cranekarateacademy

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The 10 Precepts of Anko Itosu

In 1908, Anko Itosu, the Okinawan master responsible for introducing karate to schools on Okinawa, wrote a letter in which laid out 10 precepts for the study of karate. The precepts remain relevant to our study today and highlight that there is a difference between the child's art taught in schools (and often the foundation of the arts taught in the US), and the deeper meaning and intent of Okinawan karate. Itosu was a direct student of Bushi Matsumura, the founder of the Shorin Ryu and Hakutsuru systems.

Note, there is some historical context necessary to understand some of Itosu's points. When he started teaching karate in schools, the intent was to improve the health of students and to provide a clear and efficient path to those students joining the Japanese military - which was important at that point in Japan's history.

Below is the translation of the relevant part of Itosu's 1908 letter.

Karate did not develop from Buddhism or Confucianism. In the past the Shorin-ryu school and the Shorei-ryu school were brought to Okinawa from China . Both of these schools have strong points and I therefore list them below just as they are without embellishment.

 1. Karate is not merely practiced for your own benefit; it can be used to protect one's family or master. It is not intended to be used against a single assailant but instead as a way of avoiding injury by using the hands and feet should one by any chance be confronted by a villain or ruffian.

 2. The purpose of karate is to make the muscles and bones hard as rock and to use the hands and legs as spears. If children were to begin training naturally in military prowess while in elementary school, then they would be well suited for military service. Remember the words attributed to the Duke of Wellington after he defeated Napoleon, "Today's battle was won on the playing fields of our schools".

 3. Karate cannot be quickly learned. Like a slow moving bull, it eventually travels a thousand leagues. If one trains diligently for one or two hours every day, then in three or four years one will see a change in physique. Those who train in this fashion will discover the deeper principles of karate.

 4. In karate, training of the hands and feet are important, so you should train thoroughly with a sheaf of straw (#). In order to do this, drop your shoulders, open your lungs, muster your strength, grip the floor with your feet, and concentrate your energy into your lower abdomen. Practice using each arm one to two hundred times each day.

 5. When you practice the stances of karate, be sure to keep your back straight, lower your shoulders, put strength in your legs, stand firmly, and drop your energy into your lower abdomen.

 6. Practice each of the techniques of karate repeatedly. Learn the explanations of every technique well, and decide when and in what manner to apply them when needed. Enter, counter, withdraw is the rule for torite.

 7. You must decide if karate is for your health or to aid your duty.

 8. When you train, do so as if on the battlefield. Your eyes should glare, shoulders drop, and body harden. You should always train with intensity and spirit as if actually facing the enemy, and in this way you will naturally be ready.

 9. If you use up your strength to excess in karate training, this will cause you to lose the energy in your lower abdomen and will be harmful to your body. Your face and eyes will turn red. Be careful to control your training.

 10. In the past, many masters of karate have enjoyed long lives. Karate aids in developing the bones and muscles. It helps the digestion as well as the circulation. If karate should be introduced, beginning in the elementary schools, then we will produce many men each capable of defeating ten assailants.

If the students at teacher training college learn karate in accordance with the above precepts and then, after graduation, disseminate this to elementary schools in all regions, within 10 years karate will spread all over Okinawa and to mainland Japan. Karate will therefore make a great contribution to our military. I hope you will seriously consider what I have written here - Anko Itosu, October 1908

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Kata: The Heart of Karate

Many newly developed forms of self-defense / combat sports de-emphasize or outright attack traditional kata’s applicability in modern times. This viewpoint is simply not true and reflects a general lack of understanding of kata, how to practice it, and why we practice it.  

Kata truly is the heart of karate as it teaches us self-discipline, how to breath, functions as a catalog of all of the techniques of the system we practice, gives us an opportunity to practice outside of the dojo, and finally teaches us the lesson of life-long self-improvement and pursuit of mastery.  Kata polishes the mind, spirit, and body all at the same time.  

Kata is not meant to be taken linearly.  As you practice, break down the specific sections and explore how each of the groups of movements can be applied.  Watch videos of MMA bouts and note how often you’ll see the techniques from kata (sloppily) applied - it is often.  There are only so many ways the human body can (or maybe can’t!) bend.

Another thing to consider - having a deep mastery of a few kata is much more important than having limited knowledge of many.  For example, Motobu Chōki famously focused his training on kumite (fighting), makiwara practice, and the Naihanchi kata (though he also taught Wanshu, Seisan, and Passai katas). He had mastered the Naihanchi system and became famous for being one of the finest fighters on Okinawa (and to a degree, Japan).  

Additionally, it is important to know that karate was not created with as many kata as exist in each system today.  Rather, individuals learned and taught a small number of forms that were complimentary.  As students studied under different masters and learned the forms those masters practiced, the number of kata in each system grew.  However many kata you know, you should have 3 forms that you consider your own and work to deeply understand.  These will become the foundation of how you respond to an attack.  Also know that certain kata naturally go together and inherently represent full systems of fighting.  For example, the three Naihanchi kata represent one full system of fighting. Wanshu, Ananku, and Seisan are another full system. And so are the Pinan katas.

