blogs

Are There Kata or Forms to Learn in CSFS?

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 12:14:44 +0100

Are there “kata” or forms to learn in CSFS?

No, there are no sets of 38 or 108 kata/forms or even 5 Fist Sets like in more traditional styles of martial arts. Why not? Here is an example:

In White Lotus Kenpo (and Kenpo is a very good MA btw) there is a form called “Thunder and Earth”. The attack is a straight arm choke or grab while the defense is to clap your hands together (thunder!) as you thrust your arms up (heaven!) in a triangle shape to free yourself of the attacker’s hands, then you bring both the attacker's hands down and yours (earth!), and then the defender applies a hammer-fist followed by an elbow strike.

The problem with a CSFS student practicing this as a set form for hours on end is this: what if, after you bring the attacker’s hands down, he finds himself in the perfect position to shoot in for a take-down? (CSFS principle of striking from wherever you find yourself) Now you are either off balanced or fighting to keep your balance and the opportunity to use that hammer-fist and elbow is now gone!

Rather we use flow drills in CSFS so that students can learn how to transition from one individual technique into another, and another, and another… Sparring or actual self-defense is a chess match and your opponent may not be playing with the same chess strategy as you so it makes no sense to stick with one kata or forum when your attacker does not know the pre-arranged reaction that you would expect when doing a kata with a student in the same school/style. After you learn individual techniques, it is better to spend your time learning how to act/react/flow with a person who is not using the same techniques as you rather than to waste hours on elaborate sets of 25, 50, 100 movements.

Note: When you learn sets of 5, 8, 10, and 12 angles in class, do not mistake these as techniques or kata because they are not. They are there to simply show you avenues or paths to enter in an effort to strike the body.

How To Make A Chinese Wand For Travel

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:09:08 +0100

At 48"-50" the Chinese Wand can be a bit large for traveling but I have found a cheap and easy way of making a take-down model.

You will need:

A length of 3/4" dia. PVC conduit pipe with connector end (I use the Carlon brand as that is what the local hardware store sells)
2 1" Vinyl Leg Tips (I get mine from Walmart and they are sold in a four pack)
A saw (The finer the teeth the smoother the cut)
A mitre box (not required but ensures a straight cut

How to make it:

One end of the conduit pipe will have a larger end that allows you to push other conduit pipes into it; you will use this end last so start your measurement from the other end. Since I like my wands to be 50" I measure to 26" and cut, this is more than half of 50" because 2" of the pipe goes into the connector end and the extra 1" allows the connecter to be in the centre rather than off to one side.
After you have your plain length you then take that and push it all the way into your connector end, now measure a full 50" from the end of the first length and cut the pipe so that you have 2lengths of pipe around 26" each.
At this point you may want to spray paint the pipe using a colour that is pleasing to you.
After your paint is dry put one of the vinyl leg tips on each outer end and there you go.

If you want the individual lengths to be even smaller you can buy 2 pipes to give you two connector pieces and a total of three lengths.

NOTES: 1. While I have found these take-down wands to be pretty stiff, in none of the exercises are you supposed to put pressure on the wand itself because to do this cheats your body of the benefits. The wand is there only to maintain proper alignment and not to be used to force your body into the movements.
2. You can also use the wand for light contact training either as a 50" staff or two 26" sticks.
3. Because the pipe is made out of PVC, a type of plastic, do not store it in your car window or it may warp from the extreme heat.

The truth about the use of the "cudgel" in old books.

Sat, 20 Aug 2011 07:04:36 +0100

A Little Word History: The use of the word "cudgel" does not always mean "Shillelagh" in historical books as some writers have stated. It is rather an English term for a heavy stick or a club used with the purpose of hitting. It is therefore a culturally neutral term used by English authors. Today we would more often use the terms "stick" or "club" rather than "cudgel". An old English author would often use the term "cudgel" to mean any stick that a person was using for striking regardless of other names the stick might have been called in its own culture. For example: an English author in India during the 1800s might have used the word "cudgel" to describe a "Lathi" if he did not know the term of "Lathi" or thought that his English readers might not know what "Lathi" means. If the author was in Ireland during the same time period he may have used the term "cudgel" to describe both shillelagh and NON-shillelagh weapons as used by the Irish; so if reading it now you would not know for certain which weapon he was talking about unless he was very descriptive in his reference to the weapons being used.

