Boston Martial Arts Center Taijutsu and (Jutaijutsu) Jujutsu,Bo,Sword Seminars Series
Boston Martial Arts Center Seminar Series 2009
BMAC Spring 2009 The Nine Schools, Weapon’s and Taijutsu
February,March 21,22 2009 at Boston Martial Arts Center
This seminar will cover how to use the Ninpo Taijutsu (Self-Protection and Fighting Method). We will be working on developing intelligent responses that originate from a deep examination of the older Japanese fighting systems in relationship to changing modern environments. Please bring MMA style gloves, training knives and mouth guards and do not forget your water. We will preview some of the New BMAC Dojo Curriculum, as well as what you can do at home for training. Please bring training gloves, a mouth guard, head guard, an action flex sword, and a 6 foot Bo. Students are also encouraged to bring a healthy lunch although local restaurants are also available.
To register please call the Boston Martial Arts Center at (617) 789-5524 Mail Payment to :161 Harvard Ave #4e Boston, MA 02134 Cost is $258
.00 for the weekend.
Please call us about accommodations for staying in Boston…
Nage Waza Koryu Jujutsu (Jutaijutsu)
Koryu Jujutsu Nage (Throw)
Kenjutsu
The study of Martial Arts at Boston Martial Arts Center
The study of Martial Arts at Boston Martial Arts Center:
The Boston Martial Arts Center was founded as a way to study and understand martial arts in general and to try and grasp the deep and full meaning of what it is to be a complete human.
This was accomplished by studying the old martial arts styles and applying them to real world problems that we encounter every day. This process has helped me understand that martial arts is more than just kicking, cutting and grabbing. For me, studying martial arts is about facing real day-to-day life problems. This journey has taken me from as far away as Asia to as close as a library in Boston.
This blog is intended to share with others this level of study, training and experience as well as what is currently happening at the Boston Martial Arts Center. Additionally, I am honored that some posts will be from my primary teacher Mr. Stephen Hayes.
Introduction to Self Defense and Martial Arts
The arts of self-defense and martial arts are a study in human nature. If you look at why martial arts were created, you can begin to understand the base of primal human nature. Throughout time human beings had specific needs – whether it be to eat, sleep, shelter or defense. In our industrialized age these needs have not changed. We find ourselves protecting ourselves against local predators as well as global predators.
Self-defense developed out of a need for defense; these methods included studying not only physical but also psychological defense. There had to be a way to pass on thousands of years of personal and group defense in an orderly way. This became known as martial or war arts. These were generally passed on orally from tribe to tribe or family to family and in recent history (the last five or six hundred years) they were found documented in various kinds of media. This shows the serious nature of the study of personal protection over time. Without the passing on of information, these tribes or families were destined to repeat the same errors that occurred with their ancestors – loss of resources, life and in some cases whole generations. Whole civilizations were changed through the use and misuse of these arts.
What I’d like to talk about today is the base of self-defense that has not changed since time itself. Self-defense included things like awareness of the weather, political climate, resources, motivations and ambitions of the tribes or families. Today these have not changed. If one studies weather patterns, rain and snow tend to reduce, but not eliminate, crime on the street. The desire for money, narcotics, personal power are also all things that motivate the ambitions of a predator.
What we have to do as practitioners is create situations where the predator will have limited access or control to these things. If we go back, study and look at martial arts as they were passed on through history we can review the lessons of the ancestors or families of these systems and extract necessary information to keep us safe in today’s society. If we look at an ancient document of the Tenmonchimon as an example, it speaks of weather patterns, timing, movement and flow. So by extracting and studying this information from these old documents we can gain a perspective of personal protection that can only be acquired through the study of martial arts.
For instance timing: there are good times and bad times of the day to travel. Personal crimes like robberies, muggings, hold ups etc. tend to be less during rush hour when its very busy but a few hours before or an hour and a half after rush hour are times when the streets are vacant – everyone is at their destinations. These are times when the predators start to practice their crafts. Knowing about this timing can help us understand when good travel times are and when times tend to be riskier. We come home from work and find a robber has ransacked our house. If one just looks at the statistics put out by the justice department or by asking local law enforcements you will see that a majority of robberies occur during times when we are safely at work.
