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Why block, parry, evade and then counter strike when you can do all of them at once and end a confrontation immediately.

What is a destruction? A destruction is a technique that destroys a body part so that it no longer works properly and this can be done to a bone, a muscle, a joint or a nerve. This can be a temporary injury or a permanent injury depending on what body part is destructed and by what means it is destructed and it can either be done with a block or a strike. In the particular combat fighting style that I practice called Pentjak Silat we have the following saying; ?We do not block we strike but We do not strike we block? In other words we simply put a harder object between the opponents attacking limb and our targeted body part. An example of this would be an opponent strikes with a right-hand cross punch towards our left jaw, we would simply place the point of our left elbow in the way so that the opponents fist impales into the point of our elbow causing the hand to break and producing a destruction.

Now, did we block our face or did we strike their fist? It just depends on how you look at it but either way the hand is injured and the fight is probably over. If for some reason the opponent is able to continue to fight then at least they are at a great disadvantage being in pain and having limited use of one of their primary weapons.

I use the following three terms to clarify blocking VS striking destructions:

?Defensive Destruction? Is more of a block type technique and is used when the opponent has launched an attack and a limb is coming toward you. You simply place a stationary weapon in its path to stop it from reaching its target.

?Offensive Destruction? is more of a strike type technique and used when the opponent is about to launch an attack with a specific limb. You strike that limb as or before it begins its motion towards you to stop it from reaching its target.

?Offensive-Defensive Destruction? is a deadly combination of the first two and done when you intercept the opponents incoming limb with a strike of your own. The speed and power of the two objects combined produces a much greater amount of force when the two meet rather than just impaling on a stationary object and it also produces much more damage to the attacking limb.

Now lets look at some of the many different ways to apply a destruction technique both offensively and defensively:

Fist strikes can be defensively destructed using elbows to impale upon and offensively destructed using leopard paw and back knuckle strikes to the metacarpal bones located in the back of the hand.

Backhand strikes can be defensively destructed using elbows, fist, back knuckles and leopard paws to impale upon and offensively destructed using leopard paw, fist and back knuckle strikes to the metacarpal bones.

Back knuckle strikes can be defensively destructed using elbows to impale upon and offensively destructed using elbows, leopard paw and back knuckle strikes to the carpals bones located in the wrist joint area and the ulna & radius bones commonly called the forearm bones.

Hammer fist strikes can be defensively destructed using elbows to impale upon and offensively destructed using elbows, back knuckles, cranes head and leopard paw strikes to the carpals bones and the ulna & radius bones.

Elbows strikes can be defensively destructed using elbows at a different angle to impale upon and offensively destructed using back knuckles, fist, cranes head and leopard paw strikes to the medial epicondyle bone commonly called the funny bone.

Knee strikes can be defensively destructed using knees at a different angle to impale upon for lower body attacks, fist and elbows to impale upon for mid body attacks and elbows to impale upon for upper body attacks. Offensively destructed using knees, elbows, fist, back knuckles and kicks to strike the lateral condyle, lateral epicondyle, medial condyle, medial epicondyle, intercondylar bones located around the knee joint area and the patella located at the front of the knee commonly called the knee cap.

Front kicks can be defensively destructed using fist, back knuckles, elbows and knees to impale upon and offensively destructed using elbows, fist, back knuckles and knees to strike the tibia bone commonly called the shin bone and the talus, tarsals & metatarsals bones located in the instep area of the foot.

Side kicks can be defensively destructed using elbows, back knuckles and fist to impale upon and offensively destructed using elbows, back knuckles and fist to strike to the Fibular notch & lateral malleolus bones located near the ankle of the foot and the fibula & tibia bones.

Back kicks can be defensively destructed using elbows, back knuckles and fist to impale upon and offensively destructed using elbows, back knuckles and fist to strike the lateral malleolus bone located near the Achilles tendon area of the foot and the tibia & fibula bones.

Roundhouse kicks can be defensively destructed with knees to impale upon for lower body attacks. Elbows, fist and back knuckles to impale upon for upper body attacks. Offensively destructed using knee, elbow, fist and back knuckle to strike the tibia bone, talus, tarsals & metatarsals bones.

Crescent kicks ?inside? can be defensively destructed using elbows, fist and back knuckles to impale upon and offensively destructed using elbows, fist and back knuckles to strikes the medial malleolus bone located on the inside of the ankle joint, the calcaneus bone commonly called the heel bone and the tibia & fibula bones.

