It's true, though. Martial arts affect people in a very profound, fundamental way. Because of that, divergent viewpoints on martial matters can take drastic turns for the worse...quickly.

This isn't a new phenomenon; I imagine a lot of readers have experienced it. In fact, this kind of conflict goes back about as far as karate was recorded. One of the earliest examples is Sokon Bushi Matsumura referring to Palace Hand (Motobu Udundi) as light and formless, a rather incomplete art.

But the feud I'd like to mention today is perhaps one of the most famous - that between Funakoshi Gichin and Motobu Choki. Both are men of great fame and reputation, but in most ways they were diametric opposites.

Two Men of Different Methods

Funakoshi Gichin is the founder of what is now called Shotokan Karatedo. He is commonly referred to as the father of Japanese Karate, and rightly so. No one did more to bring karate to the forefront in Japan, and Funakoshi's efforts to get karate recognized by the Japanese Butokukai were immensely impressive.

Interestingly, among his peers and teachers, Funakoshi was never considered a dominant fighter or technician. He gained his reputation as a gentleman of elegant thought; a man of philosophy, linguistic skill, political acumen, and of course karate talent. As for forms and technique...Funakoshi showed his wisdom there too by associating heavily with one of the great savants in modern history - Mabuni Kenwa. Kenwa's retention of kata was staggering, and many top tier instructors poured knowledge into him like a basin, hoping that he could help pass along their dying arts.

Mabuni, like Funakoshi, was a refined man. Perhaps that is why they got along so well. But standing on the other side of the aisle, gruff and distant and displeased, was a man known for fearsome fighting prowess. This man was Motobu Choki, Motobu Saru the Monkey, and he would prove to be the yang to Funakoshi's ever present yin.

Two Men of Different Means

The development of these two men was as different as their personalities. From a class standpoint, Motobu was of higher dignity than Funakoshi. Funakoshi's family possessed some minor status, but Motobu was from one of the grandest lines on Okinawa. It was his family that retained and passed along Ti, the Palace Hand (now known as Motobu Udundi).

Despite this class difference, the growth of the two men would prove quite opposite from what you'd expect. Motobu Choki, being the third born son, had no right to his families prestigious art. He developed a resentment toward that fact, and often attempted to sneak peeks at his older brother's training. In time Motobu retained techniques and tested them in rougher parts of Naha, whereupon he would engage in fights as frequently as possible. Soon his ego, prowess, and reputation as a ruffian grew.

At first very few teachers would take him as a true student. It took many years of slowly piecing together experience before Motobu Choki began training in earnest underneath instructors like Matsumora Kosaku (Tomari Te), Ankoh Itosu, and Tokumini Peichin. Throughout his growth and maturation, Motobu was always regarded as a fearsome fighter.

On the opposite side was Funakoshi. Funakoshi, while not possessing the remarkable class distinction as possessed by Motobu, was a bright and likable child who befriended the son of Azato Ankoh. Azato was a man of some prestige, both from a karate and governmental standpoint, and he took a liking to young Gichin. From then on, Funakoshi's experience under quality instructor's like Azato, Itosu Ankoh, and Higaonna Kanryo would help him develop into a fine karateka.

While pursuing his martial arts career, Funakoshi also improved his education and schooling, ultimately becoming a teacher himself. Like his instructor Ankoh Itosu, Funakoshi was in favor of Japanese reforms and quickly became a go-to resource for the Japanese on this still rather mysterious art of karate.

Two Men of Divergent Viewpoints

The differences between Funakoshi and Motobu weren't just theoretical; they encountered and disliked one another. Motobu considered Funakoshi to be rather soft and superficial in his understanding karate. He observed the changes Funakoshi was making and decried them as moving away from the true core of Okinawan karate that he had seen from the Motobu line and his other instructors.

Funakoshi, on the other hand, looked upon Motobu with disdain due to his constant rough behavior and lack of social grace. Funakoshi did not believe Motobu was a proper representative of karate.

There were a few alleged meetings between Motobu and Funakoshi, one in which Motobu dared Funakoshi to attempt techniques on him. At every turn Motobu would simply throw Funakoshi down and foil his efforts. This of course could be folklore. One thing that certainly did happen was a boxing match between Motobu and a European Boxer (exact country of origin debated). Motobu apparently knocked the big, bruising boxer unconscious even after the man had defeated all comers prior to Motobu. When the event was reported, Funakoshi's picture was used in Motobu's place as the karate man of prestige.

You might imagine how that went over with Motobu.

All of these factors and many more contributed to the ongoing feud between two of the top karateka of their time.

In and of itself, this is a very interesting study. But there is another layer. Two men of high importance to the development of Japanese karate not only knew about this feud, but studied under both men anyway.

The Brave Konishi Yasuhiro and Bold Ohtsuka Hironori

In Japanese karate circles, these names are well known. Konishi would go on to develop Shindo Jinen Ryu, and Ohtsuka would head Wado Ryu.

