Block or Flinch in martial arts?

In my karate classes I have been trained to respond to an incoming strike or kick with an evasion or block (or both simultaneously). The same principle applies in my kobudo training and in the very small amount of ju-jitsu that I have done. Evade and/or block seems to be a universal tactic in martial arts in response to an incoming attack.

To perform this tactic I need to perfect distancing and timing, and to make some quick judgements about what type of punch or kick is coming towards me so that I can choose the appropriate direction to evade and the correct block to use. That's a lot of information for my poor brain to process in a split second! If I get it wrong I will get hit! I have no idea whether I could successfully evade or block a strike in real life because no-one has ever tried to hit me for real.

However, what I do know is that if anyone did suddenly throw a surprise attack at me I would flinch very quickly to block the attack. I know this because the flinch response is hardwired into my brain - it's instinctive, I wouldn't be able to not do it! This is true for all of us.

So what exactly is the flinch response? The flinch response is an unconscious response to a perceived threat. Basically, when the human body perceives a threat, the body responds to ward off the threat through a series of reflex actions. The flinch response is not a true reflex which involves a reflex arc operating purely at the level of the spinal cord and bypassing the brain altogether e.g. the withdrawal reflex where your hand would automatically pull away if it touches a hot object like an iron. The flinch response involves a whole set of autonomic and somatic pathways that pass through the amygdala part of the brain. However it still bypasses the conscious part of the brain and thus occurs much more quickly than if we were consciously aware of it.

Apparently there are three different types of flinch:

1. Push away danger - You may have experienced this flinch as a front seat passenger in a car when you don't perceive the driver to be braking hard enough to prevent hitting the car in front!
2. Head Shield - The hands, forearms and elbows come up to protect the face and head, the shoulders rise, and head retracts.

3. Shield and Turn - This form of the flinch is associated with a threat that is picked up with the peripheral vision. This involves an arm, forearm and elbow shield that is raised to the side of threat with a circular/angular movement down and away from the line of the threat.

These three types of flinch have a few things in common: They generally lower and widen the centre of balance; the arms are placed into defensive positions that cover the mid line of the body and help defend vital points; the eyes focus intently on the threat; the breath is exhaled quickly which is a component of both absorbing shock from an incoming blow and delivering a blow with power, and the fingers are webbed and spread for additional coverage and protection.

The other important thing about the flinch response is that because it is a series of reflex actions that pass through the brain (rather than bypassing it) it can be consciously modified and therefore utilised by martial artists as part of their defense strategy. It occurs almost instantaneously in response to a threat even preceding the adrenaline induced fright/flight response.

So why don't we use it more in martial arts? Relying on our own genetically hardwired self-defense responses has got to be quicker and more effective than training to evade and block an attack in umpteen different ways and then hoping you've chosen the right one!

In fact there are some new and developing self-defense systems that are based around the flinch response. The person who has led the way in this is Tony Blauer who has conducted over 20 years of scientific and empirical research into the flinch response and then developed a new close quarter combat (CQC) system based on this research called SPEAR (Spontaneous Protection Enabling Accelerated Response). In the UK a Martial Arts school in Northumbria has developed a new self-defense system called DFM (Directional Fighting Method) which is also based on the flinch response. You can find out more about SPEAR and DFM by clicking on the links below.

Here's Tony Blauer talking about the flinch response:



So where do you stand on the use of the flinch response - do you utilise it in your martial arts practice?

http://www.flinchresponse.com/authors.asp?authorid=55264
http://www.fullcombat.com/Articles/Motivational/PhysiologyofSurvival.html http://www.tonyblauer.com/
http://www.dfmmartialarts.co.uk/principles.html


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Pine winds and the King's crown

I am learning a new kata called Matsukazi, though in some styles the kata is still known under the older name of Wankan. However, you mustn't confuse this kata with the Shotokan version of Wankan, which is completely different.

I decided to try and research the origins and meaning of Matsukazi/Wankan. This is what I have managed to piece together:

Apparantly Wankan is one of the oldest kata still practised today. It comes from the Tomari-te style of karate and is preserved in Shito-ryu, Matsubayashi-ryu (Shorin-ryu) and some other styles. Tomari-Te was developed during the 19th century out of the Shuri-Te style of karate. Tomari was a small fishing village near Shuri, though it is now in the district of Naha on the island of Okinawa. The differences between the two styles is slight. However, there were several Chinese visitors to the Tomari region that did not reach Shuri so their teachings did not originally influence Shuri-Te, though later an exchange in ideas and katas did take place. Many kata became part of both styles but there are several kata that are unique to Tomari-Te. These include Wankan.

However, Wankan is probably older than 19th century. It is thought to have been introduced to Kudaka Island before reaching Tomari by a Chinese kempo pratitioner who may have used the name Wankan as his own. Wankan's Chinese origins lie in the Hakkyoku ken system of Kempo.

It is suggested that the kata became a family kata of the Ryukyu royal family handed down for many centuries from generation to generation. In fact, the name of the Kata literally means "King's Crown" or "King's Victory", which may be a reference to the royal significance of the Kata.

An actual lineage for Wankan may be something like this (at least for its inclusion in the Shito-ryu style):

Chinese kempo > Okinawa-te > Tomari-te > Matsumara Kosoku (one of the founders of Tomari-te style) > Itosu Yasutsune > Mabuni Kenwa (founder of Shito-ryu)

When it also became known under the name Matsukaze (meaning "pine tree wind" or "wind through the pine") is unclear but may be when the kata was brought to Japan.

So, what does the kata mean? Matsukaze is considered to be an intermediate kata in Shito-ryu and in Shukokai. It contains both offensive and defensive techniques done together in one motion at various points. It is said that the meaning "pine tree wind" suggests strength but flexibility in the face of adversity, like a pine tree on top of a mountain facing fierce winds. Thus, all movement is in the forward direction, driving the opponent backwards or standing ones ground.

