Short Fuse

In a memorable scene from the 1976 film Network, a deranged TV anchorman implores his national audience to take a stand against injustice everywhere; to announce to the world, "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" In a mass response, a multitude of viewers at home take to their opened windows to scream this invective proclamation at the top of their lungs. Though this is both fiction and amusing, it does illustrate how close to the surface anger is in many people without their even realizing it. The object of anger isn't really important here. Indeed, when people finally do blow their tops, it's to vent an accumulation of perceived "injustices" that have occurred over a period of time, sometimes years. Suppressed anger and resentment congeals into frustration, then bitterness, and finally depression. So expressing anger as rage feels empowering; its release momentarily makes us feel liberated. Obviously rage accomplishes nothing and is frequently correlated to violence.

How does the martial arts prepare us for the onset of anger in others, or more importantly, in ourselves?

Realize that angry people thrive best in the presence of other angry people. We can't control the way others behave. But we can check our own impulses. Anger first manifests as physical symptoms in the body: increased heart rate, erratic breathing, and muscular tightness. Converting anger through sublimation can be effective. Through the alchemy of martial arts training one can bring about positive change. If vou can't get to the dojo to work off some steam, taking a slow deep breath can work wonders. Mark Twain had an interesting antidote for anger: counting to 10. I don't recommend sparring while in this condition, however. I remember witnessing a black belt a while back demolishing a novice in a fit of rage because the latter managed to get in a few good shots. It was a bad day for karate.

Take It On The Road

One of the positive features of competing is that it puts the practitioner outside the comfort zone: away fom the dojo, performing in front of officials and judges (s)he doesn't know, and facing competitors never seen before. For those who have no aspirations for the glory of sport martial arts, I do recommend attending seminars or especially visiting another school to train at. Different styles, instructors, and even surroundings can have a way of bringing a fresh perspective to your art, or re-kindling a semi-extinguished fire after what could be burnout from a long period of training in the same place. Not necessarily an extended stay, but a day or two here and there. Most dojos charge a mat fee for a single class and will accommodate a visiting student from another school. This practice is hardly new, and actually has roots dating back to feudal Japan. The classical warrior performed musha-shugyo - traveling the countryside in a nomadic fashion, training in various ryu (schools) to not only test his already acquired skills, but to develop new ones.


Most students will express hospitality and natural curiosity upon the arrival of a visitor from another dojo/style. This practice creates good relations with other schools in the area, plus it could entice students from the visited school to come train at yours. But before anyone embarks on their own version of musha-shugyo or decides to become a martial ambassador of good will, understand that there will be some that may misinterpret your presence as somewhat contentious, especially if you're a black belt. "Who's this guy? Let's show him what real training is" might be the attitude of the fear-based collective of certain schools. Speaking from experience, things can get out of hand, even if you don't fancy yourself as a gunslinger or troublemaker. If training with indignant total strangers who are bent on displaying their sparring skills isn't really to your liking, you could always just watch the class. You won't have to break a sweat, you'll be able to observe from an objective point of view, and best of all, it's free.

Pushing The Boundaries of Competitive Martial Arts

Ever since the martial arts officially arrived in the US in the 50s it seems every decade since has had its own defining moment. The 60s gave us Bruce Lee. The 70s introduced the public to the TV series Kung Fu which greatly popularized that art in the West. The 80s saw perhaps the biggest wave of all with The Karate Kid movie series. The epic of Daniel-san and his karate mentor Mr. Miyagi is now a part of pop culture. The 90s, however, brought us to something that had controversy surrounding it in its shaky relationship to traditional martial arts: Mixed Martial Arts.

When Brazilian jiu-jitsu players introduced their version of Vale Tudo (lit. anything goes) as a mixed martial arts tournament in the US back in the early 90s, the idea was to pit exponents of various styles against one another to see which one would reign supreme. The first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) became the most heralded sporting event in martial arts history. To call these matches violent would be an understatement. Visions of Shaolin monks sitting in meditation on a secluded mountain began to quickly fade in the wake of these often brutal and bloody contests. Martial philosophy and spirituality were nowhere to be found in these outrageous spectacles. The UFC looked like a depraved video game come to life. Suddenly US politicians everywhere jumped on the bandwagon to protest the so-called savagery of no-holds-barred fighting. Some UFC fighters were actually arrested in Canada for competing in these events. While many viewed the UFC as reprehensible for what appeared to be gratuitous violence, others saw it as a necessary retrogression of sorts - a return to what the martial arts were originally intended for: uninhibited combat.

Character

Abraham Lincoln once said, "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." If there's one recurring theme in the news, it's the abuse of power. Leaders and authority figures of every stripe seem to be involved in one scandal or another. Judges, politicians, law enforcers, and school teachers all make the headlines. The acquisition of power precedes corruption, or so it seems for the morally challenged.

