The Little Bad Guy In Your Brain

We all have a small piece of real estate in our minds reserved for bad guys, and we drop by for a visit every time we think about carjackings, rough neighborhoods, or the safety of our loved ones.  It’s here we imagine all the unpleasant outcomes and dangers the world has to offer us.

This seemingly masochistic piece of human nature is one of the reasons why martial arts are so important in modern society; but I think true martial value might come more in overcoming the little bad guy inside, rather than a big one outside.

Self Defense…Value and Limitations

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  As far back as human history goes, there has been a need for one individual to protect him/herself against another.  That’s why when discussing martial arts, one of the first topics always brought up is self defense.

Karate…BJJ…Kung Fu…they’re all methods of combat, and unless you’re a soldier, you’ll be fighting as an ordinary citizen.  Thus, learning a combat art is an extraordinary way to increase your physical capability of defending yourself.

Furthermore, we live in a society that does not permit the casual carrying of firearms. These laws have pulled us out of ‘old west’ mentality, but have also delivered the bad guys a distinct advantage against the good guys (us).  One recourse left to the modern citizen is combat training.

Yet, when you boil it down, the greatest fighter in the world can still get shot from ten feet away or stabbed in the back. So…why even bother with martial arts if their primary purpose is so compromised?

Sure, Kick and Punch (But Also Think)

As you’ve probably heard me harp about before, the benefits of mind and spirit are just as critical in training as body.  For example, a skilled instructor can not only teach a student how to fight, but also how to detect and avoid bad situations.  An experienced martial artist is just as adept at conflict resolution as he is at conflict “resolution” (Seagal style).

Furthermore, a martial artist will analyze his surroundings at all times and realize ways to avoid potentially risky environments.  In doing so, the probability of getting into a brawl or encountering a desperate gunman are drastically reduced.

But…be that as it may…no one can completely control the world around them.  Bad things will still happen no matter the effort and attention payed.  Once again, why bother with training?

Reality Landing

So bad things are going to happen and we can’t stop them.  What an uplifting post.  But don’t worry, there is a little light at the end of the tunnel.

Let’s think statistically – how often do people get robbed or assaulted in their life? Once or twice?  Some unlucky few experience it more often, but many experience it less.  On average, we are all likely to face scant few situations where fighting is called for.  Now how often do we think about getting robbed or assaulted? bullied? accosted? raped?

It’s much more often.  This is true for everyone.

What martial arts really gives us is the strength to face these fears with courage.  Rather than shiver at the thought of walking to our cars alone, we can command a straight posture and say to ourselves “sure you might attack me, but it won’t be as easy as you think.”

We can use our training to solidify our spirit and determination, which will exude from us in a way that deters would-be aggressors, prompting them to try an easier target.

Ultimately, we transform our internal bad guy into a constant reminder of our martial calling, using him to spur us forward and remind us that we aren’t so easily drawn down into dread and fear.

Sure, any of us could be shot.  Any one of us could be gone tomorrow. But I’d rather go knowing that I didn’t live in helplessness.

Martial arts…Budo…is what we can thank for that.

A New Karate Kid Movie?

Welcome to the land of nothing-is-sacred (aka Hollywood).

Word got out that there is a new Karate Kid movie in the works.  This film is projected to be a continuation of the Karate Kid storyline that will “borrow elements” from the originals (as opposed to being a strict remake).  Slated for the lead role is Jaden Smith, 10 year old son of Will Smith.

Some other tidbits about the production-

“‘The Karate Kid’ will be produced by Jerry Weintraub (who launched the original franchise) and Overbrook Entertainment’s James Lassiter, Will Smith and Ken Stovitz. It will be the second movie on which Will Smith and his 10-year-old son Jaden work together.

The shooting will start next year and the remake will be written by Chris Murphy. The movie will reportedly continue the plot of the 1984 hit and will go with the action in more exotic locations such as Beijing and other cities. China Film Group Corp. will co-produce in China.

Just like in any other karate movie, Jaden will play the role of a bullied kid who is eventually trained by a mentor in various and unexpected ways (remember the waxing method?) to finally beat the bullies.” - EfluxMedia

Also -

“The part of Pat Morita’s inimitable Mr. Miyagi has yet to be cast, but given Jaden’s apparent inability to appear onscreen without pops by his side, don’t be surprised when Big Willie’s Dojo takes on Cobra Kai in this updated version.” - Variety

I’m a fair guy, so let’s start off with something I like about all this.  Will Smith is a pretty fantastic actor.  I’ve enjoyed Independence Day, the Omega Man remake (I Am Legend), and of course Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Now, this is a story all about how
My life got flipped-turned upside down…

Will Smith is great.  And honestly, there is nothing wrong with his son either.  He is a talented child actor.  The problem is in the principle.

The Karate Kid Movies (1 and 2 especially) were a rare occurrence.  They were films that brought together entertainment, culture, and martial arts in a way that had never been done before.  I can’t think of any other movie that tries harder to express real martial spirit (not just ass kicking).

Furthermore, the original movies were steeped in Goju-Ryu, a legitimate karate style. The training done by Daniel (paint the fence, sand the floor) were all taken within the context of Goju-Ryu kata.  Amongst those kata, Tensho was utilized most predominantly. (Tensho shown below)

It’s extremely rare for a movie writer who cares about moral message and historical relevance to get together with producers and film makers who care about the same thing.

