Continuum of Violence: The Traffic Light System

In bushfire season in Australia, there's a warning system where they stick a sign by roads, which carries a kind of gauge or bushfire "speedometer". Fire danger ranges from green, which is low, to red, which is high. Yellow and orange are in the middle. An arrow points to the colour of the warning for the day.

I'm suggesting we use a similar, or "traffic light" system, in our minds to grade the levels of violence and avoid training bad habits and inappropriate responses.

There's a continuum of violence, ranging from, say, a Satpam putting a restraining hand on your shoulder, to a Hell's Angels Biker or Ambonese Preman wanting to fuck you up with a knife.

Our responses should also come in grades. If some Warung guy ogles your girl, it's better to just keep walking. Giving him a Shuto to the side of the kneck followed by Thai-knee strikes to the solar plexus is a bit much. We should defend our bodies, not our egos.

We shouldn't flinch from nasty moves when we have to. Society conditions us not to be violent and not to hit people. That's the reason for the "pre-fight ritual," so many bouncers talk about. It's a way for people to psych themselves into fighting mode. Criminals, however, those most likely to fuck us up, can do it in fairly cold blood.

I recommend we use a four stage traffic light system, with green, yellow, orange and red lights. (I could only find pictures of three light units).



Here's why:

You tend to fight the way you train.

Numero Uno tells a story of a BJJ guy, attacked on the street in LA. BJJ man downs one with a takedown, puts the other into an arm bar, but lets go when the man taps. BJJ man's performance was superb and a compliment to the style, except for one thing. His ring and Dojo training build bad combat habits.

Former FBI agents tell stories of colleagues killed in shootouts, who'd piled ammunition neatly, just as they did in training. Little stacks of empty cartridges sat by their corpses when they found them. Training programs certain habits into you.

1.Green Light: Normal state, no danger. Normal activties. Regular Rolling in BJJ, or Randori in Judo is green stage.

2.Yellow Light: Bad vibe, pre-violent phase. Heated arguments, posturing, swearing, the equivalent of dogs or apes bearing their teeth. (Yes, people human beings are animals as well and have animal responses hard-wired into us).

You might have to use your skills at yellow stage. I did recently when a drunken Englishman put me in a friendly headlock in a lift. He didn't mean any harm, but was volatile and started getting a bit aggressive. A quick lift to a gentle arm bar did the trick.

No immediate danger, maintain space, but get ready, it can escalate to orange in a flash.

3. Orange Light: Non-lethal violence. I'd say this goes from someone very aggressively invading your personal space, positioning themselves for a strike, or even initial pushing and punching. A brawl at an ice hockey match, or on the soccer field is orange.

At orange you use your skills. It might be a restraint, taking his back and sending him to the ground. You might simply intercept a strike and move away. Depends on the situation.

4. Red Light: Life or death or imminent extreme violence. Rape, murder, multiple attackers, armed attackers, and even people much bigger than you are all red.

I think we need to mentally flash a light on in our minds for each situation.

Different arts tend to be better at different stages. 99 percent of my dangerous encounters have been in yellow stage. Ironically, the art I criticize the most, Aikido, has served me the best. Aikido's unaggressive wristlock releases and conflict-avoiding attitude has been very effective in the yellow stage.

Traditional stand-up Jujitsu's also good for a transition from yellow to orange. In orange, Judo tends to come into its own, as does BJJ. Krav Maga tends to focus exclusively on red phase. They've got their reasons for doing so.

Train safe. Sumo Semar is keen to hear your thoughts.

A Blast from The Past - Shanghai Municipal Police Self-Defense Manual

And here we come to another edition of my favourite show, A Blast from The Past.

The show where we showcase ancient, venereal (honestly though, I don't know what that means, lest whether that word is actually appropriate here) self-defense knowledge from masters of old.

Remember W.E. Fairbairn with his classic book on self-offense, Get Tough? Here's one from his tenure as the Shanghai Municipal Police Chief, The Shanghai Municipal Police Self-Defense Manual, so kindly provided by our friends from Judo Info website.

If the Judo Info guys do not take kindly of me directlinking to files on their site, then they should come and get me! HAH *hides under a rock*

You will find many more thingies from that site. Enjoy.

Anyways, we leave you with a snippet of wise words mauled from the mouth of Kyokushinkai's Grand Poobah himself, Mas Oyama:

"SELF-DEFENSE is for WOMEN and SISSIES. REAL MEN would throw a STRAIGHT PUNCH to the MOUTH!"

As a note, that is one statement I won't be bothered to research the veracity of. I leave it as homework for you kiddies.

Keep safe.

Congratulations: Pak Saleh Sensei, Pak Ben Haryo Sensei

Congratulations to Cempaka Putih teachers Saleh Yusuf Sensei and Ben Haryo Sensei on their promotions.

In November, Saleh Yusuf Sensei was promoted to San Dan, by a European Judo Association.

Ben Haryo Sensei was promoted to Shodan in Judo. We're not sure yet if he was promoted by Pak Saleh on behalf of the European Association or by the European Association itself.

Details to follow.

Hup !

Ben Sensei on Aiki

Commentaries by Ben Haryo

Some of the interesting points from the above article by Mr. Tobin E. Threadgill:

1. Aikido is a MODERN martial art, thus it is NOT a Koryu, NOT a battlefield martial art, and thus was NOT used by Samurai in actual fighting.


2. Aikido is NOT Daito-ryu. Uyeshiba sensei, after receiving a high teaching license in Daito-ryu, was converted to the Shinto religion of Rev. Onisaburo Deguchi, and thus he LEFT Daito-ryu and form his own style, which does NOT emphasize battlefield techniques, but to teach SHINTO ideals!



3. Daito-ryu is not THE battlefield art of Aizu Warrior Clan! It was DEVELOPED by Takeda sensei by synthesizing various Aizu clan techniques AFTER the Meiji Era! So if Daito-ryu was synthesized in the late 1880s by Takeda sensei then Daito-ryu technically cannot be considered as true Koryu!. According to Sato Kinbei sensei (www.jujutsu.com), the best documented battlefield art of the Aizu Warrior clan is Asayama Ichiden-ryu, and it does share many similar techniques with Daito-ryu.



4. "AIKI" is not a magical or mystical concept! Aiki simply means a set of techniques which "employed mental inertia, disruption and involuntary reflex to defeat ones opponent", taken from Kenjutsu. Aiki Jujutsu simply means using Aiki tactics to enhance Jujutsu techniques, while Aiki no Jutsu is the methods of employing mental inertia, disruption and involuntary reflex to defeat one's opponent".



5. Aiki no Jutsu is NOT a monopoly of Daito-ryu and Aikido, because Kenjutsu concepts are employed by many other martial arts traditions as well, for example Shindo Yoshin-ryu, Yagyu Shingan-ryu, and many more.



6. However! Aiki Jujutsu IS a monopoly of Daito-ryu, so any martial art schools calling themselves Aiki Jujutsu but without having any legitimate connection to Daito-ryu is, technically speaking, NOT true Aiki Jujutsu!



8. BUT! A point of debate must be considered here though. First of all, there is nothing wrong with mixing some Aikido with strikes and practical Judo self-defense tricks, and calling them "Aiki Jujutsu", which is really Aiki(do with) Ju(do Goshin)jutsu added. So this is just an abbreviation. What is wrong is, if a school of "Aiki Jujutsu" which came from Aiki(do with) Ju(do Goshin)jutsu (added) suddenly decided to claim Daito-ryu lineage. This is illegitimate!!!



9. Aiki no Waza is more a study of mental and physical dynamics rather than true self-defense! Therefore, if a complete beginner wants to learn self-defense, don't go directly to learn Aiki arts! But rather, you have to learn something else first, like Judo, Karate or Kendo, then you can gradually learn Aiki no Waza and use them to enhance your existing techniques! All great Aikido masters started this way. Minoru Mochizuki, Kenji Tomiki and Gozo Shioda, all of them was highly experienced in Judo, Jujutsu, Sumo and Kendo before studying Aikido with Uyeshiba sensei.


10. Nevertheless, we should be able to take any style/school/Dojo that fits to our liking! Lineage or training method is NOT the most important thing! The most important thing is how much you enjoy the training!