Both of these men spent significant time studying under Funakoshi and helped the spread of karate in Japan. Interestingly, they also facilitated and supported Motobu Choki as he spread his own brand of karate knowledge.

By most accounts, it is stated that Konishi and Ohtsuka wished to take their basics, forms, and physical fitness as developed by Funakoshi and augment them with the feared fighting prowess of Motobu. Motobu had also become one of the most famous practitioners of Naihanchi kata (long considered a cornerstone of Okinawa karate) and was a highly sought after resource for understanding the deeper aspects of that particular system.

We needn't stretch our imaginations to realize what Funakoshi and Motobu must have thought about the others influence on these two young men. Yet, the culture of martial sharing on Okinawa was strong. The act of Konishi and Ohtsuka seeking out instructors highly skilled in particular areas was not unusual. In fact, you might say it stuck to tradition.

Of course, when put through a Japanese lens these actions were almost unthinkable. The Ryu/ha of Japanese Koryu arts were highly secretive and exclusive, a habit born from centuries of in-fighting and rigid class identification. The idea of going to another instructor was not smiled upon, especially if one of the headmasters happened to hate the other.

Nevertheless, this is what happened with Konishi and Ohtsuka and they both became highly skilled and refined practitioners.

A Hint of Things to Come

These two masters, Funakoshi and Motobu, were not members of each other's fan club. Yet we see instances of old Okinawan culture poking through - that of sharing and cross training despite frictional differences. At the same time we see the beginnings of Japanese influence as each branch of karate became named, labeled, and sectionalized. Konishi and Ohtsuka lived at an interesting time where their desire to improve their learning began to rub against the trend of modern karate.

This conflict of interest exists today as we see the very same kind of feuds develop and the same impulse to label and confine each style. Perhaps we can use the experiences of these karate greats to better inform our overall perspective on the martial arts.

For those of you who remember the previous exploits of Martial Arts Santa, thanks for sticking around the blog for so long! This year he's going to focus on that wonderful tradition of gift-giving.

As opposed to normal martial arts gifts like a new bo or a copy of "Karate-Do: My Way of Life" (great book btw), M.A.Santa is going to dig a little deeper and try to recommend some resources and items that the martial artist in your life may not have heard of.

Whether you need some fresh ideas for yourself or a loved one, check out these M.A.Santa approved items:

	_________
In 1609 the Shimazu Clan of Satsuma, Japan staged a bold takeover of the Ryukyu island chain. Unfortunately, most karate resources briefly mention the event, state that the Shimazu reinforced weapons bans on the island, and move on. This excellent book delves deeply into the details of the conflict, exploring the military capabilities of both the Japanese and the Okinawans.		Richard Kim is a very well known researcher and practitioner of the classical arts. He had a large impact on the development of western martial arts. In this book, Kim Sensei tells a series of stories that illustrate the character, skill, and mindset of classical individuals throughout our collective martial past. Included are stories of Funakoshi, Musashi, Higashionna, Miyagi, and more.
When I first began my sword training, my instructor recommended this book to me. It was a real game changer! The author, Dave Lowry, is a highly respected researcher and storyteller in the realm of Koryu arts. In this book, he explains the unlikely circumstances of how he met a true Yagyu Shinkage Ryu Master and became a disciple of the art.		If you're in the first few years of karate training, or would just like to establish a better understanding of history, "Okinawa: Island of Karate" might be a good choice for you. This DVD, presented by George Alexander Sensei, provides a quality walkthrough of karate and kobudo history. Also featured are unique video clips from old masters, and a trip through Okinawa's Budokan Museum.
It's quite likely that this is my favorite martial arts documentary of all time. "Budo, the Art of Killing" was filmed in the late 70s and features high level experts in a multitude of Japanese and Okinawan arts. The thing that makes this documentary special is that it touches upon the heart of each art and doesn't get caught up in gimmickry.		Bill Hayes Sensei tells an amazing story in his book "My Journey with the Grandmaster". This book provides discussion of concept, mindset, and spirit, mixed with personal experiences of the author on Okinawa. If you are interested in acquiring a copy, please print out this order form or contact Hayes Sensei directly with a book request.

These are all top shelf resources and I hope you've seen something here that you've never seen before.

Happy gift giving!

Unfortunately it can be very tricky understanding what karate actually is. Hollywood is no help. They'll do whatever turns a profit, even if it means taking a movie like "The Karate Kid" and making it about Kung Fu.

This article is here to provide important highlights that will help you understand karate, where it came from, and what it looks like in the modern world. Don't worry - this won't be boring. In fact, the real story of karate is better than any Hollywood flick I've seen to date.