That’s why, when it happens, you appreciate it and leave it alone.

Or…if you’re a Hollywood exec…you try to squeeze a couple more pennies out of it. like so:

The Next Karate Kid was a corny, canned remake of the original plotline, which was an especially bad idea because Karate Kid III was already a pretty corny, canned remake of the original plotline.  The additional problem with Next Karate Kid is that they threw out all of the things that made Karate Kid plausible.  Instead of focusing on Okinawa, now the focus was on mysterious Buddhist monasteries (real original) and proving that Hilary Swank, with a weeks worth of training, could beat up 6 or 7 dudes without breaking a sweat. Blech.

Unfortunately, it seems like Hollywood didn’t learn from its failed resurrection attempts and will have another go at it.

Premature Predictions About The New Karate Kid:

Jaden will be 11-12 yrs old when the filming of this movie starts…what karate are we really going to see here?  When I teach kids, I focus on very simple self defense techniques like foot stomping, shin kicking, and calling for help.  What do you think Jaden is going to do? (Answer: spinning hook kicks while surrounded by 5 bullies).

Replacing thoughtful commentary between Daniel and Mr. Miyagi will be canned “lessons learned” moments.

Replacing a coming of age story will be super adventures to “exotic locations” and pouty “stop picking on me!” scenes.

Will Smith will be funny, entertaining, and maybe even a little moving…but it still won’t excuse the fact that they chose to throw the original Karate Kid movies under the bus in order to get a little extra publicity and buzz.

***

Update – Jackie Chan slated to play Mr. Miyagi.  Read about it here.

The Organic Growth of Martial Artists

This is not a recount of personal experience, just an exercise in theory.

As martial artists constantly endeavor to increase their knowledge and ability, they make internal connections that hadn’t existed years, days, or even seconds before.  Just as memories and experiences burn new pathways through the psyche, so does every moment pursuing “the martial way”.

Furthermore, no living thing starts off matured.  Even the tallest redwood tree begins as a tiny seed.  The same is true when practicing the arts.  In karate, there is a symbol known as Mitsu Domoe that can be used to demonstrate the kernel of knowledge that every martial artist begins with -

In dojo all over the world, instructors are sitting down with fresh beginners and stating very simply, “your training is a combination of body, mind, and spirit!”

Unfortunately, the prongs seem woefully far away from each other.  As the beginner struggles to punch and kick properly, he/she is hardly concerned about character development.  Truly, body, mind, and spirit appear perpetually separated.

Of course time goes by and diligent training continues.  Practitioners learn more and more about each portion of their art, and eventually come to understand that there is more to each piece of the Mitsu Domoe than initially stated.  For example, body doesn’t simply mean physical fitness.  It involves a complex combination of movement and ability.  In fact, it could be broken down inside the “body” prong like this -

Here we see “body” made up of speed, power, and technique.  If the martial artist maintains a balanced perspective in his training, soon his understanding of mind and spirit will grow as well.  He’ll begin to think like this -

Arriving at this stage is noteworthy because it can be very tempting to make training lopsided.  For example, it would feel rewarding to achieve a deeper level of knowledge in the body aspect of the arts.  In order to experience that feeling more often, a practitioner might focus predominantly on body, leaving mind and spirit behind.

But let’s say time and dedication has allowed the practitioner to acquire skill in all three aspects of his training.

Despite his efforts, there is still a disconnect.  As you’ll notice above, there are substantial white gaps in his knowledge and understanding.  He must continue to dig and explore, which can be intimidating.  Having achieved a level of ability (and maybe even a black belt), he could easily “accept his limitations” and call it quits.

But should growth continue, it would look something like this-

An odd tapestry begins to develop and connections are made where there were none before. Navigating between aspects of the arts becomes easier, and body/mind/spirit doesn’t seem so impenetrably separated.

Of course, there are still plenty of white gaps, agitatingly prominent inside a finely woven web. Should they ever be filled, the shape would turn into this-

Dazzling and intricate!  It’s funny to think that this was built one piece at a time.

As he’s dug deeper and deeper, more gaps in knowledge have been revealed to the practitioner.  Where the beginner saw one gap, now the experienced exponent sees many.  Perhaps more than he could ever tackle.  Of course, the joy is in the journey, so the exploration must continue.

Hereafter something fascinating happens.  Technique, mental acuity, and keenness of spirit  have become so interlocked and interwoven that the Mitsu Domoe has taken on a unique form-

Unusual – this phase seems less impressive to the eye and actually has some bumps and ridges.  The crisp definition of one aspect from another is gone and it’s tough to say where one prong ends and another begins.  The center seems to permeate outward.

What exactly are we looking at here? Is this the same karate that we saw our beginner practice?

No, this is a bugeisha’s art.  An art that has followed the way of balance, and is taking on its own form.  At any time this art can be broken down into basic elements, but when used fully, can barely be recognized as anything other than unique.

At this point, it is a matter of will more than anything that allows the bugeisha to continue onto the next phase-

The void.

It’s everything, and it’s nothing.  Through decades of filling the mind with techniques, theories, philosophies, and strategies, the bugeisha eventually arrives at nothing at all.  This nothingness cannot be achieved by lesser means, and it cannot be penetrated by anything lesser than itself.

The bugeisha and his art are one thing, which is no-thing.