FOUR PILLARS OF KARATE

 by Phillip Starr

There is an old Okinawan adage that reminds us that proper karate training consists of three essential parts, although they also include a fourth. These are sometimes referred to as the “Three (actually, Four) Pillars of Karate.” It is believed that one must practice all of them and refrain from neglecting any one of them. And they apply to all other martial disciplines as well...

The first pillar is Kihon (basics). Without regular (as in “daily”) practice of these, everything else falls apart. They must be practiced and continuously polished until they become a part of you. There is no end to striving to perfect the kihon. Beginning students often just lob them out into space, but this will lead nowhere. Each punch, each kick must be executed with yi (intention) and a strong spirit.

If we compare martial arts to language, the kihon are the words. They mustn't be garbled or mispronounced.

The second pillar is Kata (forms). As with the individual kihon, kata must be practiced and polished daily. It isn't necessary for you to practice ALL of the kata that you have learned every day; in fact, trying to do so would end in disaster! You'd quickly become bored, discouraged, or frustrated (or all of these) and discontinue your practice. You must FOCUS on the kata 100%. Select just one or two to practice on a given day.

If the kihon are words and phrases, so the kata are sentences and paragraphs that comprise a book. They are the ways of expressing the kihon in a coherent manner.

Kumite is the third pillar. It does not, however, refer only to freestyle sparring; it refers instead to practice routines that involve a partner. There are numerous two-person training routines besides sparring and training with them properly will develop genuine fighting skill. These include three and one-step fight, and freestyle one-step fight. Because they require a partner, such routines cannot necessarily be practiced daily, but they can and should be practiced in every class.

The Makiwara (literally, “rolled straw”) or striking post forms the fourth pillar. It will ensure that your Kihon are correct and it will polish, strengthen, and sharpen them. If the kihon are compared to using a sword, the makiwara is the sharpening stone. And it is where the blade is tempered. You wouldn't want to rely on a dull blade or one that's fashioned out of cheap iron, would you? It's better to have a razor-sharp sword made of the finest steel. And the striking post will make sure that you do.

An old friend of mine, “Sherm” Harrill once said, “Any karate school that doesn't have a makiwara is just teaching people how to dance.” And I agree. It's akin to a boxing school that is void of heavy bags...

Remember these Four Pillars. They're what your art and skill are based on.

FOOD AS MEDICINE

 by Phillip Starr

Basic Chinese medical theory is, in my opinion, seamlessly merged with the culture of that nation (probably more so than the average Chinese citizen suspects). One example is that of their diet. Unlike Westerners who tend to eat on the run and often garf down whatever is quick and easy, the Chinese thoroughly enjoy their native food and take time to adequately prepare good meals.

Although some Western fast-food restaurants can be found (such as McDonalds, KFC, and Pizza Hut) and they're usually rather crowded, most Chinese readily admit that they're very much aware that this kind of food is “bad for the body” and the truth is that they go to them just every now and then rather than on a regular basis; they're regarded as something special that's been imported from the West...a novelty (kind of disappointing to think that these are often held up as “American Food”...).

Traditional Chinese medical theory holds fast to ancient teachings regarding Yin and Yang, the so-called Five Elements, the Five Flavors, and so on. And although the average Chinese housewife cannot necessarily expound on the intricacies of these subjects, they understand something of their essense and utilize them in the preparing of daily meals. For instance, the so-called Five Elements – Earth, Metal, Wood, Fire, and Water - feature certain flavors. These are: Sweet, Sour, Salty, Bitter, and Pungent. And each (complete) Chinese meal contains a bit of all five flavors which, they believe, contributes to good overall health. Their food is also their daily “medicine.”

And since good health is necessary in order to keep up daily training, martial arts followers are careful to maintain a good diet. They take their medicine daily.

CUTTING CORNERS

 by Yang Xuangxing

We've all done it at one time or another; tried to “cut corners”: when it came to learning or practicing a particular form or technique...right? Sure we have, and that's normal. It's just human nature.

However, we discovered – some more quickly than others – that cutting corners isn't an efficient way to truly learn or acquire real skill. It often results in injuries. Then we had to drag ourselves back to the old tried and true method of practice – endless repetitions with mental focus.

There's an old Latin phrase that tells us, “Repetitio mater studiorum est .” It means, “repetition is the mother of all learning” and it's absolutely true. But there's much more to it than just going through the motions, lobbing out one empty technique after another. I call them “empty” because they're devoid of any real spirit and intention, and hence...real strength. Thus, the mind and intention must be focused on each and every repetition.

This is why it's generally pointless to practice a large number of the same techniques over and over. Your mind gets bored, you lose mental focus and/or your legs (or other body parts) begin to ache and your attention (yi) is drawn to that part of your body. In short, although your body is doing the same outer movement(s) repeatedly, your mind isn't fixed on what you're doing.