As you can see, we have only taken one element of traditional martial history (and just in this one example) we can notice how vast the application is to our daily activities. Remember that the first and most important point about self-defense or martial arts is reducing our vulnerabilities. By studying risk assessment we can get a true picture of how vulnerable we are and how safe we are. This has nothing to do with paranoia but only increasing our awareness. If we deny our vulnerabilities we open ourselves up for more danger. By assessing potential risk and addressing it we can live in more comfort because we can avoid the risk or danger. Martial arts address these risks.
Personal Safety and Control
by Mark Davis
Copyright © Boston Martial Arts, September 2002
Self-defense starts with the awareness of ones environment and awareness of the human body. The interaction of the two is a critical point to understand. When the environment changes and danger is present the body reacts to these changes, physiologically and emotionally. The response that happens is that adrenaline is released into the body which prepares muscles for what is commonly known as the fight or flight or adrenal response. This heightened state of alert is meant to prepare the body for emergencies, however due to the sudden dumping of adrenaline, people may have a different reaction altogether. Some people may even interpret this reaction as fear. In combat when the body first sees danger happening it prepares to protect itself and if during this preparation the mind and body are not operating together then a certain degree of confusion may arise. At this point the mind may not be prepared to deal with such an unfamiliar situation or unfamiliar physiological reaction. For example a person may loose control of their muscles and they may not be able to either run away or fight back. They may feel a sudden rush of blood and elevation of pulse rate which may hinder their breathing. In addition their vision may narrow due to the adrenal response. These are a few examples of possible occurrences.
Predatory behavior
The predator will exhibit certain characteristics in relation to the adrenal response. Predators tend to have more experience with the adrenal response than the average citizen, sometimes they call it a ‘rush’. Predators also know that if a certain situation presents danger to them to take flight. They will always look for easy targets, to lessen their chances of getting hurt in a confrontation. Predators know that their general surrounding environment is one that has to be watched carefully. Since a predator is aware of the potential of things changing in his disfavor, his rush or adrenal response might be one of violence. For example, he will show a weapon, yell or be very loud, pounce and hit or exhibit a variety of aggressive gestures.
The preparation for conflict using martial arts.
In martial arts there are specific ways to train in such a way that one can prepare for trouble. One of these important points is to understand that whether or not one is trained in martial arts, everybody is vulnerable to circumstances and unexpected events. When a martial artist prepares it is necessary to train the proper muscles for conflict and also train the mind in a proper fashion for conflict. The mind and body have to be able to act as one. This is called ki, generally known as the timing between the mind and the body. For example if the timing is off on a car engine it will not be able to function properly. The same is true of the body and mind, if they are not synchronized then a failure may result. When ones’ heartbeat suddenly increases narrowing the vision we interpret this as fear, in reality it is the body preparing itself for combat and allowing for a more focused vision. If properly trained this burst of sudden adrenaline could create masses of release for energy such that a 104-pound person could take down a 300-pound person.
My uncle was on the police force and he arrived on the scene of a young woman and child being crushed under a car. With the assistance of his partner they physically lifted the vehicle to assist the victims. The result of this intervention was damage to his back but it saved the lives of the mother and her child. So as we see in the above example if the energy is properly channeled at the right time, it is not guarantee of success, but the chances of reaching safety are significantly increased.
Given time, the right attitude and the willingness to learn, understanding the adrenal response in association with martial art training can lead to great skill, confidence and awareness.
* In part two of this article we will talk about our external environment, how this affects our personal protection and awareness but most importantly we will discuss how to keep safe and maintain a happy and beautiful life.
GYO: [TRANSFORMATION] FITSOAP a fitness prescription:
by Ken Savage [Shidoshi]
Copyright © Boston Martial Arts, January 2004
In this installment of Gyo [TRANSFORMATION], I will lay out a prescription for optimum health and fitness. You can apply this prescription to any of the eleven concepts written about in the last installment of Gyo II. The method is easily remembered by using the acronym FITSOAP… Lets take a look:
F= Frequency or how often.
I= Intensity or how hard.
T= Time or how long/ duration.
S= The principle of Specificity.
O= The principle of Overload
A= The principle of Adaptation.
P= The principle of Progressive overload.
