The image says it all. Think about it and then truly ask yourself if you are doing the work to get the results you want?
Results – Get Some
Sensei Posted in Awareness, Questions, State of Mind, Training notes，Tags: Awareness, Confidence, critical thought, training
08
May
2012
0
Happy Thoughts
Sensei Posted in A Zen Thing, Awareness, Quotes, State of Mind，Tags: Awareness, critical thought, Perspective, Quotes, training
16
July
2011
To think bad thoughts is really the easiest thing in the world. If you leave your mind to itself it will spiral down into ever increasing unhappiness.
To think good thoughts, however, requires effort.
This is one of the things that discipline – training – is about.
James Clavell, in his novel “Shogun”
I read this book as a young man and have to say it is still one of my favorite novels. At the time I was training very hard in Karate and this novel steeped me even further in the history and culture of old Japan, brutal, savage yet elegant. Today I teach students in the art of Karate and hopefully Life. I am an avid observer of the world and I see increasing negativity in general. One of the aspects of how I train my students is control of themselves and their minds. The above quote goes to the root of my teachings (though I never connected the two) in that we control nothing in the world without first controlling ourselves. Negative thoughts are destructive to yourself, your world and those around you, it is like a disease. Our thoughts are ours to do with as we please. Yes our thoughts can be influenced by the things around us. That is why it is a bad idea for an Alcoholic to hangout in a bar with his/her friends. Ultimately though we have ourselves to deal with, the environment or situation we are in are only as influential as we let them be. This all sounds so easy but it is a lifetime of work and practice and failure to become proficient at. The world is dynamic but our inner world’s are infinitely more dynamic, to infinity and beyond! But like any lesson it starts small, baby steps, with awareness. We cannot change or control anything we are unaware of, become and observer of the world. First we need to see the small things most people never see. We can find perfection in the small things, the cut of sunlight through a cloud or the beat of a butterfly resting on a flower, or even the silence of being totally alone in a room. Some of the things you will notice may make you uncomfortable in a strange way, that is your body fighting awareness the way you fight waking in the morning (if you are like me!). What does this have to do with not being negative? Everything. You could start by focusing on not thinking negative thoughts, however your success would be short lived. You have to have something to fill the void left by the negative thoughts you eventually will banish. Why? Because your brain never stops, it is always churning away, in the computer world we call that paging. Paging is moving information into and out of usable memory, if you page to much you can’t do any useful computations or make any useful observations. Observing the little things in the world require you to stop thinking so much, to quiet your mind or in computer terms to limit or stop paging so we can take in new information. As you do this you are increasing your positive memories and thoughts and reducing your negative thoughts without trying to force it. You will eventually get to a point where you will be able to control what your brain is processing positive or negative and more importantly know when you are paging negativity because you are more aware. Awareness is one of the keys to good thoughts with its byproduct, happiness. As an observer you often find yourself in a calm state of acceptance like someone watching a play…but that is a topic for another discussion.
‘Stop and smell the roses’ are words of supreme wisdom which few of us ever understand until it is to late. Stay positive, train hard, train often.
To Serve & Protect??
Sensei Posted in Awareness, Control, Law Enforcement, State of Mind, Technique, Training notes，Tags: Control, News, Police, Situational Awareness, training
28
April
2011
Here is a story that will make you feel safe…unfortunately it is an all to common event.
In ENFIELD, CT (as reported here)
Two female officers were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries Tuesday afternoon after responding to a reported domestic violence incident, police said.
One officer was struck repeatedly in the face and the other’s arm was injured while she was trying to protect herself, police said. Both were taken to Johnson Memorial Hospital, treated and released.
The two officers were at a house on Garden Drive around 5 p.m. when the altercation began, police said.
One person, a 15-year-old male, has been arrested. His charges have not been released because of his age.
There is very little discussion about cases like these because the violate the politically correct environment society wants. In the comments on this article someone mentioned that there was no mention of the size of the 15 years old assailant, his size shouldn’t matter. Police Officers are well equip and even if they are not should be sufficiently proficient at defending and subduing someone, especially two to one! Any Martial Artist or self-defense instructor can show multiple ways for any situation to over power bigger, stronger opponents. Of course experience counts for a lot, you can practice a technique all your life but until you try it in a live or realistic simulated environment it is untested. The biggest problem with the above story is it demonstrates that the officers lost control of the situation, a luxury no Police Officer can afford.
