humanly possible achieve). So as my iaido teacher is fond of saying, “A shodan (first grade black belt) is only 10% of perfect, a nidan (second grade) is just 20% of perfect...” And he's right.


I've always regarded a shodan as an advanced beginner; a student who, in preparation for a long trip, has just finished packing his/her bags. The adventure is about to begin! Why would anyone spend so much time meticulously packing their bags only to forget about the trip and crawl into bed to take a nap? And yet, this is exactly what the vast majority of those who receive their shodans do!


They miss the point of all their previous training, which was intended to prepare them physically, mentally, and spiritually for learning the TRUE art.






Sunday, March 17, 2024

THE DARK SIDE

 by Phillip Starr

     For many martial arts enthusiasts the main goal of training is to become stronger and faster, and to master fighting techniques and tactics so as to defeat any aggressor who dares assault them.  Basic techniques are drilled over and over while muscles scream and the breath comes in gasps.  Forms are practiced over and over and then studied and analyzed in minute detail until their true meaning is understood.  Students leave their blood on the striking post and their sweat on the training floor.  But underneath it all is something more, something personal, insidious, and dark.

     We've all faced times of hardship and times of "testing" as we've traveled the martial path.  These difficulties come in all manner of shapes and sizes, from minor to major injuries, illnesses, delays, loss of interest, problems with relationships...and there is simply no way to intellectualize or buy your way out of them.  Oftentimes, you must work or even fight your way through them and at other times you must simply grit your teeth and wait them out.  Sometimes simply staying on the path is all you can do. The legendary founder of aikido, Morihei Uyeshiba, put it succinctly:

"In extreme situations it seems as if the entire universe has become our foe.

At such critical times unity of body and mind is essential.

Do not let your heart waver.

Bravely face whatever God offers.

One should be prepared to receive 99% of the enemy's attack and stare death right in the face in order to illuminate the path.

Transcend the realm of life and death and you will be able to make your way calmly and safely through any crisis that confronts you."



     In the practice of martial arts we must eventually confront our own "shadow side.” All of us have fears - from a simple fear of the dark to fears of pain, financial ruin, loneliness, and disease. And although these fears seem to come from outside of us, I think they are often the result of an internal process. This is a process of which we may not be consciously aware, a process that lies below our surface personality.

     In training we strive to perform correctly, even under pressure.  It usually doesn't take long for inhibiting problems to begin to surface; poor attitudes, envy, self-pity, criticism (of self or others), insecurities, anger bubble to the surface to be seen by everyone. You can't hide them although you may try and then it becomes obvious that you're trying to conceal them! 


     The fact is that we've lived with these "shadows" for so long that we've developed our own personal ways of handling them.  They've become a part of us - habits, if you will - and we've become so accustomed to carrying them around that we don't even notice them until we get involved in martial arts training, which is really very different from most other physical activities because we're dealing with the basest form of human relationships...a punch in the mouth.  We have to learn to respond appropriately to physical attack while we must simultaneously "be with ourselves" under gradually increasing levels of physical and emotional pressure.


     Before long we must face the ways in which we typically handle this and other forms of stress; how we armor ourselves against them, how we withdraw (into ourselves) or attack aggressively and what we see may not be pleasant.  We're exposed not only to ourselves but to all of our classmates as well.  The way we defend ourselves under great pressure (as when a partner tries to punch us in the face) shows us how we work to survive in daily life.


     As Wilhelm Reich said, your body acts as a "prison" that holds "you" (or what you perceive as "you") in place.  Although you can see an open door before you, you are held back in your "prison" by your limiting beliefs, attitudes, and so forth.

     A skilled and caring instructor will see immediately what you see but he cannot present you with an instant "cure."  All he can do is encourage and guide you and you must listen. He's been where you are.  Your chosen martial art can be used as a vehicle to explore those things that you find undesirable in yourself - your fears, what threatens you, feelings of inadequacy and inferiority, and so on.  It is at this time, when we recognize various aspects of our "dark side" that we must take master Uyeshiba's advice to heart.


     You face your opponent (your training partner) and he becomes you.  You project your fears, your weaknesses, and even your strengths onto him and confront them as you practice fighting.  And as you strive to "not lose", it isn't really your opponent who you are trying to defeat.  It's your "shadow side."  This is why practice fighting is so very important because in actual combat it's the same thing.  Your opponent, whether he's just a training partner or a real assailant, is a mirror.


