Yume Dojo Article Page

The idea behind the Article Page is to get different perspectives, and new ideas pertaining to the Martial Arts. From time to time we hope to bring in guest Sensei who want to share their art or an aspect of their training. The first two articles are written by two of the Sensei of Yume Dojo. We hope you will find these interesting.

This article is written by Shihan Scotty Klaff. Shihan is the senior Instructor at Yume Dojo. He has been training for 23 years and has several Black Belts in all his years of training. One of Shihan's love is ground work and also the study of "old school" Jujutsu. Here is an article that gives an insight into how he views the MMA environment today. Shihan started training in Brazillian Jujutsu in the early 90's and has been training in different groundwork styles in these years. His training pre-dates the UFC events, and also before any Brazillian Jujutsu schools were in the area.

Mixed Martial Arts vs. Real Martial Arts

This article is going to address the burgeoning sport of mixed martial arts and it’s effect on the martial arts landscape of today. First, I am a huge fan of mixed martial arts. I watch all the UFC’s, I frequent message boards and chat rooms and I watch old fights from Japan religiously. There may not be too many people out there who are more of a fan than myself. However, just like football, baseball and hockey, MMA is a SPORT. There are rules and regulations that are set forth by State Athletic Commissions, weight classes, referees and judges. This is not a knock on MMA, just a qualification that it is a sport. The promoters, presidents and marketing people behind MMA know that it is a sport because they are marketing it as such.

Early on it was not so much a sport as a test to see which style of martial art is the best. That is no longer the case because everybody involved in MMA cross trains with BJJ, wrestling, boxing, Thai boxing and Karate. The problem is when people try to classify MMA as a martial art. It is not! It is a sport. MMA is exactly what it’s called… Mixed Martial Arts adapted for SPORT. Real Martial Arts is a lifelong study. The definition of Martial is, “relating to, or suited for war or a warrior” and “experienced in or inclined to war”. Many people will mistake a fight in a cage or ring with a referee and judges as warfare, but it is not. War is putting your life on the line and the ability and willingness to do whatever it takes to win a battle. People who do this are warriors. I believe that you train in martial arts to be physically and mentally prepared for real battles.

I am not saying that MMA practitioners are not tough guys, or great fighters. I would not want to face a Randy Couture or a Quinton Jackson in a cage or a ring, but I would take my chances on the street any day. I would have no qualms about striking to the groin, biting or eye gauging. I have recently seen several fights stopped due to a fighter being poked in the eye. This then says to me that an eye poke is a very viable weapon that should be used in combat. Randy Couture is a tough guy and an incredible physical specimen, but poke him in the eye and he will tear up just like anyone else. My point here is that distinction needs to be made between sport and warfare. Some people train for sport in order to fight in a cage. That is great, and guess what…. I will pay $50 a month to watch them do so. But some people train for warfare and that needs to be respected as well. War may never come but real warriors are ready for battle whenever it does.

MMA is a trend right now that is dominating the martial arts scene. My concern is that people are moving away from traditional martial arts and into so called reality based fighting systems. I truly believe that this trend will change soon. Hopefully everyone will start to see the distinction between sport and Martial Arts. There is a big difference between Dojo’s and training centers.

Even though I love MMA as a sport, I would love to see fewer fighters wearing hats sideways, fewer promotional banners and less ridiculous sponsorships. In it’s place….. a few more bows! That in a nutshell is the difference between Mixed Martial Arts and Real Martial Arts.

Sensei Stacey Klaff wrote the following articles. Sensei Stacey has been training over 17 years, and is one of the top female practitioners in the country. One of the few high ranking female Jujutsu practitioners, she also excels with a knife. Sensei is an executive chef for a corporate catering service in Phoenix. Here is some of her perspectives.

Ahh…Test time. One of the worst experiences of your life to some students. You’re asked a ton of information in a short amount of time by your instructors just staring at you trying to intimidate the hell out of you, and guess what??? It works!!! You arrive to class early that day thinking you can get some extra time reviewing your techniques or katas before dreaded test time. You might be able to even sneak the help of one of the nice “Sensei” who takes pity on you and gives you some last minute tips, and helps you remember step #10 of Nihanshi Shodan. Then it’s time for what you think is Armageddon, standing in front of your instructors and they ask you the first question: and you draw a blank…Sound familiar to any of you??? Well if it does then most of you have gone through the martial arts testing process. But allow me as a student who has gone through the process many a time to give some insight from my perspective into what some consider a dreadful process.

Allow me to start with some of my testing experiences. As a kyu coming up through the ranks I was not what you would consider a good, diligent student. I started training at the age of 6, after my brother and dad (who are both my Shihan’s now) had already been training together for about 2 or 3 years. I decided that I couldn’t take Girl Scouts anymore because of all the little annoying girls so it was time to start studying martial arts. (Little did I know later, that would be one of the best decisions of my life). So I was considered less than average. I was pretty uncoordinated, and even though I am Shihan’s daughter by no means did that give me an advantage or did he show me any favoritism. I had to prove myself just like everyone else. So needless to say there were a couple of students in front of me (who I detested for being there), and I struggled to make it up through the ranks. The day that I started to excel was the day after an Aikido seminar with an Aikido instructor Sensei Cindy Hayashi. She was a role model for me at a young age and helped me to see where I needed to go, and from there I developed the tenacity of wanting to succeed and come up through the ranks.

