official karate magazine fall 2013 issue

Martial Arts Grandmasters International 1

FALL 2013

2 OFFICIALKARATEMAG.COM Fall 2013

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10 I GM Chuck Merriman: Last Man Standing One of the very few first pioneers of traditional martial arts who is still active and influencing the lives of students.

16 I Not Your Typical Karate Class Training in a Japanese monastery is not the same as practicing karate anywhere else says Master Tony Tempesta.

20 I Tai Chi Park Sifu Bob Klein says a farm in New Jersey is an atypical setting for this annual Tai Chi retreat.

22 I Training in the HomeLand Jerry Figgiani, Kyohi returns once again to the Homeland of Okinawan Matsubayahi Shorin Ryu.

28 I Favorite Fighting Techniques from the MastersTM Shihan Don Issak shows a defense against a straight punch .

30 I James Mathers Karate LifeTM Who writes the History of the Martial Arts? Be careful what you believe.

34 I The Voice of TraditionTM Hanshi Dan Tosh recounts training in Asia.

38 I Kung Fu KornerTM Sifu Karen Schlachter says when all else fails, do Kata!

WRITERS WANTED: We want well-written articles on topics of interest to a traditional karate audience. Stories on respected historical figures in the martial arts, advanced how-to articles (not how to do a front kick), and articles on educational philosophies or technical aspects, are all welcome. We reserve the right to edit articles to fit and, of course, we will only accept articles that we believe will be of interest to our audience.For writers guidelines, send your email address and writing experience/bio to: [email protected]

ASIAN TRADITIONS ISSUE

pg 10

pg 16


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CONTENTS10 I GM Chuck Merriman: Last Man Standing One of the very few first pioneers of traditional martial arts who is still active and influencing the lives of students.

16 I Not Your Typical Karate Class Training in a Japanese monastery is not the same as practicing karate anywhere else says Master Tony Tempesta.

20 I Tai Chi Park Sifu Bob Klein says a farm in New Jersey is an atypical setting for this annual Tai Chi retreat.

22 I Training in the HomeLand Jerry Figgiani, Kyohi returns once again to the Homeland of Okinawan Matsubayahi Shorin Ryu.

28 I Favorite Fighting Techniques from the MastersTM Shihan Don Issak shows a defense against a straight punch .

30 I James Mathers Karate LifeTM Who writes the History of the Martial Arts? Be careful what you believe.

34 I The Voice of TraditionTM Hanshi Dan Tosh recounts training in Asia.

38 I Kung Fu KornerTM Sifu Karen Schlachter says when all else fails, do Kata!

www.Facebook.com/OfficialKarateMag

42 I Eisuke Akamine Sensei Akamine Eisuke Sensei, Chairman of The Ryu Kyu Kobudo Preservation and Promotion Association was an inspiration to Katherine Loukopoulos.

45 I Nutritional Self DefenseTM Dr. Craig Rubenstein gives you nine ways to energize your body and life.

52 I Kata As A Mnemonic Device Master Mark Kline on the whys of Kata.

56 I Attract Media to Your Website with an Online 24/7 Pressroom Dr. Andrew Linick, The Marketing Copyologist

60 I MAGI Benefits Expanding Why you should be a member of MAGI.

FALL 2013

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Official Karate Magazine the official publication of Martial Arts Grandmasters Internationalis a 21st Century version of the original Official Karate that was published 19691995 by Al Weiss and Charlton Publications. We publish quarterly in digital format with a printed annual issue. We seek to secure permission for photographs but if you see a photo that is yours please let us know so we can give you attribution. MAGI is a dynamic association of traditional and modern martial arts practitioners. Since 1994, we have strived to fulfill our mission to recognize and register students, black belts, and grandmasters of various martial arts styles organizations, Asian and Western self-defense systems, and fighting arts.

Editor and Publisher: Andrew S. Linick, Ph.D.Managing Editor /Creative Director: Keith D. YatesEditorial Consultant: David Weiss

Contributors: Joe Corley, Des Chaskelson, Troy Dorsey, Emil Farkas, Ted Gambordella, Craig Heimbichner, John Lober, James Mather, Dr. Craig Rubenstein, Karen Schlachter, Dr. Dan Tosh, Don Wilson, Ryan Young.

Fall 2013

MAGI Member Benefits Membership in MAGI will afford you the opportunity to have an affiliation with the first-generation pioneers who sit on our Board of Advisors. Of course you can share in their wisdom in the pages of Official Karate magazine (a subscription is included in your membership) but you can also take advantage of a direct dialogue with these Grandmasters through our websites and Facebook pages. You can proudly display the impressive MAGI membership certificates, colorful uniform patches, and even attention-getting trademark protected four color window decals that proclaim you are an affiliated professional MAGI school. (Its considered the BBB in the MA industry) You will receive big discounts on high-quality Asian weapons, books, videos & DVDs, e-books, t-shirts, equipment bags, and even professional custom framing for MAGI certificates and for your own school certificates. We are adding new features and benefits all the time so click on and LIKE us at www.facebook.com/joinMAGI.You can also go to www.joinmagi.org.

Sound Off!Thank you Linick sensei for reviving a magazine that, for so many years, educated and entertained so many martial artists. Kudos to you, GM Yates and your staff for the great work.drmetlhed

What a great issue! I always enjoy reading your ma-terials and columns! Thank you Hanshi Linick for sharing! I look forward to our paths meetingagain someday! - Respectfully bowing.Robyn Rush-James, Kyoshi

Official Karate magazine, brain child of Al Weiss, was the first Karate magazine covering only Karate activities. The magazine, along with the fantastic promotional abilities of the one and only Aaron Banks were singularly responsible for shining the spotlight on East Coast Karate and the very talented fighters and Kata competi-tors of the early competitive arenas there. I think all of us who benefited from that alliance owe a debt of gratitude to both of them. I know I do! Linick Sensei, Thanks for reviving such a piece of important Karate history. Please consider doing an in depth article on the evolution of East Coast Karate and the ones who madeit happen. Thanks.Chuck Merriman, Hanshi

Editors Note: See the article on Hanshi Merriman in this issue.

I grew up on Official Karate magazines and they helped my martial arts education tremendously. Mike Bogdanski, Sensei

THE VOICE OF THE MARTIAL ARTS SINCE 1968 www.OfficialKarateMag.com


EDITORIAL

The other day I wrote a post for my Face Book page on the topic of Giri. It got great response even from some senior masters instructors. One who I admire tremendously is An-shu Stephen Hayes. I give him credit for starting my Ninja journey many years ago. Anshu Hayes said, Society is more of a Gimme rather than Giri Society. I am quoting him on that and loving it. Of course I asked his permission to use it while writing this article that stemmed from the topic. I also have to quote another amazing martial art master, Pete Ticali, who has always treated me with respect and kindness. In his post which is a great explanation of the word Giri, Master Ticali wrote, With Rank comes Privilege, and some might understand with privilege comes responsibility. With re-sponsibility comes Duty; and Duty evolves to a deep Obligation, which lays the foundation for the culmination of Giri.... One might note that I have changed from English to Japanese. I do so because I know no English word to properly translate the word Giri and do it justice. In simple laymans terms, I would ex-plain Giri as the debt you gladly accept; even with the knowledge that you will pay this debt till your last day, and on that day you will know you havent scratched the surface of paying enough. Giri is what one might owe their parents, their grandparents, their

country and those that they honor as their Sensei. As a footnote, I firmly believe that as Sensei, part of our Giri is to teach those thou-

sands (if necessary) to find the few with whom our Giri can be entrusted (passed on) to. I believe that those who follow the way, can under-stand. There are many that will not even began to scratch the surface of comprehen-sion. Master Ticali spells out for us the truth of martial arts the way it should be

taught and practiced. Unfortunately to many, these lessons are nothing but empty words, things that go in one ear and out the other. As one parent of a student once said to me, you talk about stuff too much. There was an ancient time, when someone made a verbal commitment and that word was admissible in the court of law. Now days even a written contract is often not adhered to and people look at that as just a something they agreed but then changed their mind about. Even in court judges say things like well you cant hold them to something if they dont want to do it. I have found in my last two decades of teaching and running a school that statisti-cally not even one percent of the people I deal with can comprehend the word Giri. I think we may want to call it convenience Giri! The reason I say this is most students, parents

continued on next page

I know of no English word to properly

translate Giri and do it justice.

by Allie Alberigo, Shihan

Gimme Rather Than Giri


and people you deal with are loyal only when it best suits them. They look at the martial arts as more of a commodity. Something purchased or something due to them because they are paying tuition or a monthly fee. I want to shake them into the realiza-tion that lessons are not the same without an understanding of dedication, loyalty and honor. I have argued with martial artists, coaches, and Martial Art Industry heads, that by taken this lesson out, they are not even practicing martial arts at all. They are only practicing the physical movements and with-out these traditions, the martial arts are noth-ing more than just fighting techniques. But with the mental, spiritual and lessons of old, the martial arts are truly limitless. In our society is it possible for us to learn giri or is it only going to be Gimme? Here are a few things that I recommend to begin point-ing students in the direction of this philoso-phy.