Physical repetition must be enjoined with mental concentration if you expect to derive any real benefit from your practice. And the corners you thought about cutting? Forget it.

COMFY? NOT!

 By Phillip Starr

For what it's worth, it's my opinion that much of the reason for the overall decline in the martial arts nowadays is due to...discomfort. New students dislike it (and often drop out), instructors are afraid that students will find certain routines too uncomfortable and they don't use them, or both. Actually, this has gone on for so long that we now have instructors who have never had to endure the rigors and frequent accompanying “discomforts” that were once part and parcel of traditional training.

In the East, it's generally understood and accepted that engaging in a martial art is going to hurt a bit but not so in the West where we've been made to be politically correct (except for a few such as yours truly) and strive to prevent offending anyone or making them physically uncomfortable. The West has managed to raise a generation of wimps; many public schools have reduced or eliminated physical education and children (as well as adults) are not made to engage in any activity that makes them uncomfortable.

If little Billy's legs are sore from running around the track yesterday, he'll be excused from doing any physical exercises today. And this attitude has been carried into many martial arts schools...a great many of them no longer make students practice static postures (such as the dreaded horse-riding stance) or any training routines that are usually painful. But it is this very aspect of training that develops character, spirit, and an indomitable will; things that are not only essential for the development of martial skill but necessary for daily life as well!

Authentic martial skill simply cannot be developed without enduring a considerable amount of discomfort. But nowadays, many instructors are overly concerned that everyone is “having fun.” They fear that discomfort may result in lower enrollment and subsequent loss of income. And so it might. Martial arts aren't for everyone.

CATCHING THE MOMENT

 by Phillip Starr

Knowing and “feeling” when the opponent is about to attack. Those who are able to do this are certainly very formidable opponents for obvious reasons. This skill is usually regarded as some sort of mystical skill that may be acquired through the practice of special meditative routines.

Not true.

You can meditate all the livelong day but it will be of no real use to you in developing this special skill. And it is developed through regular, repetitive practice of one of the most basic training exercises...three-step fight! Exactly how this is to be done is shown and discussed in my book, MARTIAL MANEUVERS. There's more to be learned from three-step fight than meets the eye.

We know the brain sends out electrical signals, like a radio. A simple EEG proves this. And a radio can, with a bit of work, be turned into a receiver. The biggest problem is getting your mind to be quiet so that you can “hear” the receiver.

When someone attacks you, it occurs in stages:

1. First he has the intention to attack in some fashion.

2. Second, he determines just how he will do it and with what (punch, kick, grab, or whatever).

3. His brain then signals the muscles (via the nerves) that will be involved in making the attack.

4. The attack ensues as planned.

Now, the brain sends out signals at each of these stages. Thoughts (on your end) act like static in the receiver and you can't really pick up the opponent's signals. So, over-analyzing the process only gums up the works.

It is crucial to your practice that your partner actually has the intention of striking and harming you. This is usually the biggest stumbling block in training. You must feel his yi (intention). If he really has the intention of hurting you, his yi will be strong and you can detect it; if he's just lobbing his punch out there, there's no danger, no yi, and nothing to detect. There's no real attack. Yi is a vital key to acquiring this skill!

Once developed, you can feel when the opponent's brain gives his body the command to commence the attack. You then strike first! The opponent is momentarily helpless; to defend himself his brain would have to cancel the previous signals, determine what you're doing, where your strike will land, when it will land...and all this takes much too long. He's in an “attack mode” and cannot easily reverse himself and go into a “defense mode.” He's helpless and unable to defend himself.

The progressive training routine for developing this unique skill is tedious and can become rather boring. But you must stay the course and NOT jump ahead; each stage must be mastered before moving on to the next. I recommend getting a copy of MARTIAL MANEUVERS and learning how this is done. Take your time. Find an agreeable partner and begin. Your practice must be regular, not haphazard. You and your partner will find that building up a strong intention to harm each other (when performing as the attacker) is both mentally and physically tiring. But you must do it! Real skill isn't developed quickly...

UKEMI'S IMPORTANCE

 by Phillip Starr

In speaking with an old student, I learned that he was attending regular “meet-ups” of various martial arts practitioners who all practice together in an effort to improve their skills outside of class. This is a wonderful idea but my student made one important observation; NONE of the other participants knew how to breakfall. Only when they ventured to a local kenjutsu school (that also included traditional jujutsu in their training) was he able to practice the various forms of throwing and takedowns that he had learned from me.

I think the absence of proper ukemi (breakfalling) training in many martial arts schools is most unfortunate. I remember my early days as a young boy when I was so excited to begin learning the exotic Eastern martial at of judo. We spent the first lessons practicing various forms of breakfalls and for me at that age, it was great fun! But as I got older, I realized the importance of learning ukemi (at any age) and it had a lot more importance that just being fun...

