The Cane: Part 12 – The Lunge

One-hand cane thrusts can kill or seriously injure an opponent when directed at a vital point. They extend your reach and range and add an element of surprise when the primary method of fighting is based on cuts. For all of these reasons one-hand thrusts should be in your repertoire.

Four basic lunge variations can be combined with the one-hand thrust.

(1) Forward Hand Straight Lunge
(2) Forward Hand Reverse Lunge
(3) Rearward Hand Straight Lunge
(4) Rearward Hand Reverse Lunge

Forward Hand Straight Lunge
The Forward Hand Straight Lunge starts from a one-hand cane forward guard stance. It’s executed by pushing off the rear foot, stepping forward with the front foot, and extending the cane “thru” the target. This lunge is the classis fencing lunge. The depth of the lunge – the distance between the front and rear feet at full extension – is determined by the distance to the target and your ability to recover from the lunge. At full extension, the knee of the forward leg is directly beneath the elbow of the extended cane arm.

In general, deep sport fencing style lunges are not recommended because most people recover from them too slowly and since the cane is unlikely to finish the opponent instantly you must assume your opponent will be capable of a counter-attack even if your thrust is well placed.

But, shallower lunges are very appropriate and may be combined with advancing steps to close longer distances.

Forward Hand Reverse Lunge
The Forward Hand Reverse Lunge starts from a one-hand cane forward guard stance. It’s executed by stepping forward with the rear foot, pushing off the former front foot into the lunge, and extending the cane “thru” the target.

Reverse lunges are notable in that the forward foot in the fully extended lunge position is the foot opposite from the cane hand. This lunge develops a bit slower but covers a greater distance with the same degree of extension – depth of lunge.

Rearward Hand Straight Lunge
The Rearward Hand Straight Lunge starts from a one-hand cane rearward guard stance. It’s executed by stepping forward with the rear foot, pushing off the former front foot into the lunge, and extending the cane “thru” the target.

This is the same motion pattern as in the Forward Hand Reverse Lunge. However, because the cane is held in the rearward hand, the cane arm and the stepping and lunging leg are on the same side of the body and the end result is a classic lunge extension with the knee of the forward leg directly beneath the elbow of the extended cane arm.

The Rearward Hand Straight Lunge also covers approximately the same distance as the Forward Hand Reverse Lunge. And, because of the greater distance traveled by the cane tip (from the rear hand position to a front hand lunge) along with the natural twisting of the torso inherent in this motion this is the most powerful of the four basic lunges. It delivers the greatest amount of kinetic energy to the target.

Rearward Hand Reverse Lunge
The Rearward Hand Reverse Lunge starts from a one-hand cane rearward guard stance. It’s executed by pushing off the rear foot, stepping forward with the front foot, and extending the cane “thru” the target. This is the same motion as in the Forward Hand Straight Lunge, however, because the cane in held in the hand opposite to the lunging foot the end position is the same as in the Rearward Hand Straight Lunge.

In this lunge the cane tip travels about the same distance as in the Forward Hand Reverse Lunge. But, since the cane tip starts from the rear hand position the total reach of the Rearward Hand Reverse Lunge is the shortest of the four basic lunges.

Below the four lunges are ranked by reach from longest reach to shortest reach (for the same depth of lunge):

1st. Rearward Hand Straight Lunge
2nd. Forward Hand Straight Lunge
3rd. Forward Hand Reverse Lunge
4th. Rearward Hand Reverse Lunge

Rank them by power yields the same order, but ranking them by quickness of execution results in the following order:

1st. Forward Hand Straight Lunge
2nd. Rearward Hand Reverse Lunge
3rd. Forward Hand Reverse Lunge
4th. Rearward Hand Straight Lunge

Link to Other Topics in the Special Report: The Neko Ryu Cane

Merry Christmas

I'm taking the week off to celebrate Christmas. I wish you all a very merry one.

The Cane: Part 11 – One Hand Thrust

Most instructional manuals on stick fighting tell you that the stick is a striking or cutting weapon – not useful for thrusting. Then, later in the book, in discussions about practice stick fighting with a partner you’re warned against thrusting a stick at your partner because of the risk of injury.

It is precisely the risk of injury that makes one-hand thrusts an effective cane technique.

A one-hand cane thrust can kill or seriously injure an opponent when directed at a vital point such as the trachea (wind pipe), the forehead, eyes, or the bridge of the nose. It can also disrupt the opponent’s movement and balance when directed at the hollow under either clavicle (collar bone) or at the pelvis – the very top of the front of the thigh.

One-hand thrusts extend your reach and range and also add an element of surprise when the primary method of fighting is based on cuts.

For all of these reasons one-hand thrusts should be in your repertoire.


The Grip
On a crooked cane the best grip for a one-hand thrust is pistol-type grip at the crook’s shoulder. This grip allows a natural extension of your arm in line with the shaft of the cane and a natural position for the hand and wrist.

Execution
The thrust is executed by extending the arm to the target while simultaneously lunging in the direction of the target. To facilitate accuracy, full extension of the arm must be achieved before contact with the target.

