Spartacus Maximus

It is definitely a stroke of luck, but there are no less than three hospitals or medical clinics within a ten minute drive from the dojo. Several of the regulars have extensive first aid training as part of their jobs and the instructor is professionally trained in bone-setting(putting broken or dislocated bones back in place). The first aid kit is mostly medical tape and splints and a few different bandages. Just enough to take care of injuries until the injured person can be taken to one of the hospitals nearby.

The reasoning behind the idea of training in a former cemetery was that it was an ideal place where it was very unlikely to be interrupted or distracted. To someone who was unfamiliar with the local history, it just looked like a nice clearing with a few old trees around it and slightly overgrown paving stones. Very good and even to walk in comfortably. The second reason is that anyone who knew the place and what it once had been would avoid it. Traditional and personal beliefs fueled by folklore made it feared, revered or both. The instructor belonged to that culture, but reckoned nobody living or dead would be offended as long as everyone left the place as it was found. The centuries old house was chosen for nothing but the most practical reasons. The ruins were made up of remains of the four outer walls and the floor stones, which were flat and smooth. Walls were between waist to shoulder height on an average size man depending on how much each wall had deteriorated. In the mid July heat and humidity the dojo was too uncomfortable and it was decided that the small group of 8 students would go outdoors. It was the best and most suitable place available.

Whether or not one is teaching, one never really ceases to be a student as long as such a relationship exists. This is important for attempting to give an answer to this question. “Sensei” is not only someone with skills, knowledge and experience. It is someone who can get others to develop those qualities. It is someone who can recognize student’s strengths and weaknesses, but knows how to improve them. Most important of all it is someone who can be trusted to give honest and objective appreciation of progress in what is taught.

Perhaps it would not be exactly accurate to call most of these people described “frauds”. That would imply dishonesty and intentional deception for selfish reasons and gain or greed. It would it be just to lend such intent to those who are just overestimating their ability through misplaced ego, or boasting to impress an audience. The two traits sometimes are found in the same person, but not always.

Strangely enough, most martial arts teachers are the most ordinary kinds of people one could ever meet. There is nothing obvious at first glance about them that might indicate any unusual skill or ability whatsoever. What is observable to anyone with enough experience and intuition who can read body language is that these martial arts teachers walk, talk and move with radiating inner strength and confident calm, assurance. In short, they look very strong but disarmingly good-natured. Training mostly in Okinawa and Japan, experience allowed me to cross paths and train under many such teachers. Every time these instructors never failed to surprise and amaze in the dojo. Outside the dojo when not training they were great company and the most down-to-earth people one could ever meet. They certainly knew how to enjoy themselves and all had interesting things to share besides their skills and knowledge in Karate. As far as strange or unique places to train, there are a few and all were outside or not in a conventional or purpose-made building. Had instructors who would conduct training on a tiny island of mainland Okinawa. Another place was the outer wall ruins of a 500 year old house. Lastly, there was a place that used to be a cemetery. Training outdoors is quite common and any place with somewhat even ground is usable.

It is a real eye opener for any practitioner to experience and learn how martial arts are taught in the native cultures. When comparing personal experience training in Okinawa and Japan, some things about how the terminology is used and abused by unknowing people appear strange. “Oss/osu” is one of those things.

It matters little how many days or hours per week one attends dojo training sessions. A person who trains and practises outside and in addition to time st the school will always get better faster than someone who does nothing whatsoever outside of school training. School time with an instructor must be used efficiently. The dojo/school is for learning and asking questions, practise and technical refinement is something that must be done on one’s own time.

