Goldilocks and the Third Planet from the Sun

Obviously I am not a professor but that can't stop me from teaching and thinking! Within my Martial Arts I try to express to students how each thing is connected and nothing is more or less important than the next. I've been on a mission for many years now to discover as much as I can about the energy system at work within the human body. How it relates to health and well being and how it can be interrupted and reconfigured to gain a strategic advantage. Our energy system is made up of the same things that flow and permeate throughout the universe.The astrophysicist and cosmologist Carl Sagan has always thought on a grander scale than the rest of us, and it was he who famously said:

“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.”

Ideas this big can put people off, but when someone closer to home speaks of the same thing (a certain Tai Chi Master) you have to engage with it. To understand our place in the universe we have looked to the fields of Chemistry and Physics. I prefer to look towards Biology. It's defined as the "study of natural science: relating to living organisms. Including their structure, growth, function and evolution" it seems to me the most obvious choice to find the answers to my questions. I have read the books, I've studied the anatomy and I have experienced the pain required to fit it all together. Like Schrodinger's Cat when the box gets opened a certain reality collapses and we see it for what it truly is. Martial Arts opened the box for me many years ago. It changed my universal view. Quantum Mechanics has begun to describe what the Master's of the past understood hundreds of years ago. The key to life is energy. The universe exists so that life can exist. If these two things are interdependent and give rise to one another (as the Yin Yang symbol expresses) then also life exists so that the universe can exist. On a universal scale we can witness that balance needed to function right here on Earth. Where it's not too hot, not too cold. Not covered in desert, not drowning in vast oceans. Where we can breathe, which is the most important bridge between everything inside and everything outside of ourselves. Conditions here on Earth are "just right" like the third bowl of porridge or the third bed in the Bear's house Goldilocks visited. Balance is right here all around us. It has to be maintained or we may pay a price we haven't fully grasped yet. On a less galactic level, our bodies, our own microcosm must be maintained too. This is why we train. If you are interested and in the area (Edinburgh/Earth) I'll be teaching a workshop about energy cultivation and its importance. My ideas fall somewhere between Carl Sagan and David Ike and are no more/no less valid than any of theirs. :)

The Only Question Worth Asking

The Yin Yang. Beautiful in its symmetrical simplicity, perfect in every other way. It symbolises the very definition of "Arcane". Understood by very few yet recognised all over the planet.
Take a moment and look properly, it has become over used but its message remains valid. In it we can see everything that has and will happen in our life and in the universe around us. The energy that arises, how the forces of nature move with us and manoeuvre us on an unseen path. It is not to be taken lightly. The Ultimate principle of balance. You're mistaken if you think "I don't buy into that new age bullshit". You have no choice in the matter and there is nothing new age about it. Like the image of the five elements cycle it acts as a blueprint for existence so it is best for you to have a look at it and take a moment to reflect on the importance of this simple image.

My first real teacher in martial arts Sifu Steve Newby, to whom I will always be thankful for his guidance, used to say "There is only really one stupid question, and that is the question you ask on the bus on the way home". By this he meant the question that you could've asked in class when someone was there to answer it, but you didn't. Leaving it perhaps until the next week where it would most likely be forgotten and left unanswered. However I've been around long enough to know that there is in fact more than one stupid question but once again the lesson remains!

So if the "Yin" of stupid questions exists then what must arises from it is the "Yang" of intelligent questions. Like the singular significant black dab that appears within the symbol, what is that overriding query that sticks out from all the white noise around it? What is the vital question we need to ask to elicit as much information about as possible? What is the name of this technique? Does the hand go like this or like this? Should I make a longer or shorter step? What is the application of this bit? Would this work for real? All of these questions I believe are secondary to the only question worth asking: What is the energetic consequence of this technique?

To understand the meridian system within the body is the greatest reason to pursue Martial Arts. Not only will it give longevity to the pursuit due to its complexity, the small revelations that you make on the way will give longevity to your life. Correct alignment allows the energy to flow throughout which means you stay healthy. Is that not the best reason to train? Not everyone wants to learn weapons or train how to fight but everyone wants to be healthy. Through motion we can find stillness and clarity. Through the stillness of meditation the motion of our  internal energy systems will bring about real benefits.

