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Dear Sensei George,
How are you and the Family? I hope that you're healthy and strong and practicing regularly. This article, for your site, is for those individuals who may seek another perspective on all the "Masters" floating around given the extreme commercialism today in the MA. Manny
You’re a master? Sorry, I don’t think so .
By Manny Neves, 8th Dan  A few weeks ago, I attended a Master Gushi Seminar at the Hartford Dojo. My student and I were a little late for the Saturday class, so as not to interrupt anyone, we sat in the back of the room and watched the instructions for a while. As I was sitting there, Mr Harriman, 7 th dan and promoter of the seminar turned around and asked me, “Why don’t you like to call people Masters when they’re 6 th dan or above?” I started to respond to him when my student said that Master Gushi wanted us to gi up and be part of the program. So I was never able to finish my conversation with Ernie. I’ll share my thoughts with you here, with the chance you may dislike me more than you already do for whatever reason. To me there’s one underlying principle that should be followed for you to call yourself a “Master”. It’s what I refer to as “creating something from nothing”. Most practitioners are basically followers of someone or something. Albeit, some may be very youthful, powerful and earnest and have more energy than others, possibly displaying excellent technique, but they’re still followers.
For instance, those of us, who seek depth to our training, by seeking the “meaning” of our kata are still “following” the path of the creator of the original kata. Also, there are those individuals who bastardize the original kata and create what they call “their” way of doing the kata and call themselves masters and may even promote themselves to high degrees.
I look at individuals who achieve the rank of 6th dan and above as dedicated, generally older individuals who found a way to make their kata continually be effective even if they are 45, 50, 60 years old and possibly older. Those high ranks, as most of us know, are tied to character, age, time in grade and the ability to still do kata correctly. But are they Masters?
I believe they are not. What about the individuals who are or were great fighters, the one’s who, in the past, dedicated their youth to beating up all comers? The notion that you’re a master because you won a few matches, or even many matches, in a contest is absurd. Everyone and anyone can be beaten on a given day given the right circumstances. Also, the contrasting view applies. You can beat anyone in a contest on a given day with the right circumstances. Those of us who’ve competed know what those circumstances generally are. That being said, my point is to be humble. Don’t call yourself a master to feed your dominant ego. Be earnest in your training so that you can open up to inspiration that may help you create “something from nothing”. One caveat, make sure that “something” has significant value and is time tested (at least 50 years or longer).
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News Release:
 The Northcentral Technical College and IUKF
Announces its first Ground Survival Course
Location:
Rising Star East Martial Arts
9 Depot Square,
Ayer, MA 01432
Cost: $199.00 if registered BEFORE June 1, 2009
$250.00 if registered AFTER June 1, 2009
Dates: July 11-12, 2009 Times: 8AM - 5PM Daily
This is a physically demanding class!
Learn to survive today – when you need it! Sponsored by Northcentral Technical College RedMan Training Division
To register NOW!
1000 W. Campus Drive Wausau, WI 54401 USA (888) 682-7144, ext. 1632
Sponsored by NTC RedMan Training Division
This 2-day (16-hour) ¡Ground Survival¨ program focuses on surviving ground assaults for real world attacks.
You do not need 20 years to become proficient in these techniques and tactics. Learn field proven tactics from the professional who currently trains the professionals and learn a system that is courtroom defensible and will SAVE YOUR LIFE!
We will focus on common ground attacks and cover various force options available to you in real ground attacks.
You will learn ground survival tactics for striking, kicking, easy escapes from common grips and grabs, simple and effective defenses against chokes, counter assault tactics for submission holds and other survival tactics you will encounter on the ground in real fight.
Dave Young is one of the most experienced, innovative and recognized trainers in the business today, a former United States Marine, law enforcement & corrections officer, and mixed martial artist he has been in the survival world for over 30 years. The system he developed is used worldwide and he has trained thousands of professionals on how to stay alive in the street and in the courtroom!
This is a physically demanding class
Learn to survive today when you need it!
| - Real World Survival Tactics
- Striking Techniques
- Choke Defenses
- Hitting with stopping power
- Escapes from common grips and grabs
- Cross Mount tactics
- Preventing & Escaping the Mount
- Terminology for testifying in court
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Be the victim or the victor – IT’S YOUR CHOICE
Shotokan Karate master, and one of the founding pioneers of the JKA, Nishiyama Hidetaka, dead at 80 after losing his battle with cancer! |
Hey, Sensei!  Just a few lines to let you know what we're up to at the Hut. On 11/15 Jim Hulse will be with us. He is also teaching a seminar on the 16th at Fedele's. On Dec 13 Jake Steinman will be with us and will teach us some of his Muay Thai drills and philosophy. At a date to be arranged, Arthur McLeod will be teaching us some crossover techniques between uechi-ryu and aikido (remember Arthur, a third dan in uechi-ryu who left and later became a third dan in aikido).
We start every class now with a long sanchin, the three part one. Not everyone goes for it, so a couple of folks come to the traditional class at 10:00.
We have been doing all of the partner drills (kumite, bonkai, hitting drills on the pads) with gloves on so that people can block real attacks. Changes the timing and distancing and adds another slight reality element.
The kata Ryuko is now a staple form for us and we do it every class. We have been doing some judo 'reaping' (sweeping and tripping) drills to round out a lot of the uechi moves. In other words, the Hut continues to be a kind of laboratory for us, always a work in progress, always fun and interesting.
