10 Rules of Karate Review

 Kris Wilder, Lawrence Kan and their 10 Rules of Karate.

I just finished reading ‘10 Rules of Karate’ by Kris Wilder and Lawrence Kane.

Not a large book in comparison to their other writings, but certainly a must read for anyone taking their approach to violent altercations seriously.

It does not present endless pages of pictures, diagrams, or ‘how-to’ explanations on how to knock people out and does not take a style-centric approach to its’ subject matter.

It utilizes their roots in Goju Ryu Karate as a springboard, a starting point, before jumping into the chaos, then it utilizes observable principles to organize said chaos and presents some very straight forward rules that can be applied to any ‘style.’

It is actually a breath of fresh air when it comes to Martial Arts Books, many of which can be dry and present a lot of the same material over and over.

It also does not stand on method-centric bragging, it does not put other methods down, it does not claim its’ own approach to be the only or best approach.

There is no selling point here other than train it, test it, think for yourself and get out of the box in which you have placed yourself… At the same time encouraging one to really understand the approach and strategy of their own system in order to better apply the rules within this book.

It acknowledges that everyone has their own built-in ‘style’ and takes ‘style’ out of the context of ‘this school’ or ‘that school.’

Much like Boxers who prefer Southpaw, those that prefer Orthodox, and those whom are comfortable utilizing both. Style is something within, not a patch on your Gi or something someone else gives you.

This book acknowledges this while, at the same time, explains how ‘schools’ can hone those inborn instincts and these rules can help direct them.

A truly great read, something that should be on the shelves of every Martial Artist. 

Lost.

I am switching gears. There is so much BS in this community and the vast majority of people buy into it. 

From secret 'Woo Woo' stuff to the outright ridiculous notion that any of it translates to anything at all. What is the point? No one, in the grand scheme of the larger world even cares about any of it. 

Filled to the brim with Self-Important, Self-Appointed experts/Cult Leaders whom must NEVER be questioned at any time, even if something makes zero sense at all. 

In order to find anything of any real applicable value one needs to look at other arts to 'decipher' meaning from seemingly meaningless movements that only vaguely resemble actual combative motion. 

The function has been lost and most spend their time trying to piece things together in order to make any of it work, or they find ways to justify why they are doing what they are doing... Cognitive Dissonance much?

There is talk about 'Stances,' but nothing really about Footwork or Positioning relative to any opponent that is actually throwing anything significant at you. 

No one plays around with corner escapes, wall escapes, nor utilization of the environment to one's advantage. No one talks about switch steps, drop steps, v steps, L steps, moving to the inside or the outside, grounded or loose stances, open or closed stances, nor the advantages and disadvantages there-of. 

Karate itself, at least the point fighting form of it (Kumite), has become a pretty significant force within MMA right now, but when asked about Kata, most of these Karateka state that Kata is pretty pointless to them, though they do respect those who study Kata, they see no value in it for what they do. 

Lyoto Machida is HUGE on the concept of Bunkai and Oyo, but does not hold a high regard for Kata itself. 

Why would he? Kata is extremely overrated when it comes to actually training Combatives. There are far more direct and easier methods one can utilize toward these ends; methods which are far more applicable to actual methods and strategies of combat.

So what is the point of Kata? Ti/Di was originally without Kata, Okinawan Fighting Arts as a whole had no Kata. Karate, itself, is a modern performance art mimicing combatives in some cases, but going no farther than to simply state 'This is how we do things... Just because.'

Some schools like to say 'Well our school is far more effective because we do not practice sparring,' which is another example of the absurdity that runs rampant throughout the Karate Community... No, your school doesn't practice sparring because your Sensei does not know how to teach sparring strategy and cannot guide you towards becoming an effective fighter either in the ring OR for the street.... Sorry, not sorry.

There was a time when Karate was actually taken seriously, but these days it is relegated to nothing more than an activity suitable only for Children, and only for a short period of time... A passing interest with Commercialism at its' core.

What happened to the spirit behind the whole thing? When one bows, steps onto the floor, forgets the outside world in the moment in order to face the crucible of training and come out the other end changed?