Accuracy
Because the accuracy of a thrust is paramount, every cane training session should include practice thrusting at a small moving target. In fencing, this is known as “point control” and is just as essential with the cane as with the foil.

The Lunge
Four lunge variations can be combined with the one-hand thrust. They will be reviewed in the next post.

Link to Other Topics in the Special Report: The Neko Ryu Cane

The Cane: Part 10 – Backhand Horizontal Whip Cut

Like other whip cuts, the backhand horizontal whip cut “whips” around a loose grip on the crook of the cane while the arm rotates in a striking motion. Because it starts from the outside and also strikes to the outside this cut is only effective when combined with body motion (tai sabaki).

The backhand horizontal whip cut is a primary defensive strike. It’s initiated from a standard one hand cane rest position with the cane tip on the ground and a loose one hand grip on the crook - the normal position of a cane when used for support in walking or standing.

Because the cut is horizontal, a vertically oriented target is required for maximum effect. The natural targets of the horizontal whip cut are the side of the head, the naturally hanging or upraised arm (especially the elbow), or the leg (especially the knee or ankle).

To initiate the backhand horizontal whip cut begin a large arc from the shoulder moving the cane hand to the outside and up and further to the outside and through the target. As your upper arm makes its arc, your forearm straightens locking the elbow as the cane passes through the target. At the same time, the cane turns to the outside around your loose grip or wrist. Key to all of this movement is a simultaneous backward pivot step. The stepping foot (the foot on the same side of your body as the cane) moves back and toward your centerline and the pivoting foot turns to the inside around the ball of your big toe.

The pivot is toward the target and can be a 90° or as much as a 180° turn. The overall motion is similar to throwing a Frisbee sidearm but without cocking the arm in front of the chest.

Because of the multiple large arcs described by the cane, the forearm, the upper arm, and especially because the entire body pivots, the acceleration of the backhand vertical whip cut is very high and delivers a great deal of kinetic energy to the target.

Link to Other Topics in the Special Report: The Neko Ryu Cane

The Cane: Part 9 – Forehand Horizontal Whip Cut

Like all whip cuts, the forehand horizontal whip cut “whips” around a loose hand grip on the crook – or in some cases around a loose wrist - while the arm rotates in a striking motion.

The forehand horizontal whip cut is a primary defensive strike. It is initiated from a standard one hand cane rest position with the cane tip on the ground and a loose one hand grip on the crook - the normal position of a cane when used for support in walking or standing.

Because the cut is horizontal, a vertically oriented target is required for maximum effect. The natural targets of the horizontal whip cut are the side of the head, the naturally hanging or upraised arm (especially the elbow), or the leg (especially the knee and ankle).

To initiate the forehand horizontal whip cut you begin a large circle from the shoulder moving the cane hand to the outside and up and to the inside. While your upper arm makes this large circle, your forearm makes a large circle around the elbow and the cane circles the loose grip or wrist.

The overall motion is similar to throwing a baseball sidearm but without cocking the arm behind the shoulder.

Because of the multiple large circles described by the cane, the forearm, and the upper arm, the acceleration of the forehand vertical whip cut is very high – as it the resulting kinetic energy delivered to the target.

Link to Other Topics in the Special Report: The Neko Ryu Cane

The Cane: Part 8 – Backhand Vertical Whip Cut

The backhand vertical whip cut is a primary defensive strike used against a horizontal target to the outside of your cane hand.

The backhand cut starts from the standard one hand cane rest position with the cane tip on the ground and a loose one hand grip on the crook. The natural targets for the cut are an attacker’s clavicle (collar bone) or an outstretched arm.

To initiate the backhand vertical whip cut you begin a small circular motion to the inside and up and over to the outside with the cane. Your hand makes a circle around the wrist while your forearm makes a circle around the elbow and the upper arm makes a small circle around the shoulder.

The backhand cut is less powerful than the forehand. It’s very difficult to allow the cane crook to slip in your grip and hence turn independently from the hand. Also, the circles made with the forearm and the upper arm are smaller than normal in a forehand cut. These differences result in less acceleration, less velocity, and less kinetic energy delivered to the target.

Nevertheless, the backhand vertical whip cut is a strong strike that will damage the attacker and give you an opportunity to maneuver.

Link to Other Topics in the Special Report: The Neko Ryu Cane

The Cane: Part 7 – Forehand Vertical Whip Cut

The defining characteristic of all “whip cuts” is a one hand grip that allows the shaft of the cane to rotate about the hand while the hand and arm rotate in the striking motion.

The cane “whips” and strikes the target at about twice the speed available from arm motion alone. Because kinetic energy increases as the square of velocity, whip cuts are the most powerful strike with the cane – they deliver the greatest kinetic energy to the target.

The forehand vertical whip cut is a primary defensive strike. It is initiated from a standard one hand cane rest position with the cane tip on the ground and a loose one hand grip on the crook. This is the normal position of a cane when used for support in walking or standing.

An attacker’s outstretched arm or his collarbone (clavicle) are the natural targets of the forehand vertical whip cut. The cut is a downward, near vertical, strike that requires a near horizontal target for maximum effect.