The Misty Past

Our story begins long ago on a tiny island off the coast of Japan. It was known as the Ryukyus, now called Okinawa. The native inhabitants of Okinawa were an industrious people, laboring for generations in the arts of farming, fishing, and trade. Over time their island became a popular port thanks to their fortuitous geographic location, placed amongst larger Oriental powers. For almost as long as history can record, traders from countries like China and Taiwan have visited these welcoming shores.

The Okinawans, or Uchinajin in their native Hogen language, lived with all the ups and downs of ancient civilization.  Their troubles included (but were not limited to) invasions by marauders, pirates, and thieves, as well as territorial conflict between island factions. The Okinawan soldiers of the time compiled a method of combat to better kill enemies. It was known simply as Ti, "hand", and was hard, aggressive, and effective.

The Three Kingdoms

Like most ancient civilizations, Okinawa developed as a series of provinces, each ruled by a lord (anji). By about the 14th century, Okinawa had whittled itself down to three main territories: the Hokuzan (northern), Chuzan (middle), and Nanzan (southern). Around 1429 one particularly ambitious lord named Sho Hashi of Chuzan decided it was time to bring everything under one roof.

Sho Hashi made aggressive and swift raids against his neighbor to the north, whom he saw as a potent military threat. Upon seizing the capital of Hokuzan and annexing their land, he turned his attentions to Nanzan and conquered it as well.

Throughout this entire process, Sho Hashi injected more and more Chinese culture into his territories. Naturally the Chinese emissaries approved of this, and the relationship between China and Okinawa grew with Sho Hashi's successes.

By this time, The Ming Dynasty (China) had asserted dominance over trade in the area and had brought Okinawa under it's umbrella as a tributary nation. Due to this, travel between the two countries increased heavily in order to trade, pay tribute, and share knowledge.

Chinese and Other Outside Influences

Thanks to the territorial unification and geography of Okinawa, a wide assortment of emissaries, bodyguards, and soldiers made their way to the island from countries like China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. Some of these visitors brought great martial knowledge from their respective cultures and shared it with the higher class Okinawan Gentry and bodyguards (known as Shizoku and Pechin).

These influences slowly combined with the indigenous art of Ti, especially as China became more and more dominant in the operations of Okinawa's trade routes. Eventually, the predominant self defense art of Okinawa became known as Kara Ti, or "China Hand". It was at this time that karate began to exude some of it's sophisticated philosophies along with soft, circular techniques. In addition, since the Shizoku and Pechin of Okinawa had less territorial struggles to deal with, they could spend more time in the thoughtful study of their fighting "arts" while integrating new sources of knowledge.

The result was a method of self defense that was hard and soft, simple yet in-depth, and utterly devastating.

Weapons Ban - A Great Idea!

Around 1477 the second Sho Dynasty was in full swing and lord Sho Shin was beginning to flex his political powers. Sho Shin was a skilled ruler and economist; in fact, his reign is often referred to as "the Great Days of Chuzan".

Sho Shin was also a crafty politician. He knew the territorial nature of Okinawa, and decided to bring the provincial rulers (anji) into a more centralized government. He forced the anji to live in the city of Shuri, making it much easier for him to watch them and more difficult for them to form insurrections in their homelands.

Sho Shin took things one step further. He decreed that all of the wartime weapons (swords, spears, bow and arrow) from the provincial soldiers were to be stored in Shuri and kept for governmental use. This was, effectively, a weapons ban on anyone who wasn't in the central government's armed forces.

Up until this point most of karate and kobudo (the unique farm tool style implements of Okinawa) had been the property of privileged Shizoku and Pechin who had access to Ti and Chinese envoys. Now the art was beginning to disseminate into the masses who needed more inventive ways to protect themselves.

Weapons Ban - A Terrible Idea.

Sho Shin's policies stayed in place even after his death. In fact, the weapons ban was still active when the Shimazu Clan of Satsuma, Japan invaded the island in 1609.

The Okinawans had an armed central government, but compared to the lethal invasion force of the battle hardened Satsuma, it simply wasn't enough.

The Satsuma swiftly conquered Okinawa and declared it a province under Japanese rule. They analyzed the weapons ban put in place by Sho Shin and decided to reinforce it. Now it was the Japanese who were armed on the island with only a very small peace keeping force remaining of the once strong Okinawan military.

The Okinawans had a whole new set of problems to deal with, including ronin (rogue Samurai), heavy handed Japanese enforcers, and entitled Japanese lords who had their way with Okinawan land and people. In these times karate became a rare and priceless tool of defense.

The Okinawans knew that if the Japanese learned too much about karate, they would instinctively seek to snuff it out. Therefore, the Okinawans made a strong effort to hide their vicious means of life protection. Karate and kobudo became hidden in dance, farming chores, and night time meetings among masters.

A Tough and Winding Road

It was tough sledding after the Japanese invasion. For awhile relationships were not particularly friendly (as you might imagine). Karate and kobudo continued to be passed along among pockets of Okinawans. They would collaborate as much as possible to share and improve knowledge, but it wasn't always easy.

