Martial Way Vision and Values

1. The true essence of what martial arts represent is misunderstood, not only by the general public but even from so-called martial artists. Too much emphasis is put on the violence and fighting aspect. There is no real understanding and appreciation for the relevance training in the martial way has to achieving a positive, meaningful and successful everyday existence.
2. There are too many martial arts organisations that operate from a macho, aggressive, ego-driven mindset. This perpetuates the misconception of martial arts.
3. The essence of martial arts involves creating the potential for anyone to gain personal power and success from what it offers. You don't have to be big and tough or even "a bit of a psycho" to train regularly in martial arts.
4. In martial arts organisations, too much emphasis is placed on who the instructor is and what he has done; the merits, trophies and photos with famous people he has accumulated, rather than what he can offer to a client/student.
5. There are too many "fitness Nazi" types who push their clients to meticulously and continuously exercise and follow a perfect diet. This is not entirely realistic in this modern day. Martial Way believes in achieving a SUSTAINABLE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE, balanced in mind, body and soul. Having a healthy and active lifestyle but still allowing some of life more exuberant pleasures....and in balance and the right perspective. Too much on either end of the spectrum is not good and, more importantly, not sustainable.

MARTIAL WAY ELEMENTS SYSTEM

• EARTH - use fists for strikes


• WATER - use knife hands for all strikes


• FIRE - use palm claws for all strikes


• WIND - use open hands and palms for all strikes


• VOID - use combinations of all for strikes

Class Retrospective

This post is where we look back over key points and teachings that arose from the most previous class session:


"Running up that hill is a killer straight after doing a dozen burpees!!!"

Can all people please do their best to get to class on time, or else......more burpees!!!



DEFENCE AGAINST A HEADLOCK -
Associate yourself with a particular element before the opponent has applied the headlock. The element will decide right from the start whether you need to secure the arm and body (earth), go with the opponents movements (water), disrupt his attempt to lock (fire), or just relax into the attack (wind).

The Element System as a Tool for Learning

Human beings have quite a natural way of learning effectively and efficiently. A physical, hands-on approach coupled with theory leads to an emotional feeling about that which we have learned. This feeling can be good, bad or even neutral but we 'attach' the feeling to our learning experience.

Unfortunately we deal with stress and stressful experiences in the complete opposite way. First we feel and experience an emotional response to a situation, encounter, environment, etc. Then, based on whether this feeling is good, bad or neutral, we form a mental strategy of what to do based on what we know and have been 'programmed' to do and then we finally leap into action. This whole process only takes a fraction of a second.

The Martial Way Elements System works to attach an emotional feeling of the elements (earth, water, fire, wind, void) to physical self defence and combat techniques. In class (predominately in the Skill Session) you learn specific physical moves that coincide with a particular element. As you learn the physical mechanics of a specific block or a specific strike for a specific attack or defense situation you are being presented with an appropriate emotion metaphorically represented by the elements. For example, if you are working in Earth you attach the movements of a certain block and counter strike to an internal feeling of being strong, solid and grounded, like a rock or a heavy tree trunk.

In a 'real' confrontation, the specifics of the situation will more than likely automatically trigger the recognised emotion of Earth (as the example) and the related feelings associated with this element. What will follow will be an appropriate and effective physical response to the present threat.

More highly trained and experienced people in the Element System will be able to consciously take on the emotion of an element very early on in the confrontation, thus giving them even more control of the situation.

All people naturally have one element or a small combination they lean to or feel more comfortable with. For example, personality Type A people are generally FIRE or a combination of FIRE and EARTH. The Martial Way system aims to develop a fully balanced elemental representation. Earth and Fire on their own or as a combination can be confident, determined and positive, but they are still limited. There needs to be an all-round physical, mental and emotional response capability.

The Five Elements

Many ancient philosophies use a set of archetypal elements to explain patterns in nature. Elemental representations are found in texts from Ancient Greece, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, Ancient China and Japan, Buddhism, Hinduism, Paganism, Psychology and Physics.

