How useful are combinations?

In the old days of traditional martial arts, there was very much an all or nothing attitude. The original founders and students of the fistic ways were not fighting for fun. They fought for their lives, plain and simple. They were defending themselves usually from an armored, armed foe. So because of that, they practiced for hours a day on a single technique. Sometimes 2. But the point is that they had a full mastery of the basics. They did not have a lot of time to be cute, or fancy or stylish. Against a samurai for example, an Okinawan peasant had perhaps one chance to stun his armored opponent, and then perhaps one to finish him. So combinations were not practical or necessary. Unlike the movies, if a samurai got his hands on his sword, the fight ended. So basically a concept emerged from that: One strike, one kill (ikken hitsatsu)

Nowadays, 99% of martial artists do NOT train with the idea of having to defend their life with their training. They do it for exercise, confidence, social reasons, discipline, and a whole host of other reasons. And that is good. But with the influence of boxing on traditional martial arts schools, there has been a paradigm change. People no longer believe that a single strike can kill or incapacitate a person. On television we see boxers lithely dance around a padded ring, punching each other senseless. The logic states that boxers routinely punch each other in combinations, until their foe is subdued. And how long can it take? 12 rounds? 5 rounds? Whatever.

Anyhow, my point is that with the popularity of boxing (and to a smaller extent, Ultimate Fighting) nobody really believes that a single punch can render a person senseless, much less lifeless. But oh, are they wrong. How often does the average martial artist spend on his or her craft? An hour and a half, 2 or 3 times a week? That is usually wishful thinking. Now, do not misunderstand. I know that people's lives are busier than ever. But like anything else, I believe that people should invest real time into their passions. If they claim that martial arts is their passion, then they should put extra time into it.

But back to the point. I think that some people dont realize the power than can be generated from a bare-knuckle punch. People are really fooling themselves if they believe that punching someone with a taped hand and boxing gloves, and punching someone with a bare fist is the same thing. Having competed in gloved sports and bare-knuckle competitions both, I can assure you that they are not. I have seen many a fit, conditioned competitor crumble under the force of a bare-knuckle striker. I have seen it MANY times.

Now, do not misunderstand. I have a healthy respect for boxers and their skills. I have faced many an accomplished boxer, and have even been humbled by some in a ring. I am impressed with their fluid footwork, their defensive skills, and their amazing conditioning. But I do know the difference between a match and an attack. Notice that I did not say "fight." Fights are agreed upon. Attacks are spontaneous and often suprising. In a real situation, punches will not resemble a boxing match, they will resemble a hockey fight. My 2 cents folks, work on short crips combinations, dont think that you will have 12 or 15 punches to subdue an attacker. You may not have 12 or 15 seconds tops. This is not about style points or anything else. Learn to throw 10 punch combinations. It will not be easy. After about 5 punches, you will notice a significant drop in your handspeed and punching power. So why do this? Because if you train hard enough to throw 8 hard punches in combination, you will be able to throw 3 or 4 REALLY hard ones in a real attack. And that is our goal correct? Good! Later on my friends.

Tournaments, my gosh, how they have changed

Hey there,
Now folks, I speak on this subject because of what I have recently witnessed. There are a lot of tournaments out there these days. Now I have a lot to say about this, so I am going to jump in and see where we end up.

Now, in the old days, I used to love tournaments. But things were a lot different then. In the old days, there was a gym full of simple white gis, maybe with one patch on them, several teachers of note, and a lot of intensity. The safety equipment, when it was finally invented was crude and functional. It was definitely a room full of warriors, both men and women. The rules were few and simple. Modern day bushido( warrior ways) at its best. There were hard punches, hard kicks, and yes the blood did flow. And that was okay. The competitors knew that you cannot learn to swim without getting wet. Excessive contact was a laughable concept back then. It may sound brutal, but this was not just about a trophy, it was a testing ground.

After the months and years that the students spent conquering their fears, the unbearable dojo heat, the grueling workouts, this was where they determined their mettle. There were butterflies, nervous laughs, and mouthpieces chewed in anticipation. The battle was coming, and none showed any fear.

The battle, once commenced was short and intense. Improvised strategies , and shuffling feet moved fit, tight bodies out of the range of crushing kicks. The attacks were crisp, and the effects of them obvious. Downed bodies were shown only minimal concern as warriors slowly regained their feet. The 3 minute waltz of violence brought awed spectators to their feet in suprise and amazement. But those days are done.

I recently watched a tournament, and I was ashamed. Gone was the intensity of warriors facing combat. In its place was an atmosphere reminiscent of a circus. Gaudy lights, techno music blaring and glow in the dark weapons for sale showed just what commercialism does to martial arts.Gone were the seas of clean white gis. In its place were star and striped, camouflage, and two-toned pajamas that I would not wear to sleep. Fat, out of shape instructors jiggled around, telling tall tales about who they used to train with, and how skilled in the deadly arts they were. Did I mention the 8 year old black belt division? Instead of true weapons mastery, graphite staves and sickles with strings attached allowed flashy but ineffective weapons routines.

