Black Belt September 2016 PDF

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AUG/SEP 2016 Display until 9/20/16

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Start Building Your Roots, Trunk and Branches Now!

Tree of Shaolin
Kung Fu
With Fighting Monk Wang Bo
Delve into traditional Shaolin kung fu with Buddhist monk Wang Bo, who began training
at the famed monastery when he was 8. In this course, he teaches the philosophies of the
martial art and the fighting methods Shaolin monks have used for the past 1,500 years. The
foundation of the course is the tree of Shaolin.
Roots Just like a tree needs roots to connect with the earth, a martial artist needs stable
stances and powerful legs. Wang Bo covers the horse stance, cat stance, bow stance and
fighting stance, as well as the ankle cut, back sweep, cutting knee kick, low front kick,
roundhouse kick and side kick. Extra: Wang Bo teaches the Shaolin tui fa form to develop
your roots!
Trunk Just like a tree needs a sturdy trunk to withstand attacks, a martial artist needs a
torso that can absorb strikes, facilitate counters and move quickly when evasion is required.
Wang Bo draws on the movements of the monkey and the snake. Extra: He teaches
essential Shaolin exercises for fortifying your trunk, including the traditional shen fa form!
Branches Just like a tree needs branches to thrive, a martial artist needs effective hand
skills. In Shaolin kung fu, they include the tiger claw, snake hand, eagle claw, leopard claw,
mantis hand and monkey hand, as well as punches and palm strikes. Extra: Wang Bo teaches
all these moves, along with the Shaolin shou fa form.
Self-Defense Combinations Just like a tree needs roots, a trunk and branches to grow,
a martial artist needs all three components to create a body thats healthy and capable
of fending off threats. Wang Bo demonstrates 10 self-defense options for dealing with
common attacks.
BONUS! You get instant access to a story titled The Shaolin Whole-Body Workout.
You also get A Concise Guide to the Tree of Shaolin, along with the original article that
accompanied Wang Bos induction into the Black Belt Hall of Fame.
Sign Up
NOW!
aimfitnessnetwork.com/shaolin
When Shaolin monk Wang Bo teaches his ancient art, he organizes the
techniques and drills into three categories: roots, trunk and branches.
Learn how they pertain to your practice as much as they do to trees.
After Black Belt Hall of Famer Leon Wright retired from the Marine
Corps, he elected to stay in Afghanistan to teach martial arts to our
servicemen and women. In 10 Guiding Principles for Self-Defense
Training, he shares his most important lessons with you.
To better understand shotokan karate and its one-punch kill strategy,

it pays to look to the itto-ryu school of Japanese swordsmanship,
which emphasizes the enigmatic concept of one.
Seven Black Belt Hall of Famers Christine Bannon-Rodrigues,

Burton Richardson, Willie Johnson, Dr. Jerry Beasley, Kelly McCann,
6DJH1RUWKFXWWDQG-RKQ3HOOHJULQLZHLJKLQRQWKHIULQJHEHQHWV
of studying martial arts.
DISCLAIMER: BLACK BELT COMMUNICATIONS, an Active Interest Media Publication, as publisher, does not endorse and makes no representation, warranty or guarantee concerning the safety or effectiveness of either the products
and services advertised in this magazine or the martial arts or other techniques discussed or illustrated in this magazine. The publisher expressly disclaims any and all liability relating to the manufacture, sale or use of such products and
services and the application of the techniques discussed or illustrated in this magazine. The purchase or use of some of the products, services or techniques advertised or discussed in this magazine may be illegal in some areas of the
United States or other countries. Therefore, you should check federal, state, and local laws prior to your purchase or use of these products, services or techniques. The publisher makes no representation or warranty concerning the legality
of the purchase or use of these products, services and techniques in the United States or elsewhere. Because of the nature of some of the products, services and techniques advertised or discussed in this magazine, you should consult a
physician before using these products or services or applying these techniques.
CONTENTS BLACK BELT - AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016 - VOLUME 54 - NUMBER 5
18
FIGHTBOOK
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NOT EVERY MARTIAL ARTIST
IS PREPPING FOR COMBAT VOLUME 54, NO. 5 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016
GROUP PUBLISHER Cheryl Angelheart
T
he rise of social media has been a boon to the martial arts. Social media BRAND AND NEW MEDIA DIRECTOR
sites allow us to connect with our peers, to stay up to date on our favorite Alexander Norouzi
VFKRROVDQGLQVWUXFWRUVDQGWRJHWQHZVRQXSFRPLQJJKWLFNVDQGMXVW EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robert W. Young
about everything else. Of course, the best place to do your one-stop social GROUP ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
media shopping for all things martial arts is %ODFN%HOWV)DFHERRNSDJHIDFHERRN Donna Diamond Riekenberg
FRP%ODFN%HOW0DJD]LQH7ZLWWHUIHHG#%ODFNB%HOWB0DJDQG<RX7XEHFKDQQHO ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGERS
\RXWXEHFRPXVHU%ODFN%HOW//& BJ Ghiglione, Julie Stone
Unfortunately, social media also can be a space in which people comment without SPECIAL PROJECTS ART DIRECTOR John Bodine
considering the big picture. We see it every day as we monitor exchanges on our SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Vicki Baker
)DFHERRNSDJHDVZHOODVFRPPHQWVRQ7ZLWWHUDQG<RX7XEH%HFDXVHPDQ\RIWKH COPY CHIEF Jeannine Santiago
people who post also read Black Belt,,JXUHG,GZHLJKLQRQDIHZWKLQJVWRSHU A/R MANAGER Alice C. Negrete
haps prevent future misunderstandings. PRODUCTION MANAGER Patrick Sternkopf
Over a span of several days, we might post three photos online. In response to ART DIRECTOR Paul Duarte
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Mark Hatmaker, Mark Jacobs, Dave Lowry,
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competition. The third showed a move from a kata. CONTRIBUTORS
The thing these people tend to forget is that the martial arts constitute a world of Patrick Bamburak, Dr. Mark D. Harris,
GLYHUVLW\7KHDUWVDUHQWMXVWDERXW00$PLOLWDU\FRPEDWLYHVRUNQRFNGRZQGUDJ Peter Lueders, Bryan Mason, Robert Reiff,
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SHUVRQZKRWKLQNV00$LVDOOWKDWPDWWHUVWKHUHVVRPHRQHZKRWKLQNVWKHRQO\WKLQJ An Active Interest Media Publication
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Become more focused
Efrem Zimbalist III
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versity of the arts has you Andrew W. Clurman
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may have been born long Brian Sellstrom
ago as weapons of war, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CFO
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in the 21st century than Kim Paulsen
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any other. Nelson Saenz
VICE PRESIDENT OF IT
Robert W. Young Kristy Kaus
Editor-in-Chief VICE PRESIDENT OF RESEARCH
8 BLACK BELT I AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016 BLACKBELTMAG.COM

H E A D Q U A R T E R S
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Photo Courtesy of Cynthia Rothrock

CYNTHIA
TIME CAPSULE
ROTHROCK
Born in Wilmington, Delaware, in
1957, Cynthia Rothrock grew up in
Scranton, Pennsylvania. As a child,
she probably harbored plans to live a
conventional life in a conventional town
in the East. Chances are she had no
idea that her path in life soon would
lead her to the Far East, where she was
destined to become an international
action star.
Rothrock began her martial arts
training in a local dojo at age 13, and
within 10 years, she was a national
forms and weapons champion. She
reigned undefeated on the circuit for
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moved to California and landed a spot
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the company quickly crafted her into
an Asian action star beginning with
VYes, Madam. Later, Hollywood
caught on and began placing her in its
movies and TV productions. She was
eventually dubbed the Queen of Martial
Arts Films because she appeared in
more than 50 motion pictures. Rothrock
was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of
Fame in 1983.
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event will be none other than martial
arts legend Malia Bernal-Dacascos.
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by consistently defeating men in kata
competition. In 1974 Bernal-Dacascos
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by Professional Karate magazine and
appeared on the cover of Black Belt. The
following year, she was the only woman
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rankings maintained by Karate Illustrated.
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California. On the roasters list are
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including Art Camacho, Don Wilson,
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For more information, visit the Cynthia
Rothrock Roast page on Facebook.
BLACKBELTMAG.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2016 I BLACK BELT 11

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Black Belt Hall of Fame member and best-selling author George Kirby announced that effective
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GEORGES ST-PIERRE
WWW.HAYABUSAFIGHT.COM MMA WELTERWEIGHT CHAMPION
MICHAEL JAI WHITE
+
QUINTON JACKSON!
On June 24, 2016, Anchor Bay En-
tertainment released an action-comedy
called Vigilante Diaries, with debuts on
iTunes and On Demand coming several
days later. The most noteworthy aspect
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includes Quinton Rampage Jackson
(The A-Team) and Michael Jai White
(Black Dynamite).
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maker (Jason Mewes) known for his Web
videos of an urban avenger called the
Vigilante (Paul Sloan). When the Vigilante
terminates a creep with nefarious connec-
tions, it triggers a blood bath that involves
the Armenian mob, Mexican cartels and
Special Forces commandos.
Vigilante Diaries is based on a popular
Web series that ran from 2013 to 2014.
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ing a unique episodic-funding model in
which the money viewers paid to watch
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quent episodes.
FIGHT SPORTS
LOSE TWO
FIGHTERS IN
FOUR DAYS
On June 3, 2016, the world
lost former heavyweight boxing
champion Muhammad Ali. The

74-year-old succumbed to septic

shock after a protracted battle
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On June 6, the MMA world
mourned the death of Kimbo
Slice, whose real name was
Kevin Ferguson. Slice, 42, was
a pro boxer (7-0) and occasional
00$JKWHUZKRFRPSHWHGLQ
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<XHQ:RRSLQJ 2Q0D\karateka and movie star
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&RQVFLRXVQHVVDQG0DNH<RX%HWWHUDW6HOI 70th birthday had he not passed away
Defense in 2013 at age 67.

