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All DVDs, wichi is produced by Budo International,si provided and alone in the formats DVD-5 orMPEG-2, in VCD, DivX or the like is however nevesoffered with a special holograma sticker. Besidesour DVD is characteristed coverings by the higquality in pressure and material. If this DVD and/orthe DVD covering do not corespond to therequirements specified above, it concerns illegalpirat copy.
REF.: • LAT-3REF.: • LAT-3
The main emphasis of this DVD is edged weapon. Knowing andunderstanding all the dangers associated with any edge weapon.The main theme in this DVD is establishing the priority.
The main emphasis of training with an edged weapon isknowing and understanding all the dangers
associated with this type of weapon. All the“What if’s”, and “Yeah buts”, are all great
for trial and error, and assumingpredictability. The serious danger ofedge weapons is real, and shouldbe treated as such. This meanswhere you should establishyour training priority to be asurvival tool, in the eventthis situation happens toyou. Let’s face it, you arethe one having to survive,not your trainer, helps youtrain your goals, not yourobjective. The trainingpriorities I use in Latosa-Escrima are as follows:reality, technique anddrills. Reality: This is theunderstanding of exactlywhat could happen and thedangers when using or goingagainst an edged weapon.
Techniques: These movementsare trying to give you a
generalization of possibilities, andprobabilities of what may happen.
Drills: Most drills are used to develop andenhance body movement skills used in the
technique application.
Budo international.comORDERS:
ow do we know where we're going, if wedon't even know what we want? Whatwe really are is an indecipherable andunsolvable equation because we areconstantly changing ... without finishing.
How to act in the deeper processes of transformationand change?
While we are young, our potential exploits gropingin different directions. My uncle, who was then 70,told me the old saying "Hey, I'm already playing!" Theyears pass by teaching you first what you will nolonger be, because you have been discarding it, orbecause it has been discarding you. So we begin tounderstand that we are no longer truly youths.
Life is a decision process; every time you say yes tosomething, you are saying no to everything else; eachtime you open a door, you walk into a room that leads toanother. Freedom, I've written many times, is a narrowone-way corridor, where the most that we can do, motuproprio, is to come close to either side of the aisle.
We live immersed in the illusion of freedom, on theassumption of being in command of our lives, whenin fact we are inserted in thousands of realities largerthan ourselves, continuously influenced in an open orunderhand manner by thousands of forces, energyand tension, with much more authority than we wouldlike to accept, either by ignorance, either byhaughtiness.
If you have the chance of beginning to find out howthings work, the first intention, after the initial shock,is that of running away. It reminds me of Matrix, withthe two pills, red and blue; the problem is that whenyou choose to take them there is no way back.
Leaving behind ignorance fills you with frustration,because what once shone, now you see it dark, anduntil something begins to shine again on your newgaze, you feel lost, because you don't know who youare; the one who was is no longer there; the one tocome, is still coming, but he hasn't landed yet.
It’s the story of every transformation, of every leapinto the void in the profound changes of our life; thevertigo of the unknown mixes with the anxiety of anew identity that is born, but for this to happen, firstthe former should die. The melancholy of thesetransitory states is deeper than any other, notbecause it places us at the crossroads of fate (wherethe exterior is pressing and you have to move yourass), but because we are really disenchanted. The "I"that watched, now is dying and frequently we clingto it like a shipwrecked to the remains of a sunkenvessel. But those are the most valuable moments togrow, because in them we are forced to reassess ourvision and plant a new stage; those are the momentsin which we are forced to break the deadlock;discarding all illusions, we can deepen in newvalues, or even in some ancient ones that, enduringthe test, will come out vigorous again in that newrebirthing.
But all renascence is accompanied by pain, andmelancholy is its fund key; a time when we longreturning to the sincere and simple primordial unicityof all things. Sometimes, it's in those moments thatthe most sensitive ones develop a deep compassionfor all beings that will never leave them. Only he whohas suffered can empathize with those who suffer.
We must get out of our personal hells, thecesspools in which death is rampant, remembering,as Castaneda said, that everything that touchesdeath has power. And we have to get out clean, newand bright ... rebirth from the ashes full of light andmetamorphosed as the caterpillar from its cocoon toa new stage, to a new freer life, where instead ofcrawling, we can fly fertilizing every flower on whichwe rest...
Take great care every day of your cocoon, becausetransformation will inevitably come. Small caterpillar,although now you can't imagine yourself havingwings, tomorrow you will fly.
C
“Do not despair, not even by the fact of not despairing.When everything seems to be over, there emerge newforces. This means that you are living.”
Frank Kafka
“Human nature resists when someone tries to changeit. When left alone, it changes by itself.”
Anonymous
Alfredo Tucci is Manager Director to BUDO INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING CO.e-mail: [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/alfredo.tucci.5
Combat Hapkido
“Literally hundredsof different swords,
spears, lances, pikes and axes ofvarious sizes for
different applications.Most of them heavyand difficult to use.
Examining thoseweapons was liketaking a trip tothe past andgaining a newappreciation
for thetoughnessof thosewarriors”
ARMORS, SHIELDS AND WEAPONS
by Grandmaster John Pellegrini
received the inspiration for this article during my recent visit to Spain, one of my favoritecountries in the World. I have been traveling to Spain since 1994 and, in addition toconducting Combat Hapkido Seminars for the martial arts community, I always try tosqueeze a few extra days out of my busy schedule to enjoy the many things thismagical land has to offer: history, culture, natural beauty, great climate and thehospitality of its warm and generous people. And let's not forget the FOOD & the WINE!
On this last visit, I was in the company of my wife Trina, Master Mark Gridley and hiswife Liz. Just a few hours after landing in Madrid, ignoring our jet-lag, we did a photosession for this magazine and, in the next 2 days, conducted very successful seminars forEuropean Combat Hapkido students and Instructors, organized by our National Director,Master Juan Romero Pons.
Great Masters
I
Combat Hapkido
After enjoying the vibrant life of Madrid for 3 nights, wedrove north to visit the towns of Segovia, Avila andSalamanca. And, before returning to Madrid for our flightback, we were able to dedicate several hours to the palace ofSan Lorenzo de El Escorial. The amazing experience ofspending 4 days visiting awesome medieval walls, cathedrals,castles, monasteries, palaces and museums, was almostoverwhelming. And did I mention the food and the wine?By now you may be wondering what all this has to dowith the martial arts. Well, patience my friends… I amgetting there. During our explorations, we saw extensivedisplays of incredibly well preserved weapons and armorfrom several centuries of history. I took the time to examinethem closely and made certain observations as they relateto fighting that I think are relevant to the martial arts andthat I believe you'll find interesting.MOBILITY. Most of the armor appeared severelyconstricting. It required one or more people to “dress” thewarrior for battle and, once worn, it was difficult to take off.I tried to imagine executing some of my techniques whilewearing those armors:Virtually impossible. Not only the restrictions on mobilitybut also the inability to articulate small joints prevented theuse of most fine motor skills. Kicking would be extremelyhard (if not impossible) and falling to the ground fatallydangerous.WEIGHT. Because most armor was made of metal andwas designed to protect the warrior from blades andarrows, it had to be strong and, by necessity, heavy.Carrying that weight in addition to the shield and weaponswould certainly reduce the stamina of the warrior. Tired andwinded, he would not be able to engage in protractedcombat (unlike in Hollywood movies). As a personalexperience, when I spent time in Afghanistan (2006) andIraq (2008) training the troops, I was issued, as part of myequipment, a ballistic body armor that weighted about 25lbs. (c. kg.).
Great Masters
“During our explorations, we saw extensivedisplays of incredibly well preserved weaponsand armor from several centuries of history.”
Wearing that, in addition to the other 35 lbs. of gear, while moving on rocky terrain in 120degree temperature, was exhausting.Teaching hand-to-hand combat to soldiers wearing that equipment was truly a challenge!So, reflect on the fact that this modern, relatively comfortable, “light weight” body armor isnothing compared to what the warriors of the 15 or 16th century had to wear. WEATHER. Imagine marching, fighting or running in those armors in stifling heat, freezingcold, rain or snow. VISIBILITY. Most of the headgear worn in those times drastically reduced visibility,sometime to no more than a very narrow slit. Peripheral vision, essential in combat, wasalmost non-existent with most helmets.