As I progressed through the ranks I went through the same rigors that I’m sure all of you have been through in your martial arts journey. Thinking that you’re never going to remember all of those techniques that your instructor is going to ask you, knowing that you’re probably going to forget some movements in your katas, nervous as hell having your instructors just sit there stone-faced just watching you, and knowing that you’re probably going to screw up. My brown belt test was insane. I was tested for 3 days on various material. At the time our system was divided into different arts, and I was to show a different art each time I was tested. Talk about brutal!!! My Shodan test was a 6-hour long test in front of a panel of 6 instructors, including my Shihans (my brother and my dad), my instructor of Okinawan karate, Soke John Simmons, and a few other instructors as well. Talk about a nervous experience. Here I had to show everything, and I mean everything to these instructors, not to mention answer verbal questions all while trying to remember the material that I was being asked. WOW!

My Nidan test was actually a lot more comfortable for me. I was more relaxed and tested in front of my two Shihans and Hanshi Bruce Juchnik. I felt like I excelled at that test, probably my best one because I had finally understood what the whole process was about. Folks, testing is an experience and what I like to believe is now a positive experience. Back then, would I have thought that performing all of these things was positive??? No way!!! I thought my instructors just wanted to see how bad they could torture me without crying, although sometimes I did! All of you need to realize that your instructors know when it’s time for you to take a leap. They wouldn’t be testing you if they didn’t think you were ready. That’s a Sensei’s job is to know when his/her students are ready to proceed. So don’t think its some kind of horrendous torture, like being drawn or quartered, because it’s not, it’s a positive learning experience.

Are you going to screw up? Probably, most likely. And guess what ??? We as instructors know that. We know all that information and we know what it’s supposed to look like. We want to see how you use it and how you handle it under pressure. Are you going to be nervous as hell??? Definitely! But Shihan Lou Klaff, my Shihan and father has always stressed to our students and me that it’s “Just another day on the mat.” He means that you should go out there and do your best and just treat it like any normal training day. All we as instructors want you to do is just go out there and do your best, that’s all we ask for. We don’t need you to go above and beyond, however that’s up to you! A test is a learning process, and although at the time it may feel like the worst kind of torture ever, you’re going to learn and grow from that experience. It makes you a better martial artist. If we did everything perfect in the martial arts we would all be Grandmasters by now, and we wouldn’t have to train as hard. But we’re not perfect, and I want all of you to know to try to look at the testing process as a positive experience, because if you do you might not be as nervous next time. I’m sure you probably still will be, but maybe you might take a step back and analyze it a little bit more next time! Keep training!!!

I have had the pleasure of training in the martial arts for 17 years. I started at the ripe age of 6 and haven’t turned back. Not many people in this world can say that they have been training for that long at such a young age, but I relish it, and I wouldn’t change it for anything. I’ve also been lucky in my martial arts journey to have my father as my instructor the whole way. And that is the greatest joy to me that anyone could give me! Now let me tell you, it sure wasn’t easy. In the very beginning, I was so young that I couldn’t distinguish between what Sensei was telling me and what Dad was telling me. So every time he corrected me or criticized what I was doing (which back then was quite a lot) I thought it was my Dad yelling at me and I took it personally and got big ‘ole alligator tears in my eyes almost every class. But then Shihan had a talk with me about distinguishing who was who on and off the mat, and then it just got a lot easier. I realized that he wouldn’t be criticizing me if he didn’t care. And that’s another thing I think you, as students need to realize. The minute that your instructor-be it Sifu, Shihan, Soke, Hanshi, Master, Grandmaster, etc…stops correcting or detailing you, that’s when you know you’re in trouble. The reason they do it is to get you where you need to be! I believe they have an innate 6^th sense that can tell you exactly what you’re doing wrong before you do it! That’s why they’re the Master!!!!

Basically the purpose of this article is to enlighten everyone as to what you have staring at you in front of your face. This Christmas I put together a collection of “testimonials” if you will from the students of Yume Dojo asking them to write a small paragraph as to what Shihan (my Shihan: Shihan Lou Klaff) meant to them. I received some fantastic feedback from the students including excerpts from me, his daughter, and his son Shihan Scotty Klaff as well. To him it was one of the greatest gifts ever. Shihan teaches everyday at least 2 hours a day, non-stop. Not only is he constantly studying, but he also watches videos and practices daily. So not all of it is the physical aspect, but for Shihan, he enjoys being a student, studying the mental, spiritual and strategic aspects as well. For Shihan, he loves what he does, and thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to teach students who want to learn, but he had no idea what he meant to his students, including his own children. It was time for him to see exactly what he’s done for his students.

Not only is Shihan Klaff a leader both on and off the mat, but also he has taken all of us on a journey that we’ll never forget. To me he is in the same league as some of the greats, like Grandmaster Wally Jay, Soke John Simmons, Hanshi Bruce Juchnik, and many other great masters that I’ve had the pleasure of training with. Although he will deny it, he really is that great a caliber of Sensei. I have been through a lot of instructors through the years, and a lot of different styles. But I can honestly say that the only place that I want to be is here at Yume Dojo studying Shizenryu Jutsu with my Shihan Lou Klaff, for the rest of my life. I want to continue to glean as much information from him as possible as long as I can. I hope that I’m as good of a student to Shihan as he is an instructor to me. There is quote that says: “People who do great things deserve greatness.” I believe that Shihan deserves more than that and he needs more recognition than he gets, and I am taking it upon myself to make sure that, that happens on a daily basis.

My message to you as students is to appreciate and not take advantage of what you have staring at you in the face. Your instructors are there to help make you a better more well rounded martial artist and to make you a better person on and off the mat. Shihan Klaff calls it being worldly and that’s what your instructors are trying to do. Yes, they might yell and scream at you for doing something incorrect or stupid. Yes, they might crank a little bit harder on a wrist or finger lock so you get the point. But what you all need to understand is that it’s done for a reason and all that correcting and excess pain, bruises, blood, cuts, sweat, and tears is all done to make you the best martial artist that you can be and your instructors will make sure of that! So my advice to all the martial artists out there: Thank your instructors on a daily basis for all the information they give you. And just remember that they were at the same place you are and climbed obstacles to get there, and they want you to do the same. So ask questions, try to do what your instructor tells you, pull as much information out of him/her as possible, and make sure they know that you appreciate them as your instructor/mentor/leader/guide in the martial arts world and outside! To all the great instructors there and to Shihan Lou Klaff thank you for all that you have done! I will be indebted to you forever!!!

