“Karate-do is not only the acquisition of certain defensive skills, but also the mastering of the art of being a good and honest member of society.”
- Gichin Funakoshi
Dec 30, 2018
Member of society
“Karate-do is not only the acquisition of certain defensive skills, but also the mastering of the art of being a good and honest member of society.”
- Gichin Funakoshi
Dec 24, 2018
Defeat
Defeat is a state of mind; no one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as a reality.
Dec 21, 2018
Dec 19, 2018
Dec 18, 2018
Tai Chi Man kicks butt thanks to Tiger
(by Bruce Demara thestar.com 10-31-13)
Starring Tiger Hu Chen, Keanu Reeves. Directed by Keanu Reeves.
If you’re going to make a kick-ass martial arts movie, you’d better have a tiger on tap.
Keanu Reeves, making his directorial debut with Man of Tai Chi, has chosen wisely and well in selecting Tiger Hu Chen to play the hero. Without Chen in the lead role, Man of Tai Chi could easily have been chop-socky awful.
Dec 15, 2018
Dec 10, 2018
Dec 9, 2018
Dec 8, 2018
Dec 7, 2018
Dec 5, 2018
Dec 1, 2018
Ochi Sensei
Hideo Ochi Sensei (February 29th, 1940) is a Japanese master of karate. He is ranked 9th Dan, and is a former Japan Karate Association World Champion in kumite and kata.
1964:He passed all the tests, and in 1964 the JKA made him instructor for the honbu dojo (headquarters training hall) in Tokyo
1971:He was also coach (European Championship in 1971, 1972 and 1975) of the German national team and Chief Instructor for JKA Europe.
1993:In 1993, he founded the DJKB (Deutscher JKA-Karate Bund) as German branch of the JKA.
1997:In 1997, he received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
2011:In 2011 he gave his belt -which was almost white- to a boy blackbelt from Venezuela, when he asked Master Ochi for a picture for his birthday.
2016:In 2016, he was awarded 9th dan.
Nov 29, 2018
Nov 27, 2018
Nov 25, 2018
Man, You Come Right Out Of A Comic Book: The Unbelievable Life & Death Of Count Dante
In the early 1970s, the full-page martial arts instruction ads of Count Dante captured the imagination of a generation of comic book readers. But then, just two years after the mysterious death of Bruce Lee in 1973, this controversial fighter would also turn up dead under equally mysterious circumstances.
(by Paco Taylor medium.com)
It was in the early 1960s, way back in the day, that the popularity of Asia’s martial arts began an infectious spread across America’s then still divided racial and cultural landscape. In Los Angeles in 1961, Master Ark Wong of the Wah Que Studio became one of the first teachers of the martial arts to break the long observed “kung-fu color line,” which barred the teaching of China’s sacred fighting arts to anyone not of Chinese ancestry. Around that same time, Wong’s bold action was being mirrored by an unknown martial artist named Bruce Lee, who had started teaching kung fu to non-Chinese pupils at his Oakland, California studio.
But interest in martial arts was on the rise nationwide, and it was at this same time that the soon-to-be infamous martial artist known as Count Dante began teaching the karate techniques of Japan to the young roughnecks of Chicago.
Black Belt
A former US Marine and Ranger, Count Dante (born John Keehan) began the study and practice of the martial arts in the mid to late 1950s, training under Robert Trias, a former colonel in the US Army C.I.D. Reserves. Trias, who was credited with opening America’s very first karate school in 1946, was author of Hand is My Sword (1956), recognized as the first martial arts book published in the US.
Though trained primarily under Trias, Dante claimed to have also trained for a time at Bruce Lee’s studio around 1961 or 1962. A 7th dan black belt in karate, Dante was said to have been proficient not only in the Japanese, Chinese, and Okinawan open-hand fighting styles but also in judo, aikido, and still other fighting systems.
Count Dante was also an undefeated champion of numerous national kumite or freestyle fighting competitions, the only exception being a disqualification from the North American Championships, held at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
As early as 1964, while serving as the head instructor of Trias’ US Karate Association (USKA), Dante was lauded as being one of the top karate instructors in the United States by America’s premiere martial arts publication Black Belt. But he soon abandoned his position at the Trias organization under a heavy cloud of speculation. The fighter would later allege in an interview with Black Belt that the split with USKA was prompted by Trias’ “prejudicial bias” against his African-American students.