1) Realize that the martial arts are a magical gift to enhance your life. They are simply not a purchasesomething you buy. The tuition you pay your teacher just scratches the sur-face of the value of the lessons you receive. Good teachers are hard to find, but the same goes for good students. A student nowadays, is normally not willing to dedicate their time, their loyalty and their actions to the better-ment of themselves and their schools. We fall back to the Gimme rather than Giri. So appreciate your school, your teacher and most importantly appreciate the lessons you have learned because they will change your life forever.

2) Trust, dont question. If you are training with a qualified sensei they will no doubt push you to places far out of your comfort zone. They will look at you with a set of eyes,

that you could not possibly see. I, as an in-structor, have seen potential in students they never knew they had. To them, this vision was not even possible. In fact, I tell this to parents of students all the time when they say their child is bored or wants to quit. I urge them to have an imagination and ask them to see into the future when their child self es-teem will soar due to the lessons they learned. Try to imagine what you child will be able to accomplish if they achieve their black belt.

3) Servitude rather than attitude. As a stu-dent I would travel to Japan and clean my senseis school. I always wondered why so many students had come before me and not offered to do so. I wanted to do it for him, not for reward, not to show loyalty and dedica-tion or show him I was something special. I did it because, in my heart, I wanted to do it. I loved my Sensei and his lessons and all he stood for. I never asked for anything in return, never expected a single thing. In fact, when he offered gifts in return, I simply said, No Sensei, I did this because I wanted to, and this is the right thing to do. As students of the martial arts we should always give back, paint, clean, promote, help teach all for our school and teacher. Remember the quote, ask not what you country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. That mindset is lost. The very fiber of doing what is right for many is being lost and we live in a WIIFM - what is in it for me society. We need as martial artists realize we are warriors and a warrior protects and serves.

Allie Alberigo is a father, martial artist, author, public speaker and business coach to some of the most successful martial arts entrepreneurs in the world.. He has been living the martial arts for over 46 years teaching full time in his schools. He currently runs L.I. Ninjutsu Centers two locations in East and West Islip www.lininja.com and is also the owner Taking it to the next level www.takingittothenextlevel.com. Allie can be reached at 1-888- LiNinja or 631-321-5432 or you can email him at [email protected]


www.abkusa.com/okm


GM chuck merrimanLast Man Standing

Profile of a Pioneer

Heres your trivia question for today. What living American martial artist provided security for Presi-dent Kennedy, Che Guevara, Marshal Tito and the Pope? If you guessed from the photos that it was Chuck Merriman, you win. Call him for a prize.

Yes, he is still alive and yes, he is still active in karate. He was eighty this year. He is planning a trip to Okinawa in November for a couple of anniversaries associated with the Jundokan and still shows up at the dojo on Friday nights. Try to keep up.

There were a handful of Americans around and practicing karate pre 1960, most of them gone. Bob Trias told the world that he studied Shurite while stationed in the Solomon Islands towards the end of the Second World War from a Chinese man named Hsing who had learned it from Choki Motobu. Whatever the case, he was teaching judo and karate in Phoenix before 1950. But Trias passed away in 1989.

Dan Ivan started in 1948 while with the occupation forces in Japan. William Dometrich was around back then. As were Peter Urban and Aaron Banks. But all are dust, Aaron Banks just the other day at 85.

Lee Gray could almost qualify. He started in 1960 while with the Marines but was fight-ing in Vietnam when Kennedy was president. By the way, he is still strong as a horse and teaching in Amarillo, Texas, in case you are curious. There are a few others around, but scarce as desert rain and, as you know, becom-ing more so.

Chuck Merriman could be referred to as part of the second wave of American Martial artists. He started in 1960 and, after a stint at judo, ended up studying Goju Ryu from Peter Urban. It was Japanese Goju back in the day,

lead by Gogen Yamaguchi, the infamous Cat, whose nickname seems to emanate from some nether world, since, according to Sensei Merri-man, even Yamaguchi didnt know where it came from.

Urban went on to break away from Yamaguchi after a trip to Japan that convinced him that Americans were better at karate than Japanese. He tied in with Richard Kims butokukai, combined it all with some

Chuck Merriman with Gogen Yamaguchi, the Cat


GM chuck merriman

contined on next page

Mas Oyama Kyokushin karate and renamed it USA Goju. Chuck left that group and moved on to other things.

After years spent wrapped up in one corner of American karate or another, Sensei Merriman eventually evolved to Okinawan Goju, first with Morio Higaonna and then with Eiichi Miyazato and the Jundokan, which he now calls home and, I am going to guess, will for the rest of his days.

I sat down with Sensei Merriman one bright morning outside a Starbucks in Scotts-dale, Arizona, close to his home. The cerulean sky was clear as blue crystal and a breeze cooled the spring morning. His eyes were animated, damp with memories, and he had no trouble recalling the details of 53 years of practice. Over coffee and biscotti he told me this story.

I started out in Judo for about 6 months with a guy named Norbert Bellinger. He had brought real tatami mats from Japan and we had a nice, small dojo at a YMCA. One night I showed up for class and everyone was stand-ing around waiting for him to arrive. He never did. He just disappeared and I never saw him again.

But, by that time I was hooked. I went down to New York and found a place on 34th street run by the Judo Twins, two twin broth-ers about six foot seven with no necks. The only way you could tell them apart was that one was nice and the other a jerk.

They offered judo lessons on one floor and karate on another. They said I could stay there and sleep in the dojo if I wanted.

I was in. I went home and told my wife that I

had some good news and some bad news. The good news was that I had found a judo

By Robert Hunt, Sensei

continued


school. The bad was that she would have to go back to Harrisburg for awhile and live with her family. She agreed and went home. I went back to New York. She was a good woman, too good for me.

If you have never been a karate fanatic, that tale might seem odd. If you have been drawn in to the art at one time or another, however, it makes flawless sense. Mr. Merri-man was caught up in the never-never-land of karate, the land that time left untouched, just like the rest of us. It was exotic, secret and inhabited by mysterious and wonderful char-acters. Just the kind of place a Peter Pan like him, you and me could call home.

That sort of intensity of desire seems to have driven his life. Learn karate. Be part of it, whatever it takes. It doesnt always matter if you are practicing or not. What matters is to be in the middle of the action, in the mael-strom of karate, wherever that is.

My first teacher was Christy De-Baise. I found out on a trip to Japan that his real name wasnt Christy, it was Paul. I dont know where Christy came from, he said it was a long story. Isnt it always?

He taught Shi-To Ryu. I didnt know Shi-To ryu from bananas. It was all karate to me. We have remained friends all these years and still talk on the phone occasionally.

We did 2 hours of judo then 2 hours of karate every night. On Saturdays I caught the Staten Island Ferry out to his home to learn some more. There was no bridge back then. I would call before I got on the ferry and tell him I was coming with donuts for breakfast and I stayed all day. I was probably a pain in the neck, but I didnt care, I wanted to learn karate.

