EXTRA BAGGAGE

 by Phillip Starr

When I ran my full-time martial arts school many years ago, I debated about hanging a sign outside the entrance to the training hall; “Leave Excess Baggage Here.” I frequently had prospective students come in to inquire about classes and I was surprised that they were even able to walk under the weight of the extra baggage they carried...

The nature of the baggage varied but I think I can safely place them into two broad categories; physical and mental/emotional. Under the category of physical limitations you'll find an enormous number of alleged ailments, from trick knees to bad backs. I often found it surprising that these people knew their ailment(s) and the various techniques of my art so well; they'd tell me what they could and couldn't do. For them, enrolling in the school was akin to ordering a hamburger. Some professed to having physical limitations that were so severe that I told them that they really couldn't practice a martial art or that their limitation would prevent them from participating in group classes; I'd have to teach them privately and that would be very expensive. Surprisingly, some of them apparently recovered enough from their ailment on the spot that they suddenly COULD participate in class!

Some had what seemed to be very severe limitations. I recall one young lady who had lost an arm and a young man who has lost a leg (below the knee) in Vietnam. Their spirits were strong and they regularly trained in group classes! They refused to limit themselves. They weren't really handicapped at all! I am still very proud of them...

Many of the physical limitations that they carried were the result of the applicant's imagination, desire for attention, or disinclination to participate in some training activities (usually those that worked up a good sweat).

Mental baggage varied quite a bit. There were those who considered themselves to be knowledgeable enough to know what kinds of techniques wouldn't work for them (“I'm too short”, “I'm a woman, so that won't work for me”, and so on). For some, it was a question of their particular religious faith...“I can't bow to a shrine or a person...”. I suggested that they seek instruction elsewhere. I explained that the bowing and so forth has nothing to do with religion, but many would not be dissuaded. I hope they found whatever it was that they thought they were looking for.

Then of course, there were those who would tell me, “I don't want to learn those fancy dances (forms) and junk like that. I just want to learn what really works on the street” or “I just can't do anything violent like sparring.” I told then that they weren't allowed to pick and choose what they would or wouldn't learn. Most of them decided to move on to the next school. Wise choice.

Those who asked how long it would take to get a black belt. I'd tell them that it takes about a week and $6.95. However, to acquire the skill takes a bit longer...

CULTURE OR COMBAT?

 By Phillip Starr

I believe that in order to truly understand a given martial discipline and perform it correctly, one must have a firm grasp of the culture that gave it birth. This will necessarily involve some substantial study as well as introspection, which is something that many (perhaps most) martial arts devotees loathe. But just as the various punches, kicks, and/or throws belong to a given martial form, so the does culture from which it comes. And to truly understand the essence and spirit of that martial art, you must likewise understand its mother culture.

There are those who argue that understanding the culture isn't at all necessary, or even important. Most of them will assert that the purpose of the art is self-defense; it was/is intended for combat. Period. It's a rather shallow approach to such a deep subject (as martial arts) but nonetheless, it's the position taken by many practitioners (consciously or unconsciously). Such people can never truly understand the spirit of their chosen art and may very well be doing it incorrectly as a result.

I'm not necessarily inferring that you need to spend time living in the country/culture from which you art came, but you need to study and absorb the culture as best you can. This is something I realized when I lived in China for 3 years. I had spent more than 50 years training in Chinese martial arts and I figured I had it all sorted out. Not so. There was a lot more to Chinese culture than I had ever imagined and my exposure to it changed the way I practice my kung-fu.

As Westerners, we tend to “Americanize” (or “British-ize”, or whatever else) the manner in which we see, understand, and consequently practice, the martial disciplines of the East. It's only natural for us to do so and it's also true of Eastern folks who take up Western activities, whether it's baseball or anything else. And it actually changes the way in which we (and they) practice said activities.

