Chinkuchi Push Up Bars

Read the first post here: Push Up Bars

Today, Romney on a Yahoo group I watch provided us a link to Advincula's FaceBook site for Isshinryu. In that site I was first introduced to the chinkuchi push up bars. I have since tried to determine for myself whether this is actually a good measurement of chinkuchi or just a gimmick as doing push up's with this type of device is difficult.

One who can make use of the bars must have strong hands, wrist and forearms. They must work hard to keep alignment and stability from the hands up to and into the shoulders. Now, my contention or theory is that this may not necessarily mean one has or uses chinkuchi but it does indicate a lot of other physical characteristics.

Example, there is a type of body push up that we used in my younger days. You would see strong man demonstrations on the boardwalk in Daytona Beach Florida in the fifties and sixties. The push up wa done with the body in the normal position but in lieu of the hands by the shoulders you extended your hands and arms straight out directly above your head. You then place your five finger tips on the deck with elbows almost locked and then you raised your entire body up off the floor. A very difficult feat.

Now, does this mean I have chinkuchi? Not necessarily. Another consideration is that once you spend some time working out with these types of feats and devices you and your body learn and adjust to performing the feats. This means a stronger body, for sure, and it means you developed an ability to do difficult push ups but it may or may not indicate having chinkuchi.

Now, chinkuchi does rely on the fundamental principles of martial systems such as control, natural actions, training truth, breathing, posture, centerline, spinal alignment, both axis, structure, relaxation, wave energy, convergence, triangulations, body-mind, both centripetal and centrifugal forces, sequential locking and sequential relaxation, tactile sensitivity, rooting and a plethora of other principles to have chinkuchi.

I don't feel that any one thing or event or feat such as strong man type stunts actually indicate chinkuchi. I also don't believe feats such as tameshiwara, etc. along with feats that dazzle are actually good indicators of karate-do or karate-jutsu, just a means to demonstrate strength and an ability to train the body and mind - all good things but not actually karate but rather tools to develop your karate.

Again, I am not trying to refute whomever said this device and practice is chinkuchi or that it demonstrates good chinkuchi, I am just asking questions for clarification and to determine if something is a feat vs. a means of demonstrating a model or concept.

Anyone can chime in at any time to talk it out for educational sake. If you don't want to comment here then send me an email at the blog email account.

Last comment, a respected sensei recently wrote to me that you cannot tell someone what chinkuchi is and the only way to actually teach it is tactually on the dojo floor from someone who has chinkuchi. Doing pushups in my view and with this understanding is not a demonstration of anything other than doing push-ups. Manifesting chinkuchi is not done in feats of strength or demonstrations such as push ups but in the application of karate in a some what hostile, adrenaline induced, and chaotic moment of energy and power transference in combat - the fight.

But then again, I am opinionated ;-)

Informed and Situational Awareness

In a recent podcast produced and provided by Lawrence Kane and Kris Wilder on Mazlow and Criminals the guest, Rory Miller, spoke of how awareness is often spoken but not explained adequately. He and Mr. Kane spoke the term, "informed awareness." This got me to thinking about both informed awareness and situational awareness. 

Informed awareness is the yin of the yang side called situational awareness. I theorize that both are the two sides of the one coin or in this reference the yin of the yang of the yin that is yin-yang. 

It is best to listen to this podcast to get the full sense of what Mr. Kane and Mr. Miller mean by informed awareness. In a quick nutshell informed speaks to their references to the Mazlow Hierarchy as it applies to violence and criminals. To me this means the study of Mr. Miller's books on violence, etc. where he speaks to the information on this complex but necessary subject. 

As to situational awareness this is simply an awareness of you in the moment you are in and the environmental influences you encounter. As I also theorize one cannot be achieved without the other. In order to make situational awareness work you have to have an informed awareness to work from. This is not just what you learn as to self-defense techniques, etc. but that information that drives good self-defense. This means informed awareness to achieve situational awareness. 

After all if you don't have the informed awareness you may actually cause violence to happen to you vs. avoidance, etc. Does this make sense? Hey, go ahead and listen to the podcast here "Rory Miller, Mazlow and Criminals." Maybe it will clear up what I am trying to convey here, maybe. 