Christy eventually quit teaching. I needed some place to practice so he recommended me to Sensei Urban.

As I watched Sensei Merriman talk about his early years, it became clear that he had great respect for these men. Some people talk down about Peter Urban, but Merriman didnt. He always referred to him as Sensei, never just Urban or Peter. He admitted

the man was eccentric, but a great teacher and they remained friends until Mr. Urbans death a few years ago.

In this world of ever changing allegiances, people often talk negatively of past associations. Someone who is steeped in karate tradition and karate un-derstanding, like Merriman, however, does not. We are what we are from the sum total of our experiences, not just the ones we want people to remember. He probably owes more of his under-standing that karate is just plain hard work to Sensei Urban than anyone else. Those early years lay a foundation for whatever comes after, and if the foundation is solid and filled with intense practice, what you build on top of it will stand. If the foundation is karate baloney, everything learned after that is just mayonnaise.

Christy sent me to Sensei Urban. There was a three month waiting list at the Chinatown dojo, but Christy got me in.

I lined up with the white belts for a couple of months until I got the feel of things, then one night I stepped up to the black belt line. Sensei stopped the class with a dramatic gesture and told everyone to sit down. Christy had told me that I would have to prove myself and that I had to hurt the first fighter or they would make mince meat out of me. So I did. The first guy was Harry Rozenstein and I gave him all I had. I got through it and nothing was ever said. I stayed with the black belts after that.

Peter Urban had studied with Yamaguchi Go-gen in the early fifties in Japan, and possibly Mas Oyama before that. He opened one of the first dojos in the United States and taught most any-one who claimed Goju as an art in the early days. Merriman spoke fondly of him. How they used to have to line up at 6:00 PM sharp and wait until

Fighting Bill Wallace in a 70s competition.


Urban came in. If you werent lined up at 6:00 you didnt take part in class. One guy came in late, got back-kicked into the wall for his trouble and was thrown out of the dojo. In those days there were only a few dojos and the teachers all knew each other. If you were kicked out of Peter Urbans, you were not welcome in Don Naegles.

Sensei Urban went to Japan in 1996 to see Yamaguchi. When he got back, he called a half dozen of us together at the dojo around a low table. It was me, a cop named Al Gotay, and a couple other guys.

Sensei Urban sat ceremoniously at one side of the table and slowly pulled a meat cleaver out of somewhere. Everyone jumped. No one knew what was going to happen next. Al Gotays hand instinctively flashed around for the gun tucked in his belt.

Sensei Urban lifted the cleaver high in the air then, with a dramatic gesture, sank it into the middle of the table with a thud.

I cut the ties with Japan, he proclaimed loudly.

Like many karate seekers of the era, young Chuck Merriman was always looking for the source - the truth of it all, the essence. At first, like most of us, he thought it was Japan. No one new

Okinawa from Timbuktu and all the domi-nant post war teachers were Japanese, like Yamaguchi.

Did he ever find the truth? Does anyone? You dig deeper and deeper and, in the end you are still relying on a teachers interpretation of someone elses ideas. After Higaonna died in 1915, Miyagi went to China to find his legendary teacher, Lu Lu Ko. Miyagi never found him and spent the rest of his life molding Goju Ryu out of what he learned as a young man from Higaonna.

Chuck Merriman was no different. He simply wanted to learn. He and a few others brought a Japanese named Yamamoto over to run the organization after Peter Urban left, but Merrimans search has been lifelong.

Yamamato was tough but it was all sparring. Kata was like a warm up for spar-ring. No one even talked about bunkai.

Sensei Merriman went on, that cool Arizona morning, recounting a litany of peo-ple with whom he had dealt over the years. You could substitute the list for a whos who of American karate pioneers and leaders. Teams to Spain, teams to the Pan Am games, AAU competition. He was in the stands at

Still influencing young minds and bodies.


the celebrated LA tournament where Dominique Valera, the infamous French fighter, upon losing, laid into judges with punches and kicks. Valera was about to flip over to full contact karate and had never won this international championship. When he squandered this final chance, he went berserk and was hauled away in cuffs. Later he entered full contact but drifted into oblivion. Have you ever heard of him? Glory is fleeting. Life is long.

Merriman talked about those years, the politics, the international teams, but kept slip-ping back to his early years with Peter Urban. We all look back on those introductory years with nostalgic ambivalence. They were tough years, we beat ourselves to death training every day, but they molded us into solid karate citizens and turned out a guy like Chuck Merriman who is as determined today as in the days with Peter Urban.

We did a lot of fighting from cat stance and without cups or mouthpieces. Sensei preached that because no one wore a cup on the street, we should learn to defend the groin without one. And groin kicks were a common attack in that dojo in those days.

There were no women in class. Then one day a woman showed up. She was a truck driver and looked like one. He was just as tough on her as anyone else, maybe more, but she took it and stayed with it.

Sometime around 1990 Sensei Merriman met Morio Higaonna at Ozawas tournament in its early days in Las Vegas. He had heard of Higaon-na, considered him an authentic source of Goju and thought he was part of the Jundokan, a fact he found out later to be untrue. Higaonna had been part of it, but had broken off.

Chuck sat down beside the man and began to talk about karate. He finally got around to ask-ing Higaonna if he could study Okinawan Goju. Higaonna was gracious and immediately ac-cepted him. But politics soon intervened and that relationship ended. Higaonna was not the prob-lem, someone else was running the organization and apparently didnt play well with other kids.

In 1995, after leaving Higaonna, Chuck ran into a man named Yasuda in Canada. Yasuda

People often refer to Bunkai as application, but bunkai is more like analysis than application. You analyze and you try to understand.


Sensei turned out to be the oldest man in the Jundokan in Okinawa, the dojo that Miyazato founded immediately after Miyagis death. They formed a friendship that has lasted ever since. Yasuda invited Chuck to go to Okinawa, which he immediately accepted, stayed three weeks and was surprised to receive a 7th degree black belt on the last night. Yasuda ap-parently saw something there. They dont give those things away to just anyone. They eventu-ally got him to 9th.

Chuck Merriman finally found the home for which he had been searching for 40 years. He visits Okinawa a couple times a year. He is older than most in the organization, in fact the only one older is Yasuda, himself.

Chuck is happy at the Jundokan. He has found what he has been looking for all his life - the fount of Goju Ryu. He understands that karate is only one persons interpretation of what a teacher taught and that the only way to really learn Goju would be with Miyagi. But Miyagi died in 1953, and Miyagi, himself, was trying to craft a style out of what he learned from Higaonna. As Merriman says, its a work in progress.

We study from teachers and endeavor to get our arms around it all by organizing it and categorizing it. We try to find some way to ab-sorb it all. But do we? Maybe. Its there in front of us, but do we see it or ignore it? As Paul Simon said, a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.

Chuck listens and tries to hear it all. He be-lieves that Eiichi Mizato was probably as good a source as any for Goju knowledge and prob-ably better than most, since he was so close to Miyagi during his life. Whatever the case, Chuck is content to spend his final days study-ing Goju Ryu at the Jundokan.

On Sundays we get together to analyze kata. One person performs a kata and gives his interpretation of the moves. The rest of us comment and ask what if? People often refer to Bunkai as application, but bunkai is more like analysis than application. You analyze and you try to understand. The beauty is that it is always changing and evolving. We learn some-

thing new every time.Kata movements are little more than dance,

anyway. At our old dojo in New York, Broadway dancers used to come down to learn karate. To them kata was just like dance and they knew how to learn dance routines - put this foot here and that one there. They could learn it in no time. They could learn all the kata there is to learn in a couple of months. But you know dancing isnt karate. Its useless unless you can make it work.

Sensei Merriman doesnt call himself Grand Master, or Great Grand Master or Shihan or any of the rest. He doesnt expect sycophants to grovel around him. In fact, he handles the senior-junior ceremonies of karate almost uncomfort-ably. He seems to know who he is and where he has ended up. He has lived the entire history of American karate, from its birth with WWII soldiers like Peter Urban coming home, through rebirth after rebirth, Olympic aspirations, full contact winners and losers, Wuko to WKF, rules and changes to rules and more changes, end-less parades of fame seeking politicians and real karate all the way down to the modern search for authenticity.