When the Teacher/Sensei/Coach actually had some guidance to give and the Student took things learned from the ordeal to life, applying it all in every aspect in order to become a better person, not just a successful person, and not just a physically fit fighter?

Strategy and Tactics are a HUGE part of the process, to develop that warrior spirit, that warrior mentality, but not just that, to really delve deep into the soul and to have respect at the beginning and end, to push through and dominate oneself.

We live in an age where moments rush by us in an attempt to hustle towards the top, to overcome others rather than ourselves, to succeed at the expense of others. 

Yes, competition is a good thing, but competition for competition's sake is never a good thing. We have lost sight of what is most important and, to that, we must aim, toward that we must travel, in that we must succeed in getting back what has been lost. 

Historical Karate.

 Those of us that train Karate have all heard the typical Historical Outline, that every movement has meaning, that all techniques were once used on the battlefield, that Karate is an old Tradition stretching back for Generations to Okinawan Farmers having to defend themselves from Bandits and invading Samurai. 

Then we proceed to learn how to count in Japanese, how to behave in a Japanese manner, how to follow 'Traditional' Japanese etiquette along with linking Karate to Samurai Tradition dating back thousands of years in Ancient Japanese History. 

We are told that Karate originated from Okinawan Te, that it was mixed with Chinese Quan Fa to formulate Okinawan Tote which eventually became Karate as we know it, and it was a Peasant Art practiced among Farmers and Fishermen from three particular villages; Tomari, Naha, and Shuri... That the Chinese aspects of the Art can be traced back to the Shao Lin Temple of Fujian Province China and, further, to Ta Mo, or Bodhidharma (Daruma in Japanese) which is meant to justify the inclusion of various aspects of Zen Buddhism within the training. 

To begin, I have no issues with the inclusion of Japanese Tradition NOR the inclusion of Zen Training... These have tremendous value for the development of good character as well as deep understanding through direct knowledge and constant practice. 

Now... Let's unpack these 'historic' aspects a bit. 

Okay. The first part, that Karate was created by Okinawan Farmers and Fishermen in order to defend against Bandits or Invading Samurai. 

Peasants in Okinawa spent the majority of their time working in order to feed their families, they had to produce otherwise they starved, so what time did they have for training to fight? Yes, this is considered a life skill, necessary for the protection of one's family and property, but learning Kata, endless drills, with applications being held out for a select few sounds rather elitist and not particularly conducive to effective defense of family or property. 

There are major holes in this story. The fact that the most effective forms of combat are trained by 'doing' along with the injury rate being high in such training... There was no real Medical Service in Okinawa back in the day, injuries would seriously impact a person's ability to produce and provide for their families, so this would have been avoided. 

Even a slight cut could prove fatal without proper treatment and most lived in extreme poverty. Even in China today, most live in extreme poverty with some questionable beliefs regarding Medical Treatment as Medical Treatment is still not readily available in outlying areas where buildings are in disrepair, cancer rates are high due to pollution, and sanitation is not really a thing. Malnourishment rates are high in these areas that still live as they did back in the day. 

Then you have the fact that Karate is taught in the language and Tradition of the Japanese, so it does not appear to have been very effective in defending against invading Japanese Samurai... Yes, there were instances where history does show the Okinawans held off and even defeated the Japanese, but in the end, Okinawa became a part of Japan... The Samurai invaded and took over, the Okinawan Culture was all but wiped out, integrated into the culture of Mainland Japan. 

The Majority of those we know of as 'Okinawan Masters' of Karate were from the upper class of Okinawan Society, considered as Okinawan Bushi/Pechurin, the Noble Class of Okinawa, mainly serving Royalty who lived in Shuri Castle. 

Nearly all of them were on board with integration into Japanese Society/Culture, even changing the name of the 'Art' from Tote to Karate so as to downplay the Chinese influence on their 'Art' and 'Culture.' 

Those that were NOT on board with integration were exiled, living abroad in other countries, all of them, as well, from the Nobility Class, none of them farmers or fishermen to begin with... Which is not to say they did not possess these skills, but that they were not of a class that lived in extreme poverty. They were from families that consisted of what would be the equivalent of Knights in European Culture, some with more status than others.

The other aspect, that Karate is linked to Tradition which goes back generations... This, too, is a myth. 