In Okinawa’s oral and written history, there are many stories that teach lessons on karate.  I’ve included three here that are particularly poignant and worth reading.

Story 1: In karate, one does not make the first move

The basis of kata is in the concept "Karate ni sente nashi," literally translated, "In karate, one does not make the first move”. All kata begin with defense and end with defense. The kata instills the belief that the true karateka never strikes first, and never strikes in anger.

During the Satsuma occupation of Okinawa, a Japanese samurai, who had lent money to a fisherman, made a trip on collection day to Itoman Province where the fisherman lived. Unable to pay, the poor fisherman fled and tried to hide from the samurai, who was famous for his short temper. The samurai went to the fisherman's home and, not locating him there, made a search of the town. As his search for the fisherman proved fruitless, the samurai grew furious. Finally, at twilight, he came across the fisherman cowering under an overhanging cliff. In anger, he drew his sword. "What do you have to say?" he shouted.

The fisherman replied, "Before you kill me, I want to make a statement. Can you grant me this humble request?”

The samurai said, "You ingrate! I lent you money when you needed it and also gave you a year to pay, and this is how you repay me. Out with it, before I change my mind."

"I'm sorry," the fisherman said. "What I want to say is this. I have just started to learn the art of the empty hand and the first thing I learned was the precept: 'If your hand goes forth, withhold your temper; if your temper goes forth, withhold your hand.

The samurai was astounded to hear this from the lips of this simple fisherman. He put his sword back into its scabbard and said, "Well, you are right. But remember this, I shall be back one year from today, and you had better have the money ready.” Thereupon, he left.

Night had fallen when the samurai returned home and, as was the custom, he was ready to announce his return when he noticed a shaft of light streaming from his bedroom through the door, which was slightly ajar.

He peered intently from where he stood and could see his wife sleeping and the faint outline of someone sleeping next to her. He was startled and exploded in anger as he realized it was a samurai. 

He drew his sword and stealthily crept towards the room. He lifted his sword and was ready to charge into the room when the words of the fisherman came to him. "If your hand goes forth, withhold your temper. If your temper goes forth, withhold your hand.”

He went back to the entrance and said in a loud voice, "I have returned." His wife got up, opened the door and came out with his mother to greet him. His mother had his clothes on. She had put on his samurai clothes to frighten away intruders in his absence.

The year passed quickly and, come collection day, the samurai made the long trip again. The fisherman was waiting for him. As the samurai approached his home, the fisherman ran out and said, "I had a good year. Here is what I owe you and interest besides. I don't know how to thank you."

The samurai put his hand on the fisherman's shoulder and said, "Keep the money. You do not owe me anything. I owe you."

Story 2: The morality of karate

After World War Two, during the occupation of Japan, residents of a quiet street in Osaka were startled to hear the cries of men in anger and the anguish of a man in pain. It was early morning.

The people streamed out of their homes to find the source of the commotion. They stopped as they saw seven drunken foreigners beating up a native Japanese. The native was on the ground, bleeding.

"Please help me!" the beaten one yelled.

No one made a move. Japan had just lost the war, and the Osakans were afraid of retaliation from the occupation authorities if they interfered in an altercation involving foreigners. They watched helplessly as the drunks continued the beating.

Suddenly, someone pushed the drunks aside, lifted the badly beaten man, took him to the edge of the crowd and said, "Take this man to a hospital, quickly." Then he turned to face the drunks.

The drunks exploded in frustrated anger and attacked the lone samaritan. They punched and pushed the man around, venting their hostility and outrage on the man they considered a spoilsport. They tried their best to knock the man to the ground in order to kick him, but the man did not go down. He bled from his nose, and a small trickle of blood came out of his mouth. Otherwise, he was unhurt. He stood calmly and watched the seven men pound his body.

"Why doesn't he fight back? It is obvious he can take their blows. They may as well punch an oak tree for all the damage they are doing. They are like children milling around a grown man," the people muttered among themselves.

One by one, the drunks realized that they were not making any headway against this man. They suddenly realized their fun was gone. The man was smiling as if to say, "Now little boys, don't you think the game is over? Go on home.'

The seven stopped punching and slowly backed away from the man. They could not take their eyes off him. Fear set in. They looked at the crowd, suddenly panicked and fled.

The man, who was the recipient of the unprovoked beating by the seven, calmly wiped the trickle of blood from his nose and turned to the crowd. He bowed and calmly left.

In the crowd, a young man who had watched the whole scene, turned to the elderly man who was standing next to him and said, "Sensei, I recognize him. He is a karate sensei. He could have finished up the seven. I wonder why he let them beat on him like that?"