For illustration purposes, lets transpose the health related component of cardiovascular fitness onto the FITSOAP model. Remember, Cardiovascular fitness by definition, is the ability of the heart, blood vessels, blood, and respiratory system [lungs] to supply fuel, in the form of oxygen, to the muscles and the ability of the muscles to utilize this fuel to allow for sustained exercise. [See previous Gyo issue for the eleven components.]
As Budo Taijutsu practitioners, a way to develop cardiovascular fitness is the use of a walk/run program across and through a natural environment. Using the FITSOAP acronym, here’s how it might look…
~Frequency or how often: When someone begins a walk/ run program, I suggest they start with a little work everyday. The bare minimum would be at least three times per week.
~Intensity or how hard: For cardiovascular fitness, we use a formula to determine a persons target heart rate… Take the number 220 and subtract your age. *Take a 40-year-old person: 220-40= 180 [Maximal Heart rate.]* Now multiply the Maximal Heart rate by 60% for the low end and by 80% for the high end to determine what’s known as the target heart rate zone. This is the range you want your heart working to improve your cardiovascular fitness. Our example: 181x.60= 108bpm – 180 x.80=144bpm. Our subject would need to keep their heart working between 108 and 144 beats per minute for at least 15 minutes to improve overall cardiovascular fitness.
~Time or how long: When someone is starting out, I recommend they walk/run for a minimum of 15 minutes or around 1.5 miles [remember this is baseline for a beginner] with a goal of about 30 minutes or 3 miles being reasonable to work towards.
~Specificity or the principle of Specificity: As you can see the word specificity contains the root word specific. This is all you need to know about this principle. If you want to develop your heart muscle your not going to perform a bench press exercise, you would walk/run. In the same way, if you wanted to develop chest muscles you wouldn’t walk/run. So the principle of Specificity states that you must do activities designed and developed for a specific need.
~Overload or the principle of Overload: The principle of Overload specifies that in order to improve your overall health and skill related fitness you need to periodically increase the workload or the amount of work that you are doing. In order for a muscle [including the heart muscle] to get stronger, it must be “Overloaded,” or worked against a greater workload than normal. Three ways in which to do this is by increasing the Frequency, Intensity, or Time/Duration of the activity [see above]. In the context of a cardiovascular fitness activity, you could run more often, run harder [interval training], or run longer.
~Adaptation or the principle of Adaptation: The principle of Adaptation states that the body is able to restore itself to normalcy, [homeostasis]. Individuals react differently to different stressors. Yes, exercise is a form of stress and stress by definition is the body’s nonspecific response [generalized adaptation] to any demand made upon it in order to maintain physiological equilibrium or balance. When we talk about health and skill related fitness it has been my experience that the body begins to adapt to a specific level of fitness in about 6-8 weeks. So, in our example of cardiovascular fitness we need to change our routine every 6-8 weeks using the FIT principles. How do we do this?
~Progressive Overload or the principle of Progressive Overload: Well, we have already defined what overload is, so what is Progressive Overload or Progression? Progression is an important corollary of the Overload principle. The principle states that overload should not be increased too slowly or too rapidly if fitness is to result. Beginners should establish a baseline or threshold of training [a starting point] form which to begin. In our cardiovascular fitness example this was our established low number 108 BPM. A person exercises progressively by starting near threshold levels and gradually increasing in Frequency, Intensity, and Time within this target zone. Exercise above or below the target zone is counterproductive and can be dangerous. Clearly it is possible to do to little or to much exercise when developing optimal fitness. Remember, threshold levels and target zones change with fitness levels. We will discuss this more in another writing.
What I have attempted to layout here is a prescription for improving your overall health and skill related fitness. Without getting esoteric I would like to state here and now that the FITSOAP prescription can be used in developing the body, mind, and spirit. I will address this in a later writing. Good luck in applying this theory in your own Naturalistic Physical Health and Conditioning program or Gyo………
Ninpo – Ikkan,
Ken Savage [Shidoshi]
GYO: Physical Fitness [The eleven building blocks]
By Ken Savage [Shidoshi]
Copyright © Boston Martial Arts, July 2002
It is generally accepted that there are eleven components to overall physical fitness. Most cite cardiovascular fitness or muscular strength, but each of the eleven is critical to developing optimal physical fitness and the residual benefits of being fit. The eleven components are broken down into two major categories. These are Health related fitness and Skill related fitness.
