Enduring Spirit Forum

Hi , I'm Jacob. I'm 13 currently a No Belt. I like Jiu Jitsu, and Karate changed my life, all for the better. Thanks to karate I'm in a lot better shape then I was and my Life is just alot better.

After celebrating the memory of the departed on friday, we were all gathered in small groups inside the church talking to one another. The Pastor who lead the ceremony, having just heard what I do, called me over to speak. He jokingly said, "Show me something I could use against my wife." I asked him to hold out his hand to me, and when he did, I demonstrated a kote gaeshi. The old man wen up on his toes and his eyes went wide. At this I pointed out that I wasn't applying much pressure, so he told me to add a little. I tweaked my wrist and he gave out a squeak while everyone else laughed, including his wife.

Later, as we were on our way out, the Pastor's wife approached, exchanged contact information with us,  and asked if we would come back and teach a self defense class for women. Maybe her husband had good reason to ask for my help.

From the Tap Te Ching:

The expert in warfare says
Rather than make the attack,
I would take the attack;
Rather than advance an inch,
Retreat a foot.

The last trip to the dojo, my daughter was learning her kokutsu dachi.  Although I was mainly observing, I went ahead and practiced mine a bit; Sensei mentioned that it was very 'Okinawan'.  In the kokutsu dachi that I was performing, the center of gravity comes back farther, just ahead of the heel.  This version does not leave much room to move back within the stance without changing the footwork - it has no room to yield.

I had been working on developing a qi gong excercise that makes use of some stance other than kiba dachi - almost all of the excercises that I currently do come from a somewhat shallow kiba.  This new project involved a qi ball, expanding, then focused in a double palm extension as I moved forward in zenkutsu dachi; the implication is that there is a very forceful strike that can be made on the advance.  Now, sensei pointed out that leaving both limbs out in an extended position had some serious tactical problems, and that is true.  There is also an issue with having to rely solely upon the ability to make an advance in order to deliver a technique, so I went home and thought about how this prototype excercise could be adapted into an effective external martial technique, and not just an energetic excercise.

I started with a transition from zenkutsu dachi to kokutsu dachi, without changing anything in the footwork except for the 90 degree pivot on the back foot.  This results in a nice Okinawan koko, and has the effect of moving the body back one foot or so; a retreat without retreating!
Since the leading hand at this point is moving back towards the chest, it is readily available for executing gedan barai against attacks on the lower body, and the sudden shift causes attacks against the upper body to fail entirely, as well as invite an over extension on the part of an adversary.  At this point, one has full breath, and is effectively chambered for gyaku tsuki, with an opponent within or slightly closer than one's own power zone, off balanced.

Exploiting this position, one returns to zenkutsu dachi, applying the energy of 1: the pivot on the back foot, 2: the extension of the back leg, possibly adding the extension of the calf muscles as one rises to the ball of the foot, 3: the rotation of the waist, 4: the movement of the shoulder, 5: the raising of the upper arm, and extension of the arm.  Hard exhale, gyaku tsuki.  While this is occurring, the lead hand may move aside any obstace to the attack, or reposition the opponent fully within the power zone.

So, as a wai dan excercise, this is performed slowly, inhaling and exhaling through the nose, maintaining harmonious balance and observing the flow of one's energy, and as a martial technique, provides a defensive movement and counter attack with very strong effect.  Flowing away like water, hardening like ice; transfering energy like a bolt of lightning traveling from earth to sky.  Paragraph one of TTC, chapter 69, applied as a martial technique.

Osu!

For me, I will inform, aid and rescue a few times when I see someone acting in poor judgement. We all do things that seem a great idea at the time, but turn for the worst after the fact, so I can understand how one may unknowingly walk into disaster. It is also easy to make the same bad call twice. However, they say that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results. So, if the third lemming doesn't stop and say, "Hey, what the heck are we doing!?", it may just be in our own best interest not to get dragged off the cliff as well for trying to stand in the way.

In short, If people obviously prefer their own ignorance over shared wisdom, it may be time to sit back and enjoy the show. who knows, maybe we might even learn something from it.

I will admit that I sometimes struggle with the " You made your bed lie in it" mentality when I see people doing the same stupid irresponsible stuff again and again. I think we have to be careful about rescuing people so often that they are cheated out of the opportunity to learn and grow. Wisdom comes from experience, so we need to have a benevelont heart, but always think of the greater good. There is a fine line between being judgmental and practicing wisdom.

Or maybe that is just my excuse to not help...

I will think on that!