"You saw an example of the morality of karate. He knew the seven would have killed the poor man they were attacking, and he let them beat on him and vent their rage because he could take their blows."

Story 3: Kuwada’s story

The achievement of self-perfection is more important to the martial artist who possesses it than his physical and technical ability.

Kata takes great faith, tenacity and hard work to master. Every time one practices the kata, his first move and his last move remind him of "karate ni sente nashi." It is stressed incessantly. "In karate, there is no advantage in the first attack."

The kata also has another advantage. In sports, there are physical adversaries. Without the adversary, a set of rules, judges and arbitrators, there is no contest.

The kata in itself is a teacher forever. One does not have to go to a dojo except to be under the eye of a sensei whose function is to see that one is going in the right direction.

However, many believe the kata is meaningless, probably because their first exposure to karate was in mere technique and the realm of physical fighting. Where the morality of karate is missing, there is no karate.

There once was such a man. Let us call him Kuwada.

Kuwada had begun martial arts training with the desire of becoming feared by all men. But he soon discovered there was no short-cut to his transformation into a master.

Discouraged by the incessant kata training, Kuwada asked his sensei, "When are we going to learn something else? I've been here for quite some time, and it's kata, kata, kata, every day."

When his sensei gave no reply, Kuwada went to the assistant to the master and made the same inquiry. He was told, "The kata training is to polish your mind. It is better to shave your mind than your head. Understand?"

Kuwada did not understand, and in protest, he left the dojo, embarking on a notorious career as the best street fighter in Shuri. He was tough. No doubt about it. "A fight a night" was Kuwada's motto, and he often bragged, "I'm not afraid of a living man."

One night, Kuwada eyed a stranger walking calmly alongside a stone wall. It irritated Kuwada to see such composure in a person. He ran to the cross section of the road and waited for the man to pass.

When he did, Kuwada jumped out and threw a punch, but the man avoided the blow and grabbed Kuwada's arm. As he pulled Kuwada toward him, the man calmly stared into his eyes. Kuwada tried to pull away, but he could not. For the first time in his life, Kuwada felt a strange emotion-fear of defeat.

When the man let him go, Kuwada ran, but he glanced back to see the man calmly walk away as if nothing had happened. Kuwada later discovered the man was a master of kata; a martial artist who had never engaged in a fight in his life.

He who conquers himself is the greatest warrior. This is the highest of platitudes for the karate master.

[cranekarateacademy]

Week 3-4: Post-op Achilles Recovery and Mindfulness

I skipped a week and I’m sorry about that. Since I last gave an update, I had my stitches removed, started physical therapy, and returned to work spending the last week working from my home office. I’ve not missed any training (conditioning) days and my pain is managed with Turmeric. 

I can stand and fully weight bear in the walking boot! I can also get up from the floor without crutches and I’m able to hobble around on my leg. In terms of improving mobility, I’ve started walking with a single crutch and exploring what walking with a cane feels like. 

All signs point to my recovery going about as well as it possibly could. This coming Thursday, I have another post-op appointment where I expect the doctor to adjust my plantar flection from the 30 degrees it is currently at down to 20%, which will make hobble-walking much easier.  

In August, I’m starting private lessons again with my teacher and will be working on self-defenses from standing and sitting positions as well as going deep on my basics to take them to the next level while I can’t work kata. Additionally, I’ve ordered myself a Muk Jong. It is different than anything I would normally use as a karate practitioner, however I intend to use it to develop my flow as well as work on arm conditioning and striking focus. Rather than viewing this time as a loss, I’ve chosen to focus on it as an opportunity to work techniques and areas that I might have otherwise neglected as well as to explore new tools and ways of supplementing my training. 

In addition to my physical training, I’ve continued reading, learning, and practicing the exercises in The Warrior’s Meditation and have noticed concrete improvements in my ability to deal with stress and work demands with a sense of calm awareness. My wife and I had a supportive conversation and she observed a change in my demeanor as I have progressed through and internalized the material. 

I remain determined to come out of this experience a stronger martial artist and a better person than before I was injured. 

[cranekarateacademy]

Update: Week 2 Achilles rupture surgery and mindfulness

Overall, I would say I’m doing well. I’m working my way through The Warrior’s Meditation and have learned an awesome vagal breathing technique that really helps with getting to a state of calm awareness, fast:

https://richardlhaight.com/vagal/

I’m in much better spirits and have learned that noticing and naming emotions go a long way to blunting their effect while allowing you to respond to them much more constructively than you normally might.  I’ve continued my exercise routine and have continued to improve my core and upper body conditioning. I think my weight loss has slowed a bit but feels sustainable. My clothes fit better and I am stronger than before I ruptured my Achilles. I learned that you can always train and there is always something to improve, whatever the circumstances.  

