Learn to use your muscles
The main basic goal of any martial art training is to learn the fundamental method of using our muscle effectively. During training, it is important to concentrate in the movement of every muscles and to feel exactly which muscles are moving.
By controlling the proper contraction of each muscles, one will gradually learn to use the muscles efficiently and to achieve motion economy. Many people neglects this part of training. A few of them learn to use their muscle without knowing it. If you start your training by learning to use your muscle, you will achieve better result much sooner than the others who don’t.
But how? I remembered my uncle used to talk about some training movement in Taijiquan when I was starting to learn karate. I felt boring listening to his stories. A couple of months ago, my interest sparked again. I talked to him regarding training and learn some secrets from him. Not because I don’t trust him, I reconfirm with dragon to make sure I have a more precise understanding of my uncle’s explanation. He used to brag a lot unnecessarily. 
I will write a series of posts here for the methods to develop muscle, especially the waist, which is the most powerful and every martial artists rely so much.
Grading for improvement
In January, I failed 3 students during their grading test. There were 5 kids from Jasin testing for hachi-kyu. 2 passed and 3 failed. Although the 3 kids were not up to the grading standard, I deliberately tested and failed them. Why?
I am repeating again and again during training every Sunday but they take training very lightly. They don’t pay attention while training and not to mention practicing at home. These kids, including their parents, think it is enough coming for training once a week. Their concepts are wrong, so do many other people in martial arts training. The kids, including adults, come to training not to learn but to prepare their body and mind. The actual training begins when they achieve black belt sho-dan. But many people thinks they are learning which I don’t agree. Yes, learning it is, but to learn how to control our body, every single muscles and mind. That’s the learning I am talking about.
So, tonight, the grading has shown good improvement. 4 kids took the grading. The 3 kids who failed in January had retest and passed at border line and earned their hachi-kyu. The other little girl (8-year-old) had earned her nana-kyu. This girl is improving very fast.
After the grading, their parents arrived to take them home. I took the opportunity to explain to all of them the concept of training and their children’s progress, advantage and weakness. I hope these kids will continue to excel and improve.
Japanese Cultural Performance
The MMU’s Japanese Language Society had organized The Japanese Cultural Night on March 2. My karate doukoukai was given an opportunity to put up a performance on that night. The lead was established in December last year and my students and I had been busying for the performance since January and especially after the Chinese New Year.
Tonight, it was finally over, after two weeks of preparation. IMHO, the performance was very good comparing to previous performance. More photos and story here.
How to get black belt fast? - Part 2
I wrote an article with the same title some time ago. You can find it here. There are a number of inquiries asking me how to get black belt fast. Well, I told them: “The fastest way is go to the store, buy one and wear it!” That’s the fastest way and cheapest way of becoming a “Black Belt”.
Two weeks ago, a Chinese family came to my doukoukai to inquire. Came along their two elder sons and the youngest daughter. They asked a lot of questions about our training and they watched my students practicing on their own.
Before leaving, the father asked me what dan am I? Because we don’t wear gi and belt during training, I jokingly told him I didn’t have any belt. They never return. That’s fine for me.
Many parents, including their children, are eager to reach black belt. They don’t understand the principal of training as well as the ranking system. Last night, 5 little tigers from my Jasin class turned up for the grading. These little kids do not pay attention during training and certainly do not train at home. I failed 3 of them in front of their parents to teach these little kids a lesson about failure. To my surprise, the parents were very keen at taking notes for their children. Although the students themselves are supposed to take notes after the training, it shows some positive feedback from the parents. The parents also get to know how their children are doing in training classes. Anyway, I am glad to have supportive parents like them. The 3 kids will re-test after 3 months. They are not required to pay any fee for a re-test.
Light foods
I had some crackers before training this evening. Crackers is a slow-release carbohydrate, said LA. So, I tried this evening. I had about 4 pieces, washed down with a mouthful of fresh milk and a tall glass of water. I felt fine as my stomach was not too full for actions and not to empty for training. Just nice.
After the training, I took an orange, and 5 pieces of crackers with sweet coconut jam or kaya. More carbohydrate and sugar. Yeah sugar, good for my brain to work on blogs and trouble-shooting some hardware problem for my client. Here starts the night of the day!