     I believe that the willingness to face our "dark side" and striving to understand and eventually overcome our weaknesses, fears, and the many things about ourselves that we would rather keep stashed away is what makes a true warrior.  You must begin by being bold enough to admit the truth of what you see about yourself.  Then you must be strong enough to resolve those aspects of yourself that you find undesirable.  This can be accomplished through correct martial arts training but it isn't easy and many students will quit training in order to avoid having to face themselves although many of them, perhaps even the majority of them, are unaware that this is the reason they're quitting.


     Remember the word of master Uyeshiba above:

In extreme situations it seems as if the entire universe has become our foe.”

(Ever felt like the whole world - maybe even the whole universe - was against you?)

At such critical times unity of body and mind is essential.”

(First, recognize the situation and the feelings it evokes.  Then "Get One-Point" and exercise reverse breathing.  Unify your body and mind!)

Do not let your heart waver.

(Don't get cold feet.  Don't even think about the possibility of giving up or failing. Ever. Those are not options.)

Bravely face whatever God offers.”

(Face the problems directly and remember that every problem you face has a hidden gift to give you.)

One should be prepared to receive 99% of the enemy's attack and stare death right in the face in order to illuminate the path.

(Like the old Japanese saying; "You only live twice.  Once when you are born, and once when you look death in the face." )

Transcend the realm of life and death and you will be able to make your way calmly and safely through any crisis that confronts you."

(When you have overcome your fear of death, you can make your way calmly through any crisis.)






Saturday, March 16, 2024

THE BOW

 by Phillip Starr

*Partially excerpted from “The Making of a Butterfly” by the author

Contrary to what many people believe, China is not “the land of bowing.” That title is reserved primarily for Japan. This is not to say that the Chinese don't bow; they do, when they intend to show deep respect or thanks. It is a beautiful convention that has, unfortunately, been forgotten in the Occident where it was once fairly common.

In Japanese, Okinawan, and Korean martial arts schools it is customary to bow when walking onto or leaving the training floor, when addressing a teacher, and many schools do it when the instructor enters or leaves the training area.


I remember a day many moons ago when I learned the real significance of the bow. My classmates and I trained in the basement and backyard of our teacher's home and although Chinese martial arts schools generally don't require students to bow to the training area, I did (mostly because I also trained in Kyokushin and Shito-ryu karate and I was accustomed to doing it). It had become an unconscious habit that my teacher, W.C. Chen, eventually came to appreciate.


As I stepped from the basement stairs onto the floor, I quickly bowed and walked in. Being in a bit of a hurry to start warming up, I actually just nodded my head. Before I'd made it ten feet, my sifu motioned for me to approach him. As I did so, he said, “You did not bow when you entered the room.”

I thought that maybe he'd missed it because it was quite slight. “Yes I did, sifu.”

He became stern and replied, “That was not a bow. Try again.” He waved me back to the stairway. I bowed more deeply this time but it didn't satisfy him. “That's not a bow”, he said.

Okay. I was a bit confused. WHY wasn't the deeper bow correct?

He motioned for me to approach him again and then swept his arm across the room. “When you bow, you are honoring those who have gone before you and who have given us this art. This is where you will develop yourself and grow (up).”


Turning to face me, he continued, “You must be reverent because this is where you will learn to save your life! You must always train seriously, as if your life depends on it...because it does! So, you must always be serious when you bow.” I was taken aback a bit. I'd never looked at it that way.

Addressing the other students who were eavesdropping, he said, “And all of you must humble yourselves here. You are here to learn and if you cannot be humble, you cannot learn. If you have a big (swelled) head, then you have an empty head and an empty heart. So be serious; be humble.”


He turned back to me and continued, “You will teach this art someday and you must be even more serious than your students. You must be more humble, too. A real teacher is this way because he knows the why and not just the how.”







Friday, March 15, 2024

SWIMMING ROUND THE STONE; MY TWIST ON IT

 by Phillip Starr

In Japanese (and Chinese) culture, the carp has a long history of respect because many of its attributes are considered worthy of emulation. For instance, it is a paragon of bravery. If you have ever caught one on a fishing line, you know that it will fight furiously to try to free itself. But when the battle is lost and the fish has been brought out of the water, it lies still and accepts its fate calmly and stoically...in a spirit similar to that of the samurai when they faced death.

The Chinese are responsible for teaching the Japanese how to selectively breed this fish and they imparted many of their secrets several centuries ago. Today, the raising of koi (carp) is a multi-million yen business.


Mr. Dave Lowry (author of several best-selling martial arts books) wrote an article on this subject and I will put my own spin on it, for what it's worth...