He stopped by the dojo the other day and watched the kids perform kata. After it was over and at my urging, he offered his opinion. It was straight forward, unadorned and very kind - always positive and instructive. The kids and the black belt adults were innately aware of the depth of understanding that exists in an 80 year old black belt who has been practicing karate all his life and literally has seen it all. I have known of Chuck Merriman throughout my adult life. Most of the others that evening hardly knew him at all, but it didnt matter. They felt an im-mediate bond and asked if he could come back.

At home in the Jundokan he is comfortable. Yasuda Sensei is his only senior in age. Sensei Merriman will stick around and maybe eventu-ally find out what its all about, maybe open his eyes and see it all. Whenever old Yasuda dies, and karate becomes the property of youth, Sensei Chuck Merriman, as far as the pioneers of our art are concerned, may just find himself the last man standing.


Not your typical karate class

The slow moving train was tak-ing me from Southern Italy, where I had just visited my parents, to Milano. One of the teenagers in my compart-

ment gave me a curious stare, looking at my framed, tubular backpack, and asked me:Dove vai? I looked back at the group of teenagers and told them that I was heading to Japan. They all laughed at my answer, and I remained silent for the rest of the train ride to Milano. I guess it was perhaps hard for me as well to digest the reality that I was actu-ally going to spend three months in Ja-pan, as an invited guest in a monastery. I had met Yoshiaki Iijima in 1977 in Israel, where he and I were roommates for sev-eral months in a kibbutz in Upper Galilee. He returned to Japan to become a Bud-dhist monk, and I went on to America two years later. In September of 1981, Yoshiaki, who by then was called Tengai, picked me up at Narita Airport, and together we headed back to Gohyakurakan, the Temple of 500 disciples of Buddha, in the village of Ogi-Cho. This would be my home for the next few months. Tengai-San had previously explained to me that I would be expected to complete some chores, and that I would be a Takuhatsu monk during my stay.

No problem, I said, not knowing the real extent of my words. As soon as I got there, my Che Guevara looks, complete with black beret, scruffy beard and wavy hair, instantaneously disappeared, and I quickly became the new face of Mr.Clean, with a shiny shaved head, new clothes, and a big appetite for knowledge. I was a 23 year-old with a brown belt in Karate from Belgium, and a brown belt in Tae Kwon Do from Mr. Keith D. Yates, in Dal-las, Texas. I spent the first few days getting used to the early wake up call, and getting ac-customed to cleaning the wooden floors of the temple, on my hands and knees. I asked Tengai-San if he could take me to a Karate dojo, and so we visited a Shorinji Kempo school in the city of Odawara. The practitioners of that style, with their amazing throwing and flying techniques, made me soon realize that I would be completely out of my league among them, and therefore I decided that I would only watch, and not embarrass myself. Tengai-San could clearly read the disap-pointment on my face. Dont worry, he said, I have a few old friends. I was not aware that, every couple of weeks, about half a dozen older monks from other vil-lages would come to Gohyakurakan, and spend the evening chatting, laughing, and


Not your typical karate class


One can not compare a structured, traditional Karate class to sitting

around on a tatami with a bunch of sake drinking monks who

feed you morsels of their infinite

knowledge.

just hav-ing a good old time. They were all in their 60s and 70s. My friend explained to me that they all had had previous experience in martial arts, whether it was in Kara-te, Judo, Aikido, or some other discipline. Mae-geri, Anto-San, one of the monks shouted at me! I kicked, and kicked, and again, and again. The old man would, effortlessly, and gracefully, redirect my leg with one hand, sim-ply moving his hips, while still holding his cup of sake in the other hand. The other monks would applaud, laugh hard, and drink more sake. That evening was spent entirely on mae-geri and mawashi-geri, and proba-bly on how to fend off an opponent with one hand, while drinking with the other! It was only years later that I came to re-alize how essential the delicate shifting of the hips was, and how crucial it was to the actual fighting. The daily life at the monastery went

on, un-eventful. The chores, such as cut-ting wood, sweep-ing leaves around the small cem-etery over-looking the temple, or cleaning and dusting the 500 heads of

Buddha in the temple, where one is said to find its own image in one of the statues, were not the hardest part of my stay. Getting up before 5 am to ring the large bell, the gong, and then have zazen meditation in a shiver-ing cold was a differ-ent challenge! I often wondered later if the chores and sometimes

harsh conditions could be likened to a 1st brown belt being readied for Shodan. I think that I preferred the 70s kumite without pads over the daily zazen in windy, cold temperatures in the temple. Samui, sode wa arimasen ka? I was often askedAnd indeed, I answered, it was cold! I always looked forward to the group of monks coming over every fortnight.

by Tony Tempesta


Was it for my thirst for knowledge, or my thirst for sake? Probably both! Gyakuzuki, Anton-San, one of the monks pointed at me. And as quickly as I would reverse punch I would end up on the tatami, victim of a technique which, I later learned, was called kote nage. Just as they had shown me with the kicks, now the old, bold men toyed with my hand attacks, without ever hurting me. I had learned in Karate in Belgium how to fight hard, and linear, and I did not know of any other way until I met my sake drink-ing friends. The evenings spent among them were not the typical Karate classes, to say the least! I often laugh about those times, and ask myself if I were part of a Twilight zone episode or part of a sketch with Belushi in Saturday night live! It all seemed so surreal and comical at times. With each visit of the monks I would be privileged to a few new tech-niques. In my teenage years, I was intro-duced to the leg sweeping and reverse sweeping techniques by Yoshinao Nanbu during a week long seminar in the mid 70s. One of the monks had altered those drills/techniques into something more fun, simpler, showing them as a graceful dance with a partner. To this day, the drill remains a favorite tool of mine, for both teaching, and fighting. The lessons learned are still fresh in my mind and in my body, even after more than three decades. I am still learning how to shift my body, how to use less motion, how to be less direct, and am still learning

how to use the still functional parts of my aging body! As teachers, we often send off the ikkyu students to learn from other Sensei, or we send them to tournaments before their Shodan test. They need that physical and mental fortitude before the next big step. In other schools, as in Renbudo, they go and fight at the Proctor Hombu for one year. Perhaps this is what the old monks wished for me then, in their own ways, but I was too oblivious to it. One can not compare a structured, traditional Karate class or seminar to sit-ting around on a tatami with a bunch of sake drinking monks who feed you mor-sels of their infinite knowledge. I was very fortunate to have lived among them for a brief period of time, and I was blessed with their kindness, their brotherly love, and with their tremendous humility. Soon after Christmas of 1981, with a heavy heart and a lighter backpack, I left the Ogi-Cho village, and I headed to Thai-land, and then Nepal and India. That jour-ney would turn out to be another type of challenge, another way to forge the spirit in ones life, or in martial arts.