Dinner for training
Since the opening of the dōkōkai in November, my dinner on weekdays are usually post training. Sometimes I continued my training after the class and I would be home around 10 or 10:30pm. It is rather late for dinner but LA had kept some food for me. I felt very difficult to sleep after the dinner even though I did not eat too much. I know this is bad for health but there is an empty stomach. So, I would continue working on computer to let the food be digested a little. But I will usually linger until midnight or pass midnight before going to bed.
Yesterday, I changed my pattern to try it out. I had my dinner before the training. Not a full dinner but it certainly did not feel good during the first part of the training. I guess I will have to have my dinner a little earlier, about 5 to avoid a full stomach during the training at 7.
I had a grapefruit and 6 slices of breads last night after the training. I felt much better but I slept at 2am because I was updating my blog.
Or perhaps, some light food and fruits before training and bread after training will be better off. I should try this today.
Uechi-Ryu Zankai - My Anamnesis - Part 9
Part 8 of this anamnesis closed the year of 2007. I have written all 8 parts of my anamnesis since my return. It will be a great pleasure to begin the new year with part 9 of this anamnesis. I don’t foresee how many parts will it be. I guess I will keep on writing until this old ship is washed ashore. Until then, I hope my children will continue my saga in their own time when I have passed.
In my retrospection, 2007 had been a great year. A year full of events and incidents. A great year which I embarked on a new chapter in my karate exploration, a totally new direction and a new experience for me. I had visited Okinawa last July/August, a dream place where most karate practitioners would visit and seek further knowledge and experience. I had witnessed with my own eyes for the first time and had broken the myths about karate on Okinawa. I had achieved, to some extent, from Jukyu to Ikkyu after a month long of “severe” training on Okinawa and received recognition and approval (to teach) from both my teacher and my teacher’s teacher. I learned the meaning of “severe” from my new teacher. Upon my return from Okinawa, I set the course on track, a big responsibility for me to teach what I had learned on Okinawa to my students. I opened the first Okinawa Karate-Do Uechi-Ryu Zankai Malaysia Dōkōkai in November. All my students had been tested and a hierarchy had formed before the year ended with Christmas Carol and Nikainen-undō (Training on New Year Eve pass midnight, bridging two years).
I have a rather successful year despite of some sour events. What else do I want more? It is time for me to let go those mistreatment I received. It is time for me to let go the hatred and grudge (did I have any?). It will be nice to let these burdens off my shoulder. This way I can even progress further as I can already see.
I am not only learning a great art of Uechi-Ryu from my teacher, I am also learning the fine Okinawan Budo art from him. I wish to thank him and also those people who have been supporting and assisting me. Once again, thank you all and may you have a happy, prosperous and successful new year 2008.
At the end of 2007, I had seen the challenge for me to teach the concept of Uechi-Ryu, particularly, wa-uke, binkansa and yawarakasa. It is really abstract and hard to be explained and understood by words. So, I begin my research and writing an article (of many parts) to assist my teaching. Part 1 of the article was written two days ago. I foresee it will be many parts of it like this anamnesis. I hope to compile these articles (posts including the comments) into a research paper or book later on. Maybe 10 years later when I have got more time to sit down for word crafting.
Speaking about word crafting, I learn a great deal from my teacher too. Perhaps, my blog will train me to become a writer/author one day.
The last 6 months of 2007 were really exciting and fruitful. I learned a great deal along the process and I find myself with more knowledge and skills. Oh yes, and experience. I would like to thank those people who were the causal factors which slingshot me into this marvelous learning paradise!
Little favor for this holiday season
The holiday season is approaching. Normally, we celebrate Christmas and New Year quietly at home and may be going out for dinner or sort. If Christmas day is raining, the weather will be cozy. Listening to Christmas song at home will be very relaxing.
I may be thinking of throwing a little party at home inviting family, friends and my karate students for some buffet dinner. It will be nice to give little favor to our guests to make their coming a memorable one. There is little favor bundling with some candies of choice at LoveAficionado. It is a new business site we setup recently.