“It’s no secret that I have a great many blacks in my school,” the fighter reported. “That was the reason behind my rift with Robert Trias and the USKA. At that time, the USKA didn’t have any blacks in the organization, except mine, and Trias didn’t like that one bit. He even told me that I had promoted the second black in his organization. And, according to him, the first was by mistake. He told me that if he had known this fellow he had named a black belt in the Philippines was black he wouldn’t have done it. He told me that he slipped…the USKA did not award black belts to blacks.”
Acrimoniously separated from Trias, Dante would move on to become one of the principal organizers of what was then The World Karate Championships, and to also found the Imperial Academy of Fighting Arts and the Midwest Karate Yudanshakai.
In August of 1967, the popular fighter also promoted what was to be this nation’s first “full contact” martial arts tournament. And by competition’s end, he himself would be declared “Worlds Deadliest Fighting Master” by the World Federation of Fighting Arts Committee, for his (allegedly) having bested some of the world’s foremost martial arts masters in the no-holds- barred judo, boxing, wrestling, kung-fu, karate and aikido “death matches.”
But then, shockingly, Dante retired from the ring in 1968 and refused to take on any challenger for the coveted title that he soon widely publicize.
During his career, Dante authored a number of articles published by the martial arts magazines of the day, and three booklets, among them the widely advertised World’s Deadliest Fighting Secrets (1968), for which he was best known. Ads for the slim publication were seen by many in the pages of Marvel comics in the mid-1970s, where Dante was billed as the “Supreme Grand Master of the Black Dragon Fighting Society” and the “Deadliest Man Alive.”
On that pulse-pounding ad page, Dante loomed as a badass karate master. Garbed in a black martial arts gi, the fighter’s chiseled arms slithered menacingly from dark nothingness. His fighting stance was punctuated with fierce, fang-like fingers coiled tightly into the dreaded dim mak (death touch). Empty eyes bled down from sharply arched eyebrows, and a black beard, edged sideburns and a pointed widow’s peak ascended into the rounded crown of a faux Afro.
In early photographs that accompanied articles in martial arts magazines like Black Belt, Dante appeared with a much lighter and clean-cut visage than the dramatic image presented in ads for the Worlds Deadliest Fighting Secrets. Surprisingly handsome for a fighter, Dante’s face exuded a boyish, even innocent quality. But under that visage lurked a violent mind that proved Dante to be much more like a wolf in a sheep’s clothing than the guitless boy next door.
Deadly Hands of Count Dante
According to writer Massad Ayoob, Dante held an “obscene fascination” with the most brutal aspects of martial arts. From that interest came the fighting system he developed in the late 1960s called Kata Dante (“Dance of the Deadly Hands” or “Dance of Death”). The system, which Ayoob described as teaching more of a fighting attitude than an actual fighting technique, was designed for street combat, and advocated explosive attacks, or counter attacks that oozed with ruthlessness and brutality.
Eager to prove the effectiveness of his fighting system, Dante issued challenges to a number of well-known fighters of the day. On July 28th, 1968, word of one such challenge made the headlines of the gossip rag The National Informer. Bravely — or insanely — Dante showed up at the South Side Chicago home of Muhammad Ali (then Cassius Clay) to challenge the World Heavyweight Boxing Champion to an unanswered duel.
Dante’s macho posturing and aggressive taunts lead to several heated verbal altercations between his and various other martial arts schools in Chicago. They quickly escalated into the windows of a number of area institutions being broken out, and then students — as well as some of their instructors — being jumped and beaten.
In July of 1965, Dante and associate Douglas Dwyer, an instructor at the Tai-Jutso School of Judo, were arrested in a failed attempt to dynamite rival school, Judo and Karate Center. Detectives spotted the men while they were in the process of taping a 40-inch dynamite fuse and blasting cap to a window at the school. While running in the dark to evade capture, Dante and Dwyer sprinted blindly into a dead end alley and were soon apprehended.
Explaining the incident to news sources, Dante described the attempted bombing as a “drunken prank,” and claimed that neither he nor Dwyer had any intention of hurting anyone at the school. Dwyer said that he and his would-be partner-in-crime had been drinking at a party before the early morning caper and that the act was a “crazy and stupid stunt.”
Convicted of attempted arson, Count Dante was sentenced to two years probation. But a short time after the man’s probation ended, he was once again involved in another stupid stunt, one that would take a very tragic turn.
On the night of April 22nd, 1970, Dante was embroiled in another of Chicago’s infamous “dojo wars” with Black Cobra Hall of Kung Fu Kempo. The battle was instigated by Dante himself and several of his disciples from the House of Dante.