Karate is a Modern Art created in the 1920's or 1930's. Any aspect of Karate that is older is not from Karate, it comes from older family methods of training, methods that were not considered 'Arts' or 'Styles' in the sense that we think of them today... There was no 'Ryu-ha' in Okinawa prior to integration with Japanese Culture. The concept of Karate Ryu-ha is a Modern creation, artificial in nature, with ZERO basis in history. 

Systemization is a Japanese concept as the Japanese are a very Organized and Systemized people with etiquette for just about everything... The Okinawans are not.

Even the name 'Okinawa' is not 'Okinawan,' the Ryukyu People, as a culture, are certainly a mix of various cultures due to their location as a centralized hub for trade in the area between Japan, China, Southeast Asia, even the Dutch and other European Countries had an influence on this Island Nation and the Japanese did not/do not view them in a positive light, seeing them in much the same way as they see the indigenous Ainu People. 

So, in short, on that aspect, Karate did not exist prior to the early 20th century... It was created through various committees of 'Masters' seeking to integrate with Japanese Culture, seeing such integration as a way towards legitimization of their own place within that Culture and that Culture's History via mandate from the Imperial Government of the time. 

Even today this has not been settled as there are still aspects of Okinawan Society that seek their independence from Japan in order to save their own Culture... We also see this in America with the Hawaiian Independence Movement, and who on Earth could blame them for seeking what they once had?

As for the notion that techniques were used on the battlefield? I can certainly get on board with this, if the techniques were still taught directly. 

It is not the technique that matters, but the methodology in which they are trained that makes the difference. Karate, a Modern Art, is NOT a battlefield tested Art in any way, shape, or form, which is reflected in the methodology currently employed to teach the Art. 

Applications of a Practical or Pragmatic Nature are often not taught at the beginning, focusing on proper stances, proper technique, often performed in the air rather than against an opponent and, when performed against an opponent, resistance is not encouraged until MUCH later.

A true Battlefield Art would teach by doing because a Soldier would need to be able to perform immediately, rather than waiting for a certain grading in order to get the basics down. Imagine if it took seven years to get a legion of Soldiers battle ready? The War would be over, all the battles would be lost. 

The idea that one has to get the basics down first is sound, yes, but the idea that application needs to come later? That is utter bullshit. The basics should BE THE APPLICATIONS, this is crucial to effective implementation in a Battle Field setting.

People learning Kata first, then doing endless Waza without any direct application? Leading to effective utilization on a Battle Field with success? That is utter non-sense. 

I have heard people say 'We do not spar in this Dojo,' followed by 'We train real fighting here' and what they often mean is that they practice Kata alongside pre-arranged drills with opponent doing X and defender responding with Y. 

This is fine for basic skills training, but does not include the chaos of a real combative situation, it does not teach one how to think on their feet, to shift strategy, and worst of all, it does not include any type of resistance from the opponent that would force the defender to utilize anything outside the context of that drill. 

This is NOT real fighting. It is DANCING, and not even very good dancing at that because dancing also includes aspects of free-form improv which has more to offer real combative training than what is described above. 

So no, Karate is NOT an ancient Samurai Art developed on and for the Battlefield by hardened Peasant Soldiers. It is a Modern Art created from aspects of Okinawan Culture mixed in with Japanese Culture to give it some sort of legitimacy. 

As for the Zen aspects and the link to the Shao Lin Temple in Fujian? Even this is called into question, or perhaps not. When one looks at Modern Wushu, what we see is a Performance Art meant to entertain while keeping the practitioners of this Art physically fit. 

There is no denying that it takes tremendous skill to perform Wushu, or Quan Fa as many Historians have called it. There is no denying that it is extremely difficult to develop the skills necessary to perform and entertain. 

The word 'Kung Fu' means HARD WORK. It does not necessarily refer to combative arts, anything can be Kung Fu if one develops a deep level of skill to be considered a Master. From cooking, to painting, to stone masonry, to building and construction, to medicine, even to acrobatics, to worship and Chanting in a Religious context, to Religious understanding itself. 

