Power and Distance

I have been told power and distance are the two most important factors in Okinawan Kubudo. Why? If you look back the Okinawan's were devoid of weapons such as spears and swords.

If someone's got armor on, 3 foot razor blade, and you have a bo staff, it might be wise for you to keep your distance. Furthermore, dealing with an opponent who has armor on you had better hit hard.

Yet, there are two types of power; shoulder and hip power. Power that comes from the shoulder's versus the hips. One thing that I found interesting, is that Matayoshi studied chinese boxing as well as chinese acupuncture.

One thing I have heard is that some of I have studied are Tai Chish. Where as other's are hard. Perhaps this was by design. One thing on my research is that the system was put together for spiritual, mental, and physical development.

You make success easy by using your existing position or form as your springboard to future positions. Regular people tend to think negatively about their current situation. This negativity results in a sense of inadequacy and inferiority. Successful fighters see the unique value in their special position. Warriors are keenly aware of their own assets. Without a proper appreciation of your current position and form, you cannot advance that position, move forward, and master new forms.

The Ancient Bing-Fa: Martial Arts Strategy by Sun Tzu and Gary Gagliardi

I hear about kids being kidnapped, and I wonder if they knew how to defend themselves then it maybe there would be less of it going on. After all, if the child predators knew kids would put up a fight, they wouldn't likely go after children now would they? or they would be going after someone else.

No I don't expect kids to be kick an adults butt. But if a kid can learn to Kia, fight, there chances of survival are much better than getting in the car. It's sad that society is like that today. For example, if a kid was riding his bike, if he used his bike lock as a weapon to defend himself.

Blackbelt healer

Looks interesting, this blackbelt healer thing. Don't know though if it would stand up in my state or not. But interesting none the less.

A MA leadership Team guide

So I'm attempting to write a leadership team guide. If anyone is interested in reading please let me know and I will see what I can do about inviting them to the site.

24/7 online study course

Well, I saw this. Now with home study no waiting for video's to arrive. They just come online. To bad no escrima or kobudo.

Kobudo

I'm been doing some research into Okinawin Kobudo. It is hard to find good Okinawan Kobudo. Something interesting is that the founders put this together for the mental, physical, and spirtual development of their students. Also found it interesting they studied different weapon systems.

I have been told it would better to stick with one thing, then be a jack of all trades. One thing is I'm not an "professional" instructor. As much as I would love to do some things, I can't do everything.

One thing thing I like about kubudo is the variety of the weapons you learn. Each helps to develop a certain part of the body. Also practicing helps so that they only used to one.

Home Study programs

I once worked on a tai chi form, trying to teach it to myself. However, when I showed it to my instructor I had missed some angles as well as some other smaller details. For this reason I think onsite instruction is still a good idea.

However, it's not to say dvd's aren't a good supplement to regular training. I personally wonder how long until these home study programs have you start uploading the videos via the internet. Rather than send them through the mail. Less waiting time.

But stepping back from this, what if the people got together once a year for a two week period or maybe a week for some intense training. It would help to cement what they had learned. Hmm...

That looks cool, let's change it

It personally annoys me when someone either starts adding more to a form or changes something because "it looks cool". For one thing, these forms it's not respectful to the person who created the form. Second it takes years of experience to start to understand how something is put together. Third, if you call I pinion, but you change around the form around. It is no longer one pinion. It's something else. So it's misleading to call it one pinion when it's not. Fourth the tradition, these forms were passed down over the centuries.

Sure I know change is going to happen whether I like it or not. I'm also one for innovation, and improvement. I'm just not sure it's for the better.

If you want to change something. Then make up your own form. Call it what you like.

Summer camp

I was reading a martial arts book on teaching. It mentioned summer camps. I could see where taking the camp for a few days and having some intensive training with them could be benefital.

Something like that has to be done a year in advance. You need a trained medical person too. You need a location.

A demo team and weapons class

One thing I have been thinking about, is perhaps it would be better to teach people weapons in a demo team, rather than a dedicated class. One thing is if have some experience in demo team then they might learn faster in the class. Plus they don't have to pay for it. Another thing is kids have so much going on, if their grades drop then they got to cut back.

Rank System I've been thinking alot of the rank in the system. Even in a monastary, you have student, disciple, and master. Of course two there is the guy running the monastary too. I mean even if you don't have belts you still must break the curriculum down for beginners, intermediate, and advanced practioners. Yet then you have the karate systems with so many belts. Each belt you have too go through a belt test. Of course there are other systems, that give belts out after a few minutes of review. Then of course you have systems where you must compete for your belt. Other systems one must teach. Other systems, it's just how much money one puts down. Is it important to give back to the school? Yes, I feel it is. Yet there is also alot of work that doesn't involve teaching. So should it be a requirement to teach? I dont' know. I personally find teaching helps me reinforce what I already know. Also, what about people who are incharge of territories? For example, should someone who has two people who run schools under him, be the same as the guy who has four? Another question is the optimal size of the school. If you want to have a mega school, let's say a thousand students, or is forty student school better? Personally, from what i've seen over a hundred students it can be hard to keep track of people. So, I don't. Just some thoughts of mine.

Damascas Steel

Well saw this interesting article on Damacas Steel. Thought it might be interesting to some people.

The Blind Master

ideas for martial arts movies the blind master. Blinded by an accident as a child, he studies martial arts. Then one night he is attacked by a street gang. They follow him, and he must defend himself. One of them is severly injured whom he nurses back to health and becomes his student.

Centuries Catalog I was kind of disappointed some of the books I wanted were not in the new version of the century catalog. They were available last year so I guess I will have to go someplace else.

Michael Kwan I heard Michael Kwan pulled a groin muscle, and it will ruin her chance for gold. I've also heard she usually likes not warming up too much. Here's what I think happened, as an athlete gets older, it takes longer to warm up. If someone shows up and is used to a short warm up... well... I don't know the circumstances that well. But in the martial arts it's important to warmup well before training.

Music generating website

I found this site. It generates music to relax one person. One can choose between different sounds.