Combat Hapkido
“Everything we dotoday in the dojo wasoriginally designed for
the battlefield.Inevitably, armors,
shields and weapons hadto evolve with new
technology.”
ACOUSTICS. The same headgear would also seriously impair the hearing of the warrior,magnifying his internal sounds, such as his own breathing, while muffling outside sounds,such as those of an approaching enemy.SHIELD. Although an important part of his equipment, the shield was cumbersome andheavy. Over the centuries, various materials were used, such as metal, wood and leather,with different degrees of success. Also many shapes were tried: round, oval, rectangular. Theweigh, material and shape all contributed to the effectiveness of the shield against blades,spears and arrows. During close-quarter combat, the shield would sustain multiple blowsand, after a short time, the warrior's arm would be unable to continue lifting it. Smaller andlighter shields could also be used as impact weapons during a close-quarter fight. WEAPONS. Literally hundreds of different swords, spears, lances, pikes and axes ofvarious sizes for different applications. Most of them heavy and difficult to use. Examining
Great Masters
Combat Hapkido
those weapons was like taking a trip to the past andgaining a new appreciation for the toughness of thosewarriors.The martial arts originated with the warrior classes.The warriors trained for war. Everything we do today inthe dojo was originally designed for the battlefield.Inevitably, armors, shields and weapons had to evolvewith new technology. Strategies and tactics alsocontinue to evolve. However, because of this continuingtechnology-based evolution, the martial arts have lostimportance with the modern “warrior” society that reliesmore and more on high-tech weapons, vehicles andequipment. But, as I discussed previously in thesepages in an article titled “The military & the martial arts”,I believe that even our modern soldiers can benefit fromcompetent, relevant and appropriate martial artstraining. Although most modern battlefield situationsinvolve high-tech weapons and equipment, warriors stillwear “armor” and still need to learn close-quartercombat skills, armed and unarmed.The situation was different for the civilian population.Over the centuries, peasants, merchants, workers, andvirtually anyone who was not a noble or a warrior, had toworry about being attacked by outlaws and rovingbarbarians. Often they were even brutalized by thenoblemen and soldiers who were supposed to protectthem!This civilian population did not have the protection ofarmor and shield and in most cases were not allowed tocarry weapons, making them easy prey to violent attack.
Great Masters
“Gangs, terrorists, criminals, psychopaths,predators, and desperate individuals of allkinds are walking the streets of our cities,lurking in the shadows or out in plain sight.
They all know one thing: we have no armor orweapons. What can we do?”
Combat Hapkido
“The study of martial arts and self-defense systems is the only
effective, proven way to transformyour body and your mind into an
arsenal of weapons that you canemploy any place, any timeto protect yourself and
others.”
So, one of my observations was that in this case…. nothing has changed! Centuries agoonly warriors had armor and weapons while the civilian population was left defenseless. Today only professional “warriors” (military & police) have armor and weapons while thecivilian population is left defenseless. Of course you can argue that today we have “law &order” in a civilized society, with the police protecting us from criminals and the militaryprotecting us from external enemies, therefore we have no need for armor and weapons.But I submit to you that sadly that is a faulty assumption. All you need to do is watch thenews or read the newspaper on a regular basis to realize that the World is a verydangerous and violent place.Gangs, terrorists, criminals, psychopaths, predators, and desperate individuals of allkinds are walking the streets of our cities, lurking in the shadows or out in plain sight. Theyall know one thing: we have no armor or weapons. What can we do?
Great Masters
Since we cannot all be soldiers orpolicemen and laws will never be enactedallowing civilians to wear body armor andcarry weapons, there is only one solution:create our own security “armor” mindsetand learn how to use our natural weapons.The modern, metaphorical armor is theattitude and lifestyle we adopt when wedecide to be vigilant, aware, alert, cautiousand ready. This mental armor is forged byyour absolute commitment to NOT becomean easy prey or a victim. And a greatadvantage is that this armor is not heavyor in any way restricts your mobility orvisibility. You can comfortably wear it 24hours a day, 7 days a week. As far as the weapons, I am sure that bynow you already know what I am referringto. The study of martial arts and self-defense systems is the only effective,proven way to transform your body and yourmind into an arsenal of weapons that youcan employ any place, any time to protectyourself and others. Those “weapons” cannever be confiscated, prohibited or takenaway from you. They don't require anyspecial permit or license. All you need to dois learn how to use them properly. Our system, Combat Hapkido, focusesmost of its training on developing thepersonal armor, shield and weapons of theindividual, irrespective of his / her size,strength, or position in society. Thebeautifully crafted suites of armor, shieldsand weapons of centuries ago now belongin museums and historical castles for us toadmire and wonder what it must have beenlike to wear them while in combat.And while we must evolve and embraceour modern age, it is important to respectand understand history so that we can learnfrom it.
Great Masters
“Since we cannot all be soldiersor policemen and laws willnever be enacted allowing
civilians to wear body armorand carry weapons, there isonly one solution: create ourown security “armor” mindset
and learn how to use ournatural weapons”
"Can you see that fern and the bamboo?" - the kind-hearted old manasked a student - "When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds I tookvery good care of them. The fern quickly grew. Its brilliant green coveredthe floor. But nothing came out from the bamboo seed. However, I didnot renounce the bamboo.In the second year, the fern grew brighter and plentiful and again,
nothing came out from the bamboo seed. But I did not renounce thebamboo.In the third year, nothing came out from the bamboo seed. But I did not
renounce the bamboo.In the fourth year, again, nothing had come out of the bamboo
seed. Still, I did not give up.In the fifth year a tiny bamboo shoot sprouted from the
earth. Compared to the fern it was seemingly small andinsignificant.
Fu-Shih Kenpo
"The Story of the Fern and the Bamboo"
The Raúl Gutiérrez Column
The sixth year, bamboo grew more than 20 meters high. It had spentfive years digging powerful roots deep into the earth so that they couldhold it. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to
survive.Did you know that all this time that you've have been fighting,you‘ve actually been growing roots?" - the old man continuedsaying - "The bamboo has a different purpose than the fern,yet both are necessary and make the forest beautiful.Never regret a day in your life. Good days give you
happiness. Bad days give you experience. Both are essential forlife" - the old man said, then he added – “Happiness keeps you
sweet. Attempts keep you strong. Penalties keep you human. Fallskeep you humble. Success keeps you glowing...
If you do not get what you long for, do not despair ... maybe you're justtaking roots...”
Anonymous.
Fu-Shih Kenpo
“I can sayknowingly that thestrongest peopleare truly thosewho have had ahard life, full ofhardship andincidents thatforced them to
fight to remain inplace.”
ne of the mostimportant things thatman should understandas soon as possible isthe simple fact that
"perfection, if it ever exists, issomething that we human beingsdon't get to achieve, at least in thislife." That is why our existence issubject to ups and downs in everystage of it. So we see that health ismaintained until it is lost, and itgains a fundamental importanceprecisely when failure is due tonatural consequences, accident ordisease. Likewise, wealth is offeredto us and we must enjoy it the mostwhile it is still our ally. And, by thesame token, shortage also has itsdays numbered. Everything comesand goes, nothing is forever -Yinand yang -, there must always be abalance, and in its permanentsearch, changes will occur in eitherdirection. These changes marksuccess and prosperity or failureand suffering.
From the moment in which theSelf sees the light of life, he mustalso accept death. It's impossible tocling on to a life without end. Whenwe cease to exist on this plane, anessence of our energy travels andintegrates somewhere in theuniverse.
Sometimes I tell myself that oneof the important matters that weshould receive at home, school oruniversity is precisely that oflearning to l ive l i fe, with
explanations based on theexperiences lived by mankind on itswhole past, in order to warn usabout the consequences broughtabout by the specific behaviors andactions of human beings in oursociety. Of course, I know that inone way or another, this istransmitted to us, as well as I knowthat “man will stumble twice (orseventeen times!) on the samestone”. And this explains that, sinceall things in l i fe go wrong, wepreferred to accept that we aresinners with large continuousfailures before trying to improve andcreate a better world.
They say that adversity is the bestMaster. I couldn't agree more. If youcomment a problem, a pain, adesire, a feeling, to your friends, allof them will nod or will express theiragreement with their words, but noone wil l really feel or evenunderstand the way it exactlyaffects you. First, because pains,worries or feelings can’t becommunicated with either words orgestures, and also because theothers will not understand it untilthey experience it themselves, andeven still, they will only get a bitcloser to your reality, but notexactly.
