• What: Kufferath Masters Seminar
• Who: Kilohana Martial Arts Association and Zanshin Enterprises
• When: Saturday June 7, 2008
• Where: Campbell Community Center, One West Campbell Dr. Campbell, CA 95008
• Martial Art: Jiu Jitsu, Kodenkan Judo
• Description: Kufferath Masters Semina is an annual cross-training master clinic. Each year it is held in memory of the founder of the organization, Professor Sig Kufferath. 9am-5pm martial arts training; $40-80 dollars depending on age, pre-registration, and member status.
• Source: Kilohana Martial Arts Association

• What: AMAPA All Star Champion Seminar
• Who: AMAPA
• When: Weekend of June 13-14, 2008
• Where: Pallen’s Martial Arts, San Leandro
• Martial Art: Karate
• Description: Contact 510.932.2241
• Source: AMAPA website

• What: Bushido Open Karate Tournament
• Who: Roger B. Hamilton and Family/The Gold Cup Circuit
• When: June 28, 2008
• Where: Deer Valley High School, 4700 Lone Tree Way, Antioch, CA
• Martial Art: Karate and more
• Description: This competition is open to all styles and competitors and includes divisions for first-timers and East Coast sparring. There will be special appearances of the world renowned Upk Pasha Generals Precision Drill Team and Universal Pasha Karate Demo Team all the way from Camden, New Jersey, and other surprise guests from the martial arts world. Cost:$40 (early registration), $50 (regular). For more information contact: HMAAAcadamey1@aol.com
• Source: Gold Cup Circuit Calendar

• What: 5th Annual Shark City Nationals
• Who: Tony Kattengell
• When: June 28, 2008
• Where: San Jose Civic Auditorium,135 San Carlos St.,San Jose,CA
• Martial Art: Karate, All styles
• Description: A San Jose karate tournament.
• Source: KNKT

• What: Jujitsu America 30th Annual Convention & Sport Jujitsu US National Championship Tournament
• Who: Jujitsu America
• When: July 11–13, 2008
• Where: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Foster City, CA
• Martial Art: Jujitsu
• Description: Jujitsu America welcomes all participants to this weekend-long convention. Events include tournaments and training clinics in Jujitsu and Kata/self-defense.
• Source: Jujitsu America Conventions

• What: The San Francisco Open
• Who: The Gonzalez Family/The Gold Cup Circuit
• When: Saturday, July 19, 2008
• Where: USF Memorial Gym, University Of San Francisco, 2335 Golden Gate Ave., San Francisco, CA
• Martial Art: Karate and more
• Description: This competition is open to all styles and systems and includes events in forms and sparring, as well as a first-timers competition.
• Source: Gold Cup Circuit Calendar

This calendar was complied by our editorial intern, Katherine Koller.
Thanks Katherine!

And now—the CALENDAR:

• What: Southern Sectional Championships Submission Wrestling Tournament
• Who: California USA Wrestling
• When: May 02, 2008, 7AM
• Where: 31555 Rancho Vista Rd Temecula, CA
• Martial Art: Submission Wrestling, Grappling
• Description: Signup/Ticket Info—Roberto Dixon 831-524-4017, CAUSAW 559-275-9478
• Source: iCompete.org

• What: South Western Regional World Team Trials Qualifier, Submission Wrestling Tournament
• Who: Trackwrestling.com, USA Wrestling, the WIAA, and the Wisconsin Wrestling Coaches Association
• When: May 10, 2008 7AM
• Where: 1962 Barranca Parkway, Irvine, CA
• Martial Art: MMA, Submission Wrestling, Grappling
• Description: No Limits MMA. This is a qualifier for the US World Team Trials. The top four men and top three women earn a chance to compete for a spot on the World Team. Signup/Ticket Info—Chris Carlino chriscarlino@mac.com, 714-334-9257, or Juliano Prado (949) 251-8822
• Source: iCompete.org

• What: Millennia No-Gi Tournament, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) Tournament
• Who: Millennia Jiu-Jitsu
• When: May 10, 2008 7AM
• Where: 8423 Rochester Ave suite 102, Rancho Cucamonga, CA
• Martial Art: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• Description: visit http://www.millenniajiujitsu.com, or call 909.989.9044
• Signup/Ticket Info—http://www.millenniajiujitsu.com, or call 909.989.9044. The date of this event was recently changed from 04/26 to 05/10, due to scheduling conflicts with other tournaments.

• What: First American Cup Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Tournament, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) Tournament
• Who: Claudio Franca Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Confederation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
• When: May 17, 2008, 12AM
• Where: Los Gatos High School, 20 High School Court, Los Gatos, CA
• Description: Price Range—$45.00–$80.00. Registration is now open for the First American Cup Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Tournament.

1. Saturday May 17, 2008 the first day of the tournament, is exclusively for kids aged 4-15 regardless of belt color. The cost for kids early registration prior to Thursday May 8th is $45.00 USD. From May 9 - 11, 2008, registration increases to $60.00 USD.
2. Sunday May 18, 2008, the second day of the tournament, will be for competitors in the Juvenile, Adults, Masters and Seniors categories. The cost of early registration for Juveniles through Masters prior to Thursday May 8th is $65.00. From May 9 - 11, 2008, registration increases to $80.00 USD.
3. Some items to remember -
   1. First Official Kids Tournament in the USA on Saturday
   2. Fully supported by the Confederation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
   3. Everyone else competes on Sunday
   4. Compete in the American Cup, so you can stay sharp for the Mundials coming in June!
   5. The deadline to register is Monday May 12, 2008 at 11:59 PM PST NO EXCEPTIONS!

If you have any questions regarding the American Cup, email tournaments@claudiofrancabjj.com, or call the academy at (831) 476-7650.

Signup/Ticket Info, http://www.americancupbjj.com/

• Source: iCompete.org

"In the old days martial arts was a serious, life-or-death business. Practitioners spent years of tedious, agonizing practice perfecting every single stance and mastering each and every application because they knew without any doubt that the slightest mistake they might make in combat could be their last. Martial techniques and styles that survived these tumultuous times were battle-tested, powerful, and highly effective. In modern days, however, martial arts have become more of a hobby than a profession for most practitioners. Mortal conflicts are rare, so the focus has shifted away from traditional training toward other aspects such as sports, fitness, and spiritual enlightenment. Don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with filling your shelves with trophies or decorating your walls with medals, but the challenge is that the emphasis on competitive sports has diluted the utility of many martial arts when it comes to self-protection on the street.And that is where this wonderful book comes in. Martial Mechanics is a very well-written, interesting, and informative tome that articulates the essential nuances that can separate "heavy hitters" who can truly put the hurt on someone from hordes of mundane practitioners who unknowingly learn ineffective and/or suboptimal technique."

Lawrence Wraps up his review by saying

"…Martial Mechanics really is a must read for any serious martial artist, particularly those who study predominantly striking arts such as Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwondo, Muay Thai, or Kickboxing."

We're really looking forward to hearing from more readers out there who have benefited from Pete Starr's helpful guidance. Please write to us if you've read the book, and would care to share your comments.