In fact, the lockdown on gossip about karate was so tight that very few records exist about specific karate masters until around 1733 when Satunushi "Tode" Sakagawa came onto the scene.

Sakagawa was allegedly the student of an Okinawan named Peichin Takahara. It's believed that Sakagawa combined his study of Ti with Chinese martial arts, received from an individual named Kusanku. He passed on these learnings to one of the most famous Karate practitioners of all time - Sokon "Bushi" Matsumura.

After Matsumura, records surface of other practitioners with their own unique stories and influences. In fact, three general "styles" of karate develop, known as Shuri-Te, Naha-Te, and Tomari-Te (all based on the cities they developed around).

The Spread of Karate to Japan

Just like any good secret, the word about karate eventually got out. The Japanese ultimately witnessed a few small demonstrations of this "indigenous Okinawan art", but it wasn't until wartime that karate became something worth talking about.

During the Sino-Japanese war the Okinawans were forced to enlist and fight alongside the Japanese. It wasn't a smooth relationship (The Japanese thought of the Okinawans as rather backwater, and often had difficulty understanding their language of Hogen). Nevertheless, the Okinawans proved fit and capable soldiers with tactics enhanced by their study of karate.

In time the Japanese emperor decided it might benefit wartime efforts if young Okinawans all learned karate and became fit soldiers.

Of course, karate was a highly complex fighting system with Okinawan culture heavily ingrained in it's practice. The Japanese overseers thus decided it would be best if karate was simplified and regimented, with more nationalistic overtones for the good of Japan.

An individual named Itosu Anko, student of Bushi Matsumura, was placed in charge of this effort. He headed up the introduction of karate to schools in Okinawa. One of his students, a school teacher named Gichin Funakoshi, began introducing this new version of karate to universities in Japan. Due to the tumultuous relationship between China and Japan at the time, Funakoshi used a homonym of karate (same pronunciation, different meaning) which meant "empty hand" instead of "China hand". This interpretation of the word karate, first referenced in a book by Hanashiro Chomo entitled " Karate Shoshu Hen", has stuck ever since.

The Spread of Karate to the World

The Battle of Okinawa was one of the bloodiest conflicts of World War II, and the Okinawans bore a large brunt of it. In fact, more Okinawans died during that 82 day maelstrom than Japanese did during the bombings of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

After the Americans defeated the Japanese and took control of the islands, the soldiers stationed there naturally began interacting with the native inhabitants. In time they learned about the culture, food, and lifestyle of the Okinawans, including a peculiar self defense method known as karate.

During their tours of duty after World War II and through Vietnam Era, many of the soldiers studied diligently with the Okinawan masters. In addition, non-military travelers from the U.S. and other countries began taking advantage of the new western occupation and arranged for extended visits. From that period of early 1950s and onward, karate began it's steady climb toward globalization.

The Diversification of Styles

After World War II, many different styles of karate began to develop. There were two major factors for this happening:

1. During the early spread of karate to Japan and other areas, karate instructors needed a label for their art in order for it to be recognized by governing bodies. Thus, many of the senior practitioners chose a specific name for their brand of karate. Goju Ryu, Shorin Ryu, Shotokan, etc were born.

2. During and after the Battle of Okinawa many of the old masters died. This left a void in how the arts were passed down from generation to generation. Many of the senior students, now left masterless, had to decide how to proceed and keep the arts alive. New styles and branches of existing styles developed as students attempted to decide the best way to proceed.

Nowadays many styles are born for marketing purposes, or because practitioners never received a full art and instead pieced together bits from various different arts. Sometimes new styles are created out of necessity, but often they are created for profit and personal gratification.

What You Find In the Strip Mall

If you're looking to get involved with karate you have a tough decision to make. As elaborate and in-depth as this history of karate has been, it is only a brief overview of all the factors and key players that have gone into the development of karate as we see it today.

In America, every small town has a handful of schools and "masters". Some are likely to have real credentials, while many do not. Some karate isn't even karate; it's taekwondo that has experienced a name change for marketability.

Much of what the original Okinawans developed has been sifted out, first during the spread of the art in schools and universities, and second as business people watered down the art for commercial gain.

Nevertheless, if you do the research and look hard enough, you can still find outstanding practitioners of karate that have devoted their lives to the propagation of the life protection arts, founded centuries ago to preserve a very unique island nation.

Anyway, overlooking those details I'd rather not relive, I'd like to share a piece of my Christmas spoils with you.  Check this out:

Pardon the weird angle, I was trying to avoid glare.  This is an excellent art print of a classical Samurai that I received.  It's about the size of a normal poster, but came framed and ready to go.  I was very pleased! This is a great look at real Samurai garb in action, as opposed to resting idly in a museum somewhere.