P.S. I would like to give my condolences for the passing of Grandmaster Imi Okazaki-Mullins. It’s sad to see another one of the great Sensei's pass on. I had the pleasure of teaching right beside her and I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. But I hope she knows that her legacy will be passed on! God Bless!!!

Shihan Lou Klaff is the Head Instructor at Yume Dojo. He has Black Belts in Okinawan Karate and several styles of Jujutsu. Shihan Lou and Shihan Scotty Klaff opened Yume Dojo over 15 years ago and have been teaching at the dojo ever since. One of Shihan Klaff's main interests is in researching all aspects of the Martial Arts and attends and also teaches at many Seminars. This article is an overview of some experiences at these Seminars.

Recently, an Instructor told me that "Seminars are a waste of time". Interestingly enough, you will find that most Seminars today are suffering from a lack of attendance. I have noticed the same thing. Is the real problem the Seminar itself or something else? When asked why the Instructor felt that Seminars had little value the response was " you never learn anything". My opinion here is that could be a product of the Seminar, or a product of the student, or a product of the Instructors. I will tell you being in the same room with Professor Wally Jay made me better. I am a Seminar nut, I love to attend them and love to teach at them. I feel a Seminar is a great place to hone my teaching skills. To be able to reach Professor O'Sullivan

people of different styles, ranks and systems and have them catch on to what I am teaching. Also, meeting some great people both on the floor and off the floor, like Professor Libert O'Sullivan shown on the left.

However, many times you will find Instructors who teach the same thing over and over again, no matter the audience, and are not overly helpful. Attending as a student, I also find Seminars tremendously rewarding, much more so than teaching them. However it is a product of the Seminar, and who is instructing at the Seminar. So lets look at what constitutes a good Seminar and a bad one.

I have had the opportunity to train with some of the top Masters, Grandmasters, Sensei, Shihan, Sifu, Sigung and plain old Instructors in the world. Not all have been great Instructors though. They may have been great talents, and could really work on the floor but could not get their point across. I have also seen mediocre practitioners who had some great information, great drills and could really get their point across. I have met some who teach the same thing over and over no matter the audience, and others who work hard to change it up so they are always offering a new side to their training. To me its about pertinent information. What I look for is someone who has something that appeals to me, and that can get their point across. I had the honor and privilege to attend a Seminar where there was a Jujutsu Sensei from Switzerland. He excused his accent and his English, for he felt we may not understand him. He was one of the best Jujutsu Instructors I have ever had the opportunity to train with. His language had nothing to do with the training. When you are as good as he was, you don't need to speak the language. The language is in your movement, and boy could he move! His name was Charlie Lenz, Hanhsi and was a remarkable Sensei. Not only did I learn alot from him, but also how to teach when there are people who may not understand the words, but he showed how to teach through action. Here is another big major set back at Seminars. Everyone loves to tell people what to do. I guess its a product of being corrected constantly by your Sensei that when given the chance to work with someone you may not know, you start correcting. I attended one Seminar where I was being corrected by Yellow Belts. This is a No No, train and shut up. Unless you are assisting the Sensei, keep your mouth closed, mind open and work on the SENSEI'S material.

Sadly, there have been some Instructors who spoke the language, and could not teach or didn't care if they got their message across or not. To me this is the biggest loss in a Seminar, an Instructor who doesn't care. You can spot them. They are not prepared, don't address the rank of the students or the material that is being taught. I once saw a Sensei try to teach a kata/form, (a Kung Fu form, and we all know they are not short) in fifteen minutes. She felt whatever she got through would be a help. Maybe it would to a certain Kung Fu audience but an audience of mixed styles can find little to do with 25% of a kata/form. Not the best idea in that venue. So there are times that the material being covered is not pertinent. The Sensei who teaches the same thing at every Seminar that he attends can get old as well. The first time is good and hopefully people catch on, the next time maybe to refine the material, but the same material year after year Seminar after Seminar can get old. So what can be done to make Seminars useful and fun?

To me format is everything. I do not like to have to stay in group and train with whoever comes to that group. Once again I am looking for pertinent information for me, so I like to go with someone who I feel can help me. On several occasions I have gone to a Seminar with many Instructors and followed one around all day. I didn't care if he was teaching beginners or Black belts I wanted to work with that Instructor. Also too many Instructors can be a hindrance as well. There may be more than 1 you want to learn from and they teach at the same time. I also like Instructors who tailor their information to the students they teach, or the rank they are teaching. Especially the ones who target the audience. This is number one with me, and something I try to do all the time. I once saw an Instructor teaching Pressure Points to a white belt group, while teaching the same thing to Black Belts. I also try to learn enough about most styles that I can relate something I do to something they do, which I hope helps them understand what I am trying to share. Professor Bill DeWert is a great example of this. He is a top Tae Kwon Do Instructor in the United States and head of several organizations. He was teaching a group of mainly Kenpo/Kempo Black belts and took from his vast knowledge of other Martial systems and taught a 'Buffet' of material to the Black Belts. To this day I use many of the techniques he showed me years ago. Ironically I learned alot of my Okinawan Bunkai (Application of kata/form) from him, yet he is mainly known for his Tae Kwon Do. He sure knew how to teach to the audience.