The Stick Weapons of CSFS

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:40:10 +0100

There seems to be some misunderstanding as to the weapons we use when people see our photos: "Is that a Shillelagh?", "Is that a Filipino stick?"...Yes and no to both and so much more. So today's blog should clear up some of the questions.

Walking Stick

Our main weapon is the 3' walking stick (actual size depends on the height of the user and/or personal preference, for example at 5' 10" a 2 foot stick would have me bent over like the Hunchback of Notre-Dame and therefore be very ineffective as a walking stick). A well crafted walking stick is legal everywhere, having a non-weapon use, and is easy to obtain (though obtaining one tough enough for repeated martial art abuse is another matter).
Is it a Shillelagh? Well if you are using a Shillelagh then it is a Shillelagh but many people differ on just what that term means; however our style is a blend of both Western and Eastern styles so the emphasis is on walking sticks (walking sticks are heavy ended like some Shillelaghs but the handle of a walking stick can vary from a knob, to a L shape, to a hook/crook).
We use the classic 1/3 grip because walking sticks have more weight at the handle end and the 1/3 grip helps to balance this weight. Also, when the stick is held in both hands it tends to be naturally divided into thirds anyway and when you let go with one hand then the hand left holding the stick is now left in a 1/3 grip. We sometimes grasp the stick closer to the handle if we want to play at a greater range using more of a Scottish sword style (our style is both close-in and long range depending on the fighters).

Short Stick (or Club)

In our second year we focus more on using the 28" rattan sticks common (but not exclusive) to the Filipino martial arts. Sometimes a walking stick is not at hand and you must use whatever you happen to pick up. This could be a stick you found on the ground, a hammer, or even your own broken (now shorter) walking stick. Why rattan? We love rattan because it will fray rather than splinter like wood and is therefore safer to training; the drawback is that it is lighter than most woods so you should train with various materials but still keeping safety foremost in your mind.

Long Stick

When we do the Chinese Wand Exercises we use a 4' stick (again depending of the users height, or rather arm span in this case). In Japan such a stick is called a Jo but because we are Canadians serving an English speaking population we use English terms; also 2' 3' 4' and even 6' sticks were used in Ireland, all the same lengths in Japan would be called Tessen (iron fan), Hanbo, Jo, and Bo respectively. The Scottish Broadsword was commonly between 3 and 4 feet long. In India a form of stick fighting is often done with a stick about 4' long and French La Canne is close to 4' as well. In England a 6' or longer stick was used in quarterstaff fighting. So you see the common lengths were in use by many cultures beyond the popular Asian arts.

I hope this clears up some things about the weapons we use but CSFS also teaches empty hand techniques as well as ground techniques so come on out and train with us.

Training For Life

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 17:06:56 +0100

At our last class we had a new student join us who had experience in Capoeira; while this Afro-Brazilian art with it's hand-standing spinning kicks and dance movements may seem at first to be quite different than the weapon based* stand up stick fighting we do at CSFS, it was actually quite fun to share the similarities between the two arts with this new student. And therein is one of the "secrets" of the martial arts: a new student is not necessary a new martial artist.

However, one of our specialties in CSFS is the ability to take someone with absolutely no martial arts background, and who even may be fearful of the martial arts with a head full of pre-conceived notions, and just over the short span of a few classes start them on the road to learning the techniques and principles that are common to many martial arts.

Another specialty of ours is called Training For Life. Many times I have heard people talking about taking their first martial art class and coming home exhausted and bruised from the training AS A BEGINNER on their VERY FIRST DAY! That does not happen in CSFS because one of our goals is training for life. While a crash or burn type workout may be ok for those who desire it, it can actually be detrimental to early student retention, as we realize that not everyone can afford the injury recovery time from their jobs and family duties.

While we all admire the skill and fitness of those who compete in full contact tournaments it is a matter of public record that the career of a prize fighter is remarkably short, with most competitors being in their 20s or 30s and ending their career by the time they are 40; often retiring with injuries that will effect them for the nest 40 years of their life. As a person who himself is fast approaching 40, I seem to notice much more when someone posts on the internet about how their teacher trained them in the "old ways" but now that same teacher can't even pick up a pencil to write with at age 50 and the students themselves are having to adjust their training or stop all together due to the wear and tear of injuries they have sustained from training the "old way". By contrast, the instructors of SCFS know of martial artists who still train well into their 60s and 70s and sometimes even into their 80s!