Crescent kicks ?outside? can be defensively destructed using elbows, fist and back knuckles to impale upon and offensively destructed using elbows, fist and back knuckles to strike the fibular notch & lateral malleolus bone located on the outside of the ankle joint, the calcaneus bone commonly called the heel bone and the tibia & fibula bones.

You must be careful when practicing these techniques and take caution in applying these destructions to your partner as these destructions can seriously injury without using much force or intent.

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This is amongst the most effective ways to enhance your regular training or start taking classes. There a wide range of reasons why people take classes on the web and here are just a few, more affordable, more convenient, no commute, and they can practice from home.

Men and women, beginners, and families around the world have the ability to see the advantages from martial arts training without ever having to leave their home. It is a thing that families can do together to get a excellent workout, build confidence, and learn about self-defense. It’s a family hobby that more than fifty million people around the world practice each week.

Don’t get me wrong, live training through an expert instructor right beside you is the ideal scenario; however, that is not always possible for everyone. Many online martial arts training programs now offer live classes through Skype and other tools. This allows a student to practice with an professional instructor together step by step.

Before you get started with your web-based training I suggest that you just make a space to use. Relocate any tables or couches out of the way so you don’t trip over them or worse yet, strike them. You don’t need a ton of space however , you certainly should give yourself lots of space if you need it.

Lots of people are now hooking their ipods and computers up to their big screen TV for an even better viewing experience. Apple offers cords that permit you to connect your ipod touch or iphone right to your television for a large high definition experience. Just visit your favorite internet search engine and enter apple cords to TV and you will probably find a large amount of places where you can purchase them.

New and top notch content is yet another reason individuals enjoy online training. A lot of programs give you a new and exciting video every week so you are continually learning new techniques. Several online programs offer free videos and other have a paid membership site. If you have always wanted to study the fighting techniques, I suggest that you just check out one of these programs to get started with your martial arts training today.

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What Is Muay Thai

Muay Thai is really a fight activity getting roots within Thailand since the title by itself suggests. This is among the numerous style types which are well-liked within Parts of asia for example Martial arts as well as Kung Fu. Initially it’s nearer to kickboxing that is recognized through various titles in various nations for example tomoi within Malaysia, pradal serey within Cambodia, as well as Muay Lao within Laos. Exactly what numerous don’t know regarding Muay Thai is actually that it’s the actual nationwide activity associated with Thailand. Muay Thai can also be known as the actual artwork associated with 8 braches simply because along with fingers, as with boxing, as well as fingers as well as ft as with another types of kickboxing, advocates associated with Muay Thai take advantage of fingers, ft, elbows as well as legs therefore getting the actual total in order to 8.

Origins

Southern Eastern Asian countries is famous to be house in order to various kinds of Fitness Kickboxing. This owes it’s source in order to Kickboxing which was used through Siamese troops once they unintentionally dropped their own weaponry as well as needed to protect on their own in order to harm their own opponents. Initially known as merely Muay, this particular style had been initially intended for real combat however recently it’s surfaced like a extremely popular type of activity. Although there are lots of other forms associated with fighting techinques, Muay Thai is becoming extremely well-liked in several areas of the planet recently.

Muay Thai Training Camps

Muay Thai is definitely an thrilling style type through Thailand which has used the planet through surprise recently. Not the same as additional style types through Southern Eastern Asian countries, for example Martial arts, Kung Fu and so on. Muay Thai boxers take advantage of 8 braches like the fingers, ft, elbows as well as legs permitting a few really agile as well as thrilling techniques that have created the actual fight activity extremely popular in several areas of the planet. If you’re amazed through this particular really thrilling style type, as well as desire to discover this possibly like a pastime or even desire to become professional, you’ve reached discover the actual methods in the experts on their own, as well as with regard to you’ll want to go to unique Muay Thai training camps which are organized in a variety of areas of Thailand frequently.

The Benefits of Muay Thai

Muay Thai, the style type featuring its origins within Thailand is becoming very popular in several areas of the planet nowadays. It’s not the same as traditional traditional western boxing as well as kickboxing that’s used in several nations because advocates associated with Muay Thai may take advantage of four models associated with braches that means it is an extremely fascinating as well as thrilling activity to view. It’s a someone to 1 fight activity that needs lots of agility as well as quick, nimble actions within the diamond ring.

