Karate as a jitsu

[Halford]

Judo nowadays probably has adoped the more modern training methods and calisthenics which exclude the duckwalks, waddles, deep-knee bends, and other hopping exercises that once were part and parcel of judo warm-ups,etc. A good deal of stretching was also done and one-legged squat stretches(I can't think of the exact terms right now) were done. Of course, I did a good deal of running once(not joggging) and used weights and so far my knees are still good. I used to sit in seiza and similar postures at one time also. Bridging up from a back prone position can also help the knees a bit. Just try and see what I mean if you can. Westerners are,if you will pardon me for saying so,not used to using their bodies in the way many Orientals do by sitting on the floor, kneeling on the floor, lying on the floor. If you will kindly reflect for a moment, you will see that sitting in a chair,whether straight back or inclined, is really a crutch. We do not climb enough trees, walk enough rice paddies,run through the woods, and so forth these days. Our artificial lives demand stairs to climb that go nowhere, weights to lift that do not involve any production, and so forth. We are more and more machine oriented and far from nature. You decide. Thanks for your time. Halford at http://arnis.homestead.com

[Bill Glasheen]

Hey Bill,

The "answer the telephone" technuiqe that you teach to block the hook to the head are you teaching exactley like kata with elbow pointed out or with it pointed at the opponent or somewhere in the middle? I want to monkey with this a bit, it sounds a lot like the way the Gracie Family teaches to enter if the elbow points at opponent. But if not let me know so I can tinker w/it. Thanks!

Bone

To start with, I want to say that I have done many manifestations of the seisan jump posture. I have done it in Uechi seisan, have done it in Fuzhou crane, in sai kata, in tonfa kata, etc. It's just a posture.

For the Uechi seisan jump, I've seen the elbow pointing forwards, pointing back, and everywhere inbetween. And most positions have some kind of application, although the applications really are all over the map.

As for "answering the telephone" - something my boxing instructor taught me - well I have experimented with it over time. I even created a "cineloop-type" bunkai for it that gives someone a chance to practice it with a hook punch over and over and over. The best way it works is to point the elbow in the direction that the technique is coming, and AVOID the temptation to bring the hand out. You must put your hand (clenched fist or open) where they intend to hit, but not because you hand is going to block the punch. Instead the posture gives the punch a kind of whole-forearm ramp that deftly redirects the technique away from your head. When you do it right, it's a piece of cake. Technique, technique, technique.

Boxers typically also bob down while doing this, and use the plyometric energy to trigger an explosive movement right back at the person. It's kind of a built in redundancy that makes the hook punch or haymaker completely harmless, and actually puts the attacker at risk for energy coming right back at them.

Long explanation... Hope it helps.

- Bill

[f.Channell]

Halford,
My Judo dojo still does the squats and other drills as a warm up. I find that these drills help out my general fitness as well as my Karate. Hopping on one leg for example is good for reaping opponents legs. And avoiding being taken down if your leg is caught kicking. Those squat drills must also aid in kicking power.
F.

[Halford]

For you boxing fans in the forum, some of the moves in arnis are from boxing and vice versa! Some of the footwork and some of the strikes are related to boxing and vice versa. Most of the real Filipino arnis players were also boxers as well and boxing is, as most of you know, very popular in the Philippines. Actually, it was there before the American Occupation of the Philippines in 1898,though the Americans are credited with introducing that and the other more popular sport of basketball. The Spanish actually introduced boxing in the Philippines as we know with gloves,etc. Incidentally, many Filipinos in the 1800's went to Europe and took up fencing, boxing, pistol shooting,etc. while there. Some learned such in the Philippines as well and took it with them to Europe.Teh bolo punch is one type of punch that comes from harvesting sugar cane and before you say it belongs to Cuba, just remember that Spain held Cuba at the same time as the Philippines and many Filipinos went to Cuba to live and work, as they did in Mexico also!