So the success or the failure of a Seminar depends on the students attending the seminar and the Sensei's who teach. The students need to have an open mind, as I believe you can learn something from anyone, even if its what "not to do". The Instructors on the other hand need to be sensitive to the students needs, whether it be style, rank or interest. Not only should a Seminar be educational, but it should be pertinent and most of all FUN. I try to make my Seminars as enjoyable as possible, without sacrificing the knowledge. For me. a Chinese weapon seminar is of no interest, however if there is a Chin Na Instructor, I am there. So the student needs to understand they need to find what is pertinent to them, it will not necessarily just jump in your lap. Sensei need to try and target their audience, and find what the general level of knowledge is and what it is the group wants. A Sensei should be prepared but not so rigidly that they can't give the students what they can use or they want. So here are some Seminar tips for both students and Sensei to keep from getting the "Seminar Blues".

Hopefully, Seminars can once again boast good attendance and be worthwhile. Its going to take a combined effort for Instructors and students both to make Seminars once again worth their time and most important, enjoyable.

The author of this next article is Grandmaster Chuck Sullivan. Grandmaster Sullivan gave Yume Dojo permission to run these articles. Most will focus on the early days of Kenpo. Here is a little biography of Grandmaster Sullivan.

Chuck Sullivan began studying the art of Kenpo in 1959 with Mr. Edmund K. Parker, Sr., founder of the system known today as American Kenpo, and was the fifth person promoted to Black Belt by Mr. Parker. Mr. Sullivan has studied and taught the art of Kenpo exclusively for 45 years. Nearly all senior practitioners in Kenpo have studied with or been influenced by the teachings of Mr. Sullivan. The photo on the left shows Grandmaster Parker and Grandmaster Sullivan. Here is an early article written by Grandmaster Sullivan entitled Then and Now

The above photo is circa 1963-1964, taken at Ed Parker’s original West LA school.

In a word, I think, “better”. That’s not to say we didn’t have some really rough, tough people in the fifties and sixties. We did! There were some truly fearless and terrifying people running around back then.

Stories abound about them. Some true and some embellished beyond belief. For some of the incidents, I was there. Others, I heard about first hand and then heard the exaggerated versions as time went by.

There were some great Martial Artists in the first couple of generations but they were limited by the amount of research and development that had taken place up till that time. In the intervening years many, many people have worked relentlessly to further develop and improve upon what they themselves had been taught.

The Martial Arts did not miraculously descend from a mountaintop etched upon tablets. The arts were developed by people. Very dedicated people who have done a tremendous job. Today there are also very dedicated people doing equally as well. The difference is, the people of today have the advantage of the experience of their predecessors. With that experience, combined with modern innovative technology, advancements are being made all the time and there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

A lot of emphasis is placed upon tradition. Tradition certainly has its place in the Art, however when something can be proved wrong and then improved upon I think it is our duty as Martial Artists to make the improvement. If, after exhaustive analytical study you have found a weak spot or a downright error in the use of a principle, it is your obligation as a member of the Martial Arts Community to make the error and correction known to your associates and students. If it tramples tradition, so be it.

Be prepared though. There are those who will scoff at your thinking for no other reason than that it violates precious tradition.

Recently, while looking through some old snapshots, I came across a couple that were of particular interest when applied to this subject. I thought you might enjoy seeing them and finding out how some of the changes in the Art have come about.

These photos were taken at the same place on the same evening. You can see the students are the same group in the shot on page one as well as the photo on the next page.

What’s of special fascination to me about these two photos is the fact that there is a conspicuous error-taking place in each of them. Study them and see if you can pick them out. The only hint I’ll give you is, at the time these photos were taken, somewhere around 1963-64, the things I’m referring to as errors in the pictures were not considered mistakes at all, at that time.

In photo #2 (next page) I’m demonstrating the technique that came to be known as Thundering Hammers. You will recognize the Karate Connection’s version of it as Repeating Hammers, the third technique in brown belt.

In the Ed Parker version the first blow after the left inward block to the outside of your opponent’s right punch is your right forearm across his mid-section. When he bends over you deliver a hammer fist to the kidneys then one to the back of the neck. There are a variety of endings but that’s the base technique.

There’s only one problem with Thundering Hammers as I was taught it and was teaching it then. The human body does not bend at the mid-section, it bends at the hips. That little revelation came to me when a student of mine with very poor control slammed me across the mid-section and actually stood me up rather than bend me over. He couldn’t finish the technique as I had taught him because I wasn’t bent over as I was supposed to be. Naturally, that set me thinking and as I analyzed the blow and the anatomy, I realized it couldn’t possibly work.

What had been taking place was that we had been taught to bend over for our partner when he did Thundering Hammers so naturally it worked in practice, but it would never work in reality. The body just doesn’t respond that way. That’s a principle, not a concept.

So what’s the solution? You’re way ahead of me if you know Repeating Hammers. Naturally, you simply change the weapon and the target. If you want to bend a body over you just smash an inverted hammer fist up into his (or her) groin, and watch the action. They will bend, unless they drop. Even then they’ll drop, bent.

Look at the photograph. Even the angle of the arm across the body is wrong if you wanted to bend someone over. My partner is trying to accommodate me, but even he isn’t doing a very good job because I won’t let him. I’m actually holding him up with my right arm. And from here I’m supposed to deliver a downward hammer fist to the kidneys and then one to the back of the neck, which is gonna be pretty hard with him standing up almost straight.

I taught the technique that way for at least ten years before I discovered the error. As soon as I realized what had to be done in order to make it work I made the change and have been teaching it with an inverted hammer fist ever since. Unfortunately, there are those out there still teaching it the way I learned it. Tradition!

It’s funny how you remember certain things from the mostly forgotten past. I remember vividly that we took two shots of that kick. The first one actually clipped my partner’s chin. That’s why, on this photo he’s got his head so far back. The fact that the kick for the second photo is to the mid-section is because of making contact. I didn’t want to do it again so I lowered the kick and changed the target. But that’s not the error in the picture.

