By Lito Angeles Until now, this column has focused on the prerequisite elements and first two realms of my Core-4 Self-Defense Battle Plan, namely threat recognition and situational control. Now I will delve into the third realm, which is physical engagement. First, I want to emphasize that what I covered in those previous columns represents the foundation of practical self-defense. Without a solid grounding in those elements, the information I will convey moving forward will be a moot point. To establish context, a physical self-defense engagement is the polar opposite of a combat-sport match in that the former is characterized by uncertainty, deception, surprise and the fact that it’s asymmetrical, while the latter is a prearranged and consensual mutual-combat contest that’s characterized by symmetrical, give and take action. In my column in the April/May 2022 issue, I left off with a mention of situational control through verbal de-escalation. When those tactics don’t peacefully resolve the conflict or aren’t viable in a specific situation, it’s time to transition to physical engagement. When you enter this realm, it’s your last resort. There’s simply no other practical option available. The reality is that if you have to respond to an ego-based or criminal-intent-based situation with physical violence, it should happen because you’re facing an imminent threat, meaning you couldn’t avoid or de-escalate it and your adversary is on the verge of attacking you. As such, you should always look at this as a potential life-or-death situation — for all people involved — because it is. With that said, there are four ways you can be attacked. First is a volatile confrontation, which is an ego-based conflict generally caused by one person offending another intentionally or unintentionally. It results in one of them attacking the other at random if the situation isn’t de-escalated. Second is a deceptive-approach attack. This is a criminal-intent-based situation such as a mugging or the “knockout game,” in which a criminal innocuously approaches an unsuspecting victim and once in range, attacks him or her. Third is a targeted-approach attack. The term refers to an ego-based or criminal-intent-based attack in which the bad guy pre-meditatively walks toward the victim, who sees him coming but may or may not be cognizant of the impending attack. The bad guy has a focused sense of purpose to immediately attack — and does so from close range. As the attacker closes the distance, he might say something, but often, he’ll stay silent. Fourth is a blindside attack, an unprovoked assault (premeditated or random) in which the victim is caught off-guard — ambushed from behind or randomly sucker-punched from the front. There is no possible responsive or reactive defense because the victim is unaware of and oblivious to the bad guy. As such, the victim is at the mercy of the attacker who, depending on his intent and actions, can injure or kill the person. The only defense for the fourth type of attack is to be proactively aware of your surroundings and the people around you from the get-go so you’re cognizant of anyone’s approach. From there, the attack changes into one of the other three types, which you can recognize and proactively respond to as needed. When it comes to physical defense, the most effective and efficient way for a smaller, weaker, slower, less-skilled person to prevail against a bigger, stronger, faster, more-skilled adversary is to use deception and surprise to preemptively strike when all other options have failed or are not viable. It is therefore the optimal way for everyone, regardless of physical attributes and abilities, to efficiently neutralize a bad guy. With this in mind, it’s crucial to view initial contact with any suspicious stranger, in any one of the three types of attack, as the start of an assault. This will give you the proper mindset to employ all the proactive elements of the battle plan. That way, you can stay one step ahead of your adversary. Conversely, if you wait to be attacked before you defend yourself, you’re most likely done for. The assailant will overwhelm you — and take you out instantly, if that’s his intention. Having said that, I will explain the proactive tactics for physical self-defense through the use of a scenario. For simplicity, I’ve chosen an ego-based volatile confrontation that will enable me to delineate the tactics I teach because it’s the least complicated way to convey them clearly. I will also include the other tactical elements that come into play before you get physical. You’ll learn about everything from the start of the engagement to the finish. All the tactics I’m about to cover are applicable to the deceptive-approach attack and the targeted-approach attack, with relative adaptations based on the specific interpersonal dynamics involved. I will purposely repeat certain things to drive home important points. There will be many tactical, technical and conceptual elements that I will cover in a general manner; I will get into the specifics in future columns. Imagine that you’re coming out of a restaurant and a stranger bumps into you in the parking lot. He immediately calls you out, then proceeds to get hostile. He threatens bodily harm. At this point, you should employ your innocuous fence stance and attempt to de-escalate by apologizing — and not AACTing, which stands for antagonizing, arguing, challenging or threatening. You can say it was an accident that happened because you were distracted or something along those lines, even if he intentionally did it. As you convey this message, create space between you and him — 3 feet or more — by subtly stepping back and moving to the right or left of center. During this conversation period, there will be telltale body language and proxemic signs that he will give before launching a surprise attack. They include giving you a death stare, stepping back into a stance, splaying his arms, sticking out his chin, expanding his chest, balling a hand into a fist, looking left or right, looking down and/ or over his shoulder, touching your torso and shoving you. While these cues can indicate that he’s about to attack, there’s one big problem with all of them: If he is within arm’s reach — 1 to 2 feet away — when he displays these signs, recognition of them is almost always useless. I say that because at close range, any of them immediately can be followed by an attack that’s impossible to defend against. Action is faster than reaction at close distance, and he’ll hit you before you can do anything defensive, even if he’s telegraphic with his attack. If he hits you on the intended target with a modicum of accuracy and power, guess what? You can be instantly overwhelmed and incapacitated and possibly knocked out or rendered in a semiconscious stupor, which means he can continue his attack with impunity. So, to reiterate, the most useful sign to watch for so you can thwart his impending attack and go pre-emptive first is the closing of distance. This is something you can manipulate and suss out by subtly stepping back, optimally at an angle and not straight to the rear. You may need to do this once, twice or more depending on whom you’re dealing with and the circumstances you’re in. Keep in mind that the more times you tactically retreat, the greater the chance that he’ll beat you to the punch. So it behooves you to really understand and ingrain the pre-physical dynamics of the three types of attack and have your proactive strategy and tactics in place before you get into any situation that calls for their deployment. Along with the closing of distance, the other useful sign that indicates an attacker is about to assault you is touching you in any manner. This usually comes in the form of lightly touching your torso or shoving you. If he does either, it’s almost a sure thing that a pre-emptive attack will follow. My mentor Geoff Thompson taught me a cardinal rule: No adversary should touch you in any manner more than twice. It’s a good rule to heed, but it’s not set in stone. There may be times when your adversary touches you just once or not at all. Again, the best and most reliable pre attack cue is the closing of distance into the 1- to 2-foot zone. If your adversary does that more than once, it’s basically go-time. At that point, it’s a race to see who acts first. Let that be you. To order Lito Angeles’ best-selling book Fight Night! The Thinking Fan’s Guide to Mixed Martial Arts, visit shop.blackbeltmag.com.

A master in Jeet Kune Do, Burt Richardson has spent his life in pursuit of the mastery of several martial arts styles including BJJ and Filipino Martial Arts. Under the tutelage of such greats as Dan Inasantos, Tony Diego, the Machado Brothers, and Carlson Gracie he is on a constant quest for knowledge. He’s an author and teacher working with people from law enforcement to civilians. In this clip Burt Richardson explains how he learned Zulu Stick Fighting. We are thrilled to reconnect with Black Belt Hall of Fame inductee Burt Richardson. Watch his full interview in the Black Belt+ exclusives section!