Mr. Tobin E. Threadgill’s article was taken from one of the forums of www.e-budo.com (I forgot which).

Ian Abernerthy Sensei on the Vertical Vs. Horizontal Fist Question

Sumo Semar is now less confused. Ian Abernethy Sensei, described in an earlier post, kindly answered Sumo Semar's questions on the vertical vs. horizontal fist question. I'll leave you to guess who's who from the pictures. Abernethy Sensei's answer below.

Iain Abernethy is "Laid Back" on Bare Fist Striking

I've got a rather "laid back" view on striking with the bare fist. I know people can get quite animated about whether it should be vertical or horizontal, front two knuckles or back three, twist or no twist, etc. However, it's my view that the chaotic nature of combat tends to make such discussions a bit academic. Distance and position are ever changing and people are not flat (like a bags, mitts, or makiwara are). The key thing is that we hit them hard! The niceties tend to take care of themselves ;-) For example, if the enemy is close, he will probably get hit with a vertical fist. If they were a little further away, they may get hit with a partially rotated fist. That's not a conscious decision; just a result of the way I punch and at what point in it's travel it contacts with the enemy's body.

I recently read a report on a study that showed that "hand conditioning" did not actually make the bodes any denser. For me, hand conditioning is simply a case of impact training without gloves so people get used to striking with a bare first and don't become reliant on gloves or strapping. I do still make use of gloves though as Newton's laws (every action having an equal and opposite reaction) mean that if your punching with force, then the hands can only take so much. The thousands of punches thrown every week can therefore really mess up the hands if we always trained bare fist. We just need to be sure we take the gloves off a sufficient amount.

Also worth remembering that in a live fight, open hand strikes have the advantage that the hands are far less likely to be damaged. That's why I pre-empt with open hands and flow to fists if needed (fists flowing a little better for me). I'd also consider a few bruised knuckles a good result in a real fight. People forget that injury is almost inevitable (even when we win) and that's one more good reason to avoid fights ;-)

I think your right that striking is generally the way to go in live conflict. However, the grappling is key as it gives you the skills to control the opponent and land shots when things get "messy"; as they almost always do. It also gives you confidence in your striking as you know you have a good "back up". And let's not forget that grappling is loads of fun too! There's loads of stuff I've learnt and practised - both in grappling and striking (i.e. elaborate ground-work, high kicks, etc.) - that I would not use in a live fight. But it can be fun to do in the dojo and hence I keep practising it.

It's nice to hear that you feel I've cut to the heart of things. Endlessly simplifying and always looking for the key principle comes naturally to me. Not just in the martial arts, but almost everything I do. It's really nice to hear you feel that comes across. Thank you for that.

Right then, off to spend Christmas eve with the kids :-)

Speak soon mate.

All the best,

Iain

Weblinks ?

Anyone know how to do weblinks ?

This is a great one on American and Western martial arts.

http://ahfaa.org/unarmed.htm

How to Punch Bareknuckle: The Million Dollar Question

Sumo Semar is confused again.

How do you throw a bare-knuckle punch without injuring your hand ? The jury is out, especially amongst experts. Horizontal fist, with the top two knuckles ? Or vertical first, with the bottom three ?

To me, this is the biggest question with the fewest answers. Yet it could be the golden key to self defence.

Stand-up punching, it seems, is one of the quickest ways to end a confrontation when it becomes a fight. But you need to do it without getting the "boxer's fracture," or a shattered outer metacarpal.

It's been a great year for research. We've discovered pressure drills, made up our own minds on some of the most contentious questions in the martial arts. We've discovered that yes you need to know what to do on the ground.

But no, you don't want to go there in a real fight. Yes, it might happen by accident, especially to those with poor balance.

We've also learned the difference between sport, self-defense and art. There's a reason for each one.

Horizonal Fist

Used in sport-boxing, karate and similar styles and tactical Krav Maga. The Karate guys seem to know how to hit without breaking their hands. The tamashiwara or board-breaking is done with a horizontal fist. A 5th dan in Goju and a Muay Thai instructor in Karate visited Cempaka Dojo once and demonstrated in Sumo Semar's pale and spindly chest. With a tiny twist of the wrist, it hurt.

Vertical Fist

Teri Tom, a JKD author, traditional Savate, and writers on the Golden Era of bareknuckle boxing seem to concur on the vertical fist, or bottom three knuckles.

You guys go ahead and pursue the links.

Unfortunately, there's evidence on both sides. The Karate guys can smash boards, but look at this:

Now what about the hands? Why did they hold them vertical or with the knuckles pointing at the other guy? Until the use of gloves became common in the ring, pugilists struck with a vertical fist nearly all the time. Why did they use the vertical fist? First reason is that it is just plain safer to hit with a vertical fist than a horizontal one. There is less chance of injury, especially on any swinging type of punches. They did use a horizontal fist when the target warranted one. The side of the neck is a good example of such a target.

All, Dasaman, Numero Uno and Ainun Arabic Name Poster, your thoughts very welcome. Dasaman with his vast library must have some answers. :-)

Progression in Training

Sumo Semar has just survived being immobilized, cut, having his facial nerves jabbed with steel objects. The encounter left him with 6 stitches. The opponent was...the Dentist.

Here I'll talk about progression in training. Three teachers I've been looking at recently really stand out, Paul Vunak, Geoff Thompson, and Iain Abernethy.



Paul Vunak is a former student of Dan Inosanto and prolific DVD and video maker on Jeet Kune Do applications. Vunak teaches techniques drawn from the eclectic arsenal of Jeet Kune Do, Wing Chun, Kali, Savate, Boxing, Wrestling, and even BJJ.



Geoff Thompson is a former doorman, or bouncer, and now an author and scriptwriter. He's a 6th dan in Karate and 1st Dan in Judo, but now promotes sparring-oriented arts, boxing and grappling as a self-defense solution.



Iain Abernethy is a Karateka in Britain who seems to rebelling against 'traditional' Karate. In fact, Abernethy Sensei says, he's restoring , the traditional purpose of kata, as a living text book and set of training drills for civilian combat.

The three teachers address similar themes. Their teachings highlight the link between martial art and combat training. They're not always the same thing. More on martial art versus combat training later, but for now, let's talk about progression.

They all emphasize a multi-step process.

1. Learn and drill the basic movement.
with or without a partner. If a jab, then train the jab, if osoto gari, then do osoto gari.

2. Move to semi-resistance and possibly semi-contact whilst still drilling the basics. Vunak in his excellent Domog DVD uses the hubud-lubud flow drill moving into different Dumog positions. In Abernethy's class, you'd be doing kihon or two-step sparring with a little resistance.

3. Controlled sparring with protection. In Judo, this stage would be equal to the "50%-90%" Randori concept, where you agree with your partner how hard you'll both go. The protection is the tatami. In Thompson's class, you'd be semi-boxing with a few hits with head gear.

Sumo Semar and Joey-San did this stage in a Krav-Maga boxing class using head protection.

4. Panic drills and pressure testing. This stage is left out of most martial arts, including probably BJJ, Judo, and Sambo. Krav Maga focuses heavily on this stage, designed to induce panic, adrenaline, and the physical feeling of an actual fight. It's a vital phase for self-defense.

The world is a very different place when you're panicking. Your brain reacts differently to a normal state, as does your body.

Sadly, many martial artists simply don't know what this phase is like and go into shock and shut down when it hits them.

Krav Maga probably has the richest armoury of drills and methods for pressure testing, but Vunak, Thompson, and Abernethy are pretty good as well. Drills could include, all out attacks for 30 seconds against multiple opponents, "mugging" simluations, where you're jumped by 2 guys, spinning around for 1 minute then 5 second sparring a line of guys.

But overall, progression is critical to building fighting and self-defense skills.

Progression, I'd argue, is vital to bridging the gap between martial art training and fighting. What's the difference, you ask (if you've stayed with me this long)? That's a subject for future posts.

Cobra Kai ?