To initiate the forehand vertical whip cut you begin a small circular motion to the rear and up and over to the front with the cane. Your hand makes a circle around the wrist while your forearm makes a circle around the elbow and the upper arm makes a circle around the shoulder. At the same time the cane is turning making a circle around the hand.

The overall arm motion is similar to a foreshortened throw of a baseball using the arm only. It starts with the baseball held in your hand with your arm dangling normally at your side. It begins with the baseball, hand, and forearm moving to the rear of your shoulder and rising above your shoulder before releasing the ball in front of your shoulder. Then the motion is completed with a follow through that ends with your hand and arm close to their starting positions.

These circular motions combine to accelerate the cane tip through the target.

Link to Other Topics in the Special Report: The Neko Ryu Cane

The Cane: Part 6 – One Hand Whip Cuts

Because it’s more difficult for an opponent to wrest control of your cane when you hold it with both hands, two hand cane techniques are more secure. In most circumstances, however, you naturally hold the cane with one hand.

If you’re surprised by an attack, or if you want to surprise your opponent, a one hand whip cut will bring the cane immediately into action delivering a high kinetic energy strike.

There are four basic one hand whip cuts. The defining characteristic that makes them all “whip cuts” is a loose one hand grip on the crook of the cane. The loose grip allows the shaft of the cane to rotate about the crook at the same time as the hand and arm holding the cane rotates in the striking motion. The cane “whips” and strikes the target at about twice the speed or velocity that would be available from arm motion alone.

Whip cuts can also be performed with a strong grip on the cane and a loose wrist. The loose wrist allows the cane, or other stick, to whip in a fashion similar to the loose grip whip cut.

As noted in Part 4 - Two Hand Cuts, the kinetic energy delivered by a cut is proportional to the velocity of the cut squared.

The four basic whip cuts are:

1. Forehand Vertical Whip Cut
2. Backhand Vertical Whip Cut
3. Forehand Horizontal Whip Cut
4. Backhand Horizontal Whip Cut

Each of the four basic whip cuts will be discussed in detail in following posts.

Link to Other Topics in the Special Report: The Neko Ryu Cane

Mind Over Muscle: Part 4 – Applying Judo to Life

“… seiryoku zenyo means bringing about maximum results through the use of every sort of energy … The results of anger are invariably a depletion of mental energy … Being disappointed or troubled by failures or setbacks, or harboring grievances are also ways in which mental energy is consumed. Arguments, fights – all these things are violations of seiryoku zenyo.”

“… those who practice judo and who follow the principle of seiryoku zenyo always have a calm spirit, enjoy life, and are enterprising.”

Jigoro Kano, founder of Judo, believed that seiryoku zenyo (Maximum Efficiency) is the key to success and happiness in life for individuals and for society. His words, quoted above from the compilation of his writings, "Mind Over Muscle", express his belief that negative emotions waste a person’s energy and thereby limit his ability to control his life and influence events.

One who has a calm spirit not only retains the ability to think clearly, but also conserves his energy for focused expenditure on important and real purposes.

“… the purpose of judo is to perfect oneself, to contribute to society, and to adapt oneself to the times.”

Professor Kano goes on to explain that there are three levels of Judo.

The Lower level is about learning the waza (techniques) and randori (free practice with a partner). In this level you develop your body and, through randori, you learn observation, patience, grace; you learn to learn. You learn the concepts of maximum efficiency and mutual prosperity. Society benefits because you become a more productive person.

The Middle level is where you develop a calmness of spirit derived from confidence, courage, and control of your emotions. Mastery of waza leads to feelings of pleasure and camaraderie. You fully accept maximum efficiency and mutual prosperity and you learn to clarify your goals. You learn much from observation.

The Upper level of Judo is where judoka find they apply the principles of Judo, maximum efficiency, mutual prosperity, and clarifying goals, to every aspect of their lives. They listen. They observe. They remain calm in the storm. Many become leaders because they learned important leadership skills in the dojo and because they calmly apply their energy in the most effective way

“As long as they believe that they have used their mental and physical energy most effectively, human beings will never lose hope, nor will they suffer undue anxiety. This is because, having used their energy most effectively, they have no room to expend it in any other manner.” So Professor Kano describes the perfected judoka. I haven’t met one yet and I don’t expect to. This is an ideal to strive for - but not one that can be grasped by living beings.

Nevertheless, this calm self-control, this centeredness is far more prevalent in long time martial artists that in any other group of people I’ve ever met.

Jigoro Kano’s essays on Judo and its principles are an important part of the literature of martial arts – especially so for those who practice Judo, Neko Ryu Goshen Jitsu, or another form of Jiu Jitsu

Link to the Special Report: Mind Over Muscle - Jigoro Kano's Judo

Mind Over Muscle: Part 3 – Clarify Your Goals

“In the end, you must clarify your goals. Once they have been clarified you must exercise your mental and physical energy in the most effective way in order to achieve them.” This quote, taken from Jigoro Kano’s essay “Judo and Intellectual Training”, introduces a third principle of Judo – Clarifying Your Goals.

Professor Kano, who founded Judo in 1882, extended his thinking about his martial art beyond the dojo and self-defense. He believed the practice and discipline of Judo leads to improved physical health, intellectual achievement, and improved moral character.

