The Dojo

Regarding the Martial Arts Commuinty (Who are they really) ? A huge portion (the largest) of the community is made up from childrens enrollments. This is the realm of the novice. It is a safe haven to play in, pretend and pursue skill in the common martial arts such as the Korean arts, Japanese arts etc. The next largest segment is the auxilliary players. supporters, uniform manufacturers, martial art gear infrastructure that serves this realm's needs. Some This area goes beyond the martial bounds and covers

Collection agencys, retailers and such. The are not directly involved. many aspects of life.

Next comes the buzz-kids, movie freaks, video game goofs, wannabee's and fantasy players. No real intent here to join a studio or train, yet they thrive on the video violence and consider themselves "knowledgeable" about the arts. (seen all of Bruce Lee's movies five times) . Our final portion and the smallest is the area of martial endeavor which actually addresses combat. The killing of others in violent confrontation. The realm of pro's and tactical experts. Not many dwell here friends, it's no fun, no glory, just blood and pain, even regret at times. This is the toughest area, yet the smallest and yet without this specific area, none of the others could or will progress. It is combat which influences our community, not childish "Ninja-Turtle" crap, it only influences the pocketbook. Do we need more followers I ask you? I think not. What we need is more leaders, realists, creators and researchers. Do we (the community) need more sports? Hell no. Combat has never been an avenue for sports. To say or think otherwise is bad thinking at its best. What is the Training Hall or Studio (symbollically) ? Beyond the stereotype we are all familiar with it can be everywhere and everything. It is a safe place to learn and grow. It is the nest, the den, the lodge or crib where we inter-relate with others of our species. Thereby we establish positive growth and survival skills. This goes well beyond the mere physical aspects of combatives. Think food, shelter, financial freedom, childhood, adulthood, hygiene and respect for life. The Hall can be symbolic of your entire existence. What is a System and What is a Style ? A system is a "one size fits all" sort of deal. A method many can employ to reach a certain degree of expertise. A Style a personal path) fits only you and can a blend of many things. Systems do not take into account personal hadicaps, a man's own STYLE does. A system cannot prepare one for environmental issues, a style can. Your personal style is great for YOU, but generic systems are best for public teachings. What - Who is a Master (sensei, grandmaster, grand poobah, the head honcho, etc) Someone copes well under lifes extremes. Someone who has gained a way to deal with lifes many variables and woes and who usually comes out on top. Because someone can successfully kick-ass does not mean they are a master. The title must be earned via long term continuous good examples, good judgements. The term comes from the people, not other teachers or fighters. One saying of an old teacher of mine goes like this: There are students and there are master students, but there are no masters.

What is a Title about ? (Martial arts abound with goofy titles ya know) Oh geeeeez, hmm, a title is many things. It can be a gift to help business, it can be a trap to force an issue. A title can be a political lever and it can also be a honor to recieve one. A title should be a descriptor to the culture - society it is working-living within. The term SHIHAN says little to the American mind, but "Senior-expert" says a ton! Our titles must relate to our world, environment, websites and cultures in order for them to carry any weight at all. Respect should accompany your title, but if those about you cannot fathom your worth or reason then the title has missed its mark. It is derelict in its duty. In my world title means little, you either do it or you dont. As another old teacher (Jim Ingram) used to say as he held up his hands before himself: "Let your guns do your talking for you". What is the General Purpose Which Underlies Martial Arts Training? There is only one purpose and that is combative survival skills and knowledge. Not games, sports, fitness, not religion, not oneness nor harmony. COMBATIVES first, then all the rest can fit as they fantasically shall. Yah, Yah, you can babble and bark, save yer emails, I love my dork-delete button. No matter how you hide it, combat is the front runner here mate. Now, who will not buy into this logic? Ah, I know, weaklings, money grubbers and dojo-dorks and the sheeple they herd will no doubt shudder at my words written here as if blast forth straight from Satans mouth they were. You must grasp this fact .. most combat related material falls well outside the parameters of "acceptable" martial arts training. Why is that? Hmm, lemme see now, ah yes, here it is: We all hide from our own violence, we always have, we always do, those who choose to longer hide are then branded "crazy" or renegades. Indeed fearsome men have always endured this mark of cain. There are tigers and sheeple in the world. It is always thus. Commercial Mis-Direction: Stage Magic with your Mind and Wallet? (Sell Fantasy Practice Reality?) The lone customer staggers into the local dojo. He is looking for self defense and some confidence. The sign out front had those words on it. So he came in seeking those things because he feels he needs them. But, what does mr. dojo-guy do? Boom, mis-direction at once! It'zzzzzzzz Jammy time! Time for buying your Gi or uniform, punchy people pajamas for a "real" training experience. (Yah yah, god fucking preserve us all from this tripe). Then push the rank crap right away too, push the certified crap too, double talk for the same thing, but the package appears better then ya see. Priorities are swiftly re-arranged by commercial sensei so that things are in HIS favor. God Dammit! Give the customer what they want and need, not some used car-slick sales trickery! It is about our customers needs, NOT about the teachers ego or wallet! Martial arts are not touted as being seasonal as with sports games. But, in many ways they should be seasonal. Why are we not balanced in this way? Because Mr. commercial sensei wants-needs yer dough joe ! He doesn't even know yer frigging name, just your account number. Take the summer off, see ya next season eh? You see the medias have concocted such a mass of martial arts crapola that few people can honestly seperate fact from falsehood. It has became a condition of FLASH over MASH, of "looking good" versus "fighting good"...ugh, a nasty trick there. Thus lodging thousands of pretty wannbees into conditions of control who look cool, have ranks and connections and yet cannot FIGHT for shit ! DOH ! Looking cool equates with other wannbees needs. They trick only their same kind in other words.