In my personal home workouts I have been doing a sanchin variant with gloves against the heavy bag. 500 (on a short day) and 1000 (on a long day) sanchin strikes (fists in the gloves) against the bag… makes for another slight improvement over time in the way my weight is thrown.
Please post this so anyone who would like to participate with Jim Hulse or Jake Steinman can know. I'll let you know when we schedule Arthur. The Saturday class at the Hut starts at 9:30 and ends at 11:30. Mat fee, $15.
Paul Giella,PhD, CCICMHC, 508-564-9616
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Congratulation to David Mott - Cold Mountain Dojo 25th Anniversary!
 Hi David: Just a note to congratulate you on your Cold mountain Dojo’s 25th anniversary.
You have been a trusted and valued friend over the years and a wonderful role-model to your students. I just wanted you to know how much I admire you and how much I value your friendship.
My only regret is that the distance prevents our working out together more often and perhaps even sharing a dram of whiskey now and then. I plan to go out with the guys tonight after class and will raise a glass in your honor, hoping my good wishes will bring even more happiness to you and Bobbie.
By the way. . . The next 25 years are a lot easier! :)
Love from Sue, Tia and me. . .
=========================== I received this very kind response from David last week:
Hi George and Susan (and Tia)
Thank you so much for this wonderful message!
I want to reiterate how tremendously significant you, my Uechi-ryu teacher, are to me. I would imagine that many students over the years have told you this, but I can say with absolute certainty that my life would not be what it is without what you have taught me in Uechi-ryu. I was quoting something you said to me back at the Hancock St. dojo in Monday's class, "Make everything that you do a kata. If you are brushing your teeth, it's a brushing your teeth kata. If you are walking upstairs, it's a walking upstairs kata". That was a great and valuable teaching to a young karate and music student. It has always stayed with me. Something else you said at the very beginning of my training was also a great encouragement. It was the first time I had ever sparred, it was in front of the whole class and it was with Al Ford. Al took me down with a foot sweep and while on the floor I yanked his leg out from under him so he ended up on the floor too where I was punching him. I overheard you say, "that kid's got spirit!" That confirmation solidified something in me which has been at the core of my life long practice. I value our friendship too!
The dojo is taking Bobbi, Ken Brown and I out to dinner at a neighborhood restaurant to celebrate our 25 years of Cold Mountain Dojo. It's nice because the students have organized everything –we just have to show up! The dojo is doing very well these days with waiting lists for the 6-8 yrs old, the 8 to 12 yrs and the teen classes. The adult intermediate/advanced classes are filled with mature karateka and the qigong and meditation classes are at capacity. I couldn't ask for more.
Thank you so much for your well wishes and toast. I too wish that the distance wasn't so great. I have a half sabbatical next year –which may be my last year at the University as I'll be 65 and can take a full pension (in these wild financial days I'll have to watch what happens to our pension plan!) and will take it in the winter (2010). I'm hoping that it works out to come down for your winter camp. I enjoyed meeting two of your students this last summer. Very fine people. I look forward to seeing them again.
So on Oct. 25 (the day we'll celebrate), your ears may burn a little as I'll have whole dojo raise a glass to you too!
love,
David
Updates:
10/24/2008 - Early Registration Discount!
 Make plans to attend WinterFest in February. Register NOW to earn a big discount! Planning ahead is the best way to ensure best prices on airfare and lodging. . . Remember, February is a very hot vacation month and Florida is where everyone wants to go! If you stuck your head out of the door early this morning in the Northeast, you probably got a taste of the cold weather that is coming. Sure you can take it for a couple months, but by February I'm sure you will welcome a martial art vacation in picturesque (and warm) Mount Dora, Florida! Click Here to reserve your spot at the 2009 WinterFest and to reward your foresight, Susan will discount your payment by a whopping $50.00! Discount ends January 15, 2009.
Don't forget - Christmas and Hannuka are approaching...What a great gift!
G.E.Mattson
P.S. Make sure you bring your golf clubs and swim suit!
Register Today for the 2009 WinterFest in Mount Dora, Florida:
 WinterFest is coming along nicely. Getting lots of inquiries regarding the schedule and questions about when the application will be posted. Well, if you click the photograph, you will be taken to the WinterFest website. If you click here, you can sign-up for the event. (be sure to let me know if you will be playing in the Thursday's "Warrior's" golf tournament. This year we will be having multiple seminars being conducted each hour of the day. . . like SummerFest. I'll be conducting a whole series focusing on various Uechi "components" and how they work to make your Uechi such a realistic fighting system. Quite a few "presenters" will be helping make this year's event a most interesting and valuable supplement to your ongoing training. Please contact me if you would like to be a "presenter" and be sure to include a summary of the seminar you would like to teach. = = =  I was honored to be invited (for the second year) to be a guest at Buzz Durkin's organizational yearly promotion celebration. I've been trying to figure out how to post a photograph of the graduating class, but the picture was way to large to fit on my home page. There were way over 200 students in the class and when I reduced the photograph to fit this screen, everyone appeared as dots! :) So. . . Click Here to view the pdf newsletter, which can be navigated in your Adobe Reader. I also wish to thank one of the photographers who took the nice picture of me during my kata demonstration. |
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