Lawrence has also updated Pete Starr's bio. We quote from his version here.

"A practitioner with more than 50 continuous years of martial arts training, Sifu Starr is the founder of Yiliquan kung-fu, an art that seamlessly merges China's three classical internal systems. He has trained not only in the Chinese arts of baixingquan, taijiquan, xingyiquan, and baguazhang, but also in Japanese judo, Kyokushin, and Shito-ryu karate, and Filipino Pekiti-Tersia arnis. He is also a member of Inside Kung-Fu magazine's prestigious Hall of Fame. Clearly Sifu Starr has the knowledge, skills, and ability to articulate this important information very effectively."

Tastes like Chicken

Next time you're watching different people practice their form(s), taste their performances. That's right. Taste 'em. You may find that they all taste pretty much the same—like chicken, with no seasoning.

Each segment of a given form is often the same—no salt, pepper, garlic, or curry. And each form tends to be the same flavor. And if that's the case, the form is wrong.

Just because you've managed to remember the correct sequence of movements doesn't mean you're doing your form correctly. It just means that you've memorized a sequence of movements. Granted, memorization of movements is the first stage of learning a given form... but it's not really the form.

How many of you ever learned to waltz? Probably not many unless you're as gray-haired as I am (in my case, it's really more of a bare-scalped sort of thing). Nowadays, people prefer to dance by themselves rather than actually touch each other—a pity. When people held each other as they danced they actually communicated through that sense of touch. But since dancing solo became popular people tend to be more interested in dancing with themselves than anything else. But I digress…

When you first learn to waltz your partner's darned lucky if you don't break his/her toes as you try to remember how the basic steps go. And you dance with all the grace of a wooden soldier. Sure, you've learned to waltz, but something is missing.

Someone who's really good at this kind of dancing can adjust his/her movements to the music. You can really "feel" their spirits as they glide and spin across the floor with their partners. I remember watching television shows many years ago when Fred Astaire used to dance. I mean, people actually enjoyed watching other people dance! That just isn't done anymore.

Why?

Most of you probably never had to listen to the Lawrence Welk Show (you're darned lucky, too), but I did. I still remember his Swedish voice counting off, "A One, and a-Two and a-… ." Good old Lawrence.

But that's how a lot of people execute their forms—as if Mr. Welk is counting off the cadence for them, as if their instructor is counting off the movements one at a time. And that's not a form. It's not even a dance. You've got to break free from the "counting cadence" thing that you used when you first learned the set and strive to feel the real spirit of the form and each segment within it (because the spirit of a form changes at certain junctures).

I recall a tournament many years ago when I was sitting on a judging panel for Black Belt Weapons. The senior student of a local (alleged) kung-fu teacher came and up and began running through a broadsword form. At one point, he performed a lower-level blocking technique to the rear, then he looked backward and lifted one foreleg up behind him. Then he hopped down and switched legs. Then he did it again. Darnedest thing I ever saw. I wondered—What in the name of heaven did he think he was doing? Suddenly, he hopped down, turned, and executed a cut.

For the life of me, I'd never seen anything like that. It sure didn't have much martial application. It bugged me for a couple of days, because his weird movements looked vaguely familiar, but I just couldn't place them. Then one day, it hit me. I have an extensive library—about 2,500 books or so—about half are martial arts books. Some are written in Chinese. I went to one bookshelf, pulled down a book on a seven-star praying mantis broadsword set, looked at the drawings, and there it was. The exact sequence of movements the contestant had tried to imitate.

His instructor couldn't read Chinese, so he just followed the sequence shown in the drawings, but it wasn't intended to be performed as a series of static 1-2-3 type postures. It was a block followed by a running sequence! The swordsman was supposed to block his enemy's weapon and then run several steps to entice the enemy to pursue him. He'd then surprise his assailant as he quickly switched directions and cut him down. The local kung-fooey teacher had tried to learn the form from a book which he couldn't read! And he'd just followed the step-by-step drawings, thinking that that was how the form was to be done.

Each form has its own spirit and feeling; the flavor of each segment of that form is very distinct. If it isn't—if it all just tastes like chicken—then it's wrong. You're not doing a real form; you're just imitating empty, flavorless, lifeless movements.

Once a form is memorized, it's just memorized. You haven't really learned it yet, you've just memorized it. Like learning to waltz, you can memorize the step alright, but until you feel it and taste it, you're not dancing at all. You have to look beyond the surface and into the spirit of the form.

Don't try to change the form's spirit. For instance, you don't do a Taiji form with the same spirit as you would a Shotokan form. A Bagua sequence or form has a wholly different spirit than a form from Hung-Ga or Ryukyu kempo. Each system and each form of that system has its own flavor, its own life and spirit.

This is really a great secret to learning real martial arts as opposed to what may appear to be martial arts. So many contemporary Karate and kung-fu practitioners try to "fluff up" their forms (which are often homemade just for competition) by making really bizarre scowling masks and all kinds of wild noises. If I got into some of those yogic positions, I'd scream too. But it's all just a show. There's no real spirit there.

Look beyond the surface of your form(s), beyond the memorized wooden movements. Touch its spirit and let the form do you.

A martial arts practitioner for nearly 50 years, Pete Starr is a black belt in Kyokushin karate, trained in traditional shao-lin, xingyiquan, and baguazhang, and the author of The Making of a Butterfly. He lives and teaches in Omaha, NE. His upcoming book Martial Mechanics comes out next week—on March 25th. Pre-order Martial Mechanics on Amazon, here.

Fabio Gurgel is an eight-time martial arts world champion and co-founder of more than forty academies around the world. He is president of the Professional League of Jiu-Jitsu which is based in Brazil and continues to teach at his own academy in Sao Paulo. Fabio therefore writes with a very special expertise in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Basic Techniques, a superbly organized and presented, step-by-step, illustrated introduction to a very special and effective form of the martial arts. Fabio begins with a brief history of jiu-jitsu, a martial art that originated in India more than 4,000 years ago as a self-defense technique employed by monks. Ideal for the absolute novice, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Basic Techniques is a confidently recommended instruction manual. Also very highly recommended is the companion book by Fabio Gurgel and also published by Blue Snake Books, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: Advanced Techniques (97815893941669, $19.95) which goes on to instruct the reader in additional self-defense techniques including passing the guard, sweeps, side attacks, mounted attacks, rear attacks, guard attacks, mounted escapes, and throws. Together, both volumes of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu comprise a complete and comprehensive course of do-it-yourself instruction.

I would hope that some of the participants and spectators would take time to consider what they witnessed during those three days of action. Consider; there were martial disciplines from several different countries represented there... and I'm sure that everyone noticed the differences between them. Taekwondo is considerably different from kung-fu and Filipino arnis (also known as escrima or kali) is radically different from Okinawan karate.

I think a lot of people simply look at these various forms and say something like, "Whoa! That's really cool..." But it's important to look beyond the surface and realize that one of the main reasons that these arts are so different is because they were developed and are still practiced within very different cultures. Filipino culture is quite a bit different than that of Korea and these differences, along with certain environmental factors have had an impact on the martial disciplines of these nations.