Because may be the situation along with just about all types of fighting techinques, the actual routines which are carried out, whilst understanding Muay Thai possess excellent advantages for any individual. These people aid in increasing the actual pace, agility, power as well as cardio stamina from the specialist. The actual workouts related to Muay Thai significantly assist in accumulating the actual endurance of the individual as well as their general physical fitness amounts will even improve.

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The kung fu wooden dummy is a fantastic training device. It toughens the arms for blocking, it toughens the palms for striking, and it is an opponent that never quits, but always loses. Unfortunately, it costs a bit much, so here are a couple of alternatives to help the wooden dummy aficionado.

The Kung Fu Wooden Dummy is popular in many martial arts, but the main art is Wing Chun Ving Tsun) Gung Fu. This art has practiced with the wooden man for the longest, and even has a complete form for dominating it. Other arts, however, use the dummy, also.

This writer recalls seeing the Kung Fu wooden dummy in Jackie Chan’s wonderful kung fu flick Rumble in the Bronx. Seeing the air fill with dust when Jackie lays into it is a great moment. Possibly the best flick to demonstrate the wooden figure is Ip Man, with Donny Yen.

In the beginning the martial artist will become competent at training on kicking bags and speed bags, and perhaps strengthening the mitts on the makiwara. It won’t be long, however, until the karateka or kung fu zealot puts a couple of rug samples on a pine tree and starts tougher hand conditioning exercises. A nice trick, however, is to get the wooden limb to move towards you so you can block it.

This writer made a quick striking pole by taping a towel around a broomstick, and then having people come at him with it. This rapidly turned into an advanced form of free fighting, where the block had to be accomplished, and the distance to the attacker covered. It is a hard task to move three or four feet in a split second to close the distance the to the pole.

From there one might consider mounting a pole on some sort of swivel device. Bury a four by four in the ground, then place a moveable pole atop it. On can block the arm, and block it again when it swings around, and even get into ducking and blocking against the thing.

Eventually, one will want to get a large piece of wood-a log-drill holes through it, and set up some arms and even legs. One can then dance back and forth, palm the wooden limbs, and pretend that one is fighting a real opponent. What is really nifty is to put some large springs on the limbs so that there is a certain amount of give and take.

The cost of wood being considerable, or perhaps the difficulty of procuring a log when you live in in a city, one might think about different materials. A length of PVC might suffice, if one can find thick enough material that won’t break, or perhaps even some sort of light metal. This type of dummy and limbs would require some sort of wrapping to protect the hands and feet.

In closing, there are many ways to set up a fake opponent, and the martial artist is limited only by his imagination. Watch movies, read books, and start inspecting the materials available to you. Guaranteed, a kung fu wooden dummy will go a long way in your martial arts training.

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If you do any kind of martial arts sparring, you know that protective gear is of the utmost importance. Any man who has the stones to go into a sparring match without a cup on, won?t have them for very long. There?s protective gear like the heavily padded ?foot gloves? that I wear when I?m teaching, so I don?t accidentally do a spin kick and take someone?s head off when they miss a block. But the protective gear I want to sing the praises of today are the martial arts sparring shoes.

Now, I use the martial arts shoe for two very simple reasons. The first is that after I did a series of practice bits against a wooden ?sparring dummy?, I walked out of the dojo on several bone-deep bruises in my feet. Now, bruises are the price you pay for any contact sport, including martial arts. Even a little bit of padding would?ve kept me from walking funny for two days. My friends and co-workers were making fun of my little mincing steps to avoid putting weight on the tops of my feet from a particularly nasty bruise ? almost a break in the bone.

The foot has so many small bones. And almost no meat. No fat. No protection. Poor bloodflow. At least mine do. Pain sticks attached to my ankles!

I guess I?m a slow learner. Two weeks later, I did the same practice drill and about pulped my big toe when I mis-judged the distance to the wingchun wooden dummy on a kick ? instead of hitting it with the arch of the foot, I did a direct ?full force kick? with the point of contact centered on the toe. The joint popped, the toe swelled up to twice its size, and only pure blind luck kept me from having a fracture.

OK, so kicking wooden dummies in bare feet is a dumb idea….

I went looking for things to save me from my own stupidity and found martial arts sparring shoes. Now, those sparring shoes are different from tourney foot pads. They?re light enough that you won?t develop compensatory habits to adjust for the weight?and while they don?t offer as much protection, it?s the difference between kicking a wooden dummy with your bare foot and kicking it with a pair of tennis shoes on.