If you would like to surprise your guests and make your party a remarkable one, do drop by LoveAficionado for those cute little favor things. Our new business will also provide event management and event photography services in the near future.
A Disheartening Decision
For the past few days (around two weeks), I have encountered state of affairs I never experience before. I have been puzzled by some frustrating strange behaviors. I really didn’t know what to do with this encounter because lacking of experience handling it.
I have to make some kind of decision and it is always difficult to make one. For the whole morning, I had been troubled by this problem until I received a call from my Sensei. His wisdom helps to clear my mind. Even though he has provided his advice, I still need to make a decision, an awful decision which I never did before in my coaching life.
After the whole afternoon of pondering (and napping), I have concluded. It is now waiting for the execution of this conclusion. It will look brutal but is essential to keep a micro society healthy. I will write more about this decision later.
Protected: Training with an enemy
Protected: I’m 80!
Uechi-Ryu Zankai - My Anamnesis - Part 3
Let’s put the 1% aside.
My visit to Okinawa improves not only my knowledge and skill in karate-do. It has been an eye opener and it lets me discover the real karate-do, its culture, philosophy and spirit; as an ancient budo art of Okinawa.
The Okinawan system is not as rigid and militarized as the Japanese system. The Okinawan system is more flexible in many ways. The Malaysian karate-do has been following Japanese styles which are very much a militarized training. The influence was from Shotokan, one of the few introduced to Malaysia in the earliest karate era of Malaysia.
Many times people have been asking me, “Is style really matter?” These people are thinking, if any karate that can teach you to fight well, what is so important what style it is. To me, the real essence of karate lies deep in its root of the style which has been forgotten by the new generation of practitioners. Many who know the real budo path of karate-do are not too interested in changing people’s thinking and often choose to be self-contained for self-improvement and self-preservation.
If you Google for “karate”, you will find many funny styles and names across the world. Many new styles are created outside of Okinawa/Japan. Really, can we call these karate? It is very difficult to have a stand on this argument. Call it whatever if you find nothing wrong about it.
My visit to Uechi-Ryu Zankai on Okinawa was absolutely an ultimate experience. Toyama Sensei is one of the very few grand master who really doesn’t care about the outside world. He is very disappointed how polluted karate is today. Of course, he feels very sad if he sees some videos of poor performance. He is entirely into preserving and passing on his knowledge to his high ranking students. My teacher, G. Seizan Breyette Sensei, a hatchi-dan (8th dan) kyoshi to-dan, is one of the very few high ranking students of Toyama Sensei.
The Zankai’s Training Philosophy
Uechi-Ryu Zankai is one of the remaining few old-style traditional karate-do on Okinawa devoting to continue to teach and to preserve the pre-World-War-2 karate-do which Kanbun Uechi Sensei brought back from China. And Toyama Sensei is the only legendary left on the earth who is actively passing on his knowledge which he learned from Kanbun Uechi Sensei.
The training at Zankai is very organic. Unlike most modern styles of karate-do, the Zankai uses training methods derived from organic living mechanisms which largely resembling a living organism in organization or development and profoundly affecting our bodily organs and functions. Many modern karate-do as well as other martial arts introduce free form sparring element to their training for competitive sports purposes with influences from Hong Kong and Hollywood movies. The introduction of free form sparring is also to transform monotonous old-style training to a more dynamic and exciting activity. It is rather hard to have modern people especially the youngsters to involve in a monotonic daily devotion. Martial arts training in the old days (100 years and more ago) was a daily devotion and monotonous with repetitive training. Modern youngsters prefer exciting new stuff such as sparring to display their male machoism.
The organic training of Zankai enhances functions of heart and lung especially. Take Sanchin for instance. Beginners (new students) learn Sanchin as first lesson in Zankai. To perform proper Sanchin, the shoulder must be down and pulled back, tummy tucked in and pulled up so the chest will rise and expand. This increases the capacity of the lung and reduces pressures onto organs such as the heart, the lung and digestive organs. The heart can pump more freely with bigger room. Bad body posture has long-term effect on our internal organs such as our heart. When our body postures collapse, our organs are squashed against each other. This is the reason for an enlarged heart appears in X-ray. Because of restricted space, the heart has to work harder to push against the pressure from the lung and other organs. Gradually, the heart enlarges due to the stress.