The Quan Fa that was brought to Okinawa had more to do with performance and entertainment than it did with combat. Most Cultures do not share their combatives with outsiders, especially within Asian Culture and, more importantly, especially when it comes to family arts passed from Father to Son. 

Even within Okinawan Culture this is prevalent. There exist Arts that are NOT taught to outsiders that DO contain aspects we can find within Mordern Karate, but are not, and have nothing to do with Modern Karate as an Art. 

These are the true Traditions and they ARE Traditions which can be traced to combatives that have an entirely different methodology than the one found within Karate or Wushu. They have nothing to do with performance, nothing to do with entertainment or competition and they are held within those families, not the Shao Lin Temple. 

The Bodhidharma aspect? This is a Character, supposedly a historical figure, that some believe existed while others believe was fictional. No one has reached a consensus on Bodhidharma and the fact that writings and teachings attributed to him are actually from later periods of Chinese History throws even more doubt upon his actual existence. 

The fact that Zen/Chan/Dhyana as a whole does not really have a historical basis within Buddhism (outside of some Meditation Practices within Therevada that only have a passing resemblance to Zen with NONE of its' Teachings) seems to call even further doubt on Zen actually being Buddhist as a whole. 

It seems to have more elements of Daoist thought than actual Buddhist thought, re-packaged in Buddhist Garments in order to remain relevant during a time when Buddhism was sweeping the Chinese Nation in popularity.

The addition of Zen to Karate Training, also, was part of Okinawans seeking to integrate their culture with the mainland since many of the Samurai were practitioners of Zen Buddhism and this was later integrated as a form of Imperialistic Zen Buddhism with Nationalistic tones. This was a time when Japan was extremely Nationalistic, having aligned with Nazi Germany, seeking to expand their Imperial Influence and those, within Japan, not adhering to Japanese Culture were punished, ostracized, and humiliated (the book Zen At War goes into detail on how the Japanese Empire utilized Zen as a tool for Nationalism and War).

Okinawan Culture was (and is, in some respects) animistic, naturalistic, with some deeply held beliefs that were more in line with Shamanic Traditions of many Ancient Cultures. 

Their society was actually ruled by a class of Priestesses, while the Men were seen as Soldiers, Workers, and Government Officials, the true power rested with Women... Women were the head of households, women were the Priestesses that had say even over laws enacted by Royalty, the society of the Ryukyu People was, effectively, a Matriarchy. 

This was in stark contrast to Japanese Society, which was AND IS very much a Patriarchy. 

Albeit there are many aspects of Japanese Culture and Religion that are Animistic and Shamanic, these Traditions still fit within the regimented and organized nature of Japanese Culture, which is also very much a Warrior Culture even to this day. 

There is nothing wrong with either approach, it just shows the contrasting difference between Cultures and how much influence Imperial Japan sought over those under its' rule. 

So the connection to Bodhidharma and Zen within Karate and as part of Okinawan Culture is ALSO a Modern Creation, just as Karate itself is a Modern creation and very much a Japanese, rather than Ryukyuan Art.

It was created as a regimented means of Physical Fitness, combined with the Warrior Traditions of Japan, to be utilized in Schools in preparation for conscription into the Japanese Military during a time in history that was defined by extreme Imperialistic Militarism and expansion.

It was never utilized on some ancient Battlefield, it was never driven into secrecy where it was only practiced during the night away from prying eyes of occupying forces as a means of fighting without weapons. 

Battlefield Arts were primarily Arts that utilized weapons of War with empty handed aspects being meant for Law Enforcement and protection of Royalty within Palace Walls. 

Much of what we understand about Karate's 'Do' aspects are also the product of Modern Times. Many of the 'Masters' we have record of were people of questionable character bent on making money to support their families in post war Japan. Some of them were extreme alcoholics and womanizers, many of them got into pointless brawls, then sought to teach that Karate was an art of Defense and Character Development, which it certainly can be, but coming from these types of people, it seems very disingenuous. 

Karate was taught to Law Enforcement AND Yakuza alike, many of them shared the same training floor and, like many forms of Quan Fa, was seen as an Art of the less than savory characters within society. 