This animal is a reminder of the power of the martial arts to change lives. One of the Cempaka Dojo members was in a "gang" in S-D, or elementary school, called the Cobras. Cempaka Dojo blog is still investigating rumored links to the Cobrai Kai dojo of Karate-Kid fame. We know for sure he's not with them now. Merdeka !

Daniel-San Say...

Ha ha ha, maybe, but the dirty old bastard never tweaked that I found his stash of Japanese school-girl porn, or why the centrefolds would suddenly get mysteriously stuck together...!

Mr. Miyagi Say...

...Sometimes I really have to bitch-slap that little schmuck Daniel-San.

Can Krav Maga Save Traditional Jujutsu ?

It's a good thing Jujutsu teaches absorbing, yielding and pliability. Along with many other traditional styles, Jujutsu's reputation has taken a battering in the last decade, probably starting with the advent of the UFC in 1993. The onslaught of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and then a hybdrid of Muay Thai and shoot wrestling appeared to leave Jujutsu, Kung Fu, Ninjutsu and other traditional styles with their pants, or rather Gis down. No Mr. Miyagi, no crane kick.

Krav Maga and other styles of "reality"-based training, could help save these arts from a slow decline into obscurity. Nearly every Sensei or Sifu wants to spread their art: no one wants it to become a White Elephant or exotic collector's item for Japanophiles or an alternative to medieaval fantasy role-playing games.


KM's Debt to Jujutsu

Another name for Krav Maga might be "Scientific Jujutsu." Moni Aizik, co-founder and probably the most senior KM-ist was a Judoka and Jujutsuka before developing the art of KM in the 1970s.

[Above, Moni Aizik, an Israeli Judoka with his Sensei in Japan. Aizik was a co-founder and pioneer of Krav Maga, an art Ben Haryo Sensei described as "not a Budo by any stretch of the imagination". Also, Aizik demonstrates the Jujutsu roots of his style of KM].

Strip away the sexy, spi-fi packaging of his Combat Survival Vols 1-5 series and there are is alot of traditional Jujutsu. We see two-person kata drills, irimis (entry principle), sukui nage (scoop throw, ogoshi,(hip throw), and shime-waza (choke) and pressure points.

But more importantly, the basic strategy is pure Jujutsu. Time and time again, he demonstrates a strike (atemi), seizing and controlling (Chinna- not sure what the Japanese name is), and often a joint lock or throw, then escape. We also see principles of leverage, balance-disruption, and evasion.

We can see all of these elements in the most traditional, 1-10 kata of Wado Ryu, and even several of exactly the same technique. Like Wado and Karate, KM advocates staying on one's feet.


An interesting thing is that nearly all of the techniques begin with two-person drills, or kata.

They just don't stay at the kata level. What sets KM apart is the intense focus on adrenaline-training, and panic and reality drills to train someone for a realistic encounter. One drill is surprisingly like the multiple-attacker drill from Aikido.

By injecting science into an a venerable combat art, the Israelis have performed a valuable service for Jujutsu. The Israelis have studied reaction times, reflexes and human stress response all in a bid to find out what "works" and what doesn't.

In one lesson on gun disarms, for example, Aizik mentions to avoid looking into your opponents eyes because your eyes can dilate (even in an instant), before a gun disarm or attack giving the opponent a chance to respond. We learn that it often takes a person a couple of seconds, even soldiers, to pull a trigger, giving you a window of opportunity to disarm them.

Are Jujutsu students interested in self defense or self-improvement ?

The reality is probably both. If they just wanted spiritual self-improvement, they'd probably skip the martial arts and do Yoga, Tai Chi or even just go to the Mesjid, Church or wherever they go. On some level, most students of the martial arts are interested in learning how to defend themselves.

But they probably want more than just, "self defense in 10 easy lessons." We train for a variety of reasons and to face a variety of challenges throughout our lives, not just that 10-second encounter with a mugger in a dark parking lot.

KM offers a wealth of knowledge, techniques, and methods, to enliven traditional, venerable techniques. In any case, the traditional techniques are usually based on sound biomechanics, anatomy, physics and physiology. Somehow, somewhere, in the safety and comfort of the Dojo and the ranking system, reality was left behind.

It needn't be that way. Tradition and reality can and must exist side by side if Jujutsu is to become part of the martial arts' future as well as its past.

Rugby Imitates Judo or Judo Imitates Rugby ?

No question here: definitely not Budo. The US executes two varieties of Morote Gari against the UK in a World Cup Rugby match on (09/08). The Japanese used to disparagingly called Morote a "tackle," which it basically is. The slur didn't stop the Russians making "pick-ups," including Sukui Nage and Kata Guruma , their signature weapons in a 1960s bid to conquer competition Judo. If it works, Da, Comrade ! Call it vengeance for the Russian defeat in a war with Japan in 1904-05, or even just another round in the millenia-long Rugby match between Russia and its Eastern neighbors. (By the way, I'm going to have to stop italicizing foreign names).

Budo or Bodoh ? Why I don't talk about a Japanese philosophy I don't understand.

To be clear, I don't think Budo is Bodoh, or stupid in in Bahasa Indonesia , the national language of the country I live in. I'm just not sure what Budo , allegedly the philosophy of the Japanese martial arts means to everyone. I know what it means to me. But like Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, or just what a person thinks is right, I think it's best kept to myself and shown, if possible, through deed, not word.

[In the image above, an etching of when the Japanese emperor shifted from Kyoto to Tokyo as part of the Meiji restoration, a moment perhaps, when Bushido became Budo].

After all, Budo comes from two words, "Bu", meaning martial (or so I'm told), and "do," meaning way, coming from the Chinese character meaning "Tao". And to quote the Tao Te Ching the ancient Chinese text, "the Tao that can be told is not the eternal way." But let's get to the present and away from the past.

I practice, Judo, some Jujutsu, some Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and a smattering of other arts, in what is a bundle of modern martial arts. Some traditionalists pour scourn on such training methods and philosophy, saying they are not "budo," or implying that they are designed only for fighting, or to "annihilate the enemy."

That's not how I see it. To me Budo is bowing as you step onto the mat or into the Dojo. It means coming to the Dojo in a clean, pressed gi. It means respecting and not injuring your training partners. Budo means trying your best, maintaining a commitment to constantly improve, share your knowledge and help others do likewise. It means pushing through your physical limits, mental limits, perhaps even touching the spiritual to do so. Budo means trying to keep your body at its best and resisting the dragging, draining strains of modern life.

It's not always clear where these lofty ideas come in when someone 20 kg heavier than you is trying to body slam you, or you're trapped in a triangle choke. But anyone who's trained, quit, trained, washed their gi, done the whole process over a thousand times and keeps coming back to the mat for some reason will know what I mean.

That's what Budo means to me.

You don't have to speak Japanese, know anything about Japanese history, or even Japan to practice Budo. Certaintly a bit of knowledge of the Japanese philosophies and great teachers, including Jigoro Kano, Gichin Funakoshi, even Miyamoto Mushasi might help. But just as Zen is as much about sweeping the yard and washing the dishes as it is about chanting, Budo to me can be found in the hard work on the mat, in overcoming our limitations, and taking those lessons to the rest of our lives.

It's about an attitude, over time. It's not about ranking, grades, seniority. It's about what you practice, not preach. And I know that I'll probably fail more times than I succeed, but with luck get up and try again. That, to me, is Budo.

That's not always what Budo means to everyone.

To the Japanese who invaded Indonesia and Southeast Asia, enslaved its women, and turned it into a mine and forced-labor farm, maybe Budo meant something else. Given the two-samurai swords in many of their photos and symbols of the rising sun, it would seem they practiced what they thought was "Budo," perhaps seeing themselves as warriors of civilization, defined as Japan and the Emperor.

I'm sure some of those Japanese and I have a few things in common in our interpretation. But we obviously have our differences.

For the feudal Japanese Samurai, Budo, or its incarnation at that time, Bushido, meant a whole range of things it wouldn't now. The Samurai, the guardians of Bushido, were known to behead commoners for not bowing to them, and regularly committed acts that would today be regarded as murder, it not sociopathic homicide.

Some people think Budo means dressing up in Hakama, maintaining strict Sensei-Sempai-Kohei relations, and rigid rules of Japanese etiquette. Sometimes, whatever the Sensei says is Budo can be Budo. Or so it would seem to me.

