Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Neko Ryo Cane Video: Introduction - Would You Feel Comfortable Carrying a Cane?

My way of using the crooked cane as a self-defense weapon, the Neko Ryu Cane, is based on the principles of Neko Ryu Goshin Jitsu as taught to me by Professor Ernie Cates, his son and current head of the style - Moose Cates, and by Professor Cates’ senior student Master Danny Glover.

Neko Ryu is primarily an empty hand style and the crooked cane isn’t formally part of the system. However, Professor Cates’ emphasizes that Neko Ryu isn’t about techniques – it’s about principles. And, I’ve applied his principles to the crooked cane as faithfully as I’m able. Hence the use of the name, Neko Ryu Cane.

If I’ve misapplied any principle it’s my error – certainly not the error of the Neko Ryu system.

The cane is legal. The cane is versatile. The cane is powerful. It’s also a lot of fun.

Please watch & enjoy the Neko Ryu Cane Video series beginning with the introduction:

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




Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Principles of War: Self Analysis Results

I’m analyzing my martial arts skills, capabilities, and style through the lens of the Principles of War as defined in U.S. Army Field Manual FM 3-0. My commentaries on each principle are available through the links below.

Mass
Objective
Offensive
Surprise
Economy of Force
Maneuver
Unity of Command
Security
Simplicity

In my previous posts I analyzed my personal martial arts style using each of the Principles of War; one at a time. I graded myself as shown:

Mass - a "C"
Objective - a "B"
Offensive - a "B"
Surprise - an "A"
Economy of Force - an "A"
Maneuver - a "C"
Unity of Command - an "A"
Security - a "C"
Simplicity - a "B"

Three “A’s”, three “B’s” and three “C’s” average out to a solid “B”. Not bad – but what do I need to change to deserve a solid “A”?

The “gap” between an “A” and my “B” was caused by:

Mass - a "C"
Maneuver - a "C"
Security - a "C"

In my analysis of Mass I scored poorly in “attacking the decisive place”. I noted a need to develop a strategy & tactics for creating an opening to attack the “decisive place”.

In Maneuver I observed that my tendency to counter-punch “… gives away the initiative to the enemy and limits my flexibility in purposefully putting him in a disadvantageous position.” I noted that, “I need to work on maneuvering my opponent into a disadvantageous position.”

In the post covering Security I described the four types of security that apply to the self-defense situation. Of these, I rated two as weaknesses in my personal style. The two can be consolidated using the term “situational awareness”; referring to awareness of the commonplace before a confrontation begins.

In my post on the Offensive, I gave myself an overall “B”. However, on one of the elements, “Seize the Initiative”, I scored a “D”. I noted that my tendency to counter-punch gives away the initiative.

My notes on these four Principles of War form two self-improvement themes.

First, Mass , Maneuver, and Offensive combine to urge me to go on offense, immediately and aggressively. This fits with the teachings of most self-defense specialists. It also aligns with my military training.

Second, my notes on Security urge me to greater situational awareness – all the time. This will require emphasis on observing my environment in detail and mentally processing the observations – without continuous conscious thought.

These two themes are the new improvement objectives for my personal martial arts style. I don’t yet know how I’ll tackle them, but I will.

If you’ve stayed with me thru this journey of analysis – though I really doubt anyone did – I think you can see how the Principles of War can be used to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of a martial artist or a martial arts style.

If nothing else was achieve in these posts, I’ve at least convinced myself to add the two improvement objectives I described above to my personal goals. And, I’m confident that I’ll be a better martial artist as a result.

Link to the Martial Arts Training Report: The Principles of War