SILAT
Renowned for its effectiveness in Indonesia, the land of its birth.
Proven throughout Southeast Asia in thousands of ghts.
For the most part, unavailable in the West until now!
Introducing Burton Richardsons Silat for the Street online course from
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kali, muay Thai and MMA along with silat. That gives him a more real-
istic understanding of the types of attacks used on the street, as well as
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In this course, which streams videos to your cellphone, tablet or com-

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relevant tactics and techniques of silat. He selected them so 21st-century
students of self-defense can add them to their arsenal at will. Among
the topics he covers are:
The
The differences between pencak and silat
The roles of levers and triangles in self-defense
How to catch kicks
essential self-defense principles of silat
Silats many forms inofcombat
Takedowns, the breadand ghting footwork
Silats 10 most useful entriesbutter of the art
Brutal ghting techniques for use in the clinch
No-holds-barred combat on the ground
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FIGHTBOOK
If we leave behind the causes, real or

surmised, of the violence on both sides
and move on to how the Apache forged
their warriors from an early age, we

our own martial arts training.
AN AMAZING COMPONENT of the

Apache arsenal was ruggedness. Their
stamina in particular, their ability to
run long distances in harsh terrain and
blistering heat with no water stations

was astounding.

Apache started training early. Even a

young reveals that most were no more
than efforts to teach ruggedness, prac-
tice concealment and hone ambush
skills. Running played a huge role in this
training, and they had numerous ways
to keep the push for stamina fresh.
Its worth noting that when I talk
about long-distance running, its not
10K races with the occasional mara-
thon. The Apache, like the present-day
-
pher McDougalls book Born to Run,
were a running culture. The differ-
ence is that the Apache used running
to build warriors who could do what
horses were unable to do on punishing
terrain and in harsh weather. Several
military reports from outposts record
The Apache Warrior Apache scouts traveling as many as 70

miles in a day.
Of the many Native American tribes of the Southwestern United States and
APACHE CHILDREN were conditioned
0H[LFRWKH$SDFKHZHUHSHUKDSVEHVWNQRZQIRUHUFHQHVVUHVRXUFHIXOQHVV to run hard and run long not so much
DQGDOPRVWVXSHUKXPDQVWDPLQD by increasing distances but by increas-
by Mark Hatmaker ing the hardship of a given distance. Hill
T
scrambles for bragging rights were often
he name is a misnomer be- members of the Apache, including Co-
cause it refers to several tribes chise, Nana, Victorio, Juh and Geroni- ridden escarpments that called for fre-
that are collectively referred mo. Unusual for many Indian tribes was quent quadrupedal scrambles to get to
that Apache women were often war- the top and then make it back down.
- riors, too. In fact, there are many tales One method of increasing hardship
of their exploits, particularly those of had a combative purpose, an anaero-
sustained themselves by conducting
raids on settled pueblo tribes, Mexican Admittedly, the history of guerrilla component. Its called the mouthful-
villages and encroaching American set- warfare by the Apache and the cam-
tlers. The American settlers were often paign by the U.S. government to stamp The Apache primarily resided in harsh
immigrants with a strong contingent of them out is violent, almost shockingly regions where access to water was
German, Polish and French people. In- so. But even the men charged with scarce. To discipline children for run-
capturing and defeating the Apache ning with intent and to have a water re-
so captured the collective French mind soldiers such as Gen. Nelson Miles and source when it was really needed, as op-
that Parisian gangsters at the time re- Gen. George Crook had more than posed to merely sipped for convenience,
a begrudging respect for their tactics. Apache women (who usually directed
Many were more sympathetic to the this training) would give each child one
MANY LEGENDARY warriors were Apache plight than history reports. mouthful of water. They were then sent

One method of increasing hardship had a combative purpose,
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on their run perhaps a long-distance scrambles and sprints that you suffer water in your mouth until youve com-
jaunt, perhaps a hill scramble, perhaps the most. pleted all 10 sprints.
a stalking exercise with orders not to The Four-Wheeler: Find a steep
swallow the liquid. HERE ARE A FEW DRILLS that will hill, one that requires a bit of hands-on
At the end of the drill, the children help you apply this fascinating condi- climbing. Scramble up and then down
would spit out the water in front of the tioning method to your cross-training. that hill as quickly as possible.
trainer and woe to those who failed. In each version of Apache running Under Load: Grab a sandbag that
In my experiments with this tactic, that follows, youll need to take a big weighs 20 to 30 pounds, take a sip and
Ive found the following: Your urge mouthful of water and hold it until the then hit a 2-mile run.
to swallow hits way earlier than ex- task is complete. Once you have some experience with
pected. Your pace becomes affected The Miler: Start with a stan- Apache running, youll likely notice
when youre about 20 percent into the dard 1-mile course to get your mind
run because your ability to smoothly wrapped around how youll respond to youll build discipline because of the un-
mouth-breathe doesnt exist. You learn the restricted breathing. If at any point comfortable nature of the drills, all while
to moderate your pace to compensate you feel the urge to swallow or spit, forging a historical bond with a training
for the reduced oxygen intake, which drop your pace until you regain control. method that was used by some of the
stems from being forced to nose- The 5K: This is the same as the Miler most resolute warriors on the planet.
breathe using a nose thats partially but with a distance of 5 kilometers (ap-
proximately 3 miles).
Becoming acclimatized to this type Intervals: Do a series of 10 50-yard ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mark Hatmaker
is a Knoxville, Tennessee-based trainer
sprints. Your rest between reps is the and the founder of Extreme Self-Protection.
requires work. Its when doing hill walk back to the start line. Keep the extremeselfprotection.com
DESTINATIONS
Fighting to Preserve the Khmer Martial Heritage, Part 2

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o demonstrate, he ducked the jaw. Done at full speed, the tech- Consequently, Khmer-wrestling teams
under my punch and pinched seldom had regular practice sessions.
the nerve beneath my lat, Most prepared only for a few days
then twisted his body and CHAMREUN EXPLAINED that the con- before a big competition. Sadly, the
grabbed my leg. He lifted me up and tinued existence of Khmer wrestling biggest competition was the Khmer
threw me on my back. Wrestler ultimately depended on the people of Traditional Wrestling Championship,
against boxer, the wrestler has to be Cambodia and that resurrecting any a rather sterile affair. To see the real
cultural asset in the provinces was art practiced the way it used to be, I
get hit several times, but then he can problematic. Most families were sub- was told, it was necessary to go to a
sistence farmers concerned more with village in Kandal province on a holi-
Chamreuns Khmer-wrestling re- earning a living and having enough to day known as Pchum Ben. It was my
sponse focused on a technique that eat than with sports, he said. The pov- next stop.
had him grabbing me around the mid- erty also robbed them of strength, mak-
section and turning his knuckles into IN THE VILLAGE, the wrestlers woke
the small of my back. When he applied Even for the national sport of bradal up at 5 a.m. and walked to the wat
pressure, I could feel bone grinding on serey, it was tough to keep the tradition (temple), where they tossed food of-
bone. Once again, he lifted me up and alive, he said. Most provincial coaches ferings on the ground to honor their
Photo Courtesy of Antonio Graceffo
threw me down. had students who trained only in the dry ancestors. Next, they made their way
In the old days, Khmer kickboxing season because the roads were impass- to a shrine and received a blessing from
bradal serey was done without able in the rainy season and because the -
ing in which the winner received about
These types of grappling moves were with kickboxing, there was a chance to $2.50, the men changed clothes, then lit
turn pro and earn an income. Wrestling incense sticks and inserted them into
had me clinch with him, then threw me had it even worse because rural families the ground to form a circle. Thus was
and landed on top, head-butting me in saw it as a dead end. born the wrestling ring.

I learned that the grapplers contested Part of the reason for my inability to
for equally small sums of money put up

collected tips from visiting dignitaries

WHEN IT WAS

-

Place your opponents back on the

it hard to keep my back from touching

-

in a reverse full nelson before spinning
-
-

measures to protect the competitors around him and sink in a rear-naked
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR: $QWRQLR*UDFHIIRV
ERRN:DUULRU2G\VVH\7KH7UDYHOVRID
- 0DUWLDO$UWLVW7KURXJK$VLDLVDYDLODEOHIURP
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KARATE WAY
Gichin Funakoshi and Mel Bruno.
How an American Judoka Altered the

jun Miyagi but from a man named Mel
Bruno. You might not have heard of
him, but chances are karate would be
Course of Karate very different if not for one incident
involving Bruno.
If you could travel back in time to any chapter in the history of karate, when
EMILIO MEL BRUNO was part of the
would it be?
judoka
by Dave Lowry in the U.S. He received his shodan from
F
Jigoro Kano in 1935. Bruno continued
or me, the moment to see wear modern Western clothing for to practice judo, and at the end of World
would have been the devel- instance, with leather belts tied around War II, the U.S. Air Force tasked him
opment of karate in the early their waists over untucked shirttails. with organizing a program that would
1950s. Ive always been fasci- It was also an era when Japan was allow downed pilots to defend them-
nated by the events that unfolded dur- selves against enemy captors. Bruno, by
ing this decade, not only for karate but the war and its immediate aftermath. then a sixth dan, decided to travel to Ja-
also for Japan and its culture. My sensei spoke of it as zassho shiru pan to recruit budo teachers. Of course,
Some of my interest was spawned by jidai, the time of weed soup. During he had numerous contacts in the judo
one of my sensei, who was a young man in this period, the Japan we know today world, but he wanted karate included, as
Japan at that time and whose stories cap- well. He called on Walter Todd, another
tured my imagination. He talked about
the comical sights of Japanese men, par- Japanese student of Hironori Otsuka,
ticularly in the countryside, learning to the likes of Gichin Funakoshi or Cho- founder of wado-ryu karate.

