Developing a Budo Body Part V

I have wanted to go into a deeper discussion on developing a type of body that can generate relaxed power for a while now. However, I am very aware that I am still learning and have a lot more to learn in this field. Due to this, I will be relying heavily on two books to help me clarify my thoughts along with my own experiences. Ellis Amdur's "Hidden in Plain Sight" and T. Threadgill and S. Ohgami's "Shindo Yoshin Ryu: History and Technique" are written by men that know much more than I and are where any quotes I use come from.

Takamura Yukiyoshi sensei called the type of body that had these esoteric skills, a budo body. I intentionally used this term back in April 2011 with my first Budo Body post. I had only been training in TSYR for a number of months but even then it was made clear to me that my body was getting conditioned for a certain skill set.

So what is this type of power I am training for? The term most often used is internal power or internal strength. Amdur summarises internal strength as managing the intersection of the ground and gravity forces within you and then directing these forces in the most powerful way possible. I think this is a good place to start. There is a fundamental exercise that I was taught very early on in my training called Ten chi jin. This is where a person stands with feet side by side, shoulder-width apart, arms slightly bent and extended forwards in front of the shoulders. The legs are slightly bent, the feet facing forward and the head up-right. Now imagine another person applying a lateral force through the first person's arms in an attempt to topple them backwards. As the force enters the first person, he or she splits the incoming force, half directed towards the ground and the other half upwards into the heavens. This exercise is teaching you to redirect forces acting on your body.

Now, if we go back to Amdur's definition of internal strength you can see that is exactly what this exercise is training. I have been practising that exercise for nine years, week in and week out. It is now becoming easy to absorb and redirect that lateral force no matter who is pushing on me. What is more interesting is that it takes little effort to do. This is important. This exercise to accomplished through coordinating bone and muscle so it is aligned in such a way that the force naturally flows where you want it to go. It does not take excessive muscular tension to do. I am 186 cm (6 ft 1 inch) and only 75 kg (165 lbs) so imagine a tall stick. I am actually very easy to knock over in most situations. The fact I can have people heavier than me lean on me and not topple me is a testament to this type of training.

As I said above, this is a fundamental exercise we have been learning for a while. It is not the only exercise and there are other skills we need to learn that require a different approach. Any application of internal power/strength also requires a heightened sense of body sensitivity. Threadgill sensei writes about four dimensions that provide this sensitivity: Skeletal-Postural, External/Tactile Sense, Internal/Proprioceptive Sense and Dynamic-Kinesthetic. I will touch on these very briefly, if you want to know more, buy the book.

The Skeletal-Postural dimension has already been discussed above. The skeleton should be aligned in such a way that it takes minimal amount of muscle to stand upright. Without a decent instructor it is very difficult to know exactly what this looks or feels like. Tactile sensitivity identifies subtle pressure changes during body contact that allows practitioners to evaluate and respond to threats. Paired exercises are required to develop this. Proprioception is the awareness of knowing where your body is in space without using visual cues. Dancers and gymnasts have enhanced this ability as well as martial artists. With proper dynamic training, the final dimension can be honed. This is done by replacing inefficient movement patterns with more efficient and budo-appropriate ones. This results in the relaxed power I wrote about at the beginning of this post. Together these four overlapping dimensions allow a TSYR practitioner to consistently monitor the physiological state of their own bodies.

Samurai Jack training his proprioception.

Once an awareness of one's own body has begun to develop, five key skills can be practised. Again, I will not go into detail here (read Threadgill and Ohgami's book). The first is to have a connected body, a body that is flexible but strong and works in a unified fashion. The practitioner is able to act in a fully coordinated manner recruiting muscle, bone and fascia to deliver power. The next skill is that of having a subtle touch/feel so that your hands can detect tactile feedback. The touch must be light, only as much is required. The third skill is the cultivation of a precise grip. Flexible, yet firm and devoid of tension. Extremely important in this weapon-based art. The fourth skill is called Dragon Capturing and involves projecting force into an adversary when you grab them. Not in a linear fashion but with a subtle spiral. Finally, breathing methods are utilised to enhance internal strength.

I would like to talk about fascia for a moment. This connective tissue plays an important part in internal power. Recent research hints that fascia is more than just a passive tissue enveloping muscles and organs. It can be conditioned, toughened and used to direct and assign force. Many of the metaphors in internal martial arts appear to be linked to using the fascia network within one's body. I remember talking to the late Robbie Smith sensei before our usual Saturday morning practice. I said that my body felt more robust and springy than prior to training with him but I couldn't put my finger on why. Thinking about it now, I believe the exercises we were doing were developing my fascia along with the coordination of the muscles to created a more unified body. Even now, when I train I can turn on a 'tone' in my body. I'm not sure what this is but I can speculate and say it is a combination of key muscle groups and fascia. If that makes sense? I know that without that tone, I am more susceptible to having my centre taken.

In his book, Amdur has this to say, "With internal expressions of force, the mind directs muscles, ligaments, tendons, fascia AND one's body mass as a whole, organized primarily to exert actions upon oneself, which affect the other in the process." This is a fascinating statement and a great explanation, in my opinion, on how a budo body is created. What Amdur is saying, is that until you have control over your own body, you can't control your opponent using internal power. In my own experience, I find this to be true. Most of my training in internal power has been around me being aware of tension in my body, how I power movements efficiently and monitoring my body alignment. As Threadgill sensei says, once this budo body is developed, the very act of an adversary touching the practitioner results in the attacker being stripped of any structural support. The opponent loses their advantage on contact.

Now that we have established that the practitioner requires an element of sensitivity and an awareness of their own body mechanics the final, crucial element is intent. Threadgill sensei talks about intent often when giving instruction. For a person of his calibre to be talking about the same concept over and over again indicates to me that I should listen carefully. If he thinks it is important then so should I. Internal power ultimately requires a well-integrated mind/body connection. In a moment of conflict, I can't think sequentially through my checkpoints to make sure I am moving appropriately while someone tries to strangle me. My movements must become instinctual. Therefore I must get to the point where my intent drives my actions and I trust that the training I have in place allows for my body to produce the appropriate response. 

A great analogy for this is driving a car. When we first learn to drive a car it can be overwhelming (especially if you learned in a car with manual transmission). However, over the years it becomes second nature to drive to and from work everyday, pass other vehicles and assess threats as you drive. This is what must occur for internal power to be practical. Think about how many hours you have spent behind the wheel of a car. Then think how often you train. Scary thought, huh?