The kata system of old-style Uechi-ryu has staggering effect onto one another and they are closely inter-related and enhancing each other in one way or another. There is no basic or advanced kata in old-style Uechi-Ryu. In fact, all the kata complement each other at various stages of the training, enhancing and strengthening the body (skeleton, muscle tissues, organs and vital body functions), motor skills, balance (stability), breathing, mental concentration and ultimately all the senses.
Human is actually animal but with slightly higher intelligence and having civilization after going through many evolution. The human evolution contributes to the lost of animal characteristics both physically and mentally. Invention and innovation reduce our physical activities while we become more dependent on tools and machineries. Comfortable lifestyle has made us a lazy animal and lose all the primitive animal characteristics and instinct. Essentially, the training retrain us (human) to become an animal again. The training is based on 7 animal forms: Dragon, Tiger, Crane, Snake, Cobra, Leopard and Mantis. Dragon, Tiger and Crane are the major animal forms in the training. These animal forms teach us to move like them. After some period of training, you can notice improvement in physical strength, bodily structure and vital functions.
The old-style Uechi-Ryu training, like many old martial arts in the olden days of China, does not include jiyu kumite or free form sparring. Kumite (for short), cause destructive effects and harms more than constructive growth to our body. The ancient Chinese had learned a great deal about injuries many thousand years ago without sophisticated medical equipment. Many Chinese martial artists were practicing for their health and to protect family and country. They rarely flashing their skills. Until today, this culture remains in modern Chinese martial artists. But no doubt, there are some going around (the world) displaying and promoting their strongest arts. Like many other modern martial arts, the wushu introduces San-shou or free form sparring into some of their training for competitive and other reasons mentioned above.
I have written articles about injuries and their potential long-term effects. You can read my articles about injuries here.
Sparring - A medical implication - Part 3
To continue from previous topic here and here. Now, let us focus on injuries in children. Children suffers greater risk of injuries than adult because they are in their tender growing age. Children and adults share the same risk for injury of the bones. However, child’s bones are subject to a unique injury called growth plate fracture. Growth plate fracture requires immediate medical attention because long-term consequences may include limbs that are crooked or of unequal length.
What is growth plate?
Growth plate or physis is an area of developing bone tissue often near the ends of long bones (such as femur), between the widened part of the shaft of the bone or the metaphysis and the end of the bone or the epiphysis.
The long bones of the body do not grow from center outward, instead, it grows at each end of the bone around the growth plate. The growth plate is the last portion of the bone to ossify or harden, which causes it susceptible to fracture. Because muscles and bones develop a different speeds, a child’s bones are weaker than the surrounding connective tissues or ligaments.
When a child is practicing free sparring or jiyu kumite in sports karate (or Tae Kwon Do) for example, the constant body bouncing introduces stress every each time the child landed on the ground. This may cause or retard the growth of the bones by injuring the growth plate. The child’s bones may become crooked due to the repetitive stress which the bones have to withstand.
Excessive kicking motion will further weaken or injure the already weak connective tissues or ligaments mentioned earlier. Take mawashi-geri or roundhouse kick for example, when the child misses the target, his/her leg will snap in the air. Without hitting a target, the momentum of the kick cannot be transferred and thus snapping of the leg will injure the knee by absorbing the momentum of the kick. All these injuries are long-term.
Children’s bones heal faster than adult’s. This gives two important consequences. First, it is important for a child with injury to see a doctor as quickly as possible to receive proper medical treatment before it starts to heal. Ideally to see an orthopedic particularly if manipulation to align the bone is necessary. Second, the immobilization period required for healing is shorter than adult.
Risk Factors
Who is at risk?
- Children near the end of their growth period are particularly vulnerable compared to children of other age.
- Boys’ risks are twice the girls’.
- More than one third of growth plate injuries occur in competitive sports.
- About 20% of growth plate fractures occur during recreational activities such as biking or skateboarding.
