The Gift of Fear vs. the Price of Worry & Ignorance

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Feedback for Upcoming Ground Defense Book

Hello everyone! Sorry I didn't post last week. I had a good reason; I was away on my honeymoon. Anyway, I'm back now and am ready to share some good news with you all. Over the past few months I've been working with representative of Tuttle Publishing (one of the largest martial arts publishers in the world) on a book proposal. I didn't want to say anything until things were a bit more solid, but things are starting to look promising.

The book is about practical ground defense, specifically in a street self-defense context. The goal is to provide easy to learn tactics and techniques that a BJJ-er can combine with his sport grappling training for an effective toolbox of skills that can be used in a street defense context. Conversely, traditional martial artists that are more focused on stand-up defense would also be able to learn an effective package of ground defense tools. The book will also be accompanied with an instructional DVD to supplement its contents.

My contact at Tuttle said that there is definitely interest in my book and on top of that they're interested in having me expand the content. There are many different topics related to ground defense, and I have many of them covered already, but I would like to find out if there is anything of particular interest to my blog readers on this matter. Please let me know in the comments of this post. I very much appreciate your feedback and support. :)

The Zone Diet for Martial Artists - A Review

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A Holiday Gift from Me to You

December is rolling in and the holiday season is in full swing. Traditionally, there is a dip in attendance at this time of year with all the merry-making, but Chris and I will both be teaching right through the holiday season except on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and New Year's day.

I know it can be hard to work in Jiu-jitsu training with all the festive events and holiday shopping that needs to be done, but it is definitely worth it to make the time for yourself to help keep your sanity together.

To thank everyone for their continued support on my blog and in my martial arts training, I'm offering a 10% discount on my book, Weapons of Opportunity, an autobiographical narrative of my training experiences in the martial arts. The discount code is 'holiday2009' and it can be applied when you buy my book on my website until Dec. 25, 2009.

Happy Holidays, Everyone!

Book Review: Zen in the Martial Arts

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Out of Print Judo Ground Work Book

Hello everyone. Sorry I've been slow to post this week. I do intend to do the follow up article on open hand strikes, but I haven't had time to do the video for it in the past few days. In the meantime, I was passed along this link to a pdf of a great book that's currently out of print. It's about Judo ground work and it covers a lot of material that seems to not get as much attention in the martial art these days. I think you'll find it interesting.

Higher Judo: Ground Work

The whole book is there in pdf form. Enjoy!

Self-Defense Situations in Japan

Last night, I went for dinner at a friend's place, an old friend named Vicky whom I met in Japan. Seeing her reminded of my time spent in the place where the local time is tomorrow, so today I decided to post a chapter from my book, Weapons of Opportunity, that goes back to that time. Enjoy!

Weapon #33: A Pair of Underwear

In my second year of living in Japan, a cloud descended on the foreign women living in Iwaki. It started with an incident that involved Vicky, a Canadian girl I knew who was working at a local English conversation school.

Vicky was friendly and well-liked by everyone who met her. She had a lively, outgoing personality that was temporarily squelched one August evening. As she sat down to watch TV that evening she heard a rustling coming from the front door of her second story apartment. She walked into her doorway to see a pair of women’s underwear being stuffed through her mail slot. She picked them up and opened the door to see a man in his late thirties walking away down the stairs, wearing a handkerchief over his face in the dark stairwell.

She had a weird feeling about the whole thing but she figured that he was just one of the neighbours who had thought this pair of underwear had blown off her line and was just trying to return them. Being new to Japan, Vicky dismissed the handkerchief as a strange cultural difference she did not yet understand. The pair of underwear in question wasn’t hers so she figured they must belong to her neighbour Jane – another English teacher from her school.

Vicky walked over and knocked on Jane’s door and asked if the underwear was hers, explaining what she thought had happened. Jane confirmed the story and confirmed that they were hers, but looked strangely shaken.

Having thought everything cleared up, Vicky returned to her apartment and started doing her dishes. All of a sudden, she looked up from the sink to see the man with the handkerchief standing directing outside her kitchen window from the landing in the stairwell, looking straight at her. She screamed and then the man tried to come in through the front door. Vicky forced the door shut and locked it. Grabbing her cell phone, she ran to the rear balcony yelling to Jane, telling her to lock her door. She called the police and the manager from her school, hoping help would arrive soon. From the balcony she looked down over the quiet forested area and saw the masked man again waiting below.

Vicky instinctively started screaming the only bad word in Japanese she knew. “Hentai! Hentai! Hentai!” This is the Japanese word for ‘pervert.’ The masked man immediately ran off. The police arrived soon after.