Learning to speak some of the language of the culture in question is very helpful. You don't need to become fluent, but being able to converse on a very basic level with people who are native to that culture is very useful and conducive to really understanding the culture. Samuel Ichiye Hayakawa, a Canadian-born Japanese gentleman who served as president of San Francisco State University and later became a U.S. senator, was a linguist who made a statement that has stuck in my mind ever since I read it in his book,, “Language in Action.” He said that we cannot conceive of things for which our particular language does not have a word(s); we are, essentially, hindered in our mode of thinking by the language we speak! I have found this to be true. So, by learning other languages we not only enable ourselves to speak to foreigners; we expand our minds!

To really understand the culture of a country and why they do what they do, I think it's necessary to learn something of the language because then you'll learn how they think! And that will impact how you see and practice your chosen martial art.

BREAKING DOWN YOUR FORMS

 by Phillip Starr

Much has been written about breaking down the movements in our traditional forms – heck, I penned one such book myself – but there are some things that must be borne in mind if you intend to derive any real benefit from learning how to “read” your forms.

First, you must actually VISUALIZE your opponent(s). Before you actually begin the set, you should take a few moments to SEE and FEEL your foes as they begin to encircle you. In your gut you should feel that you're about to engage in a life and death struggle with numerous aggressors and when they move against you, you must clearly visualize their attacks and their responses to your counter-techniques. In this way, your mind actually believes that you are engaged in a real fight (since the nervous system can't tell the difference between reality and unreality) and as a result, you acquire a great deal of “experience” in hand-to-hand combat.

You must do your best not only to SEE them, but also to FEEL and even HEAR them. Remember that your mind gathers information through the body's five senses, so you should employ as many of them as possible in order to convince your mind that this is a REAL experience.

I have met a great many martial artists who, upon learning the actual breakdowns of certain movement(s) in their form, display an attitude of, “Oh, that's really cool!”... and they go back to doing the set the same old way. Learning the breakdown has done them absolutely no good whatsoever and should the need ever arise, they'll never be able to apply them (they probably won't remember them, anyway).

Once a given breakdown is learned, it has to be practiced many, many times – until it is “internalized” and can be applied without conscious effort. Only then are such studies useful. They should be practiced solo as well as with a partner, over and over. This internalization is fostered by the solo practice of the form many, many times. Without necessarily being consciously aware of it, the student has performed various counter-strikes, throws, and even joint-twisting maneuvers many, many times. His body knows the movements and breaking down the form will cement that information into his mind as well.

BEING COMMITTED

 by Phillip Starr

Most of you are very much aware that the vast majority of martial arts practitioners give up and quit training for a variety of reasons, and most of them do so long before they reach the stage of black belt. One of my students once decried this phenomenon. I told him that this has always been the case; it's simply the nature of the beast. Only a very few will truly commit themselves to the study and practice of martial arts.

But what does it mean? The dictionary defines “committing oneself” as, “to pledge oneself, to bind oneself to something.” Quitting (for any reason) is not an option. And such is the requirement for developing a high level of skill in any martial discipline (or anything else, for that matter); if you want to develop a high level of skill you must totally commit yourself to your training. It is arduous, oftentimes confusing, sometimes disappointing, frustrating, or discouraging, and both mentally and physically painful, but every discomfort must be overcome by continually forging and tempering yourself...not just your body – but your mind and spirit as well. This is what “being fully committed” means.

Not surprisingly, many of those who claim to aspire to achieving high levels of skill often come up with some pretty creative excuses for their inability to train as much as they need to. I'm reminded of a former student of mine who was a professor of accounting (and a CPA) at a local college. At the end of each semester, he handed out a small trophy to the student who had the most creative excuse for failing the final exam!

To be truly committed means that at different times along the path, you're going to have to make some sacrifices. The big question is whether or not you're willing to do it. It means making adjustments to your lifestyle; adjustments to your daily/weekly schedule. This isn't necessarily an easy thing to do. In fact, it's oftentimes quite uncomfortable. But it has to be done.