Reality based warriors rarely look or act the part. Staying "grey" unseen, that is their choice of operating modes. This type rarely shows off, they are watcherstalkers. They know the kill comes from surprise, ambush and entrapment, not "big balls". If a pro must pull their sword then they do, they do the job and re-sheath fast. Wannabee's are constantly waving their sword about and missing the mark over and again. Odd ain't it? Real confidence looks and feels differently from fantasy crap. WHO'S Tradition? WHO'S WAY ? WTF ? Well, usually it isn't my tradition or your tradition is it? Not even the "tradition" of modern asian peoples. Japanese, Korean, Chinese system rest heavily upon "tradition". Haw, sadly true! So, what is it then? It is preservation of culture, a museum of motion and methods if you will. Things gathered from a time when they were more appropriate for the times. Think cultural preservation society and you be closer than saying they are a martal arts method. (since when has tradition been a barrier to thugs?) If you need history then go to a museum, if you need to learn about combat then you should go to a dojo, but sadly that is NOT how it is today. Extinct cultural values carry little weight today in modern times. To the martial arts industry as a whole I say this: "Grow the fuck up and catch up or die". There are means, methods and traditions relevent to this world and the combat we are enduring, yet somehow, blindly, stupidly the entire martial arts indutry has chosen not to see it. Gads ? The HEAD in the SAND syndrome popularized by ostriches and cowards.Yah, a-huh, yeppers, reality is a bitch, much harder to face than all that pretty-clever metro-sexual crap being passed off as combat in studios today. (Gee, don't cry Nancy, it'll be ok... just go buy a gun a GET fucking - REAL.). TRADITION STARTS HERE! TODAY! NOW! And forever shall it change from day to day, thus integrity is kept and reality is addressed. This is your true legacy warrior! Sports versus COMBAT: (Some ideas, a perspective from naughty, cranky old Jak) Hurting, hitting others is NEVER a sport in my playbook. They simply cannot coexist together, more lies to please ourselves. Hurting others is a necessity of life at times, but it is never a game. Sports are about ego, pride and money. Combat is about survival, completion of the mission and staying alive! To play sports requires one to be active, healthy and young. Not so in order to be a successful self defense exponent. SPORTS offer all of the wrong things to their players: Bad targets (reducing you to a few limited techniques), stopping after hitting, antique weapons for entertainment and dragging a fight out beyond logical limits. Sports makes you stay-think inside the box. This creates a viscious cycle of non-growth and frustration. Combatives on the other hand employ a wide range of techniques and skills to get the job done. Combat encourages thinking outside the box. You must do it or die. JKD was based upon some idea like this ya know. The ANCIENT and the MODERN: Where do we stand? (Why such a non-existence of skills abound for todays world and weapons for martial artists?) The old way of the Samurai had these (and other) ideals set forth: But the old one did not mean to take this literally. Meaning samurai recommendations of old went like this: Horsemanship (ba-jitsu), archery (Kyudo), sword skill (kenjitsu), medicine (kappo), culture (Sumi, ikebana).

The modern version would read thus: Defensive driving skills, riflecraft, pistolcraft, firstaid, cpr and Paramedic skills, a college degree. Get the idea bunky? I knew YOU would! Some argue that traditional weapons play promotes coordination and such, hell so does tennis mate! The masters of yore taught us to A. Use what is at hand, master it as weapon even if it is not B. If you can get real weapons, by all means use them well C. Be prepared and think outside the box. Yes, be tricky Ricky! (read Richard Kims book) This is the essence, not some constipated-outdated rice flail shit or monkey-whack stick crap, grwo dammit, see thru the commercial fog purposely put there to keep thee retarded and held back. Pierce the veil of illusion scholar and advance! Those Damned "RIGHTS and WRONG's and their confusing dual interactions in Martial Arts Are there right and wrong techniques really? Are there really right & wrong applications of techniques, just one way? Or is all this once again just predetermined, well planned points of confusion to keep you at the trough, keep you paying for something thats as easy throwing a ball. Amigo's, believe me, there are no right or wrong anythings... just men and the physics which govern this universe. Some techniques or tricks may be more timely or appropriate than others, but honestly, it's an open door, do not be fooled by the old "Right & Wrong" dojo game. Thinking in thus manner is already a self limiting program, just be and react naturally, you'll do fine. Are there evil, immoral techniques which ought not to be taught? No mate, just evil men. We do what we must to survive, like the HIGHLANDER, there can be only ONE! Consider the difference in military, law enforcement and civilian applications of force and firearms. Therein is an ideal representation of which I speak. Ya still don't get it? Too bad thickhead, yer called "dinner" then, (yum) C'mon, THINK! reconsider, re-read the above, try again. It's a cosmic crapshoot at best, fate figures in as much as training does. Advance and adapt. Staying in Touch (it isn't much) / Lose the Crutch --- of limited thought Believe only 3/4 of what you experience Believe only half of what you see Believe little or nothing of what you may hear Stay in tune and stay in touch with your world and environment. Study daily to maintain a clear view of whats really going on around you. Be patient, take time to stalk your world once a week. Listen with your spirit. Be a forward observer, a combat controller, a scout and a hunter in order to know whats transpiring in your domain ... inside / outside, yah! OK, we return you to your regular programming! This has been a public service announcement from Comtech, cranky Jak and "Wake the Fuck Up" productions Inc. jak