Master Tony Tempesta has trained in the martial arts all over Asia and the world. He currently holds a seventh dan in Renbudo Karate-Do.

continued from previous page


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tai chi parkby Sifu Bob Klein

You are greeted by well manicured fields leading to trails through the woods. Past red hanging lanterns, potted flowers, silhouettes of Master Jou, Tsung Hwa in Tai-chi postures and dragons twisting in and out of the earth, you find practice areas. One is at the edge of a cliff leading to the river, another hidden in a bamboo grove and still another sprouts multi-colored Bagua posts. This is the Tai-chi Park, a 23 acre wooded area devoted to Tai-chi practice and to the memory of Master Jou and located in Wantage, N. J. It is the successor to the worlds largest yearly gathering of Tai-chi teachers in the world, the Tai-chi Farm which began in 1984 in nearby Warwick, N. Y. Tai-chi Master Jou, Tsung Hwa purchased this 103 acre piece of land to use as a Tai-chi gathering place and an ongoing school. I was at the first Tai-chi Farm gathering, dedicated to the birthday of Tai-chis legendary founder, Chan, San Feng. About 35 people showed up and we were amazed at how many Tai-chi teachers there were in one place. Before Master Jou was killed in a car accident in 1998, the yearly gathering attracted over 1,200 teachers and their students. From 1984 on, I and about 15 other teachers, provided advanced training to other teachers and all teachers shared whatever they knew with each other. There were five workshop periods per day over the two day weekend and a choice of four or five workshops for each time slot. You could just wander from one class to another if you wished, just take in the beautiful wooded scenery or play with the geese and goats. After Master Jou died, one of his students, Bruce LaCarrubba, offered his 23 acre property to continue the event and received the blessings of Master Jous family. Now it takes place on the weekend nearest to Master Jous birthday, July 13th. Bruce considers himself to be the caretaker, and continues to provide classes of Master Jous Tai-chi and philosophy. The festivals workshop subjects range from

Tai-chi for self defense, to basic principles of efficient movement, to Qigong to strengthen specific parts of the body, to learning new Tai-chi forms, to Taoist philosophy, to principles of healing, to push hands and on and on. All who are interested in what Tai-chi has to offer are welcome to the festival. One of the events guiding principles has always been, Leave your ego at the door and so this event has become like a family reunion, with students and teachers alike sharing with each other. The price is very modest and food is included. One of the events highlights is demonstrations by the teachers. You see the incredible variety of Tai-chi forms, the slow ones as well as the faster, martial oriented forms, including weapons. But the emphasis of the Tai-chi Park is on Tai-chi for health and efficient use of the body. We all want to be healthy and live long lives but also to bring the intricate understanding of efficient movement, neutralizing the opponents force and generation of power into our martial arts, whatever our style may be. The Tai-chi Park not only provides great new ideas for our practice every year and helps unite the Tai-chi community, but also refreshes our souls to energize us for a new year of teaching.

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Shorin Ryu Karate. In addition, to the loss in Okinawa, Sensei Figgianis own sensei, Sensei Joseph Carbonara had passed awayone of the last pioneers in the United States. Keeping this in mind, Sensei Figgianis goal was to keep the legacy of these great men alive in the hearts of Matubayashi Shorin Ryu practitioners. Grandmaster Shoshin Nagamine, the founder of Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu, hand-picked Ansei Ueshiro, Chotoku Omine, and James Wax to introduce karate to the United States. In fact, Wax was Nagamine Senseis first Western black belt. Carbonara Sensei and his contemporaries began their study of Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu in the early 1960s training under the above-mentioned men. Later on, Carbonara Sensei would study not only with the Grandmaster but with his son Takayoshi Nagamine who had later arrived in the States. Carbonara was appointed a world delegate for the Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu Federation in 1991 and was active not only in teaching but in his own personal training before falling ill to pancreatic cancer. Before his passing, Carbonara Sensei stressed to Sensei Figgiani the importance of reviv-ing and strengthening the New York areas relationship to Okinawa. On his previous trip in 2009, Sensei Figgiani was able to visit the Honbu Dojo to see Soke Nagamine. He was accompanied by Okinawan master Kensei Taba. Taba Sensei was greeted with great respect and humil-ity by Soke Takayoshi Nagamine who was ten years junior in age to Taba Senseihis fathers long-time student and one-time president of the World Matsubayashi Ryu

Traveling to the Home Land of Karate-DoT HE WORLD OF MATSUBAYASHI SHORIN RYU HAD CHANGED TRE-MENDOUSLY SINCE 2009. Thats what Sensei Jerry Figgiani realized after travel-ling to Okinawa in July of 2013. Since his last visit the passing of two Okinawan Karate legends Kensei Taba Sensei and Soke Takayoshi Nagamine had left a tremendous void making a difference not only on his own journey to Okinawa but more importantly in the world of

Jerry Figgiani, Kyoshi, training at an ancient temple site.


Federation. It was Sensei Figgianis un-derstanding that, although both men lived in Naha City, it had been ten years since they last spoke. Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu might well be seen as a microcosm of the political divisions in karate world-wide, where rifts among members of even the greatest traditions within the martial arts are common. Yet, as Sensei Figgiani looked on the scene of the two men exchanging proprieties and courtesies, he was struck by how the Okinawan emphasis on polite-ness and respect transcended individual differences and made the reunion possible. Regrettably, within two years, both men would be gone. Eighteen years earlier, in 1991, Sensei Figgiani accompanied his own instructors, Sensei Joseph Carbonara and Sensei Terry Maccarrone, as they made the trip to Okinawa to celebrate Grandmaster Nagamines 85th birthday. Along with the pageantry of the Grandmasters birthday, there was also the announcement that, as expected, Takayoshi Nagamine would be given the title Soke (hereditary heir) of the Matsubayashi Shorin Ryu system. One of the uncanny things about Sensei Fig-giani is his ability to have a relationship with different instructors and not be held back by political differences. An example of this: Although an original student of Sensei Maccarrone, it was Sensei Maccar-rone who encouraged Sensei Figgiani to train with Sensei Carbonara. Sensei Fig-giani feels lucky because he has benefitted from the influences of Omines teaching through Carbonara and Ueshiros teach-ings through Maccarrone. With the appointment of Soke, it was the beginning of the changing of the guard. Within a few years, the ailing

by Brad Wells

continued next page

Tamaki Sensei and Tokashika Sensei

Traveling to the Home Land of Karate-Dograndmaster and his senior student, 9th dan Nakamura Seigi, would ask Kensei Taba to assume the Presidency of the World Matsub-ayashi Shorin Ryu Federation. Taba Sensei held that position until Nagamines death in 1997. Well respected, Taba Sensei had also studied with karate legends Hohan Soken, and Chosin Chibana. But it was in Master Nagamines dojo that he learned the Karate he would spend a half century practicing, training with him for the rest of the Masters life. Sensei Figgiani was able to go to Oki-nawa in 2009 at the request of Soke Takayo-shi Nagamine, who then headed the World


Matsubayashi Karate Association. The trip coincided with the world championships in Okinawa. Yet, another example of Sensei Figgianis ability to have relationships with different instructors was demonstrated by the fact that Soke Nagamine requested Sensei Figgianis visit, however, it was Taba Sensei who hosted him. Sensei Figgiani had previ-ously met Taba Sensei in Dayton, Ohio two years earlier when Taba Sensei was there to teach a seminar coordinated by Sensei Tony Partlow. Sensei Figgiani states, When I was first introduced to Taba Sensei, I felt an im-mediate connection although there was a language barrier. I felt he sensed my sincer-ity in my commitment to Okinawan Karate. He made my students and I feel like a part of his martial arts family. Figgiani travelled to Ohio at the request of Sensei Maccarrone to represent Matsubayashi-ryu practitioners in New York and to show appreciation and support for Taba Sensei as a senior member of the greater Matsubayashi family. Maccar-rone Sensei, who began his study of Shorin Ryu in 1963 with Sensei Ansei Ueshiro, was aware of his instructors strong relationship with Sensei Taba. Maccarone Sensei stressed the importance of maintaining those relation-

ships, keeping open the doors of communi-cation, and when possible, training with the Okinawan practitioners. The Shorin Ryu Karatedo International group went to Okinawa in 2009 with the same spirit of friendship and cooperation. Master Taba showed his appreciation by opening the doors of his dojo and his own home. He played the role of host, tour guide, and most importantly, instructor. Figgiani commented on how tremendously welcoming and gra-cious Taba Sensei was. He regarded the mas-ter as a true gentleman, extremely inclusive, and representing the best of Okinawa. As Shorin Ryu Karatedo members ex-ited the airport this last July, they were privi-leged to be met by Sensei Sadahiro Makino. The group would attend memorial ceremo-nies at the Taba family home honoring the one-year anniversary of Taba Senseis passing. Each family member of Taba Senseis family greeted and welcomed the returning visitors as well as the first timers. They showed great appreciation for their guests. They talked about how proud they were of Taba Sensei not only because of his commitment to Karate but to his family. Even though the timing of the trip was planned to coincide with the cer-

