Naifuanchin.

Naifuanchin

It is very clear there is a lot going on here, as with everything, the framework needs to be set by exploring up from the feet, the hips, the arms, alignment.

Principles of opening and closing driven through the hips, the principles of fist formation in relation to direction, maybe key to some other rotational aspects of the hand/fist?

The thing is that is seems to flow naturally, the point I am discerning is drawing attention to see what is happening, what isn’t happening and, with principle in mind, to make corrections.

The strategies seem clear insofar as applying the principles and the Kata, as a form, is less restrictive and more instructive.

Where is the rhythm? The timing? The distancing? How does one thing feed and push the other (as though they were separate)?

Continuous, like the tide, opening/closing/opening, move, step, shuffle, step, back, and around.

Move in here with this Koshi, throw, move there with that Koshi, strike, strike/throw, throw/strike, fluid, no separation, no stop then go in clunky fashion.

You give me that and I will take this as well, just following the line.

Step or stomp? Step or kick? Step or sweep? This Koshi and what is presented, maybe a stomp. That Koshi and what is presented, maybe a kick. A sweep? It is all there implied, yet it isn’t.

What a brain teaser!

History of Lew Chew Fighting Arts PT 1.

History of Lew Chew Fighting Arts PT 1.

It has been fun conducting research into the history of Lew Chew (Ryukyu) for my own personal perspective on what I study.

There is so much romanticization of History and Founders within the Karate Community that they are placed almost on a pedestal and seen as perfect semi-God-like figures and not much is really known about these figures within the Karate Community, mainly because most do not look outside of Karate for resources.

Miyagi Chojun was very young when he ‘founded’ his Karate system yet there are some who treat him as though he had all the answers at that time and regard him as one of the ‘Old Masters.’

Perhaps he was? Maybe? But there were no ‘Old Masters’ of Karate.

In my research I came across the name of Yuchoku Higa who was a Shorin Ryu Karateka, ‘founder’ of the Kyudokan Kobayashi line, but had been a student of Chojun Miyagi as he was, if I am recalling correctly, a Nephew of Miyagi’s?

He was not a student of Goju Ryu as Miyagi taught him Ti, not Karate and he was also a student of Jinan Shinzato in Ti.

After the war Miyagi lost interest in teaching Ti, shifting solely to the focus of Kata and Karate, so Higa left to train with Choshin Chibana.

His school maintains the Miyagi Yobi Undo to this day despite being a Shorin Ryu line.

Ti being more principles based, applicable, it would make sense that Miyagi would move away from it after the war had taken almost everything from him.

I am not certain how accurate that is, but that is the picture it paints, which shows that Miyagi was a Tijigaya that stopped teaching Ti.

In addition to this there are the connections between the Jundokan, the Kyudokan, the Yakuza, and the Police along with a number of prejudices against foreigners.

I had always questioned the main history by asking why the Lew Chew people would teach their arts to those they view as occupiers and maintained that Karate was not what it appeared to be.

In a poor country where people are struggling there was opportunity in gainful employment by teaching Karate, case in point, Karate is still big business today.

It used to be much more hardcore back in the day, however, and with good reason; it’s’ association with gangsters.

The story of Naha Te, Shuri Te, and Tomari Te has ample evidence of being a fabrication as well.

An attempt to rid Toudi of its’ Chinese connections in order to make it seem more Japanese, after which it would be known as Karate with various ‘styles’ there under, though no such ‘styles’ exist as they all work on the same principles of movement to varying degrees.

Yes, Shorin based systems seem more based on weapon arts and are more pugilistic in nature while Systems in line with Goju Ryu seem more geared towards grappling and close-in tactics, a street based art of civil defense.

One could argue that this applies to both, and one could be correct.

In regards to the gangster aspect, both gangster and Policemen alike trained out of Karate Dojo and many that we hold up as Masters of Karate today were, indeed, opportunists with their hands in some very unsavory business aside from their Teaching and Karate was in the hands of some very unsavory Gangsters doing some very bad things.

Karate itself seems to be based only partially on Ti and mostly on Chinese arts meant for performance to the public.