On top of that, they also improve traction on the ground, and stability when doing routines and drills. Given how much I like Kung Fu styles, and how acrobatic they are, that extra traction was very appealing. While it?s not fun to be thrown on your ass by a sparring partner, it?s even less fun to do it on your own because you slipped.

Plus, to be honest, it was good to come home from a session in the dojo without feeling like I was being a sniveling, whiney brat because my feet hurt. Trust me, these things saved my marriage ? my wife was making fun of my new ?dance steps? when I was busy beating the crap out of my feet and whining about it when I had to take out the garbage.

Didn’t I mention I can dance? That’s for another article. She saw Dancing With The Stars and it was over. I don’t know what hurts more, learning to tango or kicking that wooden dummy!

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Light Body Kung Fu, sometimes called Light Kung Fu, is one of those legends that has a lot of substantiation. There are directions in old texts concerning the method, and every once in a while you see something really astounding that makes people think that such things are possible. This article is going to be concerned with offering directions for achieving that high Kung Fu ability.

Basic instructions for learning light kung fu, and being able to do martial arts techniques like jumping six feet straight up, are usually childish, or esoteric. The childish are usually consist of directions like, ‘dig a hole and jump out of it one thousand times. Take one cup of dirt out of the hole every morning, and in ten years you will be able to jump out of a twelve foot pit.

Let’s see: one inch a day, 365 days a year, ten years, 3650 inches divided by should be able to jump 304 feet straight up. Maybe it was an inch of dirt every week? But that would still be over 25 feet straight up.

The more esoteric directions said things like one must breath to the tan tien while you do the Leopard gives birth move. The third chakra must be engaged on year two, and the seventh chakra will ignite on year six. Burn incense to Jesus constantly while you do this.

Leaving the childish and the esoteric aside, more confusion is often injected by scientists. I happened across the following directions for light kung fu on a martial arts forum. Gigong is just the ability of transition of body weight between the two feet in such a manner that the body weight never fully rests on any of the legs in any period of the paragraph goes on to describe how to shorten the cycle of stepping.

This last description is most interesting, a grand effort, but there is always a problem when somebody tries to describe something that is beyond physics with…physics. What I mean by this is that physics describes the universe, it doesn’t really tell you what it is and how it works. I know scientists will argue with this, and try to inflict their reasoning on what I say, but science can’t define the supernatural, such as light kung fu, changing wine into water, or, say, walking on water.

I had a student who managed to walk on water. His method was to run across the corner of a swimming pool. He would get a running start, do a couple of things with his mind, and run over the surface of the water without dropping into the drink.

What we are interested in, of course, is what he was doing with his mind. Gravity can be measured, of course; it can be described by physics, but it is still a notion that you must believe in for it to work. We are raised up to make physics work (trained by schools based in scientific thought), but the secret of light body kung fu is to untrain your mind, to overcome the notion of gravity, and that takes a lot of kung fu discipline.

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When you wish to learn something as a part of hobby, innumerable things come to your mind. In the present day scenario, one of the contemporary arts you can learn is the art of self defense. You can learn Karate, Martial Arts, Ninja, Kung Fu, Boxing, etc. These activities will also help you have flexibility in your body. In addition, karate, martial arts and others help in becoming strong and fight back in odd situations. Learning alone is not everything but having proper accessories is also important.

There are a number of online stores which offer cost effective range of equipment, accessories and clothing for Karate, Martial arts and others. As you make a purchase online, there are a number of added aspects you can look into. According to your preferences of size, color and other measurements, you can receive the Martial Arts weapons, Karate uniforms and other equipment. This way, you can go ahead in learning within no time.

Furthermore, in any product, meeting quality parameters incorporate huge importance. The custom built Martial arts uniforms, weapons and other items offered from online store are well tested and proven as per the international quality standards. When you buy Martial Arts weapons, you should keep a check into some of these factors that these high quality weapons are light in weight, tough, eye appealing and durable in service. Also, you should see that the weapons offer smooth finish for easy and trouble free spinning.

As you order the equipment, you should check into the factors like their type of packaging and make sure that these reach unhampered. Along with safe packing, you must ensure that you get your Martial Art weapons and other equipment at the scheduled time.