Health related physical fitness:
-Body composition: This is the relative % of bone, muscle, and other tissue to fat percentage in the body. In other words, how much of your body is made up of fat as compared to everything else. For males, 10-20% body fatness and for females 18-25% body fatness represents an average. Athletes tend to have a much lower body fat compositions.
-Cardiovascular fitness: The ability of the heart, blood vessels, blood, and respiratory systems to supply fuel, in the form of oxygen, to the muscles and the ability of the muscles to utilize this fuel to allow for sustained exercise. Running/walking is a wonderful way to build cardiovascular fitness.
-Flexibility [Range of motion]: This is the range of movement available in a joint. ROM is affected by muscle length and attachment, joint capsule structure, and other factors. Taiso is a method Budo Taijutsu practitioners can use to increase flexibility. Kamae [posture] training is another way to develop flexibility and joint stability.
-Muscular Strength: The ability to exert an external force that is internally driven or lifting a weight one time. One push-up or pull-up is an example of muscular strength.
-Muscular Endurance: The ability of the muscles to repeatedly exert themselves internally on an external force or lifting a weight several times in a row. Doing several push-ups or pull-ups in a row is an example of muscular endurance.
Skill related physical fitness:
-Agility: This is the ability to change the direction of the entire body in space. Running and walking in the woods is a great way to develop agility. As you move through the natural environment you must constantly avoid fallen trees low hanging branches and adjust to natural rise and fall of the land.
-Balance: This is the maintenance of equilibrium while stationary [static balance] or while moving [ballistic balance]. Walking and practicing basic self-protection skills [punches and kicks] on fallen logs or a balance beam develops balance. I also find the practice of slow taijutsu, weapons training, and kamae great ways to develop both forms of balance.
-Coordination: The ability to use all the senses within the body to integrate and perform a motor task smoothly and accurately. This is an area I will elaborate on in a later writing. This is an often, misunderstood aspect of the human body.
-Power: The ability to transfer energy into force at a fast rate. We all want to increase the amount of power we can generate. Here is an example of an exercise I use to develop leg power. I call it, “Drop, Squat, and Kick”. From a natural posture drop into a half-squat position, thighs parallel with the ground, while taking a long deep breath in. With all this pre-stretch muscle power in the thighs, explode up with a quick and forceful release of air and deliver a front, back, or sideward kick. Then repeat on the other leg for a total of thirty to start. Watch your knees on this one.
-Reaction Time: The time elapsed between stimulation [a punch] and the beginning of your response to that stimulation [moving out of the way]. Having someone throw an object at you, [tennis ball] and moving your body out of the way is a simple way to work on developing reaction time.
-Speed: The ability to perform a movement in a short period of time. Speed, at its base level, is about relying on fast twitch muscle fiber and youthful brawn to create it. As a warrior becomes seasoned, speed is about proper distancing and timing and an intimate understanding of your body and the movement being performed, [experience]. Many have witnessed Hatsumi Sensei move so quickly we don’t perceive the movement. Is this truly speed?
This basic information is available to the general public in many forms. Books, fitness videos, and gyms have all become a national obsession. My interest lies in physical fitness in general, Naturalistic Whole Body Physical Health and Conditioning or Gyo specifically. The eleven building blocks are not independent of one another. The old saying, “you can’t have one without the other ” applies here. For example, while running through the forest while developing cardiovascular fitness you are also in turn developing agility, coordination, speed and power. The wholistic approach gives your training knew meaning. In my personal routine I try to incorporate conditioning exercises that include as many of the eleven as possible. Next month I will begin to lie out my basic program based on the eleven principles. Once again I must remind you that the information presented is based on my personal experiences and limited knowledge base. I don’t expect all readers to agree with all statements. All the information is based upon not only theory but also many years of application. I do hope you will read with an open mind. Ninpo Ik-Kan, Ken
Ninpo Ik-kan.
