The question was posed last night before class, "Did the Samurai have and type of stretching or workout regimen ?" It was an unusual but very interesting question. I had no answer, but fortunately I have a fantastic resource, Sensei Mike Belzer a martial artist of excellent skill and reputation who was the student of Don Draeger (look him up) Draeger Sensei made a life long study of fighting systems, weapons and warriors both ancient and modern. So when I presented my question Professor Draeger had already answered it. Ancient warriors and Kroyu (Old School arts) do not have formalized warm ups. If warm ups and stretching were required they would be ineffective for combat or self defense. It was that simple, the training was the the training. You want to master the sword go out and swing a sword around. Today you can lift weights to improve your physical strength, or have a session of mat pilates to loosen your body, and that would be ok. We are not training to hold the line at Thermopylae we are training to lean the Danzan Ryu system of Jujitsu can one use this art for self defense without a warm up ? From personal experience I know the answer to be yes. That said if I am planning an evening of nage and grappling with my 20-something students you bet I am going to have a through warm up !
Further Study
http://www.danzan.com/HTML/PEOPLE/mbelzer.html
http://dogbrothers.com/phpBB2/index.php?PHPSESSID=18a585506d19ef3f79fb045c5bfb5c0f&topic=1084.0
Good Question !
~Sensei~
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Junanshin 柔軟心
Junanshin as a training precept.
Keep a flexible, open mind. This requires patience, the ability to set aside your opinions, previous experiences and biases, and a passion to learn. Develop a mental state of allowing - an attitude of no resistance.
I wrote this article last year as a project for Jodo, the concepts work for a sincere student of any worthy endeavor martial or otherwise.
Defining Junanshin A.A.G. Schiebroek uses the term, “a malleable mind” looking deeper into “malleable” we find Webster’s English Dictionary defining Malleable : capable of being extended or shaped by beating with a hammer or by the pressure of rollers 2 a: capable of being altered or controlled by outside forces or influences b: having a capacity for adaptive change). For me this definition of malleable is the most to the point. Imagine the process of forging a Japanese sword, the metal heated, beaten and cooled repeatedly until the finished product is produced. Ultimately Junanshin is a state of receptivity, wherein one makes the choice to trust source of instruction and accept the lesson. Blocking out (or at least attempting to block out) everything in the mind that is not the lesson.
Application to my study of Shindo Muso Ryu.
Without Junanshin the study of SMR would be impossible or at the very least pointless. My first encounter with the ryu was actually pretty much as expected. A Spartan and serious training regimen with very little room or need for the students “input”. I was prepared to practice basic arts in a traditional setting as a total beginner. I understand the need from a safety perspective as we were working with dangerous weapons. Junanshin covers this issue by demanding the student open his mind while simultaneously shutting out outside stimulus except for the tachi in front of him and the sensei at his side. With progression in the ryu immediately after Nuymon the precept of Junanshin (and a bit of fudoshin) must be immediately and vigorously applied. In my mind I desire to be as far away from the tachi as possible. Yet sensei says go forward and scoop upward. Honestly I (my mind) has no desire to do this, but Sensei says go forward and scoop the jo upward and that’s what I must do. Occasionally I will even avoid being (symbolically) disemboweled.
Junanshin silences the mind when I start to think I know anything about the jo, and allows me to remain patient, trust my teachers, work on my humility, and maintain a supple and open mind.
Compatibility with a modern lifestyle.
In the modern world I have noticed a vast dearth of junanshin. In fact the standard is quite the opposite. Sadly this pervades the modern martial arts world. Imagine this scenario, several junior and senior yudansha at a seminar devoted to quelling differences within different organizations of the ryu. A senior instructor gives a long speech about keeping an open mind and demonstrates an art. The first words uttered, before uke even had gotten up from the mat were, “That’s not the way I learned it.” Behold the absolute counter to junanshin. Is junanshin incompatible with a modern lifestyle? I think not, but is a modern lifestyle compatible with junanshin? Soldiers in training are in a constant state of junanshin, but only after several weeks of breaking down the ego. Budoka in koryu systems are taught junanshin from the first lesion. Alternatively school children are taught to express themselves and question authority. Junanshin is more than a training mindset it’s a choice one makes. Junanshin is a magnifying glass we hold over the roadmap we are using. It allows us to follow directions when we are not sure of the path. Using Junanshin we can choose to trust the mapmaker.
As an Instructor the role is both reversed and enhanced. I need to encourage my students to do the kata as instructed and to trust the training, to be patient and accept that their abilities will increase in time. At the same time I need to transmit the kata as I was instructed and trust my training.
Guiding students to quiet the mind and practice with a good spirit also requires a little junanshin. I have to try and accept that each student is coming from a different place and may face different challenges learning the art. I endeavor to trust in my abilities and transmit what was taught to me as clearly as possible.