Today, at my nearly 65 years, Ican say knowingly that thestrongest people are truly thosewho have had a hard life, full ofhardship and incidents that forcedthem to fight to remain in place.
And indeed, the weakest, eventhose that consistently fail, areusually those that had almosteverything with little or no effort. AsI understand it, parents who canprovide pleasure, money and makelife easier for their children, do sobecause probably they lacked allthose things in their youth, and soit's quite comprehensible. But inthis point we must be very carefulbecause at the end, excesses arealways highly risky and dangerous.
In life, we must strive in everyrespect in order to find the path, toknow what is effort and pain, todiscover the way to improveourselves, the way to solve...
In my childhood (I was born in1950), we l ived harsh times ofshortage in all aspects. Carving apath into society was not easy, andachieving personal aspirationsrequired a lot of wil l , humility,sacrifice, constant effort, simplicity,respect... Still, we were physically,mentally and spiritually healthier. Aswe just had to moderately survive,there was no spare money tosquander. We took a greater care,respect and appreciation of whatwe hardly possessed. We took careof our food, clothing, footwear,utilities. A car would last for 20 - 25years, so it became a friend, acompanion. We loved it, we tookcare of it and we treated it withrespect and appreciation. Todayeverything has changed, andwithout underestimating the
The Raúl Gutiérrez Column
O
Fu-Shih Kenpo
“ People accustomed tofight, will suffer less andwill have more ability toresolve the various
adverse situations alongthe way, and they will doso with more joy than
suffering.”
“From the moment in whichthe Self sees the light oflife, he must also acceptdeath. It's impossible to
cling on to a life without end.”
advances of science and technology, now everything ismuch easier, there are more resources and possibilities.Yet, scarcity has become excessive.
We also knew how to break our time down betweenschool, homework, home and entertainment. We playedoutdoors, which was extremely healthy, we spent hoursrunning around playing sports in the open air no matterif it was cold or hot. Our body and mind benefited byphysical efforts and the constant recycling of fresh airthat nourished our cells, blood and brains. I don'tremember having ever seen an obese child or adult. Wehad a better temper. We liked to go to school, studyand progress. They were very distinct stages. Ourhabits in adolescence were much healthier. We drankno alcohol; there were no drugs like today and few werethose who smoked, and so we spent Saturday nightsdancing, playing guitar, telling jokes with two bottles ofsoft drinks, some food, and goofing around with somegirls.
I am not against the advances of technology, on thecontrary, I am one of those who enjoy and benefit fromall facilities and means that we have today at ourfingertips to research, develop, fulfill, etc. But we get tothe same point: let us not neglect ourselves. Let's makegood use of all that our society offers us, without wasteor excess. Let's leave some time for freedom, forwalking, playing sports, develop our hobbies, and sharewith family and friends. Let's take care of our body,mind and spirit. I usually say that we must be alwaysprepared when the opportunity comes, the good times,the fat cows... And we must be also are well preparedwhen we turn the tables and we see ourselves involvedin certain predicaments that nobody wants, but thatarrive on their own and we must learn to solve.
In my training sessions or in the seminars I constantlygive around the world, I often see that when we decideto start something, we must do it decisively, with achallenging spirit, perseverance and concentration,knowing what we are facing something that will not beeasy or comfortable. There will be pain, sacrifice,suffering and also pleasure. But this is a way of selfformation, a way of preparing ourselves to learn toovercome all the obstacles we encounter on our way. Itis better suffering in our school or training place, ratherthan out in real life. It is better that we never have tosuffer or use our knowledge to inflict harm and pain.But if damage comes, we must know how to solve itwith less effort and less collateral damage.
A well-trained person has a better capacity toaddress and solve problems. And if he has to use force,he will do it protecting even his opponent / s. A personwithout knowledge or control will cause and receivemore damage because the solution will take longer.
Life has taught me to be humble, patient, tolerant,respectful and appreciative, to understand that life hasnothing against me. Things just happen naturally,because we are constantly exposed, 24 hours a day,365 days a year, to multiple risk factors. It has nothingto do with "God". Simply analyze the many risks weface every time we leave our home to go to school,college, work... or simply to take a walk. And not only inthe street, but also inside our own home occur manythings that affect us in a bad sense.
I've also learned that pain can be overcome withpain. A determined pain causes you less harm whenyou already have it registered in your being. On thecontrary, any new pain will surprise you and affect youin a greater degree.
Studying, researching, training, creating, sufferingand being happy, all is part of our own roots. Peopleaccustomed to fight, will suffer less and will have moreability to resolve the various adverse situations alongthe way, and they will do so with more joy thansuffering. Others won't find solutions and will try to getthe attention of others for help, or else, they will remaincomplaining and moaning; these are, of course, thosewho have not walked that long road of research,learning and effort, because they've always hadeverything without having to earn it, those who wereinvaded by their own vagaries and stupidity.
Such people are often immature, insecure, envious,selfish, whimsical, jealous, and vain. On the contrary,who he does know about the hard existence, oftenrejoices in the success of others. Because he knowsthat if someone has succeeded, it is because he or shedeserved it, with the exception of those whose successhas been gifted or purchased. The success of thosewho have to pay to find a gap among the winners isalways ephemeral. In a short term, failure is again infront of their noses.
Is the case of the politicians who invest in majorcampaigns to position themselves; they have a shortperiod to exploit this false success and soon will berelieved by another who has played the same game,only to fall into the same wheel. They come and go.Only those who have finally set roots with their goodwork will have a more extended period of glory.
Parents who are truly aware about what and how anadequate education should be, will get excellent resultsin their children. Instructors or Masters who are patientand persevering in their teaching will also harvest bigtriumphs among their students.
"CATCH EVERY MOMENT AND LIVE ITINTENSELY, BECAUSE LIFE SLIPS AWAY LIKEWATER THROUGH OUR FINGERS."
The Raúl Gutiérrez Column
Shaolin Weng Chun Kung FuSpirituality
Space and JoyIn WengChun�s birthplace Shaolin,two ways of cultivation of themind were combined into aunique method, which you canfind only in China: Chan (Zen)and Pure Land Buddhism.The Chan (Japanese: Zen;
Cantonese: Sim) is known inSanskrit as Dhyana, whichcan be translated as„meditation“. Chan means tobe present in the moment,without distraction byexpectations or fears. Itsignifies the return to thenatural state of being. For usKung Fu practitioners, thismeans our training, ourfighting, our everyday life alsobecomes a practice ground.
Weng Chun
“Among Shaolin(Weng Chun)Kung Fu
practitioners,you will oftenhear the word„Amitofo“ as agreeting or asmeditationpractice. This is the
Nianfo practice,the reciting ofBuddha�s name
with theobjective of beingborn in the Pure
Land ofAmithabaBuddha.”