Todd recommended that Bruno and had gone to Otsuka? Its engross- had been wado-ryu teachers who came
contact Otsuka. Bruno took Otsukas ing to contemplate. Wado-ryu em- and opened dojo on both coasts, creat-
name and address to Japan and ploys many strategies and techniques ing national organizations? What if the
lost them. He wound up speaking with similar to jujitsu. Otsuka was a yoshin- West saw karate as a combination of
ryu jujitsu expert, and he incorporated grappling and striking?
karate teachers. The Kodokan, which that arts evasions, throws and locks A discussion of such questions
had close ties to the Japan Karate As- into his karate. His wado-ryu orga- could go on for pages. There are no
sociation, pointed him in the direction nization attracted many older, more definitive answers, to be sure. There
of Hidetaka Nishiyama and Masatoshi traditionally oriented martial artists is, however, at least one lesson I take
Nakayama. Along with them, several who were comfortable with the ryus from this episode.
judo teachers and some Tomiki aikido jujitsu roots. The development of something
instructors ended up forming the fac- In contrast, the JKA was dominated as old as the Japanese martial arts
ulty of Brunos program. Hundreds of by young, athletic, college-educated must have had many occasions over
U.S. servicemen were introduced to ka- men. Their way of doing karate was the centuries when accidents or inci-
rate through this training, which began rigorously detailed and physically de- dents that seemed unimportant had
in 1951. manding. The subtleties of body shift- enormous repercussions over the
The exposure the JKA received in ing and receiving attacks softly that succeeding years. A master may have
the West was considerable. Its status characterize wado-ryu were foreign to chosen one of his two best students
in Japan was raised so extensively that them, so this approach never received to inherit the ryu, leaving the other
four years later, the JKA opened its wide acceptance in America. Certainly to go off and create his own system.
dojo in Tokyo. Several years after wado-ryu is represented in American A favorite student may have died pre-
that, JKA teachers were dispatched to karate, but it never became as popular maturely, leaving lesser talented suc-
foreign countries, including the United as shotokan or the JKA. cessors. Or maybe somebody just lost
States. And so it was that the JKA and a slip of paper with a number and ad-
shotokan karate became so popular. WOULD THE COURSE of karate in the dress on it.
United States have been different if so
AND WHAT of wado-ryu? What if Bru- To purchase Dave Lowrys books, visit
no hadnt lost that contact information been practitioners of wado-ryu, if it amazon.com.
Why an Ex-Israeli Commando

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'XFW7DSHGWRD&KDLU
:LWKD*XQWR+LV+HDG
What happened next could have been straight
out of a Jason Bourne movie...
And, strangely enough, could save your life.
Visit ZZZ&RYHUW(VFDSHFRP now.

COMBATIVES
Good self-defense technique

shouldnt rely on strength
alone, although strength and
power generation certainly
help when it comes to
effective application.
Self-Defense Is Genderless
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ere not being sexist ditional Japanese jujitsu relies on For that reason, we teach and preach
or denigrating either strength, but Brazilian jiu-jitsu was avoidance over all techniques. When
gender, but an honest
avoidance isnt possible, the event has
assessment of men and cie to rely on technique rather than two potential outcomes: The attacker
women reveals that actual differences strength. A sickly youth at the time, gets to do what he wants to do, or you
exist only in strength and mass. Gen- Gracie was forced to create a meth- get to prevent him from doing it. Any
erally, all other differences bal- od for defending himself that would relative difference in attributes is moot
ance, speed, agility, coordination, overcome his physical shortcomings. at this point, and dwelling on them
flexibility, intensity and so on have Combatives is similar. Remember doesnt change this fact.
more variability between people than that it was taught universally to men
between genders. and women in the British Special Op- ASK YOURSELF THIS: If an off-hand
erations Executive and the American
technique cause it disrupts an attackers vision

Photo by Robert Reiff
shouldnt rely on strength alone, al- World War II. One goal shared by both
though strength and power genera- genders was and still must be the it any less practical or effective for
tion certainly help when it comes to determination to prevail in a violent a man, who may be able to develop
effective application. Think of self- encounter regardless of any disparity more punching power than a woman?
defense in these terms: Much of train size, power or other attributes. Should he disregard the technique as

for women only and choose to punch make both genders consider their Its equally important for men to chal-
instead? Of course not. own attributes carefully. A 125-pound lenge themselves by partnering with
One issue were always confronted man has to consider what his actual
with is that women are more com- and more coordinated. That will help
fortable being taught by a woman or just like a 5-foot-2-inch 115-pound prevent a training session from being
that they prefer to partner with other woman does. Faced with a much larg- a feel-good event that leaves people in-
women. This is largely because they accurately assessing their true compe-
dont believe men get it or lets be full and must focus their defense on tence in handling violence.
honest they do want to be treated exploiting natural vulnerabilities that The bottom line is this: Self-defense
differently. Do you think youre going to exist in an attacker of any size. The is a genderless skill. Its only through
be treated differently by a male attack- challenge of disparity is not gender confronting disparities that we all im-
er? Confronting the realities of being related; its a cruel reality that can prove. Billing training as womens self-
punched is important to both genders only be answered by determination defense should be viewed as a dimin-
but perhaps even more important to and technique.
women who may never have been hon-
estly punched by a man. IN TRAINING, men should treat their
Even if what surfaces through intense female partners no differently from
training is that a particular woman dis- their male partners. Will it be frustrat- ground techniques taught to men. Ap-
covers she should always be armed and ing for women? Of course. Is it hard for proaching self-defense from a gender-
focuses her training on weapons to level commercial schools to maintain mem- free perspective will crystalize focus on
bership when women are continually moves that are effective regardless of
Our opinion is that women should always any condition or disparity of physical
partner with men in training because the will confront these issues and learn to attributes that exist in an attack.
learning curve is steeper and more real- continually rely on techniques that ac-
istic. Instances of men attacking women tually work for them. Guided by their For information about Kelly Mc-
are far more frequent than those in which - Canns combatives course, which can be
a woman attacks another woman. aged to favor techniques that work streamed anytime, anywhere to your dig-
against select targets that are available
be uncomfortable for some and will
PAYCHECK
A Hard Way to Earn a Hard Living

Of all the ways you can use your skills to make money, being a professional mixed-
martial arts competitor is surely one of the most daunting.

by Mark Jacobs
W

hile everyone dreams -

FOR THOSE

IF YOU MANAGE
-

-

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Photo by Ehab Othman/Shutterstock.com

-

-


selling tickets. There are other ways to

-
- - AS HARD AS IT IS
other way to earn extra cash.

is a fantastic way of making money.
- -

-

-
-
a small amount of money.

SUCH MONEYMAKING
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We know
your risks.
Our policies constantly
respond to changes in
your industry because
the most dangerous risk
is the one you never
saw coming.
Specialty insurance for
martial arts schools
martialartsinsurance.com 800-866-7403
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FIT TO FIGHT
or a fall. You may see stars or bright

lights, feel confused, develop a head-
ache and have trouble concentrating.
Your memory may be impaired. Ob-
servers might notice that you have a va-
cant stare, cannot answer simple ques-
tions, have slurred speech or are easily
distracted. Loss of consciousness, vom-
iting and even seizures can occur. You
may not be able to walk a straight line.
Also, you might be unable to tolerate
bright lights or loud noises.
After a concussion, youll likely have
trouble protecting yourself while spar-
ring. Because suffering a second concus-
sion in a short time can be catastrophic,
your instructor or other students or
onlookers, if the instructor isnt watch-
ing should intervene immediately. No
one whos suffered a concussion should
be allowed to continue training.
If you sustain a concussion, seek
medical attention to ensure that noth-
ing more dangerous, such as bleeding
in the brain, is going on. Loss of con-
sciousness for more than 30 seconds,
unequal-size pupils and declining men-
tal status may suggest that you have a
more severe injury. Medical profession-
als can use a Sport Concussion Assess-
ment Tool or neuropsychological test-
ing to evaluate and monitor you.
Treatment must be tailored to the
person, but the general course is
fairly standard. Once brain bleeding
and other severe acute injuries have
been ruled out, youll begin a week-
long process of rehabilitation. Con-
cussion symptoms usually resolve on
The Danger of Concussion their own, but rest is critical while the
symptoms persist. You shouldnt train,
0DQ\DWKOHWHVKDYHKDGWKHLUEHOOUXQJWRXVHWKHROGWHUPIRUVXHULQJD exercise or even engage in strenuous
concussion, at least once in their career. mental activity until you feel normal.
Children and adolescents often take
by Dr. Mark D. Harris
S
longer to recover than adults.
tatistics tell us that in 2010, apparent damage on imaging studies
there were 2.5 million traumat- like MRI or CT scans. They cause short- AT LEAST 24 HOURS post-injury
ic brain injuries, many of them term changes in blood chemical levels and only if you have no symptoms
concussions. While the greatest
danger occurs in football and ice hock- While concussions were once thought conditioning. Workouts should last less
ey, practitioners of the martial arts and - than 20 minutes, and you should stop
combat sports are also at risk. ies have linked these injuries to cumu- immediately if concussion symptoms
Concussions are the most common lative brain damage, depression and recur. The goal is simply to increase
sports-related head injury and, sad- dementia. There have been cases in your heart rate and warm your muscles.
ly, often go undetected. They can be which an athlete suffered a second con- On the second day, you can increase
caused by acceleration/deceleration cussion before his brain had recovered the workout duration to 30 minutes.
(rapid front-to-back or side-to-side from an earlier one, resulting in rapid You also can begin simple and non-
movement), rotational motion (rapid brain swelling and sudden death. contact forms and sparring drills. The
turning) or a compressive force (direct goal is to gradually increase demands
impact) to the head. Concussions im- IN THE MARTIAL ARTS, concussions on your body while exercising sport-
pair brain function despite leaving no typically result from a blow to the head

