Ikigai | Blogging the Martial Way » Kobudo

Special Martial Arts Gift Ideas

Matthew — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 01:06:33 +0000

It's that time of year again. Time for Martial Arts Santa to make his appearance!

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:

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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!

1 Easy Way to Stay Humble

Matthew — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 18:17:35 +0000

One of the best ways to stay hungry for improvement and stave of complacency is to get exposed to high level martial artists.

Observing top practitioners of any classical style can quickly fill you with a mix of emotion (admiration, uncertainty, self-consciousness, inspiration, etc). It can also be a surefire way to stay humble.

If you think about it...a martial artist who trains with 10-15 people will eventually start to base his/her sense of ability on how they perform against those other individuals. If said martial artist starts to dominate, he/she could easily lose perspective and let ego grab hold.

If that pool of people were much bigger and included some top practitioners, the artist would be much more inclined to keep perspective.

I'm fortunate in that I have the Heilmans and their four Kyoshi to keep me in check routinely. But this last weekend's IKKF Annual Training served as a reboot for every student present.

At our annual gathering we get a chance to train under premiere instructors like Bill Hayes (Shorin Ryu), Jody Paul (Motobu Udundi), and Miguel Ibarra (Aikijujitsu). But this year we also had the pleasure of hosting some of most senior Okinawa Kenpoka such as George Epps, Larry Isaac, Vic Coffin, and Al Louis (some of whom also brought senior students from their respective dojo). Put that together with the Heilmans and their Kyoshi and what you have is a gigantic soup of experience.

While all the teachers no doubt enjoyed reconnecting and sharing with each other, we (the students) were the lucky ones as we could not turn around without seeing or learning something interesting. I was in attendance for all three days and still couldn't attend a seminar by every instructor.

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If you find yourself training in a vacuum, constantly re-convincing yourself that you know enough and are the keeper of "the truth", I highly recommend making an effort to connect with other respectable martial artists. They can be within your own style, or from something completely different.

The key of course is to use such connections to enhance an already strong foundation. Being a seminar jumper or video collector without a core operating system results in a lot of surface level, superficial understanding. But, when done right, such experiences can help you keep that classical mindset of humility and curiosity.

Interview: Bill Hayes, “Old Student”, Okinawa Shobayashi-ryu Karate-do (Part 2)

Matthew — Wed, 25 May 2011 05:00:53 +0000

This is a continuation of the interview with Bill Hayes Sensei. Part 1 can be found here. Hayes Sensei is a senior practitioner of Shobayashi-Ryu Karate-do and a keeper of the old ways of Okinawan study. His personal experiences with Eizo Shimabukuro Sensei and the United States Marines (retired Major) have given him unique insight into the Ryukyuan Arts.

Hayes Sensei is a martial historian, subject matter expert for the U.S. Marines, and applications expert. He can often be found providing advice and insight to even the highest ranked instructors around the world. He refers to himself simply as "old student".

And now the conclusion of the interview.

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Broken Kata, Bunkai, and Allowable Differences

Hayes Sensei discusses how Eizo Shimabukuro Sensei would consider certain student's kata "broken". This often occurred after long periods of time away from training on Okinawa, and sometimes after the ego of the practitioner had gotten ahold of his art and changed it for the worse. Also discussed are the matters of bunkai, oyo bunkai, and tichiki, the varying levels of application of kata. The final topic is that of hacho, allowable differences in order to make karate unique and effective for each individual.
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Grandmaster Book, Hinkaku (Special Dignity), and the Power of Nature

There are very few texts available that accurately portray old style training of karate on Okinawa, and Hayes Sensei is the author of one of those books. My Journey With the Grandmaster provides us with a unique glimpse into the culture, training, and philosophy of "te" as Hayes Sensei intermingles personal stories with technical and historical knowledge. This book is not available via standard resell. If you are interested in acquiring a copy, please print out this order form or contact Hayes Sensei directly with a book request.

Also discussed in this video is the concept of Hinkaku, a special dignity that only the highest gentleman (or gentlewoman) karateka can attain. The last topic mentioned is the power of nature in our training, and how to integrate it with meaning.

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Diet, Wellness, and Longevity

The Okinawans have been studied for years due to their unusual longevity and quality of life. Okinawa is a Blue Zone, and a combination of fitness, diet, community, and low stress has created a society of virtually no crime and strong, happy living. Hayes Sensei has spent much of his life adopting the ways of the Okinawans and figuring out ways in which western culture might successfully integrate some of those "good ideas" and apply them in their own lives.
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Personal Regiment, Hojo Undo (Body Conditioning), and Your Vision for Karate

In this final video Hayes Sensei discusses his own personal training. He describes how training can change as one ages and improves in skill level. He also mentions how he utilizes hojo undo, the classical method of Okinawan body conditioning. The video is finished with a discussion regarding his vision for the Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karatedo Kenkyu Kai Shobayashi-Kan, and how he would like to positively effect those who train with him.