A slightly more pragmatic interpretation is suggested by the alternative translation of the word Matsukazi which apparantly is "jugular vein region of the throat", one of the body's most vital points. In fact, all attacks in this kata are focused on the body's three most vital points - the jugular vien (matsukaze), the solar plexus (suigetsu) and the groin (kinteki).

Both of these interpretations offer useful insights into the meaning of the kata. Thinking about the steps in the kata there is an emphasis on moving forwards a lot, either moving several steps forward in cat stance or with an alternating kick, strike sequence. The neck is also attacked at several points i.e. a cross-block is performed suggesting a strangulation technique where the crossed arms form a 'v' around the throat and the collar of the clothing is grabbed and pulled sharply together to assist the strangle. Several shuto blocks are performed which could represent strikes to the throat. Several punches are thrown at both chudan and jodan level and the kick sequence could certainly be aimed at the groin. All this fits in with the tomari-te style which emphasises defending and attacking the mid-line.

There are also two points in the kata where you stand still and use a sequence of side-evasion, blocks and counter strikes which fit in with the idea that this kata uses both defensive and offensive moves simultaneously.

Wankan kata was the absolute favourite kata of the famous master and founder of Matsubayashi-ryu - Shushin Nagamine (1907 - 1997). Here is a video of him performing the kata in 1992.




Here is the Shito-ryu version of Matsukaze - performed a little quicker!




Sources:

http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/023/eng/008/001/index.html
http://www.bushido-kai.net/images/downloads/Empi.Matsukaze.Wankan.pdf
http://i-budo.org/content/view/284/29/
http://us.geocities.com/matsubayashiryu/kata_history.html

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Martial Arts World Record Attempt - help needed

On Saturday August 1st there will be an attempt to break the world record for the highest number of martial artists training at one time. 1000 martial artists are needed for this attempt - training with their own club on Seaburn Beach , Seaburn, County Durham.

They have not yet got enough people to break the record and need support from more clubs. If your club can help out and you fancy training on a beach with 1000 other martial artists please phone Brian Ford on 07794 411447 to book your club a place. This is also a sponsored event to raise money for Cancer Research UK and is supported by Martial News.

To summarise the details:

Date: Saturday August 1st
Time: 8-10am (while the tide is out)
Venue: Seaburn Beach, Seaburn, County Durham. (Near Sunderland)
Who: Any style martial arts club
Why: To be part of a world record attempt, have fun and raise money for charity.

Brian ford said: "This will help to put martial arts firmly in the regional and national media in a positive light. But more importantly, it will help to raise money for Cancer Research UK"

So if you can help just phone Brian Ford on 07794 411447

I wish I could go but unfortunately my sensei is unable to take our club up to Seaburn on that day due to other commitments. But I'll be there is spirit!




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Guy Fawkes Night - November 5th

Guy Fawkes Night or, more commonly, Bonfire Night is an annual British custom held on the evening of November 5th to celebrate the thwarting of the 'gunpowder plot' - an act of treason against the British government in 1605 by Guy Fawkes and his catholic co-conspirators whereby they attempted to blow up the Houses of parliament with barrels of gunpowder secretly placed in the cellars. They were caught, tried and executed using the particularly nasty method referred to as 'hanged, drawn and quartered' to reflect the particularly serious crime of treason.

In the UK, particularly in England the 5th of November is still commemorated each year with fireworks and bonfires culminating with the burning of effigies of Guy Fawkes (the guy). The 'guys' are made by children by filling old clothes with crumpled newspapers to look like a man. Tradition allows British children to display their 'guys' to passers-by and asking for " A penny for the guy".

This video outlines the Guy Fawkes tradition (it's designed for 'English as a foreign language' students - so bear with it!)

The tradition and the 'Remember, remember' rhyme serves as a warning to each new generation that treason will never be forgotten.

Remember remember the fifth of November

Gunpowder, treason and plot.

I see no reason why gunpowder, treason

Should ever be forgot...

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What factors make a martial arts instructor good?

I promised a couple of posts ago that I would tell you what factors I thought made a good instructor. Here is my list of expectations (I'm a very demanding student!):

1. I expect him/her to train me correctly in all aspects of the syllabus.

2. I expect him/her to correct me when I get it wrong and encourage me when I get it right.

3. I want him/her to push me and motivate me so that I can be the best I can.

4. I want to trust him/her to ensure my safety and know what to do if there is an accident.

5. I want the classes to be serious but fun at the same time.

6. I want to have a good grounding in the traditional stuff but have a chance to learn and experiment with more modern techniques.

7. I need my instructor to be friendly and approachable but also authoritative and in control of the class.

8. I need to respect him/her.

I don’t want much do I?

Does my instructor deliver? Yeah, he delivers pretty well on all these aspects. So how does he do it? Well, student’s eye view, but I think he does it like this:

He is very passionate about martial arts – it’s his life, his job. He trains regularly himself with other instructors and even occasionally with his own sensei. He continues to develop himself – he does aikido training and occasionally some jujitsu training as well as attending various seminars. New things he learns he brings back to class.

He plans every lesson and doesn’t just make it up on the night. He thinks about the pace of the lesson and each lesson is structured differently, there is no predictable routine. He is upbeat, injecting a lot of energy into the class -you never get bored.

He knows everybody in the club. He has over 160 members between his 3 clubs but he rarely forgets a name. He knows everybody’s skill level, their strengths and weaknesses and gives everyone a bit of personal attention in the lesson. You never feel that you are just an anonymous student in the class.

In my view he is a good instructor.




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