Another commenter stated “Police Officers DO NOT receive hand-to-hand combat training. They have not for almost 25 years, since a female officer was injured in training and sued over her injuries (and won). I love what the public is willing to believe about those elected or hired to protect them, based on common sense yes, facts…no.“ Most people will not believe that first statement it is true, (which proves the third sentence), at least in Connecticut. Some Officers seek their own training however while they should it is no replacement for training common to all Officers, where they can test and challenge each other.
Perhaps the next time you think about your safety you’ll remember this story and realize you are on your own more then you realize. Perhaps it is time to get back to that Karate Class and hone your skills!?
In Case of Emergency
Sensei Posted in Awareness, Self-Defense，Tags: Self-Defense, Survival, Tools
24
February
2011
To some Self-Defense and the Martial Arts are just one more tool in their survival tool belt. If you are one of those people then you should check out the Emergency Survival Kit over at Ready.gov, yes brought to you at least in part by the Department of Homeland Security! I don’t trust the government to do much well but the list is pretty comprehensive, though I do wonder how many mules I will need to carry everything!
An interesting observation, the list does not contain any Self-Defense or hunting items (gun, club, knife, etc)? For anyone that has seen the movie “The Road
Goals & Resolutions
Sensei Posted in Awareness, Diet, Events & Holidays, Fitness, Recipes and Health Facts, State of Mind, Training notes，Tags: Diet, Fitness, health, holiday, training
03
January
2011
A few days ago most of us made some type of resolution for the new year. You may not admit it to anyone but it is there in the back of your mind, something you’d like to change or do different this year. Call them Goals or Resolutions they equate to the same thing, a struggle with yourself, often a battle of endurance which requires willpower! The most common resolutions focus on our personal selves, weight loss, getting into shape, attaining our next belt, other involve our careers or station in life, we will focus on the former here but what we will look at applies to both. The problem with the resolutions most of us make is, they require hard work and effort. Let’s face it if they didn’t we wouldn’t need things called resolutions or goals!
I don’t normally go in for a bunch of motivational gimmicks but I found this one that actually makes sense, SMART:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Realistic
- Timely
(Get more in-depth details about Smart Goals here)
Basically this boils down a combination of “keep it simple stupid” and “being realistic and truthful”. You can’t change if you set unrealistic goals, like I am going to loose 50 lbs next week, that is setting yourself up for failure, which if simply an excuse not to try. I have known so many people who take this path, actually everyone takes this path eventually if they are not truthful with themselves. We can learn a lot from addicts in this regard since it is easier to deny the problem then to deal with the problem.
So how do we get on track with our diet and fitness resolutions? First keep reading this blog! Secondly take the baby step method, I remember watching this in the old movie “What About Bob”. You know what, it makes sense. Break your bigger goal into achievable smaller goals, take small steps. It may take longer to achieve your goal but the results will be lasting. Nothing leads to short gains and long term losses then fad diets and an excessive ‘must have it now’ mentality. The catch here is to make the goals achievable but useful, don’t be so easy on yourself that you aren’t moving towards your goal! If you are trying to lose weight and you didn’t lose any last week, don’t have the attitude, “well at least I didn’t gain any!” If you do, you will be saying “well at least I only gained a pound this week” before you know it. Be honest with yourself but not easy! This is training, no wimps allowed!!
I will leave you with this interesting study at the University of Hertfordshire which showed that the people most successful at keeping their New Year’s Resolutions did at least three of the following things:
- broke their goal into smaller steps
- rewarded themselves when they achieved one of these
- told their friends about their goals
- focused on the benefits of success
- kept a diary of their progress.
There you have it, simple advice that will hopefully help you achieve your goals, regardless of when you set them…unless…
but you’re not that deluded…are you?
No Atheists on School Boards
Sensei Posted in Awareness, News, Politics, Religion, Self-Defense, State of Mind，Tags: Active Shooter, Awareness, News, Shooting
15
December
2010
At least not when a gun is pointing at them!