Proper technique including striking, kicking and blocking
is essential to minimize all injuries, including concussions.
As long as youre still symptom-free, Concussion symptoms that persist should have a baseline CT or MRI brain
you can further intensify the workout more than 10 days post-injury need scan before beginning competition. They
and prolong it to 60 minutes on the further evaluation and neuroimaging. also need to have a dilated eye exam done
third day. Two caveats apply: Continue by an ophthalmologist every year. Such
to make no contact and return to rest NO TYPE OF protective equipment, -
if symptoms recur. Note that if youre including hard and soft helmets and
forced to return to rest, you must begin mouth guards, has been shown to practitioner needs a short, focused phys-
the weeklong progression again. prevent concussions. Rule changes to
You can do a regular workout on the minimize the chance of head blows
fourth day after your injury, but engage and mat maintenance to lower the risk CONCUSSIONS MUST be taken seri-
of falls can help. Proper technique ously. Although they usually resolve
including striking, kicking and block- on their own, they can have devastat-
you can resume full training. On the sixth ing is essential to minimize all in- ing long-term consequences. You can
day, after medical clearance and with juries, including concussions. Good decrease your chance of getting con-
permission from your instructor, you can -
return to the sparring ring. ery. Avoid alcohol and drugs before and good supervision. If you do suffer
During the recovery week, maintain - a concussion, you can speed your re-
ers each participants skill level when covery with the methodical approach
get plenty of sleep. Treat pain with ac- selecting partners for sparring, and described here.
etaminophen, but avoid nonsteroidal dont be afraid to bow out if youre se-
- verely mismatched.
profen and sedatives like diphenhydr- Professionals and semiprofession- ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mark D. Harris
is a physician specializing in sports medi-
amine. If your symptoms get worse, get als involved in mixed martial arts, box- cine. He has a second-degree black belt in
medical care immediately. ing and other high-risk contact sports taekwondo.
Part 1
A Shaolin Kung Fu Monk

Teaches the Essential
Concepts, Techniques and
Exercises of the Ancient Art
BY ROBERT W. YOUNG
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER LUEDERS
Many Shaolin stances can be held and even
exaggerated to serve as exercises intended to
build the roots that are needed to excel in the art.
I
ts not hard to envision an 8-year-old boy from ru- What makes our martial art different is its designed to
ral China being entranced by a giant tree, especially teach you how to protect yourself and to keep you from get-
when that tree is more than 1,500 years old, when it ting hurt as you work to develop your body and skills, Wang
Bo says. Thats a lot to learn, to be sure, but its doable be-
men with arms extended, when its root system is said to ex- cause the monks have organized their training in a way that
tend under half the temple complex in which the youth lives. parallels the anatomy of the famed tree of Shaolin.
That tree, a Ginkgo biloba, was planted at Shaolin shortly
seed in the soil, and then the roots start to grow until you
when young Wang Bo began his Shaolin training in 1997,
and its there now. For one and a half millennia, its provided branches develop, Wang Bo says. Shaolin kung fu is like
shade and sustenance for the monks of Shaolin, not to men- that because you need all three parts to thrive: your roots,
tion inspiration for the propagation of their style of kung fu. which means stable stances, fast steps and powerful kicks;

other persons arms theyll grow back, but if you cut the
your branches, which are your arms and the techniques you roots the other persons legs he wont be able to stand
do with them to shield yourself and counterattack. back up. Attacking an enemys lower legs is the same as cut-
ting his roots.
The way of Shaolin is to train your entire being, to The best way to keep that from happening to you is to
look for and improve imperfections, to forge and
sharpen all elements. You build yourself up naturally by doing practical things like
Rob Moses single-leg squats. Stances also develop the muscles and the
balance you need for this.
Stances Consider the single-leg-up stance, Wang Bo says.
ROOTS One leg is straight and supports your bodyweight, and the
Just as they do for trees, roots in Shaolin kung fu serve as a other leg is straight and held horizontal. To pass the time
connection with the earth. As such, they form the base on at the temple, we would do this while chanting. Each chant
which everything else is built. It all starts with strength and would be about two minutes long. Non-monks should start
stability in the legs, Wang Bo says. Together, they enable you with 15-second sessions per leg, he advises.
to maneuver out of danger when possible, to withstand an
attack when necessary and even to balance on one leg should The monks must bring their bodies to the same level of
you choose to kick as a counter to an assault. advancement as their minds, and they achieve that by
Its not just your roots that are important, Wang Bo says. fusing meditation with physical exertion. The result is
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is attack the physical and mental hardening.
other persons roots. We say, If you cut the branches the Steve DeMasco
In Shaolin kung fu, the concept of roots includes kicks.
For
training
For self-
purposes, they
defense, theyre
can be aimed
usually kept low,
as high as your
Wang Bo says.
exibility
allows.

:KHQHYHU\RXUHJKWLQJ\RXZDQWWRWDUJHW\RXURS
The single-leg SRQHQWVYLWDOVSRWV<RXDUHQWVFRULQJSRLQWV\RXUHGH
squat is a preferred IHQGLQJ\RXUOLIH7KHPDUWLDODUWVDUHQRWDVSRUWWKH\UH
Shaolin method GHDGO\EDWWOHHOGVNLOOVIRUGHIHDWLQJDQRSSRQHQW
for strengthening %XFN6DP.RQJ
the roots while
improving balance.

teachings on roots. The kick can go high or low and be done

has speed, and the kick with the back leg has power, which

tack the trunk or low to target the roots, he says. To make
it more effective when you need to cover distance, couple it

to cross your legs. Instead, lift your front knee and slide for-
ward on your support leg to close the distance. This makes it

Next step Study the Shaolin tui fa form to grow your roots,
including your stances, kicks, mobility and balance.
TRUNK

The cat stance is also recommended for rapid root growth.
Your weight is on one leg, and your other leg is slightly bent harvest the timber or simply cut the tree down to remove it,

Turn it into an exercise by lowering your body on your sup- cause the roots are buried and the branches are too high to
port leg, then rising up. This improves the balance you need
to kick dynamically and builds the strength you need to move

preserve the well-being of your centerline targets, he says.
ginner or master because it gives you better balance while You use your branches to protect your trunk. You use your
building strength in your legs, as well as your knees, ankles

would sometimes eat while in the horse stance. Try doing it

If you practice stances only for a minute at a time, you

will never surpass the pain and fatigue part of the train-
ing, and you may be programming your body with a tight
and counterproductive physiological response. Stance
training must lead you into an almost meditative state so
\RXIHHODVWKRXJK\RXYHEHHQSRXUHGLQWRWKHSRVLWLRQ
Only then will your stances become truly natural.
Ted Mancuso
Kicks In Shaolin kung fu, the concept of roots also encom-

passes kicks, perhaps the most fundamental and versatile
of which is the front kick. The low front kick with the toes
is effective for striking weak areas of the body such as the

Having good roots and a fast, powerful
trunk enables the execution of defensive
movements that are effective even though some might
consider them unorthodox.

When the calf is exed to extend
the foot, the low front kick can
use the toes to target the groin.
Wang Bo (left) demonstrates.
you improve your arms your branches and your roots
your legs you can better protect your trunk.
Mobility A properly conditioned trunk needs to be strong

tion as one.

you do that is by moving your trunk like a monkey. When
Speed

The posture of the
monkey, with the arms
tucked in and the cross
section of the trunk
minimized, facilitates
movement while
reducing the opponents
options for attack.
Wang Bo assumes
a low stance, then
shifts to the center
and the opposite
side before reversing
the exercise. Its
designed to build leg
strength, exibility
and balance for
better roots.
your body is slow, youll get hit, Wang Bo says. Likewise, if Next step Study the Shaolin shen fa form to improve your
your hands are fast but your body is slow, youll get hit. The
secret of being a good martial artist is being equally fast with trunk keep up with your roots and branches.
your roots, trunk and branches.
When somebody says forms have no usefulness in self-de-
While the [karateka] delivers his punches and kicks IHQVHWUDLQLQJWKDWSHUVRQGRHVQWXQGHUVWDQGWKHPDUWLDODUWV
straight forward with little side-to-side maneuvering, Steve DeMasco
the kung fu stylist is on the move, whirling and twisting
swiftly, coming at his opponent from all directions with a (In the October/November 2016 issue of Black Belt, Wang
barrage of techniques. Speed is considered as important Bo will discuss the Shaolin kung fu concept of branches, a set of
as power. techniques that includes punches and the famed animal strikes.)
Anthony DeLeonardis
To boost speed in all three areas, Shaolin kung fu relies on ABOUT THE EXPERT: Wang Bo began training in the martial arts
traditional training methods for empowering the body. One when he was 3. At age 8, he moved to Shaolin Temple to continue his
martial education. A Black Belt Hall of Famer, he now lives in Southern
of the best ones for beginners is to have a partner attack &DOLIRUQLD)RULQIRUPDWLRQDERXW%ODFN%HOWVQHZ7UHHRI6KDROLQRQ
you, Wang Bo says. You must avoid his strikes while mov- line video course in which Wang Bo teaches everything discussed in
WKLVDUWLFOHDQGPXFKPRUHYLVLWDLPWQHVVQHWZRUNFRPVKDROLQ
ing your trunk, but you cannot punch or kick. Youll discover
that moving your trunk and making it smaller at the same
time means youre less likely to get hit.
Flexibility For the trunk, we also can learn lessons from NEW FROM BLACK BELT AND SHAOLIN MONK WANG BO!
The techniques, training methods and forms mentioned in this
the snake, he says. First, a snake is very soft, but at the same
article are taught in their entirety in Tree of Shaolin, a new on-
time, it can attack and squeeze. When you hold your oppo- OLQHFRXUVHVWDUULQJ:DQJ%R%XWWKDWVQRWDOO7KHPRQNDOVR
nent, youre like a snake thats squeezing its prey. GHOLYHUVGHWDLOVRQWKHFRQFHSWVRIURRWVWUXQNDQGEUDQFKHV
Second, the snakes body moves from side to side like along with exercises designed to sharpen your self-defense
a wave. When your opponent attacks, dont move straight VNLOOVDQGWRQHXS\RXUERG\7RUHYLHZWKHFRQWHQWVRIWKLV
backward because thats what he expects. Instead, move streaming-video program which you can watch on your
your trunk in a wave tilting to the side to avoid the at- VPDUWSKRQHWDEOHWRUFRPSXWHUDVRIWHQDV\RXZLVKYLVLW
tack and then stepping forward so you can counter from DLPWQHVVQHWZRUNFRPVKDROLQ:DWFKWKHWUDLOHUDQGVLJQXSWR
EHFRPHSDUWRIWKH\HDUROG6KDROLQWUDGLWLRQ
in close.

