STMA 2024
Class resumes on Monday Jan 8th
As we do each year, we would look to see about getting any lapsed Members to return before looking to recruit a couple of new Members
There is no planned extended Winter Camp this year, as we had the Camp as the session in between two weeks with no Class
though Winter day sessions have always been an option - we would look at Grass evening again in the Spring for those available
As it is we update the NEXT List and start the Season
KNIFE
Drills
Applications
Double knife applications
Knife defences
The last Season of 2023 we covered the Sinawalli double stick drills in depth and covered applications
In terms of KENPO, some stick drills are taken from existing sets eg Five Swords and Thundering Hammers done with sticks, while five are "original" Kenpo stick sets
We always start a session with double stick, and end with KB sparring
In first Season 2024 we will start to flow more into Serrada drills and KNIFE, as well as double knife application and Knife defence
As with stick, some KENPO knife are adapted, some are "original"
There is knife defence on the scrolls of both GYOKKO and KOTO Ryu and we will cover these
This will lead into our later work with Advanced Kobudo, starting with SWORD, and we will cover MUTODORI Sword Defence
NRG and CRA
We will make sure Energy drills get covered, broken down and applied, and the CRA Close Range Arts from Hubud are addressed
WING CHUN
Blast, Block and Punch, Kick Entry, Sets revisit and cover
SILAT
Entries, Strike, TD series revisit and cover
KEMPO
Knife, as mentioned above
Stick/Club defence - we have covered GUN at the end of 2023, and started Knife defence, so will be looking at the STORM series Stick defences on more detail
Two Man Mass attack
BB Advanced Set
Kempo extended sets
Star, Step
Freestyle form set
Bring KENPO into KB Sparring, following our use of KARATE KUMITE in late 2023
NINPO
The KOPPO and WEAPON work in Ninpo is ongoing as we regularly use the drills and Gata
Will cover the TEN RYAKO Book Of Heaven drills at the start of the Season
Rolling - Ukemi kaiten
Shiho Ten Chi Tobi - Leaping
Kamae - and sabaki from the kamae - stance and movement forms
Sanshin
Kihon Happo
Mutodori
Jurropoken - Striking tools - the fists
These, as well as being a review, are the foundations for the rest of the GATA to be covered later
We have gone over the Ryuha in depth over the last few years and list scrolls from the schools to look into, and there is more interesting GATA ahead
Kukishin Weapons
Togakure
Shinden Fudo
Takagi Yoshin JJ
if you look back to the development we did with the NINPO Ryuha over the last few years, going over the Unarmed scrolls from each school, covering the Weapons, you see how it is done in parallel to our existing training, not as a separate Class or practice, and not done as a linear calendar "block"
- there may look like there is a lot of material to cover and that it will take several years, and that is the point, it is an ongoing process
SFR is the simplest as it has two more scrolls to add to what we have covered, in parallel to SFR Daken school - it is the school owned by the TODA family and done with the same "NINJA" feel as the other three main schools
TYR comes to us from Ishitani, along with Kukishin and they are paired and taught this way - this Ryuha is not "exclusive" to any family and, as can be seen has more scrolls and more to cover at the "top end", so will be covered later over a longer timeframe
JJ
We managed to cover the TD series in 2023, as well as Aiki Immobilisations and pins, Judo Throws and Newaza, and NINPO combat versions from the RYUHA
We need to go over the Newaza Combatives
Mount, Guard, Side Mount
then Advanced
and continue developing through the RD FS
KARATE
We covered the Karate KUMITE in the last section of 2023 and we are ready to properly functionalise this into Sparring again
Sparring sets
KARATE Pads in Sparring
Impact on pads
Bunkai
IMPACT
Focus pads Boxing
Thai Pads
Kick Shield
Advanced Kobudo
- Jo v Bokken
- Jo v Jo
- Bokken v Bokken
- Bokken v Bo
Look to develop this is the Hall at first, later on Grass
This will include the full KRABI KRABONG drills and sets which will pair up with MUAY THAI in the KB Phase
GRASS will again become an option later in the year, usually when the clocks change and we get the lighter evenings - see how we make use of that option
As always when a new year starts, we plan ahead for the first Season, then later into the Year
This often involves a review and streamline of existing information as we take it into the future, and some updating
Kenpo Future STMA
shirotoratiger.proboards.com/thread/1953/kenpo-future-stma
an update of some of what was posted and added last year, summary of the discussions had in Class, how we look back on how KENPO was revised into its formats over the years at the various schools, and what is relevant to us as we move ahead
The Low Kicks - Lo Kix - thread originally opening in 2009
shirotoratiger.proboards.com/thread/53/lo-kix-kb
this is a summary added for the revised Shin Bud we have been doing recently, based on the Shin Bud and Karate Set Six we have always done, compared to the KALI Six Count Matrix
The KEMPO 150 - started in 2015
shirotoratiger.proboards.com/thread/1356/kempo-150-self-defence-series
the most recent revisions of the "Brown Black" Unarmed Set, which we will be covering through the year
WING CHUN STMA
shirotoratiger.proboards.com/thread/1588/wing-chun-stma
Update to the Entry and Trapping, taking into account not just the WC we have always done, but the JUN FAN, the KALI and the SILAT - which we will be going over in the Trapping phase again
Competitions History and Relevance
shirotoratiger.proboards.com/thread/1954/competitions-history-relevance
A Streamlined timeline and detailed notes of my Competition History from the 80s and 90s, which I have discussed before, and is relevant to our KB sparring section, as well as significant to the STREET phase