Plus more on his remarkable career mastering multiple disciplines. This is part one of a written Q&A with Burt Richardson. Subsequent Q&As feature his thoughts on BJJ, Kali/Filipino Martial Arts and more. A master in Jeet Kune Do, Burt Richardson has spent his life in pursuit of the mastery of martial arts. Under the tutelage of such greats as Dan Inasantos, Tony Diego, the Machado Brothers, and Carlson Gracie he is on a constant quest for knowledge. He’s an author and teacher working with people from law enforcement to civilians. We are thrilled to reconnect with Black Belt Hall of Fame inductee Burt Richardson. You are constantly growing your knowledge base including a recent Black Belt in Krav Maga. Many masters in martial arts would be afraid to “start as a white belt” but you have done this over and over, what drives this appetite? It is a passion for my own personal development as a martial artist and to be able to offer more insight and understanding to my students as a martial arts teacher. I am still fascinated with the intricacies that improve performance under pressure. I don’t study various styles just to learn a new art, but to discover new approaches that will help me perform better in an extreme self-defense situation. Instead of just dabbling in an art to pick a few things up, I have found that there is great benefit in taking the time to study martial systems completely. I understood Brazilian jiu-jitsu at a much higher level as a new Black Belt than I did as a blue belt. 17 years later as a 4th degree Black Belt, I understand the art significantly deeper than I did when I was a new Black Belt. This is true of all the arts I have studied. With these greater insights, I can better prepare my students to be their very best in a shorter period of time. Let's talk about JKD, we all know it was Bruce Lee’s art and Dan Inosanto was so close to him. In your experience how has the art evolved from Bruce’s dna? To be clear, we first need to define “Bruce Lee’s art”. Sigung Bruce started with Wing Chun, then, after moving to Seattle, evolved it into his Jun Fan Gung Fu (Bruce Lee’s Gung Fu) by changing the stance and adding particular techniques. Years later in Los Angeles, Sigung Bruce started gearing up and sparring hard with various types of fighters from boxers to wrestlers to elite level karate practitioners. This new method of training elicited a paradigm shift and an explosive evolution. Lee added boxing then fencing principles and tactics along with other influences. After this growth, Lee wrote a letter to his Wing Chun senior Wong Shun Leung explaining his new approach to training and testing, saying, “I had a lot of prejudices and I found that they were wrong. That’s when I changed the name of the gist of what I do to Jeet Kune Do.” So when we say “Bruce Lee’s art” there is Jun Fan Gung Fu, Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do (what Bruce Lee did himself), then there is the personal expression of those who apply JKD principles but modify the approach to fit their own personal needs. The base principles are still there, but it isn’t exactly what Bruce Lee did himself. Much like the best basketball players who are extremely skilled, but have slightly different styles of play. Bruce Lee already evolved Jun Fan Gung Fu into Jun Fan JKD. After Lee’s unexpected passing, Guro Dan took the approach and expanded his own personal JKD. To be clear, I learned Jun Fan JKD just as Bruce Lee did it from Guro Dan with no other arts added. I also learned several other arts from Guro Dan, and he also taught us how to do research and development to find our own way. For me, EVERYTHING I do is greatly influenced by the principles of JKD. When it comes to Jun Fan JKD, I have evolved my teaching of it not by adding any new techniques to it, but by having a deeper understanding of what makes it work due to my decades of sparring and fighting experience. There are many JKD instructors who mix Jun Fan Gung Fu and Jun Fan JKD, but don’t want anything to be changed at all. That is one approach and I respect that as a means to preserve and perpetuate exactly what Bruce Lee did. But when it comes to preparing a student to become a complete combat athlete, I suggest that we all look at what Bruce Lee did himself as he pressure tested approaches from various styles then added those aspects that enhanced his extraordinarily effective system. If that isn’t convincing, examine the JKD logo that Lee created to describe his Jet Kune Do. The Chinese characters around the yin yang are translated as “Using no way as way, having no limitation as limitation.” I think that makes it quite clear what Sigung Bruce wanted. Today there is a lot of focus on reality based and tactical defense, specific to street self-defense. How do you see JKD in a real-life selself-defense situation? Straight Jun Fan JKD can be extremely effective when trained correctly. That means following Sigung Bruce’s example and regularly engaging in sparring with stylists from various arts to sharpen skills under pressure. It is street-specific both technically and tactically. One issue with Jun Fan JKD is that the approach generally starts in a fighting stance with the opponent at a distance, both squared off. That is what we now refer to as dueling mode. To truly be prepared for the realities of street self-defense, we also need a lot of training dealing with various scenarios including ambush attacks that can put you at extreme close range standing or on the ground. We also must be experienced with weapons defenses and train in a manner that programs us to expect a weapon when under pressure. So Jun Fan JKD is a fantastic, highly functional approach against an unarmed attacker. But we need to expand that training to become the complete fighter that Bruce Lee advocated. Who are the leaders in JKD today? This can be a political hot button and I’m sure many JKD proponents reading this will disagree with my choices, depending on what side of the approach they are on. Nonetheless, I will give my opinion. First, Sifu/Guro Dan Inosanto. He was with Bruce Lee during the transition from Jun Fan Gung Fu to Jun Fan JKD. He knows the art inside and out and is the primary leader. We then have second, in no particular order, 2nd generation instructors: Sifu Andy Kimura Sifu Chris Kent Sifu Tim Tackett Sifu Gary Dill Sifu Joaquim Almeida Sifu Tommy Caruthers Sifu Richard Torres Sifu Lamar Davis Sifu Dwight Woods My apologies to anyone I overlooked. I am also recognized as a leader in JKD, and I am actively developing programs to help students everywhere learn and benefit from Bruce Lee’s incredible creation that helps us to succeed in combat and in life.

Jared Wihongi is a full-time International Close-Quarters Combat (CQC) Instructor. His TRICOM combatives system is an integration of empty-hand combat, impact weapons, edged weapons and firearms tactics. Jared has trained in multiple traditional martial arts for 40 years, and is a senior Tuhon of Pekiti-Tirsia Kali under Grandtuhon Leo T. Gaje Jr. He is the founder and President of the Pekiti Tirsia Tactical Association. Jared worked 23 years as a Police Officer and Operator on three SWAT Teams, and was contracted as a U.S. Army Special Forces Combatives Instructor for almost two decades. These experiences heavily influenced his training programs. He has taught his TRICOM programs to police and military Special Operations personnel and civilian martial artists across North & South America, Western & Eastern Europe, East & Southeast Asia, Australasia and the Middle East. We talked with Jared about all things tactical, combat, self-defense and more Traditional martial arts are very different from tactical, especially in law enforcement or military training, yet you have successfully bridged a gap between the Filipino martial arts and real-life training. Did you have to make modifications or did the art lend itself easily to those tactical situations? There were indeed many modifications that I needed to make in order to make the traditional arts more appropriate for the tactical world. The major modifications were made to methodology. Compared to a traditional martial artist who often dedicates a lot of time and energy to their training, most police/ military operators have extremely limited training time. Therefore the "wax-on wax-off" evolutions of training need to be replaced with a more direct approach to training, drills and application. I went through a lot of trial and error over several years refining this methodology, and I still make tweaks here and there as I continually evolve and improve. In addition to methodology, material needs to be refined down to a narrow scope of techniques and tactics. Priority is given to those that lend best to achieving two goals: Retainability and Functionality. Considering that training time is limited and the fact that most police/ military do not train on a regular basis, priority is given to techniques and tactics that are easiest to learn and retain. However they cannot be so simple that they are impractical. Simple yet functional techniques are also prioritized, with as much focus on gross-motor skills and techniques as possible. Emphasis is placed largely on universal combat principles that can be applied to multiple situations. I have core programs that are taught first, then additional material that can be added as time permits. All programs are designed to address priorities and probabilities. You were an early adopter to FMA, take us back to the early days of training under Leo Gaje and share that experience with us? After living in the Philippines for two years (1994-1996) I went on an exploration of the FMA that eventually let me to Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje Jr. I quickly recognized his art was different and became a student. In addition to his charismatic personality, his art of Pekiti Tirsia