Spartacus Maximus

One technical aspect of karate, especially in their original Okinawan forms is the inclusion of techniques for unbalancing or throwing. These are simpler and varied than what one might find in grappling/throwing systems such as jujutsu and are considered secondary and complementary to striking. In kata and drills it is always implied that any throw, take down or lock is set-up, preceded by and immediately followed by a strike. One of the reasons throws or other grappling techniques were « forgotten » is the changes brought to karate since it was introduced outside of Okinawa. In the early days, even Funakoshi taught at least a dozen throws. There are photos showing this. Many modern day karate practitioners are not aware that okinawan martial arts also includes native forms of grappling systems. On a small island kingdom with a concentration of martial experts, it is more than likely that these native systems were incorporated into what became karate. Another thing to consider is the opportunity to apply these throws etc, are perfectly compatible with the close-in distance of karate’s strategy. Even more so for a system like Goju-ryu

Demotion is quite rare from personal experience. It is much less effective as a consequence for reprehensible behaviour than immediate and complete expulsion. There are, unfortunately certain people with serious moral, psychological or character flaws who should never ever be taught martial arts.

The less importance given to competition and comparison with others, the more insignificant ranks, grades or belts matter and the more one can concentrate on developing skills. The abilities and skills a practicionner’s has is directly proportional to the time spent training and the efforts made. Most important of all is for both the instructor and the student to be honest. Easier said than done, but if an instructor evaluates accurately and honestly a student should be aware of exactly what is or is not possible. Nothing else will count if said martial artist ever has to use said skills. In case of failure the result depends on the the situation. Anything from minor shame to death and evrything in between.

There are indeed more than a few instructors who have the habit of overexplaning things. The best and most ideal by far is to make time for explaining technical details and fine points AFtTer demonstration and practise, preferably at the end of the training session/day as a recapitulation of the lessons main point. This makes it more manageable and students can leave with an idea and a point to ponder until next time. 1: watch and demonstrate 2: learn why/how it’s done 3: drill 4: review, explain, analyse etc Or something similar to that sequence.

Goju-ryu is the Okinawan karate style founded by Chojun Miyagi. Goju Kai is Goju-ryu as taught by one of Miyagi’s inheritors. “Kai” in Japanese means something like “association”. In other words it is the name of a governing body. Goju-ryu practicionners may confirm or refute this but, the founder of Goju Kai might be Gogen Yamaguchi who was taught on the Japanese mainland by either Miyagi himself or a student of his.

Just learning to execute all the kata of a system can be done in a very short time. Doing this repeatedly is not only tedious but also meaningless if nothing else is done. Such a practice is what defeats the purpose of kata and reduces them to a kind of martial dance. The reason why even a very short kata with only a few moves can be studied for years is that it takes that long to analyze each and every principle it contains. Once these are understood, they must be trained until they become useable. That is what takes so much time and effort. It is also why only a very small number of kata are truly necessary if one’s only goal is self-defense rather than mastering a systems X number of kata.

There are quite a few people training in kobudo or other weapons systems who have or use two of each weapon. They have a standard version and training version which is heavier. The idea of using a heavier version of a weapon to practise is shared by many weapons practicionners since very early in history. The idea is that a heavier weapon trains and strengthens the wielder’s body so that handling the “standard” weapon becomes easier. Full speed and power with the standard weapon and slower technique concentration work with the heavy version.

In the anecdote about the Tyson-Holyfield fight it was not the biting itself that was despicable. What made the biting reprehensible and condemnable was the situation and context in which it happened: in this case it was a a ring, a sport with rules to which everyone involved was expected to accept and follow. That is why the biting was “dirty” and Tyson had to face consequences. Outside of the sports and competition context techniques are neither “clean” or “dirty”, legal or illegal. It is quite reasonable to concieve a situation in which a high-risk(to both parties) such as biting might an acceptable thing to do. It might be the only thing to do. The main point of it all is that responsibility is important. Rather than trying to say which technique is “dirty” or “ungentlemanly”, one should consider general context and behaviour. Intructors ought to know and teach the same. If you compete, you follow the rules, whatever they are. If you have to defend yourself, do whatever you must(not anything you want).