Martial Way uses the Five Element Theory predominantly in a martial arts combat context, to create a interpretive framework for reacting to and responding to attacks. It takes most of its teachings from the Japanese Godai system (the Five Great Elemental Manifestations), a lore intertwined with the arts associated with the historic Shadow Warriors of Japan, the Ninja.

The five elements of the Godai, their symbolic representations, their appearance in the human being and their use in the teachings of martial arts are (in ascending order):


EARTH - (chi) - a solid state - a natural posture

EARTH represents the firm, hard objects that appear in existence. Rocks are probably the best symbol of the earth element in nature in that they are incapable of change, movement or growth without the help of the other elements.

In the human being, the Earth element shows up in the body as the bones, muscles and other tissues. In the mind it is the confidence and emotionally it is a desire to have things remain as they are, a resistance to change. When under the influence of this Earth mode we are aware of our own physicality and sureness of action.

As a means of self protection, when the attack starts Earth represents our desire to hold our ground and 'crush' the assailants attack with our strength. We are calm and unbothered by their threats and we firmly resolve to stop them in their tracks.



WATER - (sui) - a liquid state - a defensive posture

WATER represents a flowing or adaptable state. A running stream is able to bend and adapt to its environment as it flows over and around obstacles in its path.

In our bodies the Water element represents the blood and other fluids necessary for life. Mentally the element is the ability to adapt and change our strategy, or way of doing things, if change is needed. At our core, it is our emotionalism and ability to go with the flow.

In self protection strategies, the Water element identifies both our defensive adaptation to an enemy's attack and our ability to 'flow' with the attack. The feeling of being overwhelmed by their force or technique causes us to want to back up and create more space and time between us, as we attempt to cover and protect our targets from their attacking limbs.



FIRE - (ka) - an energy releasing state - an offensive posture

FIRE represents a combustible, energy-releasing state. It symbolises force and direction, for example, a fireball hurling forward.

In our bodies, this element is represented by our metabolism and body heat. Mentally it is our directness, committment and desire to be better than we are. Internally come the qualities of will or intention, motivation and competitiveness as well as an outgoing or domineering spirit.

As a self protection strategy, Fire represents an attitude of foresight. We perceive the potential for attack and direct our committed spirit at our opponent as we take the fight to them.


WIND - (fu) - a gaseous state - a receiving posture

WIND is the symbolic representation for elements in a gaseous state. Freedom of movment and an expanding nature are the keys here, like a cloud of smoke floating in the air.

In our body, the Wind element is our respiration and the processing of oxygen and other gasses between cells. Mentally it is our intellectual capabilities and our ability to be 'open-minded'. Emotionally, we are carefree and not influenced by stress.

As a basis for self protection, this element shows our desire to avoid and stay just beyond the reach of an opponent. We naturally want to avoid any conflicts or at least a direct confrontation. Our strategy is reflected in our timing and evasive movements that allow us to flank him and smother his assault attempt if necessary.


VOID - (ku) - subatomic energy - the substance from which all things take form - the source of all elements

The VOID is the name for the creative foundation of all that is. The subatomic material that forms the atoms that group into the molecules that form all other material things in the universe is the base example from nature. Human beings in a higher conscious state are a good representative of this element.

In the body, the Void element is our ability to think and communicate with others. Mentally and emotionally it represents our creative nature, as well as our personal means of self expression as we identify with and operate in the world around us.

As a self protection method Void represents the creative and spontaneous flow between the lower elements as we adapt to and alter our techniques as our emotional state changes from moment to moment. We literally make up the technique as we go. This element gives the ability to let go of any preset technique or mental chatter about "what we will do if he...." and clear our mind so that we can sense the impressions and feelings that will tell us what he is preparing to do. With this we are able to communicate with our attacker in an attempt to diffuse the situation before it comes physical. The Void element also involves the strategy of altering an attacker's perception of truth and falsehood. We have the ability to make the attacker think we are doing one thing when in fact we are doing the complete opposite.


The five elements, as codes for action in a self protection situation, serve as a guide for human beings in relating their emotional moods and responses to their mental and physical options.