It is well documented that athletes use visualisation to help them succeed in their physical endeavours. When you visualise yourself doing something, but not actually doing it, the same neural pathways fire that would normally activate those muscles that help you perform the activity. The mind is a powerful tool. I think of intent in the same way. If you have grabbed me I might put my intent behind you to make you topple in that direction. I think, "over there" and my conditioned, coordinated body does what is required to put you there. We can practice intent when attempting Ten Chi Jin exercises. Once we can redirect the incoming force we can start to try other things within this set up. I can move the other person around as they try and push me over. By thinking "move that way" my opponent gets moved. I can also place my intent into parts of my opponent's body. This is complex to explain in this post. Having face-to-face instruction is key to learning such concepts. 

So a budo body is not complete without the intent of the practitioner. Amdur says, "intent is the ability to use the forces of gravity and ground to your advantage, and to organize your body in such a way that, moment-by-moment, you shift to make another's power your own." It is the final puzzle piece in internal power training. 

Internal power training comes with a warning from Threadgill and Ohgami in their book, "Not all budo practitioners can internalize or master nairiki (internal power) skills. Nairiki training requires a significant investment in time and physical dedication." Further more, "Considerable mental patience and resolve are needed. Repeated failure and thousands of hours of repetitive training must be endured to acquire these skills, with no guarantee of success." 

Even after training for years, you may not get it.

Sobering words.

I have found a certain level of competence in this area but have a long way to go before mastery. I see it being many years until I can claim that, if at all. 

Train safe out there everyone!

Learning to use/abuse power.

This post was inspired by an article written by Ellis Amdur, titled Ballet Boy. I suggest you read it before following the rest of what I write. I'm not going to pretend I know what Ellis is getting at in that article but this is what hit me.  The boy in the story gets beat up and bullied, then he eventually retaliates and finds that he is stronger than he thought he was. He then systematically hunts down and deals with each of his bullies. This didn't sit well with me. Maybe I'm too much of a romantic, maybe I am being unrealistic but the fact that the boy suddenly realises he has power and then uses it to harm others bothers me. Yes, I know that they got him first and it was payback. I don't think that makes it right. For years I have wondered why I keep learning how to use violence to control or hurt people as a pastime. I came to the conclusion that I wish to know how to use violence to protect others rather than to have power over others or bully people. It's a big deal for me. 

I live in a pretty safe country and in an even safer community so I may never need to use this stuff but I do have one story to illustrate my point. 

A few years back I was training at the Hamilton dojo (the Yoshin Wadokan) with my fellow TSYR deshi. It was a freestyle training session. So we just had on gi pants and T-shirts, not our full keikogi and hakama. We had just got onto the mat when one of the women who turned up a little late said, "Did you see that couple out on the field?" Next to the dojo is a large green sports field. As we opened the doors to look out upon this field we could see a man standing over a woman who had obviously fallen to the ground. It was obvious that they were having an argument and it had got physical. My sensei immediately jogs towards the couple yelling "What do you think you are doing?" Right behind him are myself and two other deshi. Upon seeing us approach the man straightens up and steps away from the woman on the ground. His demeanour changes very quickly from aggression to appeasement as he sees he has been busted abusing his partner. The female deshi helps the woman up and starts to lead her away asking if she is alright and has she somewhere she can go? I stay and talk to the male, who is calling me sensei at this point (eye-rolling moment) he even offers me a can of Bourbon and cola that had fallen out of his back pocket during his scuffle with the woman. I decline. I can see that he has scars on his face from old scratch marks that he received, no doubt from the woman he was standing over. I suspect this couple have been in a culture of violence for a while. 

This man is probably a threat to nobody except his partner and looks to get as much as he gives. Eventually everyone is talked down and the man and woman move off in different directions. We go back to keiko. I'm pretty sure those two would be back together in no time and smacking each other around again. 

Here is an example where my dojo mates and I could use our power for the right reasons. We didn't need to rough-house the guy or threaten him but simply let him know that what he was doing was wrong and we wouldn't stand for it.

Good Jack or Bad Jack?

There are many instances both in and out of the dojo where power is used to abuse others. Ellis Amdur does a very good job of discussing this in Chapter 10 of his book, Dueling with O-sensei. It is a great read and I highly recommend it for any martial artist not just those practising Aikido. To quote Amdur, "The dojo is a laboratory in which we can embody some of the most horrifying potentials of humanity, with the aim of mastering and controlling them. It must, therefore, be a place of trust and honorable behaviour." Amdur acknowledges that we are learning how to be good at violence. In doing so we must surround ourselves with a culture of safety and care. This is very important to the mental state of all involved. 

When I was an enthusiastic 5th or 4th kyu in Aikido I bought into the harmonious and healing nature of Aikido. I thought Aikido could change people and bring peace to everyone's lives. The dojo could be a sanctuary for strays and the down-trodden. The problem with this thought, as good-intentioned as it was, is that when you bring people into a space, they bring their values and ideas with them. They are not hollow vessels waiting to be filled. So I was naive to think that people who may train once or twice a week with us would change radically from the person they were. Sure, there are instances where Aikido has helped people improve their lives, but they have to want to change and other factors are at play here as well, like good friends or agencies supporting them, not just the dojo. 

I remember one fellow that joined us at the dojo. He had obviously had a rough time in his life and although he tried to fit in at the dojo, some of his habits of distrust and anger were too ingrained that he compromised the safe,caring nature of the dojo. After he had been spoken to on many occasions about some of his behaviour he slowly disappeared and we never saw him again. Last I heard he was training at another Aikido dojo in town.

When I speak of learning to use power, I don't only mean physical power. The culture of a dojo can lend itself to abusing people psychologically and emotionally as well. We have all seen those movies where the young apprentice wants to learn the martial arts from the master. We then join the local dojo and think "teach me, sensei." at any cost. This requires a high level of trust and some people exploit that trust. Then there are the kids' classes. Those little people are put in your hands by their parents and they are trusting you to look after their sons and daughters and keep them safe in a potentially dangerous environment. The allure is strong here. As a teacher/instructor/sensei you have absolute power in that context.