10 Guiding Principles for Self-Defense Training
as Taught by Black Belt Hall of Famer Leon Wright
BY PATRICK BAMBURAK PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBERT REIFF
hen retired Marine Gunnery Sgt. Leon Wright your health or even your life. You have
to develop a variety of realistic and
was written up as Black Belts 2010 Self-Defense
challenging training scenarios to make
Instructor of the Year, one of the intriguing bullet yourself truly comfortable in the chaos
points on his rsum was teaching martial arts to
troops in Afghanistan. That duty assignment helps you envision
be able to retain your ability to stay in
the battle-hardened nature of Wrights students and the intensity control, make decisions and not give in
of his souseiki ryu sekkinsen shigaisen classes. In large part, to panic.
those workouts were composed of ghting drills practiced on

hard-packed dirt inside the hot and claustrophobic connes of a what if getting the hell out of there is
Forward Operating Base tent. not an option? Sometimes you need to

Timesaver: Dont bother imagining lent confrontation may seem like a no- die for this? Wright says. There are
the use of mats, gloves, foot pads or brainer, but Wright attaches a deeper times when compromise and defusing
mouthpieces. One of Wrights hard- meaning to the phrase. When youre a confrontation is the best way to ad-
and-fast rules of combat training is if merely reacting to events as they un- dress a no-win situation, but you need
to be calm and have clarity of thought
wear it in the dojo. ling how they unfold, he says. Your to make that decision.
Wright transitioned from the battle- opponent holds the advantage when he
front to the homefront several years dictates the action.
ago, but the change of scenery didnt
prompt him to relax the standards
that he believes must be maintained
You need to learn to anticipate and then

events so you decide what happens next.
3 DROP AND GIVE ME
A TRILLION?
to learn effective self-defense. There Otherwise, youll never take the momen- Practice a thousand times, and you
are places in a persons day-to-day life tum away from your opponent. understand the technique, Wright
where a real threat of violence exists, says. Practice a million times, and
even though its not readily apparent, you have perfected the technique.
he says. You have to be prepared to
overcome all kinds of challenges if you
want to survive.
2 MAKE CHAOS
YOUR CALM
Practice a trillion times, and it be-
comes instinctive.
If youre thinking that he still has a
Being a career Marine, Wright shares Fighting is painful, Wright says. It boot-camp mentality despite the fact
provokes feelings of fear, indecision that his last day of boot camp was de-
operating procedures to tackle the task and panic. It can quickly rob you of cades ago, you wouldnt be mistaken.
at hand, which in this case is learning
functional self-defense. Ive devoted a
lot of thought to designing the process
I use to train my students to be sure You have to develop a
Ive accounted for all the variables they
need to prepare for, he says. variety of realistic
The result Leon Wrights 10 guid- and challenging
ing principles for self-defense training
can be considered his martial arts training scenarios
SOP. Theyre designed to lead you to the to make
mindset you need to succeed no matter
where the altercation takes place. The yourself truly
principles cultivate what he calls as the comfortable
intangibles, elements of your psycholog-
ical makeup that you must develop to
in the chaos
close the gap between abstract thought of a ght.
and emotionally committed action.
1 ALWAYS EXPECT
THE UNEXPECTED
Wright likes to paraphrase this princi-
ple: When you expect the unexpected,
the unexpected is expected.
The notion of keeping an open mind
about what could happen next in a vio-

In Wrights mind, the standard 20 reps progressing well, but if you know that character of the student emerges and
just wont cut it. you have more to give, be honest with then how it evolves when [the student
The point of endless repetition is not yourself and stop holding back. is] empowered with the knowledge of
only to perfect the nuts and bolts of a Think of this principle as a chance
technique but to make it instinctive, he for a course correction, he says. If you
says. Think of the instant reaction you dont take the time to check that youre someone who can maintain control and
need in a grenade or rocket attack: You on the right path, youre relying on luck remain calm in the middle of chaos.
rather than your conscious effort to -
whatsoever. Theres no time wasted. arrive at the proper destination. And terion assessed in a teachers character
Thats a prime example of why we keep do you really want to play those odds study. Chances are he or she will be
training even when were stationed in when your life hangs in the balance? attempting to identify those students
the combat zone. whose temperament and actions have
Continuing with his incendiary ex- the opposite effect and introduce chaos
ample: Time spent in hesitation can
make the difference between ending
up broiled or merely singed when the
6 INVEST IN THE
INTANGIBLES
into their calm.
Once I understand who you are by
judging your character and whether
situation ignites. If you dont think the The moral code Wright follows in his you truly live by a code such as the Boy
words grenade and rocket apply to adult life is guided by the values in-
your life, swap them with handgun stilled in him by the Marines, but he continue to teach you or not, Wright
and knife. cites another code of conduct, one com- says. Instructors need to maintain
mon to the childhood of millions of a system of checks and balances be-
Americans, as his primary source when cause they dont want to empower
4 FIGHT WITHOUT
HESITATION OR
REGRETS

warriors are made of.

people who lack the qualities neces-
sary to responsibly use the knowledge
theyre given.
moral code, Wright says. It tells you to
If a person comes up to you to do be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly,
harm, you can walk away and let him
live another day, or you can stay and
take him out you have to be ready
courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful,
thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. When
you apply this code of conduct to your
8 DEVELOP A
WARRIOR SPIRIT
to act without hesitation because youll everyday life, it will steer you away -
only be able take control of the situa- from poor decision-making, wrong ac- it, the counterculture slogan make
tion by being proactive, Wright says. tions and a lifestyle that can lead to
trouble. More often than not, youll thought that comes to mind. But if you
utilizing your instinctive, emotionally achieve a better quality of life by simply
committed self-defense techniques. being a moral person. you might be surprised to discover
You also need to act without regret, If you apply this same code to self- that it begins with a genuine, although
he says. Your opponent already in- defense, it will encourage you to hon-
tends to do you harm. Hes acting with- estly dedicate your full effort to train- of love.
out regret by the fact that he started the ing and work cooperatively and effec- Theres no greater love than giv-
tively with your training partners. Most ing your life for a friend, he says. In
you regret the outcome of defending importantly, it will provide you with a the combat zone, warriors dont think
yourself? moral compass to properly guide your about self-preservation. Its not every
response to a violent confrontation. man for himself. Instead, we build the
Having a solid moral compass is es- bonds of brotherhood. We are a family,
5 TAKE AN HONEST
LOOK IN THE
MIRROR
sential to that decision-making process
because while your response must be
effective and appropriate to the threat
and we uphold the ideal that the leader
brings all his warriors home. Those
who embody the warrior spirit are
level, it still must be within the limits of gentle and kind but ferocious at the
Its no accident that the halfway mark morality and the law. same time.
in Wrights list of principles is the point Possessing ferocious martial arts
at which he directs you to perform a -
self-appraisal, to honestly assess the
results of your training.
Never ask others how good you are;
7 KNOW THAT
CHARACTER
COUNTS
arm in that you shouldnt arrogantly
display either one, he says. Instead,
be a silent warrior. Walk the walk and
youll know that when you look inside talk the talk, but always with respect.
yourself, he says. While its great to Your commitment to your training
receive praise and encouragement Wright pays close attention to the char- -
from your teachers and peers, youre acter of his students. Its for those who dence that true warriors possess. Be-
the only one who knows deep down if are between teachers that he created cause youve given all you have in the
youre giving your full effort to train- this principle. dojo, youll know theres nothing left
ing. It may appear to others that youre I pay close attention to how the to prove.