Weng Chun
e seek to remain awarein the present moment,pure, joyful, peaceful,unshakeable, with anopen heart, andtherefore to firmly stick
to the path (dao). This is how Chan began,and how it has been passed on: With aflower, the expression of vitality and of ourdesire to grow, of our awareness for themoment, and through experience, frommaster to student, rather than through themere study of texts or through manywords. The direct experience of reality ofour mind was the main focus of the Chanapproach of Shaolin. „To be free fromattachment to all outer objects is Chan,and to attain inner peace is Samadhi” (HuiNeng, the 6th Patriarch). Among Shaolin (Weng Chun) Kung Fu
practitioners, you will often hear the word„Amitofo“ as a greeting or as meditationpractice. This is the Nianfo practice, thereciting of Buddha�s name with theobjective of being born in the Pure Land ofAmithaba Buddha. At the very f irstmoment you may think this is acontradiction with Chan. But let us have a closer look at the Shaolin Pure
W
Land- approach. In the „Amithaba Sutras“,the methods of the spiritual practice areexplained. There are three levels to recitethe Buddha�s name. At first, as a beginner,you have a disturbed mind. After somepractice, you attain the ability to focusyour mind, and the goal is to be entirelyfocussed on the recitation of the Buddha�sname. Two levels are to be distinguished here,
and if you are able to focus every singlethought on Buddha�s name, you haveaccomplished the first step. If the practice of the recitation of the
Buddha�s name leads you further, you willattain direct insight into the ultimate reality,realizing the nature of emptiness and ofyour own Buddha nature in ultimate truth,then you have reached the second level. Inone of the Amithaba Sutras it is said thatthe mind is in fact Buddha, and Buddha isthe mind, therefore a pure mind is the PureLand. So, if we are reciting Amitofo, shortfor Namo Amithaba Buddha, the Namomeans “taking refuge” or “coming back“,Amithaba is „infinite/ boundless light“, andBuddha stands for „clear awareness andall the power and all the wisdom that is inyour minds natural state“. As a Shaolin(Weng Chun) Kung Fu practitioner you
Weng Chun
“We try tocreate the Pure
Land with our mind,
with our body,with ourspeech,
in our families,in our daily life”
Weng Chun
recite Amitofu not only with your inner and outer speech and your mind,you perform your very own nature with your body. We try to create thePure Land with our mind, with our body, with our speech, in our families,in our daily life. So the Pure Land approach corresponds with the Chanapproach. The secret sign for this deep spiritual work is our sun andmoon greeting in every south Shaolin (Weng Chun) form. It representsthe „boundless light“ of the sun and the „clear awareness“ of the moon.Today most Kung Fu practit ioners understand the greeting as"overcoming the Ming", but this is not the original meaning but rather alater, political interpetation by the triads. I invite you to go back ourShaolin roots and to let inspire yourself by the original meaning which
“If the practice of the recitation ofthe Buddha�s name leads you further,you will attain direct insight into theultimate reality, realizing the natureof emptiness and of your own Buddha
nature in ultimate truth, then you have reached
the second level”
connects us with the energy and spirit of the sun (Amithaba -Pure Land) and the moon (Chan).
Let us try a Shaolin Weng Chun ChanPure Land- meditation: Sit or stand relaxed, let the stress and tension of your
muscles and your body go with your breathing and imagine yousit or stand at a nice ocean beach. Watch the waves come andgo, and let your thoughts come and go, without clinging tothem, and without trying to keeping them away. Breathenaturally, be aware of your breathing. Now, see with your innereye the warm sun in the blue sky and imagine in the sun
“I invite you to go back ourShaolin roots and to let inspire
yourself by the originalmeaning which connects uswith the energy and spirit of
the sun (Amithaba - Pure Land)and the moon (Chan)”
Weng Chun
Amithaba Buddha (if you trust in Buddha, if not feel the sunenergy). If you breath out recite A-Mi-To-Fo, slowly with agentle voice, if you breathe in you think A-Mi-To-Fo, let go allother thoughts, only this one thought matters: Think A-Mi-To-Fo while breathing out, think A-Mi-To-Fo while breathing in. Repeat this 108 times, while holding the image of the sun
and Amithaba Buddha. After that, take your time to enjoy yourmind being in silence, peaceful and unshakeable. Feel yourunlimited space, the joy and love in your mind, your truenature. At the end, feel your breath moving your belly in andout, wish that all beings are joyful as well, and bring the suninto your daily life. Amitofo!
Text: Andreas Hoffmann, Christoph Fuß, Photos: Andreas Hoffmann
All DVDs, wichi is produced by BudoInternational, si provided and alone in theformats DVD-5 or MPEG-2, in VCD, DivX or thelike is however neves offered with a specialholograma sticker. Besides our DVD ischaracteristed coverings by the hig quality inpressure and material. If this DVD and/or theDVD covering do not corespond to therequirements specified above, it concerns illegalpirat copy.
REF.: • FUSHIH-2REF.: • FUSHIH-2
This new work on Fu-Shih Kenpo by Soke RaulGutierrez is centered on the traditional forms ofthe style, their applications and self defence. Wewill have a deeper insight into the form "The TigerDefends Himself", with each of the correspondingtechnical applications, the form "Tiger Teeth",
and a special work on weapons. Then theMaster will explain in detail the
extense series of advancetechniques on self defence,indicating the whys of certainmovements, the necesaryprecautions to take intoaccount, possible anglesand the variations thatcould be applied ineach technical group.The DVD completesitself with a series ofcombat techniquesfor competition andconditioning work.where MasterGutierrez explainshow to prepareoneself physicallywith the use ofweapons, arms and legconditioning, selfdefence preparation and
for combat. Without anydoubt this work is rich in
knowledge based on theexchange and coordination of
different styles and how to learnto respect the differences from each
source of works.
Budo international.comORDERS:
The French Combat Baton
Combat sport or martial art, the French discipline “Canne de Combat”, CombatBaton or Combat Walking-stick, has earned its letters of nobility through thecenturies without losing its historical heritage.Bertrand Dubreuil (state title, eleven times champion of France of baton fighting,
coach of the French team, president of the National Committee of Combat Batonand Stick, integrated in the French Federation of Savate French Boxing andassociated disciplines) explains in this introductory DVD to Combat Batonedited by Budo International, that the Baton and the Stick were associatedwith fencing as training weapons in French military schools in the earlynineteenth century. Later, in the second half of the century, the basictechnical principles were established for civil practice under theinfluence of teachers and founders Louis Boucher (1807-1866),fencing master, and Joseph Charlemont (1839-1914), master ofFrench Boxing and Combat Baton and Fighting Stick.Thus began the common history of the practice of Combat
Baton and French Boxing in the same weapon rooms.These first technical encodings made evident the will
to make these wooden weapons effective weapons.
French Martial Arts
“Combat sport or martial art, the Frenchdiscipline Combat Baton,
or Combat Walking-stick, has earned its lettersof nobility through the centuries without losing
its historical heritage.”
Thus began the common history of the practice ofCombat Baton and French Boxing in the same weaponrooms.
These first technical encodings made evident the willto make these wooden weapons effective weapons.
Thus, the basic historical technique of the "arming" ofthe blows takes on its full meaning. In fact, during theexecution of the attacking blows, the "arming" ruleimposes a previous stage where the hand which holdsthe weapon must pass behind the line of the shouldersbefore returning to the target.
To understand it better, it is necessary to know itshistorical justification. In history, the stick and the baton
have been successively tools, symbols, distinctionobjects and rudimentary weapons, before beingintegrated into military schools. Less expensive and lessdangerous, these substitution weapons made theapprenticeship of fencing more affordable.
Early in their history, these wooden weapons, inspiredby the "French art of war," adapted for themselves thetechniques of sword and saber, among others, with thedevelopment of hits in front of the guard.Later on, after simulating for a long timethe typical fencing cuts andlunges, the baton and thestick put aside the false
French Martial Arts
“Bertrand Dubreuil has a high idea of theart of combat and he likes to remind
that the practice of a Martial Art mustbe lived with a consistent
sense of the value of respect, beyond the walls of a gym.”
threats of their virtual techniques, and these woodenweapons would to determine themselves as a properdiscipline, through techniques whose effectivenesswould come from their own nature, from theircondition of blunt and not cutting weapons.
This mutation was marked by the need to addpower to the hits. That's when the first reinforcedmovements of attack appeared. Like an arch opensbefore shooting, in the same way that the javelinthrower and the tennis player, the principle consistedof bringing the arm backwards behind the bust, meantas a spring, to give momentum to the weapon andthus power to the hit. The "arming" rule was born! Itgave a true identity to the discipline presentingbroader, fearsome and esthetic new movements.
From this specificity, the driving features of thebaton and stick discipline acquire their full meaningbecause they perpetuate some old techniqueschoices, not only for their historical value, but aboveall for their inherent efficiency, which even today, hasno equivalent around the world in any other combatsports of the kind (execution speed that can go up tofour cane lashes per second with "arming" andcomplete development of the arm for each hit).
Today, the "arming" of the blows is only ademonstration of power without the impact forceinduced by this impulse. The current methodology ofdiscipline expects the impact of the objectives to becontrolled without violence, a simple contact betweenthe weapon and the target is enough.
French Martial Arts
“The Baton and the Stick were taught in the weaponsrooms, in schools and in the army
until World War I.”
The baton and the stick were taught in the weaponsrooms, in schools and in the army until World War I (inthe first half of the second decade of the 20th century),but its practice gradually disappeared with the growingimportance of new sports.
We had to wait until the 1970s to witness the revival ofthe Combat Baton, work of Maurice Sarry, as well asBernard Plasait, Michel Gomez and Philippe Conjat. Anew encoding laid the foundations for developingCombat Baton tournaments, while the Stick remainedan exhibition discipline.
