Why? Part II

Background

Recently, I was asked: "What do you hope to achieve with your training, ultimately? What is the purpose of putting yourself in physical danger and sustaining injuries?"

This is the second of a series of entries that attempts to answer the question, "Why?". In Part I, we took a look at "Physical Health and Fitness" and "Self Esteem". This time I'd like to focus on "Perfectionism" and "Budo as a Way of Life".

Perfectionism

Shihan Eric Van Vaerenbergh (Kyokushin 4th Dan and Shihandai of IBK Belgium) recently said, "the greatest opponent in the martial arts is yourself." Eric certainly isn't the first to put it this way. Indeed, for martial artists, this maxim is well known.

Consider the effort that a gymnast puts into perfecting his techniques. Continuously training in the hope that a panel of judges will award a higher score than that awarded to peers and competitors. Since the gymnast is aware that 'perfection is the goal that no human can reach', training never ends. The pursuit of the highest possible levels of skill and form becomes a way of life for the gymnast.

I'm also aware that achievement of perfection is not humanly possible. For me, as a martial artist, the pursuit of technical and philosophical perfection in my art is not entirely dissimilar to the gymnast.

The difference (perhaps) is this; I am my one and only Judge.

For some people, this would be like getting a "get out of jail free" card in a game of Monopoly. After all, if I am my only Judge, what assurance is there that I am judged to the highest standards and not to a weakened standard that allows for self praise and a false sense of superiority? I'm sure it's safe to say that most martial artists have met people that fall into this trap. The answer is fairly simple:

As a person; I'm a perfectionist. As a Judge, I am my own worst nightmare.

Budo is a way of life. It is about aspiring to the highest standards in all that I do. Physically, mentally and spiritually. For anyone that is a perfectionist by nature, the martial arts present the ultimate challenge.

Ultimate is a word that is all too often overused and misunderstood. The Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary defines "ultimate" as, 'the best or most extreme example of something.' It is in this sense that, for the perfectionist in me, Budo (the martial way) is the ultimate challenge. It is the highest level of challenge available to me.

Every moral fibre, every physical cell, every thought, every sense of self, every movement in kata, every decision in combat, every choice in life; Budo demands that I reach and maintain the highest standards in these things and more. For the perfectionist; what greater challenge exists than that which challenges every aspect of one's very existence?

Budo as a Way of Life

Budo is, of course, a Japanese term. Translating Japanese into English (or any western language for that matter) is not always an easy task. Very often, the smallest of Japanese words carries a mountain of complex meaning. It is generally accepted that the term 'Budo' is most accurately (and literally) translated as, "the way of combat". However, during the 20th Century the term was 'adopted' and came to represent the martial arts in general. The term no longer describes only the physical and technical aspects of combat and has come to encompass physical discipline, an attitude of mind, a command of the spirit and the strongest of moral codes.

The most famous of the Japanese warriors are the Samurai. For this warrior class, Budo was indeed a way of life and combat was about life or death. For them, "Budo" focused soley on the martial and combatative aspects of that which we now call martial arts. However, they adhered to the strictest moral codes of conduct known as the 'Bushido'.

The term 'Bushi', was given to the ancient class of Japanese soldiers that were decendant of traditional warrior families. The term "Do", translates as "way". Therefore, "Budo" is known as "The Way of Combat" (Martial Arts) and "Bushido" is known as "The Way of the Warrior".

The 'Bushido' was a moral code of principles that developed through the Samurai (military) class of Japan. As with all moral codes throughout human history, the Bushido was heavily influenced by the prevailing religions of the time (in this case; Zen and Confucianism). The term Bushido came into use in the 16th century and it's content varied and changed. It grew and evolved as the standards and status of the Samurai class evolved.

Since the code was developed under a Japanese feudal system, it contains elements that many westerners in todays 'peaceful' times have difficulty relating to. It's core elements have remained unchanged throughout history and it's primary principles are not dissimilar to the ethics of chivalary as promoted by the european medieval knights.

The Bushido emphasises; loyalty, self sacrifice, justice, wisdom, honesty, a sense of shame, refined manners, purity, modesty, frugality, martial spirit, honor and affection.

Today, the term Budo has come to encompass both the martial way (physical) of Budo and the code of ethics (spiritual) promoted by the Bushido. It is in this sense, that I have choosen to follow my Budo.