A post of Karate Bubishi
shirotoratiger.proboards.com/thread/1955/bubushi-karate-bible
While considering the details of Competition history, and the relevance to developing KB sparring further this year, it seems important to re-address the relevance of KARATE as a Self Defence System, it's long development, and to modern STREET Kempo
Sparring Sport style is only a small part of Karate, a small part of what we do in our training at STMA, and a small part of our history
HANBO
shirotoratiger.proboards.com/thread/1358/hanbo
as we started reviewing HANBO at the end of last Season, and intend to continue it over the new Season and Year, we have added the full Scroll listing to the Hanbo thread - this is the same as can be found in the Kukishin Weapon thread on the NINJA Board and will not be changed again or added to
KUKISHINDEN Weapons
shirotoratiger.proboards.com/thread/1535/kuki-shinden-daken-taijutsu-weapons
this year would be a good time to look at some of the other parts of the Weapons from this school we have not looked at yet
We already have the Hanbo, which is unique as it is a Taijutsu weapon used at that range
JUTTE - which includes the TESSEN have 5 Kata, Close Range, which apply to other improvised weapons of that range - they also line up well with the SERRADA stick work, disarms in Sombrada and locks in Hubud which we will be reviewing
BO - we already have intense covering and drilling of the staff - this would be a good time to look at concepts for when we add blade to the end and how that is drilled
YARI - Spear - 28 kata
NAGINATA - Halberd - 13 kata
Bi Naginata - 6 Kata
Bisento - 9 kata
Aikijutsu Koryu Dai San - the Goshin No Kata - 50 techniques of Tomiki/Shodokan
shirotoratiger.proboards.com/thread/1802/aiki-jutsu
Something else we have not gotten round to, though we have covered a lot of the waza on the way - seems a good time to list the full 50 waza in order, so when we cover some of this in Class it can be referred to
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Kenpo Karate, in it's original syllabus, was laid out to not only cover a variety of attacks but in a way that was meant to grow the student and continually build upon what he learned before.
Just like a baby crawls before walking, Kenpo teaches you what you need to take your first steps and then get you running at full speed.
Yellow Belt is the first 10 beginner sets
Then, the techniques are laid out in three sets of 8 per belt level, to give 24 techniques for each belt
The first set reviews what you have already learned and introduces you to the foundation of the new level.
The second set of 8, introduces the core concepts and principles for the level.
The third set is designed to reinforce what you just learned as well as prepare you for the next rank.
The 8 per set are based on the 8 categories of attacks “prioritized according to the degree of difficulty in handling the attack“.
Finally, system ends at 3rd Black.
Ranks above 3rd degree are based on time in rank and contribution to the art.
While there is still much more to learn after 3rd degree you are not ‘required’ to learn any new material past 3rd degree
There is debate about how these syllabus get arranged, and different stories about how the "top set" gets finalised
Everyone knows the basics but only the higher Dan grades will know the higher arrangement and rearrangements as they were decided
Only a few high grades were there at the time
And everyone of that generation wanted some seniority due to them being closer to the Soke/Founder
Next generation everyone wants to claim they were under a Shihan who was there, etc
We see this is pretty much every Art
KARATE - the applications of the advanced Kata
KEMPO - the highest techniques on the lists and the applications of the 7 and 8 forms
NINPO - the Okuden scroll, the interpretations of the GATA
JUDO - which higher waza were included, left out, revised
Keep in mind the Soke and his first Shihan were the ones who developed the school and system - they had decades of experience teaching and practising the lower levels as they were being devised into a syllabus, and less on the "advanced" stuff
With KENPO the list of 156 was set up over time, and grouped as we know the six sets of 24, with the ten fundamentals on yellow
This is my understanding, as it was explained and passed down to me
The "extra two" were removed so as to make the numbers work
Intellectual Departure, still an MK is not on the lists
Aggressive Twins is seen as the kick variation of Alternating Maces
As for Spreading Branches, it is the One Man version of what became the Two Man technique REPRIMANDING THE BEARS - as what we now call "brown 2 and 3" sets did not have base and extensions, this never got to appear on the lists as a Base, though that is what it is - otherwise we would have 157 to argue over
Interestingly, henka for this technique can end with the Kubi Nage neck throw, the "lost 70th" throw from Judo - the "pure" Kempo all strike version ends with the elbow to the spine, one of the first moves banned from UFC, as well as of course the groin strike and throat strike
So we have the official 154 techniques
The four sets with extensions create 96 next techniques - so we have exactly 250
The original belt levels set up
Orange, Purple, Blue, Green, Brown, Black
This had 24 techniques for each to take the student to Black Belt
The 10 yellow belt techniques were set up after - originally the was no yellow belt, these were on Orange
Interestingly the two removed techniques could have been left on Yellow to create a set of 12, and keep the 156 - nobody knows why this was not done
The problem then became what to do for Dan Grades - most Arts have a set syllabus up to 3rd Dan, with 4th Dan and up being for other criteria
First option was to have the four extension sets be for up to 5th dan - this was discarded - nobody wanted a syllabus up to 5th dan