Modern Naha


emony, the visitors found it difficult to believe that the gracious man had passed. One of the female participants of the group and eighteen year practitioner, Sandan Kathy Hanley says, I was extremely nervous during my first visit to Okinawa. I didnt know what to expect or how I would be treated as a woman training in the martial arts. What I found was that there was no barrier that is sometimes encountered when training in the United States. Taba Sen-sei and his students were always generous and helpful with instruction. Four years later, in 2013, as Shorin Ryu Karatedo members arrived at the Naha Air-port, they were greeted by Sensei Sadahiro Makino. The group was taken to their hotel to rest up for the following days itinerary. The first day started off with a 2 training session in the tropical heat. For the remainder of their stay, they would be training in the Tokashiki Shorin Ryu Dojooverseen by the senior member of the group and longtime Shoshin Nagamine student Sensei Takeshi Tamaki. Af-ternoons and evenings were filled with great food, sightseeing, and the occasional addi-tional training session. Sensei Figgiani had the

opportunity to teach in the Tokashiki Dojo. He felt it was an honor for him to stand in front of the future generation of Shorin Ryu practitio-ners. It was easy to connect with the students because the language was karate-do. The newcomers to Okinawa were, as Sensei Figgiani had always been, fascinated by the warm and welcoming, laid-back man-ner of their instructors. Yet, there was no lack of intensity in the training. Additionally, they were struck by their Okinawan hosts repeated emphasis of the need to make karate your own. Understanding principles to feel com-fortable within ones own body types, strength and limitations were reinforced. Seventy year old Eddie Chin, 5th dan an original student of Omine Sensei, says, We were surrounded by black belts giving us instruction almost one-on-one. I would need another lifetime to come close to what they achieved. Newly awarded Shodan, 76 year old Lou DiBlasi says, Before my arrival, I had no idea what to expect. After training in an Oki-nawan dojo, I realized that Karate permeates the entire Okinawa culture. The group was also able to interact and socialize with other

Declaration with Makino Sensei Tokashiki Sensei and Tamaki Sensei


sphere in a karate-theme setting. Sensei Figgiani stresses that anyone who trains in Okinawan Karate should make it a point to train there at least once in their life-time. Students are immersed in the history and culture of some of the great leaders who have paved the way for generations to come. It was definitely an inspiring trip for the senior mem-bers of the organization as well as first timers. On the last evening of the trip, Sensei Figginai was asked to attend a special meet-ing. That evening, he was honored to be asked if he would form an official affiliation between the members of the International Shogen Ryu Karatedo Kyokai and Shorin Ryu Karatedo In-ternational. Sensei Figgiani was very pleased to accept the invitation. A certificate was prepared to document the newly formed affiliation. The document itself is unique and spe-cial, particularly given the divisiveness of contemporary martial arts. But it is actually an expression of strong bonds that have gone back over half a century between New York and Naha. It documents the intention of both orga-nizations to continue to promote Okinawa and its uniqueness without any political discrimina-tion, a fitting embodiment of Nagamine Sen-seis appreciation for the integral relationship between karate and Okinawan culture and his lifetime commitment of spreading the Oki-nawan art worldwide. Sensei Figgiani felt the trip was a huge success, not only by having his organization honored, but by the establishment of the official affiliation enabling an open-door policy in Okinawa to all who would like to join him. If you would like to contact Sensei Fig-giani he can be reached by going to his web site www.srkdi.com.

martial artists throughout the world. They met practitioners from Sweden, Portugal, Germany, Spain, and even ran into other martial artists from the United States. An international gathering and friendship meeting place was a newly established business called the Dojo Bar which Sensei Figgiani highly recommends to students traveling to Okinawa. The Dojo Bar which opened in 2011 by Matsubayashi practitio-ner James Pankiewicz was a great social place with good food and a lively atmo-


www.srkdi.com


MastersFavorite fighting techniques from the

Shihan Don Issaks favorite fighting techniques.

TM

Go to www.officialkaratemag.com to see more Favorite Fighting Techniques from the MastersTM.

1

5

3

2

6

4

Tongue in Cheek defense against a Right Hand Punch or Grab (Grandmaster Andy Horne is playing the role of attacker)1. Opponent executes a right hand punch or grab and Mr. Isaak steps off center and executes a left hand brush block.2. As opponent carries forward Isaak extends his right elbow upward as a secondary block. Note that the block must be above attackers elbow to defend against possible counter.3. Isaak rotates clockwise simultaneously smearing attackers face with his right hand.4. Isaak continues to rotate clockwise placing opponent in a right arm bar.5. Then he executes a left doward block reversing the opponent and opening him...6. ...to a reverse right elbow strike to chin (mandible).

Shihan Don Issak began his training at the age of 12 in Peoria, IL with Hanchi Phillip Koeppel in 1972. Mr. Isaak graduated from High School in 1978 and went to work full time at the Koeppel Karate schools. He traveled extensively throughout the Midwest competing at various tournaments over his competitive career. He taught for Hanchi Koeppel in both Springfield, IL, and Champaign-Urbana. He joined the United States Air Force in 1981 and was stationed at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City, OK, where he studied Seikichi Toguchi Shorei Kan Goju-Ryu with Tom Haggerty. During this time he met Mike Dillard, owner of Century Martial Arts supply and in 1985, Mr. Issak opened the Atlanta location for Century. Issak has been nationally ranked in forms, fighting and weapons. In 1989 he was the #1 forms and #1 Light Heavyweight fighting champion (NASKA) in the Southeast region. He holds mulitple dan ranks including a 7th Dan in Okinawan Karate, 6th dan in Shuri-Ryu karate, and 3rd dan in Shinto Yoshin Ryu Ju-Jitsu. Shihan Issak is in the Living Legends Hall of Fame and was awarded Master of the Year in 2011 by the AAMA. He owns the Ancient Arts Family Karate Academy in Cary, North Carolina. He has also produced six instructional videos on the Shuri system. See his website at www.aaafamilykarate.com.


Favorite fighting techniques from the

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Who Writes the History of the Martial Arts?

jim mathers Karate life Jim Mather, Hanshi

Do the victors write much of the history of our arts or the losers?

They say history is written by the victors. And in the old days, that was generally true. Whoever controlled things, decided what the official story would be. But in recent times (especially since the advent of the free press, multi-channel TV, the internet, Wikipedia, etc.), it has often been written by anyone, includ-ing people who may know little about a given subject, who have an agenda that slants their telling, whose egos float astronomically higher than their IQs and knowledge, and so on. This has been espe-cially true in the martial arts, where history was often based more on legend, mythology, and writer bias than fact. I think Bruce Haines Karates History and Traditions was the first book I read in which the writer actually did an academic inves-tigation into things. It was flawed but not for lack of trying.

Until recently, most martial arts history was passed down via word of mouth. Philoso-pher Karl Popper called this subjective knowl-edge, knowledge that often changes with each retelling or personal slant and would disappear with the death of the last person to hear it.

Objective Knowledge is knowledge put into some form of hard copy (books, maga-zines, video files, pdf, etc.) that enables it to be Googled and accessed by students or re-searchers possibly forever. This can be a good or a bad thing.

There are a few qualities a person must possess it they are to undertake certain tasks. If they want to be a security guard, they cant be

blind. If they want to become a piano tuner, they cant be deaf. And it they want to write a history, they cant be less than honest and truthful to a fault.

Several years ago, I was asked for assistance from a writer who was putting together a book on the history of karate in America. I supplied him with a fair amount of info he didnt have and some rare photos.

He asked me about a local instructor with whom I had some problems. A woman had enrolled her son in his school but quickly left,

referring to them as hokey. She signed up with us and after a few months, she wrote me a note saying Karate at CKA (my dojo) was the best thing she ever did for her son. I asked if it would be okay if I used her quote in an ad. She was happy to recommend us.

