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Zen Beikoku Bujutsu Kyokai
                 全米国武術協会
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USAMA BLOG

Raising the standards of the martial arts

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Pop, Lock And Drop It

1/31/2022

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Author: Bret Gordon
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Cringey title aside, let's explore some of the intricate methods of skeletal locking used in Aiki Jujutsu. While these are loosely referred to as pins, it's important not to confuse them with the more familiar osaekomi waza of Judo and it's Western counterparts. The goal of these positions is not to restrain an opponent indefinitely, or hold them still while you work for a better position or finishing technique. Like everything else, when determining the efficiency of these intricate positions, you must first look at the context they were designed for. 

For those who may not be familiar with its history, the oral tradition of Daito Ryu (from which all aiki arts are derived) states that the art was handed down through the Takeda family of the Aizu domain, where they were employed as bodyguards and palace security. The same environment that led to subtle methods of power generation and kuzushi that become codified as Aiki no Jutsu also saw the development of a sophisticated method of entangling an opponent's body to render them powerless, even if only for a moment. The question, however, is why would these techniques of structural distortion be preferred over more conventional pins and hold-downs?


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Context Matters: A Discussion On Tactics & Techniques

1/26/2022

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Author: Bret Gordon
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My last article on the cultural significance of sitting in seiza and its martial implications (click here to read) inspired me to dive into a forensic study of the various body cultures in martial arts and why they matter. Fighting systems are influenced by the context they are developed in. That is why the only real test of whether a martial art is "effective" or not is if it meets the needs of why it was created, not whether or not a particular individual can use it for their own purposes.

It is no secret that the weapon of choice developed over time in response to advances in protective gear, not to mention the tools themselves evolved for the same reason. Japanese tanto were essentially point-driven can openers meant to pry a downed enemy out of their armor on the battlefield, while the karambit is a short, slicing implement meant to dismember a lightly clothed opponent in the tropics. It's why we see blunt force weapons become prevalent in Medieval Europe with the implementation of plate armor, since swords are not meant to slice through steel. It's all about finding the right tool for the job, based on the equipment of the enemy you're fighting.


Just as weapons evolve, entire fighting systems develop for the same reasons. For example, one of the easiest ways to tell an art meant for warriors from one developed by civilians is the emphasis on either grappling or striking. Warrior arts generally operate under the assumption their opponent is armored, and thus striking them is not nearly as effective as throwing them to the ground or attacking the joints, since by design they must be the least protected areas in order to articulate. Systems designed for civilian self defense do not have that consideration and can develop an extensive striking repertoire. But let's go into even more detail...


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Take A Seat: A Discussion On Seiza

1/25/2022

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Author: Bret Gordon
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Just about anyone familiar with Japanese martial arts is familiar with the kneeling position of seiza. Literally meaning "proper sitting," the posture serves as the standard floor sitting position for most traditional formal occasions, and it is generally considered the respectful way to sit in the presence of superiors or elders unless otherwise permitted. It is used in meditation, prayer, bowing, rituals and ceremonies. As martial artists, we associate it with how Samurai would sit, except that's not really accurate. 

The position of seiza as we know it was formalized during the Edo period, as part of a large number of edicts and customs imposed on the warrior class to prevent a violent outbreak. Another Edo period concept we attribute to the Samurai is the idea of Bushido, a code of ethics similar to European chivalry that supposedly holds warriors to a higher moral standard. In truth, Bushido was introduced as a concept to keep bored Samurai in line. Without wars to fight, professional warriors being paid to sit around can get fairly rowdy. Rape, pillage and murder were just par for the course during times of war when the army was stationed in a faraway land, but they become rather unfortunate side effects of boredom when you have drunk, testosterone-filled warriors accustomed to living on a higher rung on the social ladder and getting away with, well, murder. But I digress...

​Seiza was introduced as the proper way of sitting for Samurai during the Edo period by the Shogun simply to make it harder for a visitor to quickly attack the host when conducting a meeting or ritual. Anyone who has sat in seiza long enough knows the feeling of numb legs and locked knees. When milliseconds matter, slowing down your would-be assailant by forcing him to attack from a position of discomfort can quite literally be the difference between life and death. So prior to the Edo period, when Japan was in constant conflict, what was the "correct" way of sitting for formal occasions?