op and then test the legitimacy of the
9 RECOGNIZE
THE POWER OF
KNOWLEDGE
techniques. You dont want to discover
that your instructor was incompetent
-
should be maintainable and repairable
by the average soldier, even under com-
bat conditions.
Its important to understand that
Wright warns that all knowledge is not youll never reach a state of instinctive
created equal. As a martial artist, you reaction unless the techniques that you
-
lidity of the knowledge you receive.
-
10 REMEMBER
THE BASICS
drill are simple and effective, Wright
says. The complexity of the technique
does not magnify its effect. So while
hand that the process of transferring there are many ways to do something,
valid knowledge among martial artists be step No. 1, but he put it at the end the variations that exist can always be
was nothing like the myth of it being of his SOP on purpose. This principle distilled down to simple and effective
the sharing of vague or mystical se- is the destination that the prior ones techniques.
crets, he says. It was not just the name lead you to, he says. Its not about re-
of the masters or where they lived that membering to get back to the basics but ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patrick Bamburak
gave authority to their knowledge. rather sticking with them all along. is a professional musician, recording art-
What I call proper knowledge was As a Marine, Wright is a subscriber ist and martial artist who studies combat
isshin-ryu under Black Belt Hall of Famer
the result of the efforts of like-minded to the militarys KISS principle, which Gary Alexander. For more information, visit
people who worked together to devel- is often illustrated by the idea that a baitoven.com.
How the Classical
Samurai Sword Art
Can Offer Guidance
for Modern Edged-
Weapon Self-Defense
BY JAMES WILLIAMS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY RICK HUSTEAD
P
eople tend to underestimate the usefulness of feu-
dal samurai military arts in modern self-defense sit-
uations. They say the ancient weapons are no longer volved, an exchange of force is simply unacceptable because
practical and the movements needed to wield them the consequence of failure is death of you and maybe
are no longer effective. I counter by arguing that this is even your family and clan. Its not like in sport, where the
a misunderstanding based on the fact that few of these consequences that come with losing are minimal.
arts are still practiced with their original intent and that When I teach self-defense using a knife, I base the lessons
even fewer have been consciously applied to a modern on koryu, the classical Japanese martial systems, especially
military environment. when it comes to strategy and movement. Yes, a knife lacks
Weapons lay at the core of samurai training because the the sheer power and reach of a katana, but both weapons
goal was to prevail in lethal combat, whether on or off the can bring the same basic consequences in combat.
During most CLASSICAL COMBAT I started focusing on it in the 1990s while
engagements, Kenjutsu was the foundation of the samurais working with combatives instructors for
training. The reasons are self-evident: Feudal Naval Special Warfare. This assignment rein-
once a person Japan was a warrior society in which swords
moved, one were carried, and had the potential to be method is essential, especially when oper-
used, on a daily basis. The sword had been ating under time constraints. I also realized
or both part of Japanese culture for centuries. Blades
combatants and the training needed to use them domi- one thats needed to make ones skill set as
nated the life of a samurai from his Boys Day effective as possible. Since that time, Ive
would be
mortally year) until his death. Everything a samurai to these three principles.
did from sitting and eating to walking
wounded within and interacting with others was viewed
seconds. Mutual tactically with the sword occupying center THE STRATEGIC PRIME DIRECTIVE
You must not contest for space with vec-
killing wasnt his sword, manifested in his kenjutsu and tors of force.
uncommon implemented according to the warrior code Not contesting for space means dont be
of bushido. where force is being applied. In other words,
because, The kenjutsu of this period was radically dont think of blocking a blade attack and
despite its different from the modern arts that are de- never think of weathering the storm. Its
rived from it: iaido, kendo, aikido, jujitsu and the only strategy that works in every situa-
lethality, so on. One of the reasons for the difference tion, whether the attack entails a stab, slash,
a sword punch, push, grab or bullet. All threats are
During most engagements, once a person rendered ineffective if youre not where
frequently moved, one or both combatants would be force is manifested.
doesnt have a mortally wounded within seconds. Mutual My art of nami ryu doesnt teach the use
killing wasnt uncommon because, despite of blocks against slashes, stabs or any oth-
lot of stopping its lethality, a sword frequently doesnt have er forms of applied force. Contrary to what
power. a lot of stopping power. This means a cut ad- some instructors insist, I dont tell students
versary has the potential to kill even while that they should expect to be cut in a knife
hes dying.
- The belief that its inevitable comes from an
cy of movement and deception, which is why exchange-of-force mindset. I prefer to think

about it in military terms: If youre engaged

-

-

THE TACTICAL IMPERATIVE -
When not contesting for space, you must
gain a tactical relationship advantage.
-
-

Mushin (no mind)
- and mizu no kokoro
-

Weapons 101

THE TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION -
You must move in order to adapt. If one wishes to under-
stand the samurai war
- arts, the endeavor should
begin with some simple
GHQLWLRQV0DUWLDOUHIHUV

to war, which is about kill-
- ing people and breaking
WKLQJV:DULVZDJHGZLWK
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your ability to kill or break
your opponent without his
kobo ittai, being able to do that to
kata are designed to - \RX%\WKHVHGHQLWLRQV
most of what we think of
-
as modern martial arts
otonashi no kachi, silent have nothing to do with
ZDU00$LVDVSRUWDV
- DUHMXGRZUHVWOLQJ%UD]LO-
ian jiu-jitsu, karate and so
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LESSONS FROM THE PAST 7KH\DUHQRWKRZHYHU
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special-operations people
WAR IS A MATTER OF DECEPTION ZKRKDYHQWWUDLQHGZLWK
- - me, I bring out a sword,
Art of War more slice an 8-by-11-inch
piece of paper in half and
WKHQDVN:KRLVWRXJK"
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sword or knife touches,
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: James Williams has spent more 55 years in the martial arts, 36 of which en-
of force is unacceptable
tailed studying the classical samurai military arts. He teaches military special-operations personnel, law-
HQIRUFHPHQWRIFHUVDQGPHPEHUVRIYDULRXVVHFXULW\DJHQFLHV:LOOLDPVD%ODFN%HOW+DOORI)DPHUDOVR when tools that can kill you
GHVLJQVNQLYHVEDVHGRQWKHEODGHVRIWKHVDPXUDLQDPLU\XFRPV\VWHPRIVWUDWHJ\FRP DUHLQSOD\

A PRACTICAL
APPROACH TO
UNDERSTANDING
SHOTOKAN
KARATE
BY BRYAN MASON, M.A.
hese days, its trendy to argue that the classical martial on the ability of techniques performed spontaneously in
arts are ineffective. Several reasons are usually given: combat to transcend the boundaries of strategy.
The classical arts are said to lack a realistic grasp of The basis of Ittosais success lay in the simplicity of his sys-
combat. Theyre said to involve a steep learning curve. tem, which emphasizes the concept of one. Although some
Most often, theyre said to be too complicated to be practical branches of the school contain hundreds of kata, the founda-
tion of itto-ryu is a single technique: kiri otoshi, the cutting
many details to remember for them to be used under duress. drop, which enables practitioners to dominate the centerline
The basis of these statements is worth examining: In com- in an engagement. The importance of this is expressed in a
bat, methods that require too much thought or too many saying: One sword gives rise to 10,000 swords. For itto-ryu
steps are generally ineffective. Yet despite any appearances practitioners, understanding 10,000 techniques of the sword
to the contrary, the founders of the classical systems under- is a matter of mastering one.
- Although similar, the idea of one has a slightly different
tems are predicated on a foundation of only one or two key meaning in shotokan karate. Like the one-sword of itto-ryu,
principles, with the various techniques being expressions of the one-punch referred to in the phrase ikken hisatsu, which
those principles. A clear example of this philosophy is found translates roughly as one-punch kill, is a technique capable
in itto-ryu, the one sword school of Japanese fencing that of ending a confrontation with a single use. Yet rather than
dates from the Edo period. providing a basis for variation, the purpose of one as used
Itto-ryu was founded by Ito Ittosai Kagehisa toward the end
of Japans Warring States period. Like many martial artists of Founded long after the age of swords and samurai, sho-
his time, Ittosai engaged in musha shugyo, a form of training tokan karate doesnt have the same combative pedigree as
characterized by asceticism, itinerancy and duels fought with itto-ryu. As covered extensively in the writings of Gichin Fu-
live blades. Throughout his career, he experienced numerous nakoshi, mortal combat is not the primary concern of the art.
moments that would have a dramatic impact on his under- Nevertheless, like all budo, shotokan has its roots in older
standing of strategy and the sword. Most often, they centered systems that were intended for use in life-and-death con-
AS COVERED
EXTENSIVELY IN
THE WRITINGS
OF GICHIN
FUNAKOSHI,
MORTAL
COMBAT IS NOT
THE PRIMARY
CONCERN OF
THE ART.

THE FORWARD-
HAND MOVEMENTS
OF SHOTOKAN ARE
THE MIRROR IMAGE
OF ITS REAR-HAND
TECHNIQUES.
frontations. As a result, the mark of simplicity that charac-

terized these older systems remains visible in the art as its
practiced today. That mark is seen not only in the desire to

Q Interpreting Shotokan Through Ikken

chanics of the reverse punch and if those mechanics en-

other offensive and defensive moves. This is because of the

Q Shotokan Body Dynamics on the same body movement as the reverse punch, in both
Best Karate series, Masatoshi Na-
kayama mentions a number of concepts and terms that are

hanmi
and gyaku hanmi this movement.

jun
kaitengyaku kaiten serves as the return movement of a rear-hand punch, its the

tation of the hips in any stance other than a horse stance, in

hand strikes is made clear in the example of soto-ude-uke, the

hips-closed position.