Across the global market on the internet platform, you can get a large choice in Karate and Martial Art weapons, uniforms, belts and other items. Apart from the uniforms and weapons, the online shops also offer products such as books, videos, DVDs, and music with which one can learn more tricks and techniques in Karate, Judo, Taekwondo and other arts.

If you are learning it as a hobby, it is important to have all the products before you start practicing. There is a large online availability of diverse Martial Art weapons, uniforms and other accessories. So get started today with your hobby of learning self defense. Order your Karate and Martial Art items now!

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I can put out a candle with a martial arts technique at about two feet now. This article is about the techniques I use. I’m hoping other people out there will want to share their methods, and we can all experience improvement at this little trick.

Now, just to be clear, it is a trick, but it does have benefits of good value. Mental concentration improves, and you learn different things about how the body can be utilized. The body and the mind, to be truthful, are tools that we have barely begun to understand.

First things first, there is a very cheap shot way of putting out a candle. If you flick the finger in front of the flame, the flick is enough to disrupt the oxygen and make the flame die. Try it, just hold the hand a few inches back of the candle, then flick the finger as if you are merely snapping the fingers, as if you are flicking off water, and do it on the flame.

Next, I worked on the fist stopping in front of the candle. While there is mental focus involved, this is still a simple rob the flame of oxygen trick. You are robbing oxygen, but it takes mental control of the body to make it work just right.

You have to stop the body precisely, exactly, and with no shake or shiver. This leads one to the conclusion that it is not muscle, but control of muscle, that is important. All those hours of standing in a horse stance in front of a candle do have their physical benefit, but it is the mental benefit that is most real.

When I put out a candle at two feet I use the Brush Knee tai chi posture, and I work on shifting weight, turning hips, and using all parts of the body to do so. The most important thing, the thing that showed me gradual and increasing success, was to take all the energy out of the body when doing the technique. I did this thing with karate technique, and I learned to use less physical effort and to increase my mental focus, I did it tai chi style, and my success depends on removing all energy from the body and moving the body from outside.

It takes me a while, but as I remove energy and effort from my body, concentrate on not using muscle, but relaxing the space of my body of effort, I tend to get a little back of my body. I’m not out of my body, I’m not a floating, disembodied mentality drifting through the universe, just a little removed, comfortably removed, seeing my body from a viewpoint a little behind where my eyes are. The patience and mental resources are quite pitched at this point, because I am trying to move a body without reference to muscle, but with just the lightest touch of intention.

I still encounter problems with the method I am using. In spite of the mental sharpness I am building, it doesn’t feel efficient. Also, there seems to be a limit to the effective distance I am able to put out a candle at, and I can’t get beyond about three feet. But at least I am experiencing limited success, and time and patience and resolved efforts will give me more.

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Many people walk to the corner mall, walk into their Korean Martial Arts dojo, and train in nice, neat uniforms, watching themselves in wall sized mirrors, hit bags in between sips of their designer water, and think that they are doing the die hard Tae Kwon Do. What these people should know is some of the history of Korean Karate, and particularly of Korean Karate. They will find that that polite kick punch combination they are practicing was born in hell, perfected in hades, and then things got nasty.

Just to let you know, this bit of scribble is dedicted to the history of the kwans from Korea of the fifties. This includes the nine major kwans, which are Sung Moo Kwan, Chang Moo Kwan, Chung Du Kwan, Oh Do Kwan, Kang Duk Won, Moo Duk Kwan, Yun Moo Kwan, Han Moo Kwan, Jung Do Kwan. There are other Kwans that grew from these nine, but these nine are the ones that started it all.

Korea is a rugged, little spit of land, about half the size of California,sticking out from the Asian continent. It is a land equal in plains and eternal mountain ranges. It experiences extremes of typhoonal rains, siberian cold, and brain broiling heat.

Throughout its history, Korea has undergone countless wars. The Japanese ruled the land during the first half of the last century, and in the early fifties Korea became the battleground between the free world and communism. Thus, this small bit of land came under the grinding warfare of million man armies, and the people were in constant flight, or murdered outright.

The communist forces surged across the 38th parallel on the attack, causing a mass exodus the length of the peninsula. Farmers were conscripted into the vast communist armed forces, given no rifles, and put into massive meat grinder attacks. If the peasants lived through the terrile carnage of war, they had to endure a winter with temperatures often at 30 degrees below zero.