There are many stories of my Teacher's Teacher's Teacher where he would accept payment in the form of Alcohol, that he looked down upon some students because of their skin color, that many students were awarded higher status within the Organization due to the fact that they were Asian, and he would often chain smoke whilst telling people they should not smoke as Karateka. 

Aspects such as these cannot be ignored if we are to be honest about what we study and where it came from. 

Indeed, there is room for improvement and the potential exists due to the fact that these Arts DO draw upon some deeper aspects of Tradition, but we simply cannot ignore the gaping holes in the story if we are to come to a complete understanding in order to improve upon what we have been handed.

This is not meant to be disrespectful to anyone, to those who took the time to pass this down, but it is meant to be truthful and honest, to ourselves AND our Students. 

There is no such thing as a pure Tradition of Karate. There is no such thing as Karate with ancient roots. 

The original Art of the Ryukyu Noble Families was NOT Karate, it was NOT created by farmers, it has nothing to do with Tote. It did not consist of Kata or pre-arranged Waza, it did not focus on proper form for the sake of form, it focused on function, on actual implementation of skills RIGHT AWAY... Not seven years down the line, and it held no basis in a Belt Ranking system. 

This might seem controversial to some, many will outright attack ALL of this, but I do not care.

What I have learned recently has shed A HUGE AMOUNT OF LIGHT on the subject and I have been fortunate enough to have been welcomed into a circle that was actually willing to share this information with me as a member of the family. 

I love Karate... I love it so much that I cannot allow the truth to go unspoken, regardless of what that means for me in the community at large. 

I respect my Teachers, I respect the Tradition, but we cannot rest on delusional thinking where we set critical thinking aside and do not seek to clarify the Truth. 

There is plenty of PUBLIC evidence to back ALL of this up, nevermind the Tradition of Ti that I now study in conjunction with my Karate that has made my Karate so much the richer in all aspects of Training. 

I still practice Zen as well, I still utilize the Japanese Etiquette within my Training because there is tremendous value there, but the romanticized outlook has been utterly destroyed within me through my studies and exploration. This has also made this better by providing balanced viewpoints within myself. 

We must all wake up and seek to better ourselves through honesty and truth, we cannot keep up the charade of purity and perfection that has permeated all aspects of Karate Culture. 

Martial Myths: Size Doesn't Matter.

 There are plenty of myths in circulation in the Martial Arts World, many of them sound plausible, even logical, until you really start to look at them and pick them apart. 

One myth, that size doesn't matter, is one of the first things I heard on my first day of training. 

I was ten years old, very impressionable, zero critical thinking ability, so I bought it. It also spoke to me on a very deep level because I have always been a very small person, not particularly strong, not particularly fit or athletic. 

Yes, I did defeat someone twice my size in a sparring match where I won first place for the first time. This was not due to size not being a factor; it had more to do with the fact that the guy was a kicker and, being a smaller kid, I was able to get inside to throw punches, thus nullifying his ability to kick.

Had the guy changed up his strategy, had the guy been trained to work towards his own size advantage coupled with my own size disadvantage he would have stomped me. 

This was also not some full contact, no-holds-barred fight either, it was point sparring, which is not exactly the best measure of ability beyond scoring points in a glorified game of tag. 

My Teacher trained me in a way where my size, in this instance, worked to my advantage in the context of point sparring that brought me out on top as the victorious person... It felt good, I am not going to lie, and at the end of the day we were both great sports about it. 

I was terrified at the sheer size of this person, but my Teacher kept me grounded and planned out a sound strategy that I followed to a 'T.' 

This is great confidence building for kids who need it, I will never take that away from these events. I feel that all children should experience this sort of thing, go through this sort of training, whatever the training may be... Whether it is Martial Arts, Soccer, Basketball, Dance, Gymnastics, it doesn't matter, whatever a child gravitates towards, that should be fostered, cultivated, thus the seeds of success are planted that can be drawn upon later on in life. 

Size DOES matter though. Strength matters. Whatever shape one is in, that matters. 

Unhealthy people are unhealthy, there is no way around that. Small people are small, there is also no way around that. Would you get into a strength on strength match against someone that is built like Hercules while being a small skinny nerdy kid that can barely do a single push-up?

Would you get into a strength on strength match with someone, also built like Hercules, while being morbidly or even slightly obese and easily winded?