According to students at the Black Cobra Hall, six unknown assailants entered the school with their leader, who flashed a deputy sheriff’s badge and claimed that the students of the school were all being placed under arrest. Dante then then quickly struck Black Cobra Hall instructor Jose Gonzales with an unseen weapon that nearly caused Gonzales to lose his right eye, and a violent free-for-all ensued.
Tipped-off by an anonymous source just minutes after the fight began, police officers arrived just in time to apprehend Dante and his fellow assailants as they were attempting to flee the scene. But officers would also find Dante’s close friend and student, James Koncevic, lying bloodied in a doorway, dead from a knife wound.
Jerome Greenwald, the Black Cobra Hall student charged with Koncevic’s death, told police that, while being pummeled by Koncevic, he grabbed a knife from the wall — one of several weapons on display — and jabbed the blade into his assailant’s abdomen. The Judge proceeding over Greenwald’s trial would rule the life-ending act to be one committed in self-defense.
Count Dante, identified as the man responsible for engineering the invasion, was charged with impersonating an officer, criminal damage to property, and aggravated battery. The incident would leave him branded as a dangerous shit starter for the rest of his career.
Exit the Dragon
On July 20th, 1973, both the martial arts and the entertainment worlds were rocked as reports emerged that kung fu superstar Bruce Lee had died in Hong Kong under a shroud of mysterious circumstance. Lee, suffering with an intense headache, had taken equagesic tablets (aspirin compound), a prescription painkiller given to him by Betty Ting Pei, the actress slated to costar with Lee in the unfinished film Game of Death. Lee lied down for a nap in Pei’s apartment, slipped into a coma and passed away in the night.
The coroner who conducted the autopsy ruled the Lee’s tragic demise as “death by misadventure,” and concluded that Lee had suffered severe cerebral edema, or brain swelling, in a strange reaction to one of the ingredients in the prescription painkiller.
Despite that ruling, throughout Lee’s adoring fan base , reeling from shock and unwilling to accept his tragic death as accidental ,a writhing hydra of speculation arose.
One popular rumor suggested that his death had been orchestrated by the Chinese crime organization known as the Triads in retribution for Bruce’s refusal to indulge them “protection fees.” Another suggested that Lee had been involved in a street challenge and was killed by an opponent’s use of dim mak, a mystical technique involving strategic blows to the body of an opponent, engineered to cause sickness, unconsciousness and eventually death.
On August 15th, 1973, nearly one month after his passing, Enter the Dragon, the film that Lee completed in April of that year, was released to US theaters. Boosted by the star’s even greater posthumous notoriety, the film earned a worldwide box-office take of more than $90 million and ignited rabid international interest in the martial arts.
Feverishly, film studios on both sides of the Pacific Ocean began searching for another martial artist who could fill the ravenous void left in Bruce Lee’s wake. Count Dante was said to have been tapped by Counselor Films to appear in a screen test, and flown to Hollywood for casting consideration.
According to Kata Dante disciple William Aguilar, however, Counselor’s attempts to capture his controversial mentor on film would prove “futile.” The man claimed that the cameras used by the studio somehow failed to capture Dante’s “brutal, lightning fast hand techniques.”
An additional claim is also made that the company’s insurance coverage was canceled after the Dante shoot — which actually seems to explains where the failure in the screen test occurred.
Apparently, the “World’s Deadliest Man” refused to pull any of his punches and kicks for the screen test, resulting in injuries to several of the martial artists hired by the studio for his shoot. And again, as it had so many times before, the brutality employed by Dante against others wound up working just as effectively against the man himself.
Death Match
Aside from his martial arts teaching, Dante also apparently dabbled in a curious assortment of career pursuits. He worked as the director of a wig and hairpiece firm, as a hair stylist and even as a beauty consultant. He also managed several car lots on Chicago’s South Side; one of two jobs that hinted a connection between Count Dante and the Chicago-based mafia.
By March of 1975, a year and a half after his almost brush with film stardom, Dante was hustling for bucks as an adult book dealer (another seeming mob connection), while also making guest appearances on the Massachusetts “Ku-Fu Death Match” tournament and exhibition circuit.
On March 16th, 1975, Dante made an appearance at the World Fighting Arts Expo held at the Roseland Ballroom in Taunton, MA. The appearance would be one of his last. On May 26th, 1975 — as with Bruce Lee before him — death came for Count Dante as he slept.
On his death certificate, coroners attributed his demise to natural causes: ulcerative colitis — bleeding ulcers, in laymen’s terms. Dante’s wife, however, would state publicly her doubts about that ruling, pointing out how in the autopsy report coroners wrote that her husband’s “whole insides” had been strangely eaten away as if by cancer. “But they didn’t put that down on the death certificate,” she claimed.