From talking over the incident with the two women, they managed to piece together that the masked man had broken into Jane’s apartment earlier and rifled through her underwear. Jane’s underwear were generally the grandma type, cotton with lots of coverage, but the guy found the one pair she had that was made of satin and stole them. When Vicky returned the underwear, Jane was in a state of shock and as a result, nodded agreement when Vicky came to her with what had happened. She knew that she never hung her underwear outside on her balcony so she was upset and disturbed to think about how they had been removed from her apartment.

It seems strange that someone would break into someone’s house to steal a pair of underwear, but this is not an uncommon occurrence in Japan. There are a number of men in Japan who go around stealing women’s underwear from their homes, off laundry lines, wherever they can get them. It’s a common enough fetish that there were even vending machines selling them in certain red-light districts in Tokyo, at least while I was there.

The police had warned Vicky and Jane to be very careful to lock their doors and windows and to be aware of suspicious characters that might be following them. They filed a detailed report, but they never did find him. It didn’t take long for the news to spread through all the foreign women living in Iwaki. This heaped a nervous tension on top of the regular culture shock that all foreigners experienced.
By the time I heard about the incident, I could see how it had affected all the women. I was concerned about how uneasy they were, so I decided to run a women’s self-defense course.

To be honest, I never had much interest in teaching women’s self-defense up till that point. A large proportion of the teaching is imparting street sense and shaping women’s every day habits to make them less prone to attack. Meanwhile, the physical defense component only comprises of the simplest, most effective parts of Jiu-jitsu – not the biggest teaching challenge. Teaching women to defend themselves is less about teaching technical excellence and more about teaching them to break past their fear and get them angry enough to mount an effective defense against a bigger, stronger man.

Putting my own inclinations aside, I decided to run the class because my friends really needed it. No one should have to live in fear. I wanted to remove their fear and replace it with confidence and sensible precaution.

Using Sean as my demonstration partner, I ran four two-hour women’s self-defense classes. I had six students, Vicky and Jane, two girls from my office, and Megan and Ruth, who had decided that they could use the extra instruction on women’s safety.
I knew the general rules of personal safety in a Western country and they were pretty much the same when applied to Japan. The most important differences were cultural; the way the laws handled harassment and assault and the nature of the assaults themselves. For example, while I was in Japan, Japanese law stated that if a man was drunk and he harassed or even committed a minor assault on a woman, the man was absolved of all responsibility due to the fact that he was drunk and not aware of his actions.

The majority of assaults on women in Japan are not reported at all. Women don’t want to risk their jobs if the man is someone from their work or they don’t want people to think that they engaged in the kind of activities that might subject a woman to an assault.

The incidences of harassment and assault on foreign women are significantly higher. This is due to the fact that foreign women stand out due to their physical differences, but in many cases, they are also thought to be more promiscuous than Japanese women. This misconception can spring from the way foreign women are portrayed in Japanese pornographic comics and videos. It can generate a strange fixation on the exotic foreign women that come to their country, leading to incidents ranging in severity.

The worst case I heard of happened while I was in Japan to an English girl who had been working at a Tokyo snack bar as a hostess. The position of hostess requires women to drink, flirt and make friendly chit-chat with the men who frequent the bar. The English hostess disappeared one day after work. Her body was eventually found dismembered and embedded in concrete blocks on a beach on the outskirts of Tokyo. She had been murdered by one of the snack bar clientele, the vice-president of a major national real estate company.

While this kind of extreme situation isn’t exactly common in Japan, pretty much every foreign woman I knew there had at least one story of harassment and number of them had tales of being stalked, even assaulted.

As I did some research about handling harassment in Japan to prepare for the class, I was very interested to discover that Vicky’s reaction, to point at the stalker and yell hentai, is actually what they encourage foreign women to do to scare them off. The logic is that Japanese men are deathly afraid of public humiliation so this fear can be used to dissuade them from illicit pursuits. That being said, a very similar tactic is encouraged in western countries. Noise is considered to be one of the most important deterrents, so women are encouraged to yell strong words like “Stop!” or “No!” should then need to defend themselves or even “Fire!” to get attention. Any kind of attention that is drawn to an assailant’s actions is going to serve as a deterrent whether they’re Japanese or from the West, even if the psychology behind it may differ.

The most surprising thing I learned while teaching the class was that the information I provided about staying safe and taking sensible precautions was mostly new to the students. They hadn’t considered taking preventative measures like carrying a cell phone or not wearing headphones when they go out for a run.

I taught them how to not walk like a victim. This involves walking with strong, purposeful strides, keeping your head up, staying aware of your surroundings and looking at people as you pass. This is something that came to me naturally after years of martial arts training, so it was strange for me to teach it as a skill.
After a few months, fears of the underwear snatcher subsided and he was relegated to being the subject of office humour, but I noticed that since doing the training some of the foreign women in Iwaki walked with a little more strength in their stride.
I had dealt with a couple of cases of harassment throughout my three-year stay in Japan. Mostly it was just a few random inappropriate comments, nothing that ever made me feel worse than a little uncomfortable. Just my luck that on the last weekend before I headed back to Canada, someone took it further.