Those that managed to survive the winters, and the spring attack of the UN forces, continued with their study of the martial arts. That’s right, in the middle of all the slaughter, in spite of the weather and starvation, the nine kwans survived. Indeed, they grew.

One tale that made me blink hard in awe of these incredible people was that, when the battle front approached, the students would pick up the planks of their dojos and head south. That’s right, they didn’t even nail the boards to the floor beams, because they knew they would be on the run, and they perfected their jumping, spinning kicks on unsecured, splintered, weathered planks. Got a splinter jammed in your it out and keep going, because that’s the martial arts.

So enjoy your kicking fur lined bags and mirrors, and hoist your designer water in appreciation. That Korean Martial art you are studying was created by supermen, and it is a legacy dripping with blood and sweat and tears. And when you bow…touch your head to the floor, your ancestors deserve it.

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Believe it or not, but fancy moves aren?t the only things you can learn from martial arts. Few people are aware that martial arts is more a mental activity than physical and if you want to learn how to improve focus, enrolling in a martial arts class is just the way to do it.

Know Your Goals

Some people choose to study martial arts because they wish to have the ability to defend themselves, others do it to build self-confidence, while some are simply looking for a challenging way to stay fit. In your case, you want to learn and improve focus, and that?s just good as any reason. What matters is that you know your goals. Keep them in the forefront of your mind because they will help in understanding and acquiring new skills.

Learn to Relax

This again may come as a surprise to you, but when you are doing martial arts, you need not be stiff and tense. What you are instead is relaxed but prepared.

Relaxation is also one of the keys to learning and improving focus. Think of the times when you were asked to complete difficult tasks at work. Didn?t you have an easier time thinking up solutions when you were relaxed and free from pressure?

Before you can work on your focus, work on becoming relaxed first. Shake your body loose from tension and free your mind from worries. Only when you do that have you truly achieved complete relaxation.

Learn to Meditate

Yes, it?s true: meditation is not just for monks or yoga-loving people. Meditation is also an essential part of martial arts and it is critical in helping you gain better focus. Relaxation is the first step in meditation: once you?re relaxed, you can then start to meditate.

In meditation, you allow your mind to explore in its own. You also absorb chi or energy, and this will make you physically and mentally stronger.

Break Boards with Better Focus

Breaking boards have long been a popular trick in martial arts and you can do it, too, if you?ve got great focus. You will need proper training for it first, of course, but any sensei will tell you that your age, size or level of proficiency in martial arts wouldn?t matter. Focus will get you to break those boards in no time.

When breaking boards, you will need to determine the appropriate amount of striking distance you need from the board. You can?t be too close or too far. Secondly, you need to visualize the entire process and this is where focus kicks in. You need to trust in your capabilities; you also need to focus not on hitting the board but on getting your kick 2 to 3 inches past the board.

Do that and you?re sure to impress everyone with your focus?and board-kicking skills!

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In the Chinese classic work, Tao Te Ching said to be written by Lao Tzu around the 6th century BC, there is somewhat a poem which can say a lot about the virtues of flexibility.

Men are born soft and supple;

Dead, they are stiff and hard.

Plants are born tender and pliant;

Dead, they are brittle and stiff.

Thus whoever is stiff and inflexible is a disciple of death.

Whoever is soft and yielding is a disciple of life.

The hard and stiff will always be broken.

The soft and supple will prevail.

In one of my previous articles, I have touched the topic on flexibility and how it factored much in aikido especially on the aspects of executing the techniques. In this article, I have more to discuss on flexibility, and at this point, I have come to realise that aikido is indeed a lesson in flexibility.

How can you develop your flexibility? Having browsed an aikido forum website, some practitioners suggested that one take up yoga and even Pilates and stretching before training. How do these things translate into aikido? Certain yoga practices and stretching techniques helped them stretch their shoulders even more, which comes beneficial in the correct positioning of the hand grasping techniques especially the nikyo and sankyo. And these also help in their execution of lock techniques.

Digging more into the physical sense of flexibility, Osensei Ueshiba Morihei had indeed shown his flexibility when he developed aikido: Who else would teach to martial arts students about blending in with the force or energy of our attacker instead of fighting or opposing it? Is not that way too radical? No. O-Sensei was just being flexible in his definition on martial arts as martial arts was on its way to become a sport for completion or fighting rather than being a way of life.

