Category Archives: karate bunkai

A Simple Martial Arts injury Results from Incorrect Training Methods

Posted on May 5, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Within the Karate Fist is Great Spirit

I lay on the floor gasping, suffering from the simple martial arts injury of…having the air knocked out of me.

It was a simple punch to the belly, didn’t really even hurt much, but I couldn’t breath. The rest of the class gathered around, stared as my face turned red.

The instructor stepped in, pushed me flat on my back, grabbed a hold of my belt, and jerked upward. Air flooded back in, and suddenly I could breath.

This injury was pretty common back then. And the usual practice was to bear hug the sufferer from the rear and lift him up. This would stretch out the muscles, causing them to relax, and then you could breath. At least I think this is what was happening. Sort of CPR for the Karate induced injury, if you get my drift.

The second method I have described. The guy is flat on his back, you jerk up on his belt, and the muscles relax and he starts breathing.

The important thing here, however, is that we were being taught incorrectly to suffer such an injury in the first place.

Later, I went to a more traditional dojo, and we were taught to tighten the belly on impact, when punching, when blocking, when kicking. Basically, when the body expanded, or was impacted upon. Once I learned that, i never had the breath knocked out of me again.

Drop by Monster Martial Arts, there are all sorts of tips, for everything from injuries to techniques to…whatever.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in free karate, free karate online, Karate, karate bunkai, karate instructor, karate lessons, karate techniques, learn karate at home, Okinawan Karate, Shito Ryu, Shotokan, Taekwondo

Tagged , , ,

The False Martial Art of Karate

Posted on April 25, 2011 by | Leave a comment

The art of Karate is good, except for the false art taught with it. Check out the video, then I’ll tell you about the false art.

The True Art, the Kata and the Bunkai and all that, give one an education of the body, teaches the mechanics and the physics of motion. This is useful stuff that shold be taught in any school.

However, when it comes to kumite, what is called freestyle, there are several problems.

One problem is that the freestyle doesn’t use the moves of the forms. Yes, the forms shouldbe adjusted a bit, but the real problem lies with something I call the Joy of Combat. This is when people start liking fighting just because they like to fight.

What does fighting have to do with Karate?

Karate, or any other art, Kenpo or Taekwondo, or whatever, should be about conditioning the body, calming the mind, and finding a truth of spirit.

Yes, you have to learn how to fight to give up fighting, but it seems like too many arts get stuck in learning how to fight, and never give up the fighting.

If you agree with my sentiments here, and maybe want to find a better method, check out my website…Monster Martial Arts.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Isshin Ryu, Karate, karate bunkai, karate forms, karate kata, karate techniques, learn karate at home, Shito Ryu, Taekwondo

Tagged , , ,

The Art of Karate and Three Bottles

Posted on March 11, 2011 by | Leave a comment
Ancient Karate Class!

Ancient Karate Class!

The Art of Karate may be analogized to three bottles.

First, when you learn a classical art, like Shotokan or Goju or Uechi…it is like crawling up the inside of a bottle. The closer you get to the top, the harder the climb, yet the more sky you see.

Second, breaking bottles requires a higher degree of skill and artistry. You must stand an empty bottle and chop at the neck. The angle of the chop and the construction of the glass make a break possible. Make sure you have practiced much before you do this, and be careful not to cut your hands. If you want a good example of this, just check out the first karate kid movie. Though it is just a movie, it does show the art.

Third, digging up a bottle is…an entire article. So simply do a search for the title of this article…’Digging through the Soil of Human Experience…and the Perfect Karate Punch.’ Guaranteed, it is worth it.

Get an absolutely free martial arts book at Monster Martial Arts. It’s at the top left of the home page.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in free karate, Karate, karate bunkai, karate forms, karate instructor, karate kata

Tagged , , , ,

Classical Ki Technique Taught in Pinan Three Karate Kata

Posted on February 24, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Karate PowerIt’s true, Pinan Three does have a Ki building technique in it. Actually, many of the techniques of the basic Pinan Kata, or Heian Kata as they are sometimes called, have ki building techniques in them.