When I was taught to do a “knife edge kick”, I was specifically trained to curl my toes down and bend the ankle down as well. And that’s the way I did it until I sprained my ankle so badly I feel the effects of it to this day. When I think about it now I can’t believe I was stupid enough to blindly accept such a ridiculous concept in the first place. Curling the toes down and bending the ankle is equivalent to bending the wrist down when punching. What an absolutely idiotic thing to do, yet there I was doing it and what’s even worse, I was teaching it that way as well.

I may not be a quick study but I don’t have to sprain both ankles to learn. Once again, I analyzed what had happened and why, then did something about it.

Now, naturally, the toes are turned up and the kick is done more with the rear half of the foot, with a straight line from the knife edge up through the ankle for the greatest strength and rigidity. I’m still shaking my head at my own simple-minded, zealous compliance.

It’s things like this that have been culled out of the Art so as to give the student of today a clearer path to follow. Many of the ridiculous contradictions have been eliminated which helps prevent confusion.

Today’s student can get better easier and quicker than his counterpart of years gone by.

Perhaps someday, with your help, the Art will be perfected. But don’t hold your breath. Some things will never be changed because they’re TRADITIONAL.

Martial Artists as a whole are a strange group of people. Who else do you know that pays people money to beat them up? Training is a serious matter, however there are light hearted moments in everyone's training and its important not to take yourself too awfully seriously as something will usually blow up in your face. So this is going to take a bit of a light-hearted look at events that have happened in my years of training. I promise that all these events are true and I will not mention names to protect the guilty, but if the people I describe sound like you, well it probably is.

Lets start at a school where I was a visiting Instructor. I taught a technique and was going around the room to make sure everyone understood what I showed. Over in the corner were two students in deep conversation. I went over to them to see if they needed help or if they didn't understand the technique. When I inquired if there was a problem or if they needed help the response was this........"We are discussing the technique". I thought they were joking right...wrong, they were dead serious. They said they found it more beneficial to discuss the technique than work it. Can anyone imagine telling this to their Sensei, "oh its ok Sensei, we are going to discuss this technique instead of practicing it". I don't know about other Sensei but mine would have discussed this technique over a bottle of shut your mouth and a can of kick your butt. I must say in all my years, this was the first and only time I have ever heard this. You got to give them points on originality.

You have heard of people always forgetting something on their way to the dojo, or left something at home. I try really hard not leave anything, however it has happened to me as well. I have students leave their belt at home all the time. How does your belt and your Gi get in different places I'll never know. I have even had a student forget his pants but had his Gi and belt, so I had him go 'commando', shorts, Gi and belt. But the best story about forgetting something is the student who forget to come to his test. Not only was it a test but it was his Black Belt test. Now this student and I are very close and today he is a Sensei but he forgot to show up for his Black belt test. I asked him how he could forget his test, and his answer was "it just slipped my mind!" Well it slipped our Sensei's mind apparently because he made the student wait a whole year before he offered to test him again. When I asked Sensei about the students test he just laughed and said "nobody showed up, what can you do?" Nothing but laugh I guess.

This is another crazy moment. I was teaching at a seminar and was showing a technique, and then had all the students go to work. I believe they were yellow or green belts not real sure. There was this little gal just standing there watching. I went over and asked if she needed a partner, and here was the answer " No Sir, my Instructor won't let me do the technique" I asked "Why?" She said that before she left and came to the seminar he told her "Don't do anything I wouldn't do" I laughed and told the young lady I thought her Instructor was having some fun with her and she told he wasn't. That he really didn't let his students do any techniques that he didn't approve of. I wasn't sure who to laugh at, the young lady who came and wouldn't do anything or the Instructor who gave the orders.

Seminars can be a great place for humor and stupidity which ever comes first. One year I was teaching at a seminar and had my son with me as uke. My son started training at age 4, so by age 12 he had more years in than many adults. He continues to train today and is a very accomplished technician. At one particular seminar he was standing talking to me and a student came over to him and asked if had a partner. Since the student obviously wanted someone to work with he said yes. I am guessing he was about 17-18 years old, and I am guessing about a 2nd degree Black belt (Nidan) As he worked with the student he let him work on his technique and offered little resistance because the student was a lower ranking kyu. Because my son was going easy, the student who was in his late 20's thought my son was too soft to be a Black belt. He tells my son " I am going to resist you and make you work your technique, I am going to test you!!" I started to go to the student and give him a severe "who do you think you are lecture". My son waved me off. I showed a technique and my son bounced this student around like you would not believe. Bada Bing Bada Boom and the student was looking up. I have seen basketballs not get bounced like this student. My son helped him up, and then another Bada Bing Bada Boom and the student was airborne. My son went up to the student and wanted to know if he passed. The student who could barely get up said " I don't think I want to try that again!!" Mrs. Gump must have had this person in mind when she told Forrest "Stupid is as Stupid Does". Can you image back in the early days in Hawaii, a student telling Professor William Chow "I am going to test you?". I imagine he would wipe the Kukai off his slippers (sandals) with the person who said it. Not real smart. There are more seminar stories but here is a dojo story on me.

I was with a Sensei who I could do nothing right with. No matter what I did, he always corrected everything. I couldn't walk in the dojo without doing something wrong. You name it, especially kata, there was nothing I did right. If I got on the floor to do kata it was a mistake. One time I told him to yell at me all before class so I could go through just one without being wrong. One weekend Sensei had a Car Wash to raise some money for weapons and such. I suggested he charge me for my mistakes and he could make more. The only problem was Sensei had to work half a day so I was in charge of the Car Wash. I had the hose and I was in charge of that. Someone joked that the person with the hose was in charge. My response was "its the only thing I can do right!!!........and that Sensei would find something wrong with the way I did this too". Not 10 minutes later here comes Sensei and before he gets out of the car good, tells me to give him the hose, that I was rinsing all wrong, who would have guessed right? So I guess they were right, the person with the hose is in charge and I need to go back to Hose Basics.