Chinkuchi - The Definitive Answer

In a recent e-post to Michael Clarke, and others, I was reminded that I seem to come back to this subject matter. It is because I am trying to put into words something that seemingly is only understood through a tactual training session. Hands on instruction that is both action and word seems to be the best yet when the words come they often don't measure up to match what is conveyed under tactual teaching methods. Mr. Clarke reminded me of this yet I still have the urge to attempt to put into words for those who have not experienced chinkuchi but mostly for those who wish to experience it so they may seek out someone who actually knows and has chinkuchi. 

I feel that both words and actions are the best teachers. You still need to know something of the subject so when you actually practice it you can make connections where often the words being inadequate and incomplete become more because of the physical experience. Much like the fight, you cannot begin to understand what it means to be on the receiving end of violence if you don't actually experience it to one level or another. Talking or reading about being hit is not adequate to the experience. Chinkuchi is similar to this experience.

I understand the remarks from Mr. Clarke and other martial art luminaries but in the end I cannot accept that there is no adequate explanation that truly conveys why chinkuchi is important to the practice and application of martial arts with specificity to Okinawa Ti or today's karate. I believe that words both spoken and written are what stimulates curiosity and later spurs the research necessary to learn. I also believe in the case of all teaching of physical disciplines that those words will assume greater meaning once the tactual/physical/action teachings are added. 

It is this pairing of word and deed that makes things whole and complete. A lack of adequate words to explain a concept in modern martial arts especially for westerners means they will often discount the concept similar to the current status of kata in the west where kata is ignored simply because of a lack of understanding as to the purpose of kata. This is also true of other aspects of traditional karate of Okinawa. 

Understanding the concept of chinkuchi means more who have not been exposed to it may seek out instruction so they can achieve true karate of Okinawa. Many of the older karate-ka of Okinawa believe that without chinkuchi you are not practicing true karate. It is much easier to believe in something if you can get a fundamental understanding as to what that concept is and means. In the west the spoken or written word usually leads to training and practice. Westerners and many other folks today tend to seek out answers before committing to actions. Good or bad, but true, and relevant to seeking out an explanation that gives the most understanding of this concept is important - I seek a solid, relevant and instructional way to convey the concept in words, spoken and written. 

So, I keep returning to this term and its conceptual meaning in words simply to provide the best words to inspire others to see it if they already have it and to seek out instruction to learn it if they do not have it. To seek out those who can see it and either explain it or teach it properly. So with this in mind, I provide the following as my latest attempt to put into words that which seems elusive.

Chinkuchi is the application of the fundamental principles of marital arts to the jutsu of karate whereby you achieve concentrated power at any given moment into a single point under any circumstance with maximum energy and maximum power.

Chinkuchi: Literally the term means, sinew, bone, and energy. This cannot be confirmed through sources other than documented conversations between American practitioners and Okinawan experts, i.e. Shimabuku Tatsuo, Shimabuku Cisco, etc. and leading Okinawan students of Tatsuo-san. Another source at the Shinjinbukan System web site states that "chinkuchi is that exact point in which a joint can resist a force in two opposite directions (pulling and pushing). This is a unique aspect of the body mechanics that facilitates  stability and leverage without wasting muscular force. This concept is unique to Ti, the ancient Okinawan Martial Art.

Chinkuchi can only be learned by allowing the teacher to touch and guide the movement of the student during the execution of a technique. Chinkuchi can not be learned by reading a book on the subject, because without the physical experience and muscle memory it is impossible to develop, embody and produce a chinkuchi quality. Chinkuchi could also be defined as a state-of-mind, because it requires that both mind and body remain in total balance. Nowadays, most Karate teachers who speak and write about chinkuchi do not understand it and are only able to produce stiff mechanical movements with no real-life applications. "

Although both explain it the explanation is too limited to truly convey the meaning and its significance to the practice of karate. Others add in such things as having the following elements:

1. Intention of Zanshin.

2. Perfection of Technique.

3. Fluid Movement.

4. Speed of Movement.

5. Power of Movement. 

6. Ki as an essential ingredient.

7. Proper tensing.

8. Proper breathing.

9. Accompanying of technique with mind-control.

10. Being loose until the moment of contact.

11. Allowing your ki to flow through the movement.

12. Exhalation makes the strike stronger.

13. Capability to stun your adversary.

14. Tighten abdominal muscles as you strike. 

15. Kiai.

16. Mind Control.

17. Focused strength and power.

etc.