His beliefs in this regard were based on the two basic principles of Judo, Maximum Efficiency and Mutual Prosperity, and also on Clarifying Your Goals. He mentions this third principle numerous times in "Mind Over Muscle" essays directed at the external benefits of Judo.

In the essay, “The One True Path” Jigoro Kano writes, “… if our goal is not clear, the method cannot be determined. Once the goal has been clearly established, one can study how one’s energy can be put to use in order to achieve it – seiryoko zenyo (maximum efficiency).”

Maximum Efficiency means using your energy in the most effective manner to accomplish your goal. Professor Kano’s above quote makes it clear that to apply your energy most effectively, you must first fully understand your goal – you must clarify your goal.

In Judo and self-defense clarifying your goal means having a strategy for defeating your opponent. In physical, intellectual, and moral training it means knowing what you are trying to achieve. It means developing a plan to get you from where you are to where you want to be.

Clarify your goals.

Link to the Special Report: Mind Over Muscle - Jigoro Kano's Judo

Mind Over Muscle: Part 2 – Mutual Prosperity

“There are things that cannot be done alone but need the assistance of others.” So writes Jigoro Kano in his essay “Group Life and Judo”. In this essay from “Mind Over Muscle”, a compilation of the writings of Judo’s founder, Professor Kano introduces a second principle of Judo – Mutual Prosperity.

Mutual prosperity is a shortened form of “mutual prosperity through mutual assistance and concession” – in Japanese, “sojo sojou jita kyoei”

The meaning behind the term is that each member of a group should selflessly help other members of the group. As a result, the group will be in harmony and thus able to make the best use of its collective energy – maximum efficiency.

Since it takes only one individual to disrupt the harmony of a group, all members of the group must act considerately, avoid conflict, and avoid offending other members of the group. Furthermore, each group member has different strengths that can compliment and provide assistance to one another. This principle applies to groups great and small.

In the Judo dojo (training hall) its application is immediate and obvious. Judoka (judo practitioners) train as opponents. They attack each other and defend attacks. But they also train as partners. They teach each other and they protect each other from injury. They adhere to a set of rules that minimizes injury from judo waza (techniques).

When all judoka follow the rules and help one another, all benefit from increased learning, increased camaraderie, and improved conditioning without injury – in short - mutual prosperity.

Link to the Special Report: Mind Over Muscle - Jigoro Kano's Judo

Mind Over Muscle: Part 1 – Maximum Efficiency

Modern Judo is strongly tied to Olympic Judo and competitive sport Judo generally. That isn’t the thrust of the early writings of Judo’s founder.

Professor Jigoro Kano founded Kodokan Judo in 1882 and spent the remainder of his life, practicing it, thinking about it, and promoting it.

"Mind Over Muscle" is a collection of Jigoro Kano’s writings on the founding of Judo, the philosophical and social underpinnings of Judo, and the virtues developed through the practice of Judo. The collection was complied and edited by Naoki Murata and translated from the original Japanese by Nancy H Ross.

Professor Kano’s first principle of Judo, as described in “Mind Over Muscle”, is Maximum Efficiency.

In order to achieve any goal a person must use his mental and physical energy in the most effective manner possible so energy is not wasted and so the maximum possible power is applied toward the goal. This is the meaning of Maximum Efficiency.

The original Japanese term for this first principle is “seiryoku saizen katsuyo” and translates to “best use of one’s energy”. The original term was shortened to “Maximum Efficiency” which is commonly used within the Judo community.

As applied to martial arts and self-defense, maximum efficiency implies using the technique that is most effective in achieving your goal of self-defense under the circumstances at the time. If the most effective thing you can do is punch then punch – if throw then throw – if running away then run away.

Maximum efficiency implies designing techniques to use your energy in the most effective way so as to achieve the specific goal of the technique. Professor Kano used this criterion in selecting and modifying the techniques he included in the Kodokan Judo.

Maximum efficiency also implies using the most effective training methods when developing the appropriate skills in Judo practitioners (Judoka). Professor Kano believed the best way to develop Judo skills was to practice them extensively and frequently with a live opponent and fellow Judoka.

For this reason Judo techniques were selected and modified to allow safe full speed practice. This is also the reason “randori” – free practice Judo sparring – has always been a major element of training sessions in Judo dojos (training halls) around the world.

The first principle of Judo is “maximum efficiency” – using your mental and physical energy in the most effective way in order to achieve your objective.

Link to the Special Report: Mind Over Muscle - Jigoro Kano's Judo

Special Report: Mind Over Muscle - Jigoro Kano's Judo

Links to Other Topics in Mind Over Muscle - Jigoro Kano's Judo

"Mind Over Muscle" - Book Review
Mind Over Muscle: Part 1 - Maximum Efficiency
Mind Over Muscle: Part 2 - Mutual Prosperity
Mind Over Muscle: Part 3 - Clarify Your Goals
Mind Over Muscle: Part 4 - Applying Judo to Life

Neko Ryu General Principles: Part 8 – Life Balance

A centered life implies a general sense of calm self-control. It implies balance – a balance of your life energy such that each area of your life receives the energy required and appropriate at the time.

