It's Not Too Late

Post By: Ken Smith

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have your entire martial arts career laid out in front of you in your own words? Your challenges, your accomplishments, your “ahah moments”?  Well, although it may too late to capture it all from the beginning, it'’s not too late to start now, because only the past is certain. The future is yet to be written.

Keeping a journal of your training can add a level of depth in your understanding of the techniques as well as understanding of yourself.  You can use it to remember key points that were taught during class or to jot down questions for Sensei later. Sometimes there'’s a certain technique that suddenly just “works” because some little adjustment you make. Write it down!  While it's still relevant to the state of mind you’re in, it’s easier to remember.  For some, jotting down what they value from the practice right after class can be easiest. For others, choosing another time later in the day can work better. It doesn’t matter when.  Just try it.

With all the electronic means today to record just about anything, keeping a journal about important things in your life is easier than ever.  But something as simple as a pen and pad of paper can add a lasting dimension to a part of your life that would otherwise be left to memory.  You can do it anyway you choose.  Jot down words, phrases, concepts, even the occasional humorous description by a Sensei. For example “ "Being centered with the uke is the way to be. It’s the string cheese of life”." I guess you had to be there, but thanks to Sensei Jay for that classic moment in Aiki class May 9^th 2009. Now that classic moment lives on permanently “out there” on the Internet thanks to my journal. 

Maybe you can take this moment as your start of your journal similar to when I mentioned to Sensei, “ "I wish I had written down stuff I’ve learned from when I started."”  He said “ "Why not start now, it’s not too late.”"  And it’s not. Try it for a week. After a week, look at what you wrote and I bet that it helps all those important bits of info soak in deeper to the places they belong in your training. If not, then maybe you can just forget the whole thing….

Photo By: Nattavut

Thoughts on Testing Requirements

Post by: Lee Phelan

When I was in high school I loved art, and my day was packed full of art classes. There was one particular project that I was extremely excited about. We were asked to construct a box out of whatever materials we wanted, the inside was supposed to represent our inner selves, while the outside was what we portrayed to the world. I was so excited about it that I took my project home and stayed up all night working on it, ignoring the other homework I had been assigned that day. By five in the morning the box was done and I was thrilled, however, the art teacher was not.

He explained to me that this project wasn't going to be due until the end of the month, giving us three weeks or so to work on it. To my dismay he pointed out how hastily my box had been constructed: there were uneven edges, blobs of glue showing, and the drawings were sloppy. Most importantly, he noted that I simply did not take the time for my ideas to solidify. My box met all the requirements for the assignment and it was “done,” but it was not the finished and thoughtful piece he was looking for.

Testing in the martial arts is like my art box. It is easy to get in a hurry, to check off the requirements in the book, to expect your next belt, and to inevitably feel crushing disappointment when told that you are not ready. Despite all the years of your training, despite doing Seisan kata or Aiki-Otoshi five million times, you may not be ready. It isn't that you are doing the techniques wrong, or that you didn't complete the requirements set out before you. Instead, it is because Sensei has the ability to see your potential, and that you have not quite gotten there yet.

Initially you may feel like ripping your box apart and throwing it in the trash. You may wonder why you even bothered working on it so hard only to be told it isn't good enough. You may look at the boxes around you and start comparing them to yours. You may even wonder if other teachers would better appreciate your box. But this will get you nowhere.

Trust in those who have walked this path before you, and most importantly, trust in yourself. Your journey in the martial arts is not about what you are, but instead it is about what you will become.  

Photo by: Graeme Weatherston

Seigans and Commitment

Post by: Kris Green 

On this, the 950th day of my Seigan, I find myself wondering what has helped me

continue with my commitment? I’m not doing it for a record; it’s a personal 
challenge. 
 
Some of what’s kept me going is definitely an obsessive personality trait. 
That’s the part that has me log each class. (That’s how I know that I’m 
averaging just over 63 minutes per day.) Mostly though, it’s the desire to 
improve myself physically, mentally and emotionally that’s kept me going. 
 
I started simple, challenging myself to keep an official seigan going. Then I 
tried to bump it and do an hour each day. It doesn’t always work: sometimes I’m 
sick or injured or too busy or make other excuses and only get in 30 or 45 
minutes. But I always feel a little bad about it the next day – there’s the 
obsessive part of me. A half hour sometimes feels like I haven’t quite gotten 
what I want out of my workout, especially since I’ve started trying to bring 
more balance to them. 
 