You have to do the work in order to experience the gains and, if you are geared towards Self Defense, or even fighting in a Cage or simply want to be able to defend yourself and your loved ones then you have to take this into account... All aspects must be questioned, if anything is found wanting, why? What is lacking? What are you lacking that you need to work on? Are you going to get that from your current endeavors? 

The light sparring I did with a friend of mine recently was interesting. I had not sparred in a long time due to C-19, so there was a disadvantage there on my part. 

I love sparring, it is one of the most honest aspects of training there is, it will let you know, unapologetically, where you stand.

We were going through free-form light sparring, he would say 'Okay, why don't you try to step in and take me down.' 

I would oblige, it never worked out so well. I did better on the stick and knife portion of our training, I did better when I was not trying to grapple this guy that was twice my size. 

That is the key to the whole thing, also, why would I try to grapple someone bigger that me? I am still a very small guy, it makes zero sense for me to do that. That is not to say that Grappling has no place in self defense, it does, and everyone seeking a well rounded understanding and skillset NEEDS to learn it. 

This is why my focus has been on Goju Ryu and other systems that are not so direct in their approach. They utilize off-angles, they utilize methods that are not meant to pit strength against strength. It would be stupid for me to actually do that in a real situation, but it was fun here, and it is always good to be reminded of our own disadvantages so that we are able to work around them. 

Does that mean that a smaller person can never take a larger person down? 

With proper understanding, proper strategy, and proper training, yes, a smaller person CAN take a larger person down.

That has more to do with position, timing, and leverage, more Judo than anything else, but even then, there is a limit and this is why there are weight classes, because it is not always so.

In point of fact, it is rarely so. It would be far better to just unload a barrage of strikes, seek a takedown, and grapple them from the ground Brazilian Jujitsu style than it would to vie for a position from which one can execute a throw... Even then, the simplest of throws and takedowns are going to serve one better than a knowledge of hundreds upon hundreds of different throws and takedowns.

Taking that further, it would serve one better to know the principles behind the throws and takedowns than it would to actually know hundreds upon hundreds of throws and takedowns. 

Size, strength, and physical fitness DO matter. The Military knows this, UFC knows this, Boxing Gyms know this, so why is it so hard for the general Community of Martial Artists to accept?

This has gained traction lately as people have started to admit this is a thing, but there are still some out there that like to pretend it doesn't matter in order to maintain the 'mystery' of Asian Martial Arts, which tend not to be so mysterious when compared with their European and Scandinavian counterparts such as Bare Knuckles Boxing and Glima, which, for their simplicity and directness, tend to be more effective as pragmatic Martial Arts... Unless we are talking about Jujitsu, San Da, Muay Thai, etc, then they are on par. 

Karate has the potential to be on par, but it seems people cling to things that are not so important as though they are beyond Sacred. I will do another article regarding my thoughts on Karate as an Art, that is beyond the scope here... The main point is that all things must be viewed critically because nothing is ever as it seems. 

Buyer beware.

Training Thoughts.

All techniques are one technique, one flowing principle moving into different ‘positions’ if we were to stop movement (as Karate does).

I would say that all ways are one way of the principle is understood, but not all ways are created equal... We have flawed methodologies to which many cling because ‘Tradition,’ which is fine until it is sold as something it is not, then it is not fine at all.

Good principles should be applied across the board, they should be trained effectively with ineffective methods tossed in the dumpster since they serve no purpose other than to propagate ineffective training.

Take stances and footwork, for example; many Karateka are taught to cross their legs/feet when turning... A ‘stance’ of sorts, albeit traditional as well as highly ineffective and something that puts the Karateka at a disadvantage.

Certainly there are strategic uses for it, maybe as an attack along the lines of a leg sweep, but cross stepping for the sake of cross stepping serves only to entangle one’s own legs if the opponent utilizes the opportunity... And it doesn’t take much.

It is more about structure, moving whilst keeping proper structure as the delivery system for power... To what end? Strike to disrupt and disrupt to strike, basically, attack their structure, seek to as much damage as possible in as little time as possible.

That is basically it when breaking down the aim, nothing really fancy, so no need for fancy training that does not have this goal in mind.