And how long does this kind of thing last? Forever. Commitment isn't a temporary thing. You will never reach a stage where you no longer need to practice and sweat. Certainly, some things become easier (because you've improved) over time but there will always be new horizons, new mountains to climb and even better, more exciting, discoveries! It never ends.

THE ANALOGY OF THE CHAIN

 by Phillip Starr

I often used the analogy of a chain to explain to my senior students how a proper martial art technique should feel and how it is to be applied. A coiled-up chain can't hurt anybody unless you throw it at them or shove it down their throats...but in that condition, it doesn't pack nearly the wallop that it does if it's used correctly. Coiled up, it is soft and flexible.

If you swing it around it has tremendous potential energy but if it doesn't hit anything, it's harmless. The potential energy is never released in the form of kinetic energy. Actually, it is still quite soft; it isn't stiffened at all... until it meets resistance; i.e., the target.

At the instant of impact, it is the RESISTANCE, the target itself that CAUSES THE CHAIN TO HARDEN! The links align and for an instant – just an instant – the chain becomes as a steel rod and if there's a weighted metal tip on it, that tip becomes a lethal weapon that transfers every last drop of energy into the target. This phenomenon lasts only for a micro-second, after which the chain once again becomes soft.

Isn't martial art technique the same? You will probably answer in the affirmative but then consider and ask yourself if you start to tense up BEFORE your fist or foot makes impact with the target? Well, DO YOU? If you do, you're blocking the free flow of power to the target!

“So”, you ask, “Should I stay relaxed until the moment of impact and then tighten up my muscles like the chain?” And my smile would be followed with a thunderous “NO, YOU DIMWIT!” Think on the analogy of the chain once again and reread the first sentence of the third paragraph. Let it sink it. Digest it.

Let the target (the resistance) CAUSE whatever measure of tension is required; DO NOT try to do it yourself! You'll probably generate too much or too little (tension) and in any case, the moment of impact lasts for such a very short time that your timing will very likely be too early or too late! Just let nature – and physics – do everything for you. Your job is to ensure that everything is properly aligned; that all of the “links” in the chain are correctly adjusted (so that they all inter-support each other), so that (kinetic) energy is not lost. Actually, you're going to lose some of it – that's simply unavoidable – but try to lose as little as possible.

Sure, it sounds simple enough but it requires a good deal of practice. Overcoming the inherent tendency to tighten up, making sure that the body parts are correctly coordinated and aligned...takes a tremendous amount of practice. Even tightening your fist before impact will cost you power. I often tell my students to make a fist as if they've just caught a fly but don't want to crush it. No daylight seeps in (lest the fly escape) but it isn't tight, either. Impact will tighten it for you!

This is the secret of what is known as “kime” in Japanese (pronounced “kee-meh” for you rednecks out there). I have heard on taijiquan practitioner say that chansi-jin (silk-reeling power) is actually generated by maintaining a relaxed condition until the instant of impact... and then body is tightened for just a second. The gentleman who spoke these words said that such was the instruction provided him by a renowned member of the Chen family (who practice Chen style taijiquan in China and teach seminars worldwide). And... he's wrong. Real chansi-jin is another story, but that's outlined in my book, “DEVELOPING JIN.” Certainly the analogy of the chain is applicable, but there's much more to it than that.

And, like the chain, you must not retain any of the (kinetic) energy once impact is made. You have to adhere to the old Christian adage, “T'is better to give than to receive”, and give all of it – every last micro-measure – to the intended target. To do otherwise means that your target receives much less than 100% of the power that you can give to it. If you consciously tighten up, the time of impact is increased and that reduces striking force considerably.

I've seen countless students and teacher alike who, after executing a punch, have what I call a “bouncing fist.” That is, the punching fist seems to bob up and down a wee bit after the punch has been performed. This is indicative of excess tension (energy) being stored in the arm and hand; it is energy that has NOT been transferred to the target. At the instant AFTER impact, your bodily weapon should be empty. Totally.