As an aside there was also an Okinawan Independence movement, which exists today, and many Lew Chew officials and Nobles went into exile abroad.

They did not stay and submit, some were executed when they spoke out against the Japanese who enacted some very brutal policies in order to eradicate Lee Chew culture, including suppression of their language, rewriting their history, humiliating those that spoke the Lew Chew language, etc.

They even changed the name of the main island to Okinawa Prefecture in order to solidify their claim.

Today the ‘Karate’ that is taught has students wearing ‘Karate Gi’ in similar vein to Judo and the vocabulary is Japanese, not the Lew Chew language.

Not necessarily the ultimate show in subjugation of a culture, but certainly a subjugation of that Culture’s Warrior Spirit that once successfully held off Japanese incursion and gave the middle finger to the Khan by forcefully expelling Mongolian Officials.

I have traced the Art of Ti, Genten No Ti, which I study under Jan Dam of Denmark to the Nakazato Family of Nobles, Aji was their title I believe.

Related to the Lee Chew Royal Family with Ynagusuku (Nakazato) Choki once acting as regent for the King (Cho or Sho in names denotes relation to the Sho line as it could only be used by the Royal Family) and signer of the treaty with Commodore Perry on behalf of the Royal Government.

At least that is with whom the name Nakazato is associated in Lew Chew, a Palace Noble who would have known Ti by his very position as it was practiced by the Nobility and Warrior Class… Not the Farmers and Peasants as the mainstream history once posited.

They were too busy working to support the upper class people by way of taxes.

Lew Chew also had a warring period of three Kingdoms prior to all of this in which warlords, or Aji, built Castles and had skirmishes with one another until it was all brought together by King Sho Hashi at the behest of China, to whom they volunteered tribute.

History repeats itself as a few factions of Okinawan Yakuza would get into open skirmishes until the Yakuza from the mainland stepped in…. Ironically (or not) the Yamaguchi-gumi.

This may all be off base, but one can go check the resources available on their own to confirm it.

I had previously maintained that modern day Karate is purely Japanese with little to no connection to Okinawa history.

That is incorrect by way of semantics. It is Japanese with connection to the history of the Japanese created Okinawan Prefecture, but no real connection to the history of Lew Chew and very little connection to Ti.

Kata, as they are now called, were created based on the imported concept from China as everything Chinese was en vogue to the upper class.

Ti, in its’ purest form, did not have Kata, it had/has principles, mechanics, strategies, and tactics.

The modern notion of Kata in Karate, while based on a concept from China, has become solidified in a sort of Japanese static perspective… They cannot be changed because X. 

They are changed all the time, by the way, and really do not exist outside of performance to begin with.

In my view, based on my understanding, Naifuanchin is the first and only purely Lew Chewan Kata.

All others carry Chinese influence and some, like Sanchin, are completely Chinese in origin, altered for whatever reason as altering or changing was once a natural thing in Toudi… Not in Karate.

The Kata of Goju Ryu that most call ‘Kitty’ in my opinion were created by Miyagi Chojun and many are based on a combined influence of Naifuanchin Kata as well as influence of Chinese Arts (including Chinese Lion Dancing).

Naifuanchin was a Kata that Miyagi used to teach, then stopped, just as he stopped teaching Ti.

Many can even notice the blatant similarity between Naifuanchin and his Gekesai Kata, minus the Ti principles (as Naihanchi also lacks Ti principles in the mainstream today).

What of recent so-called ‘Masters’ and the myth of the wise and compassionate Karate Sensei who promotes Growth and Self Improvement?

Purely a modern creation. Toguchi Sensei himself was an alcoholic chain smoker, many were womanizers that frequented the infamous Naha Red-Light District, many of them ran those Brothels with Karateka muscle to back them up.

After the war there were very few left who knew any amount of Ti, those that did did not teach openly and certainly not to foreigners, still others ceased teaching it entirely.

Those we have today are mostly self promoted, some were students of certain well-known Karate ‘Masters’ who saw opportunity and broke off, even inventing entire lineages to further their brand for the sake of making money.

Maybe this is one origin of the Self-Help industry? 