Methodology should be centered around how we do this quickly and effectively, once this is done THEN work on nuances for when those opportunities present themselves.

In a recent slow sparring session my partner stated ‘never give me your head,’ good advice, however, never say never as there are opportunities present in everything and what seems like a disadvantage may just work in one’s favor of one knows how to utilize it... As stated above, there are strategic uses for the cross step as well, albeit not necessarily as a step or turn.

More effective methods for training this exist, though, that would not confuse it with a step or actual footwork and does not even really require a crossing of the legs.

Critical thinking is a must, hanging on the words of someone who will not be there should you have to actually engage in counter violence is not going to do you any favors.

A Typical/Not-So-Typical Karate Class - Sanwa Kan style.

 The ground was a bit cold on the feet, but the minds were so engrossed they barely noticed. Hands clashed, slapping kicks aside, punches, moving in to take the center. One would yield ground, no real rhythm, no mind to timing, no strategy what so ever. 

Stop! Where are you going with that? Slow down! Do it again. Feel for the openings, feel the timing, the rhythm of the movement, then break it.

Again, hands and feet clashed, tangled up, attempts to lock failed, one giving ground again, no mind to strategy, no real rhythm or timing, nothing.

Time to move to something else and refine a bit. Work the first three movements of Kata. Musubi Dachi, Heiko Dachi, step out, line to line, feel the rotation around the centerline, coil up, spring out, coil up, spring out. 

Get your hips in line, don't break posture, keep the movements close, in tight, coil up, spring out. Again! No. That is an extra step. Do it again, remove that step, stay within the Kata and feel the movement. By the count. Stop! Move this here, keep that there, don't break the posture, stay within the Kata.

Over and over, only three movements, the flow is important, each movement has something to tell you, each sequence a lesson to teach, but keep it unbroken. Take it slow, don't go too fast, don't be in a rush, and pay attention. 

Several dozen more repetitions. Are they ready to move to the next sequence? No. We will spend more time on just these three, months if we have to. 

Back to it. Karate begins and ends with respect, so bow to your partner. Back into the fray of Iri Kumi. Hands and feet clash, but none give any real ground this time. Rhythm and timing are falling into place, at least insofar as they can feel it, seek it out, but neither seek to break it just yet. 

Movements are a bit more refined, they are seeking out strategy a little bit, setting up by going low, moving high, keeping movements close, tight, coiling up, springing out, actually allowing movements from Kata to speak. 

Good. 

Introduction to Kakie, meet at the wrists, do not let the wrists come apart, where their wrist goes, your wrist goes, where your wrist goes, their wrist goes. Not so fast, not so rough, slow it down, be patient, feel. When you feel, pull, or push, don't go for locks, don't go for attacks, just pull, or push. 

They're getting it. Now back to Kata. More and more with the first sequence, no breathing yet, just focusing on posture, alignment, coiling, springing out, and again. 

Several dozen more times. 

Back to Kakie. Now two-handed free-form Kakie. There are three gates, control one, they only have the use of two, move your way up to cut off the gates. Allow the movements to flow, move around, use your footwork, use your feet. Muchimidi is about sticking like heavy sticky mud, keep it going, feel, now go for openings and allow the flow to show you what to do. 

Back to Kata. Several dozen more times. Each movement has something to tell you, several layers, layers upon layers, don't think, flow. 

Complete with push-ups to reset and ingrain. Followed up with Frog Sprints several times back and forth across the grass. 

Karate ends with respect.

***

It took a bit to get them to focus, but moving in circles, circling back to Kata and drawing from the lessons of Kata each time really informed the practice. Utilizing this to inform the practice engaged the Students in a much deeper level of training when hands began to cross. 

My training is circular, it is unlikely these will be exactly the same as that in a normal Dojo, and that is fine with me so long as they continue to get something out of it, something to take with them to other areas of life and inform those as well. 

The Spiral Nature of Ti.

 It has been a confusing, yet rewarding journey as of late.

Something is in the air, perhaps a resurgence of something lost, but a guiding principle seems apparent.