A big key for me is variety. For a while I achieved this by making each day’s 
workout different. I’d do my kata as slowly as possible one day (I made the 
motion-sensing lights in a racquetball court turn off and stay off while doing 
kata once!) The next day, I might try to get power out of the kata, or focus on 
my stances or balance. Or really envision all the attackers and different ways 
to apply the movements. Some days I’d do a thousand kicks, or a thousand 
punches, or both to work on stamina. 
 
Recently, though, instead of doing the same thing for the entire workout, I’ve 
started to bring variety into each day. I’ll break the hour up into segments, 
like three 20-minute segments or four 15-minute segments. Then each segment gets 
a different focus. I may do one segment for conditioning, one to go over the 
most recent moves from kenjitsu, one to run through some self-defense moves, and 
one to work on my kata for third degree. It’s amazing how quickly the time 
passes. 
 
Another trick is to add in a little outside element to your training. For 
example, if you like to watch cartoons, have them playing while you work out and 
make them part of the workout. Scenes change quickly in cartoons, and every time 
the scene changes, you could swap to a new sparring combination, or add in an 
extra punch or kick to the head of your imaginary opponent. 
 
Anything we do in class is a potential source for a workout, and everything can 
be modified for different situations. Try doing all you upper body basics 
sitting in a chair, or doing the lower basics from seiza. 
 
Start small, build up, and pretty soon you’ll realize that you’ve made it 100 
days or more! Keep a record of your workouts so that you can vary them and to 
encourage you to remember to do it. 
 

Photo by: Salvatore Vuono 

The Law and Martial Arts

Post By Pete Smith 

One of the first requirements for Black Belt is to be able to explain the legal implications of self-defense. I hope that will I never have to use my skills in self-defense. I try to be smart about people, places and things, and I avoid the types of situations that would put me in danger. But even in our routine suburban lives, we may not know when or from what direction a threat may arise! I travel for business so I am not always in familiar surroundings. If I am attacked or drawn into a fight, will I have time to stop and ponder these questions about the law? Probably not, so that is why it is good to review this very important topic.

Have you ever been in a fight or witnessed a fight take place? Maybe back in high school, out by the flag pole? Or at a Bills game, after they lose? On a downtown street or outside a bar? Did you have to use your martial arts skills? Were kicks used or were the police involved? When the fighting stops, the law will get involved and the battle moves into the courtroom, where different rules apply. When is self-defense appropriate? How much force is too much? When should we back down? When does self-defense cross the line and become an attack? Is a karate student viewed differently by the courts? Of course, if you are ever pulled into court, there is no substitute for good legal counsel.

To further muddy the waters, criminal law and self-defense varies from state to state. For example, a deadly weapon is a gun or other instrument, substance, or device, which is used or intended to be used in a way that is likely to cause death. Under New York State Penal Law, a person is guilty of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree when he or she possesses any firearm, electronic dart gun, electronic stun gun, gravity knife, switchblade knife, pilum ballistic knife, metal knuckle knife, cane sword, billy, blackjack, bludgeon, plastic knuckles, metal knuckles, chuka stick, sand bag, sand club, wrist-brace type slingshot or slungshot, shirken or "Kung Fu star”. One example I have of a deadly weapon is a piece of thick, braided copper electrical cable that I was given by contractor on a job site. He told me that his philosophy was “it is better to be judged by twelve than carried by six”.

There are many aspects of criminal law that are available for future discussion: the definition of criminal liability; lethal and non-lethal use of force; civil liability; assault and battery; the use of deadly weapons; the doctrine of self-defense including the Castle Doctrine; and examples of case law involving martial arts. Until then, remember that is always better to avoid a situation whenever possible: if there is a safe avenue of retreat, use it (regardless of jurisdiction).

Photo by Simon Howden 

To Aiki-Otoshi Or Not to Aiki-Otoshi

Post By: Dawn Hampsey

It’s a running joke around me that I will do any Aiki technique we have except Aiki Otoshi. It’s one of the first techniques you learn in the Aiki Judo program. Karate people know it, maybe not by name but they know it. It’s the first technique you learn in Judo as well, except it’s call O-Soto-Geri. It’s not that I don’t like Aiki Otoshi, it’s just that I like the other techniques too and Aiki Otoshi monopolizes the floor too often. I have to step in and give the other techniques a chance to play. As a white belt you spend most of the time doing Aiki Otoshi. Then you progress in rank and learn other techniques. Then a new student enters the dojo and that technique is all they know so you do Aiki Otoshi. Then you work a drill, and yes, we all do Aiki Otoshi with it because everyone on the floor who is white belt and up knows it.