And despite the official coroner’s report, rumors suggesting other, more provocative alternatives that explained Dante’s demise were passed though the proverbial grapevine.
One that circulated around Chicago for years after his passing suggested that Dante had himself been on the receiving end of a deadly dose of dim mak, and dispatched in a late night duel at the hands of a now nameless sensei from a South Side dojo–one of the many area instructors he had challenged over the years.
Another suggested that Dante had died under an order issued by the mafia, and killed by way of a sub-dermal injection of “cancer cells,” similar to a claim that had been made by Jack Ruby, the mob connected killer of John F. Kennedy assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald. Now five decades later, the aura of mystery surrounding the death of Count Dante remains.
Whatever the actual means to his end, it was also speculated by some that Dante was fully aware that his time was near, in that he publicly pondered near the time of his passing how he would be remembered after he was gone.
In a statement made to Black Belt a short time before his death, the fighter reflected on how a great many in the martial arts world had resented and feared Bruce Lee while he was alive. According to Dante, they only honored Lee’s breathtaking legacy after he was gone, because it was only then that “they weren’t afraid of him anymore.”
And then, invoking the legend of the samurai Miyamoto Musashi, Dante declared, “Look up his history,” as if seeking validation for — or vindication from — his more than checkered past. “Musashi is the hero of Japan, yet he murdered innocent men, women and children for money. He was a stone killer. They despised him when he was alive and canonized him when he was dead.”
“Mark my words,” he said with a hint of warning. “That’s what they’ll do to me.”
Some five decades later, the jury may still be out on whether the controversial Count Dante will be up for canonization in any karate of fame. But the distinct vision of the martial arts that he once wove into the pop cultural fabric of this country is undisputed. More than fifty years after his mysterious death, that vision resonates still.
Under Count Dante’s instruction, an untold number of highly skilled martial artists have been trained in martial arts dojos throughout Chicago, and cities in Massachusetts. Today, many of those students, and even the students of those students, continue training highly skilled martial arts students of their own.
In an article published the fall of 1975 in Marvel’s hybrid comic book/martial arts mag Deadly Hands of Kung Fu, author Val Eads eulogized Count Dante saying:
“Although his talk about deadly and crippling techniques embarrassed and angered many martial artists, there are also many who defended his philosophy as being necessary in face of the realities of life. There are also many people who witnessed Dante live up to the image he made for himself. Although he was controversial, for every martial artist who remembers him as a crackpot there is another who remembers Count Dante as a gentleman and a fighter.”
And in the mind of this Generation X writer from Chicago, Count Dante, forever immortalized in the ads of old school comics and martial arts magazines as “The Deadliest Man Alive,” is fondly remembered that very same way: as a crackpot, as a gentleman, and as a fighter.
Originally published in Kung Fu Grip! zine #1, Fall 2004
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Nov 22, 2018
Nov 19, 2018
Nov 18, 2018
Nov 12, 2018
Kusunoki Masashige
Kusunoki Masashige was a 14th-century samurai who fought for Emperor Go-Daigo in the Genkō War, the attempt to wrest rulership of Japan away from the Kamakura shogunate and is remembered as the ideal of samurai loyalty. His origin has not been validated and it was merely six years between the start of his military campaign in 1331 and his demise in 1336. He received the highest decoration from the Meiji government of Japan in 1880.
Nov 8, 2018
Nov 7, 2018
The 20 guiding principles of karate
Gichin Funakoshi was the founder of Shotokan, and is considered by many to be the most influential person involved in the popularisation and growth of modern karate. One of his most quoted works is his 20 guiding principles, (Niju Kun) in which he enunciates what he considers to be the most important philosophies for a karateka to understand and follow. It was published in 1938, long after he had altered karate to make it consumer-friendly, but it is suggested that the ideas were first penned (or brushed) in 1890 when he was jst 22, in which case, you might view them as the zealous gushings of a young man. If they were devised in 1938, when Funakoshi was 70 years old, then you may view them as the distillation of a lifetime in karate do.
Some of them seem to be reworded repeats, and some you may disagree with entirely. Nevertheless, you will hear these endlessly quoted and misquoted, as if their mere existence gives them divine truth. That's not the case. Funakoshi was just a man: he put on his hakama one leg at a time, just like the rest of us. But I think that there are many lessons to learn from them. I think that to understand their deeper meanings, you must realise that they pertain to karate do - the way of karate, not mere karate jutsu - the study of techniques. Do encompasses spiritual and emotional philosophies, as well as physical principles and tactics. Study well, and adopt as you see fit...