The doctor called on Wednesday and asked me to come in to have my stiches looked at before the holiday weekend. I ended up going on Thursday and it turns out that the stiches are healing great, my tendon is attached to the bone, it is connected on both sides, and everything appears to be progressing about as well as it possibly could. I’m no longer in constant pain and am to a place where it comes and goes. I’m more or less managing it with Tylenol at this point. Most importantly, my spirits are lifted, I’m getting around better, I’m optimistic for a full recovery with no complications, and am very much looking forward to getting back to kata.

Disaster nearly struck Saturday evening coming home from dinner in a rain storm. We had a friend visit from out of town (planned well before my injury). I had checked with my doctor to confirm that I can go out to dinner over the weekend and was given the all clear given that I was transitioned into a cast when my wound was checked and my pain was managed. On the way home from dinner, one of my crutches slipped on a wet wooden stair leading up to our house and I fell. I very easily could have reinjured myself or worse yet - injured something else. Instead, my body instinctively reacted and my training took over. My fall took the form of a roll onto our deck from the steps. I released both crutches, tucked my head, rolled, and absorbed the impact on my body with my arms slapping out to absorb any remaining impact. I protected my ankle/cast the entire time. My first Sensei taught us that they way we train in the dojo is how we will react in the street. This is true and something we should always be mindful of in our training.

While scary, I’m extremely happy with both the outcome and how I responded to the fall in the moment. The real lesson here is that however safe and confident we might feel, there is always risk. Mindfulness is important, particularly so when you are injured or stakes are otherwise really high. I’ll be making a concerted effort in the coming weeks to be more calmly aware of how I’m feeling (physically and mentally) and of my environment (physical or otherwise) with more deliberate thought guiding my actions based on awareness.  

On the 8th, I go in to have my stitches removed and transition into a walking boot where I can start bearing some weight on the leg. I’m really grateful to have made it as far as I have and for the support and love of my wife (especially) and my family. Once I can stand, I’ll start working my basics back into my exercise routine and am thinking about getting a Wing Chun wooden dummy to be able to start working some conditioning and flow.

[cranekarateacademy]

Update: Week 1 Achilles rupture surgery and Nintai

Honestly, I spent the vast majority of this week prone with my foot elevated above my heart, feeling sorry for myself. I’ve been in pain for nearly 3 weeks now and this last week has been grueling with little break from the monotony of lying on my back. Standing up results in my toes turning purple and my foot swelling up - the medical term is dependent rubor. My hope was that I would report attacking this week with a warrior’s calm, composed comportment. My reality involved lashing out at my wife who has been tirelessly caring for me, the house, and our kids punctuated by periods of exhaustion and sadness wrapped up in vulnerability and raw emotions.

I’ve had short periods of time during which I contemplated giving up on teaching and martial arts as a discipline. Doing so seemed easier than the level of effort necessary to walk (or right now, crawling or dragging myself along) the full path back to health and karate practice.

The week has not been a total train wreck. I exercised before I left the day I had surgery. The only day I’ve missed some form of physical conditioning was the day immediately after surgery. My exercises have been between 15-30 minutes each day and have included:

Leg lifts

Side leg raises

Crunches (normal and sides)

Supermen

Planks

Pushups

Tricep dips

Slow straight leg sit ups from a prone position (arms out over head)

A whole host of sitting arm exercises (including rotations for shoulders)

A number of floor based yoga poses to maintain flexibility

Between my wife closely monitoring what I eat and my exercise routine, my weight has dropped, my muscle tone is improving, and I’m generally trimming up into fighting shape. Not exactly what you would expect to happen while lying around feeling sorry for yourself. But nonetheless, here I sit as living proof.

As well as I’m doing healing and with respect to physical health, my mental health is suffering. Normally, I “cope” by keeping myself busy enough to not have to deal with my feelings about anything, really. Now, I have nothing but time to think about and process my feelings and I have found that I lack the skills to effectively do that which has resulted in a week of more suffering than would have otherwise been necessary.

My wife has been nudging me on developing a practice in mindfulness. It’s something I’ve known I’ve needed to do for a long time and have thus far managed to avoid it. However, I need to heal fully and if I don’t take the plunge now, well - there will never be a better time.  

I have cultivated a meditation practice over the course of my training, but have never taken the step forward to mindfulness. I purchased The Warrior’s Meditation by Richard L. Haight and will be listening to it on Audible over the next week and instituting the practices I learn into daily life. I have no choices but forward stronger or spiraling down and I have chosen forward.

My teacher has a book out titled Nintai. Nintai is the Japanese word for perseverance.  In karate, we are taught that learning true patience and perseverance happens through learning to bear the unbearable. I’m giving myself a week to do just that - or at least make deeply meaningful progress. 

Failure is not an option. I have better shit to do than feel sorry for myself.