What was settled on was to separate Brown Belt into 3 stripes, which most other Karate do eg 3rd, 2nd and 1st kyu are all Brown belt, with a stripe
So the sixth set, originally the Black set, became Brown 2
Brown 3, Black 1, 2 and 3 were assigned the advanced extension sets, and you now had your syllabus to 3rd Dan, or Third Black as it ended up being called
Each belt level was assigned the Sets and Forms and the Kenpo syllabus became more settled
Form 6 - 3rd Black
Form 5 - 2nd Black
etc
This is when we see things get messy "at the top"
Form 4 being the Combo attack defences, and Form 5 including the takedowns, are all sharp and well defined
While Form 4 has 20 techniques in it, Form 5 only has 10 - there are a lot of sets with a TD that do not appear in F5 - it could be because some of these are the Black Belt extensions eg Thundering Hammers appears in F4 as it's "Purple" set, the "Black" extension could have been theoretically in F5 but is not - though as F5 is the Form required for 2nd Dan this may not have been the case
This being the case F4 is the longest, most complex Form, and known as the "Definitive" Form
Form 6, required for 3rd Dan, made up of techniques taken from the Sets is interesting
All four Rod sets are there, but "tacked on" at the end, as if hey were added later - it takes what looks like a 9 set Form into a 13 set
All four Rod are from the end of Brown 2, though intercut with four Advanced Kenpo, so together they make up the last eight sets
The first main part of the Form is Five Stick STORM defences and Four LANCE Knife defences
There are five Lance in Kenpo, four on Brown One, which appear in Long 6 - a fifth Lance appears on Brown Two, but not in the Form - which looks like the Form was finalised before the Brown 2, the sixth List was finished - as the "Main Bit" has five Storm sets, would it not have made sense to have all five Lance sets to make the Form ten moves not just nine - unless the fifth Lance was not ready at that time
As for the Storm STICK defences, they are drawn from the Lists
The first Storm is on Yellow
No Storm on Orange
Three on Purple
Two on Blue
None of these appear in F6
There are four Storm on Green
One appears in Form 5
Two appear in F6
The other does not
There is no Storm on Brown One, however the technique Unfurling Crane appears in F6 as Unfurling Storm, adapted as a Stick defence - which makes it both a henka and the only original, not on the lists, Storm
There are two Storm on Brown Two, both of which appear in F6
So considering Brushing already appears in F5, Unfurling is an adaption, there are three List Storm sets in F6, seven that do not appear anywhere else - that gives us a total of twelve Kenpo Storm sets - enough for a whole Form based on that
That would leave the five Lance and Four Storm - a potential Form 9 covering knife and Gun defences
An option would be to use all eleven Storm, cutting out Unfurling, add on the nine for lance and Rod and make Form 6 a 20 technique Form like F4 - if we used the available List TD from the BB ext, we could make F5 a twenty technique Form
So the "top end" of Kenpo, the last part to be systemised has a "rushed" and "unfinished" feel to it
This is only noticeable to those who have studied that far and spent a lot of time there - which is the problem the "Kenpo Professors" have as they cannot answer why it ended up this way, as they don't know, weren't there, weren't told, and can't admit to that
When the Forms for Double Stick and Double Knife were being established, due to the crossover training with Kali and Escrima, more reviews were taken
Some of the waza were developed from existing waza on the lists - eg Flashing Maces became both Flashing Storms and Flashing Lance, Five Swords and Thundering hammers both became Stick techniques, etc, some were original techniques devised just for the weapons
These were set up as Forms, the techniques not being taught as any separate list, so students learned the application as they built the Forms
Everyone did double stick first and they first learnt Five Swords, and some basic Sinawalli like Six Count
This is when the fragmentation started as not everyone learnt the whole Form and all the techniques and applications
When it came to Knife people later started to argue that there never was a Kenpo Knife Form, and that there were no real Knife techniques
The fact that the KENPO knife exists, see the thread on that, and we have pictures of Mr Parker, Gil Hibben and Elvis Presley holding the Knife addresses that point
So we have the "people who were there" presenting different sides of their version of the story
What happened was the Stick Form became Long Form Seven, now required for 4th Degree, and the Knife form became Form Eight, required for 5th degree
So anyone who has a genuine Fifth Degree in Kenpo from back then would know the stick and knife forms, and be able to break them down and teach them
At STMA we do not teach and practice the Forms, nor are we grading you separately in the source Arts, either KENPO, JUJUTSU, NINPO etc
What we do practice is the full list of 250, plus the lists for stick and knife, which complement and are trained alongside, your KALI
There are different people doing things different ways, this is our way
Be wary of alleged high grades in Kenpo who don't know the high grade "stuff"
6th and 7th Degrees with titles like "Professor" whose stick work means they can do Sinawalli and Five Swords With The Sticks but don't know the rest of the sets, especially the original ones,
and then don't know Knife Form, and then try to tell you it never existed
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The Bart and Milhouse Goldfish Bowl bit:
"Your cat ate my goldfish. Then you tried to tell me I never had a goldfish. So why did I have the bowl, Bart? Why did I have the bowl...?"
