I created this blog for a very distinct purpose.
1. I wanted to remind my senior students of much
of what we covered.
2. There was so much material from my training
with so many that I could never cover in class, and I wanted to make that material
available for them if they ever found a use for it.
3. I studied so many different things that I
could never share in class even during our decades together. Their own training
was always more important, this allowed me to share some of those studies again
if they should find some future use
4, And more
importantly I do not believe knowledge should be hidden, I always allowed
others access to what I shared with my students.
a.
I did so hoping
further discussion would come from this allowing me to learn more.
5. I
was never trying to obtain more students.
7. For those that obtain
value from my words then they have earned their knowledge through their own efforts.
8. As impossible
as this is to believe, there is information and matters I do not share
publicly, choosing to send that to my students privately.
But earlier this
year when Jim Keenan published a book of some of
my words here, he was not puffing me up but making a larger point that what I
was doing was to his experience something unique and he felt that is should be
shared. It was nothing like my full
blog, more an introduction to what my blog was about.
The reality is I
am not anything close to the greatest martial artists. My blog was never about
making a statement about how great I am.
I have trained
with too many whose knowledge and ability far exceeded my own.
What was
different is that I have made a concerted effort to share what little I have
seen. And to date that is about 1,875 posts and I am still discovering I have
things that I have not said.
Think about that
a bit. There are so many great instructors in many different styles that do not
appear to be doing the same. There are many details, stories, etc. from their
own experiences not available to others. I can understand that is their choice,
however I also see such incredible knowledge continuing to be lost and others
having to rediscover it for themselves.
A somewhat
similar knowledge has been attached to pubically sharing what the application
of kata is meant to mean. Oft times we hear you have to work it out for
yourself.
Ok, I
acknowledge there is some truth to that.
On the
other hand I know of a system that you never work out what a kata technique is
used for. Instead kyu development focuses on learning the kata, and a whole set
of drills that can be used for defense. Allowing much more time spent
developing technique ability, increasing speed of execution of that technique
and increasing power development of that technique. And those drills alone are
a practical self defense ability.
Then
after dan the larger study beginning. At each dan at every movement point
during a kata, there is a very specific string of techniques. So say the study
of kata at shodan involved in depth study of hundreds of incredible application
studies. Only then when skill of those
applications is realized would one begin nidan study.
Then
the nidan learn entirely different application studies, all of which are also
great techniques.
That
continues for sandan, yodan and godan (the system only has 5 dans).
Thus a
full study involving decades of work and none of it trying to find an answer as
to what a kata movement is for. Instead at each level the effort is focused on
developing skill and always learning more and more. Each level involved
different principles.
At
each dan level every technique works.
The
goal is keeping your mind moving and always learning anew.
Then when you
think about that contrast how much knowledge others have and is not being
shared.
I would wish
others attempted to do the same. But all I really can do is make my own minor
efforts. First and always for my students. But second and not least for anyone
who chooses to look beyond where they are and have fun.
And believe me
this is all about having fun.
Well the journey
is not yet complete. I still have memories to save. And I am always learning
more about my own journey with this process.
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