Category Archives: Isshin Ryu

The Truth About Real Karate Philosophy

Posted on November 28, 2010 by | Leave a comment

One of the great misconceptions of the martial arts, and we are dealing with karate philosophy and concepts, is the obsession with the point of impact. While it is of vital importance to get to that point, you won’t get to that point unless you analyze the motions in between the ‘stopping points.’

Studying this ‘in between’ motion is what leads a person to mushin no shin, or mind of no mind (time of no time).

The following win shows that reading the matrixing materials opened the door for this student. He is not talking about the stopping points, but rather is fascinated by the motion between. Matrixing is the only technology that opens that door, that makes a person look at the in between motion, and to bring awareness ‘into the curve,’ as opposed to putting it in the stop. Yes, a few do it over the decades, but Matrixing explains the concept and makes it happen now.

“Matrixing to me means to be able to adapt to anything that is given using natural unbroken motion. We should know how to use our tools in conjunction with the body. This “anatomy in motion” can now be truly understood by matrixing. The “True Art” is knowing the body in motion and being able to interpret that motion with your tools. I think it is very important to teach concepts and principles so that any art can be fully understood. Students will know longer be slaves of poor instructors and practitioners.”

I find this student’s last remark absolutely enlightening. Yet it is not the poor instruction we must break from, it is our adherence to misunderstanding the true karate philosophy and concepts involved.

If you want some real karate that is extremely effective, check out the Kwon Bup.

Win #48

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Posted in Isshin Ryu, Karate, karate forms, karate kata, Korean Karate, kwon bup, learn karate at home, Okinawan Karate, Taekwondo

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The Three Viewpoints an Karate Instructor Has To Have

Posted on November 21, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Training a Karate Instructor is something nobody knows how to do. They either assume that the fellow knows how to teach because he has been studying a long time, or they put him through some kind of boot camp toughen up training. Both methods are absolutely lacking, and have nothing to with learning the precise methods of how to teach. Sad news is that I have seen almost no instructors, no matter how many belt ranks they give themselves, who actually know how to teach. Let me give you a win, then tell you the three things an instructor has to know.

‘When I was helping other students with Matrix Karate, and going through the matrix of blocks one-on-one with them being the attacker, I always had trouble fixing their blocks and stances that had something out of alignment.  I understand now that I had a hard time because I was in the action.  I think if I had been outside the action I would have been able to fix the problems more easily.’ Thanks for the knowledge, Al. Howard J.

The Instructor has to know the viewpoint of the dummy, because he has to know what the technique feels like. He also has to have the viewpoint of the attacker, because he has to know what to do. But a real instructor actually has to be both attacker and defender, and this is the third viewpoint.

Here’s is the tragedy, 90% of the people reading this say, ‘I knew that.’

No. I am not talking about ‘knowing about’ something, I am talking about a viewpoint of technique that enables you to actually permeate the space of both students, and actually be both students. The unfortunate truth is that no matter how many boot camps you attend, or how many years of experience or belt ranks you go up…the only place on the planet where you can learn to be both attacker and defender, while staying ‘outside the action’ is in the Master Instructor Course. No other school even talks about this, let alone understands it, let alone can get you to do it…but that is the secret of a good Karate Instructor, or of being able to instruct in any martial art.

If you want to learn how to be a karate instructor, or an instructor in any art, the principles of how to teach martial arts are the same, and they are listed exactly in The Master Instructor Course.

Win #44

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Posted in Isshin Ryu, Karate, karate bunkai, karate forms, karate kata, karate techniques, learn karate at home, Martial Arts, Shotokan, Taekwondo

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Win #27–Beating Pain through Good Karate Technique

Posted on November 11, 2010 by | 1 Comment

There are two types of pain: one is the warning that you are getting damaged, and the other is used to grow yourself.

If you are in danger of being damaged, back off. Fight again another day.

But, if you can appreciate pain, then you can use it.

When somebody blocks, breath into your tan tien, and send a flow of energy down the blocking arm. Make your arm tight. Let the energy become rigid. Now, something is going to happen…you have a decision to make.