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Many thanks to Hayes Sensei for his participation in this interview and for his tireless efforts in spreading "the way"!

Interview: Bill Hayes, “Old Student”, Okinawa Shobayashi-ryu Karate-do (Part 1)

Matthew — Sat, 21 May 2011 18:25:32 +0000

I'm very pleased to present this interview with Bill Hayes, Kyoshi of Shobayashi Karate-do. Hayes Sensei became a senior student of famed Okinawan instructor Eizo Shimabukuro and has worked diligently to pass along karate as it was originally taught to him over the course of multiple decades.

Hayes Sensei is a retired Major of the United States Marine Corps, having served two active tours of duty in Vietnam as well as three tours on Okinawa. He is often considered the "complete package" of Okinawan Karate, embodying Okinawan culture, diligent wellness, strong character, and technical transcendence.

Hayes Sensei is the author of the book "My Journey With the Grandmaster", a work not originally intended for public consumption but now a staple in many traditional artist's libraries. Hayes Sensei also publishes a quarterly newsletter containing rare bits of history and wisdom accrued over many years of research and study.

These days Hayes Sensei heads the Okinawa Shorin Ryu Karatedo Kenkyu Kai Shobayashi-Kan, a semi-private research group that he uses to guide students in a very personal way that mirrors the core essence of his original training on Okinawa.

I recently had the chance to sit down with Hayes Sensei and ask him a wide variety of questions, ranging from his personal experiences to matters of technique, as well as philosophical issues in present day training. I hope you enjoy the following videos, broken into topical sections.

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Beginnings, and Training with Eizo Shimabukuro OSensei

In the first video I ask Hayes Sensei to explain how he originally became interested in martial arts training. We go on to explore his original tours of duty in Vietnam and how they introduced him to the island of Okinawa. Also discussed is how Hayes Sensei originally met Eizo Shimabukuro, and what about OSensei made him so special.
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Karate Influences and Learning Theory, Meeting Korean "Tae Kwon Do"

Hayes Sensei explores some of his karate influences, as well as explaining how learning changes and adapts over the course of many years. Also discussed is some of Hayes Sensei's travels to Okinawa and Japan, as well as training and teaching with South Korean Marines in Vietnam.
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Okinawa Evolves, The Tournament Scene, and the Development of MCMAP

In this video Hayes Sensei explains how he has seen Okinawa evolve over the years, and how certain "pipelines" of karate are fading away. Hayes Sensei also discusses his involvement with tournaments in the early days, and how he gained a reputation as a top tier Sai practitioner. The video is concluded with a discussion on Hayes Sensei's involvement with the development of MCMAP, the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.
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5 Questions in 5 Days

Matthew — Wed, 04 May 2011 02:03:52 +0000

Let's do something new and interesting! I'm looking to take 5 questions and answer one per day all next week. This will give you a chance to get a fresh perspective on an issue you've been pondering over, and me a chance to address some matters I may not have thought to cover.

The specific subject matter is up to you. It can be related to kobudo, philosophy, training, karate, mindset, the blog...pretty much anything you've been wondering about.

Leave your question in the comment section below or toss it up on facebook. I'd like to gather as many as I can so I have a healthy variety to choose from.

Drum Beats in the Cherry Blossoms

Matthew — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 03:53:56 +0000

When you think of Philadelphia, your mind is not instantly transported to scenes of natural beauty. In fact, the city is pretty rough. But just on the outskirts of town lies Fairmount Park, an unusual escape that features some of the finest Cherry Blossoms on the East Coast.

Every year a Cherry Blossom Festival is held in Fairmount, with the highlight of the weekend being "Sakura Sunday". Sakura is the Japanese term for Cherry Blossom, and the day features events that span all manner of Japanese culture.

As you might suspect, there is no shortage of vendor booths and anime stands. These are fun to peruse, but what makes Sakura Sunday worth the visit (at least for me), is the more traditional cultural aspects.

Among the Cherry Blossoms lies Shofuso, the authentic Japanese home and garden.

I was able to take a tour of the house, which they have recreated with original implements and decorations, minimal though they were.

One particularly interesting piece was in the kitchen. Hanging above the cooking area was a basket attached to a long bamboo rod. While you might think this was for fruit storage, it was in fact used as a mode of transportation for the important man of the household.

Such carriages would increase in size and decor over time, eventually becoming elaborately enclosed compartments.

There were a few other worthwhile events, including Ikebana and Go. Unfortunately, it can be difficult paying proper attention to everything while still seeing the bulk of what the festival has to offer.

