ENTER THE DOJO!
Wednesday, August 1, 2012

WARNING - the following video clips include some profanity... might not be suitable for work.

This popped up recently on Rob Redmond's always excellent 24 Fighting Chickens site - watching it gave me some serious flashbacks to the last decade or so of my 27 years of training and teaching in a martial arts school that shall go nameless... the head of the school wasn't quite this bad... but at times it was mighty close...

The previously-mentioned head of the school was also fond of creating school-specific katas (or more often getting his students to create them and then editing them to put his stamp on them.) Initially it was weapons katas (because those traditional katas are so long and boring, after all) but eventually it spread to empty-hand katas too... again, I never saw anything quite to the level of the "Dance of Death"... but...

(A disclaimer - I have no problem with martial artists creating their own katas... but this was in a school that already required 14 katas to test for 1st degree black, and then 4-5 katas per black belt rank... and where the majority of the students and instructors had disturbingly little knowledge of the actual applications of the moves in the katas they were learning. Of course, this is all just my woefully uniformed opinion...)

Anyway, if you find the above as funny as I do - check out the rest of their videos on Youtube. Just don't be watching them when you should be engaged in serious martial arts training...

JMH

SAD NEWS (A YEAR LATE)
Erle Montaigue 1949-2011
Saturday, March 24, 2012

I've stayed mostly out of the martial arts loop since I resigned from my former school back in late 2009, or I might have found this out sooner. This afternoon I decided to check up on the latest news for Erle Montaigue and the World Taiji Boxing Association and discovered that he died from a heart attack back in late January 2011.


(photo courtesy of Tai Chi World)

I never had the opportunity to meet or study with Erle, everything I knew about him was from his books and the reams of information on his website. He was a controversial figure in the neijia (Chinese internal) arts, but no one can dispute that he had an incredible impact through his teaching, whether in person or through books and videos/DVDs. While it was obvious he needed to make a living from his efforts, he also shared a wealth of information free of charge. It always seemed clear that he was a teacher and martial artist first and a businessman second.


photo courtesy of Steel City Sound)

My thoughts go out to the Montaigue family as they continue to deal with their loss. Erle enriched the martial arts world with his presence and his willingness to learn and share, and we are all diminished with his passing.

JMH

Samurai Myths & Misinformation
Monday, June 20, 2011

It's been a long time since I last wrote about martial arts, mainly because my departure from the school where I used to train and teach has meant I've been focused on other pursuits... but an article popped up in today's Martial Arts Daily e-mail (really a daily ad for Black Belt magazine and associated products from both Black Belt and paid sponsors) about Samurai Facts vs. Samurai Myths & Legends. I checked it out really for two reasons. Hanshi Masayuki Shimabukuro and Carl Long are cited as sources of information, and I've had a lot of respect for Hanshi Shimabukuro for many years based on his excellent book Flashing Steel and his video series from Century Martial Arts. I was also a bit curious to see how much of the misinformation is stuff that we used to hear from the instructor and assistant instructors at the iaido classes I used to attend. The article is something of a fluff piece, which is about what I expected from Black Belt - and of course the motivation for posting it is mainly to advertise Shimabukuro & Long's Samurai Swordsmanship book and DVD series, published by (you guessed it) Black Belt (though of much higher quality than the fluff usually printed in the magazine, as many of Black Belt's books and DVDs are.) And I'm pleased to say that most of what's there is silly enough that even the often misinformed folks I used to study with hopefully would have laughed at most of it. Then again, given that a portion of their "knowledge" apparently came from action-adventure and chanbara films... maybe I'm being too generous.

It did get me thinking about another article I read some time ago, a rather cutting and at times humorous review of a History Channel documentary about samurai. I haven't seen the show, but it sounds like the usual flashy dreck the various cable channels pass off as researched martial arts documentaries, half fluff and half nonsense. It's interesting how the wildly-romanticized vision of samurai and bushido continues to flourish, to the point where there's even a term for the folks who practice this silliness - Modern Sammyrai. Then again, it's a much prettier picture than the more accurate one portrayed in films like The Twilight Samurai and Bushido: The Cruel Code of the Samurai (or even the brief hints in Shogun that the samurai code has a dark side to it.) And we do seem endlessly fascinated with knights and their like, don't we? (Despite the fact that most of us, had we lived during those times, would have been very miserable peasants.)

I'm not going to repeat all the points made in the various articles cited above - check out the links and enjoy. If nothing else they provide ample reason to take the many "historical facts" presented in martial arts schools with a king-sized grain of salt. Do your research and find out the truth. And if your school requires you to check your brain at the door and accept such nonsense without question - perhaps it's time to check out another school.

Update: Wow, Black Belt is really trying to drum up interest in their upcoming Advanced Samurai Swordsmanship DVDs... or is there a samurai-themed movie hitting the theaters that they're trying to capitalize on? Two more days of Samurai Facts vs. Samurai Myths (part two, part three) and this rather amusing tip of the day:

FREE Shipping on Samurai Products
No matter your profession or calling, the samurai approach to life deserves close attention.

JMH

SAD NEWS
Tuesday, April 20, 2010

This 2 1/2 months late, unfortunately, but I found this info on the web this evening and wanted to acknowledge that Grand Master Raymond Arndt of the American Kang Duk Won Assocation based in Florida died on January 30, 2010. While the news was not unexpected - I know he had been very ill for a long time - I have no doubt that this has been a difficult time for all the students and instructors whose lives he had a positive impact on.


Grand Master Raymond Arndt (photo courtesy of AKDWA)

Grand Master Arndt was the head of first martial arts school I studied under, way back in 1982 (at that point we knew it as simply Kang Duk Won... I believe it wasn't until a few years later that the official name was changed to the American Kang Duk Won Assocation to distinguish it from Kang Duk Won in Korea.) I definitely remember taking part in a class taught by him at one of the summer karate camps, and came away very impressed by the man in many ways. Unfortunately by the time I was most active in AKDWA he had chosen to play a diminished role in the northeastern branch of the school, and I don't believe I had the opportunity to see him again before the Rochester/Utica/Albany area classes broke away from AKDWA in 1995 to form the American Martial Arts Institute. He did resume contact with the head of AMAI several years ago, and during my last year or two with that school I heard quite a bit about their visits and conversations. To his credit, the head of AMAI was instrumental in Grand Master Arndt being inducted in 2007 into the Action Martial Arts Hall of Fame as a Platinum Pioneer in recognition of his over 50 years of martial arts leadership and dedication. While I haven't always been all that impressed by Action Martial Arts, in this case it seemed to me to be recognition that was very well deserved.

more to come...