To strike with real destructive force doesn't require great strength. It requires correctness. There's a difference. All of this is found in the book, “MARTIAL STRUCTURE.”

AN OLD SECRET TO LEARNING

 by Phillip Starr

Have you ever learned a new form (or part of a form) only to find that with the coming of the sunrise, you've forgotten a big chunk of it? Or perhaps you tend to forget a particular movement (or even a series of movements) in a given form every time you perform it? I know I've done these things countless times but I discovered ways to cement them into my memory and I'll happily pass them on to you...

There's an old Latin proverb that says, “repetitio est mater studiorum.” It translates as, “Repetition is the mother of studies (learning).” Truer words were never spoken. And you can learn to use this idea to smooth out the wrinkles in your form. If you're having problems forgetting a certain movement(s) in a form, try this... Do the form. If you forget the movement(s) in question, stop immediately and start all over again from the beginning. Sure, maybe you'll forget it again. But trust me, after you've re-started the form several times, you'll bloody well remember the movement(s) in question. For one thing, you'll soon get sick and tired of having to start over repeatedly. Moreover, every time you forget the movements and have to begin again, you're REMEMBERING what you should have done! Before long, the movement(s) in question will be cemented into your memory.

But the best method of learning and remembering something, whether it be a martial arts form or anything else, is this... remember that once class is finished, you have 60 minutes in which to review the (new) material. Sixty. Minutes. As soon as you get home (or someplace where you can run through the movements or otherwise review what you've just learned), toss your coat aside and do it. Just two or three times is all it takes (although more is better in this case – but anything'll help). The next day, you'll remember about 90% or more of what you learned.

However, once the 60 minute time frame has elapsed, your brain begins to forget what it's just learned. Actually, it doesn't forget at all but the material is removed from your readily accessible conscious files. Within a few hours, you'll forget more and more of the new material. Within 24 hours, you'll forget up to 80% or more of what you learned... So, don't wait until the next class to review the new movements. Take ten minutes and run through them at home a few times. You'll be surprised at how much you remember the next day!

THE ART OF QUIN-NA

 by Phillip Starr

Quin-Na ( 擒拿) is a Chinese term that means, “seize and hold/control”, and refers to a wide range of joint locking/twisting, seizing, and holding techniques. All gong-fu styles include a number of such techniques and shuai-jiao (Chinese grappling) involves a wide array of these techniques.

Joint “locking” techniques can really be applied only against joints that are intended primarily to move in only two directions (such as the elbow), while “twisting” techniques are applicable to any joint. These techniques can be extremely painful and, if carried to an extreme, disabling. Seizing techniques are usually applied against certain muscles and/or tendons, in an effort to tear them.

I once asked my teacher, Master W. C. Chen, about why such techniques would be useful additions to one's martial arts arsenal. He explained that many of them are useful against an opponent who you do not wish to injure with a strong blow and they cause more than enough pain to dissuade most aggressors from pressing on with their assault.

Moreover, they allow you to place your enemy in an untenable position (that's “indefensible” for you rednecks out there) so that you can easily strike him and end the scuffle.

However, he cautioned me and explained that in order to successfully apply a quin-na technique requires that one's skill must be at least three times greater than that of the opponent.

I know of some martial arts schools that place their primary emphasis on the application of qin-na techniques and I would admonish them to carefully heed Sifu Chen's words of prudence. Such schools generally exhort students to “cooperate” with each other, claiming that doing otherwise increases the likelihood of injury. I can understand that. But having said that, a real self-defense situation doesn't normally involve a cooperative opponent.

When initially learning such a technique, I think a good measure of cooperation is very necessary. Once the technique has been well-learned, one's practice partner should attack with a real attack and not necessarily be cooperative to the application of the qin-na technique. This will help the student learn to apply it very quickly and correctly.

I believe that quin-na is a valuable asset to one's martial arts arsenal but to rely solely upon such techniques for self-defense is very risky.