For instance, arnis is reknowned for its use of the single or double sticks. Actually, this art is descended from Chinese origins. Chinese pirates used to raid the coasts of the Philippines and one of the primary weapons was the broadsword. In time, Filipino natives learned to use this common Chinese weapon but found it unsuitable for use in the dense jungles of their land. Moreover, steel was scarce and difficult to forge. So, they exchanged sticks made of rattan (which is plentiful in the jungle) for the broadswords, reconfigured their techniques for close-quarters jungle fighting, and voila! Arnis was born...

There are no jungles in Korea. Mountainous terrain covers about two-thirds of the country. In ages past, people either rode horses or walked long distances. Although taekwondo (and tangsoodo) evolved from Japanese karate, it was only natural that their martial forms would emphasize long-range kicking techniques. Moreover, Koreans regard the foot as the dirtiest part of the body. Kicking someone would not only inflict serious damage; it would serve as a form of insult as well!

The U.S. Marines refer to Okinawa as "The Rock" because of its rough, rocky terrain. Okinawan forms of karate descended from certain forms of southern Chinese kung-fu. These systems are ideal for close-quarters combat.

In contrast, Japanese karate utilizes longer stances, smooth gliding steps, and long-range punches and kicks. Karate was introduced to Japan in 1923 and became very popular. However, the Japanese practiced in formal dojos (training halls) which feature polished wooden floors. Dojos have existed in Japan for centuries, primarily for the practice of swordsmanship and it was only natural that karate would be practiced in these stark, spotless, beautiful structures. Smooth, wooden floors facilitate long-range kicks, punches, and gliding movements much better than rocky ground and this impacted the development of Japanese karate.

Southern China has always been extremely crowded with narrow streets, and people living on houseboats or small alleyways. These living conditions affected the development of southern forms of kung-fu, which are often referred to as "short fist" styles. They feature short punches, low kicks, and joint-twisting techniques.

At the other end of the spectrum is northern China with its mountains and wide open plains. The northern styles of kung-fu are generically known as "long fist" because they emphasize long stances and high, jumping kicks.

Each of these cultures approach martial arts very differently. Not only do their techniques differ; the spirit with which they practice varies considerably. And many martial arts masters believe that it is the spirit of their respective arts that is the most important feature. Above and beyond physical technique, students must absorb and understand the real spirit of the art.

To me, this is an important part of the magic of Disney's Martial Arts Festival; we were able to see the spirit and culture of so many different martial disciplines come together in one place. Martial arts that have been separated by culture, politics, and egos were able to put their differences aside to compete and perform side by side.

That made the whole trip worthwhile, as much as wearing ponchos in the rain while we watched the beautiful fireworks display at the Epcot Center, while Allegra tried to steal my crabcakes.

Even as recently as ten years ago I could never have even imagined that something like a martial arts festival would be held at Disney World. It's a dream come true; a chance to present the martial arts—their values as well as their myriad techniques—to the world. This year the festival attracted about 2,000 competitors and I feel certain that the event will continue to grow.

The developers of this remarkable event did it right. They started small so they could work out the bugs. As it continues to grow, more glitches will be found and smoothed out.

Like many traditionalists, I feel that martial arts were never intended for competition. However, it's obvious that competition is here to stay and I believe it's possible to develop rules that will allow traditional martial arts practitioners to compete without compromising the integrity of their arts. In Japanese, the word used for this kind of competition is shiai, which infers a testing of oneself against others of equal skill.

In any case, I tell my students that it isn't the winning or losing that's important; it's seeing so many other arts and styles firsthand, meeting other martial arts enthusiasts, comparing notes, swapping war stories, and making friends. It's seeing what else is out there. I also tell them that, "A fish only grows according to the size of the container in which it lives." If it stays in a small fish bowl it will never get very large.

I encourage them to swim outside their tiny fish bowl as I did so many years ago. Venture out into the open sea and see what's out there.

I was encouraged and dismayed at what I saw and that's a good thing. It lets me know where I stand, where my students stand, where the martial arts stand, and where they need improvement.

One young girl of about 14 performed a remarkable wushu broadsword form. She competed in several other events as well, taking first place in each of them. Her postures and techniques were very precise. Her free hand - which is usually the left hand because the right hand holds the weapon - was always in the correct position (this is a good way to judge how well the performer knows the form and handles the weapon). When she made a cut the blade hissed. My teacher used to tell me that if the blade makes a sound "like a bird's wings"; a kind of flapping sound, the blade is not striking with the cutting edge and the technique is wrong.

On the other end of the spectrum was a young man who came out dressed in a hakama (traditional Japanese wide-legged trousers worn in aikido and iaido) carrying a wakazashi. The feudal warriors of medieval Japan, the samurai, carried two swords, the katana and the wakazashi. The katana was the long sword that was wielded with two hands and was regarded as the primary weapon of the samurai. The wakazashi is a much shorter blade. When a samurai entered the home of his lord or another warrior, he would remove the katana from his obi (belt) and it would be placed in a special receptacle. However, he would keep his wakazashi with him at all times.

Modern iaido (the art of drawing and cutting with the Japanese sword) was developed around the katana. Having trained in traditional iaido, I have a deep respect for this beautiful art. Naturally, I watched the young competitor very closely. Rather than using the traditional katana he wielded a wakazashi and to put it bluntly, everything he did - from kneeling down on the floor to gripping his weapon to footwork, stance, cutting...EVERYTHING - was wrong. Not just a little "off", but totally incorrect. As one highly respected karate and iaido instructor put it, "In the world of martial arts you'll often see practitioners who don't have a clue. Then there are those who don't even suspect..." This youngster was one of the latter.

However, I don't necessarily view this in a completely negative light. It is, as one of my teachers put it, "an opportunity." We can make corrections only after we first identify the problem.

I remember one small girl who looked to be about six years old. With her pretty blonde hair tied back in a ponytail, she approached the judges and announced her name, her style of karate, and the form she was about to demonstrate. She sounded like a cute little chipmunk. Then she exploded into a flurry of punches and kicks that would put many adult karateka (karate practitioners) to shame. Her punches were crisp and the snap of her kicks was clearly audible as she moved powerfully and gracefully through her set.

I recall an eight year old girl (with cute little freckles and glasses) who looked so cute and cuddly until she blazed her way through a complex Choy-Lay Fut Kung-Fu form. I'd hate to be the first boy to ask her for a date, when she's all grown up and even more powerful.

It was truly a remarkable event that was topped off by the Saturday night "Martial Arts Showcase" that featured an 85 year-old Choy-Lay Fut master! Still very spry despite his advanced years, he executed a flawless form and drew cheers from the huge crowd.

And next year promises to be even better!

The festival brought in nearly 2,000 competitors from all over the nation (in fact, many competitors came from various foreign countries) in varied martial disciplines - from jujutsu to karate, kung-fu, savate, arnis, and many others. The level of competition was extremely high - after all, the Tiger Claw Elite competitors are considered "the best of the best."