Kali had a lot of breadth and depth that attracted me. Several subsystems of training that went extremely deep. His training methodology was very physical and often brutal. It wasn't uncommon to just spend hours repeating thousands of strikes on a stack of tires. These exercises were designed to test his students both mentally and physically. His focus on the fundamentals of skill taught me a lot as a student that helped me in my law enforcement career and development of programs. I learned that a mastery of the fundamentals is what wins fights, and not the number of techniques or drills you may have collected. At the time that I started training with Grand Tuhon he was focused on developing fighters, and not just academics. He was also heavily involved with training police and military special units in the Philippines where I assisted him on multiple occasions. This helped immensely as I developed my own tactical programs. Is there a training difference between law enforcement and military and can you share some of the basics with us? The primary differences in training law enforcement and military lie in their primary "mission" and their ROE (rules of engagement.) The mission of a police officer - for example - may be to take a subject into custody as safely as possible, or to protect members of the public. There are certain rules that he must follow in order to accomplish that. The main ones involved the laws that govern their use of force (both local and Federal) and their departmental policy and procedure with regards to escalation and deescalation of force. A military operator on the other hand may have different mission that differs based on their unit. Sometimes with FID (Foreign Internal Defense) it may indeed involved the training of local law enforcement. In other Direct Action type missions it may be merely to eliminate enemy combatants and survive in a CQB (Close Quarters Battle) environment. Rules of Engagement for a particular mission may dictate what levels of force and what kinds of weaponry may or may not be allowable and appropriate. The other major consideration might be the type of equipment available to a police officer (for example tasers and batons) versus a military operator. You have had training in various striking grappling and weapons-based martial arts from around the world specific to street self-defense. What style have you found most effective? To be specific with my answer, some arts I have found to be most effective for the purposes of law enforcement and military training. While I've been successful in blending strengths of various martial arts into my TRICOM training program, if I had to choose an art that I've found most beneficial it would be Pekiti Tirsia Kali. It is really the core of my programs that is able to bring the strengths of other arts together. Kali involves the use of weapons, counter-weapon tactics, striking using all 4 limbs, join manipulations, takedowns and controls. I've found the weapon tactics directly applicable to even firearms tactics at extreme close-quarters. As a multi-dimensional art, it builds a strong core that I can use to combine the strengths of other striking and grappling arts. Weapons/Counter-Weapons, Striking and Grappling are the three parts of the TRICOM program (Triangle Combatives.) We see you handle guns, knives, and empty hand close quarter situations. Do you have a preference for a particular art or style when dealing with close quarter combat? I've tried to find compatible techniques and tactics among the various arts that I've trained, and this has made it easier to assimilate them into one cohesive program. Pekiti Tirsia Kali is the core of the tactics I teach and train, so the art that I would say I have preference to. I use this art to move seamlessly between ranges and weapon systems, but have no problem with transitioning - for example - to a technique I've learned from Braziliain Jiu Jitsu or Wrestling when I've moved into a clinch or ground based range/ position. To enhance close quarter striking capability, I might use a drill or methodology gleaned from an art such as Muay Thai. Switching from one style to another, such as Kali where it's standing with a weapon to empty hand fighting or firearms how do you separate or manage the instincts? There's a principle in the FMA that is often referred to as the "elasticity of ranges." What it refers to is the defining of various ranges of combat, and the subsequent isolation and training in those ranges. Learning how to fight effectively from various ranges including firearms distances all the way into ground fighting, and then training to move seamlessly between those ranges like elastic, just stretching and conforming to ranges without any defined lines. It's the methodology of Kali that has really helped me to adapt to this dynamic. In many ways your approach to Tactical training is like mixed martial arts as you are blending multiple Styles together to create the most effective platform. How do you see changes in the way that you teach today, let's say even 10 or 20 years ago? It was actually 19 years ago that I started developing one of my TRICOM training modules called CQ-FIT (Close Quarter Force Integration Tactics.) After recognizing that most officer involved shootings were happening inside of arms-reach, with most involving some kind of hand-to-hand struggle, I saw a lack in training and programs that addressed this dynamic. Close quarter assaults with edged weapons, impact weapons or firearms often necessitated some kind of empty-hand defense by an officer as he fought his way to his sidearm. Hence the integration of force in a situation that addressed all of these weapons and dynamics. It was then that I coined the principle of "Self Preservation before Weapon Presentation." Self-preservation when dealing with a close-quarter lethal force threat meant training in empty-hand tactics. At that time there were very few - if any - programs teaching this full integration or mix or martial arts. Today there are several instructors that I 've seen addressing these dynamics, which is refreshing to see. For many martial arts training is a long journey of many years to master. But law enforcement and the military don't have years when going through camps or academies. How does this short period that you might spend with them as a trainer, affect or influence your approach when you have limited TIME? While I addressed this in my answer to the first question, there are a few guiding principles that I would add. First is the idea of priorities and probabilities. I will address high probability factors such as: 1. The fact that most of the public are right handed. 2. The most common kinds of attacks, whether empty-handed or armed. 3. We then give priority to the highest probability techniques and tactics to address those high probability attacks. 4. As time permits, we can work down the line of probability and address the most common variables. For example, it might be a left handed attack, or the most common types of resistance to a specific technique that could make it fail. 5. All with the intend of most effectively enhancing the probability of being successful in completing the student's mission, whatever that might be. It could be taking a subject into custody, or simply surviving a violent encounter. For more about Jared, visit: www.tricomtraining.com for TRICOM programs. www.pekiti.university for Kali programs. www.jaredwihongi.com for personal Bio

In this Shaolin Studios penultimate chapter, where like many major film studios with cinematic historical foundations see new studios evolve from the original ashes to keep the films and stories alive with contemporary plots, it’s important to remind new generations that the fount of many a martial art movie has arisen from the fount of martial arts…the Shaolin Temple. When it comes to the Temple Burnings, vital source material is based on the Annals of the Hung League (anti-Ching brotherhood pact created by the Five Elders of Shaolin at the Red Flower Pavilion in 1736) and an old manuscript copy of the Annals of the Heaven and Earth Society in the British Museum. Regarding the Ten Tigers of Canton, they’re filled with contradictory information in regard to the members’ names and existence. Adding to the confusion, other surviving documents from these secret societies corroborate or disagree with these worlds of Shaolin legend lists as reality or fictional non-fiction passings, where perhaps each list includes members of their own respective societies included into the Ten. Also, one Tiger’s name can be represented by two Tigers, thus a space for adding a new name. And this has been done in film. One of the most famous of these films is Chang Cheh’s Ten Tigers of Kwantung (1979; TTKT ) that is missing two tigers: Tan ji-yuin: and a reputed major Shaolin hero that has appeared in other films, Lu A-tsai. In 1979, one of the hottest Shaw Brothers actors was Alexander Fu Shen, who was predicted to overshadow rival film studio, Golden Harvest’s Jackie Chan. Though Fu Shen played Tan Ming, a nonsensical character that is not on any 10 Tiger list, it is my conjecture that he was playing the combined caricatures of Tan Ji-Yuin and Lu A-Tsai. Ten Tigers of Shaolin (1978)– The Big Fib The second most famous film, for all the wrong reasons, is the English title Ten Tigers of Shaolin (1978; see poster above). Though made before TTKT , Ten Tigers of Shaolin mostly features little known actors playing the various 10 Tigers of Canton roles , yet the main star, Bruce Leung Xiao Lung (from Brucexploitation films), portrays a frivolous character perhaps based on Lu A-Tsai. It’s unclear and I’ve never seen the Chinese version, so I don’t recognize the characters names based on the English dub. Chang’s film far outshined this version of the tale. Though the Chinese title of Leung’s rendition translates as 10 Tigers