In a general universal explanation, basics are basics because they are essential principles and skills which must be understood and mastered in order to improve in overall skills. In mathematics, for example, one must first master additions an substracitions before attempting to do multiplications and divisions. One cannot expect to read a sentence without first learning which letter makes what sound and how they fit together. In grappling or throwing it is very difficult to learn locks and throws without a solid grasp of things like balance and leverage. These are but two of the “basics” which are used in every other technique in a grappling system.

The most baffling part of the hypothetical situation originally presented was that the « student » seemed to want to remain within the same group. It doesn’t make much sense to push for more influence or authority when one so profoundly disagrees with everything. Why not just part ways completely and start a new entity altogether?

Lineage is an important factor in determining the number of kata and which ones are included in an instructor’s curriculum. The only common content shared by all are the “core” kata. For example, every lineage of Shorin ryu will have the naihanchi series. Chibana(Itosu’s student) is the originator of the Kobayshi branch of Shorin ryu, which from personal recollection has, as of now no less than 6 “kan” or organizations on Okinawa. Each of these has a few kata which aren’t taught in the other lineages. All of the six belong to the same system.

Here is a follow-up question to what was asked on the original hypothetical situation: Is there any conceivable reason why the instructor might accept the student’s terms or make a deal? Why and under what circumstances might it happen?

This is in this section because testing time is when a martial artist is most likely to feel pressure and be distracted. What are your suggestions for going ahead with a high level and intense test without being disrupted by emotional distress? Would/could you go through with such a test despite living through a time of emotional distress caused by grief or other serious misfortunes befalling yourself, your family or close friends?

It is not enough to know or merely state that something is important, especially as an instructor or advanced practicionner. At one point, sooner or later one must understand and be able to demonstrate why such and such a point is important. Basics are what everything else is built upon and those are the techniques, principles and concepts that will most likely be of use. Therefore they must be constantly trained, improved and reviewed. Basics are not just boring stuff learned at the beginning and put aside once one moves on to more advanced or complicated content.

No instructor ever forced anyone to remain their student. Everyone is free to stay or leave. Why would anyone, for any reason stay as a student when they think they know better or disagree with what is taught or how it is taught? In the hypothetical situations mentioned, their is probably a deeper yet more trivial motivation. Making such outrageous demands and having the indecency to pose an ultimatum can only be motivated by greed and power or the illusion of having it. Either way, it is nigh impossible to imagine an instructor who would accept that sort of deal. In any case, it would cause a break-up of whatever group, school or governing body.

“Perseverence” that very word or a variation of it is at the front of many Okinawan and Japanese martial arts dojo. It is probably the most powerfully inspirational single word and quality to strive for in martial arts. It is also one of the essentials to success in any endeavour which takes time and diligent work to succeed. Patience, perseverence and motivation are of the greatest importance.

Without openly and intentionally challenging anyone with one’s facial expressions or body-language, it is possible for some people to have an adavtage in interactions with others. Some people naturally have a certain look and demeanor and most are not consciously aware of it until other people bring it to their attention. Another interesting part of body-language and facial expressions is that they are culturally-specific in many cases with a few obvious exceptions. Each person unconsciously reads and interprets them based on their culture. Smiling, for example is interpreted in very different ways. For some cultures it can only mean that the person is happy, glad or friendly. In others it could also be an expression of shame, embarrassment, shyness or even mildly threatening. The best part of this behaviour is that it can be learned by anyone who makes the efforts. Those who are good a observing and mimicking different expressions can usually blend in quickly almost anywhere. There are also several fields of work in which people must adopt certain types of body language to be effective at what they do.

Forms were always intended to be intimately related to drills with a partner and all other parts because they are but one part of a system. They were never meant to be taught separately from the other parts! The systems (karate, kung-fu or what have you) will not and cannot function and be learned effectively unless each part is trained and practised diligently with intent. That and only that is where the problem lies: the way a great portion of kung-fu and karate systems are taught and practised! This is why so-called kumite looks nothing like the techniques one is meant to learn from studying forms and doing drills. This is why sparring sessions ends up looking the same across the board despite the wide variety of techniques and principles supposed to be taught in the huge variety of karate and kung-fu “styles”. The main reason is there are very few people who know and have been taught how to integrate forms, applications and drills effectively in the way these three aspects should be in order to develop applicable skills. Not knowing what or how, the majority just goes with what is popular which is, largely drawn from more or less intense competitions where functional and “legal” moves are relatively few compared to the potential of any given system or style.