Here's what Wikipedia says about Bushido.


Budo seems to mean different things to different people, especially taken out of a Japanese context by people who don't speak Japanese or perhaps have never even been there.

That's why I don't talk alot about Budo.

There is a danger that Budo can be turned and twisted to mean all sorts of things. Just as uneducated Muslims or Christians or Buddhists can be duped by unethical religous teachers warping the meanings of the obscure and mysterious holy texts written in a foreign language, martial artists can be tricked by those who'd claim to speak for Budo.

I'm not qualified to say what is and what isn't a martial art. For me, training in Judo, Jujutsu, in Yoga, in the gym, even running in a forest is about doing my best, training the spirit and not just body overcoming personal limitations.

Perhaps that's Budo, perhaps Bodoh.

Style and Awe

Budo respects everyone, even the enemy, especially the enemy. Budo is a universal philosophy, bringing dignity and self-fulfillment to all. Yet whilst all are created equal, not all can live up to the heritage or the highest callings of Budo.

In this photo sequence, we can see the unbridled awe in which students hold Ben Sensei and the panache with which he retains his Budo-esque sense of humility. In these photos, we can see Ben Sensei's unparalelled ability to display self-defense and hint at the higher meanings of Budo at the same time.

In future posts, a video of Ben Sensei wearing Hakama and a black-and-white sequence of Ben Sensei displaying the martial prowess that has made him an enduring legend in Southeast Asia's self-defense community.

Interview with Ben Haryo Sensei: IV

Due to the flood of demand from readers for more Ben Haryo Sensei material, the editors of Cempaka Dojo Blog are putting up the interview included here. In this interview, Ben Sensei offers insights into the training, history, and sheer talent that have made him an icon in the martial arts community.

Also check out the photos of Ben in action and Sarung.

[From KIAI].

Interview with Ben Haryo sensei

Ben Haryo sensei is the head instructor of Goshin Budo Indonesia Jujutsu club. He holds the rank of Godan in Jujutsu and is yudansha in Wado Ryu. Ben sensei also has Menkyo Okuden in Jissen budo arts within Kokusai Jissen Budo Kyokai. He continuously studies under his Wado Ryu, Jujutsu and Ninpo sensei.


KIAI: How old were you when you started training in the martial arts, and what made you start?

I think it was 1985, when I was a fifth grader. I started training because I think the movements of the martial arts looks beautiful!

KIAI: Could you tell us a bit about your training with Mr. Taman, your first sensei?

Mr. Taman is amongst the kindest person I ever met. My training with him is totally for free, including my rank certificates. My training in his Dojo includes free lunch and dinner, because we train from 11-12 in the morning to 7 in the evening. He is like an uncle to me. His home and Dojo are located in another city (Bekasi) while I live in Jakarta, took me like 2 hours to get there and another 1 hour to come back, but I was determined to train with him. He has a good teaching system though, because with him my progress was quite fast. I also assisted him in demonstrations, thus helping me a lot to understand his materials better. Under his guidance I learned many Jujutsu techniques and principles (such as principles found in Idori, Tachiai, Tantodori etc), in addition to the standard 3 K's of Karate (Kata, Kihon and Kumite).

Around the same time frame I began corresponding with Jujutsu stylists from USA, such as Prof. George Kirby and Prof. Harold Brosious. Actually it was Mr. Taman who wrote the letter of recommendation to Mr. Kirby. I learned a lot of techniques from their books and videos, and Prof. Brosious kindly tutored me on his Ketsugo system through a constant supply of instructional videos and books. I am most thankful to him for introducing to me many Jujutsu tricks I never seen anywhere else.

My good friend Mr. Saleh Jusuf is a Judo, Sambo and Pencak Silat Paseban practitioner. He was trained by John Phillips, Chris Doelman and Willem Ruska in the Netherlands. He has excellent grappling skills. I learned Sambo and Silat Paseban from Mr. Saleh, and enjoyed them very much. His Sambo influenced me tremendously. Silat Paseban is also very interesting to learn. I taught him Jujutsu and Wado-ryu in return.

KIAI: Some of your movements show certain Ninpo influences. Where did you get them?

In the year 2001 I met Mr. Martadi who is the Indonesian representative of Soke Tanemura (of Genbukan/KJJR fame). I learned techniques from Takagi Yoshin-ryu Jujutsu from him. He taught me some Ninpo and Kenjutsu techniques as well. I was the very first Shodan in his Jujutsu group, Samurai Jujutsu Indonesia (SJJI). I enjoyed training with him because we interact very well. I also trained his students in the arts that I know, mostly Karate and Sambo.

I exchanged techniques and arts with my own students as well. Firdaus Alam is my representative in the city of Bandung. He is a Goju-ryu Sandan and he trained me in Goju-ryu in exchange with Jujutsu techniques. I also learned many Katas from one of Firdaus's teacher, Mr. Bryson Keenan from Zendokai Goju-ryu (Australia).

KIAI: Did you ever have the chance to use your martial arts?

Many times. My country has the highest crime rate in Southeast Asia. The number of people killed by criminals in Indonesia within one DAY is far more than the number of people killed by terrorists in Palestine within one WEEK. Also, this country has a deep-rooted tradition of fighting to the death, even for silly reasons. And the fight was never nice one-on-one fair duels, it's always mass fighting, so deaths from riots are very common. I used to carry brass knuckles and cutter knife everywhere. I've been involved in knife fighting too, and I still have the battle scars to prove that in real knife fighting, you WILL get cut, no matter how much skills you have. I got stabbed once, and in some knife duels I got cut on the wrists as well. I survived due to the fact that I used my wits a lot. Get in, cut something, get out, and always try to run if possible. I know that I am not a truly good fighter, I know my limitations so I pick my fights carefully. I always stay out of danger as much as possible. Generally will I run away from trouble when I am able to smell it from a distance..or so to speak (laughs).

But there were times where we have to face adversity. During the infamous May 1998 riot of Indonesia, my city of Jakarta was looted by rioters for 3 days. My friends and I banded together to form a neighborhood watch team, and I carried a Katana with me all the times. My friends also had Katanas so we were like a Ronin group (Laughs). It's an excellent weapon to chase the rioters away, and we were a team, so the rioters generally stayed away.

KIAI: No matter how many students in kenjutsu you have at the moment, can you tell us which you prefer: teaching in front of a large class of students, teaching to a small group of students or teaching only one student at the time? Please, give us your reasons.

I can teach a group of six students (three pairs) at a time, where they will use Bokkens. I will demonstrate Kamaegata and the basic techniques from Kamaegata. Then I will progress to Kumitachi, where only a pair of students will learn the attacks and counters. This will go on for quite a while, until I decided that they have getting used with the idea of holding a Bokken. Then I will take one student at a time to teach Nukiuchi using Iaito.

KIAI: Lots of films with Japanese swords arts have been successfully released in last year or so. "Kill Bill", "The Last Samurai", "Zatoichi" - to name a few... These Blockbusters attract lots of audience to cinemas around the world. In your opinion, what will be the effect of this fashion to the number of kenjutsu students in yours and dojo nearby? Will these movies attract more new students, repel even the current ones or will make no affect at all?

I must say that these films are very fascinating, especially Zatoichi, I like it very much! It is very amusing to me, they choose Takeshi Kitano as the main actor. My childhood memories about Mr. Kitano are very sweet, he is the host of a popular children TV show, by the name of "Takeshi Castle". Yes, he was a comedian! I enjoyed that TV show very much. Now I see Zatoichi, and this man, whom I always consider as a comedian, is playing the role of a great swordsman!

Anyway, these films do not attract any new students to my Dojo, but they make my old students inquiring about learning Kenjutsu! I also heard that Aikido students began taking Kenjutsu classes. So, in a way these films might have helped!

KIAI: What would you extract as the most specific "trade mark" technique or teaching principle in your particular style of swordsmanship? Is there anything that makes your style and syllabus special among other styles and sword arts?