So it doesn't matter if you are an experienced martial artist looking to explore a complementary path or a complete beginner who wants to try the martial arts but don't know where to start, we all welcome you to try out a class at the Celtic Stick Fighting Society.

*I used the term “weapon based” above because in CSFS we train first with a weapon (the walking stick) and then show you how to use the same principles to train empty handed using punches, kicks, joint locks, and hold downs. We teach our students how to use each tool in their tool box and what they build is up them.

Never Stop Learning

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 12:36:08 +0100

I have trained in Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu but in such a way that traditional and modern techniques were blended together to allow for effective self-defense against modern attackers who may not be using the same style as you are. Although I do admire the old techniques and the history behind them, I try to focus most of my limited time training on those techniques that will work with the common attacks we read about in the media and see on the news.

Up to now I've been aware of many other martial art styles but have not really looked into other Jujutsu styles that much. That changed while I was recovering from a cold and had lots of time to watch YouTube. I came upon videos of a style called Goshin Jujitsu (it seems the Goshin crowd prefers the "Jujitsu" spelling so I will use that spelling out of respect for them when talking about their style). From what I have been able to find out Goshin is an old Japanese word but the actual style has taken on a status as being a modern combat form of Jujitsu. I find it very much like my own style of Yoshin Ryu with the main difference being the way some Goshin Jujitsu schools strike. If you search Wikipedia it will say that Goshin Jujitsu has boxing style strikes but I have seen that some Goshin schools are more influenced by Karate style punches and kicks. Neither way is wrong, but I do prefer the close-in style of boxing influenced Goshin Jujitsu schools.

So if you ever think that you have learned everything there is to know about your style, or if you find your training repetitive, just look for similar styles that do things a little different; then take what is useful and leave what is not...and always bow on your way out of the dojo so you don't hit your head on the door frame.

The Tai Chi-Jujutsu Connection

Fri, 12 Nov 2010 02:58:32 +0100

Two blog posts ago I wrote about Jujutsu and Jeet Kune Do (or JKD for short). JKD is a relatively modern "style" or system and therefore it is quite natural that Bruce Lee would incorporate aspects of other styles besides Wing Chun into his JKD. But what of the ancient Chinese system of Tai Chi and the comparatively old Japanese Jujutsu? What could a style known for slowness and flowing movements have in common with a style known for fast and bone breaking movements?

To answer that, could you please do me a favor? Could you please look at this Tai Chi video and tell me how many Jujutsu movements you see? I see almost one Jujutsu technique for every movement in this 37 short form Tai Chi...Maybe you can see more! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0H_z9y3O6I&feature=related

Now some of you won't be able to pick out the Jujutsu like techniques, and that is ok, but if you have trained in both Tai Chi and Jujutsu I do believe you will see the connection. This should not be surprising, as Akiyama Shirobei Yoshitoki, one of the main Japanese to influence Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu is said to have traveled to China; if that is the case then I certainly can see him at least observing, if not learning some of the Chinese martial arts while there.

Be that as it may, at the end of the day every culture has but: one head, two hands, two elbows, two knees, and two feet.

Masters and Grandmasters

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:47:15 +0100

It seems anyone today can start their own style and become a Grandmaster, and books and DVDs are all over the place from Master soandso and Master what'shisname.

Just what does Master and Grandmaster mean?

The best answer that I have found is this: one who teaches martial arts to beginners, is a teacher (various countries have their own word for "teacher"); one who teaches teachers is a Master, and one who teaches Masters is a Grandmaster.

I really like the idea of a Master being one who teaches teachers. It's one thing to know an art; it's another thing to know how to pass that art on to others.

Now Grandmaster is a bit trickier, the traditional usage is that the Grandmaster is the most senior person in his style, he carries all the knowledge of his style and the reasonability to see that the style is passed on in the most accurate manner. Traditionally there was only one Grandmaster of a particular style but these days it seems that anyone who creates their own style after studying a year of this and a year of that can call themselves Grandmaster, after all who knows more about the style they created then the Bubba that just created it? (Insert sarcasm here).

How do you find the true Grandmasters? Well of course go to those people whom others call Grandmaster and ask him if he is indeed the Grandmaster of his style; if he says, "No, I am just a teacher", then you have found a Grandmaster! For Grandmasters all know that there is still a lot for them to learn.