Ken Savage [Shidoshi]
GYO: Naturalistic Whole Body Physical Health and Conditioning
by Ken Savage [Shidoshi]
Copyright © Boston Martial Arts, July 2002
As in the tradition of the Ninjas of old and their reputation of engaging in the most intense physical training, Gyo will be a series of articles exploring health, fitness and conditioning and how they relate to the modern warrior. Gyo is for practitioners of Budo Taijutsu in particular and martial artist in general. Theory and application will be put into useable form so all may benefit. It has been said, ” Enjoying good health may not add years to your life, but can add life to your years.”
The ideas have been gleaned from a number of sources and experiences. The information is a synthesis of my studies of the martial arts, health, fitness as well as diet and nutrition. As a twelve-year-old boy in the spring of 1976 I began my studies of the martial arts. I can recall that class began with a rigorous half hour of stretching, calisthenics, and breathing exercises. I remember days later the muscle soreness; and a knew found awareness of my physical body. It wouldn’t be until much later in life that I would understand the physiological reasons of why this was so.
Now, as an adult with a few years of experience under my belt, I will attempt to share with you what I have learned. Naturalistic Whole Body Physical Health and Conditioning or Gyo is the name I have giving my method. The program was developed with Budo Taijutsu practitioners in mind, but martial artist or any person interested in the development of the total person will benefit. In other words, this program is for anyone. This first installment will deal with defining Naturalistic Whole Body Physical Health and Conditioning.
~Naturalistic refers to the natural ways in which you and I, the human animal, move. For example, we walk, run, leap, push, pull, and lift objects as well as ourselves. Naturalistic can also refer to using our natural environment to aid and to effect a change upon our bodies. An example of this might be running through the forest to increase cardiovascular fitness.
~Whole Body refers to the development of the whole person and an understanding of the connection between our physical body and how its ease of movement or its dis-ease of movement has a profound effect on how we think and feel.
~Physical Health includes the eleven principles I refer to as the building blocks of total physical health and conditioning. The eleven principles include five health-related and six skill-related principles, [discussed in detail at a later writing].
~Conditioning refers to the methods developed and used to naturally develop our Whole Body and Physical Health.
In addition, other topics and ideas will be discussed during this series. Some of these may include:
~Introduction to my universal seven-step prescription program.
~Taijutsu, and skill specific conditioning tips.
~Answering questions from readers of this site.
~As well as other related health, fitness, and conditioning questions.I don’t claim that the information I put out is the right information or the conventional point of view. These are merely the thoughts and experiences of one person’s journey down the warrior path. I encourage every reader to Explore, Challenge and Develop their Warrior Spirit…
Ninpo Ik-kan.
Ken Savage [Shidoshi]
Self-Defense and Crime Prevention
A word about Self-Defense and Crime Prevention:
It is important to note that crime prevention should occur long before self-defense happens. In other words the best possible situation is never to become a victim of a crime. Although there are no fail safe ways to achieve this, at the Boston Martial Arts Center we believe in doing everything possible to keep you from ever becoming a victim.
This page will be dedicated to providing safety tips as well as resources, not only for people who have decided to study martial arts but also for members of the community or those of you who have taken a moment to visit our website.
Our goal at the Boston Martial Arts Center is not only to provide excellence in martial arts training but also to work towards making communities and neighborhoods safer. We have offered self-defense seminars for the community free of charge. For information on upcoming events please visit here.
Staying safe tips:
- Be especially aware of times during the day which involve travel or commuting.
- Often we are tired, distracted or preoccupied with thoughts involving work and are therefore less sensitive to the environment.
- Do not be misled into believing that crowds are safe. The more noise and confusion which surrounds you the more opportunity a predator will have to steal from you or follow you unnoticed.
- Always be aware of your surroundings and make sure you maintain a good safe personal space around yourself.
Victim Services and Police Resources:
Many victims are not aware that there are victim services available at the state and government level. We have provided some links below that may be of use to people that have been the victims of crime. It is important to know that victims have rights and are entitled to support and help.
http://www.try-nova.org/ National Organization for Victim Assistance
http://www.cityofboston.gov/police/ Boston Police Department
http://www.usdoj.gov/ United States Department of Justice
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/ Office for Victims of Crime
http://www.state.ma.us/sorb/victim_links.htm Commonwealth of Massachusetts – Victim Information
http://www.ago.state.ma.us/txt/videfault.htm Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General – victim financial compensation information