1. Do not forget that Karate begins and ends with rei
2. There is no first strike in karate
3. Karate stands on the side of justice
4. First know yourself and then know others
5. Mentality over technique
6. The heart must be set free
7. Calamity springs from carelessness
8. Karate goes beyond the dojo
9. Karate is a life-long pursuit
10. Apply the way of karate to all things. Therein lies its beauty
11. Karate is like boiling water, without heat it returns to its tedip state
12. Do not think about winning; think rather of not losing
13. Make adjustments according to your opponent
14. The outcome of a battle depends on how one handles emptiness and fullness (weakness and strength)
15. Think of hands and feet as swords
16. When you step beyond your own gate, you face a million enemies
17. Formal stances are for beginners; later one stands naturally
18. Perform prescribed sets of techniques exactly; actual combat is another matter
19. Do not forget the employment of withdrawal of power, the extension or contraction of the body, the swift or leisurely application of technique
20. Be constantly mindful, diligent, and resourceful, in your pursuit of the Way
Please note, Funakoshi prefixes each principle with the word "hitotsu" meaning first or one. This is done to make it clear that all principles are of equal importance.
1. Do not forget that Karate begins and ends with rei
Hitotsu, karate-do wa rei ni hajimari rei ni owaru koto a wasaru na
一、空手道は礼に始まり礼に終る事を忘るな
一、空手道は礼に始まり礼に終る事を忘るな
2. There is no first attack in karate
Hitotsu, karate ni sente nashi
一、空手に先手なし
一、空手に先手なし
3. Karate stands on the side of justice
Hitotsu, karate wa, gi no tasuke
一、空手は義の補け
一、空手は義の補け
4. First know yourself and then know others
5. Mentality over technique
Hitotsu, gijitsu yori shinjitsu
一、技術より心術
一、技術より心術
6. The heart must be set free
Hitotsu, kokoro wa hanatan koto o yosu
一、心は放たん事を要す
一、心は放たん事を要す
7. Calamity springs from carelessness
Hitotsu, wazawai wa ketai ni seizu
一、禍は懈怠に生ず
一、禍は懈怠に生ず
8. Karate goes beyond the dojo
Hitotsu, dojo nomino karate to omou na
一、道場のみの空手と思ふな
Karate is not just something that is switched on and off as you enter and leave the dojo. Matters such as posture, movement and strength should be attended to all the time as you go through your daily life. The do in karate do, means that you should hold yourself to a high physical and moral standard at all times.
9. Karate is a life-long pursuitHitotsu, karate-do no shugyo wa isssho de aru
一、空手の修業は一生である
Once you have embarked upon the way, it becomes a never ending quest for refinementnt in the pursuit of unattainable perfection - just like the Borg. As with healthy eating, or being courteous, there is no point at which karate do ceases to be valuable and beneficial.
10. Apply the way of karate to all things. Therein lies its beauty
Hitotsu, ara yuru mono o karateka seyo; sokoni myomi ari
一、凡ゆるものを空手化せよ其処に妙味あり
Because karate encompasses so many aspects, both physical and spiritual, everything you do in your life has aspects that pertain to your training. Self discipline at school or work, posture on the dance floor, courtesy to friends or elders
11. Karate is like boiling water, without heat it returns to its tepid state
Hitotsu, karate Wa Yu No Gotoku Taezu Netsu O Atae Zareba Motono Mizuni Kaeru
一、空手は湯の如し絶えず熱度を与えざれば元の水に還る
Karate is only truly effective when it is at its sharpest, but it will only stay sharp with constant practice. If you take even a week or two off training, it will start to dull noticeably.
12. Do not think about winning; think rather of not losing
Hitotsu, katsu kangae wa motsuna; makenu kangae wa hitsuyo
一、勝つ考は持つな負けぬ考は必要
If you are obsessed with victory, you may adopt aggressive tactics that expose vulnerabilities that can be exploited, and you will become predictable. If your goal is simply not to be defeated, you may attack or defend, counter or evade. Your only goal is not to be defeated. Just like Commander Data demonstrated in "Peak Performance".
13. Make adjustments according to your opponent
Hitotsu, tekki ni yotte tenka seyo
一、敵に因って轉化せよ
You cannot use a one-size fits all fighting tactic. Against a fast opponent, your tactics must be very different than against a slow powerful one for instance. This principle applies in any confrontational situation, such as interactions with your boss or partner.