"Kenpo never had a Knife Form"
"Then why do we have the Knife?"
shirotoratiger.proboards.com/thread/1603/gil-hibben-knives?page=1&scrollTo=7075
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The KEMPO SD Series has been updated in 2022 to include the list from the STMA KEMPO Sets, as they were first set out from 2012 onwards, ten years ago
After a decade over development, with these sets being trained in Class and on the Grass, we have refined our view of them
Originally the Sets were WAZA that did not appear in the Kenpo KATA - we source the techniques that are in the KATA in order, applying the actual applications in partner drills without learning the Kata as an "air" exercise, as they do in Karate Clubs
The Set numbers differ as we have the STMA set 2 as the Master Key Series
We then have the 2 man series as our Set 8
In Kenpo Sets 8, 9, 10 and 11 are the extensions for O, P, B, and G respectively - these introduce new, advanced concepts and principles of motion, eg the TD extension and Ground finish to Thundering Hammers, the basic set appearing in 3P and Form Long Four, the extension appearing in Set 9
This is similar to how STMA JJ follows the JUDO GOKYO into the full 67 KODOKAN, the KOSEN into the GRACIE Combatives - the STMA JJ is divided into the 4 sections for the Combatives, then the GAMEPLAN Series and the RDD and FSD for those, which do not follow the "list" pattern, they follow the Gameplan
In 2022, JJ has progressed to include the "RANDORI" List for JUDO, moving away from the GOKYO method of teaching the first 17 waza - in 2020 and 2021 we looked into Newaza ATEMI striking, and JUDO Katame waza, the pins in more depth
---------------------------------
This is a timeline for the training I did that includes the Arts that have sparring, and the competitions I did while at those Clubs
As I said, competing was fun, it was a way of sparring with people who were not Members of my own Dojo, and there was that competitive element that you do not get with your Dojo training partners
Some of this is relevant to our current training, especially the KB Phase
It is the Sport/Sparring side of the SAS program
Sport/Sparring - ART - Self Defence/Street Fighting
I refer to it sometimes in training, and probably will more as we tighten up the Sparring and drilling section, so seems a good time to post
KARATE
Kyokushin - the first Karate style I studied, the "hardest style", and my first Black Belt, and where I did my Karate Competitions
- The training in Shotokan, Goju and Kempo came later, was a lot deeper, and while involves Dojo sparring Kumite, I never competed and saw no reason to
Competition- the knockdown contact contests - this was a much harder style of training and fighting back in those days, and we did a lot of Tameshiwari breaking of boards back then
I competed as a Black Belt Heavyweight and won some trophies including some First Place, became a KARATE Champion
JUDO
I studied Judo earlier and separately from the JUJUTSU I qualified in - though I later kept up the practice of Judo Randori, sparring and grappling, my competitions were in the early years at this Contest orientated Club
For each belt grading we had to do SHIAI, which is a step up from the RANDORI sparring done at the Dojo sessions - you needed to show you could apply the throws in a real fight, as well as the Newaza, win with a pin, and to be able to apply a Submission choke or lock - going into competitions is a way to take the contest/Sport side of Judo to the next stage
I competed as a Black belt Heavyweight fighting against other Clubs
While my throwing style was always powerful, and I scored a lot from throws, my forte was the Ground where I would sometimes pin and usually submit my opponents - I was known for going straight for the submissions and was generally considered impossible to choke, and almost impossible to lock
- Though we later trained the KOSEN format at the JUJUTSU Dojo, and later took on the GRACIE Combatives were everyone was grappling this style, I never took either into any Competition format
At this point
I had trained in KARATE, gained my Black Belt, and competed at Heavyweight, and became a Champion
I had trained in JUDO, gained my Black Belt, and competed at Heavyweight
So it was a good time to get into Boxing properly
BOXING
I joined and trained at a Boxing Gym, where they arranged matches for fighters against fighters from other gyms
I had 7 "official" boxing matches during this period
I was training at the Boxing Gym, qualifying to Coach, and teaching a KB session there
A lot of Instructors who were Self Defence Orientated in the 90s used this cross training format - primarily Karate based, everyone separately studied Judo for Grappling at the Judo Club, and Boxing at a proper Gym - sessions back at our own Dojo, and sometimes each others, were the first were we had "mixed" cross training sessions - and the aim was for Street Reality, nobody was too bothered about Competitions
Most Instructors were Doormen and were training Doormen, and this was the focus
FULL CONTACT KARATE and KICKBOXING
This is where we get the first overlap
FC was about adding Boxing gloves so we could fight Full Contact for real - FULL CONTACT KARATE matches in the ring
KB was when we properly added Boxing to Karate - that was the time we started seeing Boxers who had "added kicks" by attending Karate sessions - proper KICKBOXING matches in the ring