The whole weekend was a blur, but some of the top athletes stand out in my mind. Ms. Jessica Brew, a karate stylist, performed a flawless kata; one of the best I've seen in 30 years. Really. Watching her execute her set took my breath away. Now THAT'S karate! I told her that she's GOT to continue training because she, and others like her, must carry on the tradition of the martial arts after the old-timers (like me) are gone.

Another young Vietnamese woman was competing in the Kung-Fu Quest portion of the tournament. She was called to perform in the Broadsword category and her hands were shaking. She told me that she wanted to withdraw from the event because she was just too nervous. I told her to keep her eyes on me when she entered the ring and told her my secret for calming down and performing well in competitive events.

As she entered the ring she looked at me and I gave her the signal - and she did a truly magnificent form - took first place with it!!! I got lots of hugs after that- :-)

Another young woman performed in several kung-fu categories, executing very powerful Choy-Li Fut sets. From Brazil, she teaches with her husband. I told her that we need more traditional teachers and that she must keep up her training!

It was an incredible experience - and I enjoyed seeing old friends (like Andy Ching, Tat-Mau Wong, and Tony Brown) and making many new ones. And several well-respected instructors are very interested in writing books! We talked a lot about that process and I'll be behind the scenes, helping them get their manuscripts put together...

Just after the tournament I received word that my daughter was in the hospital - extremely high fever, severe headache - but she's feeling much better now. Even so, I've got to run up to the hospital this morning to see if they're going to release her (seems she ends up getting sick every time I leave town)...so I'll have to write more later!

Postscript: We've just received word that Pete's daughter is recovered and resting up.

A martial arts practitioner for nearly 50 years, Pete Starr is a black belt in Kyokushin karate, trained in traditional shao-lin, xingyiquan, and baguazhang, and the author of The Making of a Butterfly. He lives and teaches in Omaha, NE. His upcoming book Martial Mechanics comes out in the Spring of 2008.

The arena continues to reverberate with hisses and screams emerging from the mouths of children who look to be as young as 6, so young they need to be led to their staging area, in a train, by holding on to each other by the belt. Who knew little tigers could be so ferocious?

We’re excited to be a part of the action. “This is really a fruition of our goal to bring the philosophy, internal aspects, and multicultural range of martial arts into the mainstream, and we are honored to be part of such a high-principled event,” says Blue Snake Books and North Atlantic Books founder Richard Grossinger.

The list of individual disciplines include—Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu; Breaking; Contemporary Wushu; Koshiki (Continuous Contact Karate); Sports MMA (Mixed Martial Arts); Judo; Olympic Style Tae Kwon do; Puerto Rico ITF Federation Nacional de Taekwon-Do; Open, Traditional, Musical Martial Arts and Point Sparring; Savate Continuous Sparring; Taiji; Traditional Kung Fu—and finals in—Classical Japanese and Okinawan Karate; Filipino Martial Arts; KICK/USA Karate; Sport Grappling, and Sport Jujitsu.

In addition to the competition at the center of the event, Blue Snake Books is excited to announce a feature appearance of author and champion Phillip Starr. He’ll speak on Writing A Martial Arts Book For Publication at the Business Symposium in Milk House Classrooms 1 & 2, to be held Friday, Oct. 26th from 10am to 12 noon.

Copies of his book, The Making of a Butterfly will be available and a book signing will be held following his presentation at the symposium, at the Blue Snake Books Table.

Phillip Starr is founder of Yiliquan kung-fu, an art that merges the three classical Chinese martial arts, which he has practiced for five decades. He also holds a third-grade black belt in Kyokushin karate and is a certified instructor of Pekiti-Tersia Arnis, under Tuhon Leo Gaje. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Yilichuan Martial Arts Association.

In addition, here are some of the upcoming engagements for Mr. Starr. He’ll officiate at the Tiger Claw Elite competition on Friday, Oct. 26th, the Tiger Claw Elite Championships on Saturday, Oct. 27th, and the Kung-Fu Quest competition, which will be conducted on Sunday, Oct. 28th.

We hope to report back, blogging live from the festival next week, where we will be actively seeking submissions of manuscripts from established martial arts teachers who also have a passion for writing. Look for us—Terri Saul, and Allegra Harris—in our bright yellow and blue Blue Snake Books t-shirts.

We'll be looking for manuscript submissions focusing on all types of authentic martial arts, internal and external. The authors of Blue Snake Books titles are masters in their field, internationally renowned for their teaching and training techniques.

The article continues to explore this idea, running from pages 47-51 in the Tae Kwon Do Times September issue. As we read on, the writer Delp breaks down a trainee’s nutritional needs into multiple categories. He investigates the importance of consuming the right mineral substances, drinking plenty of water, and knowing when and when not to eat. By the end we are left with a positive outlook on maximizing bodily health through delicate dietary practice, and are ready to put his ideas into use.

Delp’s fitness program mentioned in the article is only a microcosm of what the complete book offers. “With this guide, martial artists at all skill levels, from newcomers to those at an advanced level, vastly improve their ability to perform in training and competition.” The book synopsis featured on Amazon.com, advertising the read, along with additional information discussing the book’s colorful and informative photographic appeal, describes well this book’s ability to live up to its goals and potentials.

Overall, Blue Snake Books is very excited about these recent developments and sees Delp’s appearance in Tae Kwon Do Times as a wonderful achievement. We will continue to monitor the progress of Fitness for Full-Contact Fighters, and hope that it gains more exposure in the future.

Other media features of our publications can be viewed at the following links:

• The Leadership Dojo excerpt was featured in the Executive Bookshelf section of US News and World Report's July 16th, 2007 issue. A brief article synopsis can be found here.

• A Self-Defense for Peaceable People excerpt was featured in Tae Kwon Do Times' July 2007 issue.

• Blog links:

Tae Kwon Do Times Features Self-Defense for a Peaceable People

The Leadership Dojo Coming to a Bookstore Near You in September

This post was written by Sam Sattin, our editorial intern. Thanks Sam!

• What: Historic Martial Arts Demonstration
• Who: North Korean National Tae Kwon Do Demo Team and local Masters
• When: Sunday Oct 7th, 2007
• Where: Pleasanton Middle School, 5001 Case Rd, Pleasanton
• Martial Art: Tae Kwon Do
• Description: Come join us for the North Korean National Tae Kwon Do Demo Team’s first-ever United States Goodwill Tour. After 15 years of effort, the governments of the U.S.A., North Korea, and China have finally allowed this historic visit. Enjoy truly exciting performances, help promote peace and friendship between the U.S.A. and North Korea. Also: Visit http://www.usnktkd.com to leave a personal message for the North Korean team.
• Source: Blog Comments

• What: Self Defense Seminar
• Who: Triangle Martial Arts Association
• When: October 11, 2007 7pm-8pm
• Where: Sports Basement Store, Potrero Hill, San Francisco, CA
• Martial Art: Self Defense
• Description: The TMAA is working with the Sports Basement in Potrero Hill to host one of its many self-defense seminars. The TMAA was founded in the first place in response to the kidnapping and murder of Matthew Shephard, and has conducted seminars like this in order to encourage community outreach. No specific preparation is needed for the seminar but it would be preferable to RSVP in advance (415-992-5551)
• Source: Triangle Martial Arts Association