I was heading to a karaoke house with a friend, after having had a few drinks at a bar. We were being a little melancholic knowing that we were probably not going to see each other for at least a couple of years after I left. We paused to talk about it on a bridge near the Karaoke house.

While we were stopped there, a drunk guy in his mid-twenties approached me wanting to talk. I politely told the guy in Japanese that we wanted to be left alone, but he persisted in trying to chat me up. I told him a second time more forcefully to leave us be and turned back to my conversation.

That’s when the guy grabbed my breast.

I reacted immediately to the offending hand by slamming my palm into his chest, using my hips to thrust him away from me and six feet into the street. Remembering what Vicky had done, I pointed at him and screamed at the top of my lungs: “Hentai! Hentai! Hentai!” I continued to bellow at him as he bolted away like a frightened rabbit, speeding down the path along the river.

Fighting Science: A Book Review

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Choosing an MMA Style to Follow

In MMA there are certain basics that everyone should know: boxing punches, practical kicks (i.e. leg kicks, push kicks, etc.), taking and defending the clinch, being on the giving and receiving end of ground and pound, dealing with the cage, etc. But when it comes to throwing/ takedowns as well as submission grappling, there are a lot of different approaches. That's why when you're developing a throwing and ground grappling style, you should look at people have similar build and physical abilities.

If you're the kind of person who has a lot raw power for your size, consider looking at Randy Couture's style. His wrestling-based style makes good use of his powerful build. His book, Wrestling For Fighting, is a good place to start.

If you're on the smaller size with speed, agility, and flexibility on your side, consider looking at Eddie Bravo's style. His rubber guard is great for neutralizing someone within the guard position and it works well against people who might have a strength advantage over you too, since it uses the legs to hold an opponent close, rather than the arms. Beyond the rubber guard, Bravo's moves on the whole are great for people who can move quickly and nimbly. Check out his books Mastering The Rubber Guard and Mastering The Twister to get yourself started.

I could go on at great length on the stylistic differences of many MMA fighters, but ultimately, you know your body type and abilities, so do a little research on the best MMA fighters in the game who are similar to you and see what you can learn from them.

"Iceman" Book Review - An Inspiration for Fighters

Having grown up in Ottawa and trained in Can-ryu Jiu-jitsu, I have known the name "Iceman" for quite some time. I knew him as a kickboxing legend, but beyond that, little else. Recently, I read a biography on him, Iceman: Kickboxing Legend Jean-Yves Theriault and found the book and the story of his life to be quite inspiring.

Jean-Yves Theriault ruled the kickboxing world back in the 80s, having been a world champion for over a decade. And yet, I wouldn't say he's a household name that every average Joe knows. Theriault was not in the business for the showboating or the glamour, he just loved to fight and saw it as his destiny. He was and still is a kind, mild-mannered, and unassuming man, except in the ring where he becomes the "Iceman," blasting his opponents with devastating kicks and punches.

This biography tells the story of his development, his interpersonal life, his training methods, and the decisions he made over his long, successful career as a professional fighter. There are also a number of blow-by-blow accounts of his most exciting fights.

Filled with revelatory facts, detailed interviews with Theriault himself, those closest to him, and 5 other world champions, Iceman is a fascinating read and provides useful insights and inspiration to fans and especially to people involved in sport fighting. If every professional fighter went at their careers with the attitude taken by Theriault, the fight world would indeed receive a lot more respect.

Even Monkeys Fall Out of Trees

The title of this post is an old Japanese saying that I refer to from time to time when I teach. I had cause to refer to it last night in class to explain my current black eye.

Last Thursday, I had been practicing defenses against bottle attacks with one of my senior students. He was coming at me hard and fast with a serious of random attacks. At one point, I had an unfortunate lapse in focus and I zigged when I should have zagged, resulting in me colliding headlong into his bottle-wielding hand as he attacked, slamming hard into my cheekbone below the eye. I had hoped the blow was far enough away from the eye that it wouldn't blacken, but I was not so lucky.

By the time last night's class rolled around my eye was in that lovely stage of healing that combines all the colours of a Himalayan sunset in a sickly hue. My students naturally asked about it and I told them honestly how it happened and that it had been entirely my own fault. When students give me a look of surprise that I should make a mistake my usual response is, "Hey, even monkeys fall out of trees."

Some martial arts students see a Sensei's mistakes as a sign of weakness. This mentality of deifying instructors is silly and when Senseis start to believe it, they stop learning and improving. All martial artists from the newest novices to the highest ranking instructors with decades of experience make mistakes. Mistakes are what teach us. As martial artists, we all strive for perfection with the idea at the backs of our heads that we will never achieve it. This keeps us pushing forward and advancing our arts as far as we can take them.