Source Cited (1)
“http://web.inter.nl.net/users/A.A.G.Schiebroek/budo.html#junashin”
“http://www.rembuden.com/OCT%2007.pdf”
Keep a flexible, open mind. This requires patience, the ability to set aside your opinions, previous experiences and biases, and a passion to learn. Develop a mental state of allowing - an attitude of no resistance.
I wrote this article last year as a project for Jodo, the concepts work for a sincere student of any worthy endeavor martial or otherwise.
Defining Junanshin A.A.G. Schiebroek uses the term, “a malleable mind” looking deeper into “malleable” we find Webster’s English Dictionary defining Malleable : capable of being extended or shaped by beating with a hammer or by the pressure of rollers 2 a: capable of being altered or controlled by outside forces or influences b: having a capacity for adaptive change). For me this definition of malleable is the most to the point. Imagine the process of forging a Japanese sword, the metal heated, beaten and cooled repeatedly until the finished product is produced. Ultimately Junanshin is a state of receptivity, wherein one makes the choice to trust source of instruction and accept the lesson. Blocking out (or at least attempting to block out) everything in the mind that is not the lesson.
Application to my study of Shindo Muso Ryu.
Without Junanshin the study of SMR would be impossible or at the very least pointless. My first encounter with the ryu was actually pretty much as expected. A Spartan and serious training regimen with very little room or need for the students “input”. I was prepared to practice basic arts in a traditional setting as a total beginner. I understand the need from a safety perspective as we were working with dangerous weapons. Junanshin covers this issue by demanding the student open his mind while simultaneously shutting out outside stimulus except for the tachi in front of him and the sensei at his side. With progression in the ryu immediately after Nuymon the precept of Junanshin (and a bit of fudoshin) must be immediately and vigorously applied. In my mind I desire to be as far away from the tachi as possible. Yet sensei says go forward and scoop upward. Honestly I (my mind) has no desire to do this, but Sensei says go forward and scoop the jo upward and that’s what I must do. Occasionally I will even avoid being (symbolically) disemboweled.
Junanshin silences the mind when I start to think I know anything about the jo, and allows me to remain patient, trust my teachers, work on my humility, and maintain a supple and open mind.
Compatibility with a modern lifestyle.
In the modern world I have noticed a vast dearth of junanshin. In fact the standard is quite the opposite. Sadly this pervades the modern martial arts world. Imagine this scenario, several junior and senior yudansha at a seminar devoted to quelling differences within different organizations of the ryu. A senior instructor gives a long speech about keeping an open mind and demonstrates an art. The first words uttered, before uke even had gotten up from the mat were, “That’s not the way I learned it.” Behold the absolute counter to junanshin. Is junanshin incompatible with a modern lifestyle? I think not, but is a modern lifestyle compatible with junanshin? Soldiers in training are in a constant state of junanshin, but only after several weeks of breaking down the ego. Budoka in koryu systems are taught junanshin from the first lesion. Alternatively school children are taught to express themselves and question authority. Junanshin is more than a training mindset it’s a choice one makes. Junanshin is a magnifying glass we hold over the roadmap we are using. It allows us to follow directions when we are not sure of the path. Using Junanshin we can choose to trust the mapmaker.
As an Instructor the role is both reversed and enhanced. I need to encourage my students to do the kata as instructed and to trust the training, to be patient and accept that their abilities will increase in time. At the same time I need to transmit the kata as I was instructed and trust my training.
Guiding students to quiet the mind and practice with a good spirit also requires a little junanshin. I have to try and accept that each student is coming from a different place and may face different challenges learning the art. I endeavor to trust in my abilities and transmit what was taught to me as clearly as possible.
Source Cited (1)
“http://web.inter.nl.net/users/A.A.G.Schiebroek/budo.html#junashin”
“http://www.rembuden.com/OCT%2007.pdf”
Dojo Kun, A Study.
"The Oath was always chanted with strength, never mumbled in insincerity. Just as movements would become automatic and reflexes conditioned, the simple truths of the oath would also penetrate the mind of the participant."
DOJO KUN
1. Jinkaku kansei ni tsutomeru koto.
Work to perfect your character.
2. Makoto no michi o mamoru koto.
Have fidelity in seeking a true way.
3. Doryoku no seishin o yashinau koto.
Cultivate a spirit of endeavor and perseverance.
4. Reigi o omonjiru koto.
Always act with good manners.
5. Kekki no yu o imashimeru koto.
Refrain from violent and uncontrolled behavior.
Follow the link for the full article.
http://www.dragon-tsunami.org/Dtimes/Pages/articleb1.htm
DOJO KUN
1. Jinkaku kansei ni tsutomeru koto.
Work to perfect your character.
2. Makoto no michi o mamoru koto.
Have fidelity in seeking a true way.
3. Doryoku no seishin o yashinau koto.
Cultivate a spirit of endeavor and perseverance.
4. Reigi o omonjiru koto.
Always act with good manners.
5. Kekki no yu o imashimeru koto.
Refrain from violent and uncontrolled behavior.
Follow the link for the full article.
http://www.dragon-tsunami.org/Dtimes/Pages/articleb1.htm
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