In Part 7 of this series I discussed spiritual balance and I equated it with “centeredness”. Being more centered than your opponent gives you an advantage in a confrontation. Centeredness is relative, however, and it affects to your entire life.

Each person acquires certain responsibilities from being a member of society. Still more responsibilities are voluntarily assumed by choices made. Choices like marriage, having children, starting a business, contracting for a mortgage, accepting an offer of employment.

Each relationship, role, and contract must be attended to. There is a minimum acceptable amount of attention and energy required to sustain each responsibility. As long as the sum of all required energy demands is less than the energy you have available then you are capable of a balanced life.

You can also choose to spend energy on non-responsibilities and that’s okay, even good for you, if you have an energy surplus after taking care of your responsibilities.

Being capable and being in balance are not the same, however. If you choose to spend more energy than necessary on some responsibilities and not enough on others; or so much energy on non-responsibilities that you haven’t enough left to satisfy your responsibilities, then your life will be out of balance.

Basic forms of personal energy are time, attention, stress, and money (essentially a store of time & attention). People have a limited amount of each form of energy, a budget if you will. Some have more than others, but no one has an unlimited supply. Warren Buffet has the same number of hours per day as you and, even with his billions of dollars, there is a limit to his money – it wouldn’t buy very many aircraft carriers.

Back to centeredness – calm self-control that preserves the ability to make reasoned decisions and take appropriate action. A centered person will nearly always be disciplined enough to take care of his responsibilities – to avoid overdrawing his bank account or his personal energy accounts through over-indulgence. He, like all others, is subject to the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" and Murphy’s Law. But he maintains his life in balance so that he is not the cause of his own misfortune.

The centered person dips lightly into his stress account. In nearly all situations, he retains his mental balance and the ability to make reasoned decisions and take appropriate action.
Centeredness, if nothing else, means the having the ability to limit, control, and manage stress so that getting “stressed out” is a very unusual event.

Once again, centeredness is a relative thing. When I write of “a centered person” I mean one who is significantly more centered than average. I’m certainly not describing a “Buddha-like” figure sitting in the lotus position humming “ommmmm…” in the middle of a battle field. Still less of Jesus arousing from a nap in the bottom of a boat in the middle of a thunderstorm and commanding the storm, “Peace, be still.”

I am talking about normal human men and women who have developed their mental and emotional self-control enough to keep their mental balance under conditions in which most people would be unbalanced.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Balance and Kuzushi

Neko Ryu General Principles: Part 7 – Spiritual Balance

What the heck is “spiritual balance”? I’m not discussing religion here. I’m a Christian and proud of it, but spiritual balance in the context of martial arts is being “centered” and staying centered under stress.

I firmly believe that religious faith gives you a leg up in becoming and staying centered, but it’s not a prerequisite.

People of all religious faiths achieve centeredness at higher rates than non-religious people. However, very few people are centered regardless of their religion, or lack thereof.

In my experience, as a group the people most centered are long term practicing martial artists. I speculate that developing true centeredness is highly correlated with dedication to a life-long process of self-perfection, knowing it can never be achieved, and knowing there is always more that can be done to improve.

Christians call it sanctification – the life-long effort to become like Christ.

Martial artists call it mastering the art but it doesn’t end when they reach the rank of “Master”. In most ranked martial arts one is call a master upon achieving the rank of 5th dan and most ranking systems extend to 10th dan.

Professor Ernie Cates, the founder of Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu, is 70 years old and is still learning and experimenting and expanding the Neko Ryu. There is no end except death.

Okay, so you’re not a long-term martial artist. You’re probably not really centered. Does spiritual balance apply to you? Yes, it does. Centeredness isn’t really completely achievable. It’s a relative thing and like the struggle for self-perfection one gets more centered but never completely centered.

If you are more centered than your opponent, you have an advantage. And, if you can “un-center” your opponent your advantage will increase.

Centeredness roughly equates to a calm self-control that preserves the ability to make reasoned decisions and take appropriate action. The opposite, un-centeredness, is emotionally clouded judgment that interferes with reasoned decision-making leading to inappropriate action.

To stay centered, or as centered as you can be, you control your anger, you overcome your fear, you stay loose, aware, and “in the moment”. To un-center your opponent you create fear, uncertainty, or anger. This is why verbal intimidation works, when it works, on the football field.

An old cliché says that when your opponent fears you will defeat him, he is already defeated. This, not some Asian death-wish is the reason Japanese samurai were taught to choose death when confronted with the choice between living and dying. This was supposed to remove the fear of defeat. This philosophy led Japan to defeat in World War II and I don’t recommend it.

Western culture substituted the virtues of courage and defense of others for the samurai choice and certainly, if you are a Westerner, the traditional Western cultural virtues will generally serve you better than adopted ones.

Spiritual balance, centeredness, is relative. You see a martial arts master and you think, “he seems so centered.” And you’re right. Compared to you and to most other people, he is much more centered. However, just like there is always someone stronger, smarter, or more skilled there is always someone more centered.

