The Gates

When on gate closes another opens.

Koyshi Dave Joslin talked about creating openings this evening. What is open now will be closed down by the time you get there so plan on going somewhere else. One must commit to an attack before uki will commit to the defense then you may choose a different target.

Most people, non-skilled fighters, block and guard with one hand only. Very easy to get them to commit and leave an opening.

There are three gates to the body; jodan, chudan, gedan. You can keep one or maybe two covered (closed) but it is unlikely that all three will be closed all the time. There is always a target of opportunity.

He started the lesson with a demonstration of Kiai Dori.

West Coast Karate Classic 2008

I competed in the West Coast Karate Classic 2008 today, my first Karate competition. (Held in the gym of Placer High School just down the street.)

It started with all the adult blackbelts doing Kata (forms) which took about two hours to get organized and executed. Then they did all the kids.

I competed in the Intermediate 35+ male Forms and Intermediate 35+ male Sparring contests. Technically I should have been in the Beginners section but I didn't feel right competing with guys with less then one year experience.

First we did the Forms where I performed Seisan Kata. There was a tie for third place so Dan and I had to perform our katas a second time. Dan placed third, I was forth.

As soon as all the guys demonstrate their forms the awards were handed out and the Sparing competition started on the same mat. In this event I also placed forth. I don't understand how that happened as I did win either of my two rounds.

The sparing rules are to pause the fight as soon as one of the competitors scores a point. The match is paused before a counter can be launched. Many of the people who "know how it is done" drop their guard and turn their back on the opponent as soon as they touch them or they are touched. This one guy actually jumps up and vaults in head first with his fist extended to score a point; it looks silly and leaves him off balance and open to all kinds of counter punches and kicks (that are not allowed under the rules.)

Shu, Ha, Ri

The concept of Shu-Ha-Ri was introduced in a software testing discussion group today. An engineer at work had questions about becoming a black belt and the promotion process.
The Aikido FAQ: Shu Ha Ri

Further Research


Cem Kaner recommends How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience and School, a book from National Academy of Sciences, 1999.

In this, I think we see an enormous difference between how people best learn skills that are primarily physical versus skills that are primarily cognitive. I think there is a good argument to be made that highly skilled martial arts are intensely cognitive, but there is also a very significant physical-skill aspect that is not present in software testing, mathematics, etc. Thus, training juniors in a way that works well for developing physical skills might be productive for martial arts and unproductive for mathematics (or software testing), even though the mental skills needed for MASTERY of either field might be equally sophisticated and complex.
-- Cem Kaner

Orange Belt, Fourth Stripe

I tested for the fourth stripe tonight. It was a little hesitant a couple of times in spots that haven't been a problem. The reason, my mind was distracted by the pulled calf muscle and not wanting to reinjure it (will this move stress the calf?).

One should not talk to or make comments to the judge during the kata demonstration.

Hit Pill really works

A week ago I pulled a muscle during the Saturday morning Karate class. Initially it felt like a cramp, the gastroc was balling up and I couldn't put any weight on the foot. It was a strain of the left medial insertion of the gastrocnemius.

Used a cold pack right away and watched the rest of class. When I got home I took a Hit Pill. I have had this pill around for a dozen years and this is the first time that I have had the occasion to use it (save the time last August when I got the same injury to the lateral gastroc insertion but forgot about the Hit Pill until days later).

Hit Pills are used for major injuries to muscle and sinew. Also called trauma pills they are a Traditions Chinese Medicine (TCM) that we use in the practice of Seifukujutsu. It promotes the flow of Qi and prevent the stagnation of blood. Use the first 24 hours after an injury. One must remove the protective wax coating before ingesting.

I could feel the effects of the Hit Pill:

• reduced swelling
• walking a day earlier
• little stagnation of Qi or blood
• reduced pain

I was walking normally four days later and using the muscle gingerly a week later. I think the healing is a couple of days ahead of the last time because I uses the Hit Pill. I now carry one in my gi bag along with the dit dar jau and hot sauce.