This revival was marked by the norm of the"compulsory low slot" during the execution of attacks tothe leg, to avoid the oblique trajectories of the blows, forreasons of safety and legality of the action.
Today, this martial discipline with forays from the"French art of war” is aesthetically located betweenFencing and Capoeira.
The Championship of France and the French Cup werecreated in the year 1980. The first Combat Baton WorldChampionship was held in Réunion Island in 2004 and the firstEuropean Championships took place in Strasbourg in 2006.
French Martial Arts
Outside France, the baton andthe stick are practiced in thefollowing countries: Germany, Italy,Slovakia, South Korea, Canada,Mauritius, and Madagascar.
The Combat Baton (chestnutwood, 95 cm, 110 gr.) is graspedwith one hand. The stick (140 cm,400 gr.) is grasped with both handsand repeats the movements of theBaton. The "cutting strokes" areonly allowed executed with the sideof the weapon. Stick competitionsdo not exist, although it's
La Canne
French Martial Arts
“The Baton and the Stick were associatedwith fencing as training weapons in French
military schools in the early nineteenth century.”
envisaged the idea of creating acompetition of the style in the nearfuture.
In the Combat Baton tournaments,competitors move around a circularsurface of 9 meters in diameter, whichoffers endless tactics andchoreographic possibil it ies. Theblows are actually performed (withoutviolence) and competitors areprotected by a padded suit and ahelmet. The authorized striking areasare: head (except the back), theflanks (except the back and only theshoulders), and the shins (a low slotmust necessarily accompany theseattacks in the lower line). Rounds areregulated by an arbitrator and blowsare validated by three judges whoraise flags. Rounds are composed ofthree to five phases, lasting twominutes each.
However, the demands of acompetit ion should not hide thepleasure that the baton or"entertaining" stick practitioners feelas soon as they acquire the firstrudiments of the art.
Today, through the impetus ofBertrand Dubreuil, the Combat Batonand the Fighting Stick offer significanttechnical and tactical possibilities. Infact, when we look at the recentevolution of the technical and tacticalconfigurations of this discipline, wesee that it has huge sports andmartial qualities, among them whatwe could consider a particularchoreographic speed, with crosseddodges and stunts, combined with ahigh execution speed.
The bet was to derive profit fromthe historical and technical coercionslike the "arming” that forecasts theblow. Thus, taking advantage of thisobligation to arming was born a
complex set of fixings that grantedcontinuity and intelligence to theactions. We noted then that the slotor deception no longer belonged tothe field of the direct blowopportunity, but were part of acomplex process of destabilization ofthe adversary. Bertrand Dubreuilcreated the art of f ixing, byincorporating "degrees of intent"integrated in graduated times ofaction. That is why one single batonblow can change its target to fivetimes while varying its executionmodes (speed, plane and axis)without breaking the initial movement.The best example to illustrate thissubtlety of the game is when you getto touch your adversary in slowmotion, after an excellent fixing, a bitlike the bullfighter manages to slowdown his passes and dodges to theextreme.
Bertrand Dubreuil has a high idea ofthe art of combat and he likes toremind that the practice of a MartialArt must be lived with a consistentsense of the value of respect, beyondthe walls of a gym. For him, respect isnot enough and even more incompetition. He even demands fromus to come to admire our adversaryand express courtesy regularly,especially on the part of the loser,who shouldn't show any sign of shorttemper. He keeps repeating to thecompetitors that they are gentlemenand for this reason, they should leadby example. He also explains that thecombat is a dramatic and catharticstaging, which should serve toexpunge some inner conflicts andevaluate yourself and not as a placeof discord and violence.
For Bertrand Dubreuil, defense is amajor sector in combat, as it was one
La Canne
of his specialties. He estimates that winning afight with a high score on both sides is notacceptable (though permitted by theregulation). He upholds the principle of thedefensive effectiveness of any Martial Art,considering that a combat discipline mustsupply its practitioners the means to protectthemselves against all forms of possibleattacks, even when they come from otherMartial Arts.
He considers that if attacking is an art,defending is a science, the science of theanticipation and the economy. The defense
must bring into play the least possible energy,so as to preserve it for the offensive action,which requires a very good perception of theadversary to favor anticipation. To go further inanticipation, Bertrand Dubreuil has developedthe "active defense", which consists ofadopting a particular defensive behaviorresulting in the adversary's offensive response,which in turn allows you to foresee the choiceof techniques and the moment to bring theminto action.
The Combat Baton competit ions havepermitted to experiment and verify the tactical
choices and is not a coincidencethat Bertrand Dubreuil hasobtained convincing results andcurrently has to his credit fourmajor champions: Antoine Dubreuil(twice France Junior Champion),Cécile Serris (France SeniorChampion), Jonathan Dubreuil (sixconsecutive titles of France SeniorChampion) and Francis Bareilles (atitle of France Senior Championand five times France Veteran'sChampion).
Each year, on the last week ofJuly, a large international seminaropen to all is organized in SaintPierre d'Oléron (France), directedby Bertrand Dubreuil. With him,Francis Bareilles, Luc Cheynier,Roland Hoffbeck (national technicaldirector of the discipline) andGuil laume Bérard share theirvaluable teaching experience. Inthe Combat Baton introductionDVD edited by Budo International,
with Bertrand Dubreuil, we meetagain with Francis Bareilles, whosecreative genius inspires incrediblyoriginal linkages.
Apart from the national seminars,the National Committee of CombatBaton and Stick organizes rovingseminars, responding to demandsfrom all over the world.
Bertrand Dubreuil is not the onlyone who teaches the art of thecanne and the stick, many talentedteachers work everywhere both inFrance and abroad.
The Combat Baton is spreadingfar and wide, including ourwheelchair friends; after havingdone some tests, we are evenplanning to organize a competitionbetween normal and handicappedstudents, which would represent aworld first in combat sports.
Try this discipl ine! . . .You' l lwonder how you ever l ivedwithout it.
DVD & video download
French Martial Arts
The DVD "Krav Maga Research and
Development" comes from the will of four
experts in Krav Maga and combat sports,
Christian Wilmouth and Faustino Hernandez,
Dan Zahdour and Jerome Lidoyne. To date, they
lead several clubs and a group of twenty
instructors and monitors from multiple
disciplines, from Krav Maga or
Boxing to the MMA, Mixed
Martial Arts. This work is not
intended to highlight a new
method or a specific
branch of Krav Maga, it
simply aims to present a
Krav Maga program that
focuses on the
importance of the
"content" and share their
experi
REF.: KMRED1
All DVDs, wichi is produced by Budo
International, si provided and alone in the
formats DVD-5 or MPEG-2, in VCD, DivX
or the like is however neves offered with a
special holograma sticker. Besides our
DVD is characteristed coverings by the hig
quality in pressure and material. If this
DVD and/or the DVD covering do not
corespond to the requirements specified
above, it concerns illegal pirat copy.
Budo international.comORDERS:
Maybe it's the renewed pas-sion for grappling, perhapsit's because of the work ofMasters and specialistswho, as Vincent Lyn, havealways bet on the efficiencyand intelligence of an extre-mely powerful method toface self-defense; the fact isthat in recent years the ChinNa has gained a great promi-nence, unthinkable only a fewdecades ago, when it was justan illustrious unknown.The martial artist, Master
and note film actor, SifuVincent Lyn, brings us theexperience and knowledge ofhis family system in respectof Chin Na. A job that cer-tainly will appeal to regu-lars and newcomers, andof course, to all thosewho know the powerthat a simple wrist dis-location has to resolvean unwanted confron-tation, especially toneutralize an oppo-nent even before thearrival on the spot oflaw enforcementofficers. An articleand a DVD thatfor sure will plea-se everyone.
Jeffrey Helaney & Vincent Lynwww.budointernational.com
Text: Photos:
Chinese Arts
“Learning how to control andmanipulate the adversary is
something highly specific of themartial science. To achieve such skill,
the trainee must haveknowledge of
anatomy, physiology andbasic physics.”
Reportaje
“A common mistakeregarding Chin Na isthat is not a Martial
Art in itself, but a series of
techniques that areincorporated intovarious styles ofChinese Martial
Arts.”
Introduction to the Artof Control and Manipulation of the Body
Learning how to control and manipulate the adversary issomething highly specific of the martial science. Toachieve such skill, the trainee must have knowledge ofanatomy, physiology and basic physics. In addition, thestyles more focused on the manipulations require highermotor skills, or put another way, more practice than thearts of pugilistic style. Parting from this premise helps thepractitioner to determine whether or not these arts fit in hisor her fighting style.