If you decide to take the pain, it is going to hurt.

But, if you jump back, and make a decision that it’s not going to hurt, that the other guy is going to hurt himself…then it will be so.

Here’s a win from one of my students.

“I am more willing now to confront pain. Obviously pain is not a great thing but when it does occur I am more easily able to confront it and continue on with what I am doing. I don’t have to run away every time I experience a bit of pain.”

Look, it’s a decision, and it is one of those decisions that only Karate will bring you to.

So, do you want to experience pain? Or do you want to make up your mind that it doesn’t hurt…period.

Drop by my site and pick up a Free Karate Book, and learn more about such things as beating pain with good karate technique.

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Posted in Isshin Ryu, Karate, karate DVD, kenpo, Korean Karate, kwon bup, learn karate at home, Shito Ryu

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Win #25–Why People Fight Before They Learn Karate

Posted on November 11, 2010 by | Leave a comment

And, if they are fighting before they learn karate, what happens to them that they don’t fight after they start learning karate.

The fact is, once you start making a plan for an emergency, the emergency doesn’t happen. This is one of those universe oddities.

The mugger won’t jump you while you’re looking…he’ll jump you when you’re not looking.

Where awareness is, you see, trouble doesn’t start. Here’s a totally generic win that is exactly on the spot.

“It’s not ironic that I’ve not had a physical confrontation since beginning my martial arts training under Al Case. What’s more interesting is that I enjoy this new life style.”

Now, you don’t know karate? Or some other martial art? You are a walking target. You will, somehow, actually cause somebody to jump you.

Let’s not talk about lack of confidence, or an inability to take care of business…you’re just unaware in a field of study that demands awareness, and once begun, you will always be protected by that awareness.

On another note, If you want an absolutely free book on Karate, go to

http://www.25martialartsbooks.com

Don’t get mugged on the way. Heh.

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Posted in Isshin Ryu, Karate, karate DVD, learn karate at home, Okinawan Karate, Shito Ryu, Shotokan, Taekwondo, Uechi Ryu, Wado Ryu

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Win #23–Karate as a First Martial Art

Posted on November 9, 2010 by | Leave a comment

I like Karate as a first art because it is solid in the basics. Later, when you have experience, it’s fun to twist the basics, create different types of energy, learn sneaky ways of bashing somebody. But, in the beginning, Karate is the best. Straightforward power that can out kick a donkey, out slam a gorilla, and is just plain fun!

If I had not learned this as my first art, I would not be where am today. The basics, the foundation; a solid point upon which to stand, was essential to me as a martial artist. Few people truly understand what the basics are, let alone how important they are. Karate taught me all of this and I finished the program with confidence that I could apply what I had learned.

It’s true that people don’t understand what basics are. Take a look at the Pan Gai Noon Sanchin form. Goku does it for breathing, Shotokan does it for technique, uechi does it for dynamic tension…and they all are only partially right. Ground the weight, turn on the tan tien, and put the energy in the hands. The other theories are all right, but they miss the boat if they don’t concentrate on these three principles, and just these three principles.

Here’s a vid snip of me teaching Sanchin to my son many years ago. Karate was his first martial art, and it saved his life. Literally. Take a look at the columns at Monster Martial Arts and you’ll come across the tale.

Talk to you later.

Al

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Posted in Isshin Ryu, Karate, karate DVD, kenpo, kenpo karate, Korean Karate, kwon bup, learn karate at home, Martial Arts, Okinawan Karate, Shito Ryu, Shotokan, Tae Kwon Do, Taekwondo, Uechi Ryu, Wado Ryu

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Win #19–Here’s Some Real Karate Power For You