The Budo Kensho (Budo Charter) released by the Nippon Budo Kyogikai (Japanese Budo Association) in 2009 states that through physical and mental training exponents seek to build their character, enhance their sense of judgement, and become disciplined individuals capable of making contributions to society at large. That is just article one. There are six articles that speak of things like teachers being role models, everyone showing respect and emphasis on more than just gaining technical skill. Lofty ideals but the document makes it clear what is expected of any budoka. The irony is I have seen these things exhibited better in my current koryu practice than in any gendai budo dojo I have stepped into.

The longer I train the more I see the mental/psychological aspects of my training becoming more important and that of the quality of a person's character. Some people just enjoy hurting others. I don't want to be the one that gives them more tools to do so. I find myself in a privileged position of teaching Aikido to children. I have a chance to influence how they view and use power in their lives as they grow. 

So these days, as I teach my own Aikido class and train in TSYR I am more comfortable with training with people that fit the mindset of the budo I practice rather than the other way around. Good people make good budoka. Lets give the power to those who already have the morals and values to wield it graciously, with honour and integrity.

Train safe!

Influences, scholars and good reads.

As time has gone by I have been contacted occasionally by those of you who actually read this blog. I can not take all the credit for some of the ideas I write about. A lot of what I write about is my own experiences in budo. However, some of my posts are also inspired by something I have read. This post is about those influential authors and I hope some of you will delve deeper into what these people have to offer.
Disclaimer: Many of the profiles written below have come from Koryu.com.

Ellis Amdur

Ellis Amdur

I have all three of Ellis' books on the martial arts. I really enjoy his writing style and he has a lot of knowledge to share on koryu bujutsu and aikido. 

Ellis began his martial arts training in 1968. He spent 13 years in Japan, and currently holds instructor licenses in Araki-ryu Torite Kogusoku and Toda-ha Buko-ryu naginatajutsu. He teaches these two martial traditions in Seattle. He began aikido training in 1973 with Terry Dobson in New York City, and continued his training in Japan with an number of instructors, most notably Yasunori Kuwamori and Yoshio Kuroiwa. He is the founder of Edgework, which offers training and consultation to law enforcement and social service personnel for the de-escalation and management of the behaviour of emotionally disturbed individuals. He has his own budo website you can view here. Many chapters in his books inspired me to write my own feelings and ideas about my martial arts practice. The first piece of writing I read from Ellis Amdur was called "Hiding in the Shadows of the Warrior." and I discovered it as an article on the Koryu.com website (see below). The experience Ellis was writing about was so raw and honest that I was hooked on his writing from then on. I looked everywhere online for his writings and eventually bought his books. My TSYR instructor and another member of my dojo were in Seattle this year for karate training and met Mr Amdur. They said he was a very interesting guy and had a discussion with him on generating internal power.

Meik and Diane Skoss

It was the website Koryu.com that was my gateway into the world of koryu bujutsu. Living in New Zealand means I live in a remote area of the world so the internet is my main source of quick and free information. I stumbled upon this website while trying to decide if training in a classical Japanese martial art was right for me. In fact, many of the authors I write about in this post are mentioned at Koryu.com and that is the first place I read about them. 

Diane Skoss founded Koryu Books in 1996, and is the creator of Koryu.com. Prior to moving to Tokyo in 1987, she earned a Masters of Library Science and an MA in English. She was Managing Editor of Aiki News/Aikido Journal for six years, beginning in 1990, and was in charge of producing most of the books published by Aiki News between 1990 and 1996. In late 1997, she returned to the U.S. where she and her husband (Meik) run a dojo in New Jersey. Her own training began with Tomiki aikido in 1982 at Indiana University, and she now holds a 4th dan, Jiyushinkai, and 4th dan, JAA. Started training in jukendo (bayonet) and tankendo (short sword) in 1990 under All-Japan Jukendo Federation instructor Wakimoto Yasuharu, hanshi 8th dan; she is currently 5th dan in jukendo and 3rd dan in tankendo. Began training in Shinto Muso-ryu jo under menkyo kaiden Phil Relnick in 1991; she is now menkyo kaiden and also holds Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei jodo 3rd dan, and Jodo Federation of the U.S. 2nd dan. Entered the Toda-ha Buko-ryu under Soke Nitta Suzuyo in 1993, and holds the okuden license. Has also trained in atarashii naginata and judo. She is the editor of Koryu Bujutsu, Sword & Spirit, and Keiko Shokon, the "Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan" series (of which I have the first and hope to buy the other two in the future).

Meik Skoss began training in martial arts in 1966 in Los Angeles. In 1973 he went to Japan to continue his training in aikido. After moving to Tokyo in 1976, Skoss started studying Shinto Muso-ryu jo under Shimizu Takaji, Toda-ha Buko-ryu naginatajutsu with Muto Mitsu, and Tendo-ryu naginatajutsu under Sawada Hanae. It was also at this time that he began to work with Donn F. Draeger and accompanied the master hoplologist on several field trips to Southeast Asia. In 1979 he began his study of Yagyu Shinkage-ryu heiho/kenjutsu and Yagyu Seigo-ryu battojutsu under the 21st generation lineal headmaster, Yagyu Nobuharu Toshimichi. He has also practiced judo, t'ai chi ch'uan, Goju-ryu karatedo and is currently training in jukendo and atarashii naginata. An MS in Physical Education, Skoss holds the ranks of 5th dan Zen Nihon Kendo Renmei jodo, 5th dan jukendo, 4th dan aikido (Aikikai), 3rd dan tankendo, 2nd dan atarashii naginata, the okuden mokuroku and shihan licenses in Toda-ha Buko-ryu, and menkyo in Shinto Muso-ryu jojutsu. Fluent in Japanese, and the owner of a substantial library of martial arts books in both English and Japanese, Skoss is one of several hoplologists continuing the work of Donn F. Draeger. He has travelled throughout Japan visiting various koryu and modern budo dojo and collecting information on the Japanese martial arts. Now resident in New Jersey, he and his wife (Diane) run a dojo there. Meik is quite active on certain facebook groups and online forums concerning koryu bujutsu. 

Stanley Pranin

Passed away in 2017 leaving behind his legacy: Aikido Journal (formerly Aiki News). Stanley shattered many myths about Aikido and its history while still being a strong promoter of the martial art. As a beginning Aikido student I would read many articles that Stanley put out, including an interview with Takamura sensei. I immersed myself in the information I found on Stanley's website.

Aikido Journal continues under the supervision of Josh Gold.