Ti came to me, I did not actively seek it out, it appeared in the form of an old friend and Dojo Brother who opened the flood gates to a deeper realm I always felt was there, but could not quite put into accurate wording.

Karate contains SOME Ti, but Ti does not contain ANY Karate at all. As it has been passed down, it is an entirely different beast, yet seemingly familiar.

I had stated previously that Karate was originally without Kata, yet this is not entirely accurate as Karate is a modern Okinawan Martial Art, it is not Ti.

Ti, itself, was originally without Kata; what drills that did exist meant to convey principles and did not take a central role, the point was to impart is formula for effective combat that went into chaos and could take any form that was necessary to get the job done.

Like learning to effectively strike in Boxing, or learning to effectively throw in Judo, these are principles that start at a specific point in the education process, the. Move outward from there into expression according to principles learned... From mechanics to strategy.

The basic mode of imparting these principles in the present form of Ti is Naifuanchin Kata.

Yes, a Kata, but not in the manner of any Kata presently practiced in Karate, even Naihanchi Shodan, Nisan, etc.

Ti was hidden there, as it has been hidden through the majority of recent history, and lost on the majority.

Things like stances, blocks, various strikes, they do not really exist unto themselves and these are not really what Ti teaches.

Proper mechanics, positioning, power generation, and flowing, allowing the lines to manifest.

One starts with the root form for training basic principles, slowly, gradually, one moves out from here into greater and greater circles exploring these principles in a wider range of training, Naifuanchin transforms into something else. There is no longer Kata, there is only flow.

Memorization is not rote, the main focus remains on proper mechanics, until memorization is no longer necessary.

Certainly one could say this about Karate, but is this really the case?

If we perform a Karate Kata it is the same general pattern over and over again, no growth beyond the basic form, explanations given tend to be sub par, often pieces together by studying other arts in order to make sense of what had not been initially explained.

Each ‘level’ is based on how much one can memorize and retain, from drills to Kata, with analysis taking place as an aside in order to make sense of things.

Sense... This should be the first thing on the menu for any art that claims to be even remotely ‘Martial’ with refinement of skills already applicable being the goal.

Kata is secondary to the actual principles and only a small part of the methodology, just one aspect.

Ti, originally, had no Kata, and Ti influenced Tode, it is not a Chinese Art, nor did it have much Chinese Influence, that is all Karate.

It would seem, Karate, is more about showmanship than anything, so the notion that it is performance art makes a lot of sense... And it makes a lot of sense why Japanese Occupiers of Okinawa would allow the practice of Karate whilst Ti went underground.

Jan Dam, the head of Genten Kai, a Teacher of Ti, often says ‘nothing exists in Ti’ which implies that everything exists.

Stressing certain principles, especially unbroken lines and endless flow, yet starting at the bottom, building up to that flow in a curriculum that seems to work in a spiral outward (as is the case with most things in Ti, I have found).

Karate, on the other hand, does not do this... It breaks, it is choppy, stopping points are a primary focus for purposes of ‘timing,’ ‘rhythm,’ and ‘emphasis.’ All of which are, indeed, good points, and that is the point... That Karate focuses on points while Ti is a line, a shape, many shapes, a flow, unbroken.

One could literally spend hours exploring where a line goes, taking it out of Naifuanchin, putting it into a free form flow, the possibilities are endless.

Patterns are only important insofar as they impart proper body mechanics so as to avoid harming oneself through ineffective movement.

Points are necessary in order to learn these things, then they must be shed, like a snake shedding old skin.

Kata, as a practice, is the same. Ti can be learned utilizing Karate Kata as a starting point, moving outward from there, eventually the Kata itself is shed like an old skin.

Karate, as an art, is merely the beginning. The starting point, where basics are to be learned (although what passes for basics in Karate leaves something to be desired).

What is more ‘advanced’ in Karate is never quite advanced, simply a thrashing of ‘points’ in different patterns that need to be memorized in order to qualify for any recognized rank in an artificial system set up at nearly the mid point of last century.

A Teacher needs to know these things in order to Teach, but a Teacher must have moved beyond these things on a recognizable path in order to effectively guide a student.

Not every student will ‘get it,’ but that is not the point. The steps are necessary in order to learn how to walk and we all have to begin somewhere.