Engine design and Kata Training

Kata training gets a lot of bad press by folks that don't understand it. Gichin Funakoshi, the founder of Shotokan Karate stated that "if you don't put yourself in the Kata, then you'll only be moving around like a dancer with no purpose."

Funakoshi Sensei was a very smart man.

There's a three principle approach to Kata training in three Japanese words, Shu, Ha and Ri.

Shu is the first phase of training. This phase a person is "polishing" or practicing the movements exactly over and over again. Muscle memory type stuff.

The Ha phase is where you break those movements down and completely take them apart. It's like a student learning to build a car engine (Shu) over and over again, and then in the Ha phase, the student rips the engine apart over and over, looking at different ways to put the engine back in ways that would make it more effective.

The Ri phase is one of understanding why the engine was designed like it was and why it is applicable to your use. Also, there's an appreciation of why the designers of the engine did things they way they did. It's doesn't mean that you can't design your own engine at this phase, it means that you have appreciation and respect for the designers that came before you that taught you about engine design through your study.

Good training,
Joe

2010 - It's about time

2009 wasn't one of my "better" years. Professionally, I had to take a pay cut to save others within the Corporation from being let go. Philosophically, I have mixed emotions about what happened to my salary in helping others retain their jobs. I can argue both sides of the situation. Capitalism vs Socialism, Wall Street getting big payouts, all of the news headlines we all read during 2009 effected me in some way or another.

I'm glad it is a new year. I'm glad it is a new decade.

My priorities have shifted significantly.

I'm getting back to basics, keeping everything simple going forward.

I'm excited from a Martial Arts perspective as I will be more involved with the IUKF and George Mattson. George has been a pioneer in the Uechi-ryu world for a long time. Love him or hate him, George Sensei is one of those guys that put Uechi on the map and continues to do so.

I've heard from my friends in the larger Uechi-ryu Karate-do community that the Okikukai organization is going through another split. It's too bad. I question advanced stages of Karate study with ego, money and political power. Exactly what good Budo should not be.

I'm looking forward to working with my Coach Jake Steinmann this year in Muay Thai. I miss that guy. I miss having him yell at me too.

I'm grateful for Nate and Pat at MassBJJ letting me be part of the Academy there and look forward to seeing Professor Roberto Maia more this year too.

My small group of guys that work with me on Thursday nights are simply awesome. What a great work ethic and really an outstanding group of people. I want to say thank you to them for the inspiration they've given me through 2009.

I'm looking forward to working hard and seeing everyone.

There's a new Macaco fino in the house. He's hungry again!

Good training,
Joe

Styles make fights...what's your style?

"Styles make fights" is a famous saying in combat sports. A couple of questions pop into my head when I hear that phrase:

What is style?
How does a person know what his style is?
How do you work and develop your style?
How can you work your style when you are fighting?
How does a person's personality affect his style of fighting?
How should someone use his personality to develop his style?

Fighting is a physical game. However, fighting is a mental game too. There's a lot of psychology that goes on in the prep before the fight, the fight itself and after.

What is interesting, is many fighters do not take the time to self analyze what is their style of fighting. A lot of fighters don't know what their strengths and weaknesses are when it comes to their fighting skill. Maybe it comes from a need for the fighter to be confident. Maybe it comes from them just doing what they were told to do and not to question what was said to them. I don't know. There could be a lot of reasons.

What I do know is that it is important for the fighter to think about these questions and talk with their trainer and training partners about them. Your trainer can be a great help if he is objective in looking at you as a complete fighter. He also should know a little bit of what goes on in your head and not just how you can throw shots or tap someone out. It's a two way street that you and your trainer have to walk down together. You, as a fighter might not see things too clearly and think you should be doing something that just isn't going to be effective for you. It's your trainer's job to get you back on track and working with you so you can fully develop "your style" and be the best you can be. These questions help get both parties to start the dialogue and help with the fighters future growth.