One technique for raising healthy fish was the placing of a stone in the pond where the fish lived. If koi are placed in a pond with nothing but water in it, they become lazy, listless, and subject to disease. The Chinese found that placing a stone in the pond give the fish something to swim around and they grow energetic and strong. It's a kind of anchor for them and they can clearly see it and use it.


Mr. Lowry goes on to say that he often regards the budo (wudao or martial ways) like that stone. They form a stone of sorts,.. for those who have made the martial ways a part of their lives. He then goes on to discuss how the budo kept him anchored during the turbulent 60's (which is when he trained with his sensei in iaido and also trained judo). The budo provided him with family; consistency in a world where values had been turned upside down and inside out (I too, remember those days). The training hall provided a sort of granite boulder around which he and his classmates (who trained regularly) swam.


The traditions, the training methods, the challenges...were all the same as they had been for his martial arts ancestors. Outside the walls of the training hall the storms of social change raged, but within the training hall was the calm of a temple. He always knew that the stone was there and he could depend on it. The budo provided him and his classmates a core upon which they could center their lives.


Mr. Lowry's essay on the subject is really very delightful and it made me think....that within a given martial art style or system, there must also be a stone. I think this stone is formed out of the traditions, the training methods, the forms...of a given style or art. Without them; without the stone, the style or system flounders and becomes confused, weak, and sick. This is, I think, what has happened to many “modern” martial arts. They have no stone to swim around. They are unidentifiable. They have no markings which make them distinct and clear. No forms, no traditions, no sense of etiquette, no traditional, hard and fast training methods.


Follow your traditional system. Its methods and traditions will remain steadfast; they form the “stone” around which you “swim.” They provide us with a great consistency; a solid anchor which we can see and touch and experience firsthand.






Thursday, March 14, 2024

POLISH AND PERFECTION

 by Phillip Starr

In the world of martial arts there are a number of varieties from which aspiring students can choose. There are traditional martial arts, contemporary or “eclectic” martial arts, mixed martial arts, “realistic” martial arts (as opposed to the “fantasy” martial arts, I suppose), and so on. But I would argue that a number of these aren't really “arts” at all – at least not in the “martial arts” sense of the term – some aren't really “martial” per se, and the reasons for, and methods of, their practice differs considerably.

To begin with, the word “martial” as written in Chinese (and subsequently, Japanese) does not necessarily infer anything having to do with the military. æ­¦ is the character for “bu” (“wu” in Chinese), which is translated as “martial.” Its radicals mean, “to stop the spear.” Although this can be easily inferred as a military action, it needn't be limited to that class. It can just as easily be thought of as a means of stopping violence or protecting oneself.


The objective of the traditional martial ways goes beyond merely learning how to best an opponent. They stress the importance of constantly polishing the techniques and forms with the ultimate goal being perfection of oneself. It is understood that this simply isn't possible in this lifetime but such a consideration doesn't dissuade practitioners from striving to reach that goal. They continue to practice throughout their lives, constantly polishing the art which has become the mirror in which they can see into their own hearts and know themselves.


Most contemporary and/or eclectic “martial arts” are directed at one thing; performance in front of an audience. There is no need for combat effectiveness, nor are they particularly interested in perfecting themselves and their spirits. The be-all, end-all of such activities lies primarily in aesthetic appeal.


Martial” ways such as mixed martial arts often claim to be directed towards combat efficiency but I disagree. The objective of these methods is to win a match. They are, after all, sports... and the objective of participation in any sport is to win! And, as with all sports, there are rules that must be followed. They have no interest in perfection of technique; their goal lies solely in winning the game.


As for the “realistic martial arts”, their objective does not extend beyond defending oneself. Perfection of form or technique doesn't even enter the picture; practical combat effectiveness is all that matters. Once that has been achieved, the goal has been reached and the ride is over.


But for the traditional martial arts practitioner, the ride goes on for the remainder of his or her life. Sure, there will be ups and downs but the ride continues and although the drive to polish the “mirror” may wane from time to time, one always come back to it and starts polishing again. The seemingly simple reverse punch or front kick provide us with endless insights into our true selves.






Wednesday, March 13, 2024

PLASTIC SWORDS AND TOY GUNS

 by Phillip Starr

Remember when you were a kid and you used to engage in sword fights with plastic or rubber swords? Ever play at being a cowboy or a soldier and strut around with your toy gun as you fought for truth and justice? It was a lot of fun. And at the end of the day, we all went home for dinner. Is this what you're doing with your martial arts training? I sure hope not. Dinner is great but are you playing with toy weapons? Or are you building the real thing?