Back to the seminar stories, there are quite a few. My favorite took place at a seminar in California. We were training on the beach and apparently the way I was punching bothered this particular lady. She came over to me and gave me a lecture about my punches, how they were very "loopy" and not the way you have to punch. She also said as a Black Belt I should know better. I informed her that what I was doing was called a Hook. She then said " I don't care what you want to call it, its not a real punch and you don't know how to punch!" Someone ought to tell Ricky Hatton or Floyd Mayweather this before their next fight in December. It may do them some good to hear that there is no such thing as a Hook and maybe stay away from them. Miguel Cotto better quit using them to the body as well, as he must have gotten lucky landing so many in his last fight. I wonder why it is that people love to correct at Seminars. I guess maybe they get told what to do so much that they want to tell someone what to do for a change.

This was really funny, however my daughter didn't find it as amusing as we did. We had gone to Idaho for a Seminar with a top Aikido Sensei. Sadly he is no longer with us. We belonged to a different organization, however were not happy. We had this chance to go and train with this well known Sensei. My son at the time was probably about 10 or 11 my daughter 8 to 9 years old when we made the trip. My daughter had decided she wanted a 'boys cut' hairdo and had cut here hair real short. The Sensei was a funny, soft spoken and very good. He decided to adopt my family and we would be under him. He was teaching break falls his way, as we did them a bit different. He looked at my daughter and told her to arch her back, like you do when you stand up and go to the bathroom. My daughter looked at him with a very confused look. The Sensei then acted like he was peeing to give the idea of how to land. Still my daughter looked at him with a confused look. The Sensei then went over to my wife and said "She no boy ?" My wife nodded and died laughing. Here was this Japanese Sensei trying to teach an 8 year old girl how to pee standing up. I will tell you my ribs hurt more from laughing than from anything else. That trip will never be forgotten by any of us.

Finally, here is the #1 case of stupidity that I have had the honor to see. Again this took place at a small seminar actually a clinic, where the Sensei had come to town and refine some of the techniques he wanted us to have. He felt it best to just train in basic workout clothes, not in Gi top or belts, so no one knew the rank of anyone else, unless they were from your school. We had been with this Sensei for awhile and he had given us something's to work on. Out from the spectators, comes an anxious student to correct what my daughter and I were doing. Its one thing to be corrected on the floor by a lower rank but out of the cheap seats is another matter. If I take the effort to try and work on material on the floor, I don't want someone who doesn't have the drive to be active to correct me. I was going to have this student for lunch. Lucky for him, the Sensei saw what was about to happen and cut him off and told the student we knew what we were doing. Even to the Sensei he kept saying, "they are doing it all wrong" The Sensei replied we had permission to do it wrong! The young man who was going to correct me was just a spectator, a yellow belt spectator and not even in the same art. This may be the dumbest type of student, one who feels the need to correct everyone.

To finish, I encourage everyone to get the most out of themselves, self-improvement and leave the training of others to the Sensei. Mind your own business, focus on your training, because, trust me, you will make enough mistakes on your own, instead of worrying about others. And above all, don't take yourself so seriously!!!

Re-Inventing the Wheel

Shihan Lou Klaff

Today, you will find many new styles of Martial Arts popping up. For some reason, people have been creating their own styles instead of training in one of the more traditional styles. There are even organizations geared to those who create their own arts. What is causing this new trend? There seems to be alot possible explanations for this. However, just because someone adds a finger lock to a wrist lock doesn't mean they have created an art. This may seem hypocritical coming from a group with a non traditional name for their training. Shizenryu is NOT an art or a style. Shizenryu is a system for training. We have created nothing, rather have taken elements and arts that we have trained in through the years and offer them as a way to train in the Martial Arts. Shizenryu is just a 'collective term', used to describe all the elements of our training. Shizenryu is a system of Concepts, Principles and Basics of many arts, most that are still taught the way they were taught to the Sensei's. Elements of some arts are studied, rather than the whole systems therefore Shizenryu is not an art, rather, the culmination of many years of training. So what makes an art and why are we seeing so many new ones popping up?

Historically

If one looks at the late 1800's and early 1900's one will find alot of new styles popped up. Especially in Okinawa and Japan. In Okinawa, there was a new way of training, that had people training in more than just one style. Prior to this, most students stayed with one Instructor, in one art, or the art of their particular village. During this time, people started cross-training or what we called cross training. Students started training at different villages and with more than one Instructor. This is noted in the term of Ha, or the influence of a particular Sensei. Students also began to add their influences or how they perceived their training, not just the understanding of their Sensei. What became of this is Karate students with a Judo background or a soft style of Karate and a hard style meshed together. What is important here is the term MESH. Most of the times, these pioneers could link the arts they studied, and could MESH the information or teach the information so the student understood each art. You don't see that happening as much today. Today many times a so called new art has gaps, or non-logical approaches to studying the arts. Also today, there is a 'quick fix' attitude, a little training here, a little there, adding bits and pieces of different arts. The Mixed Martial Arts of today could be a factor in this, where one needs an extended base to cover all ranges of training that one may find in the ring or cage.