Good training.

Overcoming your Fears...

From Stacia...

I am terrfied of deep water. That's right. Can't watch 'Shark Week" on the Discovery Channel...can't watch "The Abyss." I've even started to hyperventilate during the aforementioned film.

This summer, with the help of my outdoor-savvy little brother, I decided to conquer my fear of what lies beneath. So, with our sea kayak strapped to the top of his Jeep, we awoke at sunrise to launch into the mighty Atlantic. Initially, there was no opportunity to "showboat"...I did have to inform my brother that I was dreadfully close to vomiting. As time went on, however, not only did I overcome my fear of deep water, I came ashore to the high-fives and hoots of accomplishment from my brother.

That said, you'll still never find me on a Princess cruise. Not ever.

Fear takes many forms. Fear may overcome you the night before a big competition. It might envelop you the day you begin with a new trainer. Your fear might come in the form of a classroom full of new students or it might come in the form of walking out the front door of your house each morning.

Conquering your fear...no matter what it is...rewards you with a sense of empowerment, of invincibility, of vindication.

Honestly looking at yourself

One of the toughest things to do is to self assess your fighting skills. In the same light, self assessing anything that you do in life is difficult. Coaches, teachers and training partners can give you their objective perspective on what you need to do to improve but you don't have to take their advice. In fact, you can rationalize that their advice is not accurate because they don't really know what you are capabile of as an individual.

A lot of combat athletes do this type of rationalization.

One of the ways to self assess is to use the mirror. Look at yourself. Whether you are shadow boxing, shadow wrestling (Dan Gable did shadow wrestling) or practicing traditional Kata, the mirror can be a great training tool IF you use it honestly. Once you understand the correct body mechanics of the movement, you can self assess. A video camera is another great tool to assess your movement. The challenge is not to get caught up in "looking at yourself" but to study yourself as you would if you were someone else being objectively critical.

Improvement comes through hard work and effort, however that diligence has to be correct technically. The mirror and video camera are great resource in which to begin.

Good luck.

PS I just finished Joe Frazier's book, Box Like the Pros This book was fantastic. It was straightforward and easy to read and understand. The ideas he outlines in the book are easy to incorporate into your everyday workouts. Next time I'm in Philadelphia, I can't wait to get over to his gym and hit those bags!

It's a New Year!

The last several months have been very busy but very productive. We took some time to re-evaluate and start some new things. The Holidays were busy but they were great. We had some time to get away from our hectic schedules and to spend some time with the important people in our lives.

I've started to do a lot more cardio as of late. It's really been challenging but satisying. I can honestly admit that I don't enjoy the cardio as much as my martial arts training, but cardio really is extremely important if you want to be serious in your training.

Stacia has been doing a lot of Yoga. She's always practiced Yoga, however she's getting her Ashtanga Yoga certification this Spring. She'll be teaching Yoga classes in Lowell once she begins the process.

The room we practice in at Gary Card's Karate in Lowell has been remodeled. Gary Card has done an outstanding job in putting down a great floor and mirrors along the walls and we're very grateful for his enthusiasm. We're very excited to show our new students the space. It has a great feel.

Back Straight - that's all

"Keep your back straight" is so important and so simple that I take it for granted a lot of the time:

My mom used to tell me to stand up straight.

Master Takara of the Shoehei/Uechi-ryu school Stated the importance of keeping your back straight during Kata. He emphasised this directly when speaking to us once at my dojo in Lowell, MA about the Kata SanSeiRyu. He stated that there were 8 directions you moved in but your spine being straight was the connection between heaven and earth.

Tim Cartmell taught me the importance of body mechanics and the importance of your spine, using it as a great lever.

The great Brazilian Jiu Jitsu folks I've had the opportunity to train with always have told me to "posture up."

Sometimes, the most simple thing to do is the hardest to do.
Just keep your spine straight, that's all...

Good training,
Joe