hand, the same technique begins with jun kaiten (the oppo- In Karate: The Art of Empty-Hand Fighting, Hidetaka Nishi-
site movement) to give the front hand the space and torque yama demonstrates the roundhouse kick as a closed-hip
required to block forcefully, which is accomplished through technique. That is to say, the power of the technique comes
gyaku kaiten and ends in hanmi. from a jun kaiten movement bringing the hips into align-
Its worth noting that throwing the outer-forearm block ment in a manner similar to the front kick. However, Tsutomu
demonstrates how different techniques can use the same Ohshimas demonstration of the same technique in the 1973
edition of Funakoshis Karate-do Kyohan: The Master Text
but with differences in emphasis depending on the nature shows an open-hip technique, one that moves from gyaku
of the technique. In each instance, the movement involved hanmi (the chambered position) to full extension at hanmi.
in executing the block is the opposite of throwing a punch Subsequent to Nishiyamas text, the roundhouse kick is near-
from the same hand. Rear-hand punches begin with jun kai- ly always demonstrated with the later open-hip method.
ten and front-hand punches with gyaku kaiten before using
their opposite movements to return to the starting position. Q Other Parts of the Art
This process is reversed in soto-ude-uke. Yet despite this dis- More advanced techniques involve even more complicated
crepancy, the emphasis of the movements is the same. Both permutations of the same rotations. The reverse roundhouse
rear-hand punches and outer-forearm blocks accentuate jun kick (called the hook kick in some arts) begins with the same
kaiten as the movement that gives power to the technique, jun kaiten hip movement as a front kick when thrown from the
even though the movement is not conducted in the same se- rear leg. Following that initial movement, however, the kick
quence. We may conclude that, at least in most instances, it employs reverse rotation to shoot the kicking hip forward,
is jun kaiten that lends force to the rear hand, while gyaku thrusting the foot out in the same manner as the side kick be-
kaiten will strengthen the front. fore hooking the heel back toward the intended target.
Finally, throwing techniques should be an integral part of
Q Kicking in Shotokan any consideration of shotokan that extends beyond its sport-
Unlike many shotokan hand techniques, the arts kicks are ive dimensions. The major canonical work describing the
rarely described in terms of hip turning. More often, the pow- basic grappling capabilities of the system is Karate-do Kyo-
er of a kick is attributed to the snap of the knee or a thrust han. Ohshimas demonstrations in the second edition reveal
rather than a turn of the hip. Nevertheless, the execution several techniques that use the same hip-turning motion as
of kicks depends on the same manipulation of the hips as the the reverse punch. Among them are byobudaoshi (to topple a
hand techniques. folding screen), kubiwa (to encircle the neck) and yaridama
The front kick is as iconic and central to shotokan as is the (to spear a ball). The forward foot sweep is a practical ap-
reverse punch. Moreover, execution of the kick requires the plication of the crescent kick in shotokan, similar to judos
same body mechanics as the punch. From hanmi (the hips- kosoto-gari. Although the sweep isnt mentioned in Kyohan
open position), the chambering action that precedes the with the techniques listed above, each maneuver neverthe-
front kick requires jun kaiten to bring the hips into alignment less uses similar body movements to generate power for dif-
(gyaku hanmi), just as it does for the reverse punch. Although ferent applications.
the chambering of the leg precedes the extension of the foot,
the actions of the hip and knee must unfurl in a smoothly co- Q Conclusion
ordinated process. Any separation between them serves only Like itto-ryu, shotokan encompasses numerous kata, tech-
to hinder the momentum of the foot, thus diminishing the niques and movements based on a single concept. For the
power of the kick. Retraction of the kicking leg which is former, a sword-based school, that concept is a point of strat-
as important as its extension is further a matter of using
gyaku kaiten to resume the beginning posture. the opponent in a single motion. For shotokan, a system of
The body dynamics of the front kick imitate those of the unarmed striking, that concept is the means of generating
reverse punch almost exactly, the only distinction being the force that powers the techniques of the art. In both in-
that power is expressed through the lower body rather than stances, the foundational concept of the system is expressed
the upper body. The same can be said of the inside crescent in a single movement, through which the entirety of the sys-
kick, which also begins from hanmi and relies on jun kaiten, tem may be interpreted and understood.
though drawing an arced line with its trajectory as opposed Kiri otoshi is more than the centerpiece of the technical
to the straight line of the front kick. Not surprisingly, the back strategy of itto-ryu. It embodies the personality of the school: a
kick works on a principle opposite that of the front kick. Al- direct and pragmatic approach that combines offense and de-
though the two share the same chambering position in gyaku fense to dispose of the opponent as quickly as possible. In the
hanmi, the back kick doesnt derive its power from this initial same way, the reverse punch speaks to the essential nature of
movement. Instead, the rearward thrust of the heel is initiat- shotokan: moving forward with total focus and commitment.
ed by gyaku kaiten, the same motion of the hips that retracts The modern emphasis on point competition in shotokan,
the foot and resets the leg in the front kick. and Funakoshis original preference for character develop-
An intriguing caveat is introduced by the curious case of
the roundhouse kick. On the one hand, its clearly the most that rank above the need to function effectively in combat.
popular leg technique for free sparring. On the other, its not Nevertheless, there remains within the endless repetitions
contained in the traditional kata of shotokan or any ortho- of kata, kihon and kumite that make up shotokan a viable
dox school of Japanese or Okinawan karate. Adding to its id- and potent system of self-defense. The revised concept of ik-
iosyncrasies is the fact that the manner in which the kick is ken as presented here serves, in answer to questions of self-
executed has changed on a fundamental level. defense, not as a principle for the study of shotokan but as

a guideline for its use. Ittosai coined his notion of one out clarifying their positions as facilitators of the application of
of a realization that the effective use of the sword in combat power generated through a simple movement of the hips.
relied on the understanding of a single concept that could be Although some may not count shotokan or other tradi-
applied in numerous ways. The role of ikken is no different.
Recognizing that the reverse punch functions as the ik- the combative capabilities of these systems remain. In some
ken of shotokan is an effective means of distilling the arts instances, a focus on the use of antiquated weaponry can
voluminous catalog of movements for use in combat, trans- render an art such as itto-ryu unsuitable for modern
forming the art from a technique-based system to a princi- self-defense. However, in other cases, the full utility of arts
ple-based system. Although its true that trying to remem- now considered outdated or impractical sits waiting to be
rediscovered. This article has argued that hidden within the
intricacies of the outward form of shotokan lies an uncom-
there is nothing to remember no details to recall, no kata plicated equation suggesting that force generated in the
to analyze, no bunkai to debate. There is a single principle of hips, expressed through the limbs and applied to vulnerable
power generation, and the knowledge of how and where to
apply that power through punches, strikes, blocks, kicks, and rediscovering the combative potential of shotokan may be as
even sweeps and throws. simple as counting to one.
This understanding of ikken does not supplant or negate
maai (combative distance), hikite (pulling hand), kime (fo-
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Bryan Mason, M.A., has spent more than 20
cus) or other shotokan principles, nor does it alter the nature years studying the martial arts. His rsum includes shotokan karate,
of shotokan training. Rather, it gives context to these notions, Chen tai chi chuan and Takenouchi-ryu jujutsu.
THERE REMAINS
WITHIN THE ENDLESS
REPETITIONS OF KATA,
KIHON AND KUMITE
THAT MAKE UP
SHOTOKAN A VIABLE
AND POTENT SYSTEM
OF SELF-DEFENSE.
7 Black
Belt Hall of
Famers on
the Fringe
*
Studying

BY FLOYD BURK
If youve trained long enough, you might already know in student at the kwoon. Carradine said that after several
what youre about to read in this article. However, the months, hed regain his ambition and be ready to take on
information is so valuable, so life-changing, that its the world. He attributed his late-in-life showbiz triumphs
worth repeating a) so newcomers can see the big pic- including the Kill Bill movies to the power of the mar-
tial arts.
the dojo and c) so you can use it to recruit others to our cause. What mysterious attribute gives the arts the ability to do
In addition to teaching you how to defend yourself, martial this? First, theres the spiritual. All the success in the world
arts training prepares you for life. This applies to the young wont make you happy if you dont chip away at ego, pride
as well as the not so young, to those who strike as well as and other destructive factors in life. Then, theres the physi-
those who grapple. A good instructor in any art will have had cal. All the spiritual enlightenment in the world wont make
an endless stream of students report that theyve enjoyed
success in their professional and personal lives because of covered these two truisms more than a millennia ago right
their martial arts training. after Bodhidharma began teaching them that the mind and
body are inseparable.
in his life, he was on the brink of a breakdown. Fortunately, In the 21st
before doing anything rash, the actor sought out his kung
fu master Kam Yuen, who would prescribe a daily dose of martial arts training. Below are comments from seven of
martial arts to be administered while Carradine was a live- them, all members of the Black Belt Hall of Fame.
CHRISTINE BANNON-RODRIGUES When you earn your black
Former Karate World Champion Black Belts 1989 Female Competitor of the Year belt, you realize you can
achieve anything. Here in
5KRGH,VODQGZHYHDOZD\V
had a two-day test. You go
through hell, but then you
come out on the other end just
having survived, and you end
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This experience prepares
younger people for high
school, college life and then
the outside world.
I just came off double hip
replacements. I recovered
quickly, and I attribute that to
the martial arts. When I went
to the doctors for counsel-
ing, they showed me videos
of a girl walking around in
high heels eight weeks after
VXUJHU\,VDLGWRP\VHOI,P
a black belt I can do it in
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a positive mindset, and I was
teaching one week afterward.
7KHUHVVWLOOGHHSWLVVXHKHDO-
ing that has to take place,
which means no explosive
kicks or kicking the bag or
people with much contact, but
,PUHDOO\DFWLYH
Learn more: DonRodriguesKa
rateAcademy.com
BURTON RICHARDSON
Christine Bannon-Rodrigues Photo by Rick Hustead Burton Richardson Photo by Robert Reiff
Silat Instructor One of the Original Dog Brothers
Black Belts 2015 Self-Defense Instructor of the Year
Martial arts are re- WKLQJVJRZURQJ,WVHDV\WR
ally about overcoming be calm and serene when all
obstacles. Developing the LVZHOO,WVLQWLPHVRIDGYHUVLW\
mental attributes necessary to that our character is checked,
overcome impediments allows MXVWOLNHDJKWHUVDFWXDOVNLOO
\RXWRWUDQVFHQGJKWLQJDQG is revealed when in a real
better cope with the stresses JKWVLWXDWLRQ,YHGHDOWZLWK
of everyday life. a great deal of adversity in
If someone attacks you with my life, especially with certain
a punch, tackle or weapon, health issues. My martial arts
your techniques for overcom- training has allowed me to
ing that obstacle must be so manage these challenges and
ingrained that the response is focus on the positive. This has
automatic. When you practice helped myself, my loved ones,
against resisting partners, you and even those who were
become used to dealing with caring for me to be in a better
adversity while building the VWDWHRIPLQG
physical and emotional mus- Learn more: Sign up for Bur-
cles to handle such situations. WRQ5LFKDUGVRQV6LODWIRUWKH
You can then take your abil- 6WUHHWRQOLQHFRXUVHDWDLPW
ity to overcome obstacles and nessnetwork.com.
apply it to everyday life when

WILLIE THE BAM JOHNSON
Founder of Point MMA
Black Belts 2000 Kung Fu Artist of the Year
The wholesome adversity work and getting knocked

[you encounter in] spar- GRZQ7KDWVDJUHDWOHVVRQ
ring helps you when things DOWKRXJKLWGRHVQWVHHP
get rough. In martial arts, OLNHLWZKHQLWVKDSSHQLQJ
you learn to suck it up if you <RXFDQWJRWKURXJKDWUDQV-
want to move forward. And it IRUPDWLRQLI\RXGRQWKDYH
GRHVQWVWRSWKHUH0\LQVWUXF- DGYHUVLW\<RXYHJRWWRHDUQ
tor once took the keys to my the right to get it.
martial arts school away from I was in jail when my real
me. He told me to go away transformation occurred.
and get myself together before 7KDWVZKHQ,JXUHGWKLQJV
FRPLQJEDFN7KDWVZKHQ RXW<RXYHKHDUGWKHROG
ZKROHVRPHDGYHUVLW\VWDUWHG saying, When the student
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ing a low horse stance for long SHUVRQLWVVSLULWXDO7KH
periods of time helps you de- teacher is you. I grabbed
velop mind over matter. that up those core values,
7KHQWKHUHVWKHROGVFKRRO that wholesome adversity,
thing where no one really was the personal transformation
trying to make you into a black through getting my black belt
EHOW,I\RXTXDOLHGLWKDS- WKHKDUGZD\7KDWVZKDW
pened only because of what changed me.
you did through sweat, hard Learn more: 3RLQW00$FRP
DR. JERRY BEASLEY