So I ran an ad that featured her quote and placed her name under it. It was a great ad that brought us many students. Soon our competitor ran the same exact ad, with her quote and name in it. She was livid. I sent a letter to the guy, explaining the situation. I figured he would do the right thing and stop running it. I was wrong. He said he had been given the ad by a management company, who said I had given them permission to use it. It was trademarked and I never gave them permission. In fact, I had told them they couldnt use it.

The book author got very defensive of the local guy. He thought he was the greatest martial artist in the world and I was obviously a jerk for not seeing that. So when his book came out, in which he listed the credentials and accomplish-ments of most American martial arts instructors,

Magazine and newspaper

articles are full of errors, misquotes and outright lies.


the only comment associated with my name was martial arts administrator.

Whats the big deal? Well, if a future writer (maybe next week, month, year, ten years, or a hundred years) researched this era for an article or book, my name and role could be deemed inconsequential, or diminished, based upon what had been written about me either rightly or wrongly.

While I was a graduate student at Stan-ford, we were taught how to evaluate all sorts of written materialbooks, dissertations, newspapers, research results, etc. The univer-sity expected us to one day publish our own books and articles and to perform and publish our own research. So we had to know how to do these properly and present valid conclu-sions. Many, if not most, research projects are flawed to some degree. Sometimes the ex-periment was structured or setup improperly. Sometimes there were flaws in their math. And sometimes their conclusions werent valid.

For example, someone found that children who could walk balance beams were better readers than those who were poor at it. From that, they concluded that you could improve reading scores by teaching students to walk a beam. So schools all across the country ran out and bought balance beams. Reading scores didnt change. They had erroneously assumed that since those who could walk balance beams were better readers that walking beams made people better readers. No such relationship existed. Non-research materialmagazine and newspaper articles, non-academic books, etc. are always suspect as literally anyone could write one of these. When checking such publications, we knew to be very careful about using their data, quotes, or results in any seri-ous study.

I once read a book entitled Mind Over Matter. The author gave accounts of sev-eral instances in which peoples minds had been verified to have overcome matter. One such proof was a martial artist who supposedly beat a world champion arm wrestler using only his

continued next page

1948. Young Jonathan Lusks life was per-fect. His father a Nobel Prize winning Harvard professor; his mother the beautiful only child of Boston socialites. Jonathans life is turned upside down when he finds himself in Japan, living with his grandfather, former American Ambassador and a judge on the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunals. American opulence and com-fort is abruptly replaced by subtle Japanese elegance and traditional austerity. The boy is thrust into a life among strangers and forced to navigate his way through a new country, foreign customs, unfamiliar language, and ultimately political intrigue that will threaten his life.

I enjoyed this very much. It was engrossing from page one, leading me into a world I havent

seen before. Im a huge fan of Kurosawa, Shogun and Last Samurai among other works

on Japan so I was quite surprised that you could find new stops on a well-traveled

journey. Mike Cheda, Former head of development, Disney & HBO

OK ReadeRsOrder Jim Mathers new novel at www.Amazon.com.


This column is taken from Jim Mathers Karate Life Blog. Mr. Mather (seen at right with Sensei Mimoto at the Goodwill Collegate Competition) is a well known tradi-tional karate master and historian. His blog traces his over 55 years in the arts including friendships with many icons and celebrities. His new novel is titled Arrow Catcher. He is also on theBoard of the Karate Masters Hall of FameYou can contact him at [email protected]

thumb or one finger (I forget which). It had, according to the author, been verified by Black Belt Magazine. I tracked down the article where the individual himself claimed he had beaten the world champion arm wrestler, not some independent and objective observer. It might have been true but was, like hearsay evidence in court, not useful in any serious study.

Magazine and newspaper articles are full of errors, misquotes, and outright lies. Some of these are intentional but most are not. The writer is honestly trying to do a good job but lacks the skill or sufficient knowledge of the subject to do it justice.

I tell people that if you dont want to be misquoted, dont let anyone do an article on you. If you do, its pretty much a given. Ive had many articles done on me and never had one that didnt have something a quote or expla-nation that didnt make me cringe a bit. The writer will hear what they want to hear, mis-hear what you said, etc.

A local journalist did an article on me sev-eral years ago. She quoted me as saying that the nunchaku was developed to beat the husk off of corn. I dont remember seeing a lot of corn when I was in Okinawa as it was a new world product. I had never said anything about corn. I had said it was used to beat the husk off of rice. But I took some kidding about it for a while nonetheless.

In a 1987 Karate-Kung Fu Illustrated Magazine article about me and my thoughts on the subject of ikken hissatsu, the so-called one strike kill, the author wrote, The Japanese call it the one-punch kill. Its a blow that brings all fighting elements together with perfect timing to immobilize your opponent with one sudden burst of power.

Close enough.The one-punch kill is tough to teach, since

many students believe they can do it naturally without any thought put into the correct power-producing dynamics.

Have no idea where she got that.

History continued

Some instructors wont even bother to teach the one-punch kill to women, because they think women dont have enough power to punch. Then when a female student learns it incorrectly, she proves them right. However, women can actually learn the technique faster than many men because they have no pre-con-ceived notions about how its done.

This was a mixture of things I had told her, but about a different topic. Female students often learn how to punch correctly faster than their new male counterparts as they have no bad-habits to unlearn so they improve from day one. It had nothing to do with ikken hissatsu.

If the one-punch kill is more difficult than meets the eye, who can teach it correctly? In Japan instructors of the one-punch kill are com-monplace. However, in North America, theyre rare. But Jim Mather, who owns and runs the California Karate Academy in San Jose, Califor-nia, is an American who has put a lot of thought into the dynamics of punching.

What??? It was true I had given it a lot of thought but so had many others in this hemi-sphere.

Anyway, just a bit more food for thought to bear in mind when you read a history or article on the martial arts or someone proposes to write an article on you.


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For those who spent time training in the birthplace of their arts, such as Okinawa, Korea, Japan, China, Thailand and the Philippines as well as Hawaii, or Samoa for Lua or Lima Lama, it was somewhat different than any other training in the other countries for those styles. For the lack of a better term, you could call it first-hand training, while others learn secondhand, thirdhand or beyond. When training in Asia, most of the older established training halls were hesitant or suspicious about sharing the knowledge that they believed to be a sacred honor passed down from generation to generation. Those who trained before put their beloved secrets in the hands of only the most trusted and loyal students. As time went by more and more interest was stirring for the almost magical movements that seemed to make the average, or even less than average, man into a superhuman. In Okinawa, when I trained after studying for about 12 years in Shorin-ryu, I found that the instruction was a bit different. As you first walked into a dojo in Okinawa back in the 1950s to the late 1970s, you were greeted kindly but with some reservation. We cant forget that the world was at war just a few years earlier and we had bombed Japan. So they werent exactly warm and fuzzy with us yet. When an American would go into a dojo to train, they would be happy to accept

him or her and then begin to punish them through very physically tough training. This training was much more intense than the training required by the locals. They would beat up the Americans almost to the breaking point. They would sometimes hit so hard the student would end up being knocked out of the dojo and onto the dirt outside. After the sensei finally found a place in his heart for the student who never quit, he or she would be accepted as a true student and was able to achieve much

knowledge to pass on to the world. So some of those who made their black belt and went out in the world to teach and thought that they should beat their students. There were reports of serious injuries and even accidental deaths over the years. Many instructors bragged about how they are tough they were then proceeded to knock their students into walls and beat them to a pulp. This was simply because they didnt understand

what was really happening in the beginning of their own training. The truly gifted and intelligent students became revered and loved by their students and the world in general. They were able to have the right mixture of discipline and kindness to develop the student from infancy to maturity in the style they were entrusted with. They followed the old ways and methods of development without the harsh (get to know

Training in Asia

voice of tradition

the Hanshi Dan Tosh

TM

the world was at war only a few

years earlier and we had

bombed Japan.