JMH

Endings, Part 2
Tuesday, September 15, 2009

This past weekend AMAI had a black belt testing, and two students who used to be my responsibility tested, one for black belt and the other to advance from junior rank to adult rank black belt. I'm pleased to say that both passed and I have no doubt that they will do their new ranks proud, despite having had a free-thinking troublemaker for an instructor for many years.

Once their testing was over, I sent off two letters. The first was my resignation letter, in which I resigned from all affiliation with AMAI, its Grand Master, and any businesses owned by him. I outlined my reasons for leaving fairly bluntly (major problems with the way said Grand Master has conducted himself for many years now) and have no doubt that I am no longer welcome at any class or event under his direction. Can't say I'm shedding any tears at that thought... if I never see him again it will be too soon.

I also sent an e-mail to all the instructors on the e-mailing list, both to let them know that I was resigning, to clear up any misrepresentations that might pop up about why, and to leave them with the couple of parting thoughts. But perhaps I should let the letter speak for itself:

I am writing the black belt instructors and staff for several reasons. First, to let you know that Saturday evening I sent a letter of resignation to Grand Master Crandall and am no longer affiliated with any of the organizations and businesses under his direction. Second, to answer some of the speculation that has been relayed to me regarding my reasons for leaving the American Martial Arts Institute. And finally to leave you with a few parting thoughts and to say my goodbyes to some of the finest people it has been my pleasure to teach and train with .

Let me say up front that some people reading this may be deeply offended by what I have to say. If that is the case my suggestion is simple – hit “delete” and get on with doing things that bring you satisfaction and happiness in your life. Also, please be assured that this is the only time I will be using this method to contact you, unless you indicate that you wish to continue communicating with me. For those of you that have already done so, I thank you for putting our long-standing friendships ahead of dogma.

Grand Master Crandall should receive my resignation letter early this week. I actually formulated it while we were closing down the Albany location but waited to send it out until there would no longer be any potential impact on my former students testing on Saturday. I am not going to give any details of my reasons for leaving in this e-mail – suffice it to say that it has become increasingly evident that Grand Master Crandall and I are two very different people and I have known for several years that the day was coming when I would leave the school because of those differences. If you would like to know more you will need to either ask him to see the letter or contact me and I will share any information that I can in good conscience.

I have learned of speculation about a number of possible reasons for my departure from the school, and would like to set the record straight regarding them:

I am not leaving out of loyalty to Master Allen Hillicoss, though the way I have seen him treated over time and particularly the way he was dealt with after choosing to close the Albany location has reinforced my decision.

I am not leaving because of any perceived slight, large or small, directed toward me – I cannot recall a single occasion where Grand Master Crandall has said anything negative to or about me, despite the volume of negativity I have seen him direct toward numerous others both within the school and in the wider martial arts community.

I am not leaving because I no longer have the time or interest to study and teach martial arts; actually, I am looking forward to many more opportunities to do so in the future, now that I will be able to determine my own direction rather than having it dictated by Grand Master Crandall.

I am not leaving because Master Hillicoss has asked me to do so. In fact, he made it very clear that I should do whatever I think is best for me, not realizing that I have known for several years that the day was coming when I would leave the school and chose not to discuss it with him, so as not to put him in the position of having to defend his instructors’ decisions and actions to me. Neither has he had any input into anything I am writing here – he will read it for the first time when he gets the e-mail, just as he was informed that he needed to relinquish his Master status in an e-mail to the instructors and staff.

As a side note, I realize some may be bothered by my referring to Allen Hillicoss as “Master” rather than “Mr.” I understand and wholeheartedly agree that he no longer meets the requirements of Master status in American Eagle Style, being neither Grand Master Crandall’s successor nor a 7th degree black belt. At the same time he has been my instructor for 27 years and there is no doubt in my mind that he embodies all of the characteristics of a Master Instructor. Regardless of his status in the American Martial Arts Institute that is how I will always think of him, and I find it disheartening when I hear that some have apparently discarded the respect they once professed to have for him in favor of disdain and overly familiar forms of address.

If you have made it this far, please allow me to leave you with two final thoughts (what can I say, I am first and foremost a teacher.)

I have been fortunate to work with many students, both in martial arts and as a career, and I have always tried to teach my students to think for themselves, to ask questions and seek answers (even if they aren’t the same answers I might choose.)Teaching is ultimately about the growth of the student, though when it’s done well the teacher also often finds himself growing. When a student chooses to follow a path similar to mine, I have an additional goal – to help him learn to be better than I am. At times that is a scary process, since it means that at some point the student may actually outgrow his need for the teacher, but I think it is vitally important. A teacher who holds his students back from learning all they can and being all they can… well, I guess all I can say about that is if you find yourself in that situation, maybe it’s important to ask yourself why and whether or not he is the right teacher for you.

I have heard Grand Master Crandall say on several occasions that he is the “heart and soul” of the school, and that the instructors are appendages doing his bidding. I disagree. Without you, he would not have a school. You are the ones who volunteer your time and give your blood, sweat, and tears to take care of the students, pass on the knowledge, and help the school grow. When the day comes that he is gone, you will be the ones who either carry on a stagnant tradition designed only to perpetuate his name or a vibrant style that can grow and evolve to meet the needs of its students and the world they live in. Grand Master Crandall most definitely provides the direction, but you are the “heart and soul” of the American Martial Arts Institute. Without you, he is just one man – a dedicated passionate man with undeniable talents and skills, but still just one man. Perhaps Grand Master Arndt said it best when he wrote to the northeastern Kang Duk Won instructors, telling them “You don’t need him, he needs you.”