I have trained the internal martial arts for a while certainly, but not as long as others and certainly not with the same single-mindedness. I began my training in the Yang of external arts and have found that those energies that I mentioned in the first paragraph have coerced me toward the Yin. Study any martial art long enough and you will reach the same point: exactly the opposite place you thought you would find yourself! If you began in Yang you will conclude in Yin. Likewise greater understanding of the Yin will no doubt lead you into the Yang. It isn't some unknown coincidental factor it is the natural flow of things explicitly illustrated in the formula of the Yin Yang symbol.

Never Sidestep the truth

The internet changed everything. It hasn't been around all that long but it has had a significant impact on Martial Arts. There are plenty of positives to the profligacy of information and ease of use of social networking sites. What would the Masters of the past think about such freely given knowledge? Online stuff is a great resource but should never be the only source information. An instructor is the way to go for sure, but if you can find a Master then don't let the opportunity pass you by. Hands on personalised teaching from an authority. The best moments I have received in my training come from stuff that would never of made the final cut of the DVD. The off the cuff remark, a throw away application or an anecdote that positively oozes worldly experience. If we have a look at You Tube or similar it is clear that a lot of people out there are into this Martial Arts thing. However a significant amount of folk have put themselves into that position of authority that I mentioned. The thing that stands out to me is that it is not generally the original poster of a video but the guy in the comment section. Nothing wrong with constructive criticism, but it often walks a fine line of abuse, with the emphasis on the "why it's wrong". Surely as a brother and sisterhood in the Combat Arts we can get along? Some of the things written in comment sections would never be said aloud so why say them? Then a spat begins that not only makes both sides look ridiculous it makes the whole idea or concept seem nothing more than an ego contest. Martial Arts are easy to mock and laugh at, seriously look at us waving our arms around whilst in our pyjamas. It's funny but it's not ridiculous to be passionate about something. When we get into pointless arguments on the internet however it becomes ridiculous and not funny. I asked before what would the Masters think of such freely given knowledge? I can assure you that it wasn't that it would become abused in such a way.
It isn't just reserved for the internet. I tend to avoid reading Martial Arts magazines as they infuriate me more so than You Tube comments. However I recently picked up a publication. A columnist gave me further pause for thought. An entire article from a guy complaining about dodgy certification of instructors in "the business", while at the same time advertising an instructor training programme for his own made up system. Which of course is under his own authority. How ludicrous to not be able see your own flaws. Sometimes I think Martial Arts are in a bad way and that it is all futile. However I take heart that there are still good people out there training and teaching and passing on vital knowledge. They tend to not teach systems though, they teach artforms that in turn were taught to them by their Masters. I appreciate that we are all human and that we don't have all the answers. We make mistakes and we sometimes fail at seeing an intended application or we miss a piece of the puzzle. We can even become trite under appraisal. I have seen Masters make mistakes too. It happens, lets not pretend it doesn't. They as much as you or I are still on that journey, so we should allow for errors as long as they are processed properly then corrected. On the debatable certification issue, in this day and age there is only really one authority that you should train under(if you cant find a Master that is) It is an unsung hero but luckily I have it. It doesn't make me a Master but it means you can put your trust in me. It doesn't prove my ability but it proves my sense of responsibility. It was issued by DSC Insurance Services and it proves you are safe in my class.
I still believe in Martial Arts and Martial Arts practitioners, but sometimes I get bogged down by the bullshit that goes along with it. It saddens me that we can't all unite and get on with it. When I think of the Masters of the past I think about what made them different. They operated in a different world but they aren't all that distant. All a Master really is, is a beginner who didn't give up.