Homework. That is what makes all the difference. In martial arts as in any type or study, the key to developing and refining skills is practising on one’s own time in addition to, and beyond whatever is learned under supervision of a teacher. A student who only does class work and never studies or does homework will not assimilate skills or knowledge as much or as quickly as a student who studies regularly, does all the homework and ask questions when the teacher is available. Life’s other important commitments take much time out of the average person’s day. Those who progress the fastest and improve the most are invariably the ones who take, and make time to train, practise and review on their own regardless of how often they can make it to training

The idea and concept of “osu/oss” is entirely from Oyama as far as its use in kyokushin. It is definitely not something he got from any of those who taught him. Another fact worthy of note is that Oyama and the Kyokushin has had considerable back-influence because of its reputation and fame. This means that some styles without any connection began to copy things like “osu/oss” From personal experience, the reason why Okinawan teachers might not like it is for two main reasons. First because it sounds rude, crude and uncouth suitable for rowdy college students. Definitely not something one would use with one’s teacher. It is also associated with the underworld of gangsters and other undesirable which any decent karate teacher would avoid like the plague lest he gain a reputation for teaching gangsters.

The hardest test was the first time for shodan. An excruciating ordeal lasting an entire week. Looking back it seemed almost as gruelling as basic training required for military recruits. Everyone had to do the same thing no matter how old. Each day was a hell of knuckle push-ups, crunches/sit-ups and drills. Following that was all the kata in the curriculum up to shodan. On the last day in addition to everything, everyone had to run about 8km and do kumite immediately after. Kumite was with the seniors one on one, two on one and three one one. Finished with a bruised rib and a very obvious black eye. As physically demanding as that was, it was harder to re-test for shodan in the same style under a different sensei after starting over the same style from white belt. This time around the test lasted less than an hour, but it was focussed on practical application of three kata under pressure. Barely passed due to difficulty controlling an anxiety attack.

The oss phenomenon most likely started with the kyokushin karate crowd but in some places it has spread to other karate style and further still to some other martial arts. If the karate you take up is kyokushin or somehow influenced by it, then oss will be everywhere. On the other hand if the karate is Okinawan it would probably it be used; and by chance if the sensei is also from Okinawa then oss is out of the question. Whatever it is, listen for it before using oss. If you hear it used, then oss away. If not, don’t. Simple really. A short visit to observe or a trial will answer whether or not it is a thing

Sometimes ego and misplaced pride make people think and act in irrational or illogical ways which are against their best interest.

Guest is instructors coming in to share whatever they do are a different thing than a person coming in for a trial or seeking to join as a student. Within the same style or organization, where one starts under a new instructor or new dojo depends on the instructor. Most of the time an instructor will want to evaluate a student with previous experience before making a decision. Very few martial arts practitioners will agree that dan grades are universal and apply anywhere. A dan in TKD doesn’t equal a dan in jujutsu. It should be logical and obvious. It boggles the mind that anyone would insist that it does. Nobody would ever claim, for instance, that their degree in Litterature transfers to, or otherwise applies to Biology. If that person wanted to do anything in that field, they would have to start at the beginning.

Consider that though kata is a sequence, the “bunkai” is not. Each and every technique is meant to be used independently of one another. Once the kata is learned, demonstrate and explain each the applications by breaking down the kata in manageable parts. After that the best way to approach it is to use drills with partners(pair novices with advanced students). Taking the first 3 moves and drilling them thoroughly before proceeding to the next three is a good way to do it. Increase speed and intensity gradually. Going back and forth between the kata and the application drills will help to emphasize the relevance of kata and their purpose. Most important of all is not to rush through anything and avoid overwhelming novices with more information than their level allows them to grasp.

The thing about books versus movies is that the author often has very little say about how the movie will be done once permission is granted to put the story on film. Watching Jurassic Park after reading the books was very confusing, to give an example. Missing scenes, characters etc.

Either way holding back or hesitation because of preconceived notions, breaks an important principle of self defense: never underestimate a hostile person’s potential to cause harm. The attacker’s sex means nothing when the ultimate goal is to get through him,her or it, and escape with as little injury as possible. Still curious about the whole “Christopher” thing..

Anyone with years experience will have habits and a way to move shaped by whatever was practised. When taking up something new, is to make active and conscious efforts to shed as set aside what one has learned in previous training. If it is shotokan, then make every effort to do things in the shotokan way. Be polite, humble and honest about prior experience. Find the appropriate time and get the instructor to demonstrate in detail and ask for specific advice to make the necessary changes. One advantage of having prior training is that it allows one to understand and analyze techniques on a different level than an absolute newcomer in martial arts.