14. The outcome of a battle depends on how one handles emptiness and fullness (weakness and strength)
Hitotsu, tattakai wa kyo-jitsu no soju ikan ni ari
一、戦は虚実の操縦如何に在り
Don't try to hammer a square peg into a round hole when fighting. Don't use irrational tactics, such as going toe to toe with a very physically strong fighter. Contract or evade when your opponent attacks. Expand or attack when he contracts. Find the rhythm of combat and fight in harmony with it.
15. Think of hands and feet as swords
Hitotsu, hi to no te-ashi wa ken to omoe
一、人の手足を剣と思へ
Just as you can hack and stab with a sword, your hands and feet can be used in the same way and should be conditioned accordingly. Targets that are vulnerable to a sword can usually be attacked in a similar way using hands or feet.
16. When you step beyond your own gate, you face a million enemies
Hitotsu, danshi mon o izureba hyakuman no teki ari
一、男子門を出づれば百万の敵あり
Danger lies all around us as soon as we leave the relative safety of our familiar domains (home, the area we live; even our traditional ways of thinking), so remain ever vigilant. By "foes" Funakoshi is probably not referring simply to physical enemies, but any of the dangers that exist in daily life.
17. Formal stances are for beginners; later one stands naturally
Hitotsu, kamae wa shoshinsha ni atowa shizentai
一、構は初心者に後は自然体
In his Book of Five Rings Miyamoto Musashi cautioned that you should only use natural footwork, cautioning against having your mind in your feet. Stances are ways for beginners to learn how to use their weight and position their bodies for or against action. Once those lessons are learned and internalised, the discrete stances are no longer necessary, and you should lift your mind out of your feet, moving smoothly and fluidly into whatever position is most beneficial.
18. Perform kata exactly; actual combat is another matter
Hitotsu, kata wa tadashiku, jisen wa betsumono
一、形は正しく実戦は別物
Kata is not merely the practice of combat moves, but a zen discipline of physical and spiritual mastery. If you practice kata solely as combat you will miss the other benefits. However, always remember that real combat is far less predictable; far messier and nastier than kata. Kata is like an idealised drawing of combat.
19. Do not forget the employment of withdrawal of power, the extension or contraction of the body, the swift or leisurely application of technique
Hitotsu, chikara no kyojaku tai no shinshuku waza no kankyu
一、力の強弱体の伸縮技の緩急を忘るな
Use a full range of application in your techniques. It is not enough to always be powerful, or always fast, nor to always attack or always defend.
20. Be constantly mindful, diligent, and resourceful, in your pursuit of the Way
Hitotsu, tsune ni shinen ku fu seyo
一、常に思念工夫せよ
Always be thinking, always committed, and be creative and versatile about your practice of karate do and the knowledge of fighting and peace.
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http://www.ilovegkr.com/pages/essays/20principles.html
Nov 2, 2018
Oct 31, 2018
Pat Morita !
Awesome photo shared on Darryl Vidal's Facebook page by Matt Kerbyson.
(No info was given on the date or location.)
Oct 30, 2018
Fudoshin
The Concept of Immovability
(by Christopher Caile fightingarts.com)
Fudo is a Japanese term often used in Buddhism, especially in Zen and Esoteric Buddhism (Mikkyo) to represent a mental state -- one of immovability, not physically or literally, but in mind, one that is not captured, or moved, or dwells, or loiters on a thought or in a focus - a total unobstructed awareness and focus on everything, thus not moving with, or fixed upon something (limited by a focused attention).
In the martial arts the character "shin," meaning spirit, heart or will, is often added to the root "fudo" to become "fudoshin," a term meaning calm spirit, even when faced with danger, without fear or confusion, that does not dwell or become fixed on anything. This was the highest attainment of spiritual skill only attainable when the mind is totally focused on the totality of sensory input and free of thoughts and emotions - detached but aware and present. A related term "mushin" also is often used to mean "without mind" (not occupied by thought or emotion).
Using the "fudo" root, other related terms include "fudo-chi," meaning immovable spirit or wisdom that can't be influenced, or confused, "fudotai" or immovable body, and "fudoshise" or immovable stance and "fudo-dachi" or "immovable stance" also sometimes referred to as a "preparation stance" (as in the initial and final stance in kata, one that allows the participant freedom of movement and action in any direction).
Many Japanese Samurai practiced Esoteric Buddhism (Mikkyo), especially revering the deity Fudo Myo-o. They saw themselves as guardians of order in a nation besieged with disorder just as Fudo Myo-o served as a guardian of Buddhism. Fudo Myo-o also represented the highest attainment of the Samurai state of mind -- the mind that does not move, and the body that is not unsettled even when surrounded by danger. Because of this reverence, statues and brushed images of this deity were very popular. Images of Fudo Myo-o also often adorned samurai armor and weapons.