The development of Samurai armor is very interesting and demonstrates great battlefield ingenuity.  This complex weaving of chords, iron plates, and fibers creates a durable yet flexible protective shell.  Furthermore, the development of arts such as Jujitsu, Aikido, and Judo were all born from the Samurai and were utilized against opponents wearing this exact kind of protection!

But why does Samurai armor look so much different than the war-gear of other countries?  Most predominently it's due to the focus of speed and flexibility over raw protection. While a European Knight would be able to withstand blows and deliver punishing, pulverizing strikes with his broadsword, Samurai were more interested in quick killing blows with katana or spear. They would use accurate and evasive tactics throughout the battlefield, foregoing the protection of platemail in favor of maneuverability.

Furthermore, the armor of a Samurai was indicative of a great many things on the battlefield (not just how many hits he could take).  A warrior's clan, status, and military propensity could all be determined by his protective gear. Each clan had their own Gusoku-shi, or armor makers, who would design armor specifically for each Samurai (no walmart brand available at that time).

Furthermore, time and necessity changed the design of Samurai armor.  In the picture above we see a very functional, battle-ready suit.  This is quite unlike the decorative, Tokugawa-era pieces that rest in many showcases.

As times became more peaceful and Samurai more irrelevant, armor became more ornamental and therefore functioned better as display.

Samurai armor has many many pieces, and every minute detail is important (for example: the way you laced your armor would be indicative of your rank and status), but essentially there are six main components: chest protector (yoroi), helmet (kabuto), mask (ho-ate), sleeves (kote), shin gaurds (sune-ate), and loin gaurd (koshi-ate...also known as the most important piece).

High ranking officers would ride into battle mounted, wearing  extremely elaborate suits of armor and demonizing masks, displaying their prowess and clan identity.  Warring samurai, like the one in my poster above, stuck to what was functional.

Scary!

Samurai armor and culture is extraordinarly complex, and not a single knot goes without deep contemplation.  Although we only scratched the surface, we did learn a little about the individual featured in my picture above.  Hopefully he'll serve as a reminder to me that there is still much to learn, and more budo spirit to be attained!

One story that strikes me as particularly interesting is entitled "A Humble Man" (pg. 62 if you're reading along ;- )

The Story...

In his daily travels, Funakoshi made it a habit to walk to-and-from the school where he taught.  One day, when returning home from a teachers meeting that had run late into the night, Funakoshi decided to hire a jinriksha driver.  Jinriksha, also known as rickshaw, is a two wheel cart pulled by a single "driver".

As Funakoshi explains, "to while away the time, I began a conversation with the jinriksha man and found, rather to my surprise, that he gave extremely short answers to my questions.  Usually jinriksha men are as loquacious [1 point for the translator] as barbers.  Further, his tone of voice was extremely polite and his language was that of a well-educated man."

Funakoshi decided to uncover the identity of this mysterious man, who hid deftly underneath a wide brimmed hat.  His plan was to stop the ride and relieve himself, and at some point grab a glance at his driver's face. His attempt failed. They began walking further down the path, the driver keeping a pace behind at all times.  Funakoshi then attempted one decisive action to discover the man's identity -

"Suddenly, at a bend in the road, I wheeled around and grabbed a shaft of the jinriksha and at the same time tried to get a glimpse of [the driver's] features.  However, quick as I was, the man was even quicker, as he pulled his hat down deep over his face.  So quick, indeed, was his reaction that I was now perfectly convinced he could not be an ordinary jinriksha driver."

Through his calculated observations, Funakoshi was able to determine that the man was one Mr. Sueyoshi, a renowned and respected kobudo exponent (especially known for his bojitsu). He then learned that, even though coming from a well established family, Sueyoshi had fallen on hard times and needed money to pay for medicine for his ill wife.  In order to accomplish this, Sueyoshi became a jinricksha man at night, using the darkness to conceal his identity and therefore save himself from disgrace.

Regarding his unlikely driver, Funakoshi had this to say:

"Had [Sueyoshi] desired fame and fortune, he could certainly have acquired it, but possibly at the expense of engaging in work that he would have felt to be beneath his dignity.  In this he was...every inch a samurai."

Thoughts...

When examining the exchange between these two masters, it is evident the role respect and dignity played in their day to day lives. In Okinawa, like in many Asian cultures, the reputation of family plays an extremely important role.  Sueyoshi's unwillingness to show his face was an effort to leave the image of his family fully intact without "sullying" it by being acknowledged as a "lowly" rickshaw driver.

Funakoshi, despite being taken by curiosity, kept himself completely composed while attempting to catch a look at his mysterious driver. Once the identity was revealed, both men showed respect by walking side by side as opposed to one in front of the other, or one riding in the cart.