Reflections on a war

WOW! what an excellent weekend of Martial action at our clash in the capital at the Edinburgh Open. A very slick and well organised event indeed with competitors from across Europe. This did cause the day to drag on quite a bit, but no one can be held responsible except the sheer volume of competitors(maybe it needs to be split over two days next year?). I think it is safe to say that this was some of the toughest battles my guys have come up against in quite a while, and man did they do me and themselves proud! It really took me back to the old fights I competed in when I was younger and hungrier. I enjoyed watching the events unfold before me and it got me to thinking that things haven't changed all that much. There were some stylish fighters, some not so stylish (but efficient none the less) there were bum calls from judges, there were good calls from judges, there was skill, there was will, there was hatred and there was respect. Awesome what a sport to be involved in. Despite the nature of the beast i.e (and on a very base level) you are there to punch/kick someone more often or harder than they do you, most folk are pleasant and grounded. It is hard to get above yourself when there is a queue of folks waiting in the wings to bring you back to earth more often than not with a definitive bump!
One thing I have tried to drill into the guys I am lucky to have in my fighting squad is to never, ever judge an opponent by the way he/she looks. I have, and have seen others, fall foul to "the idea of a fighter" before a punch has even been thrown. Big guy, young guy, athletic guy, pretty guy doesn't make the slightest bit of difference. I have seen them all crumble when they are caught in the solar plexus with a perfectly executed side kick, I have seen that look in their eyes when the plan they had falters at the end of a 12oz glove with their face attached to it. Likewise I have seen the skinny guy, the sheepish guy, the not so pretty guy drop to a knee grit his teeth and rise. Two arms, two legs that is what most of us have in common, that is why no matter what style we practice we are a brotherhood, a sisterhood a martialhood. Most fighters know this. Brawlers don't but that is why they choose their targets/victims carefully and out of fear. A fighter is not afforded that luxury, they face the guy/girl two metres across from them at the given moment in a small act of bravery. It is not the fighter that needs to know this, it is the role of the officials to watch the fight and not the fighter. That is the toughest battle we face. I have seen referees shout "fight!" then I have watched as their eyes drift to the guy in the flash suit, the big guy, the loud guy and I have seen them think "I wonder what this guy will do he looks like he knows what he is doing" And while that is happening I have seen that same guy getting scored upon. We cannot blame them as I have seen fighters do exactly the same thing. I have seen more than capable fighters diminish, tighten up and play it safe as they think "I wonder what this guy will do he looks like he knows what he is doing" As a coach the best advice I can give any tournament fighter is "fuck that, stop that". You are not here to wonder what your opponent will do, you are here to make them do what you make them do. Don't look at who they are, look at what is scoring, what technique is landing and keep doing it.
The greatest truth that any tournament fighter should know is that you are only ever as good as your last fight. Not even that, you'll only ever amount to your last training session. There is not a single fight or fighter that can't be beaten. We must face only one opponent, if you have doubt then you also face yourself as an opponent. What odds do you prefer, one on one or two on one?
If we are only ever as good as our last fight then I am lucky enough to have some serious talent in my ranks. Well done team.

