A source of random news, martial arts and techies talks. A little more or less. — Paul Luong
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Loading ...Those who read many of the US Martial Arts magazines will know what I am saying when I say that the focus within the general Shorin Ryu community is on the Hakutsuru kata (Crane forms). This would be fine if this focus was directly proportionate to the place that Hakutsuru holds within our system. Because the Hakutsuru is the last kata within our system, it is unfortunately considered the ultimate, and that by studying this kata one will become advanced much quicker.
Well in my opinion this is trying to run before you can crawl.
Our system is made up of Naihanchi (2), Passai (2), Chinto, Rohai, Gojushiho, Kusanku, and Hakutsuru. All of these kata complement each other with concepts being learned within one kata, then reflecting through in the others.
I learned the ground gripping techniques (with the toes) from Naihanchi, and now practice this throughout the whole system. I learned many of the seated and ground work techniques from Gojushiho and Kusanku, which combined with the techniques of Naihanchi, Chinto, and Passai, are a great complement to each other. Our Hakutsuru is a kata that was formed from the best of our other kata, not the other kata as a preliminary to the Hakutsuru ONLY.
By training in a more advanced kata, your earlier kata should improve with the techniques that you learned in the new.
. . . We should not concentrate on the bunkai of an individual kata, but the bunkai of the whole system, which mixes and draws from our kata to achieve a limitless system.
Keep in mind that our Hakutsuru is from our other kata, and that the movements and methods learned within Hakutsuru will reflect back through the kata that formed it, while the theories that we learned in the earlier kata assist us in understanding the Hakutsuru.
Soken Sensei didn’t learn kata first. He learned to step correctly, then kata. After training (twice daily) for 10 years he then began to learn Hakutsuru. Not after 10 years of casual practice, or even 20 years of causal practice.
How can we then expect to obtain the same degree of proficiency without the mastery of the kata that were drawn upon to create Hakutsuru?
We cannot expect to have a full understanding of Hakutsuru without a full understanding of our other kata.
Steve Watson
To contact Mr. Watson, email: watto@midcoast.com.au
(0 votes, average: 0.00 out of 5) Loading ...If a conversation is taking place about the Qi phenomenons and supernatural Elements, a typical person usually believes it is something related to the Eastern supertitious or religions.The word Qi or Ch’i (pronouced chee) in which has been explained in nearly every one of my articles that talks about the practice of Qigong. For every attempt of giving it a proper definition, Qi comes under a different translation or interpretation.
Knowledge of Qi does not limit only to the word itself but has been spanned more than 3000 years old of the oriental civilizations. Qi, also called Vital Energy or Bio-Energy, is a phenomenon that has drawn much attention in the West for the recent years. Acupunture, too, is now commonly known and there is hardly a doctor anywhere who has not spent some time looking into it. However, both of these works bring along doubts. Modern science pronouces the phenomenon of Qi medical and physical investigation. The original ideogram for Qi in its root should be rendered as “Vapor” in English. It has also been known at “Vital Energy” or “Vitality” in reference to my Qigong fellows. But Qi is very closely associated with breath (though it would be better to say that breath contains Qi). Chinese is not the only Eastern culture that has been aware of Qi, other cultures have given Qi the other names as well: Hindus call it prama, Pacific Islanders refer as mana, the Tibetans rlung (means Wind), Hebrews ruach (wind) and even the ancient Greek called it pneuma (spirit, wind). Qi is similar to how electricity flowing through a metal wire and it can generate heat or work or energy, but in fact none of these energy could identify Qi, or Yin Qi to be specific. (more…)
(0 votes, average: 0.00 out of 5) Loading ...…Aug 24th
“What’s time is it?” , “9:26 pm”
…Aug 25th
“What’s time is it?” , “9:05 pm”
“Wow today is the past of yesterday!” — “What are you talking about??”
My friend was completely puzzled from my random response… as usual. And you, what do you think of time? or our world? ..yes, the physical world that our continual knowledge believes in, despite the fact that Hindus, Incas, Buddhist, Daoist, Mayas and many other ancient civilizations regarded the whole “world” as an illusion. How much can we truly ‘know’ for certain?
Weird..my pizza should have arrived by now
Some people, or theories postulate that there is no past and future but only the present. Isn’t it time like a river that each one of us either swims, floats, boats, or drowns in? We can embark and disembark at different points but it is all just the same river. Another example requires more work or imagination if you don’t have the tool: if you look through a lens at a holographic dish the entire hologram can be viewed at any point. Therefore, similarly, the universe is present at every point in time, and the past and future are likewise, present. (more…)
(0 votes, average: 0.00 out of 5) Loading ...Last semester was a great solid training for all of the disciples in my Karate class at MC. Sensei put up many outstanding excercises for everyone, and we love each one of those workouts wholeheartedly. When the second term of the year started we welcome new comers, along with friends of our friends who love to join us for a lesson or two. Sometimes people came for their credit requirement, some came because they have an enthusiam for martial arts, and sometimes they come to learn new experience of what they studied some where before. Back then when I was in Vietnam, that reminds me of an person who came for the very same reason, but the intention was so much different.
I studied some martial arts with an old man, named Mr.An, who lived close to my house. He was a security guard for a nearby elementary school at night and apparently, he spent his whole life living a simple happy life without any fancy material possessions. To us, he was weird and creepy but as a teacher he was a great man. One day my friend and I were practicing in his back garden while Mr.An was busy teaching other students. In the mid afternoon, a person we did not recognize came in through the gate and stood by the hall. We presumed he was a prospective student as often many people came hoping to be accepted into the class. Mr.An nodded to me, telling me to go and greet the visitor. With a bright smile, I went over to say hello. “I would like to study with your teacher.” Said the stranger. This was not a problem as our class was open to anyone. I told the man this and politely explained how the class ran and how we were taught. (more…)
(0 votes, average: 0.00 out of 5) Loading ...At last Winter season has slowly faded away, leaving its place for the Spring to arrive. Many days I train at a nearby park seeing everybody loves to enjoy outdoor activities with friends and family, they even love lying down on the grass under the sunshine.
For us in America, we are fortune have four different seasons very clearly comparing to other tropical countries where there only are only two specific weathers, rainy or sunny months.
Summer in some place is hot, either burning or extremely humid thus it becomes very uncomfortable even to the local residence. In our area, fortunately we find that summers are always great and equally mean a lot of fun. Even better, day light saving time allows us to spend more hours under the sun. However, at some point or for some of us, summer is the time of suffering. Hay fever, bad cases of pollen allergy could literally make a day suck and ruin all the best moments. (more…)
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If you train Martial Arts, especially traditional styles, more than once in a while you would hear your Siifu or Sensei mentions about Dantien and tells you to focus your breath into it. Needless to say, you should instantly know, by common sense, that Dantian is not a type food or a beautiful girl as well as not a handsome guy. Technically, it is your centre just below your navel. But why is it that this place so important? Let’s flip the pages of history all the way to the very first chapters of civilization, of China to be specific.
Not just few years ago, but it’s way back to the ancient times when the population of China was occupied by peasants, poorest farmers of the lowest classes in the society. They call a day by starting as early as the fifth hour in the morning, sweating in the fields until sunset. Then, they return homes for some rest. If you are young, you would gather with your friends listening to stories of the village elders, while some others would enjoy the the cool night air that just silently replaced the heat of the day. (more…)
If everyone thinks they are right, there will never be peace