Control and manipulation are based on interrelatedprinciples. One is that of redirecting the energy. All weneed do is apply a scientific principle studied in highschool: "A body in motion tends to stay in motion unlessan external force acts on it." We also know that it isnecessary to apply the same amount of force on a movingbody to curb its momentum. From this point of view, in theprocess of energy conservation, it is much easier toredirect it than to stop it. For this reason, many of thetechniques of the control Arts resort to a pull or pushmovement, rather than a strong block.
According to these principles, the energy of an attackercan be redirected and turn against the perpetrator. Thus,the techniques used to stop or push are only used to
Chinese Arts
Chinese Arts
“The effect caused after affecting the nerves throughacupuncture points is different for everyone, because
each person has his or her own threshold of pain and notall techniques work the same way for everyone.”
redirect her energy while grappling techniques allow the practitioner to add morepower to the attacker's energy. Techniques that lead us to the next principle of control:shifting the balance. The main objective in redirecting the energy is to put theopponent in an imbalance situation. Thus, his counterattack is hampered and thisallows the practitioner to manipulate him to a point in which he can't stay in balance.On many occasions, shifting the balance is used for both toppling an adversary and
bringing him in a position that allows us to apply a neutralization technique. The mostcommon in the Arts of control is the so-called submission, a painful technique whichincludes joint locks or pressure techniques that are directly applied to the acupuncture
points. In any event, these types of techniques are used to distract and subdue anopponent in the case of a final attack in order to prevent him from starting his
counterattack. An example is the wrist dislocation, which can cause fromextreme pain to wrist fracture.
The attack to acupuncture points assumes for the practitioner, almostalways, a genuine challenge. To achieve submission using them, thepractitioner should exert a strong finger pressure on a particular pointor to cause either disruption of Qi energy or over-stimulation of theaffected nerve. For example, the known acupuncture point LI-4
Chinese Arts
(Intestine 4), to be found in the hand, is veryrecurrent to neutralize an aggressive attack.Another point frequently used affects thehypoglossal nerve, located close to the angleformed by the jaw bone. To access it we musthold the head and exert finger pressure towardsthe crown. The effect caused after affecting thenerves through acupuncture points is different foreveryone, because each person has his or herown threshold of pain and not all techniqueswork the same way for everyone. Thepractit ioner must have a broad practicalunderstanding of the physiology of the humanbody, from both eastern and westernperspective.
Although there are many kinds of control arts,al l of them have similarit ies based on theanatomy and physiology of the human body. Infuture articles we wil l study in detail themechanics of the body, but for now we'll justresort to the basic concept that defines bodymechanics as the study of its natural movement.If we alter the natural functioning of the body, weare initiating a process of control and, regardlessof the art we practice, in this end there areuniversal concepts. From this theory it is veryeasy to understand why control Arts work similartechniques, even knowing that they weredeveloped in very different cultures.
In China, for example, the Art ofgrabbing and controlling, called ChinNa, is present in many styles of Kung-Fu and is mainly used in some Aikido,Hapkido and Jiu-Jitsu systems. Acommon mistake regarding Chin Na isthat is not a Martial Art in itself, but aseries of techniques that areincorporated into various styles ofChinese Martial Arts. This Art isstrongly linked to the Ling Gar style of
my family. And it must be clear thatfor a student who has no
ability to strike
with hands and feet, the Chin Na willbe of no use, even if he has theknowledge of anatomy, physiologyand kinesiology that requires aMaster, because he wil l lacksensitivity and subtlety that demandsthis way of controlling an opponent.
What is Chin Na?"Chin" means holding or grabbing;
"Na" is retaining and controlling. SoChin Na can be translated as "holdand control". Speaking in a generalway, most Chinese martial styles
include four technical categoriesto be more effective in
combat. The first
integrates techniques of hitt ing,punching, pushing, pressuretechniques, etc. The second dealswith kicks, sweeps and steps ordisplacement, with little contact withthe opponent and with an explosiveand harmful hitting power. The third iscalled "Shuai Jiao" (Wrestling) andincludes the development of skills todestroy the opponent attacking hisstabil ity and balance throughtakedowns. The latter is the Chin Naand it integrates techniquesspecialized in controll ing anddisabling joints, muscles and tendons.At this point it is noteworthy that in areal combat situation the first threecategories are applied at a time andcannot be separated from each other.For example, while with one hand yougrab and control your opponent, youuse the other hand to hit a vitalstructure. Or, while you are grabbing ajoint, you attempt to overthrow theopponent to start the subsequentattack. Many Chinese martial artistsbelieve that there are many other
techniques apart from grabbing,such as pressure or hitting nervestructures that causenumbness in a part of theopponent's body (and evenloss of consciousness),
which, being control techniques, they recognize as beingpart of Chin Na.
So, the Chin Na grabbing techniques are used to controland immobil ize joints, muscles or tendons of theopponent, to the point that he can't move, thusneutralizing his ability to fight. The Chin Na pressuretechniques are usually applied to numb the opponent'slimbs, getting to cause him loss of consciousness, andeven death. Or they are applied on the Chi cavities todisrupt the normal flow of Chi to the organs or brain, oralso on nerve endings to cause extreme pain and evendeath. The Chin Na hitting techniques are appliedto vital points and can be fatal. We can alsoattack the cavities of these channels or hitcertain vital areas to cause arterial rupture.All these techniques, as we’vealready said, serve to "grab and
control" the opponent and can be divided into thefollowing categories:
1. Muscles / tendons separating techniques. 2. Bone spraining techniques.3. Breathing interrupting techniques.4. "Dim Mak" which translated from Cantonese means
pressing the vein / artery, sealing or blocking the vein /artery and pressing a primary channel of Chi.
All of them are easy to learn, both theoretically and inpractice. All they require is muscular resistance and
sufficient strength to achieve an effective control.Using these techniques to fracture bones or
cause injuries to joints or tendons, requiresJing (martial power). Sealing veins / arteries
and pressing nerve structures demand a
Chinese Arts
thorough knowledge ofanatomy (location, depth,etc.), synchronization of thecirculation of Chi;development of Yi (mind), Chi( internal energy) and Jing(martial power), as well asknowledge of specific formsand techniques.
That is, in general, itrequires a formal instructionunder the guide of a qualifiedMaster, not only to acquirethe necessary lessons, butbecause most of thetechniques are learnedthrough sensation andfeeling. Furthermore, as manyof these techniques caneasily lead to death, theMaster will only transmit hisknowledge to students withthe deep moral convictionthat they are worthy of histrust.
"Chin" means holdingor grabbing; "Na" is
retaining andcontrolling. So Chin Nacan be translated as"hold and control".
“Sealing veins / arteries and pressing nerve structuresdemand a thorough knowledge of anatomy, synchronization ofthe circulation of Chi; development of Yi (mind), Chi (internalenergy) and Jing (martial power), as well as knowledge of
specific forms and techniques.”
Kata. A step forward
Many times we think we knowalmost everything about ourpassion or about the activities towhich we devote a great deal ofour life.Lately I 've been wondering
about how high-minded sound allthose "epic martial artssentences" and how little arethey implemented, much lessunderstood.Phrases like "Karate ni sente
nashi", "Ken zen ichi", "Hito katasannen".... make me realize theimportance of the inner work, asmuch as the outer, in MartialArts.When we speak of "one kata,
three years," we can come tothink that in the past, there notbeing means of communication asrapid and wide as the ones wehave today, the oral transmissionof techniques made theunderstanding slow and thiswould explain the need for such along time to learn a series ofgymnastic movements.
Karate
Text: Kyoshi Jesús fernandezPhotos: Borja De La Lama
Kata
herefore, the maxim ofthe traditional karatecould be updated todayas: "3 kata one month,and I still have spare timefor other things". To someextent, progress in
communications and access toinformation that we enjoy today arenot comparable with what they had atthat time, of course, and thereforethey can help us somehow, but myapproach is: Wouldn't there besomething else that justif ieddedicating so much time to learn akata?