For more interesting Japanese proverbs, check out Even Monkeys Fall Out of Trees.

Improving Throws and Takedowns Using the Triangle of Balance

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Banzo's Sword and the Road to Mastery

I received a number of interesting comments regarding my recent blog post "The Appeal of McDojos." One particular issue caught my interest though, and that was the mentality toward progression in one's training.

Traditional eastern martial arts are heavily influenced by Zen philosophy. Many Zen koans provide wonderful guidance for aspiring students. I would like to reference one particular koan, "The Taste of Banzo's Sword" taken from Zen Flesh Zen Bones.

Matajuro Yagyu was the son of a famous swordsman. His father, believing that his son's work was too mediocre to anticipate mastership, disowned him.

So Matajuro went to Mount Futara and there found the famous swordsman Banzo. But Banzo confirmed the father's judgment. "You wish to learn swordsmanship under my guidance?" asked Banzo. "You cannot fulfill the requirements."

"But if I work hard, how many years will it take me to become a master?" persisted the youth.

"The rest of your life," replied Banzo.

"I cannot wait that long," explained Matajuro. "I am willing to pass through any hardship if only you will teach me. If I become your devoted servant, how long might it be?"

"Oh, maybe ten years," Banzo relented.

"My father is getting old, and soon I must take care of him," continued Matajuro. "If I work far more intensively, how long would it take me?"

"Oh, maybe thirty years," said Banzo.

"Why is that?" asked Matajuro. "First you say ten and now thirty years. I will undergo any hardship to master this art in the shortest time!"

"Well," said Banzo, "in that case you will have to remain with me for seventy years. A man in such a hurry as you are to get results seldom learns quickly."

"Very well," declared the youth, understanding at last that he was being rebuked for impatience, "I agree."

Matajuro was told never to speak of fencing and never to touch a sword. He cooked for his master, washed the dishes, made his bed, cleaned the yard, cared for the garden, all without a word of swordsmanship.

Three years passed. Still Matajuro labored on. Thinking of his future, he was sad. He had not even begun to learn the art to which he had devoted his life.

But one day Banzo crept up behind him and gave him a terrific blow with a wooden sword.

The following day, when Matajuro was cooking rice, Banzo again sprang upon him unexpectedly.

After that, day and night, Matajuro had to defend himself from unexpected thrusts. Not a moment passed in any day that he did not have to think of the taste of Banzo's sword.

He learned so rapidly he brought smiles to the face of his master. Matajuro became the greatest swordsman in the land.

[Excerpted from Zen Flesh Zen Bones]

Every person who undertakes a martial art has different obstacles to overcome - some physical, some mental - the mental ones being far more important than the physical. If a student wants to progress toward true mastery, whether in the martial arts or any other skill, he or she must learn to develop patience, acceptance of their capabilities and limitations, the abilty to remove one's ego from their training, the list goes on. This is why traditional martial arts tend to have longer intervals between gradings. They realize that the instant-oatmeal approach to training sacrifices these and other valuable lessons that long-term dedication to learning provides.

There is one book that I like to recommend to students who want to understand what it takes to make the most of their martial arts training. The book is called Mastery. It is written by a seasoned Aikido instructor, but the mix of psychology and Zen philosophy is brilliantly transcribed to be applicable to any discipline, martial arts or otherwise.

Yoga and the Martial Arts

Yesterday, one of my students lent me The Martial Artist's Book of YogaKnowing that I incorporate a variety of yoga stretches in my martial arts classes he thought I might find it useful. After five minutes of flipping through it, I ordered my own copy.

I've always considered yoga a wonderful complement to my martial arts training. Though I don't often have time to do classes, I do 20-25 minutes of yoga every morning after my 20 minutes of sitting meditation. Since I took up this practice, I've noticed a number of benefits: increased flexibility, greater overall body strength, improved balance and posture, and quicker recovery time after training.

There is a reason why yoga complements the martial arts so well. They come from the same roots. Bodhidharma developed a number of exercises, borrowing from yogic systems, and introduced them to the Shaolin monks in the 6th century in order to prepare their bodies for long periods of meditation. These exercises later served as the base from which Shaolin Kung Fu was developed.

With the rise MMA and UFC, an attitude has developed toward martial arts training that deemphasizes the mental and spiritual development, making it more about just learning to fight. I am of the opinion that the mental and spiritual aspects take your training to a higher level that cannot be learned when training solely for the ring.

No matter what your reasons are for taking up a martial art, The Martial Artist's Book of Yoga will introduce you to exercises that will help develop your body and mind for martial arts training. It's definitely worth checking out.