I was watching a promo video the other day sent to me by a friend. The video highlighted a weekend workshop with Russian Systema instructors, centered around firearms and hostile situations.
Although I enjoyed watching the video (and equally LOVE that kind of training myself) I was left wondering why someone would do that type of training. The seminar focused heavily on situations where you are armed and facing attacker's who try to strike and grapple you, or you are faced with an attacker firing on you. In all those situations, you have to first move for cover/positioning, then draw and return fire. They practiced firing from a variety of positions and circumstances, even putting themselves in a kind of pushup position, with right hand raised and firing pistol, while the instructor repeatedly kicks them in the stomach/ribs!
In all those situations, I kept thinking of the average person. The average person does not carry firearms. The average person is not bent on closing and taking out their attacker in those encounters. The average person just wants to escape danger, using whatever tools they have at their disposal. This includes just duck, cover and run.
It's those above the average person who take things to the next level. This includes having the awareness to look out for the welfare of others. It's this base instinct that causes some to pursue occupations like military, law enforcement and security. However, it's also the base instinct for those who would sacrifice themselves to save others, and swallow their fear to actually go after the attackers.
Even with all that, most people do not carry firearms. So, unless you are in occupations or situations where you are armed, it would make more sense to train as you would be on any normal day. Everyday items like cell phones, pens, briefcases, laptops, ID cards, etc all become effective tools to either enable escape, protection or elimination of threat.
With that said, however, the internal aspect plays the primary role, regardless of the role the person plays. Building a fighting spirit in the person will allow them to draw their resilience without the controlling force of fear. No matter the skills and weapons, if fear disables the person (like a deer in headlights), then they are as good as dead. So, no matter the training, it has to start with the internal drive of the person.
I find myself taking that into account when I consider how most people train in martial arts. Most people train once or less per week, avoid seminars or go once in a great while, and limit their training to what they do in the dojo. These people are not warriors, or even martial artists in the greater sense, but are martial enthusiasts or hobbyists. They put training last on their list of agenda items. It takes up their calendar as just another appointment, another thing on their already packed plate.
These people may have skills above the average person. But, I fear they may fall into the general catagory when real danger presents itself. They don't have the warrior spirit inside because their budo training isn't a part of everything they do. Since their budo training plays such a little part of their lives, it plays a little part of who they are.
You can never learn a technique for every situation. Nor can you train all day, every day, in fighting techniques. What you can do, however, is to integrate your training into the everyday life you live. Pay attention to how your body moves, how balance plays it's role, and how situations happen around you. Notice how your breathing works. Be aware of when you let your awareness drop. I'm not speaking of being paranoid, but just aware. Know where your tactical spaces are at all times. Notice the mannerisms of people around you.
At the same time, learn to control stress, emotion and distracting thoughts. You need to return to a "Zero State" at all times.
Just doing this alone isn't enough. But, again, nothing works without a proper inside. So, this is something which affects everything you do, regardless if you are at work, at home, at the movies, or in the dojo. Then, when the poop hits the fan, even in the most dire of circumstances, you will just do what is natural to you.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Basics...
I was reading the latest blog entry by Shihan Doug Wilson, where he wrote about the latest Daikomyosai event in Japan. Daikomyosai (aka DKMS) is our annual Bujinkan shindig, where members from all over the world converge in Japan to train 3 days with Soke.
Typically, the DKMS training was in the Budokan in Ueno. But, this year it was held in a beautiful park common to us Bujinkaneers. This park is thick with trees and has an obstacle/edurance course on both dry land and over a man made pond.
Anyway, people who attended are writing about how the training was really on fundamental things and combat strategy. This year's theme was Togakure Ryu, which is tied to Japan's Feudal Period history as those people who operated behind the scenes; a kind of "Spec Ops" tradition. As part of that tradition, knowing how to get in and get out of possible hostile areas was a major part of the training. Gathering information was a valuable tool in the wars and these guys had to be good at it.
According to those who were there for this year's DKMS, training was challenging. The ground was damp (even muddy in some areas), uneven and scattered with trees and shrubs. They threw each other to the dirt ground, slammed into trees, threw dirt, and many other "real combat" things which are impossible in the sanitized environment of a martial arts dojo. It was a "real world" experience.