That is not to say that genuine Teachers seeking to help others through Karate do not exist, but it is to point out that a Lotus grows from the mud.

It is to dispel the romanticism that surrounds Karate as some sort of ancient mystical art, it is not.

Battlefield tested? Maybe if you count how it was used by Gangsters in recent times, sure, that can count.

Some of the greatest things have come from the darkest of places and it is always a good idea to remember this.

To be better than those who came before has always been the stated goal, for some, they already are and they should hold their heads up because of that.

For others it is still a business racket with no real substance, which is fine, there is no crime against making money, but certainly it is a crime if some source of that income is illegal.

I am going to continue my research now. More to come.

The Ugly Truth

 Your brain is your greatest weapon, not the number of applications you learned against a wrist or lapel grab.

Technical memorization only goes so far and becomes exceedingly complex the further one goes.

In truth there are only a couple ‘techniques’ one really needs to know and these have endless applications that do not require memorization.

How to move you move your body to apply power is of most importance, falling into that, how your body lines up, and, still within that sphere, where you move… Footwork.

Do you see a target? Is it close to you? Destroy it.

What is a target? How about an elbow bending the wrong way? Forcing the knee to bend the wrong way? Punch to the liver? Strike to the throat? A thumb in the eyes? 

Most of what holds a person back is their own mind.

The rest is training incorrectly if their goals are actually meant to achieve useful, practical, and applicable skill.

If someone threatens my family, if someone threatens me, being the provider for my family (an indirect threat to my family) and I have no way to escape then I am going THROUGH them.

Style does not factor in, school, belts, etiquette, none of that matters in that moment.

I’ve been down that road… You know what works? Everything when it is well applied to a viable target with intent to injure/incapacitate.

I am not seeking pressure points, I am not seeking specific targets that are favored. Whatever target they give me is the unlucky target that gets destroyed.

I once had someone tell me they were training ‘with a more combative mindset’ now.

Yet what I saw was more of the same equation-type thinking, if they do X then I will do Y, and very little actual hands on training… A lot of talking.

Boxing Gyms have it somewhat right, people get in the ring and actually DO rather than talk about doing.

Ti has this aspect as well, as do many other schools, but the majority of the time is spent punching at air and listening to the Teacher talk about something that may or may not be related to punching said air at these Karate schools.

I don’t look down on that sort of thing, at least you are doing something with your life, but you want to keep that life for a while don’t you?

Sometimes you have to face the ugly truth, that the truth is, indeed, ugly.

Fear Factor

 Fear is a topic covered by some in great detail, yet seldom touched upon in training where it needs to be addressed.

How many techniques one knows is not going to do a lot of good if one is frozen to the floor and relieving their bladder or the contents of their stomach in the face of life and death.

The legs become heavy, somewhat numb, the mouth dry, vision blurry or tunneled, hearing distorted, sometimes, thoughts seemingly disjointed, self doubt, or none at all… Sometimes… Maybe one turns and runs away without even a single thought until they are wondering how they ended up where they ended up??

Fear that has not been honed to work as it should is a dangerous loose canon… To you.

Worse still, fear can overwhelm those with an arsenal of one hundred different techniques and ‘Bunkai’ at their disposal, thus defeating to purpose of… Well… Everything.

Fear is a tool, it helps you notice when something is off BEFORE something goes down.

An early warning system that tells you to get the hell out of dodge when you can, to bring your weapons online when you can’t, to be hyper alert, to be on guard.

Everyone has it, like a sixth sense that draws from queues around you, intuitively you know, but many don’t trust it, ignore it, or don’t know what to do with it at all.

Sometimes people are so ruled by social norms that they shove it aside so as not to appear rude, which can lead to some seriously bad outcomes.

What if you have to fight your way through someone to get away? What if, even then, you can’t get away without dishing out some of those seriously bad outcomes before they are fished out to you?

Are you afraid? Everyone is afraid, the people who say they aren’t are either liars or psychopaths.

What do you do when your hands get shaky? Your legs get heavy? Your breathing and heart beat become swift? You find it hard to focus? 

What do you do? Is there a Kata or Bunkai for any of this? Is there a technique you can learn to apply? 