Already a Karate Champion, trying out the FC format, I was still training in Boxing when I had my first KB matches - the boxing and KB matches overlapped for a period
The MUAY THAI and Savate training I did was added to some of the formats I was competing in, though I never separately fought opponents under those styles or formats
Semi Contact - though we view this as earlier in the training progression we didn't do contests for this until later - this was going back to the earlier points style of Karate contests - it was when we faced other styles such as Lau Gar and TKD - back on the mat with more armour and modified rules
- my continued study and qualifications in THAI and SAVATE came later
VALE TUDO
Having put the Karate and Boxing together to create and compete Kickboxing, now we add in the JUDO Grappling to create the VALE TUDO format
This was early on with VT and NHB, the mid 90s when UFC craze was starting, well before "MMA" contests with the heavier rules came about
I was actually fighting from a separate JUJUTSU Club I was training at where the Sensei, primarily a SD orientated teacher, was heavily into hard sparring sessions with Seniors, Boxing, Kumite, and Grappling - this was an opportunity to put a team together and get involved in Club matches under No Rules formats, and I got to fight as Heavyweight
Some of these were in Wrestling and Boxing rings, some on mats, and some in early versions of the cages that were properly developed later
- my later progression into KEMPO JUJUTSU from the TRAD KYUSHINDO came from his period - the SAS development where the STREET and SPORT sides are opposite ends but still similar in a lot of the training and application
- the NINJUTSU training overlaid all this, and sometimes I would use "NINJA tricks" in a match such as Koshi Kudaki or Kamae
This all ended around the Millenium
My deeper understanding of the ARTs, and my higher DAN qualifications, came over the next Decade, having gone past the SPORT competitions of the 90s, and pretty much left STREET fighting behind in he early few years of the 21st Century, I was able to properly learn, understand, apply, and then teach, the higher levels of KARATE, JUJUTSU and NINJUTSU
Training periods and development
1974 to 1982
1983 to 1992
1993 to 1996 - my first formal class
1996/7 to 2003 - the two Dojo and Boxing Gym phase ( as videoed)
2003 to 2009
2009 to now Shiro Tora Dojo
-----------------------------------
YELLOW
Star block is what later became Block Set One - Block Set Two adds stepping and is taught later on Brown One
Short form 1 teaches you to step back and defend - Delayed Sword, etc start with this
ORANGE
Long form 1 teaches you to step back and defend then counter with punch
Kicking set 1 teaches the four primary kicks, advancing and combining
PURPLE
Stance set 1 teaches the main stances - Set Two, taught later at Brown One adds the hand positions
Coordination set 1 - stepping back with block, kick and punch counter
Short form 2 - advancing while blocking - if your back was to the wall and you couldn't retreat - Five Swords is the first example of this and opens the Form with the block and chop - Long Two, taught later at Blue, has the first 3 moves from Five Swords as it's opening, the Block, Chop, Chop, Punch sequence already taught on Orange
BLUE
Strike set 1 is punching with angles and redirections - Set two, taught later on Brown 3, is the elbow set
Finger set 1 is all the finger techniques - Set Two, taught later on Black One, is the same techniques as Set One, with stepping
GREEN
short form 3, as we know, involves grab attacks - long 3 is taught later on Brown One
coordination set 2 is a more elaborate block and counter set
BROWN 1
Stance set 2 and Blocking set 2 we have referenced above
BROWN 2
Staff set - as Karate comes from Kobudo and all Karate has a Bo Kata, this is the Kenpo version - only the first few moves really make a lot of sense
Kicking set 2 - adds jump kicks, scoop kicks - at this point not a lot of kicking has been done in the SD sets or Forms so this rounds out the regular practice
BROWN 3
Long form 4 - interesting that this appears here rather than on Black - possibly because it follows as "next" from Form 3, possibly so students learn this before testing for Black Belt - it does then throw out the "continuity" of Form 5 for Black Two, etc - this was all around the time when the "revisions" were going on and the extra Brown level was added
Striking set 2 - the elbow set
BLACK 1
Along with what became Brown 3 where the syllabus is the "soggiest" - Nunchaku Set has been removed, Club Set is added, which is the basis for uses Two Sticks, the basis for Long 7 and the link to Escrima
Finger set 2 - the same techniques as Set One, with stepping
Two-man form - again, not everyone uses this and Kenpo does not have Gohon and Sanbon Kumite the way Traditional Karate does
Black 2, 3, 4, and 5
Form 5, 6, 7 and 8
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Reacher Series 2 drops on streaming this month
We will keep an eye out for new fight scenes and post
For those who read the books, this is based on Bad Luck And Trouble, the 11th book
The Tom Cruise films
the first, just called "Jack Reacher" is based on the 9th book One Shot
the second film is based on the 18th book Never Go Back, and carries that title
It was announced in July 2011 that Tom Cruise, a 5'7" (1.70 m) actor, would play Reacher, who is 6'5" (1.96 m) in the books
Lee Child said, "Reacher's size in the books is a metaphor for an unstoppable force, which Cruise portrays in his own way."