• What: 2007 Kuk Sool Won: California Tournament and Exhibition
• Who: World Kuk Sool Association
• When: Oct. 13, 2007
• Where: Merit College, 12500 Campus Drive, Oakland, CA 94619
• Martial Art: Kuk Sool Won
• Description: The 2007 Kuk Sool Won Tournament and Exhibition will be an exciting opportunity for both participators and spectators alike to observe group of inspiring martial artists as they compete on behalf of their schools and appropriated rank. The event begins at 8:30 am and runs all day into the night. Tickets are $10 for adult spectators and $5 for children. Participants are charged anywhere between 35.00 and 50.00 depending on the amount divisions chosen. This should be an exciting event, and a gateway into Korean Martial Arts for those who haven’t yet been introduced.
• Source: World Kuk Sool Association

• What: 2007 Gold Cup Challenge
• Who: Gold Cup
• When: Oct. 13, 2007
• Where: De Anza High School, 5000 Valley View, El Sobrante
• Martial Art: Open to all styles
• Description: The Gold Cup Promoters of San Francisco are hosting their annual combat event, The Gold Cup Challenge. This all encompassing, full daylong tournament will allow martial artists from a variety of different backgrounds to register for rounds of competitive sparring. Everything from hand to hand combat to weapon’s engagement will be featured, and the winners will be awarded trophies. This is a mandatory event for the End of Year Awards in The Gold Cup Circuit, and a chance for onlookers to witness an astounding display of talent.
• Source: The California Gold Cup Circuit

• What: 2007 International Taekwondo Symposium
• Who: UC Martial Arts Program and Taekwondo Promotion Foundation (Korea)
• When: October 12-13, 2007
• Where: UC Berkeley Recreational Sports Facility Field House
• Martial Art: Taekwondo
• Description: The University of California at Berkeley and the Taekwondo Promotion Foundation announce the 2007 International Taekwondo Symposium. This symposium is intended to educate instructors, coaches, and practitioners about taekwondo’s richly layered history and philosophy, and examine taekwondo’s impact on culture and community. It will also present strategies for further promoting and improving this fast-growing martial art, which is practiced in 185 countries. This international conference will feature speakers from different countries on “The History & Spirit of Taekwondo and Strategies for Globalization”
• Source: UC Martial Arts Program

• What: 3rd Annual Bay Area Sport Karate Association BASKA Belt Finals and Nationals
• Who: BASKA
• When Oct. 19-20th, 2007
• Where: Grand Sierra Resort & Casino, Reno, Nevada NV, 2500 E. 2nd St.
• Martial Art: Karate and more
• Description: This two day event will feature two separate events: an invitation only BASKA Belt Championship where athletes that have been competing all season long, and have met all the belt qualifying requirements, will vie to become a 2007 BASKA Belt Champion; and then the BASKA Nationals, an event open to everybody and anybody. No qualifying requirements are needed for the second event.
• Source: Bay Area Sport Karate Association

• What: Third Annual Yongmudo Championship
• Who: UC Martial Arts Program
• When: October 27, 2007
• Where: UC Berkeley Recreational Sports Facility Field House
• Martial Art: Yongmudo
• Description: Yongmudo combines the techniques of Taekwondo, Hapkido, Judo, Fencing and Ssireum. It was devised over two years ago by professors and former gold medalists of Judo, Fencing, martial arts, Taekwondo, and self-defense at Yong-In University, a premier sports university in Korea. The tournament features a four-round format. The four rounds are Kicking & Punching, Standing Throws, Ground Work, and Free Sparring. A one-round competition of Ground Work and a two-round competition of Kicking & Punching and Ground Work will allow practitioners of related martial arts, such as Taekwondo, Judo, Hapkido, and Jujitsu to participate.
• Source: UC Martial Arts Program Yongmudo

• What: Special Aikido Seminar
• Who: Danielle Smith Sensei, chief instructor of Aikido of Monterey
• When: November 18, 2007
• Where: The Heart of San Francisco Aikido Dojo, 2565 Third Street #309, San Francisco, CA 94107
• Martial Art: Aikido
• Description: Danielle Smith Sensei will teach on Sunday, November 18th from 6 - 7:30 pm. $20 mat fee. Open to everyone.
• Source: Aikido of Monterey

• What: East Bay Kung Fu Seminar
• Who: Concord Kung Fu Academy
• When: December 16, 2007
• Where: Clayton Valley Shopping Center
• Martial Art: Kung Fu
• Description: Come and enjoy the rare opportunity to be taught by the world renowned Grandmaster Doc-Fai Wong, as he leads an intensive seminar in grappling, push hands, and the horse bench. Separately each of these techniques cost anywhere from $75 - $175.00, but if taken together the all-inclusive discount rounds off to a nice $275. This is the only Bay Area event being hosted by the Doc Fai Wong Center until next year, so be sure to check it out.
• Source: Concord Kung Fu Academy

:: MORE BAY AREA MARTIAL ARTS EVENTS

Check out the work of this photographer who takes pictures of ceramics breaking at a high speed. He uses martial arts figurines in frozen action poses, in "...a state where rest and motion can exist together."

AS A MAN THINKETH…

by Phillip Starr

As we enjoy the practice of our chosen martial disciplines we tend to get caught up in what I call the "punch-kick" mentality. That is, we’re looking at the outside of what we do and not thinking much about anything else. It’s kind of like driving your car and being overly-concerned with how it looks as opposed to what’s going on inside -- how it should work compared to how it’s working at the present time (that’s usually too scary to contemplate). Rarely do we consider what makes it work in the first place or what can be done to make it work better.

The Buddha once said, "As a man thinketh, so he is…" Truer words were never spoken although most of us, after hearing these words, simply acknowledge their profundity and then go on with our lives and training as usual.

A few days ago a former student of mine who has taken up iaido (the art of drawing and cutting with the Japanese sword) and kendo said she had purchased a book written by Mr. Dave Lowry entitled, Autumn Lightning. In one particular chapter she read about how Mr. Lowry’s iaido teacher (a Japanese gentleman who was teaching at a nearby university) insisted that his pupil learn to speak Japanese. This, he said, was essential if one was to understand the true spirit of the art.

And – he was right.

You see, we’re brought up to speak American (we don’t speak English; the British speak English and believe me, it’s a lot different than what we speak) and the result is that we unconsciously learn to think in American. This can be a real problem when we’re presented with (foreign) concepts for which our language has no word or phrase. Not only is it difficult for us to find an appropriate American word or phrase to match to the foreign tongue, it’s often impossible to imagine the concept in the first place because it doesn’t fit into our language/thought processes.

The most ready example is the word chi (or ki in Japanese/Okinawan). There simply is no American/English equivalent for this concept and the end result is that many of us completely misunderstand the whole idea! And we get charlatans trying to prove that they can knock people over without touching them and generally playing "Star Trek" with their bare hands.

Another example is the word shen (shin in Japanese), which we roughly translate as "spirit" but that’s not quite right. And yi, which is often translated as "intention" or "mind" but the real meaning goes much deeper than that.