Interpretation

The term 'Ha' really refers to the influence or interpretation that one added to their original art. Hayashi, Teruo Soke and Kuniba, Shogo, Soke are two great examples of this. Hayashi Soke had training in Shitoryu Karate, but also other styles of Karate (Ryueryu) and Judo. Kuniba Soke, in addition to the same Shitoryu Karate, had Aiki, Jujutsu, Judo and Iaido training. Hayashi Soke called his art Hayashi-Ha Shitoryu, and Kuniba Soke called his Kuniba-Ha Shitoryu. Both had studied under Mabuni, Kenwa founder of Shitoryu, Motobu, Choki of Motoburyu Kempo, and Kuniba Kosei,Soke of Motobu Ha Shitoryu. Add to this the other styles that they studied, one can see they had their own influences to add to an art. Kuniba Soke left Japan where they only trained in Motobu Ha Shitoryu at the Kenshinkan dojo, to teach aspects of training that he wanted to share that was not taught originally. Each of these men, along with many others wanted to display and teach their own interpretations of what they took away from their training. So by merely adding an art to an existing art, have you created a new art or style? The answer is obviously not. An art or a style has to have longevity, the ability to go through time and still offer something. Today, many people change, delete, alter, or modify what they originally learned and call it a style or new art. What they have actually done is put their influence into an art that has already existed and probably for a good amount of time. Aikido in a relatively new art by most standards. However the roots of Aikido have been around for hundreds of years. So not only must a new style have depth, but roots or links to the original arts.

Curriculum

I once trained with a Black belt who did not like the way or the approach that the school took toward training. He wanted more and harder training. Not finding what he wanted he left and created his own version or what he called, style of his own. I went to train with him on one occasion and what he had done was added his interpretation of the way things should be, not create a new art. By curling the fingers of a wrist lock, or pushing the elbow in a different direction does not constitute a new style. What it did do was show his students an understanding of what was taught to him. My Sensei use to say that everyone's training is defined by their experiences, their prejudices and their perceptions. Not everyone is going to see the same things. Looking at a Picasso no two people will see the exact same thing, and because of experience, size and understanding, not everyone is going to look the same even when doing the exact same technique. But.........the Concepts, Principles and Basics should be the same. Changing HOW the technique is done, does not create a style. An art needs a curriculum, a process by which training is done and all the elements of the art are studied. Effecting a few techniques in how they are done, does not create an art. I once attended an Aikido school that only practiced techniques based on moving 'outside' the attack, and not 'entering' the attack. This was someone's idea of how Aikido should be practiced, not a style of Aikido. Actually, this school actually lessened or watered down the art itself by eliminating half the techniques in the curriculum. This is a great example of not creating something rather altering an existing art or style. What is it that keeps people trying to create their own idea of training?

Root Cause

Human nature dictates people to try and always do things their way. You can see this in the raising of a child. A parent always tries to help their children with decisions and share their life stories with the children. As we all know, many things we have to find out for ourselves and sometimes no attention is paid to what is taught us so we can experiencing things for ourselves. Many times, I would say most times we find our parents knew what they were talking about. A Sensei in Hawaii once told me that the problems of today's Martial Artists is that we want things adapted to us, instead of adapting to the original ways. Many times people do not want to sacrifice and train in the old ways, rather adapt the training to our daily lives. This is especially true today, where people train when they want, how they want and want instant gratification for this. The focus today is not training the old ways, that seems to have gone by the wayside, as they are not applicable in today's culture, so things have started changing. But there is a bigger reason.

In Japan and Okinawa, China as well, most people are the same size, so doing a technique usually will fit most people. Here, there are many sizes and techniques can depend on size, knowledge, experience and prejudices of how people see things. SO today you may hear a Sensei tell students "You have to make things your own". This is where some of the big problems lie. Today, many people feel they need to make the art theirs which means changing, deleting or altering what is being taught. This is what the Sensei' and Instructors have been saying, but is NOT the message they meant the student to understand. Its like buying a pair of shoes, when you go to the store looking for shoes you try to find the best fit possible, that serves the type of shoe you want, the size that fits and looks the way you want the shoe to look like. You do not make your own pair of shoes, you find a pair that fits and serves your purpose. This is the point that Sensei and Instructors are saying; find a way to fit the technique to you and make it work, however things such as size, experience etc can come into play. Instructors are not asking their students to create their own style, rather tailor the knowledge that is being shared. Concepts, Principles and Basics should never be altered, Techniques can be, but again not to make a style or art, but to tailor it for the student. Really, we are not re-inventing anything, rather explaining how to use your art. Everyone learns differently, and its the responsibility of the Instructor to cater to the students needs, but not to create a new art just for the sake of change. I once met a Sensei who did away with every kata/form he learned from his Instructor. He said the kata were too long and too complicated for his students. So he made up all new kata/forms that were more complicated, less rhythm, less flow and made no structured sense. His kata were a series of movements, however they did not tell a story, nor were aspects that could be taken from them. Remember, any time things are changed, altered or deleted, there is a risk of losing a intentional meaning, a Principle or especially with kata, a story or meaning of movements (application). So it can become very risky changing things especially kata/forms where some inherent lesson is being taught.

Conclusion

It is important to stress that for things to evolve, things must change and be made relevant to our time and that will work in our society today. There is nothing wrong with creating something new, however it needs to be done for the right reason and that also the past is preserved. This is true especially in the Martial Arts. We must take into consideration why we change something and the reason for doing so. So to say, to create your own style is not a good reason. Today, students should focus on learning the basics of a system, and getting them as close to perfect as possible. Once one has a great, solid foundation, then looking outside what was taught is fine. Basics are really suffering today as it is not what people are interested in as much as other aspects of training today. The Martial Arts must be preserved in their original forms, then modifications, alterations can be done, but the art needs to stay in tact otherwise we will lose hundreds of years of culture and training. Today in Japan, 'old school Jujutsu' stand up Jujutsu or Taichi Waza is almost extinct. This is where the art originated yet there are fewer schools there than anywhere else. The old art of Jujutsu is slowly dying, and if new styles are constantly created with any link to its past, more and more will die off. This would be a real loss for those who love the Martial Ways of Bujutsu.