In learning how to fall correctly, we are doing much more than we think. We're overcoming, little by little, one of the most fundamental human fears (it may, in fact, be THE most fundamental human fear); that of FALLING. From childhood, we learn to fear this thing (usually because we've taken a few nasty spills) and as we get older, the fear grows...unless we do something about it.

A good and caring instructor is necessary. I have always (and still do) teach breakfalls to new students “from the ground up.” They begin in a supine position and gradually work their way up to beginning from a sitting position (on the floor), a squat, and so on. Children generally LOVE the rolling techniques and we make a game of it. I was very fortunate in developing this skill when I was still quite young. It is useful not only for the practice of martial arts, but for daily life as well.

Ukemi is a tremendous confidence booster. When a child or an adult learns how to do them properly, they feel very much empowered! Their confidence, their belief in themselves and their ability to overcome obstacles soars! This impacts not only their martial skills, but their daily lives as well. If you've never learned proper ukemi, I implore you to do so as soon as possible. It WILL make a difference!

THE STORY OF PASTOR “JOB” LI

 by Phillip Starr

During my first year as National Chairman for the AAU Kung-Fu Division (1990), I had the honor of meeting a man known as Pastor “Job Li.” Much later, I would learn that his name was Li Liangjung. My friend, Bing Chen, attended Pastor Li's church and introduced me to him. Mr. Li (who was in his 80's at the time), he told me, was a well-respected martial artist. I found him to be very humble, courteous, and insightful.

But it would be a short while before I would be told his story. Pastor Li's full name was Li Liangjong. During WWII, he helped rescue downed American fliers, often going behind enemy lines to do so. He'd had to dispatch many enemy soldiers, often with his bare hands. After the war when the communists and soldiers of the “Republic” led by Chiang Kai-shek locked horns, Li sided with the latter and fought against the communists.

When many Chinese fled to Taiwan to escape Mao Zedong's takeover of the nation, Li went with them. By this time, he'd been promoted to the rank of Lt. General. But his days of fighting weren't over.

Between Taiwan and mainland China are several smaller islands. In 1949, the PLA (People's Liberation Army of communist China) determined that if they could take Kinmen Island (aka., Jinmen, meaning “Golden Gate”), they could easily launch a major offensive against the main island of Taiwan itself. And General Li was put in charge of defending this stepping stone. At all costs.

Thus began what became known as Guningtou. The communists shelled Li's positions and then began with their favored tactic, the “human waves.” Li's ROC (Republic of China) forces held their positions, but at a terrible cost. Wave after wave of PLA soldiers charged but they were repeatedly driven back. Pastor Li's eyes gazed off into the distance as he spoke of this horrific fight, seeing a past that only a survivor can see. I cannot imagine that kind of horror and slaughter. But Li and his men held. Taiwan was saved.

Shortly after the battle, Gen. Li attempted to take a small military aircraft to China to rescue his older parents, who were trapped there. It would be a dangerous mission, but he was determined to try. Unfortunately, he was caught trying to fly out to the mainland and subsequently placed under arrest. He'd never see his parents again.

The trial was short. Fortunately, the judge and several other officers who participated in the court martial were his former students and he was sentenced to just two years in prison. Shortly after his release, his wife passed away. His heart was broken and he had no idea which way to turn. A friend offered him a position in his company, which was in the business of making records! This would later become Taiwan's most popular record-making company. But Gen. Li turned him down. He wanted a simpler life...

Sometime during all this personal turmoil, Li became a Christian and determined to leave Taiwan and come to the U.S. He adopted the name “Job” as he felt that his life had been one of terrible sorrow as was his namesake's life in the Bible. He settled in Omaha, Nebraska and opened a church for local Chinese residents.

He expressed sorrow that he had been largely forgotten by his own people. I really felt for him; how could they forget the man who had saved the Republic of China when it was in its infancy? I therefore determined that as long as I was National Chairman of the AAU Kung-Fu Division, we would award a special “Job Li Spirit Award” to the competitor who demonstrated the greatest fighting spirit.

At the First AAU National Kung-Fu Championships, I stood before the crowd and told everyone the story of Pastor Li. When I announced that this incredible hero was present at the event, a huge cry and applause went up and I awarded Pastor Li with a special sword, which I had had specially engraved for him. My heart swelled as I saw the tears in his eyes.

In 1992, Pastor Li received a very formal invitation from the People's Republic of China to attend a week-long celebration of his heroism in his hometown. He was conflicted; he wanted to go and see what few surviving relatives he had, but he feared it was a trap and the communists would arrest him. Bing and I assured him that he'd be fine and with a bit more pursuading, he was flown back to China.

The celebration was a massive party, honoring Pastor Li's great heroism and he was able to reunite with his surviving relatives and meet many newer descendants. He could scarcely believe it! The party lasted all week and he was thrilled.

Some years later, Pastor Li joined his wife. I was very saddened to get the news of his passing but I was glad that I'd been able to provide some measure of recognition for this incredible man. I'll never forget him. I hope you won't, either.