Posted on November 7, 2010 by | Leave a comment

My wife was teaching school, and she asked me to come in and talk about Karate breaking. So I went to the store, bought a bunch of wood, and went to school. Here’s the funny thing, I hadn’t broken anything for years. I just worked out, did the forms, taught a few people, and that was it. But the power of the Kang Duk Won, once gained, doesn’t go away. In the pic I’m breaking four boards. For those budding Karate Kids that morning I broke five boards, no spacers, with no special training. You know, breaking stuff isn’t hard, at the Kang Duk Won we actually chuckled at how people were so enamored by it. I mean, you just practice hard, make sure you don’t quit, make sure you have fun, and breaking was the least of the things we learned at the Kang Duk Won. There were so many other abilities that we gained, intuitive abilities where we could control time, mess up the way people perceived the world, all sorts of things. Well, those days are gone, I’m old now, but I wrote a book about the Kang Duk Won. It’s at the menu at the top of the page. Have a great day…and a great work out, and don’t forget to do some karate breaking. :O)

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Posted in Isshin Ryu, karate DVD, kenpo karate, Korean Karate, kwon bup, learn karate at home, Shito Ryu, Shotokan, Taekwondo, Uechi Ryu

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Win #17–There is Something So Liberating About Real Karate Power!

Posted on November 7, 2010 by | Leave a comment

We’re not just talking about the ability to one punch some bozo and send him sleeping into next week…although that is good…no, we are talking about the thrilling energy that fills the body when you finally get and understand pure Karate Power! Here’s a win from somebody who saw the truth of karate…

When I got into the classical study program I learned of and was made to experience the true, raw power that a linear martial artist can achieve.–NL

Here’s a vid snip of me doing one my favorite pan gai noon technique. I work it against a variety of attack combos, and the technique never fails me. It’s in the end of the second Pan Gai Noon forms.

You see, most arts are designed for karate kids. Or, worse, karate tournaments. This waters down the techniques. I studied karate back in the sixties, in one of the original Korean Kwans, and we generated a power there that I have not seen in any modern school The times…they have changed. Anyway, I don’t think Karate is real karate unless you pump up that energy and learn how to use it. If you want to see some good and real karate, just go to the menu at the top of this page and check out some of the systems I have.

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Posted in Isshin Ryu, kenpo karate, Korean Karate, Shito Ryu, Shotokan, Taekwondo, Uechi Ryu

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Win #16–The Deep, Dark, Karate Secret

Posted on November 5, 2010 by | Leave a comment

When I began the martial arts I thought there was some serious karate secret that the masters knew that nobody else did. If I could only find this secret I could have everything wanted: money, women, respect…maybe I wouldn’t even be a dweeb. Interestingly, there is a secret, but it ain’t what you think. And it is easy to find out. Just a little hard work and common sense, and anyone can have it. Here’s a win from one of my students about this dark mystery. Like many others, I used to like to believe that there was a great mystery out there; that there was some kind of unattainable power and wisdom that I could only reach for in my dreams. Mr. Case has taken my wonderful dark mystery away and replaced it with facts that work; that work beautifully actually. Truth is a good thing, but sometimes a rude awakening can be best avoided by a longer slumber. Which path you choose is up to you. Just remember to shield your eyes if you’re opening them for the first time; it can be bright and painful to the pride at first.” ?HH (12 years of martial arts experience) Now isn’t that interesting? It seems that the mystery is easy to understand, but what is hard to take is the fact that you were blind enough not to see it in the first place. Well, it is easy to see, but the thing that stops most everybody from seeing it is the fact that: 1) they think they know better. 2) my art is best. 3) I’m already studying under somebody who knows everything. And so on. The prime problem here, you see, is that you must be willing to learn before you can learn. Doing push ups and forms until you sweat is fine, but when are you going to work out that brain? When are you going to say…maybe I don’t know everything…maybe there is something else under the sun. When are you going to open up and accept data and actually think. I know it sounds like I’m in your face, but I’m not. I’m just stating something that scares most people. Shut up thinking you know everything and be willing to learn something. That’s the truth, that’s the truth HH had to confront before he could start to learn, that’s the truth that near every martial artist in the world has to face before he can learn the real martial arts, and before he can find out the truth about this deep, dark karate secret thing.