Kenjutsu that I learned from Martadi san is from the Genbukan style, which is rooted in the teachings of Takamatsu sensei (Takamatsu-den). Naturally, the techniques extend to the realm of Daisho-Sabaki, or how to manage yourself when you are in close quarter fighting while wearing two swords (Daito and Shoto). This involves extensive use of the swords during a grappling/striking encounter, as an additional "helping hand" to strike or grapple with the opponent. So there is a close connection between Jujutsu and Kenjutsu in the teaching of Takamatsu-den.

KIAI: What criteria do you use when accepting new kenjutsu students? Are there any lower age limits, any interviews, any earlier knowledge required? Do you look for proofs of no previous criminal record, any medical records, etc.? Do you use any "oaths" or anything like that?

I only teach Kenjutsu to my Jujutsu students whom I consider most loyal and trustworthy. So it's mostly personal considerations. Besides, the Kenjutsu techniques I taught them are the most basic ones, so I don't raelly need to use "oaths".

To be continued...

Ben Sensei, Interview Part 3: The Exodus of Students, Club Curriculum, Foot Massage.

Following is the third part of a series of interviews with Ben Sensei. Here, he comments on the controversial subject of the exodus of senior GBI students, the elusive question of a syllabus and his desire to learn foot massage.


1. What would you say the biggest challenge facing GBI in the next six months? How about the next year ?

I say the biggest challenge for GBI is to find someone who could take care of the instructions of the Club in case I am physically unable to do it. For example, if somehow I can manage to get enough cash to go to Japan or USA to continue my own training, I will have to leave the GBI for a while, and it will be tough to find someone to fulfill my role. So far I am yet to find any of my students who has all the "right stuff", both technically, mentally and spiritually. But I don't lose hope. I believe one day one or some of my students will be able to help me run GBI, and at that day, I will be able to focus myself in other things, such as learning foot massage, shiatsu, etc.


2. What role does fitness and conditioning have in the GBI system ? Some clubs put a lot of emphasis on training the body for the martial arts. GBI, whilst including some joint warm-ups and stretching for safety, doesn't seem to do much conditioning aside from actual performance of techniques...


yes, and that's one of the major weaknesses of our training method. We don't put enough time to train conditioning. In my case, that's because we have only so much training time, so in that severely limited time, I prefer to teach the techniques right away. Students can learn their conditioning somewhere else, even at home. That's why I encourage them to take up other arts which emphasize conditioning, such as Tennis, Tai Chi, Yoga, fitness, aerobic, TaeBo etc. Because with such limited training time we have, I just don't have enough time to spare for conditioning.

For myself though, I do Karate KATA daily, about 10 Katas everyday. Believe it or not, it keep me from being a flabby fat slob. My eating habits can be described as "Excessive". Let's say I am a glutton. Karate KATA saved me from being a fatso. :)

3. * You mentioned in the last conversation that you "had a roomful of senior students who quit." What do you think motivates a person to train to a certain belt level and then quit (aside from factors out of their control such as work) ? To what extent is it the individual's motivation and to what extent the club's influence in their decision ?


I think work and marriage are the key factors of seniors leaving. Because I can see the pattern since 1998, people usually become A.W.O.L straight after marriage, or after getting a demanding job. Other than that, I think it's a matter of taste. Some people dislikes the soft training method we have in the GBI. Some people prefer to have more full-contact fighting, more intense grappling, more MMA-ish training method. Some people got turned off by the fact that we don't have competitions. So, people have their own reasons. I think it's normal, to each their own. There are so many martial arts styles in the world, so I am sure everybody will find something more fit to their liking, be it GBI or something else.


4. On tradition, which tradition is the GBI group following ? It seems you have the Ishihara influence, Wado-Ryu or Taman-Sensei influence, then Brosius Sensei & the modern Jujutsu strain. All of these schools come with their own set of traditions and values. So which founder does GBI follow ? If GBI is following all of them, filtered through the sensei, doesn't it become the sensei's personal creation ?

You got a point there, because my students often asked the same questions. Because, so many times it happened, that I will teach a technique, then my mind drifted off and suddenly I am teaching variations of the same technique which came from different styles. It's like.. "..this is how we do it in Wado. Then this is how the Hakko-ryu people are doing it. But Mr. Brosious does it this way...". I think, the GBI is pretty much in danger, in a sense, to become a Ben Haryo personal creation. In order not to making it purely a Ben Haryo personal creation, so I make a rule for myself. In addition to teach a "mix" of methods for self-defense, I discipline myself to also teach the arts in their "pure" way, according to the syllabus. For example, I can still teach Wado-ryu on its entirety, nothing diluted. If you want straight Wado-ryu, I can teach that. The same goes to Hakko-ryu and other arts which I taught. You can go for the original, you can go for the mixed version, or you can do both. In the end, the student will get the most benefit.

5. Related to the question above, GBI would then seem to have quite a vast curriculum. Is there a challenge in getting each of the above Senseis to approve the curriculum ? Also, how do you physically show them the"encyclopaedia" of techniques -- book, e-book, e-mail ? Is there in fact, a written record of GBI's syllabus and curriculum ?

We do have written records of the techniques of individual Ryuha within GBI, for example, Brosious sensei's Ketsugo Jujutsu, Wado-ryu and Hakko-ryu. However, we are yet to document the Henka (variation) and Ohyo (applications) of all those techniques.

I never had trouble to get the senseis to approve what I am doing, as long as I keep the originals intact and not giving my creation the same status as the originals. In fact, I am encouraged to do so. Mr. Hobbs said that all the 200++ plus techniques of Hakko-ryu are simply principles of movements, and we must discover the applications of the principles on our own. Taman sensei also said like wise. Prof. Brosious is even more liberal. He said "as long as the technique works, use it".

In any case, I show Taman sensei my creations everytime I got the chance to train with him, and so far he never objected. Although there were so many times I thought I "Came up with a New" technique, and showed him, and he will show an exact same technique. Which means that he had learned it like decades ago. So, we reinvent the wheel so many times :) But then again, it's a learning process. Same goes to with Mr. Hobbs and Mr. Brosious. I show them a technique by sending them VCDs or .WMV videoclips. If the technique is good, they will say "it's a good one use it". If it's not so good, they will give me suggestions for improvements. Then sometimes they will comment something like "..that's a Henka/an Ohyo of Sandan-Gi Kata number xxx.." or "That's a good technique, I teach them as part of our knife defense technique, it's number xxx.."... Like I said, reinventing the wheels. :)

Anyway, in a sense, we are standing in one foot on traditions (keeping the originals intact), but one foot in innovations (constantly looking for better ways to apply the original principles). So, either way, I am happy.

Interview with Ben Sensei, Part 2:

Following is the second part of the interview with Ben Sensei. Here he discusses how he copes with the awe of students and managing a Dojo.

Many people could be in awe of your 5th dan, or Godan grade. Technically, this is a master level. Do you have any advice for those who are in awe of you as a martial artist ? Also, how are the technical skills of a Godan different to other black belt levels ?

Well each organization has different concepts on what makes a Godan. When Pak Taman gave me one, I think it symbolizes the fact that I have completed all the core syllabus of what he has to offer, and that I have shown sufficient attitude to make him believe that I will carry on his traditions the way he want it to be. That's about it. I don't think I'm a master, I'm just a guy with less-than-average intellect, very-much-less-than-average physical capabilities, but with a certain above-average love for the art..which enables me to endure the training, and in the end, was able to memorize the whole syllabus.

Now that memorizing is done, my goal is to make the techniques truly a part of me, and the only way to achieve the goal is by consistent training. Judging by my chimp-level intellect and nonexistent physical condition, maybe I will achieve that goal by 4096 AD. If I am still alive, off course :)

Seriously, the best part of Budo is the training. I don't set any goal anymore. I just train and teach and enjoy it. I think the sense of happiness when doing the training and teaching transcends everything else.

2. While we’re on the subject of grades. What would you say are the responsibilities of senior grades within the club ? What, for example, would you say the responsibilities of a Brown Belt are ? What are the factors you take into consideration when awarding senior grades ?

Well, I have basically a roomful of seniors who quit training as soon as they get 4th, 3rd and 2nd Kyu. So, many people treat their training in GBI club simply as a self-defense course, not as an activity which they should be doing as a livelong journey. Kind of sad, really. But, like I say, people's love to the art are different. Just like every person's destiny are different. So, I have nothing against people quitting.

However, those who do wish to stick with it, must be very serious about that. I make a rule, that I will not award somebody their Shodan, if they are not as skilled and as serious about their training as I was when I was a MuKyu struggling to the Shodan grade. In short, I don't give away that DAN grades, people has to earn it. For Kyu grades, as long as the attitude are correct and the technical skills are sound, I'm really an easy-going guy when giving away Kyu grades :)

I think real serious responsibilities to become assistants to help me spread and teach the art should fall upon the shoulders of those who has reached 2nd and 1st Kyu. However I have people quitting on me at those grades. So I'm not kidding myself in thinking that people always has the same love to the art. People has different priorities in life, and I accept that as facts of life. So, I will simply continue teaching until I find the right students to help me carry on the traditions.


3. Some people look up to the Sensei as an all-knowing, parent-type figure ? That level of responsibility must be hard to take. Senseis are human beings, after all. Some Senseis have been said to fear their students superceding them, or just absorbing knowledge and moving on. As a modern, forward-looking martial artist, can you comment on this rarely-discussed aspect of a teacher’s life ?



I don't mind having a student surpass my achievements in the martial arts. In fact I am looking forward to it. If any of my boys or gals has more love to the art than myself, more skillful than myself, more passion to spread the teachings than myself, more capable in administering the GBI than myself, then I'm happy.

Absorbing knowledge and moving on to something else? That already happened many, many times! :D So I'm getting used to it. I guess it's a natural selection thing. Some people are fit to be teachers of my tradition, some people are not. That's a fact of life. There's nothing I can do about it, so I just kind of sit back and accept it. After all, I am not a god and nowhere near deification :)


4. You’ve done a lot to promote unity between the different styles of martial arts. In one Radio Republik Indonesia interview,

(you actually listened to that? And I thought only Gandarvas in the Jungle, CIA people in their NASA Satellites and the inhabitants of Planet Mars listened to that particular broadcast. Must make note to myself: people don't actually puke when they hear my orations :) )

you are said to have called on martial artists to unite as they are all artists. How do you manage the question of rank between clubs ? For example, how should a purple belt in, say, a BJJ style, relate to a Godan in a traditional Jujutsu style. Surely the lower-ranked BJJ student would have to regard the senior Jujutsu exponent as his (or her) senior ? If not, how should we manage the question of different ranking and status demarcations in our effort to unite the martial arts ?

Rank and titles are meaningless outside the Dojo. It only signifies what the giver thinks about the receiver. Thus, it means something only inside the Club/Dojo. I know of a brown belt in Wado whom are better than me in doing Wado Katas, won more Karate competitions than me, and throwing better high roundhouse kicks than me. I know of a Wado 1st Dan in Holland, a 20 years old fella, who knows all Wado Jujutsu stuff that I know, maybe more. The only seniority that counts for, to me, is personal maturity regarding the role of Budo in enriching people's life. A 6th Dan in Jujutsu, be it BJJ, Gendai or Koryu, will not impress me if he still has the "my-art-is-the-best-I-can-beat-you-all" attitude. I will be more impressed by a guy who say "I don't care whether my art is the best or not, but I try to make people's life better with my art". Those guys with nothing to prove are my true heroes.


5. As patriotic Indonesians, many try to base their organizations on Pancasila. Can you explain the role of the Pancasila in GBI ?

I try to become a living embodiment of Pancasila. For starter, I accept only believers of a religion. Whatever religion is OK, I will even accept Rastafarians, Shintoists, Judaists, Mormons, whatever. It does not have to be an organized religions, because I will also accept anyone who does not follow a formal religion, as long as they believe in a God, an Universal Life Giver, or whatever you call it. Because it's kind of difficult to do the Mokuso without a God to say prayers to :) To whom atheists will direct their prayers? So I cannot accept them. Those are the embodiments of the 1st Pillar of Pancasila.

I also teach my students to respect even their opponent's human rights. Never hurt their opponent excessively. Pain should be administered as little as possible, only as much as necessary. That is the embodiment of the 2nd Pillar of Pancasila.

I always encourage my students to develop a bonds of brotherhood amongst themselves, and I also work hard to form a cooperation between martial artists from different clubs. That's the embodiment of the 3rd Pillar of Pancasila.

The Dojo is not a democracy, however, I always ask for my students opinions (in a Musyawarah style) about how to better run the Club. You know this, right? To me that's the embodiment of the 4th Pillar of Pancasila.

And lastly, I teach for free in YAI and Esa Unggul. In fact I always provide free teachings for those who need training but can't afford tuition fees. So, that's my interpretation of the 5th Pillar of Pancasila.

Do I sound like a product of the New Order generation? Oopss.. :)

Any more questions, bring em on bro!

Ben











Don't pick lemons.
See all the new 2007 cars at Yahoo! Autos.

Being a Good Training Partner

A visitor to the Beruang Merah Cempaka Putih Dojo made an interesting observation the other day:

We still have a lot to learn about being training partners.

We tense up during Uchi-Komi, we always go all-out to stop ourselves being thrown during Randori, we rarely 'take a fall,' even if the opponent as the technique 90 % correct.

This attitude is a major hindrance to learning new techniques.

It's partly a reflection of the lack of basic Ukemi. It's partly the influence of Olympic pressures on Judo, in which the whole enterprise becomes a selection and training mechanism for athletes. Amateurs, or people who want to learn the rich, old Judo, get left behind.

So, from now on:

1. Let's learn to be better throwing partners, including cooperative Randori, and taking a fall, ie give the opponent the technique if they're trying something new and they've got it mostly right.

2. Revisit the basics of Ukemi, drilling again and again.

Interview on 'Tradition' with Ben Haryo Sensei, Godan.

Ben Haryo Sensei, the chief instructor of GBI, is one of the highest-ranked Jujutsu practioners and instructors in Indonesia, if not Southeast Asia. He holds a 5th Dan, or Godan, technically Master level. Ben Sensei's standards are high. Few make it past blue belt level, let alone to Shodan. Many of his students hold him in admiration, if not awe. It's just because of his mastery of the secrets of Jujutsu; it's also his personal charisma. In this interview, Ben Sensei dispels a few myths about tradition in Jujutsu.

Following are the edited highlights of an interview with Sumo Semar.



1. There are some fears that 'traditional' jujutsu is dying out, even in
its homeland of Japan. Do you see it as the responsibility of Senseis to
help preserve that tradition and what can students to do help ?

First of all.. which tradition? The GBI Club does not preserve pre-Meiji (1868) traditions, the so-called Koryu Budo. We preserve the civilian self-defense art of the Meiji-Taisho-Showa Gendai era, 1868 to 1949, the prewar period and maybe a few years after the war. I don't think our traditions will die out very soon :) If the Japanese youngsters are not interested in 1940s Dento Gendai Jujutsu anymore, there are many Westerners whom are willing to preserve them. Already there are some non-Japanese who has received full transmissions in some Jujutsu arts. So I'm happy.

Actually, the Japanese has founded Nihon Kobudo Kyokai & Nihon Kobudo Shinkokai organizations to preserve their traditional martial arts. So the arts will live on, at least for 20-30 more years.

BTW, what's modern will be "traditional" one day. The Wado-ryu was born in 1934, it is not a Koryu, and yet it's now considered as traditional (Dento), and is registered in the Nihon Kobudo Kyokai & Nihon Kobudo Shinkokai as a form of Kobudo, that is, old martial art. The Hakko-ryu is a form of Aiki Jujutsu which was born in 1943, even younger than the Wado-ryu, but already people consider it as a traditional martial art. So, this entire mixed martial arts movements, which was born in 1987 with the emergence of Japanese Pancrase Shootfighting organization, will be "Traditional" one day as well.

Back to your questions, I think it's the responsibility of any sensei to preserve the movements of the original Kata, as taught by the founder of the art. On the other hand, it is also important not to become trapped by the Kata. Kata are models for future applications. The Kata are set in stone, but the applications are limitless.

The students, if they really love the art as is, without any "delusion of grandeur" thinking that the art will make them "ultimate undefeatable warriors", then they will do the utmost to preserve the traditions as is, while trying to develop new applications more relevant for the modern era. Our Jujutsu has Tanjudori and Tanbodori, the applications of old Jujutsu techniques against gun stickups and single stick attacks. They were developed in the 1930s. Maybe our students in the future will develop Jujutsu techniques against laser pistols. Who knows. :)

2. What do you is the meaning of 'tradition' in jujutsu ? What is the role
of etiquette, rituals, and formalized kata in preserving the tradition ?

Tradition in Jujutsu means that we are a part of a stream which has flown from about a hundred of years. We are very strongly based on Wado-ryu, an art founded in 1934. And yet, the Wado-ryu itself are largely dependent on the movements adopted from Shinto Yoshin-ryu, an art founded in 1864. As to this day we are still doing the movements which was originally conceived in 1864. We honor the Founder by doing the Kata as he taught us, and be truthful to our student about the sources of our art. As I have mentioned, the Kata is a link to the past, and yet, it is also useful for the future. Kata, again, is a model for future applications. The Kata are to be preserved as is, but the applications are limitless.

Etiquette and rituals are meant to develop a spiritual connection between ourselves, our fellow practitioners and the spirit of our ancestors in the martial arts. Most importantly, our ritual is to internalize the ideals of the Ryuha, that is, self-improvement through martial arts training. By trying to live up to the ideals which our Founder has outlined, we are building a spiritual connection between ourselves as individuals, and the Founder. Without the ritual and etiquette, we are simply doing a self-defense course. Nothing wrong with that, but if you study GBI Jujutsu, ritual and etiquette is part of the package which you have to live with :)



3. Do you have a response to some of the critics of traditional systems ?
Some modern, competition-oriented styles have been very critical of the
traditional martial arts, including ju-jutsu.

John Danaher, co-author of 'Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Theory & Technique,' has
said that the traditional systems are confused about whether or not they're
a way of life, or combat, or philosophy. Some followers of that style have
been even more critical in online forums. But given your formidable
street-fighting skills, are the criticisms fair ?

My survival on the streets was more of good luck rather than skills :) I'd rather not talk about it :) But anyway, Yes, the critics are very fair. I think the critics are correct. Some of the traditional martial artists still stick to their marketing ploy that "our art is ancient, pure, undefeatable and incredibly powerful.." I think this kind of marketing trick, in the long run, will hurt the credibility of the traditional martial arts.

John Danaher maybe correct, but in my case, I am very certain of what I am doing. I teach Jujutsu as an useful activity to do in our spare time. It is a vehicle to attain self-improvement. It is the WA=Ten Chi Jin No Ri=DO philosophy that we are teaching. By self-improvement, it means improving your attitude as well as your skills. If your overall personal quality are improved, naturally your self-defense skills will improve as well.

We know that, in a real fight, it's never about yourself, it's about your opponent. If you are better than your opponent, you may win. If you are not, you may lose. We are all humans, we are better than some people, but lesser than some other people. It's God's will. So, all this talk about which art is better, is all nonsense..

My advice to fellow traditional martial artists, is to concentrate in preserving traditions and self-improvements. Let's forget the "we have an ancient secret undefeatable martial arts of 1000 years old" marketing ploy. That will do us no good. We all know that there are no such thing as "ultimate undefeatable martial art". Let's not buy into that delusion. Japanese martial arts didn't help the Japanese won the WWII. Chinese martial arts didn't help them to win the Opium Wars. Indonesian martial arts didn't help us to prevent Dutch occupations in the 19th century. And the illustrious Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu did not enable Royce Gracie to win against Sakuraba, nor Helio against Kimura. No art is undefeatable. We're all just humans after all.

In short, rather than wasting your time trying to find the "ultimate undefeatable martial art", I would advise you to train in an art that you actually enjoy doing, be it BJJ, Krav Maga, Karate, Kungfu, Jujutsu or whatever fits your fancy. The traditional arts has become well established with millions of practitioners. So enjoy them for what they really are.

To me, the most decisive factor to determine the worthiness of the art, is the attitude of the practitioners. If the art helps the practitioners to become better, kinder, gentler, more humble, more considerate, more generous and more intelligent human beings, then the art is worth learning.


4. The 'master' is a central figure in traditional jujutsu, it seems. In
the old days, students had a lot of obligations to the master. Could you
explain what reciprocal obligations there are in the 21st century, as we
grapple (no pun intended) with modern problems using traditional methods ?

I am rather uneasy when people calling me a master. A teacher maybe, but not a master. I think the teacher has the responsibility to teach the students according to the syllabus and grade them fairly according to their skills, while the students has the responsibility to obey the teacher in martial arts matters, and to support the teacher financially (especially in professional dojos).

Are there simple ways in which students can receive the benefit of the
Zen-style training methods of serving the master, perhaps designed to combat
egoism, a hindrance on the martial-arts path ? In other words, how can the modern student serve the modern master.

Without a doubt, a good student will find a good teacher, just like a good teacher will eventually find a good student. Finding a teacher worth following is like finding a bright candle in the dark. I have been training with Taman sensei for years, and I am still thankful to God that I am his student.

On the other hand, we must be wary of teachers with psychological problems. If you find a martial artist of very high skill, but lacks humility and consideration for other people, then he/she are not worth following.

The Upended Umbrella

Yesterday,

I lost the second umbrella in three months.

This has taken quite a toll on me.

Those umbrellas are not your usual run of the mill umbrellas.

They are sturdy, rigid, and eponymous. Being an umbrella, that is.

Quite such self-defense tools, there umbrellas are. And I lost one in arguably a self-defence situation yesterday.

Well, if you can call helping a small mob capture a petty pickpocket a self-defence situation, as in tripping the pickpocket (he did a nice zenpo mae ukemi, though failing miserably at the rollout) as a defence for whom pocket was picked. Whatever.

Yet, I find that I need to reassert my position on self-defence.

I can't stop thinking the the pickpocket needed self-defence in a grander scheme of things more, compared to my petty needs.

Keep safe.

Meanwhile, I'm in the market for a new umbrella. One that has to prove to be somewhat longer lasting than the last two.

Multiple Targets

Salam Budo!

Absent from today’s June 16, 2007 training session were several Beruang Merah club members who missed out an interesting session on wristlocks, sasae tsuri komi gaeshi, striking drills and multiple opponents.

Regular warms ups on kuzushi and stand up throws which is one of Beruang Merah’s club trade mark were replaced by striking drills divided in four phases. Listed below are the striking drills and their corresponding phase:

Phase 1: Precision/ Focused Striking

The aim of the first phase is to learn the motion of the strike and to understand the dynamics of the strike itself. Proper technique and body motion is monitored in order to achieve the best result which in turn equals damage for the opponent.

Phase 2: Speed striking

Delivering full power the trainee executes five to ten consecutive strikes while maintaining proper technique and breath control. At this phase there is a tendency for the trainee to soften up on the strikes due to improper breath control or fatigue beginning to settle in. Interestingly after a two or three time repetition, the gross motor movements are recorded which its benefit will be apparent during the fourth phase.

Phase 3: Combo striking

Under a two minute time limit the trainee delivers a barrage of striking techniques which may include any of the following:

• palm heel
• jab
• straight punch
• chop
• elbow smash
• head butt
• knees
• and kicks

At this phase, the drill will be quite demanding on the trainee’s physical stamina which will affect the striking power and focus.

Phase 4: Multiple targets & multiple opponents

The last phase which is highly demanding on the trainee’s physique and to a certain degree perhaps even more tiring than randori, the reason for this is that since the last phase is a “Live” drill; the targets and the opponents are constantly moving. The trainee simultaneously must also be on the move always repositioning either his position or the opponents making sure that no one comes around from behind to “Tag” him which is obviously lethal in real life.

Lessons learned:

1. Keeping your strikes simple not only shortens reaction time which is valuable in a real skirmish but constant repetition also programs the body muscles and memory to move without hesitation.
2. In a multiples situation move your opponent to form a single line thus decreasing the likelihood of them flanking you or by aggressively moving towards one, seizing, grabbing or controlling and using the opponent to shield or obstruct his tag team.
3. Attack, attack and attack! In fact do not stop until you know for sure that your strikes connected enough to stun or KO your opponent giving you the opportunity to escape and reach for safety.
4. When seconds count technical simplicity is gold

Jujutsu Tradition: Don't Teach To Non-Japanese

I'm just reading through 'Small Circle JuJitsu,' by Professor Wally Jay. (1989, Ohara Publications). On Page 16. it describes how Okazaki, the main teacher of Wally Jay was "ostracized," by the Japanese for doing "the unthinkable - he offered to teach Baron [a Caucasian] jujitsu.' The author continues,"In those days, judo and jujitsu were taught to the Japanese only. Systems and styles were closed to all but a select few."

Furthermore, "defying the traditionalists, Okazaki, for a time, was ostracized. He had broken tradition by teaching non-Japanese."

So a call to the traditionalists:

* If you received your belt from a non-Japanese: Give it Back. Only Japanese should receive ranks in jujutsu, jujitsu, or jiu-jitsu (I don't know how to write the Kanji).

* If you're really serious, behead with a Samurai sword any commoner who doesn't bow to you.

* Finally, work out which Shogun who owe loyalty to and then commit Seppuku , or ritual suicide, necessary to restore your and the Shogun's honour. (They all lost face after the U.S. turned up with gunboats and triggered the Meiji Restoration in Japan).

Triangle Choke

And here we have a good example of self-submission. TEH TRIANGLE COHKE!!



Gotta say Carl, that's fine that you got yourself perfectly set up for the choke, but dammit, get his--I mean your--arm across his--I mean your--throat for it to sink in! No judge will even give you osae-komi for that!

Tradition or Confusion ?

It's 1592. You're a Japanese foot soldier, part of an advance unit sent to capture a strategic mountain pass in Korea. Farmer-warriors stare at you from behind rocks and trees, armed only with crude iron swords and tools. Steam rises from their breath and their sweat in the icy dawn air.

Many leagues behind you, Samurai General Toyotomi Hideyoshi is commanding a 160,000-strong force that is steadily advancing over Korea towards the eventual goal of China. Right now, you're outnumbered.

The Koreans have fought bravely to defend their huts, but your your superior weaponry, strategy and above all, European-designed Arquebus, a flintlock rifle that hit Japan 49 years ago, is turning the tide. Soon, this mountainside will fall to the Japanese, as will the whole of Korea.

Suddenly, Hideyoshi appears in full Samurai helmet, blasting orders from a loudspeaker. "Ok, boys, drop the Arquebus and the new military strategies."

The the clinker: "They're not traditional. We can't betray the fighting traditions of our Samurai ancestors."

He adds: "In fact, even the Katana is only few hundred years old -- so you'll have to use sticks and stones."

Such is the dilemma students of the traditional martial arts. They risk preserving outdated techniques and rituals thus turning the Dojo into a museum. They risk becoming not martial artists, but instead martial archeologists.

Back when I was at University in Australia, there was a campus group called, "the Society for Creative Anachronism." (See photo above). It's members liked to dress up in mediaeval armour and clothes and have Camelot-style jousting matches.

The society has organized itself across the world into little Kingdoms where the monarchs bestow upon members the right to call themselves "Baron,'"or "Duchess," or "Lord". Their unofficial motto is,"reacreate the Middle Ages as they should have been, " i.e., without things such as serfdom, the bubonic plague, and open-pit sewers. They were odd, if endearing people.

A lot of young Japanese see traditional martial arts Budoka in the same way.

Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo, didn't see a problem in tinkering with tradition. He introduced Randori so as Judoka could train against a resisting opponent. Thus when the Randori-trained Kodokan faced a group of Kata-only trained Jujutsuka, they kicked their asses.

In fact, even one of the 'traditional' Jujutsu schools Kano studied was only founded in 1832, after the period of civil war. The greater emphasis on Atemi was possible due to delicate parts of the body exposed due to the lack of armour.

Traditional jujutsuka today who only train in Kata, without any pressure-testing, reaction drills, sparring, Randori, or body conditioning are risking having their own asses kicked, thrown, and choked either on the street or in the Dojo.

So what traditions are we preserving and why ? Is Japan after the Meiji restoration ? Pre-Meiji ? Civil War period ? Kamakura ? Tokugawa ? Sengoku ?

In fact, if we're serious about respecting tradition, why not go all the way to China, hell, even India and Bodhidharma, which according to many martial arts histories is where the arts come from.

Should we be wearing Lunghis (Indian loinclothes) instead of Gis ?

Most Senseis won't have any answer to these questions: they don't know.

In reality, they present tradition as a weird amalgamation of the last 2,000 years of Japanese history, much like a chain Sushi restaurant aimed at middle America. A few Kanji characters on the wall, maybe a Hokusai print or Zen painting, lots of Japanese counting, kneeling and bowing.

More importantly, tradition - as many Senseis define it - serves for them very important roles:

* Boosting their personal authority
* Shrouding the school in vague mystique which they and they only define.

The truth is the Samurai were practical fighting men. If you're serious about honouring their tradition and legacy, keep the style realistic and effective. By all means, there's nothing wrong with the bows, Japanese names, and mat courtesies.

If you want to dress-up in Hakama, go ahead.

But for those of us who are interested in defending ourselves, and staying fit, let's remember Toyotomi Hideyoshi and those that followed him were soldiers, not archeologists.

Training With Myself

Friends,

At Cempaka Putih Dojo, we're pioneering a radical new training concept that will take one's jujutsu to a whole new level, a one-person sparring method that breaks boundaries, wrists, and elbows in search of excellence.

It's called self-submission.

Friends, this is a one-person training drill that involves applying an Americana, Kimura, Udi-Gatama, Triangle choke, or any other submission you can manage to the person who matters most: yourself.

The concept can also be extended to sparring, whereby you swipe at yourself with hooks, jabs and crosses, even Thai roundhouse kicks and knee-strikes.

We can't pretend it's 100 percent safe, but hey, this is martial arts. If you want safe, go and take up knitting or even better - play with your Dolly.

Joey Danu, ever the pioneer, added an ukemi element to the drill, called 'Superman,' where you just throw yourself off progressively higher levels of a building. (You can work up to this level by falling down the stairs).

Ok. Enjoy training and stay safe.

Salam Budo !

Kusanagi Research Project - Month 2.

The Kusanagi is a mythical Japanese sword said to be handed down from the sun-goddess Amaterasu. (See above). Kusanagi, it seems, is also a Japanese model and possibly porn star (see above). Unfortunately, we're concerned with the former.

The second month of the Kusanagi Research Project has yielded a curriculum of basic techniques for common attacks, a database of attacks and source list, or 'bibliography.'

The curriculum, which Joey Danu has set out in a chart, resembles a cross between WW2 combatives, Moni Aizik's combat jujutsu, John Perkin's attack proof, and some Indonesian spices and flavourings.

The trick now will be refine, modify, and practice, practice, practice. Drill, drill, and drill some more.

The practice will involve full contact attacks with mats, shields, and mits.

We'll also train outdoors on a variety of different surfaces. This environment training is what is most lacking in nearly all reality programs, I'm told, including the pros, that is military and police. (In fact, it seems from our research that the military and police aren't all they're cracked out to be when it comes to unarmed combat, because they're rarely unarmed. Even the special forces have to spend so much time studying stuff like ballistics and technology, they might not have time to be cutting edge in hand-to-hand stuff).

Some materials from Geoff Thompson

Who doesn't know Geoff Thompson? What? You don't? Well, get over HERE.

Anyway, Geoff Thompson wrote Dead or Alive: The Choice is Yours, which is basically the primer of the physical side of self-defence. It is being serialised by Fight Times Magazine as a bimonthly article. Good stuff. Check it out here, if you missed the link.

Also, another interesting tidbit from Mr. Thompson is his Fighting Without Fighting e-book, which basically covers the non-physical aspects of self defence. Normally you would have to subscribe to his newsgroup to get this e-book, but... well, you know...

Skinny tomes, them both, but vastly less intimidating that any other resource that I have posted in this blog.

Use them well.

Keep safe.