K I H O N Newsletter #14 February 2001 ________________________________________________ An email newsletter focusing on Ninjutsu/Budo Taijutsu training. Published by www.KIHON.com ________________________________________________ **** CONTENTS **** >> Taijutsu Tips: Training Tips >> Kata Ideas: Thoughts on Technique >> Budo Quotes: Martial Arts Quotes >> Keiko Events: Upcoming Events >> Shoshin Comments: Comments *** Taijutsu Tips ***** Don't Forget To Step Glen Catania, BNYD It is very easy to get caught up in a technique so that sometimes we forget where the strength comes from. Many of the newer students, (and some not new), become so worried about what the arms are doing, they forget the rest of the body. What makes our art different from many other martial arts is that we use the whole body. Hatsumi Sensei has taught us, the arms are just holding the wheel, it's the legs that drive the car. Very often, watching a white belt perform a technique you can see the student's frustration. Simply using the whole body, taking a step or bending your knees usually makes the technique work. When you use your body in taijutsu, you are adding all your weight to your attack. This can make a huge difference when 15 lbs. of arm attacks the 150 lbs. of a moving body. The strength is in the motion of the body, not the muscle of the arm. We all forget at times. When we remember it makes every lesson we learn that much stronger. *** Kata Ideas ***** Why 45 Degrees? Don Houle, BNYD Newer students often ask about the logic behind the angles that we use in basic defensive techniques. When demonstrating jodan uke (high level receiving), as in ichimonji no kata, I am often asked, "Why do you move off the line of attack at a 45 degree angle instead of getting further away from the opponent by moving straight back?" This is a good question and shows that the student is really analyzing what we are teaching instead of blindly accepting everything we show them. The answers to this common question are easily demonstrated: 1. By "logically" moving with the motion of the attack (straight back), we actually expose ourselves to more danger by remaining right on the line of attack. If the opponent is very intent on striking us, he is not likely to "pull" the attack once you have moved to avoid it. He will continue attacking, moving forward in the same direction faster than you can backpedal. 2. 45 degrees is a sensible place to be. Once you have moved back and to the inside of the attack the opponent should not be able to reach you with a cross-punch from his current position. In order to hit you, the attacker has change direction and step or lunge before he can throw a second punch. 3. This angle allows you to be just out of range of any attacks while easily being able to carry out a counterattack against the opponent. This is the optimum strategic position in any type of conflict. *** Budo Quotes ***** When I was sick for five years, I could not even stand up. I sat in the dojo and gave lessons to my students. Those five years increased my current shinkiryoku [spiritual power] and my ability to move freely... When you are stuck on something, it is important to hold to your purpose but not press onward against the current. When you cannot move at all, try to concentrate, continuing forward as if in a boat switching to a stronger motor. The keiko that is most important when you cannot move is kage no keiko [shadow training]. By Masaaki Hatsumi [Ninpo: Wisdom for Life, Page 102] http://www.kihon.com/ninpo/ *** Keiko Events ***** * Mark O'Brien USA Seminars http://www.kihon.com/mob.html * Bujinkan New York Dojo February 17, 2001 March 3, 2001 http://www.kihon.com/events.html * Bujinkan New York Dojo 27 Milburn Street Bronxville, NY 10708 http://www.kihon.com/ny/ *** Shoshin Comments ***** Precious White Belts Lauren Brandstein, editor This week I worked on musha dori with two white belts and I noticed a few cool details. I've been trying to find a balance when working with beginner students, between going with the technique too much, and resisting too much in an effort to give my partner a realistic and valuable training experience. In trying to find this balance I noticed that, if the technique is not really being applied smoothly or with enough lower body movement, it is very easy as uke to defeat the technique. The technique could be defeated without resisting or tensing at all, by merely relaxing the arm being attacked and letting the elbow drop. When tori attempts to bring his (or her) arm over and sink to apply the technique, he finds that his elbow is checked by uke's arm, the technique cannot be applied and tori's balance is disrupted instead. When tori was much taller than uke, the technique could be applied anyway, but the movement requires more muscle than it should have and resulted in a less effective lock. We figured out that if the entry for the technique is applied well and uke's balance is truly broken, the technique cannot be defeated this way. It was a good lesson for me since I also had been rushing through the "easy opening steps to get to the "real" technique. also noticed a really cool symmetry to our art there is an instant when tori enters for musha dori which can appear as though the opponent is entering for ganseki nage. It occurred to me that regardless of who is the "attacker," in that instant, whoever has more awareness, intention and understanding of the subtleties of balance an space will be the one to prevail in the end. _______________ KIHON Newsletter ______________ ** NOTICE ** This issue of Kihon Newsletter is a bit shorter than usual. In 2001, we are making a number of changes at KIHON.com. We will be trimming each issue of the newsletter by two columns and will be expanding on those in our NEW online Kihon Magazine. Kihon Newsletter will remain monthly while Kihon Magazine will be released Quarterly (the first issue will be on display Feb 17, 2001 at http://www.kihon.com/magazine/ They are both FREE. ** STATEMENT OF PURPOSE ** KIHON.com provides this FREE short newsletter is an effort to offer information about taijutsu training. We hope you have enjoyed reading it. If you would like to contribute an article or have questions please send them to: kn2005@kihon.com ** DISCLAIMER ** It is recommended that you seek out medical advice before following any of these suggestions Be sure to find a qualified instructor to guide you in your martial arts training. ** IMPORTANT (Free) ** Please go to our website and view Kihon Magazine http://www.KIHON.com/magazine/ ** SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE (Free) ** http://www.KIHON.com/newsletter/ ___________________________________________ KIHON Newsletter and all contents Copyright (c) 2000 by Joe Maurantonio ___________________________________________