Can you apply it under duress? Especially if those you love depend on you?

No pressure.

Goals

I have essentially given up on trying to write a book on Martial Arts in general and Karate specifically.

Perhaps it is my lack of skill in writing on the subject in an organized way that is also engaging. There is also nothing new under the sun.

Taken to writing Fiction, as I have since I was around seven years old, I find it is a better release for me, coupled with drawing, something else I have done since I was very little, although my writing is far more developed than my drawing.

The thing about both is that one can learn technical theory, one can learn about something within a specific genre, yet not be completely bound by it. The sky is the limit in many cases, one can flow in whatever way they want and naturally stick to the principle.

In my mind, writing is like painting pictures with words, drawing is flowing along interesting lines.

Ti is very much the same thing. Karate, as it is now taught, less so.

Maybe if we threw out everything we thought we knew, dispensed with the collection of techniques, ‘Bunkai,’ and the twenty seven plus Kata that we barely understand. Maybe then we could make some progress towards a more nature and, consequently, more effective understanding?

All a person really needs to know is how to move effectively and through which targets to strike that will yield the most effect… Injury. Strategy is born in the middle.

There is no ‘if they do X then I will respond with Y’ equation.

The Karate Ni Senti Nashi Bullshit Mindset will set you off at a disadvantage from the start of any sort of confrontation.

This should not take years of training either. Effective is effective and, for the purposes of being effective, must be effective from day one.

The idea that ‘something comes later’ is not really acceptable. Refinement might come later, but what if something happens now rather than later?

Would a standing Army utilize the methods of something that would take their Soldiers years to apply when they are already at the doorstep of war? Would they utilize those methods even when war is not an immediate threat?

What about Police Officers in a rough city? Would they hold back their trainees for seven years in order to be able to effectively apply their training? 

If the answer was ‘yes’ to any of these then I am afraid you, dear reader, have watched far too many Kung Fu movies.

Is it worth it to train for years? Definitely, especially if you enjoy it, all the better if it is applicable from day one.

I have a belt ranking, that doesn’t matter much to me. If achieving a black belt is your goal then more power to you, but if your goal is immediate ability, the black belt will not mean much.

A passing acknowledgement of refinement? Perhaps.

It doesn’t really matter in the long run, or even the short run, at least to me.

My focus is not on learning a syllabus to pass a test, I barely wear my Karate Gi unless I find myself on occasion to do so, which is rare.

Testing is a means of income in addition to private lessons and regular tuition, which is fine, Sensei’s gotta eat too, but it is nothing special other than the act of doing.

The achievement should already have happened, refinement is the reason for training.

These are all just my opinion, of course, my approach, my way… If these are not in line with yours then great, it means you are an individual capable of thinking for yourself.

The Cult has not yet destroyed your mind.

One Kata - Many Strategies.

Goju Ryu Karate has twelve Kata, Traditionally, while many schools have twenty plus Kata, Traditionally, some have more, some have less, yet in actuality, they all have only one and none at the same time.

None in the fact that no Kata actually exist, one in the fact that all things spring from the central principles of movement and all variations on these principles constitute the various forms in which it now takes according to differing strategies. 

The problem is that most 'styles' are thrown together with various Kata, a hodge-podge of things to which no real mind is paid as people collect these in order to test for the next belt rank. 

There is no thought given to progression, no thought given to how these fit together, why one comes after the other, mainly because no connections are made, no thought is given to progression at all, they serve no real purpose. 

It doesn't matter who claims to have the 'one true way' of doing things, who claims to be 'in the know' as it were, since they are following the same formula as everyone else, paying no real mind to anything, teaching exactly the same way as everyone else. 

What you find in an 'underground' and 'off the path' Dojo in New York City is the same thing you will find in a Commercialized Strip Mall Dojo, the same formula, maybe a few extra drills, maybe some more in-depth warm-up exercises, but otherwise the exact same thing. 

There is no real inkling of depth or progression there, no idea what is what and how 'this' fits with or leads to 'that.'