"With great power... ...comes great responsibility". This is a line taken from the Spiderman comics. It is the advice that was passed to Peter Parker. A simple 'code of conduct' that allowed him to keep his 'abilities' in check and use them for the good of the world around him. The Samurai lived in a world where physical conflict was a reality and, for the most part, they kept themselves in check with Bushido.

Of course, today's western world is no feudal system but the possiblity of physical conflict is an everyday reality. I believe that it is useful to be physically prepared for such encounters. I believe that the world can benefit from adherence to a moral code of conduct, with the highest values, that is independant of religious obligation. For me, Budo has become a neccessary tool for survival in the modern world.

It is my belief that a martial artist that does not undertand and accept both sides of the Budo coin - the martial way and it's codes of conduct - possesses no coin at all. Rather, this person has attained nothing of value and has failed to grasp the essence of Budo.

Click Here to Read: Why? Part III

- The Martial Arts as an Element of Budo
- Social Circle

Visit My Dojo: MMA Ireland : Photos

Why? Part I

My Way

Before reading on, it's important to recognize the truth of the following words:

"The martial arts are viewed and defined differently by all that choose to follow the martial way (Budo)."

It is not really true to say, 'I follow Budo as a way of life'. It would be more truthful to say, 'I follow my Budo'.

I have often been asked, "Why do you do it?" Some want to understand my interest in the overall philosophies of Budo. Others want to understand why I would put myself at risk of injury. Many cannot understand my choice of full-contact above other less 'combative' forms of martial art. Countless others simply cannot understand why I would be interested in the martial arts at all.

Recently, I was asked: "What do you hope to achieve with your training, ultimately? What is the purpose of putting yourself in physical danger and sustaining injuries?"

The thing that surprised me a little was the depth and complexity behind the responses to these seemingly simple questions. For me, my motives are clear and I tend not to question them. My interest in the Martial Arts was ignited the very first time I attended a Karate lesson as a child. I was eight years old at the time. I'm now thirty-one and, if anything, my drive is stronger than ever.

I'm going to attempt to give a broad understanding of my motivations for following Budo as a way of life. I truly believe that I could write an entire book on this subject alone. But, let's limit things to the following areas (in no real order of importance):

- Fitness / Physical Health
- Self Esteem
- Perfectionism
- Budo as a Way of Life
- The Martial Arts as an Element of Budo
- Social Circle
- Philosophy
- Self Defense
- Human Nature / Aggressive Outlet
- Control
- Born To It
- Finishing It

Since each of these areas could be considered a topic for discussion in their own right, they will be serialized over multiple diary entries.

Fitness / Physical Health

There is no question that the fitness levels of a full contact martial artist are far higher than that of Mr. Average. I firmly believe that the human body is not designed to exist in an unfit (at best) or obese (at worst) state. Physical and mental 'fitness' is important to me and Budo helps me in both regards.

By day, I teach Business Communication Skills to corporate clients in Germany. By night, I am husband to a loving wife and father to a perfect daughter. Somewhere around and between these things, I practice martial arts. Unfortunately, the nature of my job involves large amounts of sitting around, talking and listening. It's fair to say that these really aren't the most physical of activities and no amount of deskside 'butt clenches' are going to keep me in physical shape (not that I have ever tried them!). On the positive side, a healthy mind is certainly a vocational prerequisite.

My ex-boss used to say, "If you want to improve the mind, stimulate the body. If you want to improve the body, stimulate the mind." He was right. There is a definite link between the two. Taking care of mind and body (as one) leads to a very centered feeling and I can only assume that this natural feeling of harmony is not a coincidence.

Sure, there are easier ways to stay in shape. But, they don't really engage the mind and the body in the way that martial arts does. I've tried other solutions - fitness centers, gyms, running, jogging, yoga, badminton, swimming - in the end, these things bore me to tears. The body is put through its paces but the mind could be taking a six week cruise around the Hawaiian islands and it wouldn't make a difference. I don't have the patience for more conventional forms of exercise. The treadmill makes me feel like a hamster on a wheel and the idea of standing in front of a mirror with heavy objects in both hands is a little too narcissistic for me. Let's face it, just how often can I watch myself lifting heavy objects before losing my mind to mad cow disease?