The concept of "Fudo" is also important to martial artists. The famous Zen priest Takuan in his famous three part treatise titled "Fudochi Shinmyoroku" ("The Mysterious Records of Immovable Wisdom") identifies Fudo-Myo-o attributes as they apply to Japanese (Samurai) swordsmanship. He notes the Fudo Myo-o's grasp of the sword in his right hand, his body standing firmly with mind immovable (detached and not distracted), looking at something but not stopping the mind during a flow of action or combat. He warned the Samurai against stopping the mind on a particular object, emotion or thought, noting that such stopping clutters (stops) the mind, something that curtailed the performance of technique.
The most famous Japanese swordsman known today is Miyemoto Masashi. He too was influenced by Fudo Myo-o. "Fudo" and its derivative concepts (noted above) represent a central concept in Masashi's strategy of combat (that reflect Takuan's tenets), ideas he later encapsulated in his famous text on strategy, "The Book of Five Rings.
Even today many martial artists use Zazen (seated Zen meditation), chants (some derived from Esoteric Buddhism), and other to clear, fortify and purify the mind. Standing and/or meditating under a cold waterfall is another similar practice. Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, is famous for this practice (which he termed Misogi) of ritual purification.
It should be noted, however, that in modern times most martial artists who use these practices do so to enhance their mental and spiritual discipline, and to clarity their awareness and mind, ends that are separate from any religion or religious doctrine.
Modern martial artists also express similar concepts of the immovable mind. Mas Oyama (founder of Kyokushinkai karate and one of my first karate teachers), for example, used to tell me that the ideal karate mind is that of a person who could walk through a burning building without fear -- a very Fudo Myo-o image.
Kaicho Tadashi Nakamura (founder of Seido Karate and my current karate teacher) has said that a true karate-ka must be present in the now, the present moment, totally absorbed in action, mind void of distraction (thought or emotion) and spirit supreme.
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http://www.fightingarts.com/reading/article.php?id=60
Oct 29, 2018
Oct 28, 2018
Oct 24, 2018
Oct 23, 2018
A ronin life
A short Ronin life, a long list of bloody deeds, a force of nature.
from the Samurai Tears tumblr page
Oct 21, 2018
The Seven Spears of Shizugatake
The Seven Spears of Shizugatake (賤ヶ岳の七本槍 Shizugatake no shichi-hon-yari) were mounted bodyguards for Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the battle of Shizugatake in 1583. At the decisive moment in the battle, Hideyoshi ordered them to leave the position and charge at the opposing army of Katsuie Shibata. After Hideyoshi gained control of Japan, many of the members were promoted to Daimyō.
The Seven Spears of Shizugatake were the following Samurai:
Fukushima Masanori (1561–1624)
Hirano Nagayasu (1559–1628)
Kasuya Takenori (1562–1607)
Katagiri Katsumoto (1556–1615)
Katō Kiyomasa (1562–1611)
Katō Yoshiaki (1563–1631)
Wakizaka Yasuharu (1554–1626)
Fukushima, Katō Kiyomasa and Katō Yoshiaki were given large benefices by Hideyoshi, 240,000 Koku in Owari Province, 195,000 Koku in Higo Province and 100,000 Koku in Iyo Province, respectively. Rest of the members remained as a small retainer of some thousands Koku.
At the Battle of Sekigahara and Siege of Osaka, all betrayed Toyotomi Hideyori, the son of Hideyoshi, and took the part of Tokugawa Ieyasu. After the foundation of the Tokugawa shogunate, they or their successors were ousted from their territories, except Hirano.
Oct 19, 2018
My eyes
My eyes have seen into the souls of an uncountable number of victims. I am my own spirit animal.
Oct 18, 2018
Oct 17, 2018
Oct 15, 2018
Oct 13, 2018
Bathed in blood
check out this Antony Cummins video for a little explanation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M36NStS-Lqc
Oct 11, 2018
The original Ninja Warrior
I was so into this, the original Ninja Warrior (known as Sasuke in Japan) which used to be aired on the old cable channel G4.
G4 was awesome, on Saturdays they had "Movies for guys who like movies" which usually consisted of action movies from the 80's.
When they would do their Ninja Warrior marathons I was glued to the TV.
Good times for sure.