I have definitely taken more than enough of your time. Thank you for being my fellow instructors and in many cases my friends. The American Martial Arts Institute is blessed with a fine group of students and an even finer group of dedicated teachers who are passionate enough about what they do that they willingly give their time to pass on what they have learned. I have been an instructor for 16 years, and it has not been an easy decision to leave such a committed, caring group of people. I will miss the students greatly and I will miss you – both are part of the reason I stayed as long as I did. I wish you all the best and hope that being a part of the American Martial Arts Institute continues to meet your needs and bring you everything you might be looking for from it.

And that, as they say, is that. As the end of the year approaches, I will most likely write a little bit more about AMAI and ending my 27 year tenure with it... and a few thoughts as I look ahead at my expanded options in studying martial arts.

JMH

Endings, Part 1
Friday, August 28, 2009

Definitely a rough day today. I was hoping to get out for a run or a ride but just didn't have the time, because I was trying to finish assembling a scrapbook for my karate instructor, Master Allen Hillicoss. We wanted to present it to him after class tonight.

Which was the other reason today was rough. Tonight was the last class at the Albany location of the American Martial Arts Institute, where I've been teaching for the last 10 years (prior to that, I was teaching at our old location down in Catskill.) Roughly two months ago Master H. made the decision to close the location and retire from AMAI. So tonight was also the last time he'll be teaching... an mind-boggling thought, after being his student for 27 years. I've had two months to think about it and it's really only just starting to sink in, now that it's actually happening.

And the rest of the story is... I'm leaving AMAI as well. I've been increasingly unhappy with the leadership of the school for a number of years now, and had anticipated that at some point in the next few years I'd reach my breaking point and would resign. Only three things kept me around - Ann (who is also leaving), not wanting to bail on Master H, and the students. So I decided to take Master H's departure as my opportunity to leave as well.

Which means that tonight was probably the last time I'll see the majority of the students and instructors, some of whom I've known for years or even decades. That's proving a tough thought to deal with. There are some fantastic people in that group and I will miss them dearly. Add in all the memories that were stirred up as I dug through reams of photographs from the last 25-30 years, and you have... a rough day. Even knowing as I do that a world of opportunities has opened up before me (because I most emphatically am not done teaching and training, only with AMAI) and knowing how unhappy I've been with a major part of AMAI - it's still difficult and painful to say goodbye.

But then, I guess if it were easy - then it wouldn't have been worth it in the first place and I wouldn't have stayed as long as I did.

JMH

Saratoga Martial Arts Festival
Monday, February 23, 2009



I would also be remiss if I didn't note that the Saratoga Martial Arts Festival (SMAF) is less than a week away. SMAF bills itself as one of the premiere non-competetive martial arts events in the northeast, and justly so. I've gone to four (2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007) back when it was held at Skidmore College and I always walked away impressed by many of the folks I met and almost overwhelmed by all the information I'd been exposed to. Several similar events have sprung up as a result of people's positive experiences there, and I can't help but think that the martial arts community can only grow stronger as a result.

I won't be attending again this year for several reasons, not the least of which is the festival has once again been scheduled during snowshoe season and I hate to miss a snowshoe race. But even writing this has brought back a lot of great memories of my four times at SMAF and I find myself a little bit regretful that I'm not going to be there this coming weekend. If you train in the martial arts and can leave your ego at the door, I can't recommend the Saratoga Martial Arts Festival enough - it's a great chance to learn some new skills (or refresh some old ones) with a fantastic group of instructors.

JMH

BO & SWORD, KOBUDO & BATTO-DO
An Afternoon of Seminars with Master Fumio Demura
Sunday, April 13, 2008

I ended up overestimating the travel time to the Mohawk YMCA and got there a bit earlier than I wanted to... as it turned out, Master Demura and Sensei Hobbib had a situation come up in the morning that resulted in their being almost an hour late, so we ended up waiting around anyway. But once Master Demura arrived I was once again reminded of why I signed up for these seminars - he is one of the most positive fun-loving people I've ever met, and it is simply joy and a pleasure to learn from him.

Kobudo Bo Seminar

We started out with a bo (six foot staff) seminar. After a very brief introduction, he led us through a series of exercises designed to help us become more comfortable with moving the bo and working with it on both the left and right sides. He then took us through a series of kihon (basic combinations) and then we broke up into pairs to practice techniques on each other. For the most part I was pretty comfortable with what we did, since I've worked with the bo quite a bit over the last 10 years or so.



(all seminar photos courtesy of www.amai-eaglestyle.com)

From there he split the class into two groups - those who had been at his previous seminar three years ago and those who hadn't. The latter group worked primarily with Sensei Hobbib on Master Demura's Bo Kihon no Kata (Basic Bo Kata) that he taught three years ago. The rest of us were fortunate enough to learn a traditional Okinawan bo kata, Koryu Shushi no Kon Sho (Old Style Short Bo Kata of Shushi.) We've done a kata called Shushi no Kon Sho in our school for as long as I can remember, and while I've never learned it, this one seemed a bit different... perhaps because of the differences between the Japanese and Okinawan versions of some katas, as Master Demura spent a few minutes explaining and demonstrating. (The main difference seemed to be flow, with the Japanese method having very definite pauses between the movements and a certain emphasis on strength while the movements of the Okinawan version were more flowing... but my knowledge of Japanese and Okinawan arts is limited enough that I could be totally off-base on that!)



As always Master Demura did a great job teaching the kata... he took us about 2/3 of the way through it, then switched with Sensei Hobbib who both drilled us on the movements we'd learned and gave us a few more. Then Master Demura came back and finished the kata with us... unfortunately by that point we were running low on time, so we didn't get to practice the last 1/3 nearly as much as the first 2/3, and I wouldn't be able to do the whole thing from memory at this point... but with the help of some of the resources I've gathered over the years, I should be able to piece it together so that I can try to practice it on a regular basis.