Of course my view is YES, THEREIS. But a resounding YES, as Kata canbe understood from different angles.And although in previous articles I putkata as one of the vertex of thetriangle formed by Kihon, Kumite andKata, in this analysis I'll put it as theaxis around which the other twopillars are held.Today I want to pick up the idea
that on the basis of Kata workout, wecan improve and deepen the othertwo fundamental aspects: Kihon andKumiteA good Kata workout will refine our
basic technique. The movement and
dynamism of Kata improve ourshifting technique and allows us tounderstand the rhythms and Kimewhen it comes to perform atechnique, as well as the analysis ofKata teaches us tactics when itcomes to study combat.Performing Kata in which all
elements are made with the sameconcentration and similarly, results ina linear, monotonous and boring Kata,as we have seen so many times.Instead, a Kata well executed can'tseek just the aesthetics or the rhythmwithout understanding the whole. Ofcourse this is not against the
T
Karate
Kata
“The movement and dynamism ofKata improve our shifting techniqueand allows us to understand the
rhythms and Kime when it comes toperform a technique, as well as theanalysis of Kata teaches us tacticswhen it come to study combat.”
exhibition and competition, but I'm sure you understandwhat I mean, and now the approach is that of performing aKata for ourselves as a study, this is the matter at hand.To me, aesthetics when executing a kata is the result of
a good understanding, good practice and good technique,but not the other way round. For example, if when performing a given Kata, the leg
doesn't remain fixed at the height of the head (somethingthat as Budo would be unthinkable, because using yourlegs above the waist would be against nature, legs being inthe lower body and arms at the top); on the contrary, if thatsame leg technique is executed at the chudan or gedan
level, and it manages to convey the imaginary combat andthe application being made, then, that is the correctimplementation to me.I remember a story with my children a few days ago,
they are small and they still have a very limited knowledgeof Kata, so I asked them to observe me and tell me the firstthing that came to their minds. I performed a Kata of theWhite Crane and my surprise was that the first thing theythought of was an eagle, then a flamingo or a similar bird.My joy and my self-esteem went through the roof, I had
managed to convey the essence of the Kata and they hadunderstood me.I think now you can better understand what I'm trying to
transmit in this article and in future works.Let's take an example (when I give my lessons I like to
activate the cognitive part of the students and make themparticipants in the class, instead of make them repeat andexecute what a higher degree tells them to do, so that theyunderstand the purpose of the class and the reason forwhich I will demand the best of each). If we take HeianNidan and we observe a standard performance, we'll seethat the 99% of the student will carry out the Kata with thesame tension and Kime all their techniques. That is, theUchi Yoko Uraken will be executed with the same poweras the Gyaku Tsuki (and for now I won't talk about otherelements). But what if a technique is Tsuki Waza and theother is Uchi Waza? Are they the same when it comes tohitting? Is it the same using the articular chains of the armoutstretched trying to get a point of maximumconcentration, than a technique that seeks the snap andtherefore the speed for maximum effectiveness?Indeed the answers to the above questions are "NO". So
why do we perform all our techniques the same way,understood as seeking the same Kimé and strengththroughout.?That's why, should you agree on these considerations,
the study of kata must be very careful to understand theKihon, but this time as a result of good performance ofKata.Thus Kata rhythms vary depending on the technique
applied, without this opposing the rhythm of Kata as a
Karate
whole and that is defined in many cases. Thatis, a slow and concentrated movement toperform Haishu Uke or Shuto Tate, will not bealtered to carry out the defense or attack thatcould be done with these techniques. First therhythm of Kata, then execution of the techniqueaccording to its nature. That is the beginning ofthe wayWe are now at the point of joining the Kata
technical part with the combat.That is, we must study the Kata and its
Bunkais with the idea of understanding themovements and tactics in them.The works (DVD's) that I carried out about
Kata and Bunkais for Budo International were inthat sense. They were not a exclusive work onBunkais, but a method to develop theunderstanding what Kata want to teach us apartfrom improving the combat technique andtactics.Thus, I began with the Heian Kata series with
applications that followed exactly the embusen.Those who only saw the pictures would thinkthat I was mentally ill. How could anybody hitwhile withdrawing and taking steps backwards... That was not the message, but first learninghow to apply the basic technique of Kata in itsnatural movement, even sacrificing the reality ofBunkai, because at that time, it was not thepriority.Once we understand the Kihon of Kata and
its practical application, let's give it sense, forwhich I began to modify the directions in frontof the attacks, depending on the application ofthe Tenshin and the Tai Sabaki, that allowed meto take advantage over one predeterminedattack. In this way, the Bunkai began to emergeand acquire a character of its own in front of thestandard implementation of a series ofmovements of Kata. That is, we begin tounderstand how the kata can serve for
Karate
Kata
applications of Yakusoku Kumite and teaches ustactics, such as working covering our backs against awall, cliff, boat or what history has been teaching uswhen we workout the Tekki or when we perform theGankaku Sho (Kyan no Chinto) with a diagonalembusem, as the elders used to do to avoid beingcopied if it was seen through a hole in the wall of theancient Okinawan dojos.Another notable aspect of traditional Kata would be
the way they teach us that nothing has been left tochance. The guards, Kamae, slow movements, feints,etc., open up a range of projection, dislocation andchoke techniques that seemed to be hidden whenseeing the execution of a Kata. Hence the starting andending guard positions of each Kata, which are notonly folk forms of greeting, but often hide more thantechniques (which seem secret) and reveal thephilosophy of a true Martial Art.For example, when in a starting and ending Kamae
position, one hand wraps a fist, it means that thecontrol and peace (open hand), protect and block theaggression and fighting (fist) that is within it, and that ifreleased it can be wild. That would be the momentwhen we started to perform the kata.I hope to have contributed a bit in this wonderful
world of Martial Arts and it serves someone to askhimself or herself: Why do I keep practicing Martial Arts? When can I feel satisfied of having got to knowcompletely a Kata? This is what motivates me tocontinue learning and working to improve as a martialartist and, what is more important, as a human being.
Jesús Alejandro Fernández MartínezKyoshi SKIF
Karate
DVD & video download
Kata
Karate
RECOGNIZED DEGREES
KARATE MASTERY• Renshi. Shotokan Karate Do International Federation (SKIF)• Kyoshi. Shotokan Karate Do International Federation (SKIF) (2012)
KARATE DO.• 6th Dan. Spanish Karate Federation (2013)• 6th Dan. Shotokan Karate Do International Federation (SKIF) (2012)• 6th Dan. World Kuntaiko Budo Association (WKBA)
JU JITSU.• 5th Dan. Madrid Wrestling Federation• 6th Dan. Spanish Federation of Ju Jitsu (2013)• 6th Dan. World Kuntaiko Budo Association (WKBA) (2013)
ACADEMIC TRAINING• National Coach (Technical Level 3). Spanish Federation of Karate• National Coach (Technical Level 3). Spanish Wrestling Federation (Ju
Jitsu)• International Instructor (WKBA). World Kuntaiko Budo Association
OTHER DATA OF INTEREST• Chief Instructor (Technical Director) SKIF Spain.• Shodan Nawa by Zembukai Association• Representative and Technical Director for Spain of the World Kuntaiko
Budo Association• Karate World Champion (Master category) in Kata SKIF (2009.
Greece).• Yawara Jitsu Spain Champion (Self Defense) 1989.• Tai Chi Practitioner (Professor Hirokazu Kanazawa).• Representative for Spain of Master Hirokazu Kanazawa Jesús Fernández e-mail: [email protected]
WING CHUN GUNWING CHUN GUNWING CHUN GUNWING CHUN GUNGGGG FUFUFUFU::::
The Explosive Art of Close Range CombatThe Explosive Art of Close Range CombatThe Explosive Art of Close Range CombatThe Explosive Art of Close Range Combat
Sifu Randy Williams’ extensive collection of books
on Wing Chun in 6 volumes, the series contains the
history of Wing Chun, the theory and description
of all Wing Chun forms in detail, Volume 6 is
focused on instructing the system and provides
additional information about Wing Chun Combat
Theory from A to Z! This great work, originally
written in 1988 and newly revised and updated is a
must for the library of any serious student of the
art.