Wayne Muromoto

I came across Muromoto's writing much later than the other authors. He is the publisher of Furyu: the Budo Journal (appears to be out of print) and Furyu Online (no longer active). He began his martial arts training some twenty-five years ago, and has spent several years studying Urasenke chanoyu (tea ceremony) and various martial arts in Japan. He is a direct student of Ono Yotaro, headmaster of Bitchu-den Takeuchi-ryu and holds the rank of yondan (shihandai or official representative instructor under the old system) as well as the chu-mokuroku in that school. He is also a student of Ohmori Maso in Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu iaijutsu. Muromoto has experience in a wide variety of martial arts including judo, aikido, karatedo, t'ai chi ch'uan, jodo, and kendo, and holds the rank of sandan from the Zen Nihon Kendo Federation in iaido. What I value the most is Mr Muromoto's writings on his blog, The Classic Budoka. Last count he had 111 posts up there. I still have much to read of his works. 

Dave Lowry

Dave Lowry has been involved in the study of traditional Japanese martial arts and Ways since 1968 and has written about them for more than twenty years. His articles have appeared in magazines in the US, Japan, and the UK, including work as a long-time columnist for Black Belt magazine. I have several of Dave Lowry's books in digital form. My favourite are his two books on his experiences learning Yagyu Shinkage Ryu, Autumn Lightning and Persimmon Wind. He has many others if these don't suit you. 

Threadgill sensei with my own instructor (Photo taken in New Zealand)

Toby Threadgill

Yes, of course my TSYR sensei is on this list.
In 1985 Toby Threadgill initiated training under Takamura Yukiyoshi, headmaster of Takamura-ha Shindo Yoshin ryu. In 1992 he founded the Soryushin Dojo and in 1994 was appointed a branch director of the Takamura-ha Shindo Yoshin Kai. In 1999, he was one of three people to be awarded a menkyo kaiden in Takamura-ha Shindo Yoshin-ryu. Following the passing of Takamura Yukiyoshi in 2000, he was asked by the other TSYR branch directors to accept the position of administrative head (kaicho) of the Takamura-ha Shindo Yoshin Kai. He currently oversees instruction at the Shindo Yoshin Kai Hombu Dojo in Colorado and maintains a busy international teaching schedule.
Threadgill sensei has written the student handbook for the kai and some of his articles can be found online. For more information go here.

These people have been invaluable in giving me access to Japanese ideas and experiences about budo that I would otherwise not get in English. They are the reason myself and so many others can now enjoy koryu bujutsu in the West.

Hidden In Plain Sight: Book Review

I have finally got around to reading Ellis Amdur's revised and expanded edition of Hidden In Plain Sight: Esoteric Power Training Within Japanese Martial Traditions. After all the hype this book has received in certain martial arts circles, my overall impression was less enthusiastic than I expected. 

Now, that is not to say there are sections of this book I enjoyed immensely and I will write about those. It just felt at times that Amdur was reaching in places to thicken this book about a topic that has a lot of hearsay and 'what ifs' surrounding it.

As with my other reviews I will work through chapter by chapter and please remember these are just my opinions - those of an amateur martial artist with a very limited exposure to Japanese culture. The act of writing this review lets me look at the book a second time with a different lens. Sometimes I discover or rediscover gems in the writing this way. 

The book contains 16 chapters split into four sections.

Section 1 - The Cultivation of Power.

Chapter 1: Physical Culture.

A dancer's skill, the lifestyle of a hunter-gatherer, herder's strength, wrestler's skill, farmer's strength. What links these ideas together are that they are all within the human capacity to produce. People create bodies designed to help them survive in whatever conditions society (or nature) place them. People get very good at these specialised endeavours, what then of warrior's strength and skill? If your survival depends on fighting or killing other humans then this requires another kind of body. Amdur digs into these ideas finishing with flow states and ascetic power.

Chapter 2: The Development of Specialized Martial Skill and Power.

Amdur lays down the idea in chapter one that older cultures have bodies already primed for fighting. What then is the type of power generated in the martial arts? The author looks into ambiguous terms such as qi and internal strength. I myself have to admit that I have been intrigued and excited about what these terms could mean for my martial practice. I think it very brave of Amdur to try and define these terms. Other skills in a warrior's toolbox are bracing strength, whipping strength, axle strength, and coiling strength. Read the book to find out how Amdur breaks down some important physical skills found in internal power traditions. What interested me the most in this chapter were his definitions of grasping smoke and listening skill. I have experienced first hand training with someone with these two skills and I thought the author explained them well. Finally he talks about gravity and the ground as two forces the martial artist has at his disposal to help amplify the power of techniques. I enjoyed the systematic approach to these skills and found this chapter very enjoyable to read and ponder. 

Chapter 3: Six Connections - Comprehensive Power Development.

Known also as the six harmonies in English speaking martial arts, What a topic to try and tackle! Amdur admits that were he to really do it justice he would write a whole book, rather than one chapter on the six connections. We now come to an idea where the body is used as a coordinated, connected unit. The six connections are broken down into three external connections (feet and hands, knees and elbows, hips and shoulders) and three internal connections (intent, breath and waist/dantien/tanden). Amdur equates the internal connections to essential power components of a car. Intent is the skilled driver, breath is the engine and waist is the gearing system that allows power and intent to get to the wheels, even help amplify it. 

Section 2 - Heaven And Earth Within Man.

Chapter 4: The Chinese Connection.

It is commonly known amongst historians that Chinese culture influenced early Japanese history. Amdur explores this from a martial artist's point of view by speculating that some sophisticated practices found in Japanese martial traditions may have been brought over from China at some point in history. Amdur reminds the reader that ryuha or bugei were codified combative practices studied primarily by the warrior-elite from the 14th century onwards. Therefore, they concentrate predominantly on individual combat and leadership. Over centuries of warfare most of the esoteric training methods such as Mikkyo (esoteric Buddhism), Taoism and Shinto were incorporated into the martial traditions. These esoteric practices have links to Chinese religious rituals that were then, in turn applied to combative purposes. Amdur states southern China as the main source of these practices. 

Chapter 5: Kito-ryu: Rising and Falling.

Amdur gives us more history lessons. The influence of Chinese martial arts became significant during the Edo period and the martial tradition of Kito-ryu features heavily. According to one record, three wandering samurai were taught grappling techniques from a Chinese scholar living in Japan. One of these men was the founder of Kito-ryu. Considering the founders of Kito-ryu were already capable grapplers and sumo existed, Amdur suspects that what these men learnt from the Chinese scholar were in fact internal power skills. 