On 14 November 2018, Child announced that he made a deal with Skydance Television and Paramount Television to produce a Jack Reacher series based on the novels. During this time, feature films production would be halted. He also stated that Cruise would not return to the role. He said he hoped the new actor would more properly represent Reacher
Lee Child spoke about Tom Cruise in interview
"I really enjoyed working with Tom Cruise. He's a really, really nice guy. We had a lot of fun. But ultimately the readers are right. The size of Reacher is really, really important and it's a big component of who he is. So what I've decided to do is – there won't be any more movies with Tom Cruise. Instead we're going to take it to Long-form streaming television, with a completely new actor. We're rebooting and starting over and we're going to try and find the perfect guy"
The "perfect guy" of course, as we now know, is Alan Richton
----------------------------
This year 2024 I posted a list of my history in Competitions and their relevance to our KB Sparring and other training
As noted, these were all earlier in my career, as a young new Black Belt, training at Clubs that had a competition focus
Later, as I went through training progression in the Dojo that focussed more on the Traditional Art, and achieved my higher Dan grades, my focus shifted
As is known my later focus was more on the Street Self defence that applied to the Security work myself and my Team were doing over several years
Much later, as a Shihan Master Instructor, I moved far away from Sport Competition and it's consideration, keeping a strong orientation on STREET SD, though no longer dwelling on it as a priority, and delving deeper into the Source ARTS
SAS
Street Self Defence - ART - Sport Sparring
KARATE has been my first and most core Art, my first Black Belt, my first Competitons, my first Championship, the system that best got me through my STREET situations, and my highest Grades
Karate is in many ways not a "Martial Art" - it was never developed as a method of War the way SAMURAI and NINJA Arts were, it was always a Civilian Method of Unarmed Self Defence
Though I have listed the Competition history at the start of 2024, and we will look a bit deeper into that in our KB phase this year, our functional Sparring, there is a need to keep in mind the true purpose of KARATE as Street Self Defence, away from the Competition mind set and drilling
So now I refer to the Bubushi
The Bubishi is sometimes referred to as the bible of karate.
It is to Karate what the Go Rin No Sho, the Book Of Five Rings, is to Kenjutsu
The original purpose of the martial arts was to enable the practitioner to protect themselves in either military or civil combat
Karate is a civil tradition that was designed to enable its practitioners to defend themselves against day to day violence. Today’s Karateka also requires effective civil self-defence skills, and as the art was designed for just that purpose
There is nothing wrong with these sporting evolutions in themselves. Many people enjoy the competitive aspect of the martial arts either in the capacity of competitors or spectators, however, it must be acknowledged that many of these sporting modifications run in direct opposition to what is needed in a self-defence situation
Arm locks, leg locks, throws, takedowns, chokes, strangles etc. can all be found within the katas
The Bubishi (Wu peh chi in Chinese) was a closely guarded secret that has been handed down from master to student for generations
The Bubishi deals with two kempo styles that formed the basis of modern karate
The Bubishi consists of 32 chapters (articles) and gives instruction on fighting techniques, herbal medicine, philosophy, strategy, pressure points, training principles, etiquette and the history of the kempo styles
Many of the great karate masters owned a copy of the Bubishi and used it in their studies. Miyagi Chojun (the founder of Goju-ryu karate) referred to the Bubishi as the ‘Bible of Karate.’
Bubishi contains an entire chapter on grappling and escapes
In an attempt to conceal the techniques, poetic language is used rather that a direct description of the technique itself
a takedown from an arm lock, which is also included in the opening sequence of Pinan Shodan (Heian Nidan) being described as, ‘Two dragons playing in the water.’
The leg lock & take down from Kururunfa & Neiseishi (Nijushiho) is described as, ‘Tiger strikes the earth’
a throwing technique from Rohai being listed as, ‘Tiger pulling down a boar
This is similar to how some NINPO waza were coded, Oni Kudaki, Musha Dori, etc
The Bubishi contains instruction on the use of some of the more unpleasant and effective fighting methods. These methods include hair pulling, seizing the testicles, head butting, biting etc
- the concept of mentally disarming an opponent prior to pre-emptively striking. which is emphasised by today’s self-protection experts, is referred to in the Bubishi
FENCE and PE:
‘Often it is essential to deceive the attacker in order to make an opening. When the circumstances dictate the meeting be prepared to feign intoxication, weakness or cowardice and when he lets down his guard, strike immediately.’
Funakoshi Gichin’s Karate-Do Kyohan (page 234) does endorse mentally disarming and then pre-emptively striking an assailant:
‘When there are no avenues of escape or one is caught even before any attempt to escape can be made, then for the first time the use of self defence techniques should be considered. Even at times like these, do not show any intention of attacking, but first let the attacker become careless. At that time attack him, concentrating one’s whole strength in one blow to a vital point, and in the moment of surprise, escape and seek shelter or help.’
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The Bubishi also contains a number of diagrams and information on the use of pressure points.
The pressure points in the Bubishi are thought to be the ones used by a Ming dynasty Daoist called Feng I-Yuan. It is said that Feng I-Yuan used his methods many times but was never defeated.
They are said to consist of nine death points, nine knock out points, nine paralysing points and nine pain points.
The Bubishi gives advice on the use of these points but cautions against using them in any but the most extreme of circumstances.