These all provide some limited insight but fail to convey how the concept is applied to the individual to give them chinkuchi. As you can see and as I explain in the following this can be misleading or simply fails to provide an explanation that makes sense. This occurs due to the tendency to assume the person speaking or writing knows what they know and also the tendency to not question due to a belief we cannot look stupid by asking such questions. A few examples of the issues I have with the above elements. 

Intention of Zanshin: Impossible to understand because zanshin like chinkuchi is one of those terms that is hard to explain in words and the explanations vary as much as the quantity of techniques taught in martial arts.  

Ki is an essential ingredient: No one can fully and adequately explain what Ki really is and if it even truly exists. Ki is one of those terms that is used often to deflect honest questions for a variety of reasons including the sensei just doesn't know and understand what Ki is. 

Accompany technique with mind-control: This one is left to interpretation. No one actually explains mind control and not many if any address this in training and practice. It is one of those "assumption" topics. 

If you explain something with other inexplicable things you have not explained the original thing to begin with. This is deflection due to lack of knowledge. 

So, how do we explain chinkuchi. Let us begin with the definition given, i.e. sinew, bone and energy. These words merely provide a type of introduction similar to karate being empty hand. The simplicity of both open the door to depth and breadth of complexities and simplicities that make up the martial arts, i.e. in this case karate. It is merely a lead in to more.

When you take in the explanation of the shinjinbukan you get additional information, i.e. "body mechanics," "stability and leverage," "economy of motion," "muscular force," "muscle memory," "state-of-mind," and "tactual teaching methods." This too is only a means to introduce the concept to practitioners. 

A few examples of these concepts:

Body Mechanics: Actually there is no such thing but the concept that is used as the basis of this is actually the fundamentally principles of martial systems as provided by the author of the book, "The Book of Martial Power: The Universal Guide to the Combative Arts." Steven J. Pearlman. I use this book because it connects with the concept of chinkuchi as provided by concepts like body mechanics, muscle memory, and stability and leverage, etc. 

Economy of motion: speaks to the concept of the same as explained in the fundamental principles of martial systems. A comprehensive tome of what it takes to produce power though what you practice and train as karate-ka. The underlying foundation that makes it work at its most efficient and powerful. 

Tactual training methods: this speaks to the yang of the yin-yang of chinkuchi. The yin being what I am trying to do here while the yang is the need to learn by doing concept. It is the participation in the practice of karate to feel and sense the body as it achieves chinkuchi so that the mind can comprehend it as a whole achieving chinkuchi. 

The rules that require you to practice a certain way with certain concepts and certain beliefs lead you to chinkuchi. It is the whole of all the parts that make it work and along with tactual training one must understand and know what underlies chinkuchi, the fundamental principles of martial systems as achieved by basics, kata, kumite, makiwara, hojo-undo, kumite, etc. The principles are the yin and the practice of karate as described is the yang making a whole one. 

Chinkuchi, in part, can be how we manifest this whole one though the yin-yang of developing chinkuchi. Chinkuchi is also a concept that results in the maximization of energy and power transference from one body to another. Chinkuchi is how that happens. If you apply fundamental principles of marital arts to the jutsu of karate whereby you achieve concentrated power at any given moment into a single point under any circumstance with maximum energy and maximum power you have chinkuchi. 

Fundamental Principles of Martial Systems:

PRINCIPLES OF THEORY

Universality, control, efficiency, lengthen our line, percentage principle, std of infinite measure, power paradox, ratio, simplicity, natural action, Michelangelo principle, reciprocity, opponents as illusions, reflexive action, training truth, imperception and deception.

PRINCIPLES OF PHYSIOKINETIC

Breathing, Posture, Triangle guard, Centerline, Primary Gate, Spinal Alignment, Axis, Minor Axis, Structure, Heaviness, Relaxation, Wave Energy, Convergence, Centeredness, Triangulation Point, The Dynamic Sphere, Body-Mind, Void, Centripetal Force, Centrifugal Force, Sequential Locking & Sequential Relaxation, Peripheral Vision, Tactile Sensitivity, Rooting.