Becoming centered is a process, a path, not a destination.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Balance and Kuzushi

Neko Ryu General Principles: Balance – Part 6 – Mental Balance

When someone calls you mentally unbalanced you rightly assume you are being insulted – called crazy. But, if you are momentarily confused, disoriented, distracted, or indecisive, you are mentally unbalanced enough to give your opponent an opportunity to launch a successful attack.

Anything that causes you to hesitate or take inappropriate or ineffective action mentally unbalances you. Of course, if you cause your opponent (uki) to hesitate or take inappropriate or ineffective action you create a momentary advantage during which you can launch an attack.

The kiai or “spirit yell” can mentally unbalance your opponent taking him by surprise. Using words to make him think there is a threat behind him might make him hesitate or take inappropriate action.

Inflicting pain, even without inflicting damage, will distract most opponents inducing momentary confusion and lack of situational awareness as the brain focuses on pain. The momentary confusion can be enough to permit your decisive action.

Any unexpected action you take could result in uki’s hesitation as he tries to understand your action. Against a trained and experience opponent, however, your action will also need to be coordinated, balanced, and leave no unintended openings in your defense. Else, your experienced uki will convert your action into an opportunity to delivery his attack.

Creating an intentional opening in your defense might cause uki to move in a predictable way that you can use to unbalance him. It may also cause him to hesitate, undecided weather or not to attack the opening.

A stomp of the foot, a purposely telegraphed glance, a threat to his eyes or groin, a downward motion of your hand in front of uki’s face, a noise from an unexpected direction; any of these could create mental unbalance, kuzushi, in your opponent.

Create your own surprises and distracters and practice them. Add them to your daily drill until they become a natural part of your techniques tool box.

Virtually anything unexpected might possibly create a momentary mental unbalance in your opponent. The more unexpected the action the more likely it is to be effective. On the other hand, the more experienced your opponent the less likely uki is to become unbalanced and, if he is unbalanced, the quicker he will recover.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Balance and Kuzushi

Neko Ryu General Principles: Balance – Part 5 – Causing Uki to Move Predictably

You can put your opponent off balance, kuzushi, by forcing his center of mass past the edge of his balance zone or by extending his voluntary movement out of his balance zone. You can also off balance him by causing him to react in a predictable way and extending his reactive movement out of his balance zone.

Causing a predictable reaction from your opponent (uki) is also known as adversarial psychology. It takes advantage of your opponent’s mentally setting himself up as your opponent. As such, he wants to control you and he wants to not be controlled by you. So, when you act in a way that threatens to control him he naturally opposes your threat.

If you want uki to back up, pull him forward. If you want him to rise up, pull him downward; to go left, push right; etc. The objective is to apply enough force to convince uki that your threat is real so he will generate an opposing force. When uki exerts himself to oppose your force he is trying to move in exactly the way you want him to go – so you simply let him. You stop applying your initial force, you allow his force to move him, and you apply your preplanned real attack taking advantage of his movement.

A variation of this principle is the use of feints and combination attacks.

Feints are attempts to cause uki to react in a predictable way without applying force to uki’s body. Instead, you convince his mind that force will be applied in a certain way, expecting uki to defend against the threatened attack and give you an advantage – an opportunity to use his response directly or to quickly attack an opening created when he committed his body to defend the feint.

Similarly, a combination attack is an intentional but real attack with a planned follow up technique, or a drilled contingent technique to be executed if the original is unsuccessful. In either case, the follow up takes advantage of uki’s defense to attack an opening created by his movement.

Causing uki to move in a predictable manner is an effective way to set up your kuzush. When he moves as you predicted, and you are prepared to extend his movement or apply force in a way he does not expect, you can take his center of mass out of his balance zone. And, when his balance is gone, almost any technique will defect him.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Balance and Kuzushi

Neko Ryu General Principles: Balance – Part 4 – Using Uki’s Movement

Kuzushi, putting your opponent off balance, is about moving your opponent’s center of gravity (center of mass) past the edge of his balance zone. You can do it by helping uki do it himself.

Every time uki moves he creates momentum in the direction of his movement; the faster the movement the greater the momentum. The longer his movement in distance or time the easier it will be for you to take advantage of it.

When uki moves, he instinctively coordinates his body with the intended movement. If he punches, he may step forward extending his balance zone in the direction of his movement. Human movement normally follows this pattern. The center of mass moves in an intended direction and the feet move to maintain the balance zone around the center of mass in a coordinated and more or less simultaneous way.

Helping uki move his center of mass past the edge of his balance zone is done by extending his movement farther than he intended and faster than he can adjust his balance zone by repositioning his feet.

Using the simple straight punch as an example; when uki throws a right-hand punch and steps forward with his right foot his movement is coordinated and he adjusts his balance zone forward as his center of mass moves forward. By grasping uki’s wrist while his punching arm extends and pulling uki forward in the direction he is already moving, you can increase the speed of his upper body movement taking it further than uki intended - taking his center of mass beyond the edge of his balance zone. Then, with uki’s balance compromised you can effectively attack him with a throw or a strike.

This example demonstrates the principle. When uki moves his body in any direction you have the opportunity to add force and further accelerate uki’s body in the direction he is already moving - extending uki’s movement farther than he intended and likely beyond his balance zone.