One of the most controversial articles in the Bubishi is the one that refers to the death touch.
Article twenty-one contains twelve diagrams that detail various acupuncture points and the time of day that they should be struck in order to cause death after varying time delays. These time delays range from a few moments (“the time it takes to take seven steps”) up to three years
This is the origin of the stories of Death Touch, Dim Mak, and the "Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique"
I have explained separately why this sort of thing as a working technique is nonsense, but most likely had a tactical value
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Some important Bubishi concepts relevant to STREET Kempo
• “By taking away your adversary’s balance, you will have greater opportunities for victory.”
• “Low counters are the rule for high attacks.”
• “If attacked from the front, consider attacking the groin.”
• “If you want to attack the east, first move west. Never reveal your true intentions.
If you decide to move in a straight line, know what is behind you.”
• “If an adversary bites you, attack his throat right away.”
• “Never execute a technique when off balance, as a skillful fighter will most certainly take advantage of the situation.”
• “A superior strategist uses multi-level attacks to his advantage rather than single kicks or punches.”
• “Maintain your balance while and after throwing the adversary as it is critically important to follow up with a finishing blow.”
• “While an opponent’s low posture may reduce mobility and hamper his kicking skills, be careful as it enhances his hand power.
Try to get inside an opponent’s high posture.”
• “If you are taken down, make every attempt to attack the adversary’s genitals.”
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Eight poems of the Fist:
The human mind is one with heaven and earth.
Our blood circulation parallels the solar and lunar cycles of each day.
Inhaling represents softness while exhaling characterizes hardness.
Adapt to changing conditions.
Response must result without conscious thought.
Distancing and posture dictates the outcome of the meeting.
See what is unseeable.
Expect what is unexpected.
Alternate translation:
1. The mind is one with heaven and earth
2. The circulatory rhythm of the body is similar to the cycle of the sun and moon
3. The way of inhaling and exhaling is hardness and softness
4. Act in accordance with time and change
5. Technique will occur in the absence of conscious thought
6. The feet must advance and retreat, separate and meet
7. The eyes do not miss even the slightest change
8. The ears listen well in all directions
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SHIN BUD - as we will be covering in the KB bit
Block - Lo Kick - Hi Kick
LLL
LLR
LRL
LRR
RRR
RRL
RLR
RLL
This is the Trigram Matrix of 8
As the Block can be done against a kick from the attacker's Left or Right kick, that creates a Matrix of 16
Compare with Sinawalli Six Count Trigram Matrix
HHH
HLH
LHL
LLL
HHL
HLL
LHH
LLH
Heaven and Earth
Fire and Water
Mountain and Lake
Thunder and Wind
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Shin bud drill as application
Four low kicks
Shin block
Block and counter kick
This series uses block with one leg and kick with the other
Next series is to block and counter with the same leg
Next series is combo kicks - low kick followed by high kick - the second kick can be with same or other leg
Next Series adds back in the block - the low kick is with some or other leg, the high kick is with same or other leg
This sets up a matrix of options
Block, low kick, high kick
Left, right, left
LLL
LRR
Etc
This is when the Shin bud drill progression starts to match the matrix of Sinawalli eg Six Count
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BROWN BLACK Set
A different way to group and streamline the sets
having separately listed Rod, Lance, Storm and Mass into their own sets
the first eight are in Forms 3 and 5
the next twelve are all Form 4
two are Kick defences
three are "Dark" rear thrust kick
two are from double punch, with a complex sequence
16. DESTRUCTIVE FANS - Left Flank Right Punch With Opponent's Rig Leg Forward
9. LEAP OF DEATH - Front Right Step Through Punch
24. FALLING FALCON - Front Right Direct Lapel Grab
10. PROTECTING FANS - Front Right and Left Punch Combination With Opponents Left Leg Forward
17. UNFURLING CRANE - Front Right and Left Punch Combination With Opponent's Right Leg Forward
9. DESTRUCTIVE KNEEL - Front Right Step Through Punch
4. DANCE OF DARKNESS - Front Right Kick Followed By a Right Punch
15. UNWINDING PENDULUM - Front Right Kick Followed By A Right Punch
11. REVERSING CIRCLES - Front Left Roundhouse Kick Followed By a Left Punch
8. CIRCLING WINDMILLS - Front Two-Hand Push Followed By a Right Punch
3. DEFENSIVE CROSS - front Right Snap Kick
