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