Sparring? One could call it that, but I wouldnt. Forget the reverse punches and snap kicks that cracked ribs and expelled air from laboring lungs. There was light to no contact allowed. Techniques that had the potential to batter opponents into submission were replaced with pitty pat moves that failed to wrinkle the gi of their opponent. There was no need for evasive moment, the "fighters" wore enough armor to classify them as Round Table knights. There were no flowing combinations, no evasive movement. Only slow, predictable linear attacks tha failed to rouse the blood of those in the stands.

Am I bitter? Heck yeah I am. Bushido is a thing of the past at most tournaments. Forget the respect that the fighters used to have. Forget the courtesy, whether you won or lost. We now have to deal with loudmouth teachers complaining that their fighters were cheated. Tiger striped "gi-jamas" clad kids sported ill-fitting black belts. Is there an end to the defilement of bushido? For the love of god, I hope there is.

Do you train weapon disarms?

Folks,
On of the most controversial issues in martial arts is the subject of weapon disarms. Many traditional stylists will tell you that it is feasible and possible. Many modern experts will tell you that disarming someone with a knife or gun is unlikely at best. So who do we believe?

Well, as the survivor of a knife incident, I can tell you that a disarm is possible. It takes a lot of thinking on your feet, being able to quickly move said feet, and a strong will not to be a stab victim. Accept that you are likely going to be cut. What I did was present my arm as a target, as slicing is a lot less injurious than stabbing. But enough about me.

I can tell you that the best way to handle someone with a weapon is to have one of your own. Brilliant deduction right? Well remember that anything can be a weapon" knives, umbrellas, table legs, books, canes, and the list goes on. I believe that martial arts training should have curriculum that deals with the use of weapons on a conceptual basis. For example, if you can use an Escrima stick, you can use an umbrella. Ta-Da! Genius huh? Well not really.

Modern day folks will tell you that weapons disarms are not going to work if you dont have a weapon of your own. So in a lot of modern curriculums, they don't even address the issue. I think that is a BIG mistake. Granted, disarming techniques are NOT going to go as smoothly as they do in class. But if you don't even practice them, you won't even know what you should be trying to accomplish. Do you attempt a disarm? When? How?Where? I think that you should at least ATTEMPT to learn the basics of knife disarms, or at least evasive movement that will facilitate an escape.

For the folks that are practicing disarms, good for you. For the people that don't let me tell you this: Disarming techniques are dangerous at best. If you think that practicing disarms is not a good idea and will get you hurt, consider the alternative. And FYI, I dont think that anyone on this planet is fast enough to stab me while I am running. I would rather be able to run like Carl Lewis than knife fight like a Navy Seal. Peace out folks.

Do you have it inside you?

Hey folks, I am in an odd mood, so this may be an odd question to some. But my question is, do you have the mental toughness you need to fight? I am not talking about a competition, or a tournament. I mean, a real fight. When the rubber hits the road, do you have what it takes to really hurt someone? I know that there are a lot of bullies out there, but I am talking about us civilized folks. In the nitty-gritty of a live confrontation, can you break something on someone? As a judo player, could you throw someone on hard concrete? As a aikidoka, could you break someone's wrist? As a kickboxer, could you continue to knee a person in the face until they are limp?

The answer should be yes. Do NOT get me wrong, I am not a violent man. But I do believe that if a real fight ensues, one should be prepared to take it to whatever lengths neccesary. If you can control a person with a minimum of violence, great, that is what we hope for. But if it requires taking a person's life, are you able to take it there?

Remember, technical skill is only part of our battle. We need mental strength in order to keep our martial arts alive. Hopefully, the people reading this will never need to use their martial arts skills. But for those of us who do, we need to be able to defend ourselves, by any means neccesary.

How reliable is your technique?

In my endless quest for martial arts reality and practicality, I have come across literally thousands of techniques. My question for you guys is: How reliable are your techniques? This is not about your style, or what you like to do. I am asking a legitimate question. See, a lot of times certain moves will work really well against someone from your own style. I have seen crescent kicks work well against other taekwondo practitioners. I have seen a double leg takedown do well against a fellow wrestler. But then again, I am always curious as to how well a person's technique would work against someone who fought with a different rhythm. Do your techniques adapt? Can you use them against a boxer, wrestler, sambo player, judoka, aikidoka and a kung fu student? If not, you may want to revisit your techniques. Some may need a little tweaking to work at maximum ability.