Toyama Ryu Batto Do Seminar

After that we took a brief break and those of us in iaido changed into our iaido gear, then the second seminar on Toyama Ryu Batto Do started. Master Demura gave us a brief overview of the different types of sword work and drew analogies to different aspects of karate - kendo being similar to kumite, iaido being similar to kata, and batto-do being similar to breaking. Toyama Ryu is a relatively recent development in the Japanese martial arts, created in 1925 to give Japanese officers a method of basic training in practical sword techniques, with an emphasis on using the drawing and cutting with the sword in close-quarters combat. As a result, the style has a strong emphasis on tameshigiri (test-cutting.) There are currently three separate Toyama Ryu organizations and many schools; probably the best-known in the US is Nakamura-Ryu Happo-giri Batto-do, founded by Nakamura Taizaburo based on his training in a number of styles including Toyama Ryu. Master Demura trained under Nakamura Sensei until his death in 2003, and his International Batto-do Confederation is based on Nakamura's teachings, as well as training with instructors from the All Japan Batto-do Federation. (There are many places where more info about Toyama Ryu can be found on-line, including a fairly good article on Wikipedia. Master Demura's site has an excellent article outlining the history of Toyama ryu, Nakamura Sensei, and the International Batto Do Confederation.)





We started out with a couple of basic exercises - drawing and cutting, controlling the hieght at which we stopped each cut. After that Master Demura did a quick overview of the happo giri (eight cuts) - four diagonal cuts, two horizontal cuts, a cut straight down, and a forward thrust. Then we learned a Ippon me - Mae no Teki, the first kata. The movements defend against an overhead attack, by first cutting the forearms of the attacker and then finishing him with a downward diagonal cut. We practiced Ippon me a number of times, then found partners for kumitachi (paired practice) and took turns being the attacker and defender. I was fortunate to pair up with Ann, and we spent much of the seminar working back and forth (and trying to remember to do Toyama Ryu moves and not Takenouchi Hangan Ryu!)



The last part of the seminar was tameshigiri (cutting) using a cutting sword that Master Demura and Sensei Hobbib provided. They set up rolled tatami mats and gave us a few guidelines on how to cut properly, then a number of the iaido students were given a chance to try it. We were running low on time, so I didn't think Ann or I would get a chance to do it, but just before the end we were each allowed to go up and make a cut. I remember slightly more about this one than I do about the cut I made in Japan, under the late Master Tsuneyoshi Matsuno's guidance - maybe the 5 1/2 years of training I've done since then have improved my skills a bit. I was also lucky that Mr. Eric Stalloch, the owner of the Utica location, managed to get a fairly nice picture of me making the cut.



After that we hustled out, because another group was coming in to use the gym for basketball. As always this was a great set of seminars with Master Demura - he is a phenomenal teacher who is eager to share his wealth of knowledge. I can only hope we have more opportunities to learn from him in the future!

JMH

BELT RANKS
Saturday, October 6, 2007

This morning we had our fall black belt/brown belt breakfast, where students and instructors who have tested for black belt ranks in the previous six months get their new rank certificates (belts and degree stripes are awarded at the successful completion of the tests.) This one was particularly enjoyable because four of the instructors from the Albany location recently tested for higher rank, including one of my students who tested for 3rd degree black belt.

Often the occasion of black belt promotions causes all sorts of conversation about the meaning and tradition behind the black belt rank, and I find it interesting how some of that conversation is very well-informed while other parts are primarily myth and erroneous oral tradition. There are three ideas in particular that seem to come up time and time again... sadly, even the folks that one would expect to be well-informed (like the head of the school) espouse some of this misinformation.

Myth#1
Earning a black belt means you have achieved an expert level in a particular martial art.This one seems to be more prevalent among folks who've never studied the arts than those who have. While the students in our school look up to both black belt students and the black belt instructors, I think many of them also realize that earning a black belt is just a step along the path, rather than the final destination. In many ways, moving through the colored belt ranks is like going to school, with the black belt being similar to a high school diploma. If the instructors and student have done it right, the new black belt will have a good solid understanding of the basics, which can then be applied to more advanced study. In this way, 2nd degree black belt and up are similar to going to college and then graduate school... a definite necessity before someone could even consider being thought of as an expert. And even then, as he learns more and more, hopefully one of the most important things he'll learn... is how much he still has left to learn. (My students at work often make comments about my being a martial arts master or expert... but if there's one thing I've learned in the past 25 years of training, it's that I'm nowhere near that point, and never will be!)

Myth#2
The belt rank systems that are common in martial arts today were developed by Americans, who needed short-term rewards and reinforcement that they were progressing.It's certainly true that Americans have expanded the belt rank system into a veritable cash cow (but, to be fair, plenty of Japanese, Korean, and Chinese organizations have seen the money that can be made and have jumped on the same bandwagon.) The belt rank system that is most frequently used, however, can be traced back to the founder of judo, Jigaro Kano. Kano first used the black belt or black sash in 1882 to indicate rank for several of his students. He split his students into ungraded (mudansha - what are now current colored belts) and graded (yudansha - what are now black belts.) He also broke the judo syllabus down into a series of technical levels, to help keep his students interested and motivated. The belts themselves may have been adopted for a totally practical reason - to keep the jackets of the judo uniforms closed. When Gichin Funakoshi started teaching karate in Japan in the 1920's, he added the belt ranking system and judo-like uniforms, probably influenced in part by the fact that he was teaching at the Kodokan, the headquarters for Kano's judo. (For more info, see Don Cunningham's excellent e-budokai.com article on belt colors and ranking tradition - he expressed a good deal of the info I relate here much more eloquently and with a great deal more detail.)

Myth#3
Students traditionally started at white belt and over time their unwashed belt became black with years of accumulated sweat, dirt, and blood.Yuck. I can't speak for anyone else, but I wouldn't particularly want to train with someone whose belt had so much crud accumulated on it that it had gone from being white to black. I've heard this one repeated a lot, and there are so many levels on which it makes no sense that it's almost amusing. First of all, many karate practitioners trained in what can best be described as their underwear - which makes a lot of sense, if you consider the Okinawan climate and their training environment (mainly packed dirt.) They didn't wear belts. Secondly, rank wasn't indicated by a belt - when it was granted, it was in the form of special certificates or letters written by their instructors. It's not clear if rank was actually designated in any of the karate styles prior to Funakoshi teaching in Japan - what seems likely was that they simply distinguished between teacher and students. As already stated, belt ranks were first adopted by teachers in Japan - and the Japanese have long been extremely conscious of cleanliness. I suspect anyone showing up with a belt reeking of sweat, dirt, and blood would probably have been told in no uncertain terms not to return! (Admittedly, I don't wash my current belt, but that's because it's cheaply made and I'm worried it will fall apart in the washing machine, not because of some time-honored tradition!)