[cranekarateacademy]

On recovery and mastery

Two weeks ago, on June 7th, I ruptured my Achilles tendon while playing with my kids. This happened two weeks before I was scheduled to start teaching in-person classes at Ride the Wave Yoga and just as I was starting to feel like life was getting back to normal with respect to COVID. In the past I have had a shoulder dislocation and more than my fair share of bumps, bruises, strains, and sprains, but nothing ever like this.

I’m upset, angry, frustrated, and worried. I’m worried that I am going to forget parts of the 25 plus kata that I know and trained nearly every day. I’m worried that I’m not going to be able to take care of my family in the ways that I usually do and I’m worried about the extra burden my amazing wife will need to carry (who herself is just wrapping up a year of seeing patients through COVID as a psychologist in training and is exhausted). I’m worried that my 5 year old (who lived through all the weirdness and fear that is COVID) thinks I’m going to die despite whatever we tell him. I’m straight up angry that I’ve waited 30+ years to open my own dojo and now have to wait longer AND recover from an injury before attaining my dream. I’m burning through my sick time and vacation at work trying to take the time to properly heal, but the boredom is getting to me and I’m worried about what I am missing.  I’m not the kind of person who ever just sits around. I view time as a precious resource and something that once slips away, is gone forever. 

There is a small part of me that fears the worst. That I’ll face challenges to walking or returning to martial arts at all. I’m choosing to not indulge my lesser angels and instead am focusing on staying healthy, taking care of my family, returning to work, returning to training, and finally opening for in-person classes within 6 months.  

To keep myself honest and accountable, I’m going to blog my recovery and experiences in healing and getting through my days. Each Sunday, I’ll take time to reflect on the week and share where I’m at with respect to my goals, what I’ve accomplished, and how my recovery is going. I’ll talk through what I’m able to do, how I’m staying healthy, what the experience is like, and what my setbacks and wins were.  

To say this is a major adjustment would be an understatement. I find meaning in living a life of service and doing for others. Now, I can’t do for myself and need to rely on the kindness of others. I think part of the lesson in all of this is learning to do just that. It’s hard.

So far, I have not lost a day of training. To stay healthy, I’ve done a combination of floor and chair exercises that I can do without putting any weight on my leg. As it turns out, there is still a lot I (and others in the same boat as me) can do to stay healthy. Tricep dips, planks, supermen, all kinds of crunches, leg lifts, leg bicycling, arm circles, and stretches are possible. Every day is abs day. I’ve modified (reduced calories) my diet since I’m unable to do kata or hike/walk and coupled with the training, have actually lost weight and improved my muscle tone - all without being able to walk and bear any weight on my bad leg.

None of this has been easy. I’m exhausted all the time because my tendon is trying to heal. Not regular tired - exhausted. I need to rest before and after I do exercise or move too much. I get very tired after moving for short periods of time. I need to spend most of my time in a recliner with my leg elevated above my heart. If I don’t, my foot swells up. I struggle with pangs of pain and muscle cramping in my foot and calf. I feel like I’m not pulling my weight at home and work and that is immensely hard for me. I’m not my best self and my wife and kids need to deal with me as I work through sadness and anger while learning to better control my emotions under duress, accept help from others, and use this experience as a vehicle for personal growth.

Tomorrow, I go into surgery to repair my ruptured tendon. My first goal is to get through the surgery and get back to floor exercises as quickly as I safely can. From there, I’ll work towards standing, building strength, basics, walking, and finally kata. 

So, until next time - keep training hard...

[cranekarateacademy]

Training Principles, Maxims, and Thoughts on the Way

To start the new year right, I’ve pulled together what I view as the most important principles, maxims, and thoughts on the Way for martial artists. Many books on karate, strategy, and philosophy cover topics related to training and self-mastery. That material, coupled with years of experience and the excellent instruction I’ve received from my teachers forms the basis for this post. So, without further ado...

Training Principles

Train every day. This is important. Lose it if you don’t use it. Your black belt (and every belt in between) is part of a process and is not a destination. You need to continually train your body and mind to have them respond they way you’ll need them should the need ever arise.

The aim of karate is self-improvement, personal growth, and to cultivate noble character.  

Karate is only to be used for self-defense or to protect and preserve life. You should never attack others of your own initiative.  

Learning true patience lies in bearing the unbearable. 

Avoid fighting at all costs.  Sun Tzu writes that "The greatest victory is the one that which requires no battle.” Take this to heart as it applies to the street, the boardroom, and in our personal lives.

The ultimate aim of a karate student should be peaceful coexistence with all.

Include spiritual and trade and/or academic training in your life. This can be anything from becoming more involved in your church or learning more about eastern philosophy. Go deeper in your spiritual life. Learn something else new, as well. It could be a new trade or taking a new course. The way of the warrior is the two-fold way of pen and sword. Miyamoto Musashi wrote that you should learn the ways of all professions. A wise, tempered warrior is a good one.

They are human and so are you.

You can not develop your full potential while living in the trap of self-limitation.