Class Retrospective

This post is where we look back over key points and teachings that arose from the most previous class session:


EVASION AGAINST STICK -
The key thing to focus on in this exercise is to move at the most last moment possible. All movements should be quick and precise, moving the whole body at once by moving from the legs. The aim is to have the opponent think they have successfully made contact with and when they do realise they have not, they are either on their ass or looking around for you (you have either counter attacked or escaped from the danger area). To be able to do this effectively you need to begin with a calm, relaxed mind, this will give a calm, relaxed body and allow for quick fluid body movment.

The stick (or any other similar weapon) only needs to miss you by centremetres (it can even make contact in some instances but thats a whole other post entry!) meaning that your evasion movement does not need to be much to be effective.

Some students find it hard to relax and are really jumpy and jittery when doing this exercise. The consequences are movements that are too slow, uncoordinated and entirely unsuccessful. I understand it can be quite daunting to have someone swinging a 3 foot stick at your head but this essentially comes back to a subconscious fear of getting hit (again a whole other future post entry). We are doing this exercise with safety weapons, in a controlled and monitored environment, with an training partner who personally does not really want to cause you harm. This does not mean we take this exercise lightly, it should be undertaken with the seriousness of any other weapon defence technique, but use the safe training environment as an opportunity to practice having a calm, relaxed mind. Continuous training of this evasion exercise in this way will ensure that if you do encounter this type of attack in a real situation you will be much comfortable relaxing the mind and body and dealing with the situation.

MARTIAL WAY GRADING SYSTEM

The Martial Way system does not have a formal belt-grading system as such but uses coloured T-shirts to differenciate skill and experience level:

WHITE T-SHIRT - Beginner - develop basic mechanics of movements, basic theoretic understanding of the Element System.

BLACK T-SHIRT - Senior - refine mechanics, develop unconscious self defence reactions, develop deeper understanding of the Element System (connecting the feeling of the elements with physical self defence movements).

RED T-SHIRT - Trainer - attain essence of the Element System, understand void in relation to the other elements, unconsciously work from void in all endeavours, have a complete understanding of the Element System on a conscious, mechanical level so as to express that knowledge in a teaching medium.

MARTIAL WAY TRAINING PERIODS

1. WARM-UP PERIOD - for cardio benefit
2. STRETCH PERIOD - for flexibility
3. BODY AWARENESS PERIOD - for developing balance and coordination
4. BODY CONDITIONING PERIOD - for muscle conditioning, developing strength and power
5. SKILL SUBJECT PERIOD - for developing concentration and focus, mental and physical endurance
6. WARM DOWN/FREEFORM PERIOD - for cardio, flexibility, muscle conditioning, balance, coordination, mental and physical endurance

First Class Review

The inaugural Martial Way group session was a highly energetic and successful one, for those who missed out here is a review of what was covered:

1. Warm-up Period: Began with jogging on the spot while loosening up the limbs and joints before going into intervals of push-ups and push-up claps (this really wakes people up!), then going back to jogging on the spot with bursts of sprints on the spot.
2. Stretch Period: Basic full body stretch focussing on keeping a natural breathing rhythm and relaxing the muscles through each stretch.
3. Body Awareness Period: Began by looking at the "9 directions of movement", before pairing up a going through a body evasion exercise against a partner armed with a 3 foot stick. This was done first with the hands held behind the back, then progressing to using hand and arm movements to check and redirect the oncoming opponent.
4. Self Defence Skill Period: The topic was defence against a wild king-hit punch. First we explored doing realistic attacks against an unsuspecting opponent, then went through elemental self defence scenarios against the attack. This covered Earth, Water, Fire and Wind elemental representations.
5. Warm-down/Freeform Period: Students first paired up and went through a freeform exploration of the 4 elemental defence techniques. Then to finish everyone got together to perform a group attack scenario with one defender against a multitude of attackers.

I was very impressed with everyones high energy and intent but also control and communication with ones training partner, it produced a great group buzz. Hopefully the following sessions will continue that feeling.