I believe that language impacts the way in which we think and subsequently act. It can also limit the way in which we are able to think. This can lead to misunderstandings about the disciplines that we practice, how they should be practiced, and what makes them tick.

Let’s take the word "yi." It is written with two radicals, one above the other. One radical means "sound" and the other means "heart." In traditional Chinese medicine it is believed that the heart houses the emotions and what we call "mind" (which is not the same as "brain"). If you take a little time to consider what this means it can change the way you feel about the word "yi." Those of you who practice a martial art such as Xingyiquan may acquire a finer understanding of what the name implies.

Xingyi is usually translated as "Form/Shape of the Mind" but once you understand the feeling behind the word for "mind" (yi) it can change your understanding of the name of the art and how it should be practiced.

The word Xing is usually translated as "form, shape." It can also mean "image." That has a slightly different implication than "form." Moreover, the Japanese/Okinawan pronunciation for the character Xing is…KATA!

So it really helps if you learn, at least to some degree, how to speak the language of the culture in which your particular art was developed, and to read some of it as well. Most Westerners are loathe to do this and consider it too much of a bother. But the fact is, if you truly want to understand your art more fully, you need to spend some time immersing yourself in its culture – and that includes language.

But there’s more.

Consider mathematics. I always hated math but my kung-fu teacher, Master W.C. Chen, once told me that the reason mathematics is so heavily emphasized in school has little to do with whether or not we’ll ever use algebraic equations as we go through life; it’s emphasized because mathematics is a language! And just as the languages we learn to speak impact the way we think, mathematics teaches us new and different ways of analyzing and thinking.

Many years later my own father would echo these same words. "Math teaches you to think in a certain way," he said. It would be quite some time before I fully understood what he meant.

If we learn only one language, as it were, our way of thinking is very limited. Learning more languages allows us to develop our mental faculties more fully.

Master Chen told me that individual techniques are like words. Combinations of techniques are like sentences and paragraphs. A bad combination – one in which the techniques do not flow smoothly – is like a badly written sentence. Good combinations are like fine poetry. And our forms are books, being comprised of many sentences and paragraphs.

Moreover, each form teaches us to think in a certain way. Each one is different; it has its own sentences and spirit (like a "style" of writing). Your forms may use many of the same words but the sentences and the style of writing are very different. A comma here, a semi-colon there, parentheses over here (and what’s inside those parentheses?), indentations for paragraphs, and so on.

It’s a book! At first you learn to read it like you did when you first learned to read. For me, back in the days of covered wagons, we used the old "Dick and Jane" readers -- incredibly boring and stupid stories which everyone read aloud in a really boring monotone with no emphasis on any particular words or phrases.

Then, as you become more literate, and you can read with greater skill, your form (your recitation of the book) takes on more meaning and life! And as you continue to practice it, that form will teach you to think in a certain way.

This is very important.

It's the same when you first learn to play a musical instrument. You can’t possibly start off with the classical, complex, highbrow stuff. On a piano, you have to learn the keyboard and start with really simple, boring stuff… but there’s more to it than just memorizing keys and melodies. You’re learning to think in a new way. And when you learn to play a particular piece of music, you learn another way of thinking, hearing, tasting, experiencing, and being the music.

Then you move on to another piece to expand your understanding and learn to think in yet another way. Music is, after all, a language, like math. They’re much the same thing.

And as you learn more languages, you're better able to express yourself. And you're better able to understand others!

And as you think…

A martial arts practitioner for nearly 50 years, Pete Starr is a black belt in Kyokushin karate, trained in traditional shao-lin, xingyiquan, and baguazhang, and the author of The Making of a Butterfly. He lives and teaches in Omaha, NE. His upcoming book Martial Mechanics comes out in the Spring of 2008.

1. Tell us about your upcoming book, Martial Mechanics. What is it about?

Martial Mechanics examines the basic mechanics of martial arts technique and movement, how certain laws of physics and principles of kinesiology affect our movements, and how martial arts practitioners can use these laws and principles to maximize the effectiveness of their techniques.

It's written in a humorous style, which is something new in the world of martial arts texts. I think it will be well received once the martial arts public gets over the shock of reading an instructional book that actually makes them chuckle while they learn some very important material.

2. Who will benefit from reading it?

Any practitioner of a percussive martial art will benefit from the material discussed and illustrated in this book. It goes without saying that beginning martial arts students will derive considerable benefit from it, but I believe that many advanced martial arts enthusiasts will also learn a great deal. I've presented numerous seminars on this very same material and it's not at all unusual for instructors who have been involved in the martial arts for many years to come up and tell me that they learned more in the first two hours of the seminar than they've learned in the last ten years of practice.

3. What are some of the differences between internal and external martial arts?

First, I think there's a lot of misinformation out there about what constitutes an internal or an external martial art. The truth is that if they're practiced correctly, they should both become the same thing.

External martial arts often tend to rely heavily on the isolated power of the arms or legs while the internal forms train to integrate and utilize the strength of the entire body. For instance, an external stylist will tend to punch with the isolated strength of his arm, shoulder, and chest. An internal stylist will execute the same technique but he will strike with the power of his whole body.

While the external stylists strive to build up the larger, more obvious muscles, internal stylists learn to make use of smaller, internal tissues that can lend support to the larger muscles and make their techniques that much more powerful. The internal systems generally do not oppose force directly; they prefer to evade the opponent's attack or blend with it and use his force against him. Some external methods do the same thing but many of them also meet the opponent's force head-on, using force against force.

Of course, there's also the argument about emitting qi (internal energy)... some people think of it as if it's some sort of magical thing, like something out of Star Trek and that's led to a lot of misunderstanding about the subject. Qi exists but we can express it only through our physical bodies; incorrect posture or movement will prevent us from using it in any practical way.

Think of the body as a hose and qi as the water that flows through it. If you kink up the hose, the flow of water is reduced to a trickle; you can't do much with it. Improper movement has this same effect on our bodies; it kinks up the hose and we are unable to emit qi effectively.

4. What are the percussive martial arts?

Percussive martial arts are those that are centered around the practice of striking techniques. Karate, taekwondo, and kung-fu would be the best-known forms of percussive martial arts. There are several others, including the art of atemi (striking vital points), which is practiced in jiu-jitsu and used to be a very important facet of aikido.

5. Can peace activists or pacifists practice martial arts and still stay true to their peaceful principles?

Certainly, peace activists can practice martial arts and remain true to their beliefs. Peace activists, although they may oppose certain military conflicts, will do what they must to defend themselves and their loved ones if the need should ever arise.

Pacifists are another story. As I understand it, they won't fight under any conditions. To me, that kind of thinking borders on the absurd.

If someone broke into my home and threatened to kill my daughter and rape my wife, I would be morally obligated to do whatever I could to stop him. To do anything less would be morally reprehensible.

But I digress. As to the question about pacifists practicing martial arts and remaining true to their beliefs, I would have to say no.

6. Does sitting meditation benefit the body in a mechanical sense?

Absolutely! If you're sitting correctly. And many practitioners of zazen (seated meditation) don't. The principles of correct posture, the unification of upper and lower body, the integration of the posture (body) with the breath and how this affects the mind...these are all things that apply equally to meditation and martial arts.