them) attitude. When I was training with Miyagi Sensei in Hawaii, the training was very tough, yet he was kind to me. He was the father I never had or knew. I could see the kindness in his eyes even through the strict and specific requirements given me to achieve. One day my teacher made me stand in a horse stance for seven hours on the beach in Wahiawa, looking at the ocean under the shade of a tree. He would come and kick the back of my legs every so often to see if Id fall. In that moment I hated him, yet now I love what he allowed me to achieve. My teacher would hit the back of your hand if you did not rotate your fist with the seikan punch. This was what he was remembered for most. He was very fast or at least seemed very fast and it may have been due to a complete lack of wasted movement. Years later I was teaching a seminar at Sensei Rocky Ryans dojo in Shingle Springs California with Sensei Sid Campbell and Rockys first teacher was there. He came up to me and said I trained with your teacher in Hawaii. So I asked how was that? He said I couldnt train for long because he kept hitting the back of my hands and it was painstaking. I knew, of course, he really did train with my teacher. In 1991 I went back to Okinawa to compete in Grandmaster Morio Higahonnas Goju-ryu tournament and to train with some of the old grandmasters. I took my students to see Grandmaster Eizo Shimabukuru in Kin. It took a while to find his dojo and we paid a taxi to drive us there from Naha. As the taxi driver pulled up to the front of his home/dojo he honked the horn two or three times. I jumped out of the taxi and ran to the bottom of his stairs, bowed my head and said, O Sensei,as he was running down the

stairs to deal with this rude action by the taxi driver. He welcomed us to his home and then confirmed that my kata was very similar to his kata. We exchanged cards and on his card one side is about karate and the other is about his chicken farm/contractors business.

When we first went to the tournament building for the morning training with Grandmaster Katsuya Miahira and Grandmaster Shinpo Matayoshi, we found ourselves early and had to wait outside for the doors to open. As we were sitting on the small wall outside the building a somewhat overweight Okinawan gentleman walked up and many of the other showed respect by bowing. I told my students that he must be an important ranking instructor and they agreed. Finally Miahira Sensei walked up and went inside and the doors were soon opened

for everyone else. We went into the bathroom to change and when we emerged with our black gis on, we found that we were the only ones with black gis. I was, in fact, the only one there with

i jumped out of the

taxi and ran to the bottom of his stairs,

bowed my head and

said, O Sensei.



a red and white panel belt on. We opened the very large double doors and started to walk inside where there were hundreds of black belts. A black belt ran over to me and said sir, the highest rank stands in the front to the far right facing Sensei Miahira and since you are the highest rank you must stand there. As I walked over to take my place, the somewhat overweight gentleman wed seen earlier had to give up the spot and he wasnt happy. When Grandmaster Miahira indicated that he knew my teacher, the guy was even less happy. So I stuck my thumbs in my obi and said in as southern an accent as I could, How ya doing? H e did not smile! We had an opportunity to train with GM Miahira and GM Matayoshi and it was a great experience that we will all never forget. Matayoshi Sensei came out in the hall for a break while I was stretching and even though he spoke little or no English we communicated and became friends with a hug at departure. That was a great time and I was able to see old friends as well as make new ones. My friend, Pat McCarthy, was selling his new book, the Bubishi in the hallway and this was the first time Id seen him since about 1981. Training in the old ways from the sources is and was an honor and those of us privileged to do so are truly blessed no matter what roadblocks life throws our way! We need to thank all of those who pioneered the way for the future generations of traditional practitioners! This provides a path to follow and a strong root to develop non-traditional styles as well!

Dan Tosh (at right with Sensei Miyahira) is on the Board of Advisors of Martial Arts Grandmasters International as well as the Karate Masters Hall of Fame. He has been training in Shorin-ryu karate-do since 1958. You can contact him at www.shorin-ryu.biz.


Back in the mid 1960s I had the honor and priviledge to train with Takahiko Ishikawa Sensei in Philadelphia, Penn-sylvania. He was a legend in the Judo world back then and a real live 8th Dan! An 8th degree black belt was a rare treasure in the world back then and almost never heard of in the United States! I had been training in a local judo dojo and helping teach the chil-drens class like we all did back then. One day we had two new teachers come to our school. They had both trained in Japan very recently and they soon set about changing our programs to meet the approval of the Ko-dakan standards. Their names were USAF SGTDarrell Meeks (Shodan) and TSGT Steven L. Martin (Nidan). They were by the book Senseis and we learned the classic Japanese methods of Kodakan Judo train-ing. One day they came to me and said that I had to go through the ranking system of the Yudanshakais in America and I also had to learn the Womans Kata called Ju No Kata in order to test for adult brown belt levels. I had never heard of a kata just for women and had no idea where to learn it. All my fellow students were male and so were my teachers. Thats when I was told that I would have to find a way to get to Ishikawa Judo Academy on Broad Street in downtown Philly. At the time I was just 14 years old and totally unfa-miliar with anything beyond the city stores

When All Else Fails, Do Kata!

KUNG FUKORNER Sifu Karen Schlachter

TM

where I would meet my grandmother once a month. I never went into the city by myself so it was going to be interesting. I think about it now and wonder if my parents had any idea what I was doing every Saturday morning! It certainly was not the safest excursion but it never occured to me not to do it. I carried the heavy gi bag six blocks from the bus station

to the school. It took me four months to get the courage to get in that rickety elevator and go to the 4th floor! Small town kids like me never had the street saa-vy of the city kids! But eventu-ally I was a veteran at traveling up to that wonder world and finding my way back in time for dinner every weekend. I say all of that to make the point that a man of Ishikawas

stature was worth the time and effort and, yes, danger of traveling up there alone for classes. His dojo was also his home. He had a huge office and sat at a big oak teachers desk and there were chair set up in front of his desk and a huge plastic GO board hung like an old movie screen on the wall next to his bedroom door. I remember standing in the hallway, wide eyed and out of breath from climbing 4 flights of stairs, looking at this 64 year old gentleman sitting at his desk talking to sev-eral men, all smoking and laughing at some-thing I couldnt understand. I felt like I was home and yet in heaven. The mat area was

they had trained in Japan and were, by the book

sensei.

huge and there were at least 20 black belts warming up on the floor. Eventually, after paying the $2.00 class fee I found my way from the dressing room to the mat. I knew my life would change from that moment on because the energy in the room was differ-ent and everyone was anticipating the next 3 hours of training. Ishikawa Sensei bowed onto the mat and the air grew quiet. The next few hours I silently thanked my teachers for the years of hard training I had endured because I needed every ounce of knowledge and endurance to make it through the class. At one point Sensei prac-ticed with everyone in the class and the give and take of true randori was a beautiful sight to see. I could go on and on about seeing grown men cry and laugh at the same time when after throwing Ishikawa Sensei several times he would nod and get up and start making a tsk tsk tsk sound and leading them around the mat. They knew that it was time for them to get tossed around like a feather and there really wasnt anything they could do about it! Ishikawa Sensei was a true Mas-ter. He was the essence of Judo. It was his life and his pas-sion. He had an incredible story of hard work and coming out of obscurity to win the most important judo competion in Japan. He was a military man and also an international ambassador for Judo. He was here at the request of the United States government. He was always humble and respectful to all of us. He would randori with the children and let them throw him around the mat with the same focus as he had for the teens and the adults. He treated us all the same. That impressed me as did the great love his students had for him. I was there ev-ery Saturday for 5 years and I learned more from just being there in his presence than I

it is all about the

Judo creed, Maximum Efficiency, Minimum

Effort.

Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM 39

can ever tell you about. He often said to me, Karen, you love this I can tell, dont quit it. When you cant come to class you must still practice and you must always spend time thinking. That will make you strong and not get sick I used to practice at my home dojo 4 nights a week and do foot and lifting drills when there were no partners available. But the thinking was meditation. I was 14, 15 , 16, 17 and medita-tion was the last thing on my mind. Now I understand what he meant but back then it wasnt for me! When I was leaving the area to attend college he took me aside and tried to talk to me about taking judo with me out in the world. He said to always remember the EGO was the highest form of violence in the

Martial Arts. I have never forgot-ten that. I think he meant for me to remember that in my college work and professional work, too. How many times have his words proven to b

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