Kyokushin Budokai (full contact Karate and Judo combined) demands both a physical and mental commitment. It is demanding in ways that continuously challenge my physical and mental capabilities. A full contact, all round fight, has often been compared to 'Human Chess'. I like this analogy. I believe it's fitting and it's a game that I like to play.

Self Esteem

I was raised in a somewhat unconventional family and those outside of it simply didn't approve. In order to help me understand this, I was regularly and severely beaten by large groups of well intentioned individuals, all certain that I would learn the error of my ways as a direct result of these little lessons. Between the ages of 8 and 14, not a day passed by where my face wasn't reintroduced to Mr. Fist and his faithful friends; Mr. Foot, Mr. Knee, Mr. Elbow, Mr. Head, occasionally Mr. Sharp-Object and, worst of all, Mr. Humiliation.

These puppets of facial reconstruction did the bidding of their masters, without pause for thought, very charitably 'teaching me a lesson' as often as they saw fit. To this day, I am actually grateful to them for what I have learned. What was gleaned from their schooling may not be what these 'would-be-teachers' had in mind but those countless hours of instruction certainly put me on the path that I follow today.

The concept that 'little can defeat big when little is smart' is a fundamental principle of the Martial Way. An understanding of this way gave me the strength and the confidence to stand up after every beating. I was able to knowingly demonstrate that, whilst my body was broken, my mind and spirit could never be scratched. Of course, this would often antogonise my new friends and drive them to further ingenious acts of mindless violence but it didn't matter. I had learned how to smile at their frustration.

At that early age, I never really developed the physical strength or achieved the level of skill needed to overcome these packs of animals. Many of them were 'adult' and I was still a child. However, my sheer refusal to 'lie down' became a game that they would clearly never win. No matter how hard they tried, they could never really beat me. Ultimately, the experience became too humiliating for them. Finally, they simply stopped trying. Far from being allowed to celebrate their short reign as dominators of a weaker body, they were forced to submit to the unbreakable nature of a stronger spirit.

It is odd to say that I possessed the martial spirit long before I truly devloped martial skill. But, in my case - it was so. Many attain a level of false confidence through the skills they learn. Their training leads them to believe (wrongly) that their have become somehow invincible. They have, for whatever reason, failed to identify that the body is a physical thing that can be broken. To break the mind however, is another matter. The strength of the human spirit transcends anything that the physical body can be forced to endure. Each time I undergo physical pain - through my training - I am reminded that the human spirit is stronger than the body and that it can never be broken. As a person I take comfort in this. As a teacher, I take enormous pleasure in having the opportunity to help others acquire this same strength of mind, body and spirit.

Click Here to Read: Why? PartII

- Perfectionism
- Budo as a Way of Life

Visit My Dojo: MMA Ireland : Photos

Old Injuries ... Small Victories

Old Injuries

I learned something about myself last night. I discovered that I don't always find it easy to motivate myself. I was scheduled for 20 rounds of kick-boxing on the bag after a full training session of Kyokushin Kihon and conditioning. It wasn't easy to get into it last night though. Why? With me it's always the same problem - old injuries.

Now seems like a good time to outline my rather embarrassing list of injuries incurred during the last 9 months of training:

- Right foot broken in two places (twice!)
- Right hamstring torn (not pulled... ...torn)
- Torn abductor muscle (groin area)
- Torn rotator cuff in the left shoulder (bad landing out of an O Goshi)
- Dislocated both thumbs (they still don't work correctly)
- Fractured metacarpal left hand (little finger)
- Two broken ribs (another bad landing out of an O Goshi)

Of course, these are just the ones worth mentioning. In addition to these more worthy noteables, there have been countless minor mishaps (like toes getting caught in face guards). Whilst I am not proud of my little list of self inflicted injuries (clearly a number of them are a result of poorly executed technique), I am proud of the fact that they have never stopped me training. I've never missed a session through injury - not one.

Last week we did 'a little bit of board breaking'. No cloth, just boards. I must admit, it was great fun! In order to prepare ourselves for the breaking, we first 'conditioned' our knuckles a little; bare knuckle pushups outdoors on the concrete, bare knuckle 'wheel barrows' on the concrete, bare knuckle jumping pushups... ...on the concrete. By the end of it, there was literally no skin on my Tsuki knuckles (the first two knuckles) and I was bleeding like a gutted pig. Still, those boards were pretty aggressive and I had to be sure that I was ready for them!