The same stop-and-go bullshit in every case, the same 'ichi-ni-san' moving to the count, the same punch-and-block-and-kick crap in every instance. 

There is not much more that can be said in that regard. Most claim what they claim, say what they say, in order to promote whatever it is they do that they claim is different or more complete. 

There is quite a bit of negativity within the community we all share due to a lack of understanding and a need to self-promote, whether for business or sheer ego, it is what it is. 

The Law of Specificity.

 The Law of Specificity is interesting from a Training to Street perspective.

We all know a person cannot make their legs stronger by doing pull-ups, they need to work those specific muscles.

The same thing applies to Training; what you train comes out in the heat of application. If you train to take someone down whilst giving them a hand and helping them up afterwards what do you think you will do when it counts?

This is why I often take issue with training that is extremely impractical, especially when the Instructors tout the practicality of that which they teach.

Some might say these people are doing no harm, I call bullshit on that perspective.

I have often heard ‘Oh it seems impractical, but it is actually training practical muscle memory’ or ‘Yeah, it seems silly, but there is reason behind it so we keep doing it.’

Why? What reason? What practical muscle memory would involve a move that has you surrounded by people in the center of a circle, requires you to jump into the air, tuck your knees, and spin in a specified direction to meet an attack? Why not just turn around and meet it? 

Does it give a good workout? Sure. Don’t present it as a practical drill though, one could get the same type of workout for the same muscle groups doing other exercises specific to building muscle and cardio without meeting an attack.

The mind requires specificity when it is necessary to act quickly without conscious thought.

In this realm specificity is often synonymous with simplicity… That has been my experience in nearly every aspect of life.

Most who would not agree are touting the same things as those Instructors I illustrate above, they have skin in the game and seek to profit from it or they have devoted so much time to it that they do not wish to feel as though their time had been wasted.

Look at what you are doing, honestly, look at it, question it, rework where reworking is necessary with the thought in mind that someone’s life might just depend on this someday.

It could be a paying Student, your niece, your nephew, your wife or husband, your children.

Get your head out of the heirarchy soup that is determined by an Organization seeking to preserve itself and start really thinking about the people who come to you for guidance… They matter more.

For Students… Start questioning, start challenging, start picking at the bones of the system.

If any aspect is found wanting, ask why. If no answer is given, go somewhere else.

Forget About Bunkai.

 The Bunkai Craze… It was taking off in the early 2000’s with books by Wilder and Kane, Iain Abernathy, followed by a whole slew of others that sought to capitalize on a niche market of books and seminars.

They were not wrong in their approach, it opened MANY doors, led to deeper thinking and tremendous growth, always a good thing.

The word ‘Bunkai’ means analysis, though, and does not refer to specific Applications of a Kata. Kaisai No Genri was, and is, the driving force behind the Wilder and Kane approach, but there is always something left out in open transmission of principles.

This is to give a taste in order to drive the seminar and private instruction market. Yes, it is a market, people have to make money in this world.

Wilder and Kane are great guys, but they are not stupid, nor was Toguchi Sensei, who held more knowledge back than he let on in this regard.

The Bunkai Craze seems to have tapered off a bit and many within this niche have become homogenized in their approach… Perhaps it is because there is not a lot more that can be said other than ‘get to the floor and train.’ 

Maybe, maybe not.

In my limited exposure to Ti I have come to realize the practice of Bunkai is rather surface level and specific Bunkai really do not exist.

Forget about Bunkai. 

There is a flow, a line, which can be applied at varying distances in a fight, striking, grappling, throwing, an underlying dynamic strategy that can be understood if one looks to footwork rather than stances… If one really knows how to apply Body Mechanics as the driving force rather than the normal stop-and-go we find in Karate.

Wilder and Kane did touch upon this aspect by pointing out the 1 then 2 aspect of training that a Karateka should overcome… Points rather than lines, jerky robotic motions rather than flow.

Static drills might be okay in the beginning, but these have continued into the higher belt ranks. Even when one explores various aspects like Hikite and their Kata change to reflect this these are still, ultimately, stop-and-go Kata driven from one point to another.

Dachi do not exist, Tsuki do not exist, Geri/Keri do not exist, Uke does not exist…. Bunkai does not exist.