Simplicity

Lou Klaff

Everyone has been to one. A Martial Arts demonstration. In an effort to WOW the audience, the person on the stage performs a jumping, spinning, outside crescent kick with a double twist and a flip. Or.........a wrist throw that sends the attacker flying through the air, getting great "air time" and landing with a resounding thump with all their weight on the ground. People go wild, they love these high flying daring movements. Not me!!!!!! I like the subtle, finesse movements that people can't tell what the person did or how they did it. A Sensei once told me that a technique should look like an accident, and that the person performing the technique should look like they don't care or are not trying to do the technique. I have had people come up to me and tell me it looks like I don't care about doing techniques (I don't really) and that I am not trying to do anything. That is the greatest compliment I can get. The harder one tries to do a technique, the less natural it becomes. One should just let the technique happen, not forced. It should look like magic.

I once saw a Martial Arts demonstration featuring a little old Japanese Sensei (he must have been in his late 60's) and his students. The students came out doing all these high flying fancy techniques, with tremendous effort and high energy . The Japanese Sensei came on stage, stood on a dime, swatted punches like flies, hit people with no effort, threw them everywhere and tied them up like a pretzel, without moving a total of 5 inches. He did things that you couldn't figure out how he did it, hit them without trying, and most of the time knocked the attacker down with the strikes. He made things look like magic!!! His strikes where hidden from the attacker and many times would grin at the student then hit them, without losing his smile. After the demonstration, the students were "high fiving" each other while the Sensei quietly walked through them to a chair to watch the next demonstration. Now this turned me on, this is what I like to see than all the fancy techniques.

All systems have complicated techniques; mine does as well. This is ok, as these techniques can teach different aspects of training. My Sensei use to give us these very complicated techniques to work on telling us, "its not about the techniques, but what they do for you" . What he was talking about is how a complicated technique may teach you balance, a different body position, how to go from simple to complex. Many of the techniques teach aspects, not the whole technique as shown. One technique that my Sensei showed us comes to mind in which the attacker is knocked to their knees, then stepping over the arm, laying back and "flipping" the attacker over onto their back. We live in Arizona where the air temperatures reach 115 (and higher) on a regular basis. The ground temperature can reach over 130, so why would you voluntarily lay down on it? Kind of crazy huh!!! The technique was to teach us balance while throwing someone. It also taught how to keep up with the attacker and also, how to move in a way totally foreign to what you usually do. So the technique has a purpose, not one of necessarily for self defense.

So complicated techniques are good, especially if you can master the complicated ones the simpler ones come easier. However I like to keep it simple. A very simple concept is this:

Action
ReAction
Counter-Action

Now what this means is simple. Without an Action we do not need to respond. This should be our first goal, to convince the attacker not to attack, and not have to do anything. If we are forced into a confrontation Rule #1 takes effect, ReAction, ie. Don't Get Hit. Very simple, train hard to be sure you can read an attack and either stop it, or neutralize it. This should not take alot of time or alot of effort. Be sure you can do this before you start worrying about techniques. Your basics, no matter the style, should teach one how to handle an attack. The better you get, the easier this step becomes. But focus should always be not to get hit or get grabbed or to get hurt. If a next step is needed, it should be done quick and simple, get in, get out, and leave, don't stick around to admire your work. Also, here is where SIMPLE is best. Not 7 or 8 complicated movements, but one or two, the finish based on how the attacker reacts. Many times people have plans or see the encounter and have in their mind what they are going to do. While focusing on one or two things, you rule out everything else in your arsenal. Nothing is going to happen the way its set up in the dojo, which is why a Sensei needs to use real life attacks as well as traditional ones set up in the dojo for practice. One needs form to learn their basics, and refine them, but also function, the ability to make things work, though not necessarily pretty or with exact form. A good well rounded student needs BOTH. So what needs to be done is to neutralize or take out the attacker with simple, fast and uncomplicated movements and be able to react from these.

Old School Kempo/Kenpo from Hawaii taught this very principle. These techniques were very simple 2-3 movements, then something was done based on how the attacker reacted. There were very simple ideas of blocking (not getting hit) striking (stopping the attack and countering) and then finishing the attack off. Some favorite ways were sweeps and takedowns. Once there, simple stomps to their hands, arms, feet and legs will keep an attacker from coming back for more. Professor Walter Godin who studied with Professor Joe Emperado and Grandmaster William Chow, called this a Shoe Job. Real simple and doesn't require rolling around with someone on the ground. Its these simple ideas that work great. I personally love finger locks as shown on the left. Many people feel they are not self defense worthy. I personally like them and have done them for years, and used them as well. Especially when someone will grab, a stomp to the foot or shin kick, will usually loosen a person up and grabbing and locking the fingers doesn't take alot. Also, you can get more complicated if need be but this is a great simple easy way to take care of an attacker.

I was talking with a Sensei once and we were talking about techniques. He told me that he was a military police and that he had a significant Jujutsu background. He told me what worked in real situations and what didn't. He told me to go back and trim down our techniques to work for real self defense. Again he said curriculum was great to learn, but techniques had to be made S-I-M-P-L-E. This he said was key. A dojo curriculum and one for real or adapt curriculum on the street. This had a great effect on me and my teaching approach. One final note from him was this, "With all the techniques I have, there is no substitute for a good smack in the mouth". I think this is a great example of SIMPLICITY. After all the things this 70 plus year old Master had seen, he went back to a simple basic.

So it is here that I will stop and stress the importance of good solid basics, strong combinations, and good solid simple techniques for the street. Understanding concepts and principles and how things work will make even more difference when doing a technique. So as the old saying goes, K-I-S-S Principle, Keep It Simple, Stupid really applies. So the next time you see a Martial Arts demonstration, look for the subtleties and nuances, not the flashy high flying acrobatics that thrill, but may not work.