You must discard self-limitation.

If they practice 3 times, you must practice 6.

Earnestly cultivate your mind as well as your body and believe in yourself.

A loose mind is one of the weakest points in karate.

Try to make progress always and don’t lose yourself.

Be moderate in your daily life.

Training can be thought of as the conflict within yourself which can only be won through self-discipline, hard training, and creative effort.

Maxims

Karate beings and ends with respect, Courtesy is foundational to martial arts, life, and a civil society. Never forget this.

Cleanliness: There can be no reformation of yourself with out keeping yourself clean and no keeping yourself clean without having your mind right.

Diligence: This is everything. Literally. Diligence easily compensates for lack of natural ability. Diligence is what allows a normal person to move a mountain. 

Train and live with humility.

Be calm in mind and swift in action.

It is important to drink and pursue other types of fun (in moderation).  The art of someone who takes themselves too seriously lacks flavor. 

One must be able to read, at a glance, the striking power any one person has. Again, this applies to the board room as much as it does to the street.  

Hints for Training

Practice hitting the vital areas and learn where they are. If you need to defend yourself, plan to end the conflict as quickly as possible - the longer it goes on, the longer your remain at risk.

Order of succession:  eyes -> feet -> hands  (This is how you should move/engage, always).

Begin your training with warm ups and stretching. I can’t overstate the importance of this. As a young person, stretching can help prevent training injuries. However, it becomes incredibly important as you approach middle age and older. It will literally mean the difference between being able to train and not.

On the Way of the Martial Artist

Do not think dishonestly.

The Way is in training.

Become acquainted of the way of every art.

Know the ways of all professions. 

Distinguish between gain and loss in worldly matters. 

Develop intuitive judgement and understanding for everything.

Perceive things which can not be seen.

Pay attention to even trifles.

Do nothing which is of no use.

In order to know the truth, one must experience it.

These lists represent a lifetime of reading and lessons and forms the basis of my own philosophy which I am sharing the spirit of teaching.  To learn more and go deeper, I would recommend the following reading:

Art of War, Sun Tzu

A Book of 5 Rings, Miyamoto Musashi

Okinawan Karate, Mark Bishop

The Essence of Okinawan Karate Do, Shoshin Nagamine

Karate My Art, Motobu Choki

Nintai - Philosophical Lessons in Okinawan Karate, Lawrence Mark Vellucci

Karate-Do My Way of Life, Gichin Funakoshi

Good riddance to 2020. Train hard and follow the path in 2021!

[cranekarateacademy]

On Women in the Martial Arts

I can’t believe I have the write this - it’s 2020, not 1920.  But here we are. 

Back in November, Firas Zahabi of Tristar Gym fame, explained on a podcast why he will not roll with women in BJJ. I’m honestly shocked at the story he told. In the podcast, he told the story of an interaction he had with a woman who tried to join his gym. He called the woman out because of an affair she had with an instructor at another gym and seemed to put more of the blame on her than her previous instructor who appeared to actually be the married one. He goes on to describe their exchange, stated that he would not teach her, and likely ended up ostracizing her in a martial arts community she could have been part of. There are real people who know both him and this woman and he chose to call her out in front of the world. 

In no uncertain terms, Firas owes the woman and women in martial arts more broadly an apology.  

To date, men still number in the vast majority of martial arts instructors. As instructors, we have a duty to conduct ourselves with the highest level of integrity and own up to it when we fail to live up to our own standards.  

We have an obligation to teach people how to defend themselves.  This is doubly important in the case of women and other underrepresented groups.  One in three women have experienced physical violence at the hands of an intimate partner. As men, we are inherently stronger and bigger. As martial arts instructors, the lessons we teach women have a high probability of being one day needed and can make a real difference in a woman’s life.

Teaching basics and techniques and having women partner with only women is not enough. Women need to understand the techniques that they may one day need to defend themselves, but more importantly, they need to know how it feels to use them against someone bigger and stronger and whether or not they can successfully use them. Male instructors are needed to teach and male students have a role to play in helping those lessons stick.

Everyone has a right to defend themselves - it is biologically hard wired into every living creature. The dojo is sacred and as teachers, our responsibility is to keep it that way and preserve its role as a safe place for people from different walks of life to better themselves and learn how to react when placed in a confrontational or violent situation.  

When an instructor starts a class, you are asked to clear your mind, leave whatever happened that day outside, and to focus on the training that lies ahead. All students are asked to treat each other respectfully and with intention on training. Students can be forgiven for periodically failing - it is part and parcel of learning. Instructors, however, are held to a higher standard. We’ve been doing this for longer and are entrusted to pass on our art safely and to the benefit of everyone in class equally.

As a woman, if you look at a dojo and the males do not want to train with you or are disrespectful, leave and try another school - there are good ones out there.