It is said that someone who knows can tell if a person truly understands how to utilize something by watching their Kata.

The same thing is said in Ti. When a Ti Practitioner views the Kata of another they can tell if they know any Ti and, thus, can apply what they are doing just by how they move.

Tenshin is central… Perhaps the oldest Kata is Training the principle of Sankaku Tenshin. Where do you move in relation to your opponent? At what distance? How do you enter and close the distance? How do you set it up? What is the end game of your strategy? How do you get there?

It has nothing to do with stylized movement, nor does it really have to rely on Kata… Such things are meant for TRAINING in a way that allows for the principles to sink in.

Original Okinawan Martial Arts HAD NO KATA and, thus, NO BUNKAI.

Forget about Bunkai.

The Meaning of Authenticity.

 Just recently I came across a book with the words ‘Authentic Karate’ in the title, I did not buy the book, enough of those line my shelves and utilize space on my device as it is.

Having recently trained with a fellow practitioner of Ti out of my back yard my perspective is ever changing, just what IS Authentic Karate? 

The words can be expressed in different ways. Maybe it means an ‘unchanged’ form of Traditional Karate that follows strict standards of practice? Perhaps it means a form of Karate that is Authentically expressed on a personal level? Maybe both?

Most Titles are like click bait, meant to catch the eye and draw in the consumer for further review before clicking the ‘buy’ icon.

Much beyond that is cookie cutter information, save for a few cases, if you have seen one then you have likely seen them all… Albeit from a slightly nuanced perspective.

I have a hard time really getting into book study on this subject anymore as it seems the same things are repeated over and over with very little depth or growth beyond a certain point.

Perhaps that is due to a lack in the present terminology, but one could seek to remedy that through further elaboration and, indeed, further study under people like Jan Dam of the Genten Kai who utilizes terminology absent from Modern Karate altogether (not to mention the depth of concepts that seem absent).

I get asked how my Goju is coming along a lot by one of my Karate Teachers whenever I talk about Ti… As if Goju was an actual thing and had to conform to a strict standard beyond which it could not grow, or that it were somehow meant to be separate from Ti.

Does Authentic Karate fit in a box or does it contain the box as a root?

I practice from a small circle, or wheel, that spirals outward and in many directions. There is NO Goju insofar as a style or system of Goju is concerned. There are only the principles and from those one does not remain static or stationary so as to decay and lose spirit over time.

It occurs to me that the mind is easily ensnared by that which has been romanticized, wrapped in a nice package, with very little done to explore the depths and the root.

In my view there is value in everything, just as everything is flawed. The Authentic is not so much linked to history or Tradition, although that is part of it, but more about the heart.

I know very little about anything, so take or leave my opinion as you like, it cannot be helped how things are.

You want to learn Authenticity, take care of some plants and animals, get close to nature, you will see just how Authentic something can be… Being truly itself, yet according underlying principles and building blocks.

Nature is a strange thing and we are arrogant to think our views mean anything beyond our own noses.

Unspoken.

 The notion of focus is seldom more than a catch phrase for many, even higher ranking Instructors.

What does it mean to be deeply focused? Does it mean to be so immersed in one thing that all other things aside are ignored or unnoticed?

Can Focus, Awareness, and Adaptibility go hand-in-hand? 

We may be getting too hung up on words and their respective concepts if we answer in the negative and have all manner of well thought out reasoning why this is so.

Sometimes our intelligence can make us stupid, ignorant, and maladaptive.

We can say Focus means giving full attention to a single thing to the exclusion of all other things,yet we can also say that Focus is simply being present, fully attentive, and fully aware, encompassing everything.

It really isn't that complex, it really doesn't need hours of contemplation followed by hours of deep philosophical discussion... Just be fully present, be fully aware, do things with intention... To put your whole self in everything you do without breaking that focus.

How you do anything is how you do everything... An old saying coined by a Stoic, or possibly comendeered by him, but no less true.

Whether we call it Focus, or something else it does not really matter.

People place too much emphasis on words, definitions, concepts... Not enough emphasis on actually doi g anything.