Chapter 6: Yoshin-ryu: A Garden of Willows.

Amdur looks into another martial tradition with strong Chinese roots. Throughout this chapter Amdur looks at the stories and evidence that links Chinese internal martial arts to Yoshin-ryu and its off-shoots. Amdur references Tobin Threadgill Sensei in this chapter as he writes about Shindo Yoshin Ryu. As a student of TSYR I was interested to see what Amdur found useful or important to relation to this chapter. It was a good read.

Chapter 7: Tenjin Shinyo-ryu: Heaven and Man.

This chapter takes a look at a martial tradition that is an off shoot of the earlier Yoshin-ryu. Along with Kito-ryu, Tenjin Shinyo-ryu was studied by the founder of Judo. Ki development is discussed and Amdur states that the three principles of will, ki and power were common in many Japanese ryuha and links back to Chinese ideas. 

Chapter 8: What Happened To Jujutsu?

So the logical question to ask now is if the skills and methods of internal training were so common in the Edo period, why do they appear lost in today's modern budo?  Amdur places the blame squarely on Judo, or more correctly on its founder, Kano Jigoro. I won't go into the details here, Amdur puts a good argument forward as to why the popularity of Judo in Japan saw a decline in the internal skills that were documented in earlier times. 

Section 3 -  Daito-ryu: The Past is Future.

Chapter 9: Aizu Bujutsu: Takeda Sokaku's Birthright.

After speaking of the loss of training methods that develop internal power, Amdur now turns to Takeda Sokaku's skill and how this man in the 20th Century reintroduced a level of power in martial arts circles that people thought was lost. Where did Takeda get his Daito-ryu from? What made so many martial artists of the time go and train with him? This is an interesting chapter about martial arts in the Aizu domain and how they could have influenced what we now call Daito-ryu.

Chapter 10: Takeda Sokaku: Opening Our Eyes To True Budo.

Amdur dives into this chapter exploring Takeda's character, his relationship with his father and his early training in martial arts.

Chapter 11: The Heart of Aiki Is The Sword: Takeda Sokaku's Legacy.

Amdur discusses a period of Takeda's life that is largely unknown, about seventeen years where he must have travelled about. This was a time of the gekiken kogyo (free-style competitions) and Amdur assumes Takeda had the opportunity to learn a variety of styles or techniques as he wandered about. Dojo breaking was common so it is safe to assume Takeda may have done this. While 'collecting' techniques and principles, Amdur states that Takeda would still have had a base martial art from which he had a reference with the sword. This he names as Ono-ha Itto-ryu. 

Chapter 12: Aiki Nito Hiden.

Amdur discusses and speculates reasons behind Takeda adopting a one-handed sword style. I found this chapter tiresome and sometimes fruitless, I can see what Amdur was trying to do by linking some ideas back to internal power but this is one area where I think it is stretched a bit thin. Read it and decide for yourself. 

Section 4 -Aikido and Ueshiba Morihei: More Than A Martial Art & More Than A Martial Artist.

Chapter 13: Is The Heart Of Aikido The Sword?

OK, I have a background in Aikido training, I have also read many books on Aikido and the founder. I have also read Amdur's book, Duelling with O'Sensei so I was interested to see where this section would go. There is no doubt that Ueshiba was one of Takeda's best students and most of the world will now agree (despite what the Aikikai was saying back in the day) that Ueshiba's Aikido had roots in Daito-ryu. Takeda had the goods as far as internal power goes and its very likely Ueshiba did as well, however, Ueshiba was not formally taught weapons by Takeda as far as we know. Where did Ueshiba learn to use the spear, sword and staff? Amdur attempts to answer this question here.

Chapter 14: Aikido is Three Peaches. 

Amdur looks more into Ueshiba Morihei's thinking by breaking down a book of Morihei's private lectures between 1958 and 1961. Things get quite esoteric and vague in this chapter. Amdur attempts to interpret Ueshiba's quasi-religious jargon and mysticism as it relates to Aikido. This is a big challenge and even the author admits that he is not very fluent in modern written Japanese, let alone the classical forms. He does mention those who helped get through this information but notes that the opinions are all his own. It becomes apparent that Amdur believes part of Ueshiba's power was in his strict, almost spartan approach to his beliefs. Prayer and the gods played a vital role in Ueshiba's psyche and Amdur insists this was one part of the puzzle that gave Ueshiba his internal strength. 

Chapter 15: Hidden in Plain Sight.

Ah, here we are! At the very crux of it! Or are we? Amdur tries to get to the heart of Takeda's and Ueshiba's power by looking at eye-witness accounts of their abilities and what similarities their performance of their martial arts share. He talks about aiki and that it seems to have two aspects - a shocking electric force to one's opponent and the ability to cause the opponent to fall down without knowing how. Is Ueshiba's aiki the same as Takeda's?  Where did Takeda's teaching stop and Ueshiba's creative genius continue? This is a long chapter with many twists and turns. Good luck!

Chapter 16: Triangle, Circle, Square: How To Be O'Sensei In Sixteen Easy Steps.

This chapter starts by discussing the impact Ueshiba Kisshomaru had on modern aikido. Then the author talks about lost moments that students should have paid attention to to get the 'gold' on internal training. The rest of the chapter is a tongue-in-cheek approach on how to actually be O'Sensei. 

The book has a huge glossary so you can check up on Japanese terms used throughout the book. If you include this then the book sits at around 470 pages.

If you have read down this far then, good on you. Maybe you are ready for Amdur's book!

Happy training and/or reading.

Why do I train?

When I started writing this post I wasn't sure where it was going to go. It started with a question raised while reading one of Rory Miller's books and as I really began digging deeper into why I train and I got really honest with myself I realised the truth of the matter. I struggled with deciding whether to publish this post or not because it is of a more personal nature than anything I have written before.

I did publish it because maybe one of my readers out there may appreciate me sharing, I'm not really sure. Maybe it will help in some way. 

I have asked myself this question many times over the years. Why do I train in the martial arts? While learning aikido I asked myself this question at certain points in my training. When I was a brown belt and close to getting my first black belt. When the weapons training didn't make sense to me. After achieving another dan grade. Why am I training? What's the point?