The specific technique is the very first move. You won’t see the ki building in the form, however, it happens in the technique. If you’re interested, check out the technique in the Monster Journal. It’s in the second issue (the first issue has a great technique in it, too), and you should just click on Pinan Three Ki Technique to get to the Journal page.

The Monster Journal is a short, free, online martial arts magazine. There are a few mags out there, but this one is pretty concise, and very martial arts oriented. You can read it online, or download it. Make sure you enter the contest, it’s a chance to win ten free martial arts books (on CD).

 

→ Leave a comment

Posted in free karate, free karate online, karate bunkai, karate kata, karate techniques, learn karate at home, learn karate free, Shito Ryu

Tagged , , , ,

The Blessings of Ignorance in Karate

Posted on January 4, 2011 by | Leave a comment

I began Karate in 1967. It was a new concept, this oriental fighting thing. We’d seen some terrible chops in the movies, but there was still this thing about massive power going on around.

A few books made their appearance, but they didn’t really say anythign. Even the pics were terrible.

When I finally found a school and started studying, the teacher never spoke. He’d count, or say, ‘Put your foot back further,’ or something like that. But it was real Monkey See Monkey Do.

The blessing, of course, is that nothing was said. The result of this silent teaching was that there were no intellectual distractions, nothing to misguide us.

Interestingly, as time went on, and more people spoke, less was learned. The learning happens in the bones. The learning happens in the sweat and the blood.

Now we are truly cursed. not only do we have everybody telling us what the martial arts are, what they are telling us is allmade up. It is based on their short experience, and their is no real lineage in America. Thus, arts are thrown together, techniques that don’t fit are mish mashed, and the whole thing resembles a Rubik’s Cube.

Not for lack of sincere effort, but because nobody took the time to analyze the myth and come up with the science.

Well, things are getting better. After all, you have tobreak a few eggs to make an omelet. And people will eventually get smart enough to ignore the myth, study the science, and eventually make it back to the myth.

It’ll just take a short time.

Check out Monster Martial Arts. A million words of Martial Science, and a lot more on this concept of science returning us to mythic proportion and the true blessings of the martial arts.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in free karate, karate bunkai, karate DVD, karate forms, karate lessons, kenpo karate, learn karate at home, Shito Ryu

Tagged , , , , ,

Here’s a Xmas Gift for Karate Students!

Posted on December 20, 2010 by | Leave a comment

Karate people are the best peoplein the world. Really love ’em. So here’s the deal.

On my site (Monster Martial Arts)  pick out any course you want.

Let’s say the price is $29.95. You go to paypal and send me (aganzul@gmail.com) $24.95. Then email me as to which course you want.

Any course you want. Actually, you could do this for a bunch of courses. It’s that kind of Xmas, you know?

And, now that I’m talking, I want to explain what hanakwanmass is.

Hannukah/Kwanza/Christmas.

I don’t care what religion you are, or what color skin you’re wearing, or whatever. We’re all human beings under the flesh, and if you have a holiday, I share your joy. No matter what holiday. That’s the meaning of hanakwanmass.

So head over to Monster Martial Arts, pick up the free ebook, find a course to save five bucks on, and…

Hanakwanmass!

Al

→ Leave a comment

Posted in free karate, karate bunkai, karate forms, karate instructor, karate techniques, kenpo, learn karate at home, Okinawan Karate

Tagged , , , , ,

What Real Karate Is

Posted on December 19, 2010 by | Leave a comment

First you learn to block and punch, go through some bruises, get excited about fighting, and that sort of thing.

If you are in a real system fighting starts to become secondary, you start working on silencing the inner chatter in your mind.

To concentrate on one thing, to the exclusion of extraneous thoughts in your head.

This is the real point of it all, can you get rid of so many thoughts that your head is silent all the time?

If your head is getting silent all the time, you are doing real karate. If it is not getting silent all the time, you are not.

This can be applied to other martial arts, but I found it easiest to perceive in Karate. Of course, that might just be me.

But it doesn’t happen in an art that isn’t a real art.