The legendary founder of the Chan (Zen) sect of Buddhism, Da-Mo, said that boxing (martial arts) and Chan (meditation) are inseparable. To correctly practice one, you must also practice the other. That's because their principles, both physical (mechanical) and mental, are the same.

7. What are the essential differences between a boxer's punch and a karate or kung-fu punch? In your opinion, which one hits harder and why?

Contemporary boxers punch in a circular manner and rely heavily on the strength of the upper body although they try to torque their hips into the strike as best they can. It should be borne in mind that the boxer's punch is centered around the use of the boxing glove. Were it not for the use of the gloves, I think they'd probably punch much differently.

The karate/kung-fu thrust follows a straight line. The hips are snapped around into the blow and the power of the entire body, from the soles of the feet to the shoulders and neck, is transmitted into the blow. Moreover, the karate, or kung-fu punch has several special features which make it a very devastating technique.

Let me cite three examples here. Some months ago the Chief Instructor for a well-known Kung-Fu association was trying to teach a small group of senior students to "think outside the box." And they just weren't getting it. To demonstrate one idea, he asked one of the seniors, a large fellow in his late 20's who stands 6' 4" and weighs just over 200 lbs., to attack him in any way he liked. The student obliged and drove in a quick thrust. The instructor easily side-stepped it and fired a punch across the student's chest. His fist didn't strike the student but when his arm snapped out, his bicep slapped the young man in the ribs. It completely knocked the wind out of him and he collapsed in a heap. I told the hapless student that he probably shouldn't tell his friends that his instructor knocked him down with his bicep!

On another occasion, a Yiliquan student went to Florida to visit a friend of his who was a linebacker for the Miami Dolphins. Standing at the counter in a local bar, the subject of martial arts came up and the football player confessed that he thought such fancy fighting arts were just so much tomfoolery.

My student said he'd learned how to execute a thrust that would cause the ball player to lose his lunch almost instantly. The jock laughed and asked for a demonstration. The Yiliquan practitioner began with his fist only a few inches away from his friend's belly. He shot the punch in with a screwing action and the athlete immediately bent over and wretched. It didn't do much to impress the bartender but it made a believer out of the linebacker.

The last story involves my most senior student, who teaches in Puyallup, Washington. He was demonstrating how energy could be driven through a target if the technique was performed correctly. His assistant allowed him to punch him in the chest from only a few inches away. The initial shock was considerable and almost knocked the assistant down but what was more surprising was that a bruised appeared on the receiver's back several minutes later. That kind of skill is becoming very rare nowadays.

The principles of correct punching are laid out very clearly in my new book. If readers will study that information and practice rigorously, they can develop that same kind of skill.

8. Your book speaks of a relationship between physical balance and breathing. Can you elaborate on that?

Sure! Whenever someone begins to lose his or her balance; when you start to stumble or slip, you almost always gasp for air, right? The breath is shallow, quick, and is drawn into the upper chest. This actually cuts your root and makes you less stable, so the odds of falling are actually increased. Your qi (internal energy) rises up high in the chest and you become top heavy.

This kind of breathing is actually an old form of breathing, which was practiced by the Daoists, and still is today. Known as reverse breathing, it's central to the development of a strong root and powerful technique.

9. Your book also mentions that breathing can impact "balance." What do you mean by that?

When we speak of balance we're actually referring to two forms of stability. The most obvious is physical balance but there's another form of balance that's related to physical balance; one that we usually don't consider... mental balance. And the two are interrelated. That is, loss of one is almost always accompanied by loss of the other.

Consider - when you start to slip and fall you also become fearful, don't you? That's a loss of physical balance causing a loss of mental equilibrium. On the other hand, a sudden sharp noise or an unexpected and frightening event can cause your legs to turn to rubber. That's a loss of mental balance causing a loss of physical balance.

So the two forms of balance are interrelated - and they're both governed by the breath!

An interesting feature about how breathing affects the mind involves a study made by a group of psychologists many years ago. They found that a certain chemical which is released in the brain during times of stress can produce what we know as hysteria. However, this chemical cannot be released when a person performs abdominal breathing.

10. How is it possible for a small person to generate greater striking power than a large person?

It's just basic physics. Force (actually, momentum) equals mass multiplied by velocity. So, if a person who weighs 110 lbs. can deliver a punch at 20 mph (which doesn't take too long)... Well, do the math. Actually most of his/her force will be lost due to certain variables, but it's still a bunch of force! And if the bigger person, who weighs 200 lbs. doesn't know how to execute proper technique, she'll just use the force of her arm and shoulder... say, 15 lbs. traveling at a whopping 8 mph... It's not much of a contest.

The trick (for the smaller person) is to learn how to execute his or her technique as perfectly as possible in order to minimize power loss. And that means lots of practice and lots of sweat. It's not magic. It's perspiration. And it'd be a good idea if they'd also read my book to learn how utilize certain physical laws and kinesiological principles to make their techniques more effective.

11. Nowadays, martial arts competitors wear thick pads on their hands and feet to avoid injuring their opponents. You say that this is a tragedy. Why?

The truth is that most of them wear those pads to avoid injuring themselves! If you watch, you'll see that they often kick with the top of the instep. This kind of kick gives them greater reach but if they ever whack someone's bent elbow, they'll see their foot swell up like an extra-large burrito. And the pain is exquisite.

Many moons ago I warned many martial arts teachers that using these pads would cause them and their students to alter their traditional techniques.

Nowadays, our modern martial arts competitors have done the same thing that the boxers did; they've altered their traditional techniques to accommodate the wearing of pads. Real technique has been tossed out the window.

12. Do you believe that the current generation of martial arts competitors are as good as, or perhaps even better than, their martial arts forefathers?

Certainly, there are some modern practitioners who train very hard and they may become as skilled as their forefathers were. But most contemporary martial arts practitioners and competitors aren't even close. They're a whole lot prettier; they have uniforms with all kinds of fancy designs on them, colorful padded mittens, camouflage belts, and chrome-plated weapons which have all the weight and density of a pencil. But their technique just isn't there.

Many of the modern practitioners are more concerned with how they look as opposed to what they can do.

Do I have one? You bet. And I punch it 800 times every day with each hand.

13. How do you judge the skill of a martial artist?

I judge him or her by they way he/she stands and walks, and by the quality of his/her shengxin (in Japanese: zanshin). I pay no attention to dress, trophies, how many forms he/she knows, or any of that.

14. Are there any advancements being made in the fields of teaching and judging martial artists?

I'm seeing the beginning of a return to the old, traditional ways. This is a very positive sign but all too often, instructors just don't know how to get back to traditional technique. That's why I wrote Martial Mechanics .

15. Are the various forms of martial arts currently being practiced, mostly dominated by men?

Yes. It's always been that way and it's probably because many women view martial arts and learning how to fight as unfeminine. And that's unfortunate. Women can benefit from martial arts training just as much as men. Size, strength, and sex have nothing to do with being able to learn martial arts. Personally, I'd like to see more women get involved - if not for reasons of health maintenance, then for self-defense. Also, martial arts practice develops balance, grace, and poise, which are qualities that most women desire.