“He was as close to me, almost, as this camera is and it was pointed right at me,” Husfelt said. “I was trying to turn kind of sideways. … It’s just all reactionary. Who knows what you do in a situation like that? We were all scared and doing a lot of praying, I can tell you that.” CNN
The story of the gunman at the School Board meeting struck me as ironic. Here we have an institution (School Boards) which typically route out any semblance of religion or religious expression, including the Pledge of Allegiance, …praying. Of course the article doesn’t say who they were praying to, but I think it is safe to assume it is a higher power. I wonder if the School Board members were concerned that they might offend someone while they were praying? It is understood that we do not know anything about these men, they all could be Church going men, but the irony in life is sometimes so striking it cannot be overlooked without comment.
Many dispute the fact that there are no atheists in foxholes Or at the wrong end of a gun… regardless it is doubtful there are any atheists afterwards…
On a more self-defense oriented note, the female board member that reentered the room and tried to disarm the gunman was brave and very lucky. Luckily the crazy gunman seemed to have a problem with shooting women and let her go. Her actions may have stalled is shooting spree enough to allow the security guard/retired police officer to get there in time to help. It did not seem that she had any formal self-defense training or martial arts skills, just a purse! Her situation truly illustrates why everyone should have some exposure to formal training in a defensive art, you never know when or where you may find yourself in need of defending yourself.
Stay safe.
Sparring Notes
Sensei Posted in Awareness, State of Mind, Styles, Training notes, Video，Tags: Sparring, training, Video
30
July
2010
I have been working with my students to improve their sparring skills this month, it’s a great hot weather activity! Sparring can be a tough skill to perfect since everyone wants to jump in the ring and mix things up. Sparring is a very dynamic activity but it can be broken down to individual skills which can be perfected. A short list of these skills include: technique, stamina, focus, and self-awareness. As with any skill technique is paramount to success. Put on some boxing gloves and get in the ring doesn’t make you a boxer, the same is true for Martial Arts sparring. To often I’ve witnessed students at competitions degrade their technique to wildly slapping and kicking.
Sparring matches are won by staying in control. Control comes from confidence and technique. Confidence is something people have to find within themselves. Technique is somethings an instructor can help you perfect. I won’t delve into technique specifics as they vary from style to style, but form is critical to minimizing your vulnerabilities and maximizing your opportunities. Stamina comes with the practice and perfection of your form and technique. As we get older we need to add additional cardio-conditioning! 
With good technique and strong stamina you are well equip to win most matches simply by outlasting your opponent.
Focus is perhaps the more difficult thing to learn, as focus is probably the wrong word to use, since you need a lack of focus when sparring. Say what?!? If we focus on our opponent we forget about our surroundings, this may be OK in a sparring ring, but in a real fight that can be fatal. More importantly though focusing on your opponent can lead to signaling your movements. When I spar I typically spar primarily with my peripheral vision, this allows me to “focus” on movements as they occur not a specific movement. Let me give an example: if someone fakes a move with their left, then follows through with the real attack with their right… If I am focused on the person, then my focus will shift to the left fake, when the right comes in, I will have to realize it, shift my focus and then react. If I am focused on the situation, using my peripheral vision then I can more rapidly react to movements in my “sphere” of focus. Basically it reduces the thought process drag that comes from thinking to much. Relax your mind and your awareness becomes more basic, instinctual and reactionary. Hopefully that makes sense, I’ll be happy to clarify any of that.
Self-awareness is probably the most ignored part of sparring, though it is the direct result of good technique training and peripheral or sphere focus. When we spar it is important to be self-aware of your vulnerabilities. It is the only way you can truly improve your art. When you begin sparring your instructor will tell you what you are doing wrong. You should take this instruction as an opportunity to train yourself to find these corrections before you are told of them. The next step of course is correcting the problem, not always that easy. For example, two of my students where sparring and one would lean her head froward after a particular move. Her opponent realized this and he exploited it, with a downward strike to the head. A very bad way to get hit, a fight-ender. After the first hit, I pulled her aside and told her what she was doing. When she did it again I saw her realize it after it was to late. The third time her realization came a little sooner but still to late. Frustration was her enemy on the last point. She has the first part of self-awareness down and is now struggling with correcting the problem. It is a process, no different then learning your first martial arts technique.
I am including these videos for two reasons, first they are awesome! Secondly, they each demonstrate important aspects of sparring. See if you can figure out the importance of each video and post your conclusions in the comments section… Enjoy and pay attention!
ZD YouTube FLV Player
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQa7tlZZ_lM
Looking forward to the discussion…