The development of honor and ethics are at the forefront of martial arts philosophy. At least it's preached that way. But paying lip service to these positive qualities isn't enough; they must be put into action. This is character. It is said that training in the martial arts strengthens one's resolve or purpose. This is what Lincoln meant by "stand(ing) adversity". Can this lead to the development of character? Does enduring the hardships of shugyo (intense training) necessarily make one virtuous?

Warriors of every class and culture throughout history have played the roles of both hero and villain. Absolutely and without a doubt, there are saints and sinners amongst us in the modern martial arts as well. Power derived from learning a combative skill can be a blessing or a curse. Wielding this kind of power requires responsibility, wisdom, proper restraint, and character. I don't believe training in the martial ways necessarily gives rise to these traits automatically, but must be acquired through reflective living, learning from mistakes, and resisting the temptation of ego-gratification.

Know Your Environment

The dojo - the training hall - is an austere, plain structure: unadorned walls, smooth floor, matted and well lit. For these reasons, the traditional dojo doesn't accurately represent a realistic setting for a confrontation. Maybe some schools should include bar stools and pool tables as part of their training equipment. If "combat effectiveness" is what you're looking for in your art, then concepts besides developing techniques that only work in a pristine, flawless martial arts school need to be considered.

Have you ever trained outdoors or in an unfamiliar environment? Obstacles can and do get in the way, such as an alley wall or a depression in the ground. Having to defend yourself on the side of a hill or during inclement weather is not only challenging, but could get downright ugly. Attacks can happen in the most unlikely surroundings. Most robberies and confrontations take place at night. During Okinawan karate's formitive years, secretive training took place after sundown. As such, fighting techniques were developed with only the aid of moonlight. These same practitioners trained on the beach with eku (boat oars), and used their makeshift weapons to flick sand into the eyes of their adversaries. The master duelist Miyamoto Musashi would make it a point to keep the sun to his back during his bouts of mortal combat. If fighting indoors, he would plan the possibility of escape if necessary, previewing the area for doors, windows, or other avenues of exit. Musashi felt that escaping from overwhelming circumstances was compatible with warriorship, and was simply a part of effective strategy (heiho) . Live to fight another day.

Use everything to your advantage at all times.

Examine your environment...

Serious Business

The classical warrior trained out of dire necessity and for the purpose of survival. The advent of modern martial arts, however, have created a new paradigm: the martial hobbyist. Is the study of the martial ways still worthy of a lifelong pursuit, or has commercialism relegated them to just being another pastime? Can your bi-weekly karate class be put on a par with bowling, tennis or some similar recreation?

Is there anything wrong with that?

Before anyone launches into a diatribe about how bushido is a calling or starts reciting scripture from The Art of War, bear in mind that the modern practitioner is a consumer; the school owner/chief instructor is a merchant. This greatly affects the martial arts in the way they are presented to, and viewed by the student. It should go without saying that the classical warrior took his training with utmost sincerity and seriousness; his very life depended on it. But times have changed. The martial arts' "serious" edge has been irrevocably dulled by modernism. In his writings, Donn Draeger expressed contempt for what he felt was a dismantling of the classical traditions of budo - the martial ways:

Classical budo is not a trifling matter begun for fun or whim. And it is not to be engaged in for personal pleasure or social amusement. Those who would seek to use the dojo for refined exhibitionism, peacock pride, social climbing, chitchat, or gossip have failed to grasp the fact that the profundity of the classical budo exceeds love of self.

Now that's serious. Ironically in his personal life, Draeger had a reputation for being a prankster and a hell-raiser, but I digress. I don't mean to mock this way of thinking, rather my point is that I feel it is up to the student how to approach training in the martial arts. Depending on the person, like it or not, there will be those who regard the dojo as either a temple, a school, or a hangout. It's their personal business; just train hard and go about your own business. Even for those who aspire to black belt or teach, very few are cut out for the dedicated long haul.

Haragei

Whether speaking of human physiology or esoteric martial arts, the ability to generate power and maintain proper movement and balance begins by identifying your center of gravity (itten) located in the lower abdomen - the hara. When haragei is optimally developed, a special quality of power emerges - one that exceeds ordinary muscular strength. The feeling of being rooted, yet agile, is essential in every system in the martial arts. In explaining one of the secrets of Okinawan karate, goju-ryu founder Chojun Miyagi used the parallel of a willow tree enduring a wind storm; while the top of the tree and its branches sway in the direction of the wind, the trunk remains unmovable and planted. Conversely, when one feels tense, or relies upon typical "arm strength", this point of energy (ki) rises, and causes the practitioner to become top-heavy and off-balance. This is why maintaining proper stances and rotating the hips during various techniques are so important in the martial arts. The ability to kiai and the audible breathing aspects of certain forms must also begin in the hara.

The hara is also the reference point of mental focus in some meditation practices (mokuso), and is considered the seat of courage and intuition (kan), as expressed in having "guts" or a "gut feeling". Natives of many tribal cultures regard the abdominal region as the site of the mind, even the soul.

Despite some of the mystical connotations associated with the hara, in practical terms it is the source of one's power, balance, and spirit in the martial arts.