Well, this past week, I had this drill where I was trying to get Aiki techniques on Sensei Ken. Not a lot was working, but then he was waiting for them and would counter as fast as I thought to do them. Until, Aiki Otoshi showed up and he hit the mat.  Yes! Everyone noticed that I did Aiki Otoshi. Shaking their head like it’s the technique of the Gods. Pointing at me. You see, Aiki Otoshi – tried and true. Could it just be that Aiki Otoshi is the only technique I’ve practiced enough to make work that fast? Which only proves my point, I’ve worked it a lot, time to let the other techniques have a turn. I feel a challenge coming on – I should now work Kaiten Nage so much that I can execute it on the unsuspecting uki regardless of their cooperation. Fun times.

Photo by Terry David-Smock

Balancing Exercise and Inner Training

Like many people, I use martial arts as a way to get a good workout. I've always joked that without karate, I would probably weigh about 500 pounds. Going through katas full power, snapping the bo around, and blasting through the punching bag all provide an excellent workout. So does sparring at a fast and intense pace. At one point I believed if I didn't leave the dojo with a sweat-soaked uniform, that I didn't work hard enough and had wasted the class.

After receiving my black belt, I realized that there was a lot more to training than pushing these physical limits. It is one thing to fly through katas, but it is another to actually feel the moves and to understand them. This higher level training is only possible to achieve by going through things slowly and methodically. The same goes for sparring. The only way you can improve and eliminate bad habits is to slow down and cut out all the unnecessary movements. To ask yourself "Why did I just throw that front kick?"

That being said, there is also a place for physical exercise in martial arts training. Without endurance and muscular development you will not last very long performing katas, while sparring, or in self defense. Push-ups, sit-ups, squat-thrusts, and bag training help turn our bodies into efficient tools capable of delivering devastating power when necessary. Having the ability to sprint or run away from an altercation is just as important.

I believe that you need both components in order to be a well-rounded martial artist. The difficulty is managing to balance them out. Sadly, most of us do not have the luxury of being able to train at a gym for a couple of hours, and then to train in the dojo. So how do we work in both sides of our training?

Training on your own is very important. Getting to class early or staying late and slowly going through katas is always a good idea. Even 15 minutes will make a difference.

Vary your goals during sparring. Pick a few rounds to slow down and to work with your partner, regardless of their rank.

Take advantage of the endurance training during class. Perform all these exercises to the best of your ability and without any excuses.

Think about martial arts during the day. One thing I love doing is looking at people walking by or standing in line at Wegmans, and imagining how I would best unbalance them.

I'm sure there are other ways to fit in both sides of martial arts training. Feel free to share your own ideas and methods!  

Photo by Federico Stevanin  

Taking a Hit to the Solar Plexus (and staying on your feet)

Post By: Meghan Orfitelli

As soon as the blow lands, you know you’re in trouble. Your breath rushes out, pain shoots through your chest, and if the hit was hard enough, your vision cuts out briefly. Suddenly, you’re fighting, not to hit your opponent, but just to stay on your feet.

A blow to the Solar Plexus, that soft patch just below your breast bone, can end a fight. It can, in a worst case scenario, lead to massive internal injury and even death. Aside from blows to the head, hits to the Solar Plexus can be some of the most devastating strikes allowed in sparring.

The best way to deal with a hit to the Solar Plexus is, of course, not to get hit there. Sometimes however, taking that blow is unavoidable or is the lesser of two evils. When faced with the choice of blocking a blow to the head or a blow to the body, I will always choose to take the hit to the body.

One of the most important things to remember when you do get hit in the solar plexus is not to panic. Even though it doesn't feel like it, you will eventually be able to breathe again. Keep your guard up, maybe give up a little ground, buy yourself time. Don’t try anything crazy right now, no jumping spinning crescent kicks. If you need to, throw some quick strikes to back your opponent up, but realize that right now, you just don’t have the breath for anything spectacular. You are strictly on defense duty right now.

The next thing you need to do is evaluate. How badly are you hurt? Are you in imminent danger of throwing up or passing out? Sometimes calling a fight is the best option. You can’t learn if you’re not conscious. If you have to call the match, put your arms above your head to stretch out your chest and give your lungs some space. Concentrate on getting your breathing under control. Sit out a round or two if you have to, and then evaluate if you can get back in a match.

Assuming you’re not too badly hurt to keep fighting, realize that you’re going to have to spare a bit of your concentration for keeping your breathing under control. Your Diaphragm just took a hit, and it’s not going to want to work smoothly for a while. Try to keep your breathing as even as possible. An easy way to regulate your breathing is to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Breathe in for three counts, and out for three.

Once you’ve gotten your breathing under control you’re golden. Remember however, like with any injury, if you’re still feeling it a couple days later, it may be time to get yourself to a doctor.