As you can imagine, 20 rounds of kickboxing (without boxing gloves) on a heavy bag is no fun with very little skin on the knuckles. So, last nights training was a bit of a problem. Combine that with the fact that my thighs and shin bones are permanently bruised - as a result of 'low kick conditioning' - and the thought of unloading on a bag was not something I was looking forward to.

We regularly - pretty much every session - condition our legs for low kicks. In other words, we stand there like lemons and allow our training partners to unload load low kicks against our waiting - though not always willing - thighs. The end result is that my legs are permanently and fairly severely bruised. But, I must admit, I really don't feel it if a low kick gets through during Kumite. It's training that causes the problem. The slightest touch - when adrenaline isn't pumping - feels like I'm getting hit with the pointy end of a hammer.

Here's a quick look at the current (and ongoing) condition of my legs:

I have to admit it, with bleeding knuckles, bruised up legs and an absent training partner, it wasn't easy to give myself the mental nudge needed to start bag training.

Small Victories

Round one of twenty (two minute rounds) began with the best of intentions but my knuckles weren't interested. Small messages of pain were stabbing me in the brain and saying, "This is only going to make things worse. Go home!" I nearly listened too. I was alone in the Dojo and no one would have had any idea if I just quit. No one except me. I needed a solution. I need these bag workouts in order to maintain and improve upon my conditioning. The problem is, these damn injuries keep getting in the way. That's when I came up with solution number one... ...soft gloves.

I really don't know why I thought 3mm of leather was going to stop the pain or the continued demise of my knuckles but it was worth the shot. Of course, it didn't work, my knuckles tore up a little more and my gloves just got wet on the inside (blood can do that). "Forget it!", I thought. "I'm going home". I wasn't really in the mood anyway.

Although I didn't want to aggravate my injuries, I really do need the conditioning. That's when it hit me. Damaged knuckles are not a reason to stop training, they're just a reason to stop using the knuckles. I took off my gloves and did the entire workout using Shuto (knife-hand), Shotei (palm-heel) and Hiji (elbow) techniques - for all 20 rounds. Perfect! All the benefits - in terms of cardio - without the downside of further damaging my knuckles.

My legs still hurt like hell with every kick of course. But, the trick there was "not minding that it hurts". Pain is something I could ignore. It was further damage that I was trying to avoid.

Last night, I almost quit. But, with a little thought, a lot of determination and a sheer bloody minded refusal to know when to give up, I managed to hold off the excuses. As a bonus, I improved my open hand techniques immeasurably and they now pack as much power as my punches. Not a bad turn around. Not bad at all.

Last night was an evening of small victories. My mum puts it best, "Where there's a will, there's a way."

Thanks for the advice mum. It came in handy.

Visit My Dojo: MMA Ireland : Photos

Day One on the Long Road

I must be honest. I've never really taken anything to completion. I'm very easily bored and have a habit of dropping what I'm doing as soon as I develop the feeling that I have 'learned that which I'm trying to learn'. The thing is, lately I've been wondering.

Am I truly moving on to things of greater interest or am I simply avoiding the possibilitly of failure? Perhaps I should explain more clearly.

If I don't follow something through to completion - then I can't possibly fail. I aquire skills that I can claim are not quite 100% because I never really finished the course/training. If I finish what I start then I will have no excuse for being 'almost perfect'.

I am now practising Kyokushin Budokai. I have an opportunity to take something to completion and already the excuses are creeping in; the gradings have been overly simplified, I'll be leaving the country soon, I'm not spending enough time with my family.

Of course, some of these things are not really excuses. They are serious obstacles that are to be dealt with if I wish to progress. So, here and now I make a pledge to myself: "I will not fail. Nothing and no-one will stop me from achieving my goal; 30 men, 30 fights, no protection."

This diary/blog is the first step in ensuring that I acheive that which I have set out to do. If I do not follow my training programme (seen here) then this is the place where I will make my excuses. Making it public by publishing it at http://www.kyokushinbudokai.org/ is just added motivation. I have no intention of embarrassing myself so, I guess I'll be following my programme closely...

Visit My Dojo: MMA Ireland Photos