Sunday, January 31, 2016

A Lesson in Faan Tzi Ying Jow Pai - Northern Eagle Claw

Ernest Rothrock Laoshi shares some Northern Eagle Claw lessons.





 

Of Days Gone By

Days gone by
 
John Dinger - Dennis Driscoll
John Dinger - Tom Chan

Claudette Macomber - John Dinger
Claudette Macomber - Tom Chan
 

John Dinger - Victor Smith
Tom Chan - Dennis Driscoll
 


Those were the days!








Friday, January 29, 2016

Recognizing injuries to the knee

 

I am not competent to make medical decisions,  you do need to consule a professional.

 

However, as knees readily can be injured, some general awareness of the area of injury involved may assist you to obtain treatment.

 

While we work a great many knee focused strikes, sweeps, etc. Even due caution may not be enough.
 
 
This may provide general knowledge about the general areas of injury and the structure of the knee.

If anything this might make you more sensitive about what knee injuries might entail.
 
 
 

 

Change and Karate



Think about this a bit, depending on how far you wish to go back, none of us are worthy to study karate. We are not of the correct group. Karate was not something shared openly.

 

Of course karate probably has always evolved to face the shape that the instructors needed to address. There were really no rules as what could change, jus those instructors choose to follow.

 

Introduce karate to the young.

Choose to share karate within the Japanese University systems.

Choose to share karate within the Naval War College.

Choose to share karate with the occupying forces in return for money.

Choose to share karate with the world.

Accept changes to what karate means.

And so forth.

 

A case can be made that karate has always been flexible. Some like it so, others choose to not make changes.

 

That karate has become flexible within the current society, is just another movement of an art that has been changing for quite some time.

To suggest otherwise, you might as try to hold a river in your hands.

 

Choose wisely. It always is the others who have made the wrong decisions.

Monday, January 25, 2016

A few more Habersetzer Bubishi self defense interpretations 29, 30 and 31

While I have posted various interpretations from the Habsetzer 'Bubishi', here are a few more. Drawings No. 29, 31 and 31

29

 
 


 
30

 
31
 
 

31
 

Sunday, January 24, 2016

Shaoin Kenjutsu Rakan Ken - Shaolin Boxing: Monk Fist

As Christmas approached one year, I received a package in the mail from Joe Swift. It contained a book in Japanese.  The "Shaoin Kenjutsu Rakan Ken - Shaolin Boxing: Monk Fist" by Matsuda Ryuchi (1994). Joe-San included a translation of the chapters contained within the book.
 
I have selected some pages to view the range of contents.
 











Saturday, January 23, 2016

Stick Fighting - Hatsumi

 
Another find in my library. From 1981
 
 









Thursday, January 14, 2016

Bubishi Graphics preserved by Habersetzer


Once again I wish to return to ‘BUBISHI’ published by Roland Habsetzer, to look at a few unique paintings he shows. I will let my translation of his text describe them.

 He wrote:

The following pages reproduced in the murals the more representatives that can pick up in the fresco of the "Building of the White Robe" (Bai Yu) from "First monastery under the Heaven" (Shaolin), the holy place of Chinese martial arts.

 

They date back to the Ming Emperors (it dates the fresco restored, 1828) and have survived in part to the terrible tests experienced by the monastery.

 

This surviving fresco from the last destruction of the monastery at the beginning of the century, during the Chinese civil war, and is again being restored, without concern that there is change and uncertainty with respect to the original graphics

 

It is not only a certain artistic treasure, but also a unique and exceptional source for all martial arts practitioners, regardless of today their directions of study.

 

It is evident that these arhats (saints of Buddhism) in combat have been painted by an artist perfectly aware of the art of the old Kung Fu techniques.

 

There are indeed easily seen, this true "B.D." of observations specified on blocks, guards, kicks, clearances, positions...

 

It should be noted, in particular, page 39, two "kicking ghosts ‘phantom kicks’ " simultaneous and a rear kick, or, page 37. A deadlock ‘lock’ with seizure of the wrist.





 






 
 
Then Habsetzer contrasted these with various drawings from the Bubishi
 
 
Then Habsetzer notes “Figures of the Bubishi, reviewed graphic and  precise, as they are taken up by Sensei Tadahiko Ohtsuka in a publication of his Gojukensha in Tokyo (also overleaf). These 16 figures of close combat are part of the 48 techniques presented in the second part of this