Wednesday, November 25, 2009

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

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

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

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

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

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

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