JMH

7th ANNUAL SARATOGA MARTIAL ARTS FESTIVAL
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Sunday, April 1, 2007

SMAF info

Another year of the Saratoga Martial Arts Festival has come and gone, with an entire weekend devoted to learning and training in martial arts. This was my 4th time at SMAF, and the 7th year it's been held. This year was different and unusual in that Master Hillicoss and Miss Moller both attended as well, and Master Hillicoss presented a 2 hour seminar on the tonfa on Sunday.

As usual, my focus was on learning or reinforcing principles, possibly picking up a new technique or two, gaining a little exposure to other styles of martial arts... and having fun while doing so.

SATURDAY, MARCH 31

The festival was supposed to kick off with a traditional lion dance being presented by Sifu Sharif Bey and his students. As we found out later, technical difficulties prevented that happening, and shortly after arriving at the Skidmore College gym we jumped into the first seminars of the weekend.

Zenbu Ryu Jujutsu with Sensei Lou Zuccaro - the first session I did on Saturday was another jujutsu class, this one with Sensei Lou Zuccaro. Sensei Zuccaro teaches at the Zenbu Ryu Jujutsu Dojo in Staten Island and founded Zenbu Ryu in 1998, after studying a variety of martial arts for 30+ years, with his primary training in Professor Florendo Visitacion's Vee Jitsu and Sensei Joseph Murgola's modern form of Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu. I was particularly interested to learn that Sensei Zuccaro is Gary Lewis's instructor (Sensei Lewis taught the jujutsu seminar that I took last year at SMAF.) After a quick warm up we jumped into close to 90 minutes of wrist locks, throws, and takedowns, with a few strikes sprinkled in for good measure. Sensei Zuccaro was a lot of fun and despite getting repeatedly slammed into the mat, I really enjoyed his class. I was also pleased to see Sensei Lewis who arrived toward the end of the session and was flattered that he actually remembered me from last year.


Sensei Lou Zuccaro

Liu Seong Combat Arts with Sifu Dan Donzella - from jujutsu to a Chinese/Indonesian style. Sifu Dan Donzella teaches a combination of Chinese Chuan Fa (Kung Fu) and Indonesian Tjimande (essentially a form of kuntao) as well as filipino arnis. His seminar focused on techniques that can allow a smaller person to successfully defend against a larger attacker, including slapping techniques and pokes/jabs to sensitive areas of the body - all designed to get an attacker to react in ways that would disrupt their balance and allow one to either finish them off or retreat. While some of the techniques were counter-intuitive to me (with years of training in a primarily closed-fist striking art) they were very effective and definitely gave me some ideas of things to add to my own arsenal. I was also impressed by Sifu Donzella's very down-to-earth aproach and his interest and concern for his students (when I went over later to purchase two of his DVDs, he remembered that I'd mentioned having knee injuries and discussed them briefly with me.) I would definitely take another of his seminars!


Sifu Dan Donzella

Defensive Positioning and Timing Drills with Dr. David Wink - I was somewhat familiar with Dr. Wink from previous years at SMAF, although I'd never taken a class with him. Mainly I'd seen him doing demonstrations, often as one of the Crazy Guys with Sticks who would practice full contact stick fighting with minimal protection. He comes from a very eclectic martial arts background: TKD, Wing Chun, boxing, kickboxing, silat, and kali, among other things, though much of what I've seen him do seems to be based on filipino and Indonesian arts. He worked with us on drills to develop positioning and timing in defending against a stick or knife, based off the triangle principle (always moving at an angle to the attacker rather than straight in or straight back.) Once we'd worked on that for a bit, we added jamming the attack by either jamming the elbow from the outside or the forearm from the inside, and then added a rather nifty stick disarm. It's quite possible this would be very basic material for someone with a strong filipino/Indonesian background, but I found it both interesting and challenging.


Dr. David Wink

Low Kicking and Sweeping Techniques with Shihan Patrick Hussey - I actually started this session in Sifu Mark Cardona's class on concepts of monkey kung fu, but it became evident very quickly that my knees were not going to allow me to do many of the movements he was demonstrating, so I hustled over to Shihan Hussey's class on low kicks and sweeps. (I'd actually been interested in taking Shihan Hussey's class anyway, but decided to give my legs and knees a break... guess I was meant to be there after all!) Shihan Hussey was glad to have additional students and we jumped right into using low kicks to the outer thigh to disrupt our partner's balance, then following through with a variety of sweeps and strikes. Shihan Hussey struck me as an excellent teacher, very enthusiastic and very interested in his students. His background in traditional Japanese karate (kyukoshinkai, seido, and kokorokan) is very clear, and I am definitely interested in learning more about his style, Tenkara Karate, which apparently focuses not only on technique but also in developing strong moral character in its students.


Shihan Patrick Hussey

Aikijujutsu with Sensei Dave Lamond - for the last seminar of the day we had a variety of choices, one of which was originally going to be taught by the late Sensei Jim Tirey. With Sensei Tirey's passing a little over a week ago, it was unclear exactly what would happen with his seminar... but we were very fortunate to have his instructor in Icho Yama Ryu and Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu Kodokai, Sensei Dave Lamond, as well as one of Sensei Lamond's students and Sensei Tirey's senior student (unfortunately, I didn't get their names.) Sensei Lamond is an retired NYC police officer who first began studying under Antonio Pereira, founder of Miyama Ryu Jujitsu. He went on to study under Miguel Ibarra and Roy Goldberg, two of the founders (along with Bernie Lau) of Icho Yama Ryu and Sensei Kiyama Hayawo in the secret art of Daito Ryu Kodokai. Sensei Lamond started with a brief demonstration of Daito Ryu techniques and looked to be, as they say, putting a real hurtin' on his ukes. From there we went on to practice a number of handgun disarms - a major difference between these techniques and the ones we practice in AMAI was an emphasis on keeping the gun close to your body to maintain leverage and try to avoid a strength-against-strength tug-of-war. For the last portion of the seminar, we experienced a bit of what the late Sensei Tirey called "faschia fighting", which uses the idea of maintaining light contact and taking a person down by stretching the skin to its elastic limit. A very subtle effect and not one that I was able to get to work for me, though I had it done to me effectively. Overall, an interesting seminar with a good deal of practical technique and information.