Men, we all need to do better. If you can not control your base impulses and emotions for one hour to train your students, you need to immediately stop teaching and become a student to learn what you failed learn the first time - the martial arts begin and end with respect.

[cranekarateacademy]

On Mastery, the Martial Arts, and Authenticity

Too often, you will hear someone claiming that a particular teacher is not “authentic” or otherwise unqualified as a result of not having spent a requisite number of decades or dollars with a particular system, teacher, or organization. This practice is extraordinarily common and has a deeply negative impact on the martial arts as a whole and practitioners individually. To understand why and see the right path forward, a short history lesson is in order.

Most forms of traditional karate can trace their origins back to China and made their way westward through Okinawa. On Okinawa, a traditional Chinese martial art (the name of which has been lost to history – or at least to me), merged with a local form of fighting called Te resulting in a new system of self-defense called Kara-Te (empty hand).  From there, several individuals (Gitchen Funakoshi being one of the most notable) migrated to mainland Japan where the style was adopted and again transformed. What was Shorin Ryu and was taught to Funakoshi a certain way was changed, adapted, and became a new system called Shotokan. By the mid-1900s, the single teacher that moved from China to Okinawa had spawned at least 100 different styles of karate. What happened next was even more interesting – karate and kung fu both jumped from their respective homes to Hawaii.

In the melting pot of Hawaii, a man named Ed Parker learned a form of Kenpo with grounding in Chinese boxing from William Chow.  Ed Parker had already earned a black belt in Judo and had experience with western boxing, as well.  Ed Parker moved to California and founded a style he called American Kenpo – blending circular and linear motions into a new, incredibly effective style.  Around that same time, another man took the Chinese art of Wing Chung and adopted it to his own philosophies ultimately founding a style called Jeet Kune Do.  That man was Bruce Lee.

Through the history of the martial arts, students have studied under different teachers, learned katas and pulled together the katas they liked and went on to teach those to their students. This is just as evident in modern times as it is in looking through the history of Okinawan Karate. Let’s consider the evidence. There are 5 Pinan kata and 3 Naihanchi kata. Different styles of Okinawan karate (even different branches of Shorin Ryu) teach different combinations of these kata. Some traditional styles even teach only one version of Naihanchi (Shodan). Hohan Soken, a direct student of Nabe Matsumora and founder of Matsumora Orthodox Shorin Ryu, taught Naihanchi Shodan, Naihanchi Nidan, Naihanchi Sandan, Pinan Shodan, Pinan Nidan, Passai Sho, Passai Dai, Chinto, Kusanku, Gojushiho, Sesan, Rohai Jo, Rohai Chu, Rohai Go, and Hatsukuru. One his students, Seiki Arakaki added the katas Fukyu Ichi and Fukyu Ni to teach high schoolers. Fukyu Ichi is the Gojo Ryu kata Gekisai Ichi. Katsuya Miyahira was a student of Chokki Motobu, Choshin Chibana, and Anbun Tokuda and a one-time president of the Kobayshi system of Shorin Ryu.  Katsuya taught the kata Naihanchi Shodan, Naihanchi Nidan, Naihanchi Sandan, Pinan Shodan, Pinan Sandan, Pinan Yondan, Pinan Godan, Passai Dai, Passai Sho, Kusanku Dai, Kusanku Sho, Chinto, Okan, Wanshu, Seisan, Jion, and Gojushiho.

Shotokan is a mainland Japanese adaptation of Okinawan Shorin Ryu with deeper stances (strongly advised against by traditional Okinawan teachers), more rigid movements, and katas that have been changed in name (Pinan to Heian, for example), style, and substance. Yet, these schools are some of the strictest with respect to not changing or evolving their system and preserving uninterrupted lineages – despite their style’s own origin and evolution.  

With all the variation between styles and even families within the same style, one must ask what is “authentic”?  To be clear, I am absolutely not suggesting that a person who has spent a little time here, a little time there, and crops up later teaching a mish-mash of techniques as their own “system” is qualified – they are not.  However, people move, lived experience has value, and teachers retire. Change is the only constant in life. A teacher with 10 years of experience in a single style and 20 spread out across others is arguably more qualified as an instructor than a teacher who has 30 years of experience in a single system. Both are good. Both have value. One has extremely deep knowledge in a particular system and is the guardian of a tradition. The other is an agent of change who integrates different teachings that they found to work well for them, grounded in expertise in a particular tradition.  

To close, Hohan Soken, the founder of Matsumora Orthodox Shorin Ryu was interviewed by Mark Bishop and relayed to him that “due to the commercialization of karate the students are encouraged to learn only the one style, resulting in too narrow a scope of training that could eventually lead to an overall stagnation of the fighting art”. Let us not let that happen.