of Canton , when English dubbed films were being bought, the distributers changed the name to Shaolin , because back then, titles with Shaolin were more attractive. We were all pathetically duped, not by accident, but on purpose. Before the listing the remaining six of the 12 Tigers of Canton, it’s a good time to address the hanging question from Ten Tigers of Canton Part I , “Why are there only 10 Tigers of Shaolin or 10 Tigers of Canton, wouldn’t it be better if there were 20, 50 or an army of them?” Answer: The famous Chinese idiom, Shi Chuen Shi Mei (Mandarin Chinese) states that 10 is Perfect and 10 is Beauty. To reiterate from Part I, based on available information, details on several of the Canton Tigers is unfortunately extremely limited. Lu A-Tsai Lu A-tsai was a Manchu, who orphaned at an early age and raised by an abusive uncle, ran away from home, and became a servant at age 12. Living a tough and torrid life, his fortunes changed when he met Shaolin monk Li Bai-fu at a Cantonese opera performance in Canton and became Li's disciple. Lu trained with Li for seven years learning the powerful Flower Fist style before being introduced by Li to one of the Five Elders of Shaolin, Zhi Shan, at Jiu Lian Shan Shaolin. After several years under Zhi Shan and perfecting the rare 8-Diagram Pole skill, (created during the Sung dynasty by Yang Wu-lung that could be used with a spear), Zhi sent Lu to learn Hong Jia-chuen ( Hung Gar kung fu) from its founder Hong Xi-guan (a Ten Tiger of Shaolin), to help Hong set up his new martial arts school and to help spread the art in Canton. In the Liu Chia-liang directed Challenge of the Masters (1976), Chen Kuan-tai playing Lu is seen teaching the secret 8-Diagram Pole skill to Huang Chi-ying's son, Huang Fei-hung to prepare Fei-hung to fight a skilled spear-wielding villain. Another version of Lu's travels indicates that after escaping the Jiu Lian Temple burning, Lu fled to Canton where he met his first, last and only student, Chi-ying. When Lu was on his death bed, and Chi-ying sought his advice on how to defeat the powerful rugged fighter Big Kam, who was an expert of the Left-Handed Fishing Pole, while propped up by pillows in bed and using a pair of chopsticks to represent cudgels Lu taught Chi-Ying the 8-Daigram Pole technique. In the balance, if Chi-ying lost he would have to end his medical practice and close his martial arts school. Lu died at 68 at his home Lei Shan lodge never knowing the outcome of the duel. Two film notes of interest; years later Chen Kuan-tia played Hong Xi-guan, in Executioner of Shaolin ; and Gordon Liu played Yang Wu-lung in The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter (1983). Perhaps a reason why in Chang’s TTKT had Fu Shen play the combo character Tan Ji-Yuin and Lu A-Tsai under the pseudo name Tan Ming is that Chang may have had some kind of sensitivity issue in the 1970s using a Manchu fighter as a Shaolin hero. Tan Ji-yuin Born in Canton, aka Tan Ji-her, his nickname was Three Legs Tan for the three kicks he used during combat: the No shadow kick, something akin to what Jet Li as Huang Fei-hung does in Once Upon a Time In China (1991; OUTIC ), at one time in Hollywood being referred to as the Hong Kong kick; the Ground Tiger Tail Kick; and the Beautiful Dragon kick. Chen Chang-tai Played by Lo Meng, a regular in the Five Weapon Guys films, yet mostly known for his role as the Golden Arm Kid in Kid with the Golden Arm (1979), Chen Chang-tai, aka Tie Zhi-chen, specialized in the martial art Iron Finger thus he was nicknamed Iron Finger Chen. Huang Chi-ying Portrayed by Wei Bai (Snake in The Five Deadly Venoms (1978)), Huang Chi-ying was born in Xi Chao, Canton and grew up as child street performer. During a performance, he saw Zhi Shan's student Lu A-Tsai, who made Huang his first, last and only student. After training under Lu for 10 years, Huang became a martial arts instructor and taught the General of the Canton's Infantry Regiment. He earned little as a teacher and so to make ends meat, he opened the herbal medicine clinic Bao Zhi Lin. No body argues that Huang passed on his knowledge of medicine to his only son Fei-hong, yet whether he taught Fei-hong martial arts or not, it is debatable. Although a constant character as Fei-hong’s dad in Tsui Hark's OUTIC films (1992-94), and in the Liu Chia-liang (the head of Hong Kong’s Hung Men back then) directed Challenge of the Masters (1978), A-tsai trains Fei-hong in Liu's typical fashion, where training is seen as a way of physical and spiritual development, which is most prominent in The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978). Donnie Yen's portrayal of a young Chi-ying in the Yuen Woo-ping directed Iron Monkey (1993) is arguably the best film revealing Chi-ying's combative performance. On his deathbed, Lu taught Chi-ying the 8-Diagram Pole technique so Chi-ying could defeat the arrogant and feared fighter Big Kam. Although learning the eight basics of pole wielding overnight and during the duel Kam was trying to kill him, Chi-ying used great restraint, easily defeated Kam without hurting him and thus gained great respect and admiration within the country's kung-fu circles. It was this same conscientious approach to life and martial arts that Chi-ying passed onto Fei-hong, one of the most respected martial artists in martial art history. Huang Cheng-ke As a student of Lu A-tsai, Huang Cheng-ke, not related to Chi-ying (last name is a different character) is oft portrayed as a specialist of the Nine Dragon Fist. Huang Fei-hung Although most historians agree Huang Fei-hung was not a Ten Tiger of Canton, he probably would’ve replaced his father if the Ching’s killed Chi-ying. Though he never become a Ten Tiger, Fei-hung is a compelling and important figure with strong ties to the Ten Tigers, so it seems appropriate to discuss his martial arts history and cinematic contributions here. Born in 1847, in Xi Chiao village, Nanhai county in Canton province, folk hero Huang Fei-hong was the true reflection of the Confucian code. Apart from his phenomenal fighting skills, Huang was renowned for his chivalry, righteousness and "bone-setting" healing abilities. As a child, Huang was a martial arts street performer, then a martial arts instructor for General Li Fu-ling's 5th Regiment of the Cantonese army and the Cantonese Civilian Militia. He devoted all of his time to running his father’s Bao Zhi Lin Chinese herb clinic. Though a practitioner of Hong Chia kung-fu, Canton's best lion dancer hence nicknamed The Lion King, and an expert of Iron Wire Fist and No Shadow Kick , he was renowned for using the weapon Fei Tuo , a metal weight attached to a rope, which may have been developed through his Chinese medicine background from a weighing device similar to a Western plumb-bob scale. Later in life he married Muo Gui-lan, a teenage bride that was bestowed to him in return for saving her father's life. However, deeply saddened by Bao Zhi Lin’s destruction during the Republican Revolution, Huang slowly passed away and died in 1924 at age 77. After his death, he became the subject of a legend, people revering to him as a crusader for justice, a man of benevolence and a teacher of morality and ethics. The irony about Huang is that although his character has appeared in more films than any one individual in world cinema (110+ films and TV shows to date), very little is actually known about the real man. Serialized Fei-hung kung fu novels appeared in seven newspapers and in 1949, filmmaker Wu Pang seeking to revive the deteriorating Cantonese cinema in Hong Kong made a film about the legendary patriot that starred Cantonese opera performer Kwan Tak-hing who went on to make 85 period films as Fei-Hung that featured realistic fight sequences, many choreographed by Yuen Xiao-tian (Yuen Woo-ping's father). This was the official start of the gung-fu pian (kung fu films) that of course hit a worldwide stride with Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. Fei-hung has also been portrayed by Gordon Liu in Challenge of the Masters (1976) and Martial Club (1980), Jackie Chan in Drunken Master (1979), then after a lull in the character there was a rebirth in 1992, with Jet Li in Tsui Hark's OUTIC . As is common in many martial arts films where actual weapons or techniques remain secret, when Tsui had Li do Huang's patented No Shadow Kick, we’d see Li flying sideways through the air kicking his legs like riding a bicycle, nobody knows what the no shadow kick looks like. It also was so fast that it didn’t leave a shadow. A final note on the history burnings, there exists a book called Evergreen, which was written during the Ching dynasty, the Manchu side of the story noting that the Shaolin were not heroes but violent rebels who were justly executed, thus also removing their names of Shaolin heroes long forgotten. It’s worthy to note that Tibet vehemently supported the Chings for 270+ years, a major error by that country because as we see now, Tibet is still paying that price today. Why? It's something all martial artists need to recognize and address whether they’ve fought in the streets, martial art schools or full contact combat sports, they need to know how it relates to their physical, emotional, and mental injuries that come with combat; intergenerational trauma (I.T.). According to the Chi Whisperer, I.T. refers to the passing down of traumatic experiences and their emotional and physical fallouts from one generation to another. This topic has gained significant attention in recent years recognizing that past and current traumatic events, like wars, genocide, slavery, natural disasters, pandemics, fighting and abuse, all have profound impacts on generations to come at the individual and community levels. Chi, something martial artists know, is key in healing intergenerational trauma, thus certainly this is a topic worth discussing later.