Sensei Dave Lamond

After the last seminar wrapped up, we found out that the lion dance was delayed from the morning because of technical problems with Syracuse Kung Fu's lion. In a show of incredible friendship and generosity, one of the local instructors, Sifu Steven Nacua, allowed them to use his school's lion (allowing another school's students under your lion is something which is almost never done - the lion represents the pride and soul of your school) AND we learned that one of the new instructors, Sifu Allen Wong, would be joining the Syracuse Kung Fu students under the lion. Thus the evening demo kicked off not only with a lion dance, but with a friendship dance showcasing the spirit of sharing and courtesy that characterizes the Saratoga Martial Arts Festival. Ann and I stayed to watch the lion dance, which was lots of fun, and the first demo, a short show put on by Adirondack Tae Kwon Do's students. Then we headed back to Albany, with a stop along the way for some much-needed dinner.

SUNDAY, APRIL 1

Three Arts Rotation: Defense Against a Punch -
Jeet Kune Do - Mr. George Ilyadis


Mr. George Ilyadis

Modern Jujitsu - Sensei John Borter

Sensei John Borter

Goju Ryu - Sensei Kevin Suggs


Sensei Kevin Suggs

The Tonfa - Master Allen Hillicoss -

Master Allen Hillicoss

Dynamic Fingerlocks - Sensei John Borter -

Additonal photos:

Baguazhang with Sifu Ben Bey


Iaido with Sensei Al Blakely

Capoeira with Professor Aranha

Kali with Guro Doug Marcaida

Shaolin Kung Fu with Sifu Allen Wong

Gun defense with Sensei Mike Campos

Monkey style kung fu with Sifu Mark Cardona

Karate with Shihan Lou Needham


Hung Ga Kung Fu knife techniques with Sifu Sharif Bey

all photos courtesy of SMAF 2007

SAD NEWS
Thursday, March 29, 2007

Just checked the Saratoga Martial Arts Festival site, in preparation for attending this weekend, and found the news that Sensei Jim Tirey passed away last week, at age 54.

When I attended SMAF in 2004, I took Sensei Tirey's seminar on aikijujitsu self-defense techniques partly because I was interested in the subject and partly because I don't believe I was particularly interested in the other options during that time slot. I was a bit worried at first, because Sensei Tirey did not look all that impressive - he was older, dressed in black sweats, didn't look to be in great shape, and seemed fairly unassuming. And in that seminar I re-learned a valuable lesson about judging by appearances, because it was one of the best sessions I did all weekend. Sensei Tirey not only knew his stuff backwards and forwards but he was also a fantastic teacher who made his techniques accessible to someone without much experience in aikido or jujutsu and made his seminar fun and exciting. I had a blast, and I hoped to some day do another seminar with him, possibly at this year's SMAF.

Now that won't be possible. And it is definitely my loss, and a loss to all those who might have learned from him.

Checking around a bit, it appears he was something of a legend in Special Ops and had a long and impressive career in the military, in addition to his extensive training in a variety of martial arts. Here's his bio, written up for SMAF 2004:

A student of martial arts for more than 20 years, Sensei Tirey has studied boxing, Shotokan Karate, Kuk Sool Won, Hapkido, Military Hand to Hand Combat, Icho Yama Ryu Aikijujutsu, Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu Kodokai, and Full Contact Martial Arts. Retired from the US Army, he is a graduate of the Infantry Officer’s Basic and Advanced Courses, Command and General Staff College, US Army War College, Airborne School, Ranger School, Special Forces Qualification Course, Special Operations Training Course, French Army Commando School, and the Naval Special Warfare Military Freefall School. He had active service in the Persian Gulf, Desert Storm, Africa, the Caribbean, and Europe in Special Operations Units. Sensei Tirey is privileged to be studying Icho Yama Ryu Aikijujutsu under Dave Lamond Sensei; Daito Ryu Aikijujutsu Kodokai under Kiyama Shihan, Roy Goldberg Sensei and Dave Lamond Sensei; and Full Contact Martial Arts under Doctor Dave Wink. (courtesy of SMAF 2004)

Rest in peace, Sensei Tirey. There is no question in my mind that you will be missed.


Sensei Jim Tirey in 2004 (photo courtesy of SMAF 2004)

JMH

BOOK REVIEW
American Shaolin by Matthew Polly
Saturday, March 3, 2007



Matthew Polly's site
American Shaolin on Amazon.com

As you can probably guess from the fact that I'm writing about it, I really enjoyed this book. Here's the synopsis from Matthew Polly's site:

Growing up a 98-pound weakling tormented by bullies in the schoolyards of Kansas, young Matthew Polly dreamed of one day journeying to the Shaolin Temple in China to become the toughest fighter in the world, like Caine in his favorite 1970’s TV series Kung Fu. While in college, Matthew decided the time had come to pursue this quixotic dream before it was too late. Much to the dismay of his parents, he dropped out of Princeton to train with the legendary sect of monks who invented kung fu and Zen Buddhism.

What follows is the true story of the two years Matthew spent in China living, training, and performing with the Shaolin monks. After an arduous and misdirected journey begun a short time after the Tiananmen Square Massacre, Polly arrives at the Shaolin Temple in Henan Province expecting an austere and isolated monastery. What he discovers, however, is that the Chinese government, in its headlong drive toward capitalism, has transformed the surrounding temple into a tourist trap—“Kung fu World.”