10. BOWING TO BUDDHA - Front Right Roundhouse Kick - Kneeling On The Ground
19. PRANCE OF THE TIGER - Right Flank Step Trough Uppercut Punch
2. TWIRLING HAMMERS - Front Left Step Trough Punch
15. DOMINATING CIRCLES - Front Right Shoulder Grab By Opponent's Right Hand
1. FATAL CROSS - Front Two-Hand Attempted Grab or Push
21. BLINDING SACRIFICE - Front Two-Hand Grab or Choke
1. GLANCING SPEAR - front Right Direct Wrist Grab
8. DESPERATE FALCONS - Front Two-Hand Grab to Both Wrists
4. ROTATING DESTRUCTION - Front Right Snap and Left Spinning Back-Kick
11. DECEPTIVE PANTHER - Combination Right Front Snap Kick (Low) and Right Roundhouse Kick (High)
2. THRUST INTO DARKNESS - Rear Right Step Trough Punch
14. UNFOLDING THE DARK - Left Step Through Punch From The Right Rear Flank
17. ESCAPE FROM DARKNESS - Right Punch From The Right Side
3. CIRCLING FANS - Front Right And Left front Straight Punch Combination
21. ENTWINING MACES - Front Right and Left Punch With Opponent's Left Leg Forward
23. FATAL DEVIATION - Front Right and Left Punch With Opponent's Left Leg Forward
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Koryu Dai San (Goshin No Kata) - Koryu Goshin no Kata
Suwari-waza (Section A - Kneeling Techniques)
1. Oshi-taoshi
2. Gyaku-gamae-ate
3. Kote-gaeshi
4. Ryote-mochi-sukui-nage
5. Tentai-kote-hineri
6. Shiho-nage
7. Gedan-ate
8. Hiji-kime
Tachi-waza (Section B - Standing Techniques)
1. Kote-mawashi
2. Uchi-tenkai-nage
3. Gyaku-gamae-ate
4. Hiji-kime
5. Mae-otoshi
6. Ushiro-waza-mae-otoshi
7. Ushiro-waza-tentai-kote-hineri
8. Mune-tori-kata-gatame
Tanto-dori (Section C - Standing Techniques, hand against Knife)
1. Ushiro-ate
2. Gyaku-gamae-ate
3. Tentai-oshi-taoshi
4. Ushiro-ate
5. Ude-gatame
6. Kote-gaeshi
7. Tentai-kote-hineri
8. Shomen-giri-gendan-ate
Tachi-dori (Section D - Standing Techniques, hand against sword )
1. Mae-otoshi
2. Shiho-nage
3. Ai-gamae-ate
4. Oshi-otoshi
5. Hiji-kujiki
Jo-no-bu Jo-dori (Section E - Standing Techniques, hand against Jo)
1. Gyaku-gamae-ate
2. Shomen-ate
3. Hishigi
4. Renraku-waza-hiji-hishigi
5. Irimi-mae-otoshi
Jo-no-bu Jo-no-tsukai-kata (Section F - Standing Techniques, Jo against hand)
1. Migi-sumi-otoshi
2. Migi-sumi-gori-hidari-sumi-otoshi
3. Tekube-kime-(gori)-shomen-tsuki
4. Mae-otoshi
5. Shiho-nage
6. Shiho-nage-gyaku-kaiten-nage
7. Ude-kujiki
8. Kokyu-nage
Tachi-tai-tachi (Section G - Standing Techniques, Sword against Sword)
1. Ai-uchi-men
2. Hidari-men
3. Migi-men
4. Tsuki
5. Do
6. Kote-nuki-kote
7. Kaeshi-men
8. Hasso-waki-gamae
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TRAPPING ENTRY
Taking Wing Chun into Jun Fan and into JKD via the Kali, we look at different Entry and different variations on the Trapping
WC Entry is about trapping and removing the barrier and uses the Centreline for the Strikes
KALI is about destroying the Limb on Entry and using the triangle stepping for strikes
KALI Entry is Gunting or Strike to the first limb, hand crush, elbow wrench, nerve or muscle attack
WC Entry is on hi or lo line, engage the remove the first limb by trapping
WC second arm is Trap by Pak Sao or Lop Sao, or possibly wedge Bil Sao
The next level practice is to add the extra beat to the trap seq
Pak Pak = pak, and, pak
pak lop = pak, lop, and
Kali second arm - Tapi or Hilang and pak sao and lop sao respectively
Strikes are on the angle, chop to neck rather than straight punch
Follow up cutting elbow to face or arm nerve eg deltoid or bicep
These are not "Advanced" and are not the "11th Level" or anything, they are added at the Intermediate Levels to fill out that level with more options from the different Arts - these could be viewed as "Level 3a", as they are an expansion of the Trapping drills, before we get to the NRG at Level 4
At Level 4, when you start Dan Chi, that pairs with Hubud
We then look at the SILAT four ways to enter, with their strikes, and we have three Arts that develop in this Phase
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The Kukishinden is a vast school which we have inherited from Ishitani down to Takmatsu then on to the current generation
As can be seen above, there are 5 scrolls for the Unarmed system, making it the one of the most extensive, not just in Ninpo, but in any Budo school
There are extensive scrolls for each weapon
For STMA we use the first scroll for each of the main weapons Sword, Hanbo, Jo and Bo - this was set up to match the first 4 scrolls before we started sourcing the 5th
If we do a "5th weapon scroll" it would be made up of a technique or two for each of the other weapons, spear, halberd, bisento, jutte, tessen, to give an understanding of that weapon's specifics
There are no current plans to do the rest of the "higher" scrolls for the weapons, though it may be something we look at in the future years
KODACHI - Short Sword - 3 Kata
JUTTE - includes TESSEN - 5 Kata
YARI - Spear - 28 kata
NAGINATA - Halberd - 13 kata
Bi Naginata - 6 Kata
Bisento - 9 kata