The debate as old as the styles

It never seems to go away, Traditional Martial Arts v Mixed Martial Arts. I would've thought by now that we could reach a conclusion, it's not like people are shy at giving their opinions via the interweb. Well here is mine (ironically via the interweb :) I don't care either way, have both or have neither. Most importantly can we stop going on about it? The real problem comes when we start to argue about which is better. Who would win? Could TMA's Dad beat up MMA's Dad! I've said it before not all Martial Artists are fighters and not all fighters are Martial Artists. A pensioner who has dedicated 20 years to Tai Chi has no more and no less merit than a younger person who has dedicated 10 to Kickboxing. Both Martial Artists but only one is "a fighter". A gangster who once stabbed some hapless victim in the back, or a person who devoted years to becoming a heavyweight boxing champion. Both fighters only one can be described as  "an artist".
 Why is it that we as Martial Artists are expected to be both? By all definitions a discuss thrower should be good at 100m hurdles, a javelin thrower good at the pole vault. They're both athletic events after all. A rugby prop should play well as a basketball centre, it is after all a ball sport! Fighting is only one aspect of Martial Arts. It seems to me that MMA practitioners expect an awful lot from TMA practitioners. "If (INSERT STYLE) is so good, why hasn't one of the so called masters stepped into the Octagon?" You've heard that asked right? what about this? (which may never have been asked): "If George St Pierre is such a great martial artist why doesn't he demo his skill with the spear or the sword?"
I'm being deliberately obtuse as I'm clearly asking the wrong question. The debate really is as old as the styles, but unlike the styles it hasn't evolved.
A traditional guy would get his ass kicked that's why they don't do it! We are told. www.youtube.com/watch?v=51rOr2srDhc
That is Cung Le a Sanda fighter knocking out someone in the Octagon within 20 seconds or so. Sanda is of course a traditional fighting form, so what do you mean? Some other traditional form? Like Jujitsu maybe?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSYmUtqCYeY, What about wrestling? That's probably the oldest fighting form we know off www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBnWgT2en1U. Obviously there is a vital role in MMA for tradition. In fact MMA has much debt to TMA and vice versa. MMA isolated one aspect and ran with it to great success. This is a great thing made possible by traditions past. TMA guys get over it, it isn't ruining the style. It is making it more culturally ubiquitous. People see it and fancy doing something like it because it has a certain appeal. Many don't want to get hurt so approach the side of the martial art not devoted to competitive fighting. I've done both, after getting my black sash I scouted around to develop. I dabbled in MMA whilst having a go a BJJ. I remember in the same week we received the same lesson in an escape from an armbar. The MMA solution was brilliant in its brutal efficiency, the BJJ brilliant in its technical efficiency. Both brilliant both efficient so I took both with me.
 One of the first lessons taught to me by Sifu Steve Newby was to fold my arms: Please give it a go.
Have a look, most people have their dominant arm on the bottom (maybe not doesn't matter). Fold your arms the other way with your dominant arm on the top. Feels weird but has the same final result. You just achieved the same result from a different approach-no big deal, I'm over it already! The point is what are you trying to achieve? Why do YOU do Martial Arts?
 TMA has evolved in some form to become MMA, yet still the debate goes on and on, endlessly repeated never resolved, never evolving. How boring!
When does a discuss thrower have to be good at 100m hurdles? When they choose to compete at Heptathlon that's when. You decide what you want to train, you decide what lessons you take as useful. You don't get to decide which one is better, only which one is more suited to you. Do you want to be a Fighter? Maybe you want to be more? Maybe you want both or maybe you want to be a Rugby prop who plays basketball? It's up to you, but you don't have the right to tell anyone otherwise.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7PPWgQiNtQ

The Warrior Vs The Hero

Everyone seems to be in a philosophical mood at the moment it would appear. Maybe it's the time of year that makes us pause to reflect? We know that there is good and that we have much to be thankful for, but maybe it is something far deeper we have yet to understand? Whatever it is, it is undeniable that something is going on. There is obvious disillusionment that even borders on despair. We know that many things must be destroyed: corruption in all forms (spiritual/physical/monetary), tyranny and fear, oppression, injustice, obsolete systems of government, corporate hierarchies and unfulfilling lifestyles and relationships. (yeah sorry it's going to be one of them blogs-heavy!) I can see it in the art that we are producing, in the films and the music, in the books people write and in our media. We are all tired, but possibly on the verge of something great. A revolution? Every revolution begins with a different way of thinking and that is what I see now. We are saturated as a race and we seek to wring ourselves out. Thinking and theorizing is all well and good but we must leave this place and move to action. In times past we have turned to the warrior. Sadly the Warrior Class has been oppressed. They have been viewed negatively sometimes for good reason. On a planet where warfare has reached such "monsterous and pervasive proportions" this type of aggression and forward momentum is viewed very warily indeed. In the west we opted for a more suitable female friendly "soft masculine" whose time has passed. Aggression can be positive, a stance towards life that rouses,  motivates and energizes us to take the offensive against life's problems. A warrior acts because he/she has to. No questions asked! A warrior is decisive with his/her life. Through training they gain awareness, clarity of mind and have purpose behind their actions which means they can engage against the problem, whatever it is: a shit Government, a shit boss, a shit relationship it really extends to the minor things in life too. A warrior doesn't need to be a hero, you don't need to overdo it!! Drama for the sake of drama, don't use more energy on a problem than you have to. That is what makes the warrior much more important than the hero and much more useful. A warrior can be called on again at any time to face future trials. Don't set out to be a hero, just be, it is only your peers that get to decide if you are a hero or a villain. Times are changing folks, we all feel it right? The battle plan is getting drawn up- we each have to decide where we will be most useful.