BY JASON WILLIAM MCNEIL The year was 2006, and it was my first visit to Hollywood. Whom did I choose to meet first on that day? The foremost name in ninja movies: Sho Kosugi. There I was, standing in Kosugi’s office in the heart of Tinseltown, having just wrapped an hourlong interview on the master movie ninja’s life, career and plans for the future, and the camera crew was making its way around the room, getting pickup shots. I was thrilled to have spent an hour hanging with my boyhood hero when Kosugi upped the excitement ante a notch. “I don’t know if you’re interested,” he said, “but if you want more film…” And with that, Kosugi opened a theretofore-unnoticed office door —seriously, it looked like a utility closet — and ushered us into his secret ninja lair. It harbored a treasure trove of every sword, throwing star, costume, metal claw and chain-mail mask that had ever appeared in an ’80s ninja flick. It also housed a plethora of scripts, original film prints and 8-by-10 glossy color photographs. Once we pulled our jaws off the floor, the crew very professionally filmed every angle of the shinobi cornucopia that Kosugi offered up for our cameras — then very unprofessionally geeked out, tried on every piece of equipment and kept Kosugi an extra half-hour to pose for pictures. So what did we learn from our close encounter with Sho Kosugi? That if, even in a modest production office, one can stumble across a secret room filled with ninja treasures, memorabilia and death-dealing gadgets, it’s obvious that the hidden world of the shadow warriors still hasn’t given up all its secrets. Here are 10 more titillating facts I’ll bet you didn’t know about the ninja. 1. Ninja Swords Had Leather Hand Guards, Not Those Big Square Metal Ones You See in the Movies Risuke Otake sensei of Japan’s katori shinto ryu explains: “This is so they will not rattle when moving around. They also have shorter blades and a longer cord.” Historian Antony Cummins adds, “This is an obvious step for a shinobi to take, and the Shoninki (a historical text on ninjutsu) states that an o-wakizashi is best — which is, of course, a short sword.” [True Path of the Ninja, Antony Cummins and Yoshie Minami] 2. Ninja Fought in World War II From a previously classified document: “A secret military spy school taught ninjutsu … as part of its curriculum. The Rikugun Nakano Gakko was run by the Japanese Imperial Army and was used to train military intelligence operatives in secret.” Some 2,300 soldiers are believed to have graduated from the course before it was closed in 1945, when Japan surrendered to Allied forces. “The students weren’t just taught to sneak around in black-footed pajamas with katana and throwing stars … but also learned more practical methods of gathering intelligence and sabotage, including bomb making and photography,” the document reveals. [“WWII Ninjas? Secret Spy School Taught Ninjutsu Skills to Soldiers,” Adam Westlake, Japandailypress.com] 3. Ninja Beat People With Live Snakes Anyone who’s seen the 1983 classic Revenge of the Ninja can tell you two things: Ninja grandmas are awesome, and a kusarigama is a short, sharp sickle with a chain or weighted rope attached to its handle. That attachment is used as a long-range weapon and for entangling a close-range opponent. However, historical ninja didn’t limit themselves to mere chains and ropes. Masaaki Hatsumi, 34th grandmaster of togakure-ryu ninjutsu, says practitioners would sometimes attach “small, explosive charges or fireballs” and on special occasions “a bound, terrified poisonous snake to the enemy’s body. The enemy would then be so busy dealing with the snake bites [that] he would be unable to counter the ninja as he advanced with his ripping sickle blade.” [Ninjutsu: History and Tradition, Masaaki Hatsumi] 4. Also, With Angry Cats! Kunoichi (female ninja) would sometimes carry a fluffy cat to conceal “a ninja dagger and smoke grenade,” Hatsumi writes. “[The cat] could also serve as a potent distraction weapon when thrown into the face of an unsuspecting intruder.” [Ninjutsu: History and Tradition, Masaaki Hatsumi] 5. Ninja “Magic” Comes From India, Not Japan The shinobi mystic’s half-meditational, half magical practice of kuji-in finger knitting, first popularized in the films of Kosugi, was adapted from esoteric Buddhism. Before that, it was part of some sects of Hinduism. The earliest records of the practice are said to be written in Sanskrit, a 3,000-year-old dead language. Perhaps because of their mystical powers of concentration … [True Path of the Ninja, Antony Cummins and Yoshie Minami] 6. Ninja Put Up With a Lot of Crap — Literally “The most famous ninja assassination story is of how Uesugi Kenshin was murdered in his lavatory by a ninja who had concealed himself [for days] in the sewage pit and who thrust a spear or sword up Kenshin’s anus at the crucial moment,” Stephen Turnbull writes. Despite helping tip the political scales in favor of his presumed employer, Oda Nobunaga, the name of this muck-and-shadow-swathed hitninja, has been practically forgotten by history. The official record simply lists Kenshin’s cause of death as “a stomach ache in his toilet.” [Ninja: AD 1460 – 1650, Stephen Turnbull] 7. Sho Kosugi Is Not a Ninja, But He Plays One on TV The world’s most famous movie ninja — the man who’s done more than anyone to bring Japan’s notoriously secretive shadow warriors into the fickle light of pop culture — is actually a master of shindo-jinsen-ryu karate. In addition, he studied iaido and kendo while in college and, at age 18, became the All-Japan Karate champion. [Ninja: AD 1460 – 1650, Stephen Turnbull] 8 Sho Kosugi Wasn’t the First Movie Ninja Although he’s certainly the most famous — witness his of-course-we-cast-him-as-the-head- of-the-ninja-clan selection for the Andy Wachowski–produced 2009 homage to the genre known as Ninja Assassin — Kosugi is far from the first black-clad shinobi to slink across the silver screen. You Only Live Twice , Sean Connery’s fifth outing as James Bond, introduced Western audiences to Japan’s shadow warriors way back in 1967. Sam Peckinpah’s The Killer Elite, starring Robert Duvall and James Caan, featured an extensive ninja battle on board a battleship, showcasing the slick kicking skills of Tak Kubota, in 1975. 9. Hattori Hanzo Was a Real Person Of course, Japanese audiences have been thrilled to the sight of cinematic ninja since movies and television first found their way east. Arguably, the most famous was Kage no Gundan (aka Shadow Warriors), a popular TV series that ran intermittently from 1980 to 1985. It starred Sonny Chiba as Hattori Hanzo. Not coincidentally, both the actor and the character were later co-opted by Quentin Tarantino for Kill Bill. What Gundan fans might not realize, however, is that Hattori Hanzo was the real name of the real person who was the head ninja in charge of ninja-ing for the shogun’s household. The name and the job were passed down from father to son for generations. 10. Yes, You Can Visit a Ninja Village Japan’s Koka Ninja Village is a popular tourist attraction. It features a range where you can throw shuriken, tunnels where you can explore once-secret escape routes and a nine-stage obstacle course where you can use “ninja tools” to try to walk on water or climb walls. There’s also a museum “displaying various manuals and tools used by the Koka ninja in the past.” Nearby is the Ninja Mansion, a 300-year-old building riddled with passages and more historical artifacts. However, before you sell all your worldly possessions and book your pilgrimage to ninja world, bear in mind that in Japan, the ninja exist mostly in history and comic books. Therefore, going to Koka Village to learn the ancient art of the shadow warriors would be tantamount to showing up at Universal Studios for Spider-Man lessons. [Koka Ninja Village, japan-guide.com]

In 1984, one of the most acclaimed martial arts movies, The Karate Kid, introduced the world to an equally iconic character. Mr. Miyagi, played by Pat Morita, epitomizes the standard of wisdom, patience, and pure skill anyone should be so lucky to find in a teacher. The performance netted Morita an Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actor. There is no doubt that he was a great actor, but, ironically, the man who would play a karate master had no martial arts training prior to taking his famous role. So who was Mr. Miyagi's sensei? There was another man behind the scenes, coaching Morita on how to not only be a karate practitioner, but a teacher as well. His story is as intricate, poignant and inspiring as any film could ever be. Pat Johnson was born in 1939 in Niagara Falls, New York, the youngest of 11 children. When Johnson was two, his father deserted the family, leaving Johnson's mother, who had only a fourth-grade education, to provide for her children. As a result, Johnson and several siblings were removed by child welfare authorities and sent to the Sisters of Mercy Orphanage in Buffalo, NY. He would remain at the orphanage until he was nine. "It was not a wonderful time, let's put it that way," he says. "Finally my mother went to work for the International Paper Mill and was well-established enough to get us out of the orphanage." The family moved into the projects where everyone, like the Johnson family, was "dirt poor." Many of the new neighbors were less than friendly, and some were openly hostile. "When I first got there I saw a bunch of boys playing, and I went out there and said 'Hey guys, can I join you?'" he remembers. "And they beat the snot out of me. I got to a point where I was afraid to go out anywhere." It was here that Johnson's first unofficial