Words like Karate and Ti, which give rise to specific ideas, yet are nothing really special... Just words... The meaning is in silence, in the action, unspoken.

The Essence of Ti's Non-Existence.

 There is some Ti in Karate, yet no Karate in Ti... This has been told to me several times and I do see what they mean.

Karate is like learning to write block letters in Grade School, Ti is like cursive or even Calligraphy on a deeper level.

I am no expert in Ti as I have only been training it for a couple years now, and I doubt I will ever reach the level of expertise as my seniors and our Teacher.

I do, however, feel as though one would need some grounding in Karate in order to train Ti to any degree.

It is not something that is meant to be stylized, compartmentalized, or organized into a cirriculum like Karate. 

It is more akin to what Musashi meant when he referred to 'Heiho,' or so I have read, yet feel this to be true.

There is no 'technique' in Ti, there are no 'stances' or fixed 'postures,' no broken points. Nothing to classify as a block, a punch, a kick, or, put another way, no Bunkai or Oyo whatsoever.

There is functional form, there are lines, but these are continuous flows without breaking poi ts and one utilizes whatever is given from which to flow.

Karate will break things down on a first grade level, but really is only a pathway towards something beyond fixed forms and all that. This has been lost or repressed somewhere along the way and because of this there is no difference in seeing how a Kata is done between a low level senior and a high ranking so-called Black Belt.

At least in the majority of cases, although there are some exceptions who seem to have grasped at the root... I am not altogether convinced that they did not train Ti to some rudimentary level.

With exceptions to this rule there comes exceptions to every rule, not everyone will understand Ti, nor will they be able to utilize it properly, especially if they cannot let go of previous notions or seek to promote themselves as anything special... This tends to get in the way of learning anything.

Ti, like any Martial Practice, is prone to some seriously big headed people that do not truly seek to learn Ti as Ti, but seek the label of Ti to add to a brand they are attempting to market... Very much a Karate mindset... Seeking to be a founder of some system or other that incorporates Ti and i flate rank as well as ego.

Seeking titles over training, some higher place in the heirarchy where one can pretend to know, yet dole out bad information.

Then there are those who seek the knowledge only to pretend it is their own, shunning their Teacher in order to i flate themselves so as to procure greater book sales and seminar attendence... Again, doling out incorrect and/or incomete information.

Ti does not purport to be anything other than what it is. 

It is not some moral path, it is a combative science, although Genten No Ti draws heavily from the Okinawan Philosopher Tei Junsoku, who does espouse some highly moral, almost Stoic, teachings.

There is no talk of Ki/Chi, nothing mystical, yet in its' down to earth, grounded, and practical approach to all things it is, indeed, very mystical without the added 'woo' one would normally find associated with an Asian Martial Art.

Okinawa was a spiritual society with a belief in animism and intrinsic spirit, but the head of spirituality was the realm of female shaman, this had nothibg to do with Martial Science... Although both were, and are, highly respected.

Much to the chagrin of another Goju Ryu Karateka I had interacted with, Ti, in its' purest form, has no Kata... If a Kata is used it is nothing more than a tool... It follows different pathways, different variations, one should be able to move in infinite lines along a tangient... As a sphere, within a sphere.

So, no technique, no stances, no Kata, no Karate... Ti exists within and beyond the point of really knowing for certain... Other than the attitude... A Tijigaya is always ready... Not that that applies to me, but certainly an ideal to shoot for.

Cling to the other stuff all we like, ultimately that which sits stagnant and u changing is dead.

Winds of Change.

 It has been some time since the last post was made. 

My focus has been elsewhere these days, as it is certain the focus of most out there has been on other, more trying matters.

Still training regularly, but the poi t of writing the same things over and over again just felt useless, meaningless, and to be ho est my heart was not in it.

Even now I cannot even watch videos or read books on the subject, let alone write, but still I train as I always have. The media just seem to say the same thing over and over again from differing perspectives that reach the same conclusions.

Then one finds the pointless bickering back and forth over this and that, useless if you ask me, train more, talk less.