In the next post I’ll explore causing uki to move predictably.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Balance and Kuzushi

Special Report: Expedient Weapons

Expedient Weapons: General
Expedient Weapons: Salt Shakers
Expedient Weapons: Ball Point Pen
Expedient Weapons: Pen Light
Expedient Weapons: Rolled Up Magazines
Expedient Weapons: Other Expedient Yawara Sticks

Special Report: Balance and Kuzushi

Links to the topics in the Special Report: Balance and Kuzushi:

Neko Ryu General Principles: Kuzushi
Neko Ryu General Principles: Balance - Part 1 - What Is Balance?
Neko Ryu General Principles: Balance - Part 2 - Retaining Your Balance
Neko Ryu General Principles: Balance - Part 3 - Applying Direct Force
Neko Ryu General Principles: Balance - Part 4 - Using Uki's Movement
Neko Ryu General Principles: Balance - Part 5 - Causing Uki to Move Predictably
Neko Ryu General Principles: Balance - Part 6 - Mental Balance
Neko Ryu General Principles: Part 7 - Spiritual Balance
Neko Ryo General Principles: Part 8 - Life Balance

Neko Ryu General Principles: Balance – Part 3 – Applying Direct Force

Kuzushi, putting your opponent off balance, is largely about moving your opponent’s center of gravity past the edge of his balance zone – but how do you do it?

Physically, there are three general approaches; (1) you can apply direct force to move your opponent; (2) you can take advantage of your opponent’s voluntary movements; or (3) you can apply a force to your opponent that produces a predictable response from him and then take advantage of the response.

All three approaches can be effective in the right circumstances. However, if your opponent is significantly bigger and stronger than you – as in a typical self-defense situation - the direct force approach is questionable.

Still, all three are useful especially when combined with mental and spiritual forms of kuzushi.

So, if you are going to apply direct force to move your opponent out of his balance zone choosing the direction of your force is extremely important. Notice the position of uki’s feet relative to his center of mass and either push or pull uki toward the closest edge of his balance zone.

His balance zone is a four-sided area described by the outside edges of both feet, a line connecting the balls of his two big toes, and a line connecting his two heels. Your primary objective in moving uki’s torso is the edge of his balance zone closest to his center of mass.

Understand that if uki can move his feet faster than you can move his center of mass you will fail to unbalance him in this try. You can make it difficult for him to move his feet by adding a lift component to your applied force taking his weight off his feet while you also move him laterally. You can also block or post the foot he is most likely to move planting your own foot so as to prevent the movement he needs to retain his balance.

Applying direct force to unbalance your opponent is a tactic commonly seen in sport Judo matches where contestants are matched in narrow weight ranges. It is not as useful in self-defense situations where your attacker is significantly bigger and stronger unless combined with other kuzushi techniques.

In the next post I’ll explore taking advantage of uki’s voluntary movement.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Balance and Kuzushi

Neko Ryu General Principles: Balance – Part 2 – Retaining Your Balance

Kuzushi, putting your opponent off balance, is largely about moving your opponent’s center of gravity past the edge of his balance zone or causing him to change his balance zone.

Retaining your own balance is about keeping your center of gravity within your balance zone. You maintain your ability to move fluidly. You stay loose. You keep your knees slightly bent. You keep your feet roughly shoulder-width apart. And you move with your opponent – anticipating him, responding to him, or leading him – but always adjusting your posture and your position to maximize your balance while moving, defending, and attacking.

Things to Avoid:
1. Standing with your knees locked degrades your movement response time and makes it easier for your opponent to take your balance because your center of gravity is locked on the end of the lever of your legs.

2. Standing with your feet close together shrinks your balance zone making your balance much less secure.

3. Standing with your feet too far apart only increases your balance zone on one axis. At the same time it greatly degrades your ability to move.

4. Keeping your muscles tense will turn your arms and legs into levers your opponent can use to move your center of gravity out of your balance zone.

In subsequent posts, I’ll explore methods of taking your opponent’s balance. I’ll also explore mental and spiritual forms of balance.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Balance and Kuzushi

Neko Ryu General Principles: Balance – Part 1 - What Is Balance?

It is only a slight exaggeration to say that balance is everything.

If your opponent has lost his balance you can easily defeat him using any of a variety of techniques. Conversely, if your opponent retains his balance defeating him with any technique is very difficult.

Balance works both ways. When you lose your balance your defeat is imminent. Retaining your balance you are difficult to defeat. And so, the combat between individuals or between armies and navies is largely a struggle to create an off-balance condition in your opponent while maintaining your own balance.

So what is balance; how do you keep it and how do you lose it?

The most obvious form of balance is the physical act of staying upright by keeping your center of mass (center of gravity) between your feet or other connections to the earth. When you stand on your two feet you have four supporting points; your two heels and the balls of your two feet. In gross terms keeping your physical balance means keeping your center of gravity (roughly the center of your abdomen) inside a four-sided area defined by your feet, a line connecting your heels and a line connecting the balls of your big toes. I’ll call that four-sided area the balance zone.