This year's main attraction was phenomenal, and would have made the trip worthwhile all on it's own. The Tamagawa Drum and Dance Troupe is one of the top Taiko drumming groups in all of Japan. They are highly dedicated students who not only preserve their art form, but work to incorporate creativity and personality into every performance.

The troupe is split between equally skilled men and women. The men create thundering drum beats that are both powerful and graceful. The women conduct complex dance patterns that mix traditional folk dance with modern interpretations and skillful theatrics.

Perhaps most noticeable about the troupe is the genuine emotion and joyful intensity that they exude. For example, when the leading drummer steps to the front of the stage, and in broken English declares that he is very happy to be performing for everyone, you simply believe him. And when the troupe kiais in unison you can feel their comradery.

I was able to capture small samples of both the drummers and the dancers for your enjoyment. First, the drummers:

The Cherry Blossoms made for an outstanding backdrop. As the drummers jumped and swung their sticks, they would occassional dash against a wayward branch, causing leaves to fall as they played.

Here are the dancers who accompanied and interluded the drum play:

The drumming and dancing were both highly structured and well executed, but there was still opportunity for creative expression by each practitioner. You could detect hints of their personalities shining through in small movements and expressions.

Much of the festival was dedicated to the struggles still going on in Japan. Tamagawa University desired to show that the Japanese people were resilient, and their spirits unbroken. Hence the continued performances and strong desire to take joy from such positive events.

Martial Artist: Work in Progress

Matthew — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 03:36:11 +0000

During some random internet task I stumbled onto a fairly common image. It's certainly nothing unique or even interesting, and yet I feel like it possesses a special quality for martial artists. After all, could anything be more aptly descriptive of the process of following a martial way?

You've probably seen the 'work in progress' figure attached to websites, work sites, etc.

As we continue to endeavor in our martial arts,we realize the endless cycle of self analysis and improvement that comes with training. That mindset of laborious persistence is key to long term success in the arts, and we must therefore always be a work in progress.

Perhaps simply emblazoning this figure across our gi might be a more worthwhile patch than any modern sponsorship, advertisement, or world championship logo...

I thought this was a pretty fun concept, but then a few voices of wisdom on facebook took it a step further. They suggested martial art specific versions! So without further adieu, for your viewing pleasure:

Guest Post: The Birth of Sai from the Mists of Mythology

Matthew — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 07:08:43 +0000

This is a guest post from one of my primary instructors, Rick Zondlo. Zondlo Sensei is a senior practitioner of Okinawa Kenpo Karate Kobudo and avid student of Japanese Budo and Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu Swordsmanship. The historical development and live application of weapons is a specialty of his, and I am very pleased to share some of his work here! In a recent video, I discussed how sai might have arrived on Okinawa and in what ways sai concept could be useful to modern practitioners. In this article, Zondlo Sensei takes us back even further into the annals of history. He digs into not only the Chinese and Japanese developments of the weapon, but the potential Buddhist and Indian influences that could have inspired the original developers of the sai shape and function. He also discusses how mythology could have played a role in the cultural significance of the weapon. He begins in India... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Consider the Vajra, or Thunderbolt, a sanskrit term which means "the hard or mighty one". The Vajra symbolizes impenetrableness; an indestructible state of Enlightenment of Buddha. The Tibetan version Dorje means "indestructible hardness and brilliance like a diamond", which cannot be cut or broken. The Vajra or Dorje thunderbolt has open prongs attached to a middle handle on each end and is a symbol of Varjayana Buddhism. In ancient Hinduism the Vajra as a thunderbolt became the chief weapon of the Vedic 'King of Gods' Indra. According to legend, Indra’s Thunderbolt was made out of the bones of the great Rishi Dadhichi who was decapitated by Indra in sacrifice. Dadhhichi's skull bones gave Indra the most powerful of weapons; by its astounding energy he defeated many enemy demons. According to Buddhist legend, Buddha Shakyamuni took the Vajra weapon from Indra and forced the destructive, fully open prongs together. Thus forming the peaceful Buddhist scepter with closed prongs. Now take a look at the Sai. If you had the pleasure of seeing a real Sai it is forged out of Iron and not of steel or some other tubular metal substances used to make it lighter and more cost effective. Classical sai are hefty but forged in a way that is balanced for the owners hand measurements and strength. Also, the prongs or Kagi (Japanese for hook) are forged into the center blade with a tighter curve and not welded on and buffed to a gleaming shine to hide the weld, what a expert in metallurgy or sword smith would call a weak area or flaw in the design. The center blade at the base is a little bit thicker and seems stronger and longer like a lightning rod that will suck down any power from it's tip into it's ensnaring waiting hooks. Holding an Iron Sai and training with it is very hard but it holds a remarkably different feeling of balanced power and strength. When one wields it, it seems virtually indestructible, like the Vajra or the Mikkyo Kongo. Some say this is where the design of power and indestructibility in the Sai was developed from. What do you think? Now consider the Manji. In Buddhist scripture the Manji means "whirlwind", and also represents the Indian Monk Bohidharma, Daruma in Japanese, Ta-Mo in Chinese. Bohidharma is said to have taught in the famous monastery Shaolin, founded in 495 in the Henan district in the northern province of China. For centuries the Shaolin temple was the center for over 400 varieties of Chinese Boxing. It is understood that here, the word "boxing" has a meaning for many manner of movement, including slow, internal methods like T’ai-Chi (Taiji Quan). When considering the manji symbol itself, the reverse "swastika" style mon is made up of several elements:

a vertical axis that represents the connection of Heaven and Earth
a horizontal axis that represents the connection of Yin and Yang
four arms connected to these axis to represent movement, the Whirling Force created by the interaction of these elements.

A related symbol to this whirling motion of elements is the Okinawa Tomoe mon. The Manji symbol, when facing left Omote (front), represents Love and Mercy. when facing right Ura (rear) represents Strength and Intelligence. The Manji Sai has a long history in China and Okinawa. Taira Shinken studied Sai, from 1934 to 1940 under Mabuni Kenwa’s close supervision in Gunma Prefecture. Allegedly Taira Shinken is credited with the development and invention of the Manji Sai. Upon going to a Buddhist Temple to pray for the opening of his new dojo in Gunma Prefecture, Taira saw a large Manji at the Temple and was impressed and thought of its shape and saw that there was a weapon hidden in it's form. He saw no matter which way it was thrown that one of the legs or prongs would stick. Upon his return to his Dojo he quickly laid out preparations for it's development and making. He is also credited for it's technical techniques of thrusting and throwing, and the kata form, "Jigen No Sai". It is interesting to note, the Kanji that Taira uses for the kata "Jigen No Sai" can be translated as "The Foundation of Love and Compassion". Taira’s choice of kanji may be due to the way the form of the Buddhist Manji symbol faces. Matayoshi Shinko, in his second trip to Manchuria from the demonstration given in Tokyo, went to Shanghai and studied under Kinkoroushi Kingai and learned different Chinese weapons, one which is the "Nunte". The Nunte is the Manji Sai mounted into a Roku Shaku Bo, (or six foot staff). The Form Matayoshi’s style is credited for is just called "Nunte". According to Matayoshi, the name implies "Piercing Hand".

The Mind and Spirit of Weapons Use

What it all comes down to is that most martial arts students who practice weapons only practice what is required by the curriculum of the school or style they are learning, and seldom learn more than the surface of what they see. In each weapon there is a deeper meaning, a hidden devastating power derived from generations of development. Yet there is no way to deny there are Religious, Spiritual, Aesthetic, Ancient beliefs and values that go along with the development and knowledge of the implement. Understand the context of the time. These are feudal weapons and caring religiously for them kept the warrior or soldier alive on the battle field or in private combat. Today’s modern warrior and soldier might consider his rifle or weapon his life force which can decide his fate. Yes, there is the “Do” aspect of training with a weapon. One bases his perfection of self through the mind and body by kata, through thoroughness and depth with ones inner self to arrive at a peaceful state of mind, upon which comes tranquility and leads to enlightenment (which is the ultimate purpose in modern training). But training has its “Yin and Yang” or in Japanese, “ In and Yo”. Weapons were created to destroy, and to complete the balance of training one must know how to destroy. Budo defines justice and morality based on the Confucian Five Constant Virtues: Benevolence (Jin) righteousness (Gi) propriety (Rei) wisdom (Chi) ,and Trust and Faith (Shin). But Budo is not concerned with morality alone, for if morals are not accompanied by techniques and there is no virtuous man behind that technique, it will invariably produce chaos. The moral self appears when one faces adversity, to bear hardships calmly, to make desperate efforts to persist in training and make correct judgments. It is a system of character building; a blend of ethics of Zen, Confucianism, and Taoism toned by the severity of Bushido. One must know the difference and keep balance and mind in check. To destroy is a harsh reality. If you ever read some of the passages of “Art of War”, "Hagakure", or "Budoshoshinshu" you'll know that a warrior must make harsh decisions to maintain Peace. This why so many warriors looked for other outlets to calm the mind and keep them from insanity. I will leave you with one last axiom to think about. If you delve deeply into it, it speaks clearly for all weapons training, sai or otherwise. Katana wa Bushi no Tamashii! The Sword is the Soul of the Samurai!