My answer to this question has changed over the years. Believe it or not, I got into aikido for reasons other than self-defence. I never felt I needed to learn 'how to fight' or do cool martial art moves. I had learned over the years that the best self-defence was to avoid trouble. It had served me well up to this point. I had never really been in any serious physical confrontation and never intended to start now. I was 25 when I started aikido and got into it because a workmate was doing it. I was single, had time to kill and energy to burn. I had a blast!  Aikido's philosophy intrigued me and I learned how to breakfall pretty well. Outside of my job at the time, it gave me purpose and something to work towards. During my time training in this martial art I met my wife, started a new career path (as a high school teacher) and not long after that we had children. 

At some point I began seeking something else from my martial arts training that aikido did not provide. For about two years I started looking for that new thing. Eventually I discovered Robbie Smith and Takamura-ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu.  

My training moved up to another level. I trained in both aikido and TSYR for a while but with a young family and a job and now two martial arts, I was squeezing things pretty tight. Something had to give. As much as I still enjoyed aikido I decided to focus on TSYR. This martial art has a different feeling to it. There is an edge to it. I feel that the stuff we are taught comes from a place of knowing what it really was like in a violent confrontation. Toby Threadgill's sensei certainly had an air about him (according to those who knew him) that he was dangerous, not someone to be messed with. People don't just get a presence like that without having been through some stuff. I joke that TSYR is like aikido on steroids but joking aside, there is a no-nonsense training to the art that I never felt in aikido circles. 

Studying a martial art is studying violence. No matter how much you pretty it up, that's what we do. I live in New Zealand, probably one of the safest places in the world, and I live in the countryside away from big cities. I am probably one of the least likely people to be confronted with violence in the near future. So shouldn't I be spending my leisure time pursuing something more meaningful or useful? Hell, I am more likely to be killed in a car accident than by a violent offender. Shouldn't I be working on defensive driving skills? What is this attraction I have to martial arts, to controlled violence?

Even if I do find myself in a violent confrontation is any of the stuff I have learned even useful or accessible to me in those extremely stressful situations. I'm currently reading Rory Miller's book, "Meditations on Violence" and he looks at martial arts training compared to real world violence. He talks about the freeze response and the debilitating effects of an adrenal dump. He talks about how all martial training has flaws to allow our training partners to be safe. So we can train with them again another day. So what does that mean for my training? What does it matter if I enjoy it and I live in a relatively safe society anyway? Why should I even care?

Why do I bother?

I feel I have to justify why I train to myself. I will continue to ask myself this question because it is a point of reference for me. It relates to where I am in my life and what my goals are. I am now a 40 year old father of two children and have a loving wife. My reasons for training have changed from my earlier aikido days. 

I have kept a quote that says, 

A student said to his master, "You teach me fighting, but you talk of peace. How do you reconcile the two?" The master replied: "It is better to be a warrior in a garden than to be a gardener in a war."

I like this quote. It speaks to me but am I a warrior? What constitutes a warrior in this day and age. I am not a member of the armed services. So am I fooling myself by training in the martial arts? What drives me to pursue combat arts from another time? 

My first answer is because I enjoy it. It is fun. I still think this is the main reason I turn up to the dojo week in and week out.

It also keeps my body moving through a full range of motion. I sit in seiza which moves the ankles, knees and hips through a range of motion most people would not experience normally. I am placed in joint locks and take breakfalls. I get up off the ground again and again after taking falls. I am pushed around, twisted and attacked with wooden weapons. All this movement keeps me healthy and strong and gives me a better quality of life (you could argue being whacked with a wooden sword does not promote good health).

I train for camaraderie. Many of you may know that Robbie Sensei passed away suddenly a few years into my training with him. The loss was staggering for all. Dealing with the grief of his death brought me closer together with some of the members of the dojo who I still train with to this day. We practise potentially dangerous techniques on each other and laugh and joke about it afterward while getting changed. I value these people and count them as friends. I trust them.

I train to keep myself sane. The kick (pun intended) I get out of exercise makes me a happier person. A better father and husband. It helps me deal with the stress of teaching in a co-ed state school. 

I find myself thinking about one other answer that lurks beneath all these other ones. I want to know what I would really do when confronted with violent, physical assault. I have a short temper, but I am very good at restraining it. Controlling it. I am very good at avoiding situations that may get me agitated. In fact, I would say I had mastered avoiding confrontation. When my wife first met me she jokingly called me a 'fence-sitter'. I believe that strategy kept me safe for a number of reasons. You see, there have been times of high stress when I have snapped, really saw red and I have had to get professional help to pull back out of it. I was caught in an ever increasing spiral of blowing my fuse over small things. My responses were more extreme than the situation warranted. I started to loath myself. I felt guilt and struggled to find a way forward. I have since been given strategies to de-escalate my thinking, to spot the triggers and know when I am close to exploding. I know now that when the flight or fight response kicks in, I fight. That scares me. That scares me more than being attacked in a dark alley. It scares me because in those moments I don't think, I just act and I act out physically, violently. I have no rational thought in those moments. It scares me because I worry that one day it will surface at the wrong time and be aimed at the wrong people (those I love).  Even as I write this my heart rate has increased and my palms are sweating. In my gut I know this is at the core of my motivation to train. I want to confront this and deal with it. 

I have been told I am too passive in my techniques. I think I hold back while training, not because I'm afraid of getting hurt, but of hurting others. There have been a couple of instances in my training over the years where I have felt myself lose it, quietly, inwardly (before I sought professional help). One time I was struck in the nose and the pain enraged me and I threw a training partner too hard. Thankfully he took the fall well and got up smiling and saying well done for the good throw. One of my seniors of the aikido club (who was also a good friend) saw my body language and said to me firmly, "Dean, breath". That simple command snapped me out of it.  The other time did not end so well. I was training with a twenty-something year old and we were working on a technique . He started to fool around, he was young and strong. He started to test my technique, I saw red and threw him to the ground, my forearm pinned across his neck. Our eyes met and I could see I was scaring him. I released him and he got up. We continued training but the damage was done. I had lost his trust. I have not had this issue while training TSYR. This may be partly due to the fact I sought professional help with my anger around the same time I was training in this art. It could also be that my training partners are more mature and there is less a feeling of proving ourselves with each other. Who knows. 