After searching the village, he finally discovers the Shaolin Wushu Center, where Shaolin monks teach kung fu to anyone able to afford the tuition and perform for any tourists willing to pay. Polly enrolls and begins life as the only laowai (“foreigner”) in a five-hundred-mile radius. The Chinese term for tough training is chi ku (“eating bitter”), and Polly quickly learns to appreciate the phrase after his first class with Monk Cheng Hao. He is barely able to walk the next day.

During the months of brutal practice, Polly grows close to several of the monks, and through them he encounters the paradoxes of life as a contemporary Shaolin monk, in which these devout Buddhists must perform daily for tourists and hawk merchandise in order to support their art. Polly also sees their incredible abilities, ranging from their phenomenal physical strength and endurance to their thunderous dunks on their basketball court to their practice of “Iron Kung Fu,” in which the monks make a body part (such as the head, forearm, stomach, neck, or, most frightening of all, the crotch) virtually indestructible through repeated torture.

Polly eventually switches to a rigorous study of Chinese-style kickboxing under Coach Cheng, Shaolin’s best fighter, and represents the Shaolin Temple in one of China’s national tournaments. At the end of his journey, the monks initiate him into the Shaolin Temple, making him the first American to be accepted as a Shaolin disciple. Laced with humor and illuminated by cultural insight, American Shaolin is a funny and poignant portrait of a rapidly changing China.

In many ways, American Shaolin reminded me of Mark Salzman's Iron & Silk. The similarities are obvious - American college students travels to China and studies martial arts. What less obvious (at least until you've read both books) is that neither book focuses on martial arts; instead, their studies are the background for a series of stories about what it was like to live for a time in a totally different culture. Both Polly and Salzman have an easy-to-read, almost conversational writing style - I remember reading Iron & Silk in a day or two, and I finished American Shaolin in about three days. A major difference is in the goals of Salzman's and Polly's training... Salzman studied wu shu, with an emphasis on forms. While Polly started with that, he eventually switched to studying san da (Chinese kickboxing) with a much greater emphasis on fighting.

I particularly enjoyed the way Polly dispelled some of the idealized images most Westerners have of studying kung fu in China. The shaolin that he studied with were not mystical monks who spent their days meditating and perfecting their martial skills. Instead, they were normal people who were trying to do something they loved (kung fu) while finding ways to make ends meet in a China that, at the time, was determined to milk the kung fu dollar for everything it was worth. I also liked the looks he gave the reader into his psyche, in particular into the changes he underwent as he trained and went from being a cowed college student to something of a "badass" and even at times something of a bully.

The wrapup, which briefly describes his return to a very different China ten years later, is both poignant in his descriptions of how much has changed (in some ways, it reminded me of my own sometimes nostalgic memories of my years in college and my occasional urges to revisit both the Poughkeepsie and New Haven areas) and encouraging in showing his increased maturity and understanding of how a love for martial arts can become a part of one's life.

And in the midst of all of this, you get some great descriptions of what it's like to be a kickboxer in China (no thank you!) and a description of the methods of developing 'iron crotch kung fu" that will either make you wince or convince you that some of these guys are truly insane!

A fun book, strongly recommended for anyone interested in a realistic picture of one type of training in China and especially for anyone who enjoyed Iron and Silk.

JMH

Iaido and the Continuing Fight Against the Creeping Crud
Friday, February 9, 2007

The past few days have been a bit of a drain, not helped by the fact that I'm definitely fighting off a bug (and not that successfully.) I've been tripling up on the Vitamin C and taking it a little bit easier on the workout front... but this weekend is not likely to help. Iaido Friday night, followed by an overnight at the Utica Motel 6, an AMAI instructors' staff meeting much of Saturday afternoon, an early Valentine's Day dinner with Ann at Steamboat Landing, a restaurant on the shores of Canandaigua Lake, and then whatever we choose to do outdoors Sunday (either both of us XC skiing or Ann skiing and me running with my Dion's.) Maybe I'll try some cold medicine tonight and tomorrow night, just to knock me out and let me get some solid rest.

After a rush to get everything packed for the extended weekend, I booked out to Utica and kept my fingers crossed that I'd be close to on time. Iaido started late (no great surprise, that) but was moderately productive. After the usual opening actvities - stretching, donning swords, and cleansing the room - we spent a while moving back and forth in both natural posture (shizen-tai) and defensive posture (jigo-tai). After that the men and women split up and practiced separately - we worked on u-ken and sa-ken katas. While I felt fairly proficient practicing them last fall, my recent lack of practice has clearly had an effect; neither was flowing particularly naturally tonight. I'll have to work on katas more before the next class (in March.)

JMH

2 Cane Seminars with Grand Master Mark Shuey
Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Originally it was not at all clear that I'd be able to attend the seminars but in the end, all worked out, and I got to spend Wednesday evening at the Mohawk YMCA doing two seminars with Mark Shuey of Cane Masters. He's done two sets of seminars for us in the past (once in 2002, and then again in 2003.) I like working with the cane, and I was pretty sure I'd enjoy this evening.


Grand Master Mark Shuey Sr.

Got to the Mohawk YMCA with a little time to spare and hung out waiting for things to begin. After a while we lined up and Grand Master Crandall introduced Grand Master Shuey, who then tried to give us some background on his system and discovered that the acoustics in the Mohawk YMCA gym are terrible. So we reorganized in a circle around him and he spent a few minutes talking about some of the aspects of using the cane for self defense. From there we spread out and worked on swinging our canes, including some twirls, flips, and figure-8's. I'm fairly rusty, but much of it came back pretty quickly. It was both funny and a little nerve wracking to hear canes clattering on the floor around the room as people dropped them. Funny because I've been there, many times - and nerve wracking because in some cases they were whipping through the air when dropped, so there was always the possibility of projectile canes!