Basing any self-defense decision on names sounds like a lot of foolishness. There are many, many much more important things to consider when defending oneself than the attacker’s name if one even knows it.

Another difference between animals relying entirely on instinct and us, is that humans have the intellectual power to know and understand themselves on a deeper and higher level. A tiger doesn’t think or train to be good at fighting other tigers. Instinct drives it to use its strength, claws and fangs. This is what has allowed people to figure out and devise ways to compensate for natural weaknesses by finding effective ways to use our bodies to fight or defend against other people. Training,strategy and practise is what makes it possible to defend against a larger aggressive enemy. In the case of our tiger, his instinct will tell him to retreat otherwise he will inevitably lose to a larger fiercer tiger.

if TKD refers to the Korean system of Taekwondo, it is impossible for anyone to have learned it in Japan at a monastery. For one, there aren’t nor have there ever been “tkd monasteries” anywhere. Second, although individual monks, priests or shamans may train in martial arts, temples, shrines or monasteries have nothing to do with martial arts in Japan, let alone a Korean one devised in the 1950’s with roots in Shotokan karate which originated in Okinawa. Clearly the person making the original claim is either very confused about their martial arts background or deliberately taking advantage of a target audience whose only reference on martial arts and Asia are cheap chop-socky movies. Such a claim is laughable to anyone who has studied and read accurate history of martial arts in the original and spent more than a few years training, traveling and living in Okinawa and many other parts of Japan. It might even offend some natives or at least make them mock or pity such ignorance. From that point of view, the entire description of the system described sounds awfully shakey and suspiciously made-up. 25 years old is much, much too young and immature to have a tenth dan in anything using dan grades! It’s just not believable. The highest one might be able to earn(stress on “earn”) by 25 is about 5th dan and that’s pushing it if the system is authentic and the skill level is evaluated based on actual ability and understanding of the given system.

Foul language or not, it doesn’t appear that the series is aimed at a youth or children audience. It obviously is banking on the nostalgia of the generation who saw the karate kid movies when they came out or soon after. This would be adults in their 30’s at the youngest and around the age of the actors at the oldest. Anyone younger probably cannot relate or enjoy the series on the same level.

If the method works well for its intended purpose, it is correct and good. There is often more than a single effective way to teach. “The spirit of budo” or other such intellectual and philosophical concepts are beyond the grasp of children and youths. It is much more important that the instruction methods allow them to reproduce, repeat and remember physical concepts and correct body mechanics. They should also enjoy learning in a relaxed atmosphere and look forward to their next lesson.

A “spear hand” aimed at the face of throat does not necessarily hit its target to be effective if one considers it as part of a strategy. Techniques are rarely meant to be used in isolation without any others preceding or following it. For instance, a spear hand to the eye/throat will cause a flinch or staggering reaction to avoid it. Taking advantage of this, the same hand can be dropped quickly to attack the groin or other lower body targets.

Fractures are a likely risk whatever the kicking method if by mistake or accident the wrong part of the leg/foot hits the wrong target at the wrong angle. This combined with being unprepared, insufficiently trained and conditioned. Conditioning the legs and feet is also important for using them to block, deflect or parry incoming low kicks or strikes. Both karate and Thai boxing have such techniques.

A good start would be to plan teaching based on the average concentration and attention span of each age group. Also important to consider is each age group’s physical and cognitive development. A basic overview of this can easily be found in any decent library or online. Consider that some things are physically and biologically impossible at certain ages. Lessons ought to be kept simple with as little detail as possible. The average child or youth is easily confused and bored with details. Focus on gross movements and imitation. Everything can be refined and explained as the student matures and progresses in ability. If something must be repeated, disguise it into some kind of exciting activity, otherwise they will get bored or give up before taking away any benefits. It is also effective to limit content to match the age group. No more than two or three very basic techniques at a time works best. It depends on the method to the madness. Teaching martial arts to youth and children can be a good experience or it can be like making a soup sandwich while herding cats in an insane asylum. One word: patience.