My article on The Evolution of the MA Dojo appears in this months MAI magazine. I've loaded the article onto the blog and have posted it below.
I'll bring a copy of the mag to class. In the meantime you might like to purchase it.
I've used old footage of training sessions at my previous clubs, earlier versions of what is now Shiro Tora. And yes, that is me in the blindfold doing the chi sao sparring.
I'll be writing more articles for future issues as the editor, my old friend "Bad" Bob is interested in what we are doing now.
If any of you want to appear in the photos, and see yourselves in a real MA mag, then let me know and we'll take some pics at class. If anybody has a camera phone and can take pics and email them to me I will load them onto this forum.
I won't put any pics of you on the blog site and won't print any in a magazine without your consent.
I am not interested in promoting myself, just Shiro Tora, including those of you who will become future instructors in White Tiger and want to run your own clubs.
The Evolution of the Martial Arts Dojo
Have you ever seen the James Bond film "You Only Live Twice"?
Filmed in the 60s, Bond is stationed in Japan and attends Tiger Tanaka's "Ninja" training camp. This isn't actually a "Ninja" camp at all, but it's a perfect example of a traditional Japanese Budo dojo.
We see lots of Martial Arts going on at the same time - Karate, Judo, Aikido, Kenjtsu, Bojutsu. Rather than being in a dojo hall, the training goes on outside (it's a nice day after all). The point being there are not seperate classes for all the different disciplines. They are all being taught and practiced at the same time.
That's how it was traditionally at Japanese dojos. Everyone trained in every discipline, moving around in small manageable groups between the various Sensei present.
Also, all these "different" arts have a common origin.
Karate is taken from two schools of Okinawan Kempo.
Judo is made up of bits from various schools of Jujutsu.
The Jujutsu schools themselves have a variety of techniques from different sources.
Aikido is a mix of Jujutsu and Kenjutsu.
When Martial Art reached the Western world everybody started specialising in one art, then one style of that art. You "only" did karate, then you "only" did Shotokan, or "only" did Kyukushinkai. Students and clubs focussed on the differences rather than the similarities.
When the UFC, and it's subsequent inspired events, arrived in the 90s, it was originally art vs art. Karate vs Kickboxing, Judo vs karate, Kung Fu vs Jujutsu.
As the competitions evolved, people began "cross training". Kickboxers learnt some grappling. Grapplers learned how to punch and kick.
This gave birth to what is referred to now as "Mixed Martial Arts". Students are attending sessions which incorporate techiques and tactics from different systems again, and learning the similarities and the blends. Once again people are practicing integrated systems and pressure testing them in competition.
As we begin the second decade of the 21st Century, things have come full circle. People are practicing "everything" again.
At the Shiro Tora White Tiger Academy The core class is our Unarmed Combat-Self Protection - Threat Response - Street Fighting system.
This is a set of drills students practice with each other.
There is no punching and kicking the air, though we do incorporate shadow boxing.
There is no hard oriental "discipline", we train in a relaxed and friendly manner.
There is no bowing, we prefer a smile and a handshake.
There is no half hour "warm up", just some basic stretching.
This is not an aerobics class or a yoga class, it is a Martial Arts skills class. You spend your time building skills.
This is real time one-on-one CQC drilling, taken from our core arts of Karate, Jujutsu and Kung Fu (which itself is mainly Wing Chun).
There is karate style sparring and chi sao sparring for those who want to do it.
Nobody is forced to spar until ready, but those who want to can "get stuck in" on their first night if they wish.
There is no special uniform or gi, just wear what you feel comfortable in.
The class then bifurcates into Kickboxing and Kobudo (weapons) for those who want to learn these skills.
For Kickboxing you need your own protective gear for partner drills and sparring.
You can bring your own or buy from us at a reasonable rate.
There is some kit on loan for those who want to "try before they buy".
There is impact work on focus pads, Thai pads, and shields. Again, to get maximum benefit students are encouraged to buy their own pads, though there will be some provided.
For Kobudo students need to buy their own weapons depending on what they want to get involved with:
A pair of sticks and a knife.
A pair of tonfa.
A set of nunchaku, both foam safety and wood/chain.
Bokken, shinai, jo and bo.
There will be weapons provided for those who want to "try before they buy".
There is basic weapon sparring with sticks, nunchaku, sword and staff.
Later we will look into acquiring armour for full contact weapons sparring.
Then we put the mats down and practice our throws and takedowns, and spar “randori”. Then we practice groundgrappling, and groundfighting, which is not the same thing as “groundfighting” involves strikes.
Finally we put it all together and practice Vale Tudo from outrange, to kicking and punching, to vertical grappling, to the ground. We even have sessions where we incorporate weapons – from outrange to the ground.
In the 60s in LA, Bruce Lee came up with the concept of practicing techniques and drills from many different arts and called his concept "Jeet Kune Do". One of the key concepts was "Using no way as way, having no limitation as limitation".
It's something we still aspire to today.
Have you ever seen the James Bond film "You Only Live Twice"?
Filmed in the 60s, Bond is stationed in Japan and attends Tiger Tanaka's "Ninja" training camp. This isn't actually a "Ninja" camp at all, but it's a perfect example of a traditional Japanese Budo dojo.