Feel free to visit Monster Martial Arts, pick up a free ebook, and find out if I might actually have something to offer. Have a great work out.

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Posted in Isshin Ryu, Karate, karate DVD, kenpo, kenpo karate, Korean Karate, kwon bup, learn karate at home, Martial Arts, Okinawan Karate, Shito Ryu, Shotokan, Tae Kwon Do, Taekwondo, Uechi Ryu, Wado Ryu

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Win #10 A Great Win From The Old Master Instructor Course

Posted on November 2, 2010 by | Leave a comment

The joy of this win is that it talks about concepts being at the heart of the matter. Learn a concept, and all the techniques come rolling out.

INSTRUCTOR WIN–The course has truly polished my existing approach to teaching. It’s helped balance some theory with application of instruction. Some specifics of keeping discipline in, but with emphasis on humor and politeness did tweak my train of thought a tad. This has already improved the discipline of the class, but yet maintains that fun pleasant atmosphere that I like to be part of. Also, the concept of getting a student to complete something gives a much more specific goal as an instructor. This way of thinking can be applied easily with a drill, or a belt, or even particular aspects of my life and the students. Generally, when something is true, it’s rather a simple concept and can be applied in different points in life. This is true with the information in this course.?WG The idea of concepts is core to learning any art, and to teaching any art. It is the heart of matrixing, but, oddly, I didn’t learn this through learning concepts, I learned it through cross filing techniques until the core concepts came out. It actually surprised me when I discovered that nobody else in the history of the world had done what I did with this matrixing thing.

You can find out more about Matrixing, and about core concepts and being a bona fide master instructor at Monster Martial Arts.

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Posted in Isshin Ryu, Karate, learn karate at home, Shotokan, Tae Kwon Do, Uechi Ryu

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Win #5 If You Want to Start Your Own Martial Arts School Read This!

Posted on October 31, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Here’s a lesson I gave a fellow, heh heh, after you watch it scroll down for the real skinny on starting your very own martial arts school.

http://www.youtube.com/user/aganzul#p/u/6/Fk1pYvc3Nzs

I received this win out of the blue, and it knocked my socks off. I mean, I wrote articles for the mags, and had no idea that they were having effect. Well, they were…

Dear Mr. Case, ?Since the age of 11 have dreamed of having my own dojo.  I want to thank you for your ‘garage-dojo” article in August ’98.   After reading that article, I had no doubt that it was going to be a reality…?…I decided that it was time to give my own school a shot. I looked around for a rental–everything was so small, and I had no money in which to do this, this was July of ’98–in August I read your article, and it helped me understand that it wasn’t the walls and equipment my student would come for, it was me and how I handle and, taught my students. Simply, my skills mattered more than my age and rank, and if Bruce Lee taught in a garage—so could I.  So I took the cheapest rental I could find; I started my school with 1 kicking target a mat and four walls. Since opening day, Nov 16th 1998, I have moved to a larger location, now I have 12 kicking targets, 3 matts-and much more training equipment. I’m still a small dojo– but I don’t care to be too big, I’d rather keep it personal. I know the growth of each one of my students, and I have 3 black belt candidates with one that could test in the next year. To sum my progress up, in the past 6 years I have made a name for my dojo in the valley, and  I am a competitor for my old instructors school. Be sure to tell Andrew Wood that it isn’t your programs that wins the student, it’s your honesty, compassion for the student and your love of the martial arts…. PM?ps–I love your site: martial arts is about passing on your teachings, not holding back for an extra fee.

So if you feel like teaching, take the handcuffs off and start bashing! The only person that can stop you is you.

If you need any help in setting up a checklist for starting a martial arts school, or on how to teach, or anything at all, peruse MonsterMartialArts.com

Take care and have a great work out!

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Posted in Isshin Ryu, Karate, Korean Karate, Martial Arts, Okinawan Karate, Shito Ryu, Shotokan, Tae Kwon Do, Taekwondo, Uechi Ryu, Wado Ryu

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