Breakthrough China Blog

This one should actually be titled, when did the irrelevant become relevant? If you haven't had the chance to visit China, go, I implore you to find a way. China makes no sense whatsoever, yet it is a society that has functioned for thousands of years long before we (the west) figured it out what to do with ourselves. How it functions is actually unfathomable but looking from the outside it seems to be based around filtering bullshit.It is truly a wonderful place that I cannot do justice to in a simple blog. I promise to write more about it in the near future. In basic terms China changes you. I am a very lucky guy to have experienced it a few times now but I remain jealous of people doing it for the first time. It's not so much an assault on the senses, it's more like being asked a question in a quiz you don't know the answer to nor the rules of the game you are engaged in: ie you may fluke the correct answer but still not win the point! A good 85 to 95% of the time you do not know what is going on, the culture is so far removed from what's normal in the west that it is preposterous to even try to get a handle on it. If you try to achieve something it fails for a number of intangible but perfectly reasonable reasons. You may try again but eventually you give up and appreciate that whatever you were trying to achieve really wasn't that important in the first place. If you don't have this ability to say "fuck it" then perhaps you are not felicitous for life in the east, that is not the fault of China more a character flaw within yourself. A minor anecdote if you will indulge me. We were asked to demo our skills after a meal with various Masters which included much drinking of Chinese white spirit called Baijiu. So we moved next door to a theatre owned by a local film star where we were added to the bill of an ongoing show. We then demonstrated our martial arts to sound effects provided by one of our top instructors who had been introduced previously as a professional singer from England, who had just completed a stint singing "You are my Sunshine" From this Demo a job was offered to teach the entire Hunan Police force arresting techniques to one of my Sifus!! I Swear you can't make it up. some say truth is stranger than fiction. I say China is weirder than a bottle of crisps. I loved every second of the trip and there were many more stories to spring from it which I will put down in this blog.
Truth is I really struggled this time to readjust to life over in my homeland. My outlook has changed and I see the irrelevance of many things over here. So much so I had to disappear for a couple of days to Buddhist community on a secluded island just off the west coast of Scotland. For real check out the great work going on on the Holy Isle.http://www.holyisland.org/ Life in the west has lost it's focus on what is important. We have put too much time and effort into pointless ventures that hold no bearing on what is needed in society. Not just at this point in our development as a Human race but in general, we have strayed very far from the path that most matters. Until today I was sure there were only two ways to knock someone out, either Neurological means or vascular methods. Then I sat through some IT training, to be fair it was a bit of a combination of both. Neurological from boredom and vascular from lack of air in the dryness of the delivery. I have shifted in my consciousness and see the world in the bigger picture, much of the credit goes to Grandmaster Li Zhiyi and to China. There is a man who has it right. Again a blog shall follow about this unique man (pic)
I need to sum it all up, what is today's message? I wish I lived in China? Yes maybe. But relevance still exists in Martial Arts. It is one thing that will always be relevant in a world full of inconsequential training schemes, jobsworths and enhanced advertisements (seriously that's a thing now-check out http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/shazam-introduces-engagement-metric-tv-ads-150450 also fuck me there is a website called adweek.com)
All Martial techniques are valid, sure we can learn locking, chokes and Chi Na even though in reality we'll just slug someone. Even though we know punching someone in the street is not as valid as using an open hand, you know what? we'll still feed them a haymaker against all our training, it's life it's who we are. But we need to maintain those techniques- if we engage in a debate with someone who has all the facts we will lose. If we engage in a scrap with someone who has more physical answers we will lose . Keep your martial arts relevant but above all keep your life relevant.