We see lots of Martial Arts going on at the same time - Karate, Judo, Aikido, Kenjtsu, Bojutsu. Rather than being in a dojo hall, the training goes on outside (it's a nice day after all). The point being there are not seperate classes for all the different disciplines. They are all being taught and practiced at the same time.
That's how it was traditionally at Japanese dojos. Everyone trained in every discipline, moving around in small manageable groups between the various Sensei present.
Also, all these "different" arts have a common origin.
Karate is taken from two schools of Okinawan Kempo.
Judo is made up of bits from various schools of Jujutsu.
The Jujutsu schools themselves have a variety of techniques from different sources.
Aikido is a mix of Jujutsu and Kenjutsu.
When Martial Art reached the Western world everybody started specialising in one art, then one style of that art. You "only" did karate, then you "only" did Shotokan, or "only" did Kyukushinkai. Students and clubs focussed on the differences rather than the similarities.
When the UFC, and it's subsequent inspired events, arrived in the 90s, it was originally art vs art. Karate vs Kickboxing, Judo vs karate, Kung Fu vs Jujutsu.
As the competitions evolved, people began "cross training". Kickboxers learnt some grappling. Grapplers learned how to punch and kick.
This gave birth to what is referred to now as "Mixed Martial Arts". Students are attending sessions which incorporate techiques and tactics from different systems again, and learning the similarities and the blends. Once again people are practicing integrated systems and pressure testing them in competition.
As we begin the second decade of the 21st Century, things have come full circle. People are practicing "everything" again.
At the Shiro Tora White Tiger Academy The core class is our Unarmed Combat-Self Protection - Threat Response - Street Fighting system.
This is a set of drills students practice with each other.
There is no punching and kicking the air, though we do incorporate shadow boxing.
There is no hard oriental "discipline", we train in a relaxed and friendly manner.
There is no bowing, we prefer a smile and a handshake.
There is no half hour "warm up", just some basic stretching.
This is not an aerobics class or a yoga class, it is a Martial Arts skills class. You spend your time building skills.
This is real time one-on-one CQC drilling, taken from our core arts of Karate, Jujutsu and Kung Fu (which itself is mainly Wing Chun).
There is karate style sparring and chi sao sparring for those who want to do it.
Nobody is forced to spar until ready, but those who want to can "get stuck in" on their first night if they wish.
There is no special uniform or gi, just wear what you feel comfortable in.
The class then bifurcates into Kickboxing and Kobudo (weapons) for those who want to learn these skills.
For Kickboxing you need your own protective gear for partner drills and sparring.
You can bring your own or buy from us at a reasonable rate.
There is some kit on loan for those who want to "try before they buy".
There is impact work on focus pads, Thai pads, and shields. Again, to get maximum benefit students are encouraged to buy their own pads, though there will be some provided.
For Kobudo students need to buy their own weapons depending on what they want to get involved with:
A pair of sticks and a knife.
A pair of tonfa.
A set of nunchaku, both foam safety and wood/chain.
Bokken, shinai, jo and bo.
There will be weapons provided for those who want to "try before they buy".
There is basic weapon sparring with sticks, nunchaku, sword and staff.
Later we will look into acquiring armour for full contact weapons sparring.
Then we put the mats down and practice our throws and takedowns, and spar “randori”. Then we practice groundgrappling, and groundfighting, which is not the same thing as “groundfighting” involves strikes.
Finally we put it all together and practice Vale Tudo from outrange, to kicking and punching, to vertical grappling, to the ground. We even have sessions where we incorporate weapons – from outrange to the ground.
In the 60s in LA, Bruce Lee came up with the concept of practicing techniques and drills from many different arts and called his concept "Jeet Kune Do". One of the key concepts was "Using no way as way, having no limitation as limitation".
It's something we still aspire to today.
If you do decide to buy the mag, and I highly recommend it - you can get a copy from WH Smiths - there are some great articles in it this issue.
P18 has a feature on Pauline Bindra, owner of Blitz, the first woman in the UK to get a Karate Black belt.
P108 has a feature on the Dan Inosanto's daughter Diana.
And there is a great debate on Judo being drawn out on the letters page at the moment.
P18 has a feature on Pauline Bindra, owner of Blitz, the first woman in the UK to get a Karate Black belt.
P108 has a feature on the Dan Inosanto's daughter Diana.
And there is a great debate on Judo being drawn out on the letters page at the moment.
This is an article I had published in Sep 2009 issue of MAI magazine, both as a favour to the editor, and because it's something I was interested in saying at the time
it looks a bit like it's an ad for the dojo but of course it isn't as there were no contact details published
you will note there is no mention of Kali, in this early form of STMA we promoted all weapons training as simply Kobudo
the second incarnation of STMA was the Kali Kickboxing club with unarmed combat in the middle, and that evolved into where we are today
still relevant today and should be of interest to current members who weren't around when this came out
it looks a bit like it's an ad for the dojo but of course it isn't as there were no contact details published
you will note there is no mention of Kali, in this early form of STMA we promoted all weapons training as simply Kobudo
the second incarnation of STMA was the Kali Kickboxing club with unarmed combat in the middle, and that evolved into where we are today
still relevant today and should be of interest to current members who weren't around when this came out