[cranekarateacademy]

Practical Self-defense Against Habitual Acts of Violence

Karate traces is roots to China when, in the 6th century AD, a Buddhist monk named Bodhidharma traveled from India to the Shaolin temple in Henan Province. In working to spread the teachings of Buddha, the monk integrated the learning process of Buddhism with holistic exercise punctuated with defensive themes as a means of strengthening the body and defending oneself against the habitual acts of physical violence present in the world in which he lived. This historical perspective has been passed down to us via the Okinawan teacher Motobu Choki in his book Watashi no Karate-jutsu (Karate My Art) written in 1932.

Today, more than any time in recent memory, we live under the very real threat of habitual acts of physical violence be it domestic abuse at home, threats faced in the street, or threats of political or systemic violence facing each of us every day. While nearly 100 years have passed since Motobu Choki’s teachings, the basic human condition has persisted. We are still at risk of being physically or psychologically intimidated, being pushed, pulled, punched, choked, or grabbed by someone who may be larger, stronger, or otherwise hold some leverage over us in our lives.  

Karate practice continues to blend the practice of mindfulness with physical strengthening, cardiovascular conditioning, and the 3 primary pillars of self defense training: kata, kumite, and kihon. Through the practice of kihon, we learn the basics of how to stand, move, punch, block, and kick.  Kata takes those basics and organizes them into pre-set flows of movement that eventually create the muscle memory needed to respond to a variety of threats. Kumite (or sparring), teaches timing, distancing, and conditioning under controlled, but real, threats.  Taken holistically, karate provides a full system for building strength, discipline, confidence, and a practical set of skills necessary to defend yourself against the most common threats of violence you are likely to face and ultimately live a more peaceful life.

It is important to note that karate practice does not teach you how to fight or brawl and in fact discourages those behaviors. Sports like MMA or boxing are great outlets for fitness and confidence building, but lack the grounding in peace, discipline, and practical self-defense. In the case of an actual physical threat, you’ll want to have a set of skills that will allow you to end an attack quickly and decisively – the longer you are physically engaged, the higher the risk you face of having something go wrong. Keep this in mind as you consider your future training.  

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Why traditional martial arts?

Over the past 20 years, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and competitive full contact fighting using strikes, grappling, and ground fighting have enjoyed a surge in popularity while interest in traditional fighting arts (Karate, Kempo, Judo, Aikido, Kung Fu, etc.) have seen interest wane over this same period of time. The shift is unfortunate as there are many benefits to be gained from traditional martial arts. Both training methods have advantages and disadvantages, and this article will highlight both to give you all the information you need to decide which is right for you. There are several factors that you should consider when deciding including the age of the practitioner, your mental and physical goals, what kinds of situations you want to prepare for, and how well a style’s training methods align with your goals and limitations. 

People start training in the martial arts for a number of reasons. Some people do it for physical fitness, some do it to compete, and some to develop character and discipline. Both MMA and traditional fighting arts will help you to develop fitness, character, and discipline. Both types of training would position you to compete. MMA competition would be full contact and carry significant risk of injury while traditional arts generally use lighter contact and more protective gear. 

In your training, what situations do you want to prepare for?  If you are primarily training to compete in bouts or for fitness, MMA is a great path to follow. You’ll learn ground fighting techniques and develop an arsenal of vicious hand, leg, elbow, and knee strikes. You’ll develop speed and strength and learn to put your basics together for powerful combinations. However, if you want to train to defend yourself in a situation you might find yourself in on the street, MMA has a serious weakness. In a real life situation, the last place you want to find yourself is on the ground. As soon as you land on the ground, you can no longer effectively defend yourself from more than one attacker. Furthermore, if you are considerably smaller or weaker than your attacker, you will be at a life threatening disadvantage. There are no weight classes on the street. MMA will teach you to fight. Traditional martial arts will teach you to avoid conflict and quickly end it if you ever have no other choice. 

Both traditional styles and MMA include rigorous physical training and conditioning. MMA is significantly harder on the body than many traditional arts. Most MMA fighters end their careers within 10 years, many often sooner. This is not just because of the punishment fighters take in the ring. The hard work that goes into training takes a toll on your joints in many ways. Striking carries different risks than grappling which is different yet than kicking. In your 30s, your body can not handle what it could in your 20s. If you are not careful with your body in your 20s and 30s, your 40s, 50s and up will be significantly harder and you’ll be limited in what you can physically do. Traditional martial arts are meant to be practiced consistently, on a daily basis, over your lifespan. Furthermore, you’ll continue to find rewards as you train into old age.

Both MMA and traditional styles have immense benefits for any practitioner. Both styles will teach you to protect yourself while improving your physical and mental wellness.  MMA will be more demanding of your body and has a higher risk of injury. Traditional martial arts are meant to be practiced (and offer rich rewards) over a full lifespan.  Additionally, traditional arts are often better suited to street defense. When making your decisions, consider these factors and you’ll arrive at a choice that suits both you and your goals. 

Train hard and remember that the way you practice is the way you’ll respond in the street!