Was Jujutsu a Part of Jeet Kune Do?

Sat, 30 Oct 2010 13:33:55 +0100

My parent art is Jujutsu, but I like to look at all arts for there is nothing new under the sun as King Solomon was fond of saying.

There is debate in the Martial Arts world as to just what is JKD. While I won't get into it much I will say that if Bruce Lee was doing it, then it was JKD.

So, was Jujutsu part of JKD? Yes! Dan Inosanto was a student and now teacher of JKD; not only that, but while some people only trained within the confines of the classes held in Seattle, Oakland, and Los Angeles/Chinatown, Mr. Inosanto was a personal friend with Bruce Lee and often trained in private 1 on 1 lessons with him. Mr. Inosanto says that Bruce Lee used Japanese Jujutsu (Nihon Jujutsu) when they trained and that Bruce Lee used joint locks and was a very good thrower.

Mr. Inosanto also says that the Jujutsu and other wrestling moves that Bruce Lee knew was not taught in the Chinatown school but rather only used in private training. So there may be the source of the confusion: those who were in the Chinatown classes only would not have been exposed to Jujutsu so for them, Jujutsu was not art of their JKD.

If you want proof of all this (besides the writtings of Mr. Inosanto) you merely need to open up a copy of "The Tao of Jeet Kune Do" and you can see drawings by Bruce Lee himself of throws and ground grappling...or look through the "Bruce Lee's Fighting Method" books: Vol 3. p 23 Lee takes a man to the ground, Vol 1 p 22/23 Lee takes a man to the ground using a collar take-down, p 36/37 Lee strikes a man in the groin and then grabs his chest and arm (as one does in Jujutsu) and takes the man to the ground, p 102/103 Lee is fighting two attackers while Lee is on the ground, p 106/107 Lee uses a hip throw to take a man to the ground.

So it's a fact, Bruce knew of, and used, Jujutsu as part of his JKD. If Bruce did it, then it is JKD.

Beware the Martial Art DVD!

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 23:27:03 +0100

Beware the Martial Art DVD? What does that mean? Does it mean that I think you can't learn from a DVD? No, you can certainly learn aspects of a martial art from a DVD, although you get the best results from attending a martial art class.

The "beware" is about those DVDs that were originally filmed in VHS format and then years later are re-released in DVD format without any editing.

Tonight I watched a Small Circle Jujutsu DVD from Black Belt Magazine Video and I knew right away that I had a VHS "DVD" :( The first indication was the word "Start", that’s it! No menu, no chapter, just press play and on you go. The second indication was the cheap heading that said "Tape #1", we all know that a DVD is not a tape. The third indication is that when you press the next scene button on your remote, you get not the next scene, but the end of the "DVD"; you see, back in the VHS days there was no such thing as "next scene" as the video was recorded on one long strip of plastic like tape.

Now I am one of those ancients that still have a VHS player sitting under his DVD player. I enjoy picking up "disposable" movies in the .50 cent bin as I tend not to watch them more than once. However, when it comes to instructional videos, I LOVE the DVD for the ability to go straight to the scene I need to learn from rather than fast forwarding through the whole video every time I put the DVD in as if it was a VHS tape. It gets worse! If I am watching a VHS tape I can stop it and come back to where I left off days later. With a VHS "DVD" I have to fast forward every time when I stop the DVD (there is the pause button but with instructional DVDs you want to be able to put it away and start where you left off days or even weeks later).

So what can you do? Well apart from digging out copies of your Fighting Stars Ninja magazines from the 80's and comparing the list of VHS titles with the list of DVD titles in your UFC magazines from 2010, there is little that you can do. Most companies don't advertise the fact that they took a VHS tape and put it straight on a DVD without reformatting, that would be extra work for them. You could write the company but there is no guarantee that the sales person even knows what you are talking about if they have never see a VHS tape before. If you read the DVD ad closely it may list the various chapters on the DVD but that still is no guarantee that "chapter" equals "next scene" ability. Your best bet? Go online to the various martial art forums and ask in the Video section if anyone has the DVD that you are interested in, then ask them if it has the next scene feature or if it just plays in one continuous line like the old VHS tapes.

Martial Arts instructional DVDs are not cheap, make sure you are getting the most modern features for your money.