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The Ramblings Of A Sensei

4/27/2017

Author: Michael McGann

As a practitioner of martial arts for over fifty years, I have learned that there is no end to training. You can always improve and be better than you were the day before. As a Sensei, if I did something today that made my student better than he was yesterday, then have accomplished my responsibility of a teacher. And being a teacher is both a responsibility as well as a privilege.

The responsibility of the Sensei is that he shares his/her nuggets of knowledge with the hope that the students applies these nuggets of knowledge. When they are applied they become gems of wisdom. When that wisdom becomes internalized, it becomes understanding and when you understand something you know it.

The discipline, perseverance and hard work ethic necessary to excel in ones art should challenge each student to the threshold of their limits. It is the desire of every authentic teacher to want the best from each student. My Sensei, Dr. Karl W Marx Sr. founder of Keicho-Do, once told me, “A student is a reflection of his Sensei.” So each teacher is also challenged to impart knowledge that years of study and applying that knowledge, to each student that walks into ones school. Funakoshi Sensei, Founder of Shotokan, said that the purpose of karate is to develop the character of the individual practitioner.

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That Would Never Work In The Street

4/11/2017

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Author: Bret Gordon

When you're looking at traditional martial arts practice, many people offer the criticism that what is being practiced would never work "in the street." As a karateka and aikijujutsuka, I get this two-fold. It's fine, many people don't understand the intricacies and applications of Karatedo kata, so how can I expect them to understand the advanced biomechanics of aiki? However, more often than not, saying something isn't practical only shows your ignorance of what is being displayed. Not everything is as it seems, nor are they always meant to be taken at face value.

Now, I will clarify that there are certain things going on the martial arts that are just asinine. In no way am I going to even try to justify the "no touch knockout" groupies or the chi frauds that seem to be popping up all over the internet. To understand what separates true internal martial arts from chi frauds, click here. What I will do, or at least attempt to, is demonstrate to you the viability of certain drills and their practical application. If all you're looking for is the next big secret to cage fighting however, or the quickest way to be a deadly commando, this article isn't for you.

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What Is The Most Realistic Type Of Sport Fighting For Self Defense?

4/10/2017

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Author: Bret Gordon

Here's a hint. No, it's not MMA! Despite the UFC's slogan, "As Real As It Gets," the mixed martial arts world has done little to promote real self defense. What it has done, however, is exposed how one-dimensional martial arts training has become. Too many people remain within single system guidelines, and focus on one aspect of the martial arts, when in reality there's so much more to learn and explore. MMA has demonstrated that practitioners of traditional systems often train solely within the parameters of that given system, failing to realize the applications of what they're learning if only they'd think about the box. What if I told you that Karate-do was in fact a joint locking and grappling system? If you don't believe me, check out the article, "Karate: Okinawan Jujutsu."

However, like all types of sport fighting, MMA was built by practitioners who favored one style of fighting over another. The invention of MMA is credited largely to the Gracie family, bringing their Vale Tudo experience to the States and defeating other traditional practitioners simply by exposing that relatively no one trained extensively in grappling. Those who dominate the cage today largely come from grappling backgrounds, because that's how the rules are designed. One can compensate for lack of striking ability by taking down their opponent and submitting them at a range where they don't have to be concerned about their glass jaw. Ronda Rousey was an excellent example of this. While she deserves full credit for paving the way for women's MMA, the world was exposed to the flaws in her fighting ability and she was knocked out. Quickly.

But what truly bothers me about MMA's claim to be as real as it gets is that their statement couldn't be farther from the truth. It'll never be as real as it gets until someone brings a gun to a knife fight. What MMA does really well is train you to calculate your opponent over several rounds, and if you can't out-strike them you take them down and fight for a dominant position where you'll be able to "ground and pound" or submit them to win the fight. Well, while you're rolling around on the floor, your opponent forgot to mention his buddies sitting at the bar who are now trying to stomp your head in or cracking bar stools across your back. He also didn't tell you about the pocket knife he had tucked away, and while you were transitioning into your spider guard, he pulls it out and stabs you until you look like a cheese grater

MMA fighters are highly trained athletes that are skilled at their craft, but MMA teaches you how to fight an unarmed opponent of similar body weight within a confined rule set for an allotted time frame. But if MMA isn't realistic for self defense, surely no other sport fighting competition could be either, right? Not quite.

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The Ramblings Of A Sensei

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