news & the art of war
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Grandmaster Wang Xian, San Ti Shi
Sun 01:35 GMT. Posted by staff@riposte.orgDemonstration of Chen Style Taiji San Ti Shi, a kind of Meditation of Kung Fu.
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Fumigomi practice
Sun 01:34 GMT. Posted by staff@riposte.orgLast Saturday I went to the morning keiko (Asageiko) at the Taipei Japanese School again, where Kamiyama (¸ćˇR) Sensei (7th Dan Kyoshi) heads the training. After the keiko he gave very valuable advices on the correct fumigomi and the practice for it, which I will describe in the following. Step 1: Take one large step forward with the right foot. One main point is that when the right foot makes contact with the floor, there is a sheer-like force going, not straight down, but forward-down as shown in the picture below.
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No reprieve
Sun 01:34 GMT. Posted by staff@riposte.orgInevitably, as an aikido student, you find yourself wondering why you continue to fail to master the techniques you have been practicing for years. Why do you continue to use more muscle than you need? Why can’t you relax more? In an earlier post, I mention one of my instructors, who pointed out that you always suck at aikido, because there is always another level to reach, another concept to master. I still think this is true. But for me, there is a little more that I have to keep in mind. There is no reprieve in aikido.
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The Seven Tenets of Budo
Sun 01:32 GMT. Posted by staff@riposte.orgBudo is typically defined as the Study of the “War Way” or the “Martial Way”. It is a Japanese concept or philosophy that has been put into practice by several Japanese martial art systems. Two examples of systems that are based on budo are Judo and Aikido. The goal of budo is mastery of self. There are no external enemies in budo, only an internal one, ego. It is believed that through rigorous study of budo, that one can achieve the goal of self mastery, and utimately happiness through the conquering of ego. Budo is based on Seven tenants. They are:
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A Bronx Tale…Of Street Self Defense
Sun 01:31 GMT. Posted by staff@riposte.orgThis is another story from the IKKF 2010 Annual Training. One of the guest instructors at our training was a gentleman named Miguel Ibarra. Ibarra Sensei studies and teaches aikijujutsu and has a dojo based out of Bronx, New York. Ibarra Sensei has been a probation officer in The Bronx for decades (now retired) and has what you might call ‘real world experience’. Let’s put it this way, if your interest is in street effective and tested methods, Ibarra Sensei is your guy. That being the case, I asked him what he thought was more valuable during his time on the New York streets, striking or grappling. His answer was essentially as follows:
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Understanding Karate Jargon
Sun 03:57 GMT. Posted by staff@riposte.orgAlthough many are, not all of you, Dear Readers, are hard core karatekas. To fully enjoy my previous post, Blue And A Half, the understanding of a few concepts is necessary: this article intends to bring a little bit of clarity into the jargon.
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Progressive Relaxation Training for Martial Arts
Sun 03:57 GMT. Posted by staff@riposte.orgOne of the aspects that always intrigued me most in the martial arts is the mental and psychological side. I read as much as I could on this subject but often find the information too woo-woo or pretty much useless because it lacks practical guidelines. Some 20 years ago, I discovered Progressive Muscle Relaxation and have used it ever since for both my own training and for helping clients. It’s one of the fastest and most efficient techniques I know to teach people how to relax.
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Why Self Defense Works!
Sun 03:57 GMT. Posted by staff@riposte.orgA man on vacation at a bar finds himself in middle of a fight and as so often happens – it is hard to discern the good guys from the bad. Well he puts some distance between the fight and his wife and scans for exits. One of the fighters notice and comes right at him! The vacationer side-steps the rusher and give him a little push into the table – grabs his wife and makes for the exit. I don’t know about you but I’ve been in this type of situation before and it is a little scary if you have the family with you. This website has often evaluated different types of fighting styles and self defense but why does self defense work? I mean most bad guys can fight – right? If they can fight then why can some minimal self-defense training carry the day?
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The Controversy Continues: Chris Dow Weighs In
Sun 03:56 GMT. Posted by staff@riposte.orgI can’t help but believe that this issue, raised most often by MMA advocates, is really a nonissue. MMA is, indeed, a sport—a viewpoint that most of its advocates would not dispute. To quote Wikipedia: “Originally promoted as a competition with the intention of finding the most effective martial arts for real unarmed combat situations, competitors were pitted against one another with minimal rules. Later promoters adopted many additional rules aimed at increasing safety for competitors and to promote mainstream acceptance of the sport.”
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Like Fighting at Night
Sun 03:56 GMT. Posted by staff@riposte.orgOne time Hayes Sensei was training with his instructor Eizo Shimabukuro on the kata Passai. This kata is known for its power generation and its sweeping motions that feel for the opponent and almost reach out to him/her. After training, Shimabukuro mentioned that this kata was like fighting at night. The statement caught Hayes Sensei’s attention who thought he had gained some valuable insight into the original impetus for the form. Brave Okinawans, he decided, must have crept along during the night and dispatched their opponents using the passai kata! Certainly that explains the ‘feeling’ and ‘scanning’ hand and foot work.
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