Perhaps I see martial arts as an opportunity to be pushed to/over the edge by people I trust in a safe environment and finally confront my demons. I am reminded of an article Ellis Amdur wrote titled, "Hiding in the Shadows of the Warrior."  He talks of raging against a training companion and of being pushed over the edge. This article still resonates with me. 

If my training can turn my fight response into calculating calm, then I will feel like I have achieved something more valuable than to how to fight in the street or face physical aggression. 

I'm not sure how much of this makes sense to people. Writing this has certainly clarified things for me. 

It would appear that I ultimately train to confront myself. 

Thanks for reading.

Dueling with O-sensei: Book Review

I was first introduced to Ellis Amdur's writing many years ago when I read the article "Hiding in the Shadows of the Warrior" that had been put up on Koryu.com. That article had a profound affect on me and fueled my interest in koryu budo. I scanned the Internet reading anything I could of Amdur's concerning martial arts. In time I read reviews about his first edition of Dueling with O-sensei: Grappling with the Myth of the Warrior Sage but never got the opportunity to read it myself. Just recently I have finished reading his revised and expanded edition.

It is a book made up of essays that are grouped into chapters following a particular theme. There is so much in this book that I'm not even sure how I'm going to tackle it.

I will start by giving my overall impression of the book. This is one of the best books I have read on the Japanese martial arts. Amdur writes honestly and with conviction, not only about his experiences with martial arts but on the human condition as well. What makes the book so compelling are the personal accounts from the author and how he links them to Japanese concepts. Amdur doesn't shy away from showing peoples' faults including his own and I think it is this quality that helps the reader  reflect on one's own actions and motivations for being in and around the martial arts. 

As with Old School, I will break the book down into chapters and try to cover main themes. There are 23 chapters in the book so at times I may combine some of them simply due to the amount of content that the book contains. 

Chapter 1: The Knights of the Mouldy Rope. 

Amdur talks about his introduction to Aikido and Terry Dobson. The majority of this chapter is about Terry and who he was as a man and his profound influence he had on the author. It is a great piece of writing and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Chapter 2: Ukemi from the Ground Up.

This chapter discusses ukemi (receiving body) by taking us through the role of two people training and how these roles have changed over time. He discusses taking ukemi in the context of classical budo and then how that changed in Kano's Judo. He discusses Daito-Ryu and Aikido and how the roles in the training have changed again. Overall Amdur appears to be saying that Ukemi is different things in different contexts. 

Chapter 3: My First Days at the Headquarters Dojo. and Chapter 4: The Best of Their Time.

Here Amdur tells his experiences at Aikido's Hombu Dojo. He writes about his experiences meeting the Doshu of the time, Ueshiba Kisshomaru and his son, Ueshiba Moriteru. The fourth chapter gives Amdur's perspective on a number of high level practitioners of the time; Osawa Kisaburo, Arikawa Sadateru, Tada Hiroshi, Yamaguchi Seigo, and Nishio Shoji. The author gives the reader a personal insight into the character of these men. 

Chapter 5: Forever Young.

This chapter centres around Kuroiwa Yoshio. A man Amdur obviously has a lot of respect for based on his writing. 

Chapter 6: A Conversation with Daito-ryu's Other Child. 

Here we read about Hapkido and its relationship with Daito-ryu and Aikido. 

Chapter 7: Atemi: Striking to the Heart of the Matter.

Amdur writes a small chapter defining atemi, what it is and what it means for aikido practice. 

Chapter 8: Did You Ever Meet O-sensei? O-sensei Who?

O-sensei, defined as great teacher does not always mean Ueshiba Morihei, founder of Aikido. Amdur gives some great examples of people that could be referred to as 'great teacher'.

Chapter 9: Tenchi: Head in the Clouds and Feet in the Muck.

This is a fascinating chapter where Ambur attempts to debunk the Myth of the Warrior-sage, Ueshiba Morihei and tell the man's story as it really was. It is a large chapter but well worth the read. Anyone who practises Aikido should read this chapter. It is eye-opening and makes a lot of sense. Earlier publications by other authors paint Ueshiba as almost god-like. This chapter treats him like a normal man who finds himself in extraordinary situations at times. 

Chapter 10: Toward Simple Morality - Or How Come Something So Fine Sometimes Turns So Ugly.

Here Amdur tackles the topic of abuse in the martial arts. Sexual abuse of children, physical abuse of students of any age and abuse of trust. Aikido in particular lends itself to physical abuse due to the junior-senior relationship set up in the dojo. Amdur's expertise in dealing with this issue is obvious in his writing. It is a tough chapter to read through and sickening in places as the author mentions cases where such abuse has occurred. Despite the content, Amdur's honest writing makes the reader think and reflect on their own practise. One line stands out for me in particular, "Be careful with whom you choose to study. You will become who they are, and if you haven't chosen wisely, you'll suffer and other people will, too." 

Chapter 11: Otoko (Manhood)

This chapter discusses what it means to become a man, in the Japanese context. It is perhaps a way to understand why some interactions in the dojo are set up they way they are and why it can be confusing for Westerners to understand. Amdur compares the Japanese and Western mindset and settles somewhere between the two. 

Chapter 12: Anyone Can Be O-sensei In One's Own Movie. 

This is a personal account of the author trying to be the hero of his samurai movies and discovering that he should stick to fighting his own battles. 

Chapter 13: The Ring is Where You Draw It. 

I'm not completely sure of Amdur's theme in this chapter. The collection of essays appear to be about taking the martial arts out of context. The essays are interesting and remind the reader that the lessons you may learn (or not) in martial arts can be applied outside the dojo. 

Chapter 14: So How Tough Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? 

This chapter discusses that old chestnut - which martial art is better? Amdur writes about how every martial art makes assumptions that fit into their particular training paradigm. This means practitioners learn how to fight within those parameters and get very good...in those parameters. So what does Aikido promise?

Chapter 15: Setsuninto-Katsujinken.

This chapter is a hard-hitting tale of making hard choices and living with the consequences. Setsuninto (the sword that takes life) and katsujinken (the sword that gives life) are ideas representing the use of the sword for malicious ends opposed to its use for protection of others. Amdur gives the reader a scenario that ends tragically and he had a say in the outcome. Not for the light-hearted.

Chapter 16: Hiding in the Shadows of the Warrior.