If you are interested in smooth and slick training programs that result in a silent head, come on over to Monster Martial Arts. It’s good stuff.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Isshin Ryu, Karate, karate bunkai, karate kata, karate lessons, kenpo karate, Martial Arts, Okinawan Karate, Shotokan, Uechi Ryu

Tagged , , ,

Those Who Talk Karate…and Those Who Do Karate

Posted on December 16, 2010 by | 1 Comment

There are people who surf the net, google ‘Karate fighting,’ and thinks it’s so cool to see Kimbo Slice knock the crap out of some idiot.

Then there are those people who actively look for forms and techniques, study the moves, and think about what has happened.

The first guy is a Beavis and Butthead fellow, and these guys are why I don’t usually allow comments on my videos. They aren’t going to say anything nice. They drink beer and snicker and have an opinion…and know not facts.

The second guy is sincere and interested in what is happening. He’s comparing what he’s observing, searching for a truth. Chances are, this second guy has a kicking bag out in the backshed, or a homemade makiwara on a fencepost, and he even goes out in the backyard on a weekend day and works on these things called forms.

There’s two types of people in life. Always choose the second for your friends. Beavis and Butthead will just light you on fire and snicker. The second kind will help you move your refrigerator, lend you five when you’re short, and even come to your kid’s birthday party.

Pick up a free book on Matrixing at Monster Martial Arts.

→ 1 Comment

Posted in free karate, Karate, karate bunkai, karate DVD, karate forms, kenpo, learn karate at home, Martial Arts, Taekwondo

Tagged , , ,

Secret Technique in Pinan Five Karate Form

Posted on December 10, 2010 by | Leave a comment

I’m speaking of the Crossed Knife Hands raised to protect the head.

When you do this move you circle the hands clockwise, then left horizontal backfist, then punch. Youa re obviously slap and swinging the attacking hand (holding a club or knife or whatever) in a circle, and backfisting the guy in the center of the chest.

Well, it’s understandable. Ain’tnothing wrong with it, but…there’s something else there.

Take a look at the vid snip, then let me explain…

The fact of the matter is that the technique makes more sense if you circle the hands clockwise into an armbar or elbow roll. Much better.

So why do it the other way? Because there is a hip twist and whole body movement potential, which, if done correctly, can crack the chestplate of an armored samurai.

It takes power, it takes technique, but it is possible.

But people don’t really get the hip connection,

or learn how to power up the hands so they really explode all the way from the tan tien. That’s the difference, you know. Real karate out of the McDojo mess that many people learn.

It ain’t the tournament that’s important, man. It’s the power. Classical Karate Power that results in whole body energy surging down the limbs to the fists…and you can crack armor.

You can download Pinan Five, with all the techniques and the original power, all  for only ten bucks. Go to the menu at the top of the page and check out Kang Duk Won. It’s the best deal since Christmas!

Or, if you’re interested in the video snippet, pop on over to Monster Martial Arts and check out Temple Karate.

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Karate, karate bunkai, karate DVD, karate forms, karate kata, karate lessons, karate techniques, kenpo, Korean Karate, Shotokan

Tagged , , , , , ,

Shotokan Martial Artist Called A Shotobot!

Posted on December 3, 2010 by | 2 Comments

Calling a Shotokan Martial Artist a Shotobot is sort of mean, but only if the Shotokanoka doesn’t have a sense of humor. Here’s what my internet student was referring to.

“Thanks for the words yesterday. I enjoy your news letters. Last night at practice, we had matrix training. I love it. It allows you to think of Karate in a logical manner, rather than this rigid stuff other systems teach. My friend is a Shotokan artist or rather ‘Shotobot’ as I like to think of it. We have sparred in the past and every time, I find holes in her defense and offense. Last night we practiced pretty hard, which is what I need after dealing with a bunch of Seniors who would rather be elsewhere. Matrixing really does apply to almost anything in life. Now if only I could teach myself a foreign language in one week!”

He wasn’t really being mean, you see, he was just observing a temporary condition that students of the martial arts, especially a Shotokan Martial Artist, would go through.

Don’t want to be a Shotobot? Want to evolve as a Shotokan Martial Artist? Mouse on over to Monster Martial Arts.

Win #63

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Isshin Ryu, karate bunkai, karate forms, karate kata, karate lessons, Korean Karate, learn karate at home, Shotokan, Wado Ryu

Tagged , , , ,