After that we spent the remaining time working on self-defense techniques with a partner. I was fortunate to pair up with Senior Instructor Eric Stalloch, who works extensively with the cane and is very, very good. We covered 4 or 5 techniques in the remaining time - nothing too different from what we had done at the previous seminars (we did do one technique that resulted in putting a fairly viscious arm lock on the attacker - very cool!) The first seminar wrapped up with a brief discussion of using exercise bands to strength train with the cane.


self-defense training

Following a short break we jumped into the 2nd, black-belts-only, seminar. Much of this seminar was spent going through the Natural Walk Cane Kata developed by Grand Master Crandall and Eric Stalloch for AMAI. It was nice to finally get a chance to start learning that kata - the one time we were able to get Eric down to Albany to teach a cane class, I ended up loaning my cane to a student so he could take the class instead of me. We managed to get through the whole thing and then spent a few minutes "working on our own" (ie. demonstrating just how little I could remember.) The 2nd seminar wrapped up with Grand Master Shuey taking us through some exercises using our canes and the exercise bands. It seems like a very useful and effective method to strength train, and I'm going to try to do some each week as part of my goal to add strength training to my workouts.

kata training


strength training

Overall, the seminars were decent. Both Grand Master Shuey and Eric did a great job teaching - I just wish the seminars could have been structured better to help retention of the information they were sharing. The attempt to teach us the cane kata in the 2nd seminar seemed very rushed, and I can't say I remember all that much of it (and I have a reasonably good memory for katas.) Grand Master Shuey's presentation in the 2nd seminar also seemed rather rushed. The first seminar had the opposite problem - it seemed like we spent a lot of time on each technique during the first seminar; personally I would have liked to have spent less time and done more. Perhaps we needed two groups - one for more experienced cane-users and another for beginners?

All in all, I think it was an evening well spent, despite the parts that could have been better. Hopefully we can get Eric down to Albany sometime in the not to distant future to teach a cane class, and I would gladly take another seminar with Grand Master Shuey.

JMH

(photo of Grand Master Shuey courtesy of http://www.canemasters.com/; seminar photos courtesy of www.amai-eaglestyle.com )

Somewhat Better Cat, Rank Testings in Utica
Saturday, December 9, 2006

Saturday morning Chaos had perked up a bit, so I decided to risk going to Utica for the testings. Both groups were large, so it was a LONG series of tests... 4 hours altogether. The students from Albany did fairly well on their various brown belt tests (including one of my students, who tested to go from purple to brown.)

When I got back, Chaos was looking even more normal than when I'd left. Perhaps whatever was making her ill is passing...

JMH

Sick Cat, No Iaido
Friday, December 8, 2006

Came home Thursday and Chaos was not acting normal... very low energy, and she was clearly having some problems with her digestive system (don't ask how I knew that. It was gross.) Friday morning she was looking even worse, so I called off my plans to go to iaido and stay overnight for the brown belt test tomorrow.

So it goes...

JMH

Women's Self-Defense Final Class & more KATAS
Wednesday, December 1, 2006

I originally meant to do a 90 minute - 2 hour run before the class tonight, but it's been tough getting myself motivated to run this week. Got home from work cold and tired, and decided to just work on some katas after class instead. (Maybe I should have gone for a run - it was a fairly nice night! On the other hand, if I'm feeling this tired it's probably better to take a break.)

The final class of the 6 week women's self-defense program went well, though the instructors got thumped a bit (we moved in and out as "attackers" this time.) Overall I think it was a good program and the participants got some good information and skills out of it. Maybe we can do a refresher for them in six months or so.

After everyone left I worked through the 9 remaining empty-hand katas I know - Pyong-won, Long Hand, Continuity 2, Si Lum, Heian Shodan, Hookiyu, Hansoo, and both the male and female versions of Aoyagi. Had a few sticky points on several of them - I want to try to run through katas again before the end of the year and maybe polish some of them up a bit.

JMH

KATAS, KATAS, KATAS
Friday, December 1, 2006

Another warm evening (before the COLD air hits tomorrow to remind us that it is December, after all!) and I found myself really tempted to get in a run. But I wanted to give my legs another day or recovering, plus I was a bit worried about the stormy weather (rain - OK. Wind - not great, but OK. Lightning - bad news!) So I headed over to the karate school to help with the end of class and then stayed to work on some katas.

Ran through everything up through 3rd degree black - the 3 Basic Katas, 8 Pal-Gwes, all 3 Chul-gi forms, Old Koryo & Koryo, Keumgang, and Taebaek, Chip Su and Chip Jang, Bassai Dai, and Eye of the Eagle. Kept the pace relatively slow and concentrated on form and technique. Not too bad overall... of course, I still have another 9 to do in the near future, plus a variety of weapons katas.

Definitely not the toughest workout I've ever done, but productive all the same!

JMH

Recovery Run
5-6 Miles in the Pine Bush
Monday, November 27, 2006

I guess the race Saturday morning and the hilly hike Saturday afternoon left my legs more fried than I thought - my legs were definitely grumbling as I climbed the stairs at work Monday. Since Tuesday is going to be a major work-night, I decided to get in an "easy" run before heading to the karate school to teach a bo class. Headed over to the Karner Barrens and did a very slow 5 to 6 miles there. Haven't been there in quite a few months - actually, since my mountain bike ride there back in August!

As I was running on the path through the field I was struck by the fact that soon the Great Dune section will probably look much like that - open field with a few pines and lots of low ground cover. I understand the reason - it's an environmentally unique area being restored by the removal of non-native species - but I'm really going to miss running through those woods.

After the run taught a nice bo class to half a dozen students - we worked on Master Fumio Demura's kihon no kata that he taught us at the bo seminar a few years ago. It's a short kata, so everyone was able to pick it up fairly well by the end of the class. Hopefully next class we can do some possible bunkai.

JM

RAINY NIGHT
4.5 Mile Run in the Albany Pine Bush
Wednesday, November 8, 2006

Originally this was supposed to be a riding night, but the pouring rain changed my mind. Riding in the rain just isn't a whole lot of fun... riding in the rain in the dark seems like it would be even less so.

Instead, I stopped at the Columbia Circle section of the Pine Bush on the way over to the women's self defense class and ran most of a perimeter loop. Had a really good run - it was short enough that my legs didn't really hurt during the run, and since I knew I would only be out for an hour I pushed a bit harder than I have on my longer runs recently. Running in the woods in the pouring rain in the dark was very cool! And it was also fun to run those trails, which I haven't been on in a while (since early August, I believe.) The new rain jacket I bought a month ago worked great... all in all, it was just a darn good run!

JMH