Oct 9, 2018
Oct 7, 2018
Oct 5, 2018
Ninjutsu and ninjutsu organizations
(martial.arts.tripod.com)
What is ninjutsu?
The martial art known as Ninjutsu is very secret, with a very clouded history. The history isn't documented all that well, as most of what is known about the martial art is that which has been passed down from generation to generation. There are a lot of historical records that state families from the Koga region as being the creators to this very secret style.
Over 70 different Ninjutsu Ryu have been identified and discovered over the years, however most of them have died out. A majority of them were created around a set of specific techniques and skills, although when those skills of a specific Ryu were no longer needed or wanted, the Ryu seems to die out and fade away from existence.
The art of Ninjutsu is best associated with the ninja's from ancient Japan. The ninja's are well known all around the world, for their stealth and very secreted life. The ninja is known to have went through very tough and demanding training, which hardly anyone really knows about. Those that were actual ninja's are either dead, or not allowed to let anyone know their true identity.
During the 1980's, when the ninja trend really hit the United States, the instructors of Ninjutsu popped out all over the place, making black a very happening color. Years later, the trend seemed to die out, and there aren't that many people trying to learn the art.
In regards to the art, the term of Ninjutsu doesn't actually refer to any certain style, but rather a group of the martial arts, with each one having it's own view that's expressed with each of the different Ryu. The Ryu vary, meaning that one may focus on one certain physical dynamic, while the next may be focused on redirection.
What many people aren't aware of, is the fact that Ninjutsu involves both unarmed and armed fighting skills, along with philosophy, strategy, and history. There are a few dojo's that offer the art, many of them being quite comprehensive with the way they teach.
During combat, Ninjutsu focuses on distance, posture, and flow. Stylists are taught to react to every movement, and respond in ways that will place them in the advantage position. From being in a position of advantage, the stylist can effectively change the outcome of the encounter - quickly going from negative to positive.
Those that practice the martial art of Ninjutsu are instructed and trained to use their entire body for everything they do, which provides the most leverage and power. Ninjutsu is well known in Japan, and for good reason. It is a very secretive martial art, yet very powerful. The techniques can be used or self defense, along with stealth. It can be a great martial art to learn - if you can find a dojo that teaches it.
What is ninjutsu?
The martial art known as Ninjutsu is very secret, with a very clouded history. The history isn't documented all that well, as most of what is known about the martial art is that which has been passed down from generation to generation. There are a lot of historical records that state families from the Koga region as being the creators to this very secret style.
Over 70 different Ninjutsu Ryu have been identified and discovered over the years, however most of them have died out. A majority of them were created around a set of specific techniques and skills, although when those skills of a specific Ryu were no longer needed or wanted, the Ryu seems to die out and fade away from existence.
The art of Ninjutsu is best associated with the ninja's from ancient Japan. The ninja's are well known all around the world, for their stealth and very secreted life. The ninja is known to have went through very tough and demanding training, which hardly anyone really knows about. Those that were actual ninja's are either dead, or not allowed to let anyone know their true identity.
During the 1980's, when the ninja trend really hit the United States, the instructors of Ninjutsu popped out all over the place, making black a very happening color. Years later, the trend seemed to die out, and there aren't that many people trying to learn the art.
In regards to the art, the term of Ninjutsu doesn't actually refer to any certain style, but rather a group of the martial arts, with each one having it's own view that's expressed with each of the different Ryu. The Ryu vary, meaning that one may focus on one certain physical dynamic, while the next may be focused on redirection.
What many people aren't aware of, is the fact that Ninjutsu involves both unarmed and armed fighting skills, along with philosophy, strategy, and history. There are a few dojo's that offer the art, many of them being quite comprehensive with the way they teach.
During combat, Ninjutsu focuses on distance, posture, and flow. Stylists are taught to react to every movement, and respond in ways that will place them in the advantage position. From being in a position of advantage, the stylist can effectively change the outcome of the encounter - quickly going from negative to positive.
Those that practice the martial art of Ninjutsu are instructed and trained to use their entire body for everything they do, which provides the most leverage and power. Ninjutsu is well known in Japan, and for good reason. It is a very secretive martial art, yet very powerful. The techniques can be used or self defense, along with stealth. It can be a great martial art to learn - if you can find a dojo that teaches it.
(Japanese kanji for shinobi (ninja)
There are three major ninjutsu organizations that teach ninjutsu around the world.
They are: the Bujinkan, the Genbukan, and the Jinenkan
Bujinkan, headed by Masaaki Hatsumi
Genbukan, headed by Shoto Tanemura
Jinenkan, headed by Fumio Manaka
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