Another thing to keep in mind about what is or is not « gentlemanly » is that different people will have different interpretations and most importantly is that in any given situation whether sport or assault, the other person might not be a “gentleman”. Rules and fairness or the defenition of what is acceptable only mean something and serve a purpose when they are understood, shared and agreed upon by everyone involved. It’s only a very special kind of fool who believes everyone in every situation universally shares the same ideas or expects personal rules to apply to others. Doubly so when said fool is in an unfamiliar context with unknown people of unclear and possible shady intentions.

What is all this about so-called “ungentlemanly behaviour”. What ought to be made clear with the person concerned in the OP is, as others have said, sportsmanship,rules and fairness belongs in sport. Following that statement, any worthwhile instructor should ask “what do you want, sport or defense?” Lastly it is not how one uses force or where it is applied that makes a “gentleman”. It is that a gentleman ought to know that he must never draw his sword unless it is in defense of himself, those dear to him or his land. No good ever came from confusing sport for war or war for sport.

Anyone who has trained seriously and for long enough in martial arts knows that violence is not the point or the goal. Just the fact that martial arts has the reputation and popular impression of being violent, agressive, macho et cetera and causing people who do it to become that way is enough to want to keep it to oneself. Changing the subject, denying knowledge or experience in the matter or awkward silence has been the best way to avoid talking about martial arts. Even if the other party knows somehow, at least the message is clear. Never say anything at all if possible, and if talking about martial arts is unavoidable, say as little as possible.

It is a little bit more complicated than being proud or ashamed. Somehow neither of these feelings or attitudes seem to apply. For several reasons, martial arts is a subject that is very very low among the possible topics of discussion on conversations. Experience has shown, that most people are not interested in it or at least not beyond the most superficial level. Martial arts is not something to talk about unless the other party initiates it and it is certain that they also train. Even then, it is preferable to minimize and downplay my personal involvement, experience or training until much better acquainted.

It is likely that the reason why it is difficult to describe is because it is something that is not done in a deliberate and conscious way. Very few if anyone at all goes out and about actively and purposefully observing people’s behaviour. Perhaps it is because an experienced person’s intuition allows them to read in others the qualities they themselves have developed. Thus, a confident and assured person will unconsciously display that in some way and also be able to know it immediately in another person when they see it.

The whole concept of submission is made for competition. What is happenening to many grappling schools is the same thing that has happened and is still going on with many martial arts: certain aspects are being emphasized over others for the purpose of competition or sport. The goal of BJJ or an other martial art in a ring is to win. The other person is an opponent who has to be clearly “beaten”, “submitted” or “dominated”. It may be called a fight or described as such, but it isn’t a fight. The other is not an enemy and there are timed rounds. A fight has no clock and no referee, and the first priority is to finish it as fast as possible with the least damage as possible to oneself. There are no points or trophies to prove how that one is better than the other person. No time to waste trying to “dominate” or “submit” the attacker to show-off how tough one is and roll around on the ground until potentially unfriendly spectators show up. Much like karate for sport and karate for self-defense, grappling should and must be different depending on the purpose for which it is trained. And the same way, the two types cannot and should not be confused for one another.

Excluding the kihon kata, there are 14 kata taught in my Shorin ryu. Unlike other instructors who have trained in different systems throughout their lives, mine only teaches those ones. This is because they are the ones he has practised and studied them for much longer and in greater depth than anything else. Another reason for not teaching other kata he might know is cultural. He accepted his sensei’s last wish to succeed him and promised he would teach exactly what he was taught and spread that particular Shorin-ryu as far as possible. In contrast, there are many instructors who feel that they should have something from each of their most influential sensei. Sometimes this means that they will have one or several kata inherited from two or three or maybe more teachers.