The poem above would best described Osensei as being an open and flexible master of martial arts. This he showed when he emphasised harmonisation over contention when facing aggression or conflict whether physical or verbal. Refusing to skirt around the standard option of martial arts (‘win or lose’) and not wanting his students to get harmed, he told the early students not to simple fight back by being as aggressive as our attackers. Instead, we exploit the attacker’s energy to neutralise their aggression. It is not to attack, but to divert the attack.

People with the conventional definition of martial arts would end up getting hurt in the process because they refuse to be open and be flexible in their understanding of martial arts, especially on self-defence. One should learn from Osensei: You need to let go of your habitual and reactive tendencies to defend thy self. Instead, you should be open to feel undefended. For those who are not aware about aikido, this may sound non-sense especially if they do not understand the meaning behind the paradox.

Aikido owes its existence to Osensei’s flexibility. This is not only evident in the practice of Sydney aikido. He even worked to allowed the techniques be flexible for certain practitioners and for certain events. This is why there is no such thing as ‘styles’ but only ‘techniques’. Furthermore, did not he allow his students to develop their own variations of the techniques? This we will look up to in future articles.

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Step two: Separate the pain from you

Note: Part One can be found at the Personal Development – The teachings of the Urban Monk website.

Once you separate your pain from the injury, the next step is to separate your self from the pain, and therefore your reaction. Often your reaction is well within your control once you see it from this different standpoint.

Let?s say my opponent hits me in the liver, and it nearly folds me in half; it affects my breathing and it hurts to move. If I am identified with the pain, the reaction will be much worse. I might quit, I might run.

But if I see the pain as something that happens ? just a bodily sensation, like any other, then I have far greater control over my reaction. It is vital to see it as something that is in you, but not you. ?Pain shoots over my body? is different from ?pain shooting over me?.

So the key is to accept the injury, accept that it hurts, but know that you can control how you react to it, most of the time. (If you?re knocked out or your body is paralysed, then well, there?s nothing you can do.)

Note: If the injury is serious ? get to a hospital, don?t play macho man. I?m talking non-life threatening injuries here.

Step two for emotional pain

How about emotional pain? Going back to ?getting fired? example. Recognize that you now have to find another job. Start taking action, update your resume. Cut back on your spending until you get another source of income. You might feel sad, feel like a failure, or feel the fear of not being able to provide for your family. Recognising that is separate from you will make it much more manageable.

Now if it?s the first time it happens then it is forgivable to overreact to it. The first time I was punched in the liver, it was a whole new sensation and I didn?t know how to handle it. I lost all the fight in me ? I dropped to the canvas and struggled to breathe like beached whale. The first time I screwed up on the job in my teens I was upset by it as well.

Beyond the first couple of times, however, your reaction is just a conditioned habit ? and habits can be broken.

Observing and acknowledging it is central in various spiritual teachings ? there are a few articles in the Emotional Mastery at the Urban Monk website that deal with this.

Application

This can be hard to explain in words; my suggestion would be to keep this in mind, and then next time it happens, just know that it is not you. This can be hard, especially if it is intense, but it?s just a matter of experience.

Here?s a tip: Imagine you are playing a video game. Your character takes a massive hit; you lose half of your life bar. You acknowledge it, and decide to take a more cautious approach ? another wrong move and it?s game over. Most gamers won?t get depressed, cry, or quit playing the game simply because they?ve got half their vitality points left.

Resisting or fearing the pain makes it worse

Here?s a little tip; the more you fear it, the more it hurts. Try accepting the fear. Accept that life has its ups and downs. In combat sports, or martial arts, accept you will get hit ? even defensive masters will get hit.

If you resist the pain, you add to it. If you are afraid of the pain it hurts more. Accept the pain, and suddenly, this article will make sense ? it?s just something inside you, rather then some bad, fearful thing that happens to you.

More on fear

The more you fear something, the more you focus on it, and the more likely it is to happen. You hit what you aim for, isn?t that a universal truth? When you using a pistol for example, do you look at the tree and think ?I hope I don?t hit it??

If, after you lose your job, your thoughts are occupied with fear, and lack of money / security, what are you aiming for? If, in sparring, you are worried about losing, what are you inviting? There is much talk of the law of attraction / The Secret nowadays, but much it is just common sense, not mystical or mysterious.

How about pleasure?

While it might make sense to separate yourself from pain, what about pleasurable sensations? What will happen if you separate yourself from that? Contrary to logic, this practice can actually increase the pleasure.

More on this on the Urban Monk website.