PRINCIPLES OF TECHNIQUE

Techniques vs. Technique, Equal Rights, Compliment, Kobo Ichi, Economical Motion, Active Movement, Positioning, Angling, Leading Control, Complex Forces, Indirect Pressure, Live Energy & Dead Energy, Torsion & Pinning, Speed, Timing, Rhythm, Balance, Reactive Control, Natural & Unnatural Motion, Weak Link, Non-Telegraphing, Extension and Penetration.

PRINCIPLES OF PHILOSOPHY

Mind, Mushin, Kime, Non-intention, Yin-Yang, Oneness, Zanshin & Being, Non-action, Character, The Empty Cup.

As can be seen these principles and the sub-concepts drive how we learn, practice and apply karate as well as other martial arts. As you look at the sub-concepts you will see those that relate directly to the concept of chinkuchi, i.e. the transference of energy and power, etc. When some attempt to explain chinkuchi the speak of some of these sub-concepts such as breathing, posture, alignments, efficiency, etc. and that is limiting the concept to the few sub-concepts in a few principles. 

Looking, reading and then practicing/learning of the principles builds the foundation of the system as a true traditional combative art, karate. When you see these principles you can then see how chinkuchi at is base meaning of sinew, bone and energy can be connected directly to all the principles. These principles build and connect one another into one wholehearted practice of a system. That system is fundamental to the concept, learning and teaching of chinkuchi. 

In addition to understand such terms as this you have to connect yourself to those who discovered chinkuchi in karate-do. You need to put yourself in their shoes for the time in which they lived and according to the culture, belief and practices of the peoples of Okinawa. By extension understanding the culture and beliefs of martial arts and the people who influenced the evolution of karate as well, i.e. the Chinese, the Japanese and other Asian societies of the times. 

Chinkuchi is still hard to convey in words both spoken and written. It still needs to be taught on the dojo floor where you can feel, see, and sense it within the body. This then connects the words into the concept and by that action of learning, practice and application solidifies it within each of us and it is then hoped that those practitioners can learn the words to explain and convey this concept. 

Chinkuchi is the application of the fundamental principles of marital arts to the jutsu of karate whereby you achieve concentrated power at any given moment into a single point under any circumstance with maximum energy and maximum power.

Mastery Does Not Exist

You can be an expert on something but mastery? Mastery is not possible. Why not? Because to have mastery you have to know everything about everything. Can you have mastery of one discipline? No, because mastery of one discipline means you have to know everything about that one thing. 

No one thing stands alone much like the old adage no man is an island. Even one discipline has many parts and each part to be mastered means you must know everything about those things. It becomes exponential in nature. 

In addition the minute you feel you know everything about one thing the click of the moment passes into the next moment and some part of that thing changes with the moment ergo meaning we have not attained mastery.

Even an expert must continually seek out more to add to there current level of knowledge. Both expertise and mastery require something that does not exist. Proficiency may be the real ticket here in this some what philosophical discussion but then again proficiency requires an ongoing and continual process of acquisition of knowledge and experience. 

To attain and remain proficient and an expert or to have mastery is fluid and never ending and that brings me to the quote: "If there is nothing to learn because we know it all, what is the challenge, why would the effort matter, what would be the point?"

Leaning never ends and to be an expert or to have mastery means you have reached the end but that can't be true because life itself is an ongoing event until death and in some belief systems death is not the end either. 

Maybe this is why the actual definitions used in such terms are also not complete but fluid with dependence on such things as the present moment, understanding, knowledge, perceptions, culture and beliefs that also shift and shimmer with the moment. 

An expert has a comprehensive and authoritative knowledge of and/or skill in a particular area. Mastery is the comprehensive knowledge and/or skill in a subject or accomplishment. Neither of these really denoted a one particular view as to what an expert or master actually is and knows. It leaves a lot of room open to interpretation. At what level of knowledge or skill means you are an expert or master? Does it mean of all those who practice in a discipline that you have achieved levels of knowledge and skill that far exceeds all others? How can you prove this? 

I guess philosophers and scientists have tried to answer such questions since the beginning of time. 