You can order the entire series as a set of 6 books,
or by individual volume, and the new DVDs can
also be ordered individually or in sets directly from
us through our website:
www.shop.crca.de
One Volume € 49,90
SingleWeapon DVD € 39,90
Biu Jitsu DVD € 25,90
DVD Set (all 5) € 149,90
The shipping & handling costs are not included for more
information please contact us:
Copyright © 1989 CRCA Enterprises
Publisher CRCA-Lopez / Mario Lopez,
Atroper Str. 56, 47226 Duisburg, Germany
E-Mail: [email protected]
Five brand new Wing Chun DVDs
1 DVD: “Bot” Jom Doh Basics
Complete “Bot” Jom Doh Form, 108 Motions,
Historical Information about the Wing Chun
Broadswords, Detailed Knife Blocking and
Striking Techniques, “Bot” Jom Doh
Footwork, Details of the footwork orientation
of the form, One-man “Bot” Jom Doh Drills
2 DVD set: “Bot” Jom Doh, Applications,
Drills, Concepts & Principles
Applications of the motions from the “Bot”
Jom Doh form, Knife vs. Knife, Knife vs.
Pole, Drills, Concepts and Principles,
Specially created Knife drills for the Wooden
Dummy, Detailed Knife Blocking and
Striking, Knife techniques as compared to
their empty-hand counterparts, Cutting
Principles
1 DVD: CRCA Wing Chun “Biu Jitsu”
Groundfighting
Contents: The concept of “Reverse
Engineering,” Chokes; Rear, Front Standing,
“Guillotine,” Head-and-Arm, Side-Mount
Shoulder Choke, and many other
Groundfighting drills and techniques.
2 DVD set: “Look Deem Boon” Gwun
Volume 1 ( 55 min. )
Content: Pole Details, Pole Drills, Pole
Footwork, Form Overview, “Look Deem
Boon” Gwun Form, 6 ½ Strikes of the Pole,
Applications: Pole vs. Pole
“Look Deem Boon” Gwun
Volume 2 (60 min.)
Heavybag Drills, Dummy Drills, Two Man
Drills, Form overview, Pole vs. Knife
Kyusho
TorqueKyusho works with torque.
Torque is nothing morethan a measurement oftwisting, or rotational, force.It generates far more than astraight l ine issuance ofpower and many fightershave talked about this sincethe early days of Boxing.Those old boxers alwaysstated that you twist theglove on impact… it was fordifferent reasons, but stillthey knew. They used itprimari ly to open a cut,preferably over the eye tohave the blood drip into theeye and have a bl indingaffect… that would remainthe target for the rest of thefight. They also knew it hadfar more impact even if it didnot open a wound as thestretching with the impactmade the hit far moreeffective.
Evan Pantazi
Kyusho
So what makes torque stronger than linear power?Let's start with Kinetic energy; in physics, the kinetic energy of
an object is the energy that it possesses due to its motion. It isalso defined as the effort or inertia needed to accelerate a givenmass from rest to a specific velocity.
Kinetic energy is divided between linear kinetic energy androtational kinetic energy. The overwhelming advantage of usingthe rotational technique is the greater ability to increase thespeed of a strike over a given distance due to the greateracceleration path. This increased path of acceleration can beup to 1.5 times greater in the rotational as opposed to thelinear technique.
Kinetic energy can also be passed from one object toanother as in a game of billiards. This is observable when aplayer imposes kinetic energy on the cue ball by striking itwith the cue stick. When the cue ball collides withanother ball, it slows down dramatically and the ball itcollided with accelerates to a speed as the kineticenergy is transferred to it. These are called elasticcollisions, in which kinetic energy is preserved, (withinelastic collision, kinetic energy is dissipated in otherways or energies, such as heat, sound, breaking, etc.
Now it is also possible to combined l inear androtational energy for a maximum speed as well astransferrable power level. So as you initiate the strike witha linear projection and at the very end add the rotationalspeed and force on contact, you will then gain the maximumaffect.
But why is torque more influential with Kyusho on theopponent than the straight line kinetic energy transfer?
Most beginners try ballistic straight line power or force, whichis why Kyusho does not work for them until they develop thecorrect touch with torque. But not only does it increasepenetration power, there are many other vital componentsinvolved.
By using a rotation as seen, explained and demonstrated inthe 6 Ji Hands DVD, we use this double power transfer forgreater penetration into the target area. The nerve is morecleanly accessed as the action of the rotation serves in pushingthe muscle structures aside. This gives a clear path to thenerve without the muscles protecting or padding the contactarea from the weapon. It also serves to gain depth from theincreased speed and velocity of the action.
In this action the nerve, once exposed and accessed, is alsostretched making it far more vulnerable and reactive withgreater results. The action can be instrumental in also
Kyusho
pinching the stretched nerve against a basing object like a bonestructure for an even more acute message to the brain. This cancause an overload of sensory input and trigger a safety mechanismin the body such as dropping to a prone position (via feinting,dysfunction or unconsciousness), for recovery.
Now if the target is in a muscular section of the body (as opposedto a head point with few layers of skin, fat and fascia), it also servesto attack the reflexive system taking it from somatic motor affect tomore autonomic reflexive and subconscious level. This isaccomplished by simultaneously affecting the Muscle Spindle Cellsor Golgi Tendon Organ depending on where you struck. Thesame stretching action that will be issued on the nerve will alsocatch one of these two structures as well yield even greatereffects on the opponent.
It also serves us in classical boxing or kick boxing andeven the more modern MMA training, by adding thatextra rotation on contact that the old boxers used.Let's take the jab for example; most fighters will uselinear power which stuns on contact but if the justlearned to also drop the knuckles (even throughgloves), down on impact, the results would be fargreater and especially so when used on a Kyushotarget. Take the chin as yet another example in this
rotational energetic, if we jab straight in, there will belitt le discernable results other than a fl inch or
withdrawal of the recipients head. If we manage todrop the knuckles at the end of the jab on impact to the
chin, then the angle to trajectory to access the nerve isaccomplished and there will be far greater dysfunction,sense impairment or altered state of consciousness.This also holds true for the cross, hook and uppercut…
the 4 main strikes used in matches as well as streetaltercations. By learning the Kyusho targets and working them
with the rotational strike, you will become far more powerful,potent and protected.
To summarize, we have:• Increased acceleration of our attack• Increased penetration• Increased velocity of the strike at delivery phase• Narrower base of power transferenceAdvantages of the rotational technique include:• Practitioners do not have to be as big or as strong• Greater variations in training for rotation technique
compared to linear attack• Tension required and strength needed for linear attack can
be counterproductive as opposed to the relaxed and morefluent movement of the rotational attack
So the “torque” (measured energy) in Kyusho is notmeasure by mechanical device, it is measured in physical resultduring training or need.
Sorry Vince energy is really real.
All DVDs, wichi is produced by Budo International,si provided and alone in the formats DVD-5 orMPEG-2, in VCD, DivX or the like is however nevesoffered with a special holograma sticker. Besidesour DVD is characteristed coverings by the higquality in pressure and material. If this DVD and/orthe DVD covering do not corespond to therequirements specified above, it concerns illegalpirat copy.
REF.: • KYUSHO 22REF.: • KYUSHO 22
The "Kyusho Tactical Control Program" (KTCP), was designedfor Subject control escalation with Legal, Medical and TacticalDeployment research, field-testing and coordination. The scopeof this program is for use by but not limited to, LawEnforcement, Security, Emergency Medical or Response, Coast
Guard, Military, Governmental Agencies, Body Guardsand Personal Security. This Basic Module is
comprised of one set of 12 primary targetsand integrated into 4 modules of
escalating force restraintcontinuums. There are several
weak structures in the humanbody that can be utilized by an
Agent to simply gain controlof a perpetrator moreefficiently thanconventional use of forcemethods. This would bein the protocol should asituation escalate pastthe verbal commandstage. These Kyusho(Vital) points are wherethe Agent can make useof internal systems of
physical control such as,Nerves, Tendon Structure
and natural Nerve Reflexesof the body. Not requiring
heavy force Fine or complexmotor control or even sight… all
of which is subject to failure andloss in high adrenaline states. This
information is dedicated to the Brave andResilient Members of these Agencies around
the world… Thank you for what you do!
Budo international.comORDERS:
All DVDs, wichi is produced byBudo International, si provided andalone in the formats DVD-5 orMPEG-2, in VCD, DivX or the like ishowever neves offered with aspecial holograma sticker. Besidesour DVD is characteristed coveringsby the hig quality in pressure andmaterial. If this DVD and/or the DVDcovering do not corespond to therequirements specified above, itconcerns illegal pirat copy.
REF.: • LEVIREF.: • LEVI8
Budo international.comORDERS:
