Post by tomobrien on Mar 8, 2011 18:41:45 GMT
A friend of mine just sent me this -
Dear Senseis, Students and Friends,
This terrible weather, ankle deep mud, ice and cold has put me in front of this damn computer way too much. Time spent alone, time to reflect, time to think.....a dangerous thing in the wrong hands!! Recently I've been asking myself, "What the hell has happened to the Art of Karate as we knew it". My mind drifts back to the evening when..........
I had a young teenage boy by the name of Paul Crawley cornered in the Bloomfield Ave Dojo, a real knife in my hand pointing at his belt. See, we were practicing for the most challenging and dangerous part of our Black Belt test, the "real knife test'. Of course there was the kata, the kumite drills, the sparring, self defense, line up and circle, and the weapons defense with the same protocol, line up and circle. Lets not forget all the basic Judo throws and falls that we required and used routinely during self defense. Conditioning and physical fitness? Went without saying, this was a test of survival, heart and courage. Mixed Martial Arts, hell, we were doing that back in 70's.
Back to Paul Crawley, as I stalked him, knife in my right hand, I had him exactly where I wanted, his back against the Shomen wall with no escape. Only calm defensive tactics could save him now.The same ones practiced over and over with rubber and wooden weapons. But now it was real, no blade would bend and no wood that could be grabbed without consequence. No! It was the time of reckoning. Is this kid ready! Is he deserving of wearing that coveted Black Belt around his waste in the company of men and women of honor. Let's find out!..............Just as I began my attack Paul lost his mind, he panicked. He reacted, quickly but wrong, he snapped out a front kick and put the knife through his foot. Not a technique that we suggest in this situation!! Paul had been in that same situation facing a rubber knife in practice many many times, and routinely was successful in defending himself.
What happened here?? What went wrong?? FEAR !!! It interrupted the thought process. It caused the improper response. And there were consequences which translated into a learning experience. In Paul's case it meant a trip to the hospital and then back to the dojo floor for more repetitive practice. Most of us have heard the phrase,"there is nothing to fear but fear itself", but have not personally experienced what that means. I first learned to understand that saying when I began to step out of airplanes at 15,000'. Fear destroys the ability to think. Exactly the reason why survival procedures must be reflective not cognitive. Repetition, response under stress, fearful situations and experience are our true teachers. The College of Hard Knocks!!!!
Today the Black Belt is issued to anyone with a few dollars and a pulse. Can today's Black Belts honestly defend themselves. In most cases NO! They are paper tigers. They have the stripes(fancy uniforms and multicolor belts) but no claws. Dojo owners offer money saving payment programs, fluffy protective equipment, a soft place to fall, attractive uniforms, rainbow colored belts and a country club atmosphere. This is what happened to my Karate!
Those few traditional dojos doing their best to produce respectable students are subject to insurance policies that demand all types of protective equipment. Dojo owners today face law suits and fear of litigation that certainly affects and limits their method of instruction. This is what happened to my Karate!
Paul Crawley went to the hospital that night. He returned with his parents who were concerned that Paul's injury would delay with the final preparation and practice for his Black Belt test. Luckily the knife did not cut any tendons and his prognosis was good. Paul was sixteen years old. He continued to work hard and EARNED his Black Belt a few months later. No his parents didn't sue me nor was I charged with aggravated assault and/or a weapons offense. Times have changed!
A word to my students. You grew your claws in the dojo....keep them sharp!
Today my front kick and punch may be less than deadly but my shooting is superb!
The world can change, we don't have to!
RG
Dear Senseis, Students and Friends,
This terrible weather, ankle deep mud, ice and cold has put me in front of this damn computer way too much. Time spent alone, time to reflect, time to think.....a dangerous thing in the wrong hands!! Recently I've been asking myself, "What the hell has happened to the Art of Karate as we knew it". My mind drifts back to the evening when..........
I had a young teenage boy by the name of Paul Crawley cornered in the Bloomfield Ave Dojo, a real knife in my hand pointing at his belt. See, we were practicing for the most challenging and dangerous part of our Black Belt test, the "real knife test'. Of course there was the kata, the kumite drills, the sparring, self defense, line up and circle, and the weapons defense with the same protocol, line up and circle. Lets not forget all the basic Judo throws and falls that we required and used routinely during self defense. Conditioning and physical fitness? Went without saying, this was a test of survival, heart and courage. Mixed Martial Arts, hell, we were doing that back in 70's.
Back to Paul Crawley, as I stalked him, knife in my right hand, I had him exactly where I wanted, his back against the Shomen wall with no escape. Only calm defensive tactics could save him now.The same ones practiced over and over with rubber and wooden weapons. But now it was real, no blade would bend and no wood that could be grabbed without consequence. No! It was the time of reckoning. Is this kid ready! Is he deserving of wearing that coveted Black Belt around his waste in the company of men and women of honor. Let's find out!..............Just as I began my attack Paul lost his mind, he panicked. He reacted, quickly but wrong, he snapped out a front kick and put the knife through his foot. Not a technique that we suggest in this situation!! Paul had been in that same situation facing a rubber knife in practice many many times, and routinely was successful in defending himself.
What happened here?? What went wrong?? FEAR !!! It interrupted the thought process. It caused the improper response. And there were consequences which translated into a learning experience. In Paul's case it meant a trip to the hospital and then back to the dojo floor for more repetitive practice. Most of us have heard the phrase,"there is nothing to fear but fear itself", but have not personally experienced what that means. I first learned to understand that saying when I began to step out of airplanes at 15,000'. Fear destroys the ability to think. Exactly the reason why survival procedures must be reflective not cognitive. Repetition, response under stress, fearful situations and experience are our true teachers. The College of Hard Knocks!!!!
Today the Black Belt is issued to anyone with a few dollars and a pulse. Can today's Black Belts honestly defend themselves. In most cases NO! They are paper tigers. They have the stripes(fancy uniforms and multicolor belts) but no claws. Dojo owners offer money saving payment programs, fluffy protective equipment, a soft place to fall, attractive uniforms, rainbow colored belts and a country club atmosphere. This is what happened to my Karate!
Those few traditional dojos doing their best to produce respectable students are subject to insurance policies that demand all types of protective equipment. Dojo owners today face law suits and fear of litigation that certainly affects and limits their method of instruction. This is what happened to my Karate!
Paul Crawley went to the hospital that night. He returned with his parents who were concerned that Paul's injury would delay with the final preparation and practice for his Black Belt test. Luckily the knife did not cut any tendons and his prognosis was good. Paul was sixteen years old. He continued to work hard and EARNED his Black Belt a few months later. No his parents didn't sue me nor was I charged with aggravated assault and/or a weapons offense. Times have changed!
A word to my students. You grew your claws in the dojo....keep them sharp!
Today my front kick and punch may be less than deadly but my shooting is superb!
The world can change, we don't have to!
RG