I have so many good things to say about this chapter. As I said earlier, this essay was the first piece of writing I had read of Ellis Amdur's and it encouraged me to continue to search for a koryu to train in. War and fighting is ugly, decisions must be made and ultimately you are left dealing with your own demons. It is a fine balance and often there are no perfect answers. 

Chapter 17: Aiki: A State of the Union. 

For me, Aiki is such a loaded  term and here we find Amdur trying to define it. Aiki has been interpreted in many ways over the years and Amdur's take on it comes from a second-hand quote from Ueshiba, "Aiki is a means of achieving harmony with another person so that you can make them do what you want." Another chapter I believe all aikidoka should read. 

Chapter 18: Aiki is Not Always Pretty.

This chapter is a personal account of the author's when dealing with an angry man with a gun. How does one de-escalate the situation so that the least amount of harm occurs?

Chapter 19: Cutting the Circle.

Amdur writes about irimi and tenkan and then, as he likes to do, adds a personal account to emphasize his points. 

Chapters 20, 21 and 22

In these short chapters Amdur looks at three Japanese terms; Musubi (tying together), Bushi no Nasake (warrior's compassion) and Kamae (stance). 

Chapter 23: Oniisan (Elder Brother).

This chapter discusses the author's earlier times in Japan while training and living with Kuwamori Yasunori. It is a tribute, really, to a man Amdur regarded with respect, in his own words he says, "I reflect how much finer a man he was than many of the pirates and rogues that I admired so much," 

At the back of the book is a comprehensive glossary of Japanese terms. 

As you can see, the book covers a lot of ground and although Aikido is much the focus of this book, it is the tales of people that bring it alive. 

To date, this has been the best book I have ever read on budo and especially, Aikido. Highly recommended. 

Masakatsu Agatsu

Lately, I have been thinking about a quote from Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido.

He once said, "masakatsu agatsu or "true victory is victory over oneself."

Like many of his quotes, this can be interpreted in many ways. I often find my self thinking about this quote in my own training.
During my aikido practice I often thought of the quote to mean if I had control of myself emotionally and had a calm approach to an assailant, then I could control the situation. In other words, if I had self-control then I could control others. This is of course true in a verbal confrontation, in fact I use this idea everyday in my job. I'm a high school teacher in a state-funded school and staying calm with teenagers is very important. Teenagers will often resort to verbal abuse like put-downs and swearing to disrupt your influence. Being able to use body language, precise wording and a calm demeanor is important.

I find one flaw in my own logic here. Even if I could be calm under a physical assault I would still have to be technically proficient to survive such a confrontation. Just because I could be calm under pressure does not guarantee success. 

When I began practicing Takamura-ha Shindo Yoshin Ryu an important aspect of the training focused on correct alignment of my body, 'structure' is the term we use often. The more I train, the more I realise that without proper structure I cannot possibly control others. If my structure is not correct, then it becomes more difficult for me to take control of my opponent. So on a simple, physical level masakatsu agatsu applies. 

While in the draft stages of this post I came upon this blog:

Predator or Protector?

In this blog the author talks about how anyone who studies martial arts, studies violence. There is no other way to look at it. We can wrap it up in soft fluffy philosophy but at the end of the day, the definition of martial arts is forms of self-defence or attack. We learn how to use physical violence to get an end result. So the author then goes on to say, "How does this make us any different to bad guys?"  

It is an interesting point. People who rob, rape, assault or kill use violence or at least the threat of violence. How do we differ? The author's point? We use violence to protect while the bad guys use violence to prey on others.  He then goes on to say that in order to protect we must be better at violence than the bad guys. What a thought.

A quote from the blog:

"So it is imperative that GOOD people be skilled at violence.

What does that mean?For the most part it is helping good people give themselves permission to do what is necessary.
Unless they are competing for the same resources, it is rare for a predator to hunt another predator.
So protection can also be achieved by helping folks remember that they are also predators.  The confidence that brings can remove someone from some victim profiles."

The author continues to say that should you allow yourself permission to do what is necessary and be violent, then how much is too much? When do you turn the violence off? How do you turn the violence off? Masakatsu agatsu. True victory is victory over oneself. This mental level is something I have been chasing all of my martial arts journey. As I have trained I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone, then once that was comfortable I looked for more discomfort. The problem I had was if the people around me didn't want to amp things up like that I was left with no one to train with. When I started aikido, taking a physical risk might mean taking a high break fall or letting someone twist on my arm. As that fear disappeared, I wanted faster attacks and to dance more on the edge of what I was capable of. Unfortunately for most of my training partners, they weren't interested after a certain level of stress. 

Then I started TSYR. Here my training colleagues were more capable and used to higher levels of stress in the dojo. The training involved committed attacks often with wooden training weapons. I know at even higher levels of training, shinai and armour are used and permission is given to move away from kata and really try to make the hits land. Sensei has a systematic approach to amping up training and getting the adrenal dump to occur in the participants. I am not at this point and Threadgill Sensei has said that not everyone wants to go there. I want to go there. 

One of my TSYR buddies is an Air Force Medic. He had the opportunity to train with the Australian Special Forces at one point. Members of the Armed Forces were asked if they would play the part of terrorists on a Special Forces exercise. My friend put his hand up. One thing he noted when he meet these men is the absolute confidence they had in their abilities. It was a quiet confidence, no bravado what-so-ever. The exercise simulated a takeover of a bus. The Special Forces guys were to storm the bus and take down the 'terrorists'. My fiend said he had never experienced anything like it. The Special Forces guys went from quiet, confident men to aggressive, violent soldiers in a second. They moved with absolute precision, with calculated violence. My friend found himself taken to the ground with a knee on is chest in seconds. He said there was nothing gentle about how they dealt with the situation. He said these men carried  a presence that none of the other soldiers carried. One of utmost confidence in their abilities in moments of high stress. They had gained victory over themselves. Masakatsu agatsu.

I have read many articles by Ellis Amdur. He wrote this one:

Hiding in the Shadows of the Warrior

How can I, a civilian studying martial arts ever get to the level of calm efficiency that the Special Forces guys get to? Should it even be a goal for me? A part of me wants to find out what I am capable of. What happens to me, psychologically if I really feel threatened? Ellis Amdur's article addresses his own training under stress and one of the outcomes for him. It is sobering reading. 

Part of me wants to go into this psychological space. To see where my breaking point is. To see what demons lurk within. And then quell them. 

Then, and only then do I think I will have achieved masakatsu agatsu.