The shape of the balance zone constantly changes as you move your feet. But generally, the greater the distance your center of gravity is from the edge of your balance zone in any direction the more difficult it is to lose your balance in that direction. Naturally, the closer your center of gravity is to the edge - the easier it is to lose your balance in that direction.

Kuzushi, putting your opponent off balance, is largely about moving your opponent’s center of gravity past the nearest edge of the balance zone and/or causing your opponent to change his balance zone so that the particular edge you are preparing to attack becomes closest to his center of gravity.

In subsequent posts, I’ll explore methods of keeping your own balance and taking your opponent’s balance. I’ll also explore mental and spiritual forms of balance.

In conflict, balance, Kuzushi, is nearly everything. There’s no more important topic in the martial arts, in war, in politics, or in most other forms of competition.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Balance and Kuzushi

Neko Ryu General Principles: Maximizing Effectiveness – Curve Step

Moving with Curve Steps (or C-Steps) maximizes effectiveness by improving Kuzushi and conserving your attack options.

Curve steps are “L” shaped movements executed with one foot at a time. Usually the initial movement is down the long leg of the “L” to your front or rear with the short leg of the “L” usually extending the step to the outside – away from your center line.

A single c-step is essentially the same as a “Knight’s” movement is Chess. The c-step can be combined with a pivot to change your facing direction.

Every martial arts instructor I’ve studied under (all seven of them) taught me to use the c-step. But I didn’t understand it. I didn’t like it. And it seemed to add no value to my martial art or to my competitive abilities. I resisted using it and so, of course, it was of no value to me.

Grandmaster Moose Cates, the current head or Soke of Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu, taught the curve step in the recent Camp Budo martial arts seminar. When Grandmaster Cates fielded my questions I had an epiphany – an “ah ha!” moment. Suddenly I saw the c-step as part of my Kuzushi.

When you move your feet your opponent notices the motion; its direction, its speed, and its nature. Smooth steps in a straight line or in a smooth curve are easily predictable. Your opponent intuitively calculates the path your smooth step will take and uses it to set up his own technique or to disrupt yours.

The c-step is deceptive. It starts as a smooth linear motion and changes direction at the end. By itself this can alter your opponent’s balance both physically and mentally; setting up your technique or your follow up Kuzushi.

Because it’s a planned and drilled motion it enables you to change the end-movement of the step. It allows a last split second adjustment to uki’s body movement and position (your opponent or sparring partner is called uki).

There are other advantages to the curve step. It increases the “stroke” length when you use your body mass to apply power to uki. And, it puts you in position to rotate your hips into a strike or throw. But these are just nice additions to the core advantage of the c-step – maximizing Kuzushi and conserving attack options.

Now that I’ve had my epiphany, it’s obvious how important the curve step is in martial arts and self-defense. Kuzushi is the most important part of any attack. Once your opponent (uki) is well off-balance almost any technique will work. If uki retains his balance and a solid base - almost no technique will work.

Kuzushi is critical. Kuzushi is hard to learn (at least for me). And, the curve step makes it easier and more effective.

Link to other topics in the Special Report: Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu

Special Report: The Neko Ryu Cane

Links to the Special Report Topics - The Neko Ryu Cane
The Cane: Part 1 - Types of Canes
The Cane: Part 2 - Two Hand Strikes - Thrusts
The Cane: Part 3 - Two Hand Strikes - Butt Strokes
The Cane: Part 4 - Two Hand Cuts
The Cane: Part 5 - Two Hand Weapon Retention
The Cane: Part 6 - One Hand Whip Cuts
The Cane: Part 7 - Forehand Vertical Whip Cut
The Cane: Part 8 - Backhand Vertical Whip Cut
The Cane: Part 9 - Forehand Horizontal Whip Cut
The Cane: Part 10 - Backhand Horizontal Whip Cut
The Cane: Part 11 - One Hand Thrust
The Cane: Part 12 - The Lunge
The Cane Video - Introduction
The Cane Video - Two-Hand Thrusts
The Cane Video - Two-Hand Butt Strokes
The Cane Video - Two-Hand Backwards Strikes

Neko Ryu General Principles: Maximizing Effectiveness

Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu finds ways to make the most of what you’ve got. It was developed as a simple self-defense system for sedentary businessmen – not for world-class athletes.

The sedentary businessman assaulted by a thug is probably physically overmatched. The natural attributes of strength, speed, and youth likely favor the thug. So, to succeed in defending himself, the businessman needs unnatural attributes.

The businessman needs attributes such as:

· Economy of motion
· Body alignment
· Body movement (maneuver to a position of advantage)
· Efficient use of body mass
· Efficient application of force (maximizing pressure)
· Vital point targets
· Rotational energy
· Leverage
· Balance
· Connection with the earth
· Surprise
· Misdirection
· Distraction
· Expedient weapons
· Training (skills drilled repetitively and executed without thought)
· Tactics
· Strategy

If you’re a world-class athlete you may believe you can take care of yourself in any situation. But, there’s always someone bigger, faster, stronger, smarter, better armed, or luckier than you. Even if you’re the reigning world champion – you won’t be tomorrow.

Future posts will explore these unnatural attributes.

Link to Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu Special Report Topics