This made me respect the emphasis on kihon, or fundamentals. With so many kata, or techniques, that make up the 9 traditions of the Bujinkan "umbrella", I am thankful that we really don't have much that make up our fundamentals. Yet, those fundamentals are universally applicable and exist in all the traditions.
I have always taught in my classes that the most important attribute for a warrior is the ability to adapt to any situation. I have found that if you approach training simply and become adaptive with it, your ability to survive a real situation increases much more than if you learned hundreds of kata - prearranged, repeated combinations of skill sets.
Our Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu has two elements of training which make up the bulk of the fundamentals. The first are solo movements called Sanshin no Kata, which are a series of five solo kata. These are designed to develop proper movement. The second are called Kihon Happo, or eight fundamental laws/principles.
These are further broken down into two sections. The first, called Koshi Sanpo, are comprised of three methods of striking (or how to keep tactical space open). The second are called Torite Goho, or five hand/arm escape methods. These are methods of grappling, once that tactical space is collapsed.
The combination of integration (Sanshin no Kata) and application (Kihon Happo) are at the root of all our training, whether armed or unarmed, against weapons, or against multiple opponents. These techniques are all simplistic on the surface, yet hold countless layers of development and efficiency. It is through a peeling of the layers that we learn to adapt them to whatever the situation holds.
It is my belief that this is a correct method of training and one which is overlooked by so many who rush on to the next kata, the next idea, and the next theme. They miss the lessons which are lying just underneath the stuff they already know.
For the next week or so, we'll be going back to basics. I plan to do drills, target shield striking, jumping, rolling, and so on. It's going to be a very physical time, but one that shouldn't be put off for too long.
So, let's get going!
Typically, the DKMS training was in the Budokan in Ueno. But, this year it was held in a beautiful park common to us Bujinkaneers. This park is thick with trees and has an obstacle/edurance course on both dry land and over a man made pond.
Anyway, people who attended are writing about how the training was really on fundamental things and combat strategy. This year's theme was Togakure Ryu, which is tied to Japan's Feudal Period history as those people who operated behind the scenes; a kind of "Spec Ops" tradition. As part of that tradition, knowing how to get in and get out of possible hostile areas was a major part of the training. Gathering information was a valuable tool in the wars and these guys had to be good at it.
According to those who were there for this year's DKMS, training was challenging. The ground was damp (even muddy in some areas), uneven and scattered with trees and shrubs. They threw each other to the dirt ground, slammed into trees, threw dirt, and many other "real combat" things which are impossible in the sanitized environment of a martial arts dojo. It was a "real world" experience.
This made me respect the emphasis on kihon, or fundamentals. With so many kata, or techniques, that make up the 9 traditions of the Bujinkan "umbrella", I am thankful that we really don't have much that make up our fundamentals. Yet, those fundamentals are universally applicable and exist in all the traditions.
I have always taught in my classes that the most important attribute for a warrior is the ability to adapt to any situation. I have found that if you approach training simply and become adaptive with it, your ability to survive a real situation increases much more than if you learned hundreds of kata - prearranged, repeated combinations of skill sets.
Our Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu has two elements of training which make up the bulk of the fundamentals. The first are solo movements called Sanshin no Kata, which are a series of five solo kata. These are designed to develop proper movement. The second are called Kihon Happo, or eight fundamental laws/principles.
These are further broken down into two sections. The first, called Koshi Sanpo, are comprised of three methods of striking (or how to keep tactical space open). The second are called Torite Goho, or five hand/arm escape methods. These are methods of grappling, once that tactical space is collapsed.
The combination of integration (Sanshin no Kata) and application (Kihon Happo) are at the root of all our training, whether armed or unarmed, against weapons, or against multiple opponents. These techniques are all simplistic on the surface, yet hold countless layers of development and efficiency. It is through a peeling of the layers that we learn to adapt them to whatever the situation holds.
It is my belief that this is a correct method of training and one which is overlooked by so many who rush on to the next kata, the next idea, and the next theme. They miss the lessons which are lying just underneath the stuff they already know.
For the next week or so, we'll be going back to basics. I plan to do drills, target shield striking, jumping, rolling, and so on. It's going to be a very physical time, but one that shouldn't be put off for too long.
So, let's get going!
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