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"No One Falls Like That" - A Discussion On Ukemi

1/18/2022

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Author: Bret Gordon
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Yesterday, my instructor Steven Hatfield and I put out a video together showcasing various aiki and jujutsu techniques taught in American Yoshinkan Aiki Jujutsu. It's nothing spectacular, just a one-minute highlight clip, but it's special because it's the first time we've put anything out together for public consumption regarding aiki. I'll include the video at the end of this article. True to form, our personal press corps took less than 2 hours to share the video and offer some constructive criticism.

One of the most consistent criticisms of demonstrations like this, in addition to the assumption that aiki is fake, is that the responses of the uke do not match the physical output of the tori. They are used to large, external movements being required to throw someone. The very foundation of internal martial arts, Aiki Jujutsu being one of them, is that power is generated in a subtle manner that is imperceptible to the untrained eye. There's nothing esoteric about it. It's not based on magic or anything mystical like chi. It's just a different way of transmitting force through the body (and into another person through physical touch) that is generated through cohesive body movement rather than segregating a limb from the rest of the core. I'll write more articles on the subject in greater detail, but here I'd like to focus on the uke. 


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How Okuden Killed The Martial Arts (Part 2)

1/13/2022

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Author: Bret Gordon
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In Part 1 (click here), I discussed how the secrecy of kata had led to the misconception that Karate is not viable for real violence. In this article, we're going to explore an even more esoteric art steeped in mysticism and tradition that most people discount as a fighting system - Aiki Jujutsu. 

When most people think of the aiki arts, Aikido is what comes to mind. Unfortunately, the Ueshiba family has made it clear their vision for Aikido does not include fighting or contests of any kind. But the aiki arts as a whole are often subject to ridicule if not complete dismissal among the majority of the martial arts community. We get lumped in with the likes of George Dillman and his no-touch knockouts, which are nothing more than the power of suggestion over highly susceptible individuals.

Real aiki, on the other hand, is a set of biomechanical principles and processes. When you understand what you are looking at, everything is supported by sound principles of physics. The training methods, however, must be felt to understood. The better one is, the more fake it looks. My teacher once said "if you understand what just happened to you, it's not aiki." So again, we have another case of secrecy killing the art. But why?


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How Okuden Killed The Martial Arts (Part 1)

1/12/2022

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Author: Bret Gordon
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In all martial arts, there are different levels of students. Some call them indoor and outdoor students. Some differentiate by saying they have both customers and students. Whatever the distinction, not all students are created equal, and they won't all reach the highest levels of a particular system. Some information is always held back. This information is called Okuden 奥伝 (secret teachings). It could be because the instructor is waiting until the student is ready, or maybe they want to keep something up their sleeve should the student get a little too cocky.

Some systems formally classify the material into various levels, and award certifications or licenses along the way. Others are informal about it, with the instructor being more selective (and usually subjective) with who they pass on certain information to. Some systems are more shrouded in secrecy than others, but the truth is that every art has secrets. But what happens when the refusal to share such secrets leads to the death of the style itself?

By now, everyone is familiar with MMA, and the culture shock that sent waves through the martial arts when BJJ became popular. If nothing else, it polarized everyone between those who suddenly believed the "old" styles were simple fantasy, and those who knew their validity (or at least knew there should be validity). In this article, I'm going to look at two arts specifically, Karate and Aiki Jujutsu, as that's what the majority of my experience has been in, but I am confident this will apply to others as well. 


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Aikido Is Just Jujutsu

1/10/2022

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Author: Bret Gordon
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As a follow-up to my last article, "Taekwondo Is Just Karate," let's explore another system that really should not be given it's own category as a new kind of martial art: Aikido. Founded by Ueshiba Morihei, Aikido has gained traction all over the world as a peaceful martial art based on the principles of mutual benefit and harmony. Essentially, the study of Aikido should lead to self-realization and personal growth while providing the practitioner with a set of techniques to defend themselves without causing undue injury or harm to their attacker.

Now, to understand what I mean when I say "Aikido is just Jujutsu," we have to look at what Jujutsu really is as well as the origins of Aikido itself.

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By it's most simple definition, Jujutsu is a blanket term for all Japanese unarmed fighting styles with an emphasis on joint manipulation, throwing techniques and grappling instead of striking. This is due to its origins as a warrior art, meant to be used on the battlefield by Samurai who for one reason or another found themselves without a weapon. As in everything, context matters. When your opponent is wearing armor, developing a sophisticated striking repertoire like Karate isn't appropriate as they are not effective.

Striking in Jujutsu is meant to change the shape and position of the body, as well as create disruptions that allow you to more easily apply your finishing technique, whether that's breaking a joint, choking them out or throwing them on their head. Styles developed during the 250-year peaceful Edo period have a greater emphasis on striking than those developed during the Sengoku period, but still not to the level that we would classify them as striking arts. 


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Taekwondo Is Just Karate

1/9/2022

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Author: Bret Gordon
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Here come the pitchforks! A few days ago, I published an article on "Made Up Martial Arts" which discussed the very arbitrary method of categorizing and naming styles of Okinawan martial arts leading to the conclusion that really all styles are made up. Earlier today, I added the following to the end of the article:

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Another example of a 'made up' martial art is Taekwondo. In the 1950s following the Japanese occupation, nine kwans (schools) of Korean Karate were in existence. They all used either Tang Soo Do (Tode-Do 唐手道), Kong Soo Do (Karatedo 空手道) or Kwon Bup (Kempo 拳法) to describe their respective styles.

​The Korean government, wanting to regulate martial arts, ordered the kwans to unify and come up with a new name for what they taught to remove the connection to Japanese and Okinawan martial arts, and so the name "Taekwondo" was coined and they formed the Korea Taekwondo Association. They created the Palgwe and KTA yudanja forms to separate themselves from their predecessors, and later replaced the Palgwe series with the Taegeuk forms simply because they still looked 'too Japanese.'"


Let's explore that a little more....


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Writing Your Own Scrolls?

1/7/2022

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Author: Bret Gordon
PictureAmerican Yoshinkan Makimono
About a year ago, I posted a picture of two scrolls (Hiden Mokuroku and Hiden Okugi) we use in American Yoshinkan Aiki Jujutsu that were carried over from our Daito Ryu origins. Admittedly, they are issued more for nostalgia and preservation than anything else as we do not teach from them, but they are still a cool reminder of our past and foundation.

Immediately, someone unfamiliar with the traditions of Daito Ryu jumped on to say that I wrote them and they're not authentic scrolls. They're absolutely right! But that's how it's supposed to be...


In Daito Ryu, the tradition of students writing their own scrolls goes all the way back to Takeda Sokaku, who first disseminated the art to the public (and many believe to be illiterate). An article from noted Daito Ryu practitioner and historian Guillaume Erard goes into detail on the subject (click here for full article):


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Should Certifications Be Displayed Publicly?

1/6/2022

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Author: Bret Gordon
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In an old article of mine, "The Purpose Of Certification," I discussed the various types of certifications (rank, titles, and licenses) used in the martial arts. I broke down what each one meant and how they were generally earned. Essentially, certifications recognize progress while licenses grant authority. The question that comes up, however, is if these credentials we work so hard for should be displayed publicly. Some like to equate them to professional diplomas and licenses like doctors or lawyers display in their offices, and to a certain measure that's true. A martial arts school, like a doctor's office, will often display their various credentials on the wall. That's really the only place they belong, or maybe in a folder tucked away (where most of mine are). 

Unlike professional licenses though, martial arts certificates are a private matter. They are for the recipient alone. They have no meaning outside the style or organization they were awarded in, and so there is no purpose in publicizing them for the world to see. If anything should be displayed at all, it is the Menkyo (teaching license) as that is really all that matters because that lets the reader know exactly what the instructor is authorized to teach. Even then, however, it should only be shared with students of the art because they are the only ones it matters to.


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