martial arts training took place. He had no mentor, no Mr. Miyagi of his own, but the bullying escalated until Johnson knew he had to do something. Sick of being jumped by a gang of older children whenever he walked home, Johnson took matters into his own hands and laid an ambush. "I would hide behind one of these long brick buildings, because I knew where all of these young men went," he recalls. "I'd pick up a bottle, and when one of them came around the corner I'd smack him over the head as hard as I could and run home like crazy. Of course they knew who did it, and the next time they'd see me they'd beat the heck out of me." This process repeated itself seven or eight times, by Johnson's estimate, before the bullies finally gave up in search of easier targets. "That's when I learned that you have to stand your ground no matter what," Johnson says. "To this day I will never bother anyone unless they bother me." Johnson's true induction into the world of martial arts came in 1962, when he was drafted into the Army and sent to Korea to serve as a chaplain's assistant. He quickly befriended a Korean man named Kang Lo Hee who had been assigned to the army as a translator and was a master of tang soo do. Kang proposed a trade: he would teach Johnson the martial art in exchange for help improving his English. Johnson readily agreed. For 13 months, he trained daily in tang soo do. Hard work revealed that the New York native had a knack for the Korean art. By the time Johnson returned stateside, he had attained his first degree black belt. There were no tang soo do schools in Niagara Falls, NY at that time. Johnson, undeterred, opened his own and named it Tim's Studio, after the nearest instructor he could find, Master Tim in Buffalo, NY. Johnson trained with Master Kim to further his martial arts training, and began to travel for regional competitions. While attending a tournament in Detroit, Johnson struck up a friendship with another young martial artist who had trained in Korea. He lived in California and owned several karate schools. "If you ever come to California, look me up," Johnson remembers him saying. "I think we could work together and do really well." Johnson returned to Niagara Falls, but eventually decided it was the right time to move on. "I have no idea to this day what came over me," Johnson says with a laugh. "I just decided to take a Greyhound bus and come to California." He took with him one suitcase, packed with a change of clothes, his karate uniform and the few dollars he had to his name. In California, he sought out the young fighter he had met in Detroit: Chuck Norris. Pat Johnson (center) with Chuck Norris (second from right) and other students. "At the time, Chuck was beginning to open a chain of karate schools," Johnson says. "He had six at the time, and he asked me if I would take over the school in Sherman Oaks, which I did. For whatever reason, I had a knack for teaching the martial arts. There was a balance between discipline and having fun. I think that anything you do seriously, you have to enjoy doing." While teaching at Sherman Oaks, Johnson also joined the school's fighting team, the Chuck Norris Competition Team. He easily secured a spot as team captain, defeating all other contenders. If any of his teammates had been upset to lose, they were certainly grateful to have Johnson on their side later. Johnson was a uniquely talented fighter. His childhood run-ins with bullies came back into play, and it became clear that those early encounters had shaped his fighting style. Just as he had once waited, bottle in hand, he would now wait in the ring, circling. He deliberately left openings in his defense – a lowered hand, one side exposed. Knowing in advance where an opponent would strike gave him an advantage. "I fought guys who were bigger than me, faster than me, stronger than me," Johnson says. "But – and I don't mean this to sound conceited – I never fought anyone that was as smart as I was." Talking with Johnson, it's hard to imagine him as conceited. And besides, his results speak for themselves: his personal record in competition is 198 matches, with 196 victories, one loss, and one draw that he took because it was all his team needed to win. Later, Johnson took over running Norris' studios while the latter went off to pursue a passion for acting. Johnson's own entry into the film industry would take place not too long after, and was almost wholly inadvertent. Through Norris, Johnson met another celebrity from the martial arts movie scene – Bruce Lee. Lee and Johnson formed a friendship, and when directors were looking for stuntmen familiar with martial arts for Lee's movie Enter the Dragon , Johnson's name came up. Most Hollywood stuntmen at the time were not well-versed in the arts – neither reacting to them or using the style to fight. The lack of experience was evident in early takes of one scene, leading the director to reach out to Johnson. But when he got to the set he was in for a surprise. The director asked, "Okay, are you going to do the dialogue?" "And I said, 'What dialogue?'" he recalls. "'Nobody said anything about dialogue!'" Fortunately, there weren't too many lines to memorize. Johnson learned the part and completed the scene, which turned out much more authentic than the original. He played one of a trio of thugs who attempt to assault John Saxon's character, Roper, who has failed to repay a loan from a mob boss. "It's the dough, Roper, or we gotta break something," Johnson's thug threatens. The scene is too early in the film for any serious harm to befall the heroes, so Johnson and the other two thugs are handily defeated. However, that role follows him to this day. "I was walking down the street near my home, and this man stopped and stared at me," he says. "I think, 'Uhoh, looks like this guy's going to give me some trouble.' I'm passing him, and all of a sudden he points at me and says, 'It's the dough, Roper, or we gotta break something!' The line's been called out to him more than once. "I have to just start laughing," he says. "It's sort of haunted me to that point." Eventually Johnson expanded beyond acting and stunt work. He was a writer for the Chuck Norris film A Force of One; he choreographed fight scenes and helped direct Mortal Combat: Annihilation. And, of course, he trained non-martial artist actors for martial arts films. His teaching credentials brought him to the set of The Karate Kid , helping to create some of the most famous characters in martial arts cinema. Although Johnson's primary art had been tang soo do, training at Chuck Norris' school had introduced him to karate, the style Norris had learned from Japanese instructors on the west coast. Johnson taught that discipline to the Kid cast, but even more important was the manner in which he instructed. Johnson (background) coaching. "Ralph [Macchio] and Pat [Morita], they were my buddies," Johnson says. "I trained both of them until they were unable to move, and they would share their aches and pains like two little old men and they built camaraderie through the training." Johnson had read the script, and knew how important the mentor-student relationship between their two characters would be. He tried to foster that bond through the way he trained them. There were also less savory karate practitioners in the film: the bullies of the Cobra Kai dojo and their ruthless instructor John Kreese, the anti-Miyagi. "When I would train [Cobra Kai actors] I would be harsh, very strict – the same way Kreese, who was played by Martin Kove, would have to do it in the script," Johnson explains. "Then whenever Martin did the scenes in front of them, he was me." Johnson was pleased with the way the training turned out, but he is quick to give the actors all the credit for the movie's end result. "Martin Kove was really a wonderful, wonderful man, and for him to act so mean on screen, it was just amazing," he says. "And [Morita] knew when to turn on the anger, and when to make it light. His great acting ability really brought the character [of Miyagi] to life." Today, from his home in Los Angeles, California, Johnson is still teaching martial arts in group classes and private tutorials. He prepares students for the real world rather than movie roles. His teaching remains grounded in reality, something he fears is being lost from martial arts training in general. "The problem…is this: there is no one central governing body that regulates the criteria for what a black belt has to be or know," he says. "If a young man or young lady goes in and trains for a year and they are given a black belt, they've just been told: 'You can kick butt.' And in reality, that's not possible in that period of time." In movies, the good guy often gets to win no matter what. Out on the streets, in dark alleys and bad situations, it's a different story, Johnson says, and that's the real danger of rapidly given belt promotions. The issue is exacerbated by the black belts who, consciously or not, take advantage of their unearned promotions and open schools then pass along their poor training. "It really does devalue the martial arts," Johnson says. "And it's a crime, really." If Johnson has a few worries about the future of martial arts, he's optimistic that true martial artists and true arts will ultimately win out – an ending worthy of a movie. And he is more than happy with where his own story has taken him. "It's been exciting. I've received a lot of recognition for what I've done, and I've always tried to represent the martial arts in a way I feel it deserves to be addressed and represented," he says. "It's been a good run. It's been a really good run."