Then there are the formal classes where one shows up in Karate Gi, bows, counts in Japanese, refers to the Teacher and Seniors by Japanese Titles and follows customs in the Dojo set down by an Imperialistic Japanese Mindset and Culture that is borderline cultish... Something completely foreign to Okinawan Karate. Even so-called Okinawan 'Masters' that teach abroad have adopted this, some to a pretty extreme level.

I have been teaching my children, on and off, since the time they started walking.

My Daughter has experience in Genten No Ti and Toguchi-ha Goju Ryu Karate, among other things I feel the need to pass on.

It is more of a Family thing on my part.

She recently started attending Karate Classes at a local health and fitness center taught by a Senior Student of Teruo Chinen.

She seems to be taking to it pretty well and I felt it would be a good experience for her to be around peers who also train, but I find myself scoffing at some of the things they do... Focusing more on how things appear rather than how they work, or why.

I am not going to criticize the way things are done as this is how it has been done for some time in Karate. I have also trained with the late Mr. Chinen as well as the Teacher of this class, Bob Davies.

I did learn some valuable things, albeit I ceased attending classes under Bob Davies as I found them to be contrary to my own training even though they are also training Goju Ryu.

It was not so much the main body of what they teach that was contrary, but all the side drills they impliment, which seem counter intuitive and would not truly serve me in good stead... It was more a question of practicality than anything else.

Mr. Chinen was also very strict in his teaching, perhaps too strict, whereas Mr. Davies is not, perhaps a bit too lax.

Even now there seems to persist a cult of personality surrounding Mr. Chinen, whom has made some very questionable claims in the past... A great Karateka he was, but he was not all that he claimed to be and really had set this Organization up around himself, marketing his heritage and embellishing with claims that simply were not true.

One could say this about nearly every Karate 'Master' however, many are or were truly colorful personalities that knew how to market themselves and behaved quite contrary to the morals they purported to be central to Karate.

It is a good thing to train Karate and, I feel, Karate is outgrowing these colorful old 'Masters' (read flawed human beings) as Students become Teachers in their own right and actually follow, as best they can, the morality picked up through the Karate framework. Maybe, maybe not.

One could get the same from any endeavor, be it MMA or even working wood or some other skill/art.

Karate, itself, is not what many take it to be.

It is mordern, a 20th Century creation marketed, now, as a sport and, before, as a physical activity within the Okinawan School system.

Tode was different, even more, Ti is different. Though one can contain the other, the latter is not contained in the fore.

So the romanticization of Karate is unwarranted as those who propagated it up to this point were its' flawed creators during a time of assimilation to Japanese Imperial Culture.

That does not mean it has no value and lacks practicality, quite the contrary, it has been effective for many people in many situations and has produced very good and upright people who, in turn, pass it on in many different ways.

So, I still feel it is a good experience for my daughter as it was, and is, a good experience for me.

It helped me overcome many challenges in life, it has been useful on a practical level, and it has allowed me to meet some truly great people.

Ti is another level to that and I truly feel one must first become proficient in Karate before even thinking about learning Ti, one is not the other, but there is some overlap... When one learns Karate in order to forget it.

My hope is that my Daughter learns, keeps learning, then forgets. There is no need to become so wrapped up in all of this that it becomes who you think you are.

It is only a root aspect of life meant to help one improve all other aspects of life, it is NOT who you are, just something you do. Nothing special at all.

I do not talk about Karate or Martial Arts with very many people. Some might say I am not open about it at all outside that circle, despite having been training for thirty years, I have done other things for much longer.

Sometimes I feel embarassed by it when people put me on the spot and I want nothing to do with it. When my wife brings up teaching my Children more regularly I change the subject... Then, after time has passed, I go and teach them something.

This is partially due to the view that Karate is only for children, so it is not really looked upon seriously in an adult conversation, and partly due to my knowing that much of it should not necessarily be taught to children without good moral grounding first.

I don't do rank, I don't really do formality, and I do teach in some very indirect ways... Sometimes my children do not even know they are being taught, and this has helped them become better little people. At some point they have to leave the nest though.

Hopefully I have armed them with a good moral compass, a good example, and a good bullshit detector.

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.