Professor at Radford University
Founder of Karate College
Black Belts 2000 Instructor of the Year
Achieving designated dents visualizing themselves

belt ranks demonstrates as being at peace and identi-
WKHVWXGHQWVDELOLW\WRVHW fying themselves as winners
goals and work constructively and not losers.
to meet those goals. The stu- I recall being a freshman at
dent of the classical martial 9LUJLQLD7HFKLQWKHV0\
arts is encouraged to form grades were very low. When I
strong social relationships earned a black belt, I viewed
and [show] respect, self-dis- IDLOXUHDVDWHPSRUDU\WLWOH
cipline and self-regulation. that I would not accept. I as-
Participating in self-de- sessed the situation, learned
fense scenario drills encour- good study habits, formed
ages the student to develop social bonds with academic
the vivid imagery needed to achievers, set goals to earn
play out confrontations or high grades and achieved
succeed in social interac- those goals. Because of
tions. The student may ex- WKHPDUWLDODUWVOHVVRQV,G
Photos by Rick Hustead
perience emotions like hate, learned, I visualized myself as

fear, remorse or mercy while an academic achiever and
performing symbolic life- became one.
and-death encounters. This Learn more: 5HDG%HDVOH\V
successful psychological Dojo Dynamics, available
preparation results in stu- from Amazon.com.

SAGE NORTHCUTT
)RUPHU.DUDWH&KDPSLRQ %ODFN%HOWV &RPSHWLWRU
RIWKH<HDUDQG00$)LJKWHURIWKH<HDU
Martial arts training pre- SDUHQWVPXVWQGWKHULJKW

pares you for life in many SURJUDPRQHWKDWWVWKHLU
ways. Every instructor has family values.
DWUHPHQGRXVLQXHQFHRQ ,YHIRXQGWKDWDPRQJWKH
children. In the right program, most important skills that can
children will learn discipline, be achieved from martial arts
respect, honor, determination study is the ability to focus,
and honesty, which helps which really helps in school
them build and develop char- and will surely become a big
acter. They will also learn advantage in any profession.
respect for authority and It will help you throughout
integrity, which are invalu- your life.
able and go a long way when Learn more: UFC.com
GHDOLQJZLWKSHRSOH,WVZK\
Kelly McCann Photo by Robert Reiff Sage Northcutt Photo by Thomas Coffman/Coffman Photography
KELLY MCCANN
Combatives Instructor )RUPHU0DULQH&RUSV2IFHU
%ODFN%HOWV6HOI'HIHQVH,QVWUXFWRURIWKH<HDU
The martial arts journey couragement as you may get

prepares you to deal from others some sincere,
with uncertainty and devel- some completely misleading
ops your self-reliance and DQGLQVLQFHUHWKHUHVRQO\
HQGXUDQFHWRKDQGOHOLIHV one person in the ring facing
challenges. Each time you the person intent on hurting
engage in a combative con- \RX,WVXSWR\RXWRZHDWKHU
WHVW\RXFDQWFRQWUROZKDW the storm; only you can stop
your opponent is going to do. them. No one else is going to
You have to deal with him block, slip, punch back and
extemporaneously, exploiting ultimately prevail. Where else
advantages and minimizing are you going to learn those
damage as the punches and lessons?
kicks come at you. Learn more: Sign up for Kelly
7KDWVLPSRUWDQWVWXIIEH- 0F&DQQV&RPEDWLYHV6HOI
cause life is full of unknown 'HIHQVH&RXUVHDWDLPW
twists and turns. As much en- nessnetwork.com.

JOHN
PELLEGRINI
Founder of Combat Hapkido
Black Belts 2004 Instructor
of the Year
Many important and useful

experiences help people pre-
SDUHWRGHDOZLWKOLIHVFKDOOHQJHV
Academics, sports, community
service, volunteering and military
service are some examples. But
sustained martial arts training is
unique in the range of physical,
PHQWDODQGHPRWLRQDOEHQHWVLW
offers the practitioner.
When professional instructors
assert that serious, consistent
martial arts training not only devel-
ops the body but also builds char-
acter and promotes ethical values,
WKH\UHQRWVSRXWLQJHPSW\FOLFKpV
or reciting a marketing script. Life-
enhancing qualities such as cour-
age, perseverance, integrity, hu-
mility and respect are real, proven
results that students experience
and apply to everyday life.
And when you also consider
the practical, potentially lifesav-
ing, self-defense skills that prac-
titioners learn, you realize that
martial arts training not only pre-
pares you for life but also helps
you protect it.
Learn more: Read Combat Hap-
kido: The Martial Art for the
Modern Warrior, available from
Amazon.com.
AUTHORS ADD: FLOYD BURK

There are many reasons for training was life-changing for me. It improved
in martial arts, and there are very few my timing and focus for racing, which
ZURQJUHDVRQV:KHWKHU\RXUHWKHUH helped me stop banging into other rac-
IRUVHOIGHIHQVHFRPSHWLWLRQWQHVVRU ers. That was part of the reason I was
fun, most instructors will strive to make able to qualify to compete for two sea-
the training interesting and worthwhile. sons on the AMA Pro Motocross circuit.
If you keep going, your original reasons With the bully, while I was preparing
for training will likely change or new P\JKWSODQDODZ\HUZKRDWWHQGHG
ones will be added. classes overheard me talking about it.
My reasons for training were twofold. He advised me to stop being offended
First, my dad, who was a motorcycle so easily and suggested I start ignor-
dealer, thought martial arts would help ing bullies. I listened, and the problem
PHJDLQWKHFRQGHQFHWRVWDQGXS faded away.
to the motorcycle-racing foes who oc- Of course, I was also learning tech-
casionally got in my face after a racing QLTXHVWRJKW:KHQ\RXFRXSOHWKHP
altercation. Second, I hoped to learn ZLWKDZDUHQHVVDVWDWHRIPLQGWKDWV
the skills necessary for defeating the exceptionally well-developed through
bully who shared my bus stop. My dad martial arts training, you get self-
arranged for me to get some training in defense skills that will give you a real
Photos by Rick Hustead
shito-ryu karate. I was 15 at the time. advantage in an altercation. These are

I loved the training, but it ended VNLOOVWKDWZLOOVWD\ZLWK\RX7KHUHVQR
in less than a year. I later signed up end to the ways that martial arts training
at a shorin-ryu school and then an prepares you for life.
American-karate dojo. The training Learn more: iksa.com

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From
the
A rchives
Vol. 16, No. 7, $1
The 175th issue of Black Belt
was dated July 1978. It was 76
pages long and featured tang
soo do instructor Jeong Sook
Lee on the cover.
Bill Wallace, 32, wins a unanimous decision over Emilio Narvez Weighing in on the business of teaching martial arts, George
and retains his middleweight title. The action takes place on Dillman offers numerous insights without one mention of
CBS Sports Spectacular. SUHVVXUHSRLQWV)RUWKRVHZKRGRQWNQRZ'LOOPDQZDVD
In the cover story, Jeong Sook Lee of the U.S. Tang Soo Do famous competitor long before he began teaching pressure-
0RR'XN.ZDQ)HGHUDWLRQRSHQVUHTaekwondo is a modern point strikes.
international sport. But tang soo do is a martial art. In a martial One reason Black BeltGRHVQWSXEOLVKPRUHKHDOWKDUWLFOHVLV
art, it is not important who is a champion and who is a loser. A WKH\RIWHQHQGXSVRXQGLQJOLNHWKLV-RFNLWFKLVDQDQQR\LQJ
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Roy Kurban rounds up a bunch of like-minded individuals and 3UHGLVSRVLQJIDFWRUVLQFOXGHSRRUSHUVRQDOK\JLHQHWLJKWWWLQJ
IRUPVWKH7H[DV$PDWHXU.DUDWH$VVRFLDWLRQ7KHLUJRDOWR gi or clothing, obesity and excessive perspiration in the groin
standardize martial arts, starting in the Lone Star State. DUHD1RWHWRDXWKRU70,RQWKHVZHDW\WHVWHV
An advertisement for a 21-day martial arts tour to Japan, Korea ManKDVWRGRZLWKVORZQHVVVD\V&KLQHVHPDUWLDODUWV
and Taiwan lists the home phone numbers for privacy-shunning instructor Willy Lin. The movements of tai chi must be slow and
organizers Sho Kosugi and Jun Chong. continuous, like silk from a silkworm or a shadow following its
When I trained for competition, I worked out seven days a REMHFW
ZHHNVD\V7RPP\0DUWLQDQLQWHUQDWLRQDOMXGRFKDPSLRQ,IRQH A uniform company called Karatiger starts advertising.
ZDQWVWREH1RWKHUHVKRXOGEHQRZHHNHQGVDQGQRKROLGD\V 3UHVXPDEO\LWVQDPHLVDPHUJHURINDUDWHDQGWLJHU
:K\DUHWKHPDUWLDODUWVVRSRSXODU",WVWKHIULQJHEHQHWVRI A bone doc in Los Angeles declares that people can attain
training! If you sincerely attempt to practice the philosophy and H[SHUWLVHLQNDUDWHZLWKRXWIXQFWLRQDOO\GHVWUR\LQJWKHIRRW
attitudes of karate in class, they will eventually become part of Thank you, Capt. Obvious.
\RXURZQQDWXUHDQGIROORZ\RXZKHUHYHU\RXJRVD\V0DVDUX
Shintani, a wado-ryu instructor who relocated to North America (Note: Back issues are not for sale.)
to spread his art.

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