If you follow any of the social media used by young people in japan, you’re probably familiar with the initials “KY.” It may sound mysterious. It won’t be any less so when you learn that ky stands for Kuuki Yomei. Even if you speak Japanese, it may not mean much: “Read the Air.” Knowing what it refers to can influence the way you train in the dojo. There probably has never been a civilization that has as much homogeneity as that of Japan. In contrast, there probably has never been a society as heterogeneous as that of the United States. Think about it: No Japanese person ever says to another, “What country did your ancestors come from?” All Japanese came from the same place. In a nation where everyone shares the same history, cultural norms and standards, there’s a lot that doesn’t need to be explained. A lot can be taken for granted in personal interactions. It’s an exaggeration, but if a Japanese person feels uncomfortable, the majority of the other Japanese people in the room will — or can — know it. There’s a typical body language that’s expressed. It’s easy to read. In the Japanese dojo, it’s similar: If your teacher is pleased with you, you will — assuming you can read the signs — know it. Likewise if he’s unhappy. What this means is that a great deal of communication can take place without words. Now, way too much has been made of this by Western “experts” on Japan. In some cases, it’s been blown ridiculously out of proportion. Further, it’s absurd to think that all Japanese react to flattery or insults or frustration or happiness in precisely the same way. In general, however, social clues are at least reasonably reliable in the dojo and elsewhere. Classes in a lot of Western karate dojo commence when a senior student sees the sensei walk into the training area and roars, “Line up!” Interestingly, in classical martial arts dojo, this usually doesn’t happen. What happens is that the senior sees the teacher come in and, without making a big deal of it, walks to his place where the lineup is to form. His juniors notice it. Nothing is said. All students automatically take their place. There’s no need for words. This may seem trivial, but it’s actually an important part of training — or, at least, it was during the period when those in the dojo were likely to use their arts in battle. In a battle like the ones those people knew, as in all battles, much was chaos: noise, frenzied action, fear. Communication, if you were depending on a verbal or visible message, was dicey. No, you had to be able to “feel” what the group around you was expressing, to sense it and to react. Warfare in Japan included individual combat. It depended primarily, though, on formations and group action. All that “lone samurai” stuff is romantic nonsense. If a samurai couldn’t work in a group, he died. Many Japanese terms are used to describe this nonverbal communication. A group, tightly knit through training of a martial sort, is sometimes called a dantai, which implies individuals who are moving as a single, effective unit. Haragei , literally “belly art,” is a word that describes the communication that comes viscerally. (It’s interesting that this word was probably coined by a Westerner trying to explain it.) This brings us back to kuuki yomei. To “read the air” means to be able to sense what’s going on without being told. It’s critical for the serious karateka to develop a relationship with a real teacher that’s based on being able to read the air around that teacher and in the dojo in general. Visit a dojo, a real one, on several days and you’ll see what might look like a different place. One day, the mood is lighthearted with some joking and people enjoying themselves. Other days, the mood is tense, tight. Nobody’s talking. Everyone is working with deadly seriousness. These differences arise because the students in the dojo can read their teacher. They know that on this day, he’s happy with them and with their training. On that day, he’s seeing something he doesn’t like. They respond to both accordingly. Now, we’re not talking about teachers who are mentally unbalanced, who veer from smiling to snarling in the blink of an eye. We’re talking about sensei who know when their students are doing their best and when they’re slacking off, when they’re completely involved in the session and when they’re drifting. The students, especially the seniors will be sensitive to this, as well. Think of the dojo as a kind of ant colony. The seniors are those who have one antenna keyed to what’s going on around them. They may be chatting with others before the day’s training begins. They have their other antenna tuned to their teacher — even if he’s just standing around, talking with others. They very quickly will be able to determine what he wants. Juniors will be tuned to their seniors and will key off them. There’s no easy way to learn to read the air in the dojo around one’s teacher. If you think learning karate is confined to coming in, taking a lesson, practicing and then leaving to go on with your life, you’re out of luck in acquiring this talent. You have to concentrate, to focus, to be aware of everything that’s going on in the dojo. It demands time and incredible effort. If you want to say that you do a Japanese martial art, you won’t have a better chance to actually do that than to learn to read the air in a dojo. Dave Lowry has written Karate Way since 1986. For more information about his articles and books, visit blackbeltmag.com and type his name into the search box.

You would have to have followed MMA for a fair amount of time in its short history to recognize there was a BC and a BCE. Hold on! Before you think this just got religious, we mean there was MMA Before Conor (McGregor) and what it is. Because of Endeavor (the company that now owns the UFC). Prior to these two tidal shifts in the sport there was notmuch talk of “stars” or potential for Mixed Martial Arts to be anywhere near mainstream. It was a much smaller and manageable task to be a fan. So, given the sport has grown exponentially bigger than the past and the billions now floating around, how can one engage in MMA and be a real fan (whatever that is)? Here is a list of 5 things one might do to engage with the sport and not get overwhelmed or be stretched to the point of attention fatigue. Training to be in MMA (as a Fan): #1 – Spend at least some time studying Martial Arts. This of course might be taken as suggestion to go to a gym or dojo and put on gloves or a gi and engage physically. If you take it this way, more power to you (pun intended). But the main idea here is that like so many sports, MMA’s beauty is in its intricacies. For reference, go search Demian Maia’s triangle (we are already in training here if you don’t know what that is) of Chael Sonnen. Initiated by striking-styled distance closing, continuing to something like a wrestler’s lateraldrop with the triangle clearly in Maia’s mind before hitting the ground, and its finish, it is incredible! Everything we love has to have a degree of insight to be appreciated, and MMA is no exception. Training to be in MMA (as a Fan): #2 – Get to know the fighters (within reason). Unlike sports such as baseball or football where the “stars” can have longevity and names atop lists and headlines (for better or worse), MMA moves very fast. Sadly, the window of time for a fighter to compete or be popular is very small. The fire burns bright, but fast. While hardcore fans can know rosters of any of the big promotions deeply, the nature of the sport’s revolving door means you may need to take a more bite-sized approach. Maybe pick a fighter who you find yourself rooting for and purposefully choose to follow their career (even outside the arena). Or, maybe pick a weight class you can attach focus to. Gyms, coaches, disciplines or specific arts, prior events, etc. can all be ways to know fighters and their trajectories. A suggestion as an example: coach Trevor Whittman and those he trains. Intriguing! Training to be in MMA (as a Fan): #3 – Develop some healthy hipster tendencies. Ok, we all know someone who needs to take 17 minutes to explain why their French press coffee is better than my 42 lb. bag of beans from the mega-store, so please proceed with caution here. Derek Lewis and Francis Ngannou 1 was not a good fight. Period. If you catch yourself speaking of “edge of your seat” or “chess versus checkers” or “needed the W” ad infinitum, you are doing this one wrong. But, it does behoove the real fan to want more than a flash knockout or spinning back-whatever in a fight. Learn to appreciate strategy. Go watch a Georges St. Pierre fight or two... perfect balance for this. Be just precious enough. Training to be in MMA (as a Fan): #4 – Take in enough, but not too much content. There is a dark side to sports. Most agree the best thing about sport is its ability to help the fan have some release from real life. Well, if you did not know, learning how the proverbial sausage gets made in MMA can be very disheartening. If you love the sport and want the fighters to be appreciated, be prepared for disappointment. But for heaven’s sake – still be a fan! If you don’t appreciate what the men and women do who put their lives and health on the line, maybe no one will – not even their promoters. Listen to what the fighters think is important. Fighter pay is important. Fighter safety isimportant. Care, but don’t let it ruin the love of the game. Watch fights, listen to interviews, but beware the rabbit-holes and trollish allure that can trap you. Training to be in MMA (as a Fan): #5 – Know what you are getting into. Who are we kidding? This is bloodsport. People get hurt. Badly. Bones get broken. Consciousness is lost. It is not for the faint of heart. But it must be said that you do not need to be a bloodthirsty psychopath to love it as a fan. In fact, it might even heighten your empathy quotient to get invested in following people willing to do so much to succeed. But there is no amount of flowery language that covers the bloodstains on the canvas. It takes some level of seeing combat sports as a microcosm of life to be attached to it. That is a soul-searching exercise for the fan as well as the fighter. This writer has always loved the humanity in spite of the brutality. MMA deserves your attention. Hopefully this will help with how to spend it.