That is why I am such a fan of the basics. I have jabbed many types of martial artists, and it works. I have uppercutted, front kicked, roundhouse kicked, foot-swept and hip thrown all kinds of folks. We have all seen the maxim, but some people still dont heed it. K.I.S.S. Keep it short and simple. That is my rant for now. Peace out folks!

I love to train

Here it is, late at night. I have just showered. My blood still pumps from the workout. I am smiling from ear to ear. I will be sore tomorrow, but I will push my body through another workout. One never feels as alive as they do in the midst of intense competition. I live for this, I love this, and I will do it for the rest of my life.

Ninja night at the dojo?

Nope, you heard this right folks, ninja night at the dojo. Not just ninja night mind you, pizza parties, Little Dragons sleepovers, you name it, they have it. I just have one question for you guys, when did our beloved dojos become competiton for Romper Room? " Dojo" means hall where THE WAY is studied. Not a place to study The Way, and make a lot of cash with non-related activities.

I can hear the business owners lining up right now. They are saying stuff like" well if you are not in business to make a profit, you should not be in business." I agree, I own my own school. But I believe that the things that we teach in a dojo should at least be related to martial arts. Kickboxing classes, Yoga, all of these things have peripheral value as it pertains to martial arts. But come on man, how necessary is it to have pizza night at a dojo?

Not at all, I would say. But there are martial arts organizations that tell that I am wrong. They speak of all of the ways to make money. After school programs, summer camps, and more trust me. But I just don't believe that they have any place in the dojo. There are concerns about inappropriate conduct, students being infatuated with teachers, and about a zillion other reasons that make "ninja nights" a bad idea. I personally know a man who lost his amazingly profitable business because of false accusations from a student. Why risk it?

Ninja nights? Do the students learn ninjitsu that night? Nope! But a lot of kids want to be ninjas. So why not cash in on the gimmick? I can tell you why: Because it is wrong and misleading. If you want to learn ninjitsu, learn it. I have no problem with what art you study. But don't use the fantasies of small boys to bolster your bottom line with cheap gimmicks.

Do I have ninja nights? Do I allow children to be in my class without more than one adult? Not on your life. At the Thomas Martial Arts & Fitness Academy, we don't go for that type of crap. And I never will. My word is my bond. Not gonna happen.

Which art is better?

My friends out there,

If you have spent enough time in the martial arts, you will surely come across the "Which art is best?" debate. Now I have long since left all of that nonsense behind. But I have a friend who asked me to speak on it, so here I am.

First off, there is no best art. I know that fans of ultimate fighting will say that boxing, kickboxing, brazilian jiu-jitsu, sombo and wrestling are the ideal mix of arts, and the most effective. I say, that I should call Oscar Meyer on this, because it is bologna. I am going to say this one time, and slowly for the easily confused. The artist is what matters, not the art. Good boxer bad wrestler, boxer wins. Bad judoka, good karateka, karate wins. That should be really simple. But fans of ultimate fighting are often quite myopic. They often say stuff like," well if "x" art works, why dont we see it in ultimate fighting?" Someone said to me, "
if kenpo is soooo good, why dont we see it in ultimate fighting?" I told him, "we do stupid, they are called punches." Kenpo means "fist law." Fist as in punches. Chuck Liddell, UFC champion has kenpo on his shoulder. But maybe that doesnt count.

Anyhow, I am going to let the ultimate fighting fans, calm down, and come off of the ledges from which they are currently teetering. People do NOT take martial arts for the same reason. Some want to focus mainly on self-defense, some on fitness. Some want to learn more about philosophy of the East, others flexibilty. Are there any bad reasons? Yes, if a person is looking to be a bully, that is about the only wrong reason I can think of. Other than that, it is ALL good.

So here is amazingly well cliche statement #1. Take 2 people. Give one 6 months of karate training, and the other gets 6 months of Thai Boxing (Muay Thai). The Thai boxer will be a better fighter every time. Well, that may be true MOST of the time, but not for the reason that you are thinking. Muay Thai is NOT better than karate. Fact is that MT is a very formidable fighting style. I have trained with MT fighters before. It is strictly a fighting style. Karate involves a lot more than merely fighting. It involves katas, and history, and philosphy and a host of other things. They simply do not spend the whole class time doing sparring drills and sparring. So in 6 months a MT boxer will probably have more fighting experience than the karateka. But that never seems to matter to the ignorant. They simply want to talk about how they saw some Muay Thai fighter manhandle some karate teacher. That may be true, but Muay Thai fighters also have much shorter careers in fighting due to the nature of the sport. You can take your pick on which path you would like to pursue........

I was going to write a lot more, but I am not in the mood. Emily if you are reading this, it is passed you bedtime. Tracy if you are still out there, please email, I miss ya. And for the rest of my martial arts family, get out there and train harder :)