In another article, I wrote about generating enormous striking power through the proper application of certain laws of physics, which necessarily involves some specialized body mechanics and structural adjustments. It is entirely possible for a human to generate over a ton of striking force if the technique is correctly executed. This isn't something that can be achieved after a few weeks or even months of regular practice; it require a lot of training over time (the meaning of kung-fu ) but it can be done. With some moderate training, a first-grade black belt should be able to generate at least 200-300 lbs. of force (per square inch) if the technique is done properly.


But.

Is your (bodily) weapon capable of withstanding that kind of force? Are you swinging a plastic sword or one made of high-quality steel? You know perfectly well what'll happen if you whack a solid target with a plastic sword and the same thing will happen to your hand (or foot). Trust me on that.


Karate, taekwondo, and kung-fu depend on the use of various bodily weapons. In order for these weapons to be of any real use, they must be strengthened and tempered. Now, I m not suggesting that you consider developing massive callouses or anything like that; such things aren't really necessary. But the body's weapons absolutely MUST be tempered. After a lifetime of training, I have found that the best piece of equipment for this is the striking post, especially the Okinawan-styled post (which can also be found in some kung-fu styles and the original form of taekwondo). Hitting a heavy bag is nice, but it is of little use in tempering the body's weapons - and if you want to truly strengthen them, don t wear bag gloves. Ever.


Consider, what s the difference between getting hit with 5 lbs. of chicken feathers and 5 lbs. of lead? They have the same weight, yes? So, why does one shatter bones and the other cause you to swear off KFC for a month? The answer is DENSITY. The density of lead is considerably greater than feathers.


A properly built striking post that is used in the correct manner with good technique (this is asking a lot, I know) will, over time, increase the density of the bones in the hands (and feet, if you build a post that you can kick) and strengthen the joints involved. The bones become as hard as steel. Yes, the flesh will toughen to some degree but excessive callousing is unnecessary. A light tap with such a weapon can drop a man easily. It's akin to being caressed by a ballpeen hammer.


The joints absolutely MUST be strengthened to withstand the reaction force of your blows. A punch or kick is only as strong as it s weakest link, which is the joints. One weak spot can unravel most of your striking power.


If we're going to practice REAL martial arts instead of the fantasy version, we must build and learn to use REAL weapons. Let the children play with the plastic swords.








Tuesday, March 12, 2024

DO NOT WIN, DO NOT LOSE

 by Phillip Starr

In today's martial arts world, especially in the competition arena a lot of emphasis is placed on winning. The so-called “reality-based martial arts” do the same thing. However, in the traditional martial ways, teachers often admonish their students to “not lose.” This is a bit different from the concept of “winning” and is one of the differences between the traditional martial disciplines and the shallower contemporary versions.

Striving to win and focusing on not losing are two different animals. Let's examine them more closely... If winning is your focal point, there must be both a winner and a loser. Naturally, you don't want to lose, so you direct your polestar to winning. This is crucial in a contest; if you compete, you must naturally do your best to win. The only other option is to lose, and you didn't enter the event so that you could lose, right? But it is this very point that is a hindrance to those who wish to follow the traditional ways.


When you focus on winning, you're more likely to do things that you wouldn't ordinarily do. You may well do something very foolhardy in your effort to “win” and that can very easily end badly for you (but it may put your dentist's kids through college). Moreover, part of your attention is directed towards yourself rather than being directed at your opponent. This weakens your spirit and yi (intention). It causes at least a partial withdrawal of your qi (ki, in Japanese), which can result in defeat.


Bear in mind that there's fighting, and then there's FIGHTING. Fighting in a competition ring is one thing...but it's not real, of course. Even practice with classmates cannot compare to actual combat. The attacks may not not be clean, crisp movements and Mr. Murphy (of Murphy's Law fame) will be sitting in your back pocket. The surface that you're standing on will likely be less than ideal. The area around you may well be cramped, with plenty of objects hindering freedom of movement. Real fighting is messy on a good day. There are no referees, no coaches, and no such things as “points.” Survival is the only issue and when you engage your foe, you can feel and hear the hiss of his hot breath, smell the stink of his sweat, and feel his rage. Face it; you'll likely get a bit scuffed up yourself and you must be able to fight through the shock, the pain, and the blood.


The object here is to NOT LOSE. The most effective method is to walk or run away. Fight only if you must...when, for instance, you are not able to run or if you must defend your family (or even other people). Don't fight to save your pride; but if you must fight, you must not lose!


That means surviving. You won't try any of your point-winning techniques; you'll rely instead on what you believe will work to bring the conflict to an end, one way or another. All of your attention must necessarily be focused on your enemy. There's no such thing here as second-place.