Goals

Lets take a look at self-defense. Lets remain within the arena of training. What are the things I feel most important to applying self-defense? 

First, you need to generate stopping power with your arms and hands and possible your legs and feet. You need to do this in a dynamic way, i.e. while moving and at different ranges that change quickly, etc.

Second, you need to have an ability to evade, dodge, parry, block and slip, etc. 

Third, you need to practice where your opponent is trying hard to hurt you. Note that this is someone you trust to take it as far as possible without actually doing long term damage but you will experience a degree of hurt, bruises, scrapes, etc.

Not a big list but a core feature to learning to defend yourself. There are other aspects that must be addressed but as to applying your abilities in a violent situation these are core or cornerstone aspects to learning, training, practicing and applying techniques. Look at this as a intricate part of your overall strategy in training and practice. 

Stopping Power: How do you define such things. There are a few factors that make up power. Most are discussed in other posts so it is up to you to search out such things and combine them into some coherent form you will understand and use. One small thing I always preached was "you have to hit stuff" to learn what it takes to apply power to punches and kicks, etc. There are so many variables out there that you have to work hard to practice them while hitting something. When I say hit something I mean you have to hit it like you mean it. Lightly hitting the heavy bag is a good work out but you have to hit it like you would if you were trying to stop and adversary. You have to achieve hitting something with meaning while applying all the various things that occur in a physical confrontation. Figure it out and apply it to hitting something.

Body Shifting and Control: In the martial arts they call it by many names of which one is tenshin. Tenshin involves body displacement. It is moving the body efficiently. It is connected to such things as breathing and chinkuchi. It is the efficient method of body mechanics used to generate body movement. It is this type of practice and training that makes the power effective in almost any situation say while moving backward, to the side, etc. The ability to apply power while punching, kicking and in the movement of change in direction. It also applies when your body is in the worst position like being on the ground where the legs ability to move you are mostly removed and the body shifting is done by whole body movement, etc. 

Damage Degree: This last is important because it requires trust between practitioners yet allows for both to take it to the very edge of serious damage. You have to hit things yes but you have to get hit as well. How many would freeze at the initial shock of a serious violent strike or punch. Your mind as well as your body must achieve some understanding of what that feels like and how the mind can learn to mostly ignore the pain and agony of damage so you can succeed in stopping it and reaching the proper level of defense and safety. 

Nothing here is easy and this is not the end all of how to achieve such things. It is meant to get you thinking and working what it takes to be solid in your practice and training toward self-defense. It is just one layer in that onion of many layers we call self-defense. This is just another way to get one thinking outside the box. 

Kata and Methodologies

The argument about remaining true to the original kata has been argued time and agin over the last four decades of karate. There are excellent arguments for both sides. My point of view on the subject is remain true to the original kata at the kyu and lower dan ranks so you get the full, complete and traditional view then you let the kata become your own in a manner of speaking. 

How you train the kata is a matter of methodology, the methodology of the dojo, the system, the sensei and later in the life of a karate-ka the karate-ka themselves. Kata can remain steady and static to a point throughout your practice and training but the methodology can change as you change, your sensei changes, the dojo and system change. 

It seems simple enough. It is important to the traditions of the system to keep things at the novice level strictly to the system as it was meant to be taught by the founder. It is not meant to remain static once a person travels beyond the novice level and struggles into the expert levels. To remain static is to remain a novice and that causes the system to remain incomplete.

A solid post yesterday by the The Classic Budoka blog gives us a really awesome view of how kata might have been taught after a certain period. This may be directed toward the Japanese systems while the Okinawan systems of karate, etc. take a different approach. Then you can theorize that all of them being fathered by influences from the Chinese martial systems means they all have a thread of commonality that may also encompass this view. It reminds me of the concept of "shikata" from the early feudal era. 

The moral of this post is don't remain steadfast in the novice level regarding kata and its benefits. Let yourself set a solid foundation and then move on from there. You can have both the traditional forms and your own individualized forms, they both will work for you.

Read the classic budoka post "Kazure: 'Breaking' the Kata" 

Kinetic Energy

Energy that a body possesses by virtue of being in motion. In physics, the kinetic energy of an object is the energy which it possesses due to its motion.[1] It is defined as the work needed to accelerate a body of a given mass from rest to its stated velocity. Having gained this energy during its acceleration, the body maintains this kinetic energy unless its speed changes.