16. How can women and girls become more involved in the martial arts?

Look into the martial arts schools in your area. Talk to the instructor and see what kind of person he or she is. Watch how the teacher interrelates with the students. Could you learn from this teacher?

And watch the students. They're the best examples of what and how the instructor teaches. By their fruits ye shall know them...

Once you settle on a school, dig into the training and don't give up, no matter what! Resolve yourself to the fact that it's going to hurt from time to time but keep going. One of my favorite sayings seems to be appropriate here: A gem is not polished without rubbing; nor a person perfected without trials.

17. You mention that the internal styles of kung-fu utilize small, unseen muscles and tissues to enhance their striking power. Could you elaborate on that?

Yes, practitioners of the internal systems learn to strengthen and then utilize small, internal tissues, which assist and lend additional support and strength to the larger muscles. This increases the mass involved in the execution of the technique and because the larger muscles have this additional support their movements are that much stronger.

However, before a student can practice to strengthen and use these smaller, subtle tissues it's necessary to condition the larger muscles and that's where many modern internal stylists fail. They don't think they need to strengthen or otherwise condition the larger muscles and because of this, they can't really control the smaller, internal tissues.

18. How can these tissues be trained?

Training methods vary from one art or style to another. In Yiliquan we practice the so-called Six Coiling Exercises to acquire control over and strengthen these tissues. This is a slow process that requires at least a couple of years. Then we also practice a special form, Six Coiling Fists to learn how to integrate the movements of these small tissues with those of the larger muscles and utilize them in the execution of our techniques.

19. Could you explain how some of the principles mentioned in your book can be applied in daily life (rather than solely within the context of martial arts)?

Understanding the real definition of balance. The relationship between physical and mental balance is, I think, very important in daily life. The training for reverse breathing and how it impacts balance (see questions 8 & 9) is a very important principle that can readily be applied to daily life. Remember, loss of mental equilibrium doesn't always involve something that is terribly frightening; it can also come about as the result of stress and reverse breathing is an excellent way to center yourself and reduce the effects of both mental and physical stress.

Reverse breathing can also be employed whenever you need a sudden increase in physical strength because it doubles your physical strength almost from the first time you try it. If you need to push, pull, or lift something heavy; if you need more physical power, all you have to do is perform a proper reverse breath! Or if you've really exerted yourself and you want to stabilize your breathing, 3 or 4 reverse breaths will do it. The principles of correct posture will make a considerable difference in how you move, feel, and even think. I know it doesn't sound like it could possibly make such a big difference, but it will!

And learning how to Move From One-Point is also an extremely important principle. By utilizing this principle, you'll be able to walk (or run) longer distances with less physical effort than ever before, and your movements will be more stable and very powerful.

20. How can artists and writers benefit from martial mechanics?

Learning how to stand and move correctly is extremely important for artists. For instance, there is really a close relationship between shodo (the art of calligraphy) and martial arts. Just as you punch with your entire body, so you brush the proper strokes with your entire body. You must be centered, and the body and mind must be unified. This is not possible if the posture is bad or if the breathing is wrong.

Writers need to center themselves from time to time. I know that from firsthand experience. Writing can take a lot out of you. You have to remember that there is a very real connection between body and mind. They affect each other. To be at your creative best, you have to unify both body and mind. Some very effective methods for doing that are presented in Martial Mechanics.

The words of Da-Mo (founder of Chan Buddhism and Shao-lin kung-fu) make a fine parting statement:

Body and mind are inseparably united.
Right now you are so overcome with the demands of your bodies that you are unable to understand the concept of mind-body unity.
I am, therefore, going to teach you a method.
Train your bodies and minds with it
and you shall attain higher perception.

If you've never seen it, the "ink and wash" style of Chinese chan* and Japanese zen art is exceptionally beautiful. These paintings are done on white paper using only black ink. Some of you might wonder, "What? Black and white? They can't be too interesting if they lack color..." But you'd be very much mistaken; color would ruin them. It's the stark simplicity of black and white that is an important part of their essence.

The so-called "zen art" method of sumi-e is my favorite. These works may contain only a few brush strokes and are usually focused on a single subject; a stalk of bamboo or a bird...and although you can look at these paintings and immediately identify the subject of the work you eventually come to realize that they’re mostly empty space.

The most highly skilled artists of this style use very few brush strokes to portray and give life and spirit to their paintings. Some of the most prized examples of this form of artwork were produced by Japan's "sword saint", Miyamoto Musashi (1584?-1645). They are very simple, use a minimal number of strokes and yet they capture the essence - the spirit - of their subjects. Musashi’s painting of Da-Mo (the legendary founder of Chan/Zen Buddhism who is also credited with originating the Shao-lin system of kung-fu) is especially well-known.

These seemingly simple paintings lack the multi-colors, the "busy-ness" of western artwork. Western art is like a candy store for the eyes; so much to see, so many things going on. Look here and you see one thing, look there and there's something else. It's like a kid in a candy store gorging him or her self on everything he or she can grab. And in doing so, the youngster tastes...nothing. Nothing distinct, anyway. With a mouth full of all kinds of different goodies, everything kind of tastes the same. A big glop, as it were. The child is so busy gulping down all the candies at once that he/she is unable to fully appreciate any one of them.

But zen art is different. It's like taking a single piece of candy and savoring it. These paintings focus on only one thing, one subject. There is no solid background material to view.

And consider that most of the painting is comprised of...empty space! White, empty space.

Were it not for the few brush strokes which more or less "outline" the subject, there'd be just a sheet of white paper!

That's right...outline! Unlike western styles of painting, zen artwork doesn't concern itself with tiny details. At first glance you may think you see details (almost as if the painting is a black and white photograph) but when you grip your mind and look at the painting, you'll notice that the small number of brush strokes just don't contain any small details. Your mind provides them for you!

When you stop and think about it, it's not so much the strokes themselves that make the painting what it is, it's the empty space between them! The strokes actually direct your eye to the empty spaces and it's because of this phenomenon that the art is so beautiful.

The forms of a given martial art are very much like zen paintings. The outward, obvious techniques and stances are like the brush strokes. But there's a lot of empty space, a lot of white paper between them. And it is in those spaces where the true art lies. That space isn't really empty.

Think about it.

*Chan is a Buddhist/Daoist synthesis. As an expression of art, it first became popular during the Southern Sung Dynasty period of China 1127 - 1279 A.D. Later it was manifested as a vital force in Japan, known today as Zen.

Bio: A martial arts practitioner for nearly 50 years, Pete Starr is a black belt in Kyokushin karate, trained in traditional shao-lin, xingyiquan, and baguazhang, and the author of The Making of a Butterfly, he lives and teaches in Omaha, NE. His upcoming book Martial Mechanics comes out in the Spring of 2008.

In this blog, readers will hear the ultimate insider perspective from the editors of the latest martial arts titles, the publicist promoting them, and the authors themselves, giving readers the first look into the ground-breaking world of Blue Snake Books. Included will be information on forthcoming titles, articles on our books, information on author events, and even teaching instruction directly from the authors.