Are you willing to subject your children to such injuries for participating sparring or kumite and suffer long-term effects for their entire lives?
Busy with Dojo
The opening of the Okinawa Karate-do Uechi-Ryu Zankai Malaysia Shibu Dojo at Bukit Beruang is only 17 days away and there are still a lot of works to be done at the dojo. Patching, cleaning, washing, painting, decorating, fixing, etc, etc, etc…. Whew! It’s not an easy task.
This will be the first Uechi-Ryu Zankai dojo to be opened in Malaysia and I feel a little too much of pressure after I decided to open the dojo. I have been teaching karate in a community hall at Bukit Beruang every Saturday evening. Sometimes, the training is interrupted by functions at the hall although I’ve reserved it. They give higher priority to functions rather than sports.
I was thinking it would be better to have a place of our own so that the training would not be interrupted. And it would be nice to have a decent place to receive visitors who are interested in our training.
I hope the dojo will go well and begin to prosper.
Research on Sports Injuries
After reading many articles about sports injuries, kinesiology and other sports medicine related articles, it spurs my interest to know more about the medical implication of sparring (or kumite) in competitive martial arts such as karate-do. The injuries in children are most misunderstood amongst parents and martial arts instructors.
A lot of this medical knowledge has been known thousands of years ago by the Chinese martial artist without any sophisticated medical equipment. Today, we have all resources to learn about these injuries but people ignore the facts and the potential harms. Why? Read more about the medical implication on sparring here.
Sparring - A medical implication
Last year, I wrote an article about injuries in karate. You can find the article here.
Many modern martial arts practice free sparring between two persons. In karate, free sparring or jiyu kumite, like many modern contact martial arts, such as Tae Kwon Do, Muay Thai and many more, are practiced widely as one of the training regime to strengthen physically and mentally and also often training for tournament. Free sparring events have been fabulous attraction. We can see sparring events are divided into three major age groups, children, teenagers and adults. In some sports martial arts such as TKD, protective gears are used to protect torso, shins and knees. But none can provide absolute protection from injuries.
Very often, we can see these tournament ‘fighters’ have got bruises on their limbs and sometimes on their bodies and heads. These bruises are actually internal hemorrhage where blood vessels have ruptured and cause bleeding. Together with the hemorrhage, there could be thrombosis or formation of blood clot along the wall of a blood vessel. Thrombosis can cause many medical complication, such as infarction and may also cause cancer over time when the thrombus is not cleared up by our body immune system. These medical complication will usually cause some other illness later in life which is difficult to trace back to the cause or injury suffered from a tournament many years ago.
In children, sparring is a very dangerous activities and extremely hazardous to their health. Children’s bones, joints and tendons are very soft and still in formation. An injury may cause serious health problem later in their lives.
IMHO, free sparring should not be practiced in martial arts as it causes destruction more than strengthening good health. Sparring is an evolved form of male chauvanism and the product of capitalism of commercializing tournament. Commercialization has become a key for a martial art to continue to survive in this capitalism world. Without a tournament, there will be no handsome income and publicity for the martial arts organization. Tournament has also become an instrument for marketing oneself and one’s training school if he has won many titles which highly sought after by ignorant and naive people.
Martial arts should be practiced in a non-violent way which encourages only growth and strengthening of oneself and partners. Sparring encourages violence and initiative to attack rather than defense which is contrary to the concept of olden martial arts teaching.
Scenic Zakimi Castle
Here are some scenic photos at the foot and top of Zakimi Castle.
Floral at Zakimi Castle
I took a day off training and decided to have a walk at the ruins of Zakimi Castle. After all, there was no training in the afternoon and I needed some rest and to take my mind off training so that I could recover from my learning curve.
I noticed some beautiful flowers and plants along the way so I took some pictures of them to share here.
Too bad I have no idea the name of the plants. If anyone knows, please share here using the comments. Thanks.
The bud of this Cycad is really huge. Cycad is one of my favorite plant. I used to have a few at home but they did not flourishe. Whenever new bud (small) is growing, it got chewed up by caterpillars. I gave away some and left one in a pot when we remodeled our garden last month.
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