The adjective kinetic has its roots in the Greek word κίνησις (kinesis) meaning motion. Gottfried Leibniz and Johann Bernoulli, described kinetic energy as the living force. Penetration depth was proportional to the square of their impact speed.

Energy occurs in many forms, including chemical energy, thermal energy, electromagnetic radiation, gravitational energy, electric energy, elastic energy, nuclear energy, and rest energy. These can be categorized in two main classes: potential energy and kinetic energy.

In physics, potential energy is the energy of an object or a system due to the position of the body or the arrangement of the particles of the system. Potential energy is associated with a set of forces that act on a body in a way that depends only on the body's position in space. If the work of forces of this type acting on a body that moves from a start to an end position is defined only by these two positions and does not depend on the trajectory of the body between the two, then there is a function known as a potential that can be evaluated at the two positions to determine this work.

The more formal definition is that potential energy is the energy difference between the energy of an object in a given position and its energy at a reference position.

It is these two forces, i.e. kinetic and potential, that govern force, i.e. energy transference due to both potentiality and kinetically. The position of one body in relation to another for potentiality and the movement of one or both bodies that provide energy that is transferred into force upon contact be it a fist, foot or elbow, etc.

The kinetic energy is equal to the mass multiplied by the square of the speed, multiplied by the constant 1/2. In formula form:

Now we can go into a lot of formula's similar to this one to explain how one achieves proper energy levels to apply force in stopping an attack, etc. but in truth the end reality is that the bodies movement creates a level of energy that is transferred into the target. It means that a combination of things provide maximum energy levels that result in greater force.

In a nutshell the explanation of the boxer's step punch tells us that when you move the body while adhering to the fundamental principles of martial systems, i.e. posture, alignment, movement, body weight, coordination of body parts, etc., in conjunction with the movement of the body over a distance will create the most power, penetration and transference of said energy or power into a target. Look at it as the difference between a 22cal round vs. a 44 magnum round along with powder, barrel length, etc.

In martial arts look at it as a forward motion of a heavy body with perfect timing of forward movement to stance or kamae positioning, leg, hips, torso, upper body, arms, hands, the speed of the forward movement along with alignment, strength of muscles, bone, cartilage, tendons and finally the lack of movement of the receiving target, etc. If all things are applied optimally you get a large amount of energy transference into the type of force that ends the fight.

In reality tho it is extremely difficult to make all these things come to a solid and complete conclusion ergo why boxing matches and fights tend to go the distance depending on other factors of both the boxing model and the real life model of violence, i.e. social or asocial, etc.

Even this simplified explanation is too darn long. Take it to the dojo floor, the training hall floor, and use heavy bags, makiwara, padded shields and sparring with body armor to really find out just how hard it can be to use these concepts under the influence of emotional turmoil and physical/mental chemical effects on the mind-body-spirit.

Leaders and Leadership

Leadership in life as in martial arts is a great responsibility. What is a leader is actually the question and has many answers but in reality it comes down to just a simple thing, i.e. the ability to inspire others to follow you, to do things for you willingly and with vigor, and to follow to the death. What it takes to create that sort of follower without it becoming a religious fanatical rigid belief system is critical. The individual follower must remain true to themselves while willingly following your path, your way and your direction. 

It is not an easy path for either the leader or the follower. It takes a bit of faith in what that leader stands for and what goals they are trying to achieve over the long haul. This is where most try to list things that they feel makes a true leader but in essence it is more simple yet complicated than listing a bunch of virtues. It comes down to a connectivity between two or more persons without losing themselves in the effort. 

I am not talking about command with certain rules or laws that drive the followers as in the military but rather those unwritten rules set by the individual willingly to themselves in the actions and deeds they take and follow. Even in the military one can be commanded and one can be lead. Both will get the job done but one is far superior to the other. 

Similar to the adage of a police person and a partner where life depends on the relationship of both. A leader and a follower still have to rely on such things at various levels as dictated by circumstances in any given moment but it ends up using the same thing across all levels and boundaries. 

Learning from