As humans we have been measuring things for eons. From the early days of tracking the sunrise and sunset, to the rise of the industrial revolution, and now into the age of wisdom, we track how long we work, sit, meditate, and breathe. This human characteristic of tracking and measuring has given rise to the intelligence quotient (IQ) tests and standards designed to assess human intelligence. In fact, you can take a test to see where you fall on this spectrum, keeping in mind that it is a measurement manufactured by the human brain. The measurement of IQ is a 20th century concept, but since the age of our friend Confucius, exercise and mindfulness were thought to enhance intelligence. This trend continued into the Renaissance era of the 1400s when exercise was considered to be a main ingredient for determining how smart one could be. Why? Because our ancestors understood that to engage in a practice of physical exercise requires mental focus, and mental focus adds to one’s ability to be “smart.” In this scenario, however, we were only looking at the brain in terms of showing a quick-witted intelligence. Centuries ago we already understood the true MindBody connection. We knew that memory enhancing exercises like katas, dance, and other practices that require mental memory as a prerequisite to physical muscle memory, kept our brain sharp. In addition to improving physical reactions and reflexes, they increased our ability to focus. The concept is described in this phrase, so overused we have forgotten what it really means: “The body can only be as quick as the mind.” At the turn of the century, form the 19th into the 20th, we began to move into an age where emotional intelligence is the new trend. This is where martial arts comes into the picture. Kuksanym, founder of the Kuksoolwon lineage, eloquently states in his book: “In the east it is not enough to be strong and smart because there are many forms of exercise that promote aggression. A true martial artist knows how to control one’s emotions, thoughts, and ultimately, the surroundings and circumstances. Ki breathing is a fundamental component of calming the mind: allowing your body to rest and recuperate, and your mind to organize and prepare.” The connection between martial arts and emotional intelligence —which you can now of course measure in a test —is not a new discovery. It is an ancient body-mind practice that is evolving into new ways of moving meditation, as found in many modern-day arts, including Jungshin Fitness. One of the main traits of emotional intelligence is the ability to act vs. react in any given situation. Daniel Goleman, emotional intelligence guru, has developed a number of ways to understand this. One model can be found by looking at Goleman’s 4-quadrant system defined by, Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Self-Management,Relationship Management. For more details into the Goleman’s recognition/awareness quadrant please refer to his work. For the purpose of this article our focus is on the natural elixir of emotional intelligence found in practicing the martial arts. Let’s examine some of the emotional intelligence skills we practice and embody as martial artists: Forms: Forms require us to move in all planes of motion (frontal, saggitall, transverse). This means that we develop spatial awareness above, below, and around. Compare this to our more modern-day exercise of sitting on a stationary bike while watching TV or texting. (I’m all for that! It’s a great way to get in a workout.). This exercise, while requiring muscle memory, does not require the type of mental acuteness required by a kata. Forms enhance complete trust in intuition, a main trait of emotional intelligence. Breath Work: Part of being a strong martial artist is knowing how to control one’s breathing. This is especially true in the art of weapons where the inhale and exhale may not be as steady as the art of doing forms. This ancient practice of breath work enhances our ability to self-regulate, another vital trait in enhancing one’s emotional intelligence. Self-regulation aids in our ability to pause, reflect, and decide—before acting. Combat: In the art of combat one must be able to manage her own core, relationship to gravity, and emotions, as well as engage another person’s physical and emotional boundary. This ability requires acute emotional intelligence. In Jungshin we call this the “me-not-me” approach. The best fighters are those who can stay in their circle and know how to manage their edge so that no one can pass into it. Beyond just the competition, the athlete/martial artist/practitioner must know how to handle their emotions first, and then they can successfully engage with their surroundings. Great business leaders demonstrate emotional intelligence by applying the five pillars of emotional intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, motivation, social skills.Ability to manage one’s emotions and stress. There is a Chinese word, Wuwei, that means, “doing-not-doing.” Humans have known this way of the Dao for centuries. Now, in the 21st century, we are being called upon to step up this practice. Or, as Wayne Dyer says, we need to “Do the dao now.” By teaching martial arts, we are providing our students a way to enhance their emotional intelligence. Think about how you learned martial arts. Your body had to feel the forms. It was not enough to understand angles and memorize numbers. The body and mind had to work in unison. The emotional intelligence you acquired from your martial arts practice informs the graceful, kind and powerful person you are today.

When Bruce Lee died back in 1973 he was just 32-years-old. Martial arts fans have often wondered just what he'd have been like if he'd lived into his later years. How would his martial arts have developed? What kind of movies would he have done? What would he have thought of the UFC? While we'll never know the answer to most of those questions, now we may at least know what Lee would have looked like if he'd lived into his later years. Turkish photographer Alper Yesiltas has made use of AI technology in his project "As If Nothing Happened" to provide renditions of what famous icons who died young might look like in the present day if they had lived. Along with musical figures like Jimi Hendrix and Tupac Shakur, actor Heath Ledger and Britain's Princess Diana, Yesiltas provides a fascinating glimpse of how a now 81-year-old Lee might appear .

This is the final article of a five-part series in which I will be sharing my opinion on the five most important steps one must take on their journey to become a successful sport karate competitor. If you haven’t read part four about humility, you can find it here. The first four articles of this series were meant to follow a timeline as one progresses through their sport karate career. When you first start, it is important to show up and compete as often as possible. Then, you must find mentorship that will help you develop as a competitor. After you go through that development and find some success, it is time to understand your position in the sport as a leader. When you experience extended periods of success, or you can feel yourself on the precipice of success, it is important to remain humble to continue your progress and not become overly frustrated by the process. This final step, changing the game, comes after all of that. This is what I consider to be the difference between “good” and “great” competitors. Good competitors compete for a number of years, win overall grand championships, and are respected for their accomplishments. Great competitors do something that changes the sport, setting them apart from all of their peers as well as making themselves unique compared to those who came before and all who will come after them. I believe the most important distinction that will help any competitor change the game is to be inspired by legends of the past without trying to be like those all-time great competitors. The famous Be Like Mike Gatorade campaign in the 90’s does not apply to sport karate. Whereas in basketball, modeling your game after Michael Jordan and striving to play just like him will create another historically great basketball player with the right work ethic (Kobe Bryant, anyone?). In sport karate, particularly in forms and weapons, everything is subjective. If your goal is to do double sword just like Kalman Csoka, every judge will think of Kalman Csoka when they watch YOUR sword form. If you want to change the sport, the judges shouldn’t think of anybody but you when you are on stage. This DOES NOT mean you can’t be inspired by Kalman if you are a sword competitor, because you should be. It simply means that if you want to achieve greatness you have to find that thing that sets you apart. My best advice to help you achieve this feat is threefold: do what you love, keep an open mind, and work hard until it happens organically. I say this because it is the exact process that worked for me. I have loved this activity from the moment I went to my first tournament and competed in forms, breaking, and point fighting. The number one thing that kept me involved in this sport for so long is that I love everything about it. You don’t necessarily have to enjoy every aspect of sport karate, but you should certainly be passionate about whatever events you are competing in. The “doing what you love” part if self-explanatory, but what about keeping an open mind? If you had asked someone “Is that Jackson Rudolph kid ever going to be any good?” in 2008, the answer would have been “He has a chance, but he’ll only ever be a traditionalist.” Believe it or not, this is true. I won my first division at the AKA Grand Nationals in 2007 for traditional weapons, then I was in the traditional forms and weapons runoffs consistently until Diamond Nationals of 2008 when I made stage for the first time with traditional forms. So where did CMX (creative/musical/extreme) weapons come into the picture for me? I had always loved competing in CMX weapons and was doing so even when I had more of a reputation as a traditional competitor. The key for me was that when I was having success with traditional, I never stopped training CMX to focus on what was winning. I kept an open mind, knowing just because traditional was my best division right now, that doesn’t mean that I won’t one day excel in CMX too. If I had done what many competitors do and specialized too early in my career, I never would have achieved anything that I am blessed to have done with that green bo. The final phase of changing the game that I mentioned was to work hard until it happens organically. This means that you must have an exceptional work ethic and put in ridiculous amounts of time perfecting your craft. However, training time should not be spent thinking, “how am I going to change the history of the sport today?” Instead, training should first be focused on perfecting your technical skills. If you don’t have solid basics, it won’t matter how great your ideas are because the judges won’t be paying attention after they see the first terrible front stance. Meanwhile, you should always have the thought of “how can I be different?” in the back of your mind. This thought will generate ideas that you can try when choreographing new forms. Many of these ideas won’t look very good (just being honest), but some of them will and those are the skills and concepts that will set you apart from the competition. If you accumulate enough of these unique skills and concepts, next thing you know you have developed your own style. A style that the sport has never seen before combined with a collection of major championships is the recipe for a truly great career in sport karate. Be inspired by the past, but work every day to make the future of the sport better. Innovation is the key to greatness.