It's also interesting to note how much information the men were able to gather on each other simply by monitoring movements during a mundane activity like a cart ride.  Sueyoshi's martial arts prowess, and even identity became evident simply by detecting his mannerisms.  This speaks both to the mental and physical enhancement martial arts study can provide over time.

Funakoshi's statement about Sueyoshi not taking work "beneath his dignity" is very telling of the weight Sueyoshi placed on his art.  Sueyoshi, rather than sell out and market his bojitsu to become rich, eeked out a living at night performing duties that were very much beneath his status.

The Paradox...

I admire Sueyoshi's commitment to maintaining his art and not watering it down for public consumption.  By taking the path of Koryu ("old style" method of martial arts transmission utilized heavily by the Samurai) he certainly maintained a high level of quality in his kobudo.

Koryu arts were, by nature, closed communities filled with secrecy and tradition.  The main purpose of this was to maintain battlefield effectiveness.  The true goal of Koryu was to kill opponents.  The "do" aspects (mental and spiritual growth) were secondary. If a ryu or art like Sueyoshi's bojitsu was to retain its complete effectiveness, he would have to keep his student body very low and the transmission of his concepts secret.

On the other end of the spectrum is Funakoshi, whom I also admire.  Through his efforts to spread karatedo, more and more people became aware of the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of karate training. Truly, if it weren't for him and others like him, the martial arts wouldn't be what they are today. My own knowledge of the arts (as limited as it is) stems back to individuals like Seikichi Odo who allowed gaijin (outsiders) to study.

The One Conclusion I Will Make...

I don't have any particular answers when it comes to the paradox of Funakoshi and Sueyoshi. They both had equally good justification for their actions.  But what I will say is this - it's astonishing what a four page anecdote can reveal, both about the men involved and us as practitioners.

This story made a personal impact on me because Sueyoshi No Kun is a kata I practice in my style of kobudo (we actually break it up into two kata, Sueyoshi Ichi and Ni).  Where once I saw these kata as mechanical movements devised by some shadow of the past, I can now perceive the man behind their creation.  I can sense his motivation to save an ailing wife and observe his behavior as he followed the martial way.

Stories such as this invite us to study our arts deeply.  By imagining humid rains, dark nights, and pebbled studded causeways, we can place ourselves in the shoes of our martial arts forefathers and imagine what they were thinking while perfecting their art. We can then place ourselves back in our own shoes and think about our day-to-day tribulations and what might cause us to train differently.

While some folk might feel burdened by tradition, I believe it can be endlessly fascinating, and when taken in the right context, can help free us to express ourselves.

Alexander Sensei's main style is Matsumura Shorin Ryu Karate and Kobudo (Okinawan weapons art), in which he is ranked 10th Dan, Hanshi.  He also holds 10th Dan in Shorinji Ryu Jujitsu and 7th Dan in Kendo.

Alexander Sensei is responsible for some of the most important books in publication regarding Okinawa, including Okinawa: Island of Karate, and Bubishi: Martial Art Spirit.  These books are often found in 'must read' lists for karate practitioners.

Along with his written work, Alexander Sensei has spearheaded Yamazato Videos.  Realizing that learning martial arts is done mostly through watching, Alexander Sensei was one of the earliest instructors to embrace this new technology and provide both enlightening and rare knowledge in his video tapes.  Since its inception, Yamazato has grown to cover a myriad of styles and concepts, competing with 'big boys' like Panther Productions and Asian World of Martial Arts.

Alexander Sensei is a whirlwind of martial arts accomplishment, and I was fortunate enough to steal some of his time in order to ask questions both about his background, and his take on some commonly debated martial arts concepts.  Enjoy!

***

MA:  Alexander Sensei, thank you for sitting down with me!  I'd like to start off at the beginning - how did you get your start in the martial arts and what was the whole "scene" like at that time?

GA: Well I started when I was a kid.  My dad had been in the army airforce and was teaching something they called combat judo.  And at that time (late 50s, early 60s or so) there was no karate around.  I was intrigued by judo initially, and ultimately, I joined the military myself [united states marine corp 1964].

Shortly into my military career, I started studying Shorin Ryu at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.  I did that until 1967 when I was transferred to Okinawa.

MA:  Is that when you started studying with Yuichi Kuda, who you cite as your primary Sensei in Shorin Ryu?

GA: Actually No.  I didn't study with Kuda Sensei until later.  I spent a good many years studying with different Sensei on the island.  Two you may have heard of are Eizo Shimabukuro and Fusei Kise.

MA: It must have been neat on the island where so many outstanding instructors were accessible.  When did you ultimately decide to "settle in" with Kuda Sensei?

GA: I spent a good 20 years in training before that.  I think up until 1984...or 85.  So before that I was learning a lot about Shorin Ryu, Shotokan, Goju Ryu, and Kyokushinkai.

MA: I was hoping you could give me a flavor of what training was like at that point.  Do you find that the older training style is reflected in the modern U.S., or were things a bit different?

GA:  I think the 70's were kind of a "macho" era.  There were no kids in karate...or very few.  It was a lot of young men with a lot of testosterone, so it was kind of a knock-em-around environment.  Then the 80s were more like the decade of Karate Kid with Mr. Miyagi and wax-on-wax-off.  Much more contemplative.  Then the 90s were more about sport karate, and we saw the emergence of a lot of federations.  Now it seems we have come full circle, in a sense, where we have MMA.  These are individuals who are interested in combining all kinds of styles together, which I think is a bit more like what the original instructors had intended.  Of course,  MMA is still very heavy sport oriented, as was the influence of the 90s.

MA: Do you think the development of mixed martial arts is healthy for martial arts as a whole?

GA: I don't know if I would qualify it as healthy or not.  It's the way of the world.  You can't stop change.  The world, and the things in it, are dynamic and they're bound to change.  So I always like to use the old Matsumura saying: "change with the times."  Sokon Matsumura, a fountainhead of Okinawa Karate wisdom, said that to one of his students when he was in his 80s.  He wrote him a letter containing that message.

Of course, that doesn't mean give up whatever martial art you're doing and do MMA.  And actually, too much of going with trends has resulted in some of the factionalizing that we see today.  Every decade seems to have a trend (like ninja in the 80s), and clearly MMA is this decades hot trend.  It's important to decide whether you want to pursue a martial art or martial sport.

MA: The previous head of Okinawa Kenpo, Seikichi Odo, was known to be a collector when it came to Kobudo.  Did you receive all of your Kobudo training with Kuda Sensei, or did you have to do some collecting of your own?

GA:  It's true, a lot of the early Kobudo practitioners were collectors.  Kenwa Mabuni, he was certainly a collector.  Shinken Taira - he went around the island collecting and codifying 40 or so different weapons kata into a system.  Certainly Odo Sensei as well.

It was no different for me.  I learned some here and some there, but then established myself in Kuda Sensei's kobudo program.  And really, I think you learn that way because no one person has it all.  You have to interact with different sensei to get different knowledge.  This is also one area where I learned from master Kise.

MA: Switching gears just a bit, could you explain what Shorinji Ryu Jujitsu is?

GA: Ohh sure.  Shorinji Ryu Jujitsu traces its roots to Japan, but I trained under Hanshi Ken Penland.  The style, more or less, came from Albert C. Church.  There are 20 two-man kata, which are training drills in jujitsu technique.  But ultimately, it shares the same principles as most jujitsu styles (a wrist lock is a wrist lock, an armbar is an armbar).

MA: So you trained with Penland Sensei in Jujitsu, but you also were both students of Yuichi Kuda?

GA: That's right.  We tapped into each others experience very often.

MA: One of the things you are best known for is your experience in Hakatsuru White Crane Kenpo.  Could you discuss a little bit about what this is, and why you've dug so hard to uncover and preserve the principles of hakatsuru?

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Using tactics such as tardiness and uncouthness, Musashi enraged Kojiro before the duel began.  Filled with disgust for his opponent, Kojiro struck down at Musashi as fiercely as he could.  Musashi deftly dodged out of the way, and cracked Kojiro's skull with the wooden sword he had in hand.

Shortly after his victory, Musashi reached up and felt the headband he had been wearing - the band had been cleanly sliced, but his skin was still intact.

The Thickness of One Sheet of Rice Paper

We often hear about Musashi's great feats of skill, and the 60-odd duels he won.  Of course, we can attribute some of those tales to mythological embellishment...but not all of it.  Through his written works and multiple eye witness accounts, it is fairly well documented that Musashi was a truly amazing swordsman.

In the story above, Musashi demonstrated an astounding mastery of a very basic concept - distance.  Musashi knew his opponent would rely on the superior length of his trademark weapon, so Musashi mentally computed the PRECISE distance he needed to evade.  He was then able to slay his skillful opponent with a very average, very mundane bokken (some accounts even attribute his weapon as being a carved down oar!)

There is a saying in swordsmanship stating that all attacks should be avoided by the thickness of one sheet of rice paper; and in case you've never handled rice paper, it's about this thick -

That's thin!

The Benefits of Minute Evasions

By cutting your evasion so close, your opponent is naturally open.  Having committed to their attack, their body is in a state of movement.  By placing yourself as close to them as possible without getting struck, it becomes a fairly easy matter to counterattack.

Another benefit is conservation of motion.  The further out you make your block, or body movement, the further back you have to return in order to strike.  By keep everything virtually natural, you are already placed in a position for striking.  This allows you to counterattack a fraction of a moment later than the actual attack.

Training For Evasion

The best way I've personally found to train this nuanced movement is through swordsmanship.  There really is no substitute for the lightning strikes of a shinai blitzing toward your head; your block deflecting it so narrowly that it still scrapes your hair.

But, as I've continued my training, I've integrated this practice into my other arts, like karate and kobudo.  This leads me to confidently state that a practitioner of any art can cut down on their movement and improve their distancing.

Here is one fun little drill if you feel like working on this concept: stand arm-length away from a partner.  Have your partner strap on some gloves, and throw straight punches toward your chest.  At first, keep your arms at your side.  As the punch comes in, allow yourself to pivot at the waist, making the punch bounce off at an angle.  It should feel like the punch just barely glances you.

As you get more comfortable, make your pivot occur a bit quicker, so that the glove barely touches you.

As you get even more comfortable, make it so the punch just scrapes your gi, and nothing more.

Be careful, if you pivot too fast and the punch touches nothing at all, you've lost the concept - you've lost one sheet of rice paper.  Your opponent may pick up on your early intentions and compensate.

Best of luck in your training!

Oook. So what do we have here, exactly? Very slick production. Really, really, ridiculously good looking people. A plot that was likely whipped up over the course of a business brunch. Timely soundtrack. Sensationalized techniques and fight scenes that loosely resemble a popular style (in this case, MMA). Thin excuse to fight, training sequences, cheesy love interest, final fight.

Starting to sound familiar? It should. This is a trap many different kinds of martial arts have fallen into. Let's warp back in time.

In the late 40's, early 50's, karate was hitting U.S. shores for the first time. Individuals like Robert Trias brought it back from military exploits overseas. The abilities of Trias Sensei and other visiting masters impressed onlookers, even though it was still an underground style. By the 70's, karate was hitting the U.S. on a consistent basis and began developing a healthy reputation.

Concurrently, kung fu had begun its journey west roughly around the same time. Much like karate, it began spreading in the late 40s, early 50s, but didn't truly pick up steam until the 70s. That's when American cinema took notice of these blossoming martial arts. They saw the respect these styles commanded and the amount of money Americans were shelling out to train with instructors (both legitimately qualified, and otherwise). With this revelation in hand, the karate and kung fu movie creation machine began churning.

Dozens upon dozens of hong kong flicks were brought over, sensationalizing the exploits of wushu masters. Characters were given the ability to fly, project ki, and execute lethal death blows. Karate masters were portrayed as men of unfathomable strength, able to handle droves of opponents.

This all came to a head as Americans found stars upon which they could base their martial arts universe. Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris were among the first. Later came Jean Claude Van Damme, Steven Seagal, and Jackie Chan.

Often found fueling the movies of these stars (And others) were plots of underdog training, revenge, redemption, and tournament style combat.

Now...like a lot of folks...I love these movies! Absolutely. A lot of these men are/were fantastic martial artists and the movies are very entertaining. But if we take an honest look at what happened to karate and kung fu after the flooding of the movie market, we can see a definite trend. Teachers started popping up all over the place, claiming they knew karate simply because they watched bloodsport 50 times. Other teachers claimed they could perform inhuman acts of strength, such as ripping off strips of human flesh. Still others held on to the belief that they could perform no touch knockouts simply through chi blasts.

These wayward martial artists were not following in the footsteps of traditional Okinawans, I can promise you that.

Beyond conning people for money, these trends also served to deteriorate the reputations of karate and kung fu. After all, if you meet 4 hokie karateka, you'll probably expect the 5th to be hokie too.

This historical detour brings us back to our current topic - Never Back Down. The development of MMA has been historically similar to that of previous styles in that it began underground, grew a reputation of toughness, and expanded out globally in order to prove its effectiveness.

Here, in the form of Never Back Down, we are seeing the next phase. Hollywood has spotted a very profitable martial art and is succeeding in cashing in on it. They have sensationalized the style just like has occurred in the past, and they even followed up with the standard plot line of revenge, redemption, and tournament style fighting (see bloodsport, american samurai, kickboxer, lionheart, enter the dragon, the karate kid, etc. etc. etc.)

Unfortunately, that's not the worst of it. Movies from prior decades like The Karate Kid and Enter the Dragon tried to instill a carefully crafted message. The Karate Kid attempted to show the virtues of karate in the form of a wise Mr. Miyagi. Miyagi showed restraint, wise-judgment, and an aversion to violence. Can the same be said for Never Back Down, and the handful of cliched lines it espouses? The same kind of comparison can be made in regards to Bruce Lee's genuine martial genius.

Of course, it's not really fair for me to compare this movie to two very good ones. But Never Back Down chose to use the prettiest people and the most shallow message it could manage, instead of choosing a more responsible path.

I don't need to spray paint it on the wall - I believe that if MMA keeps going in this direction (especially when combined with the pro-wrestling antics of EliteXC), it is going to suffer the same decline that damaged those styles that have come before it. Ultimately, it will be replaced by something new; something that represents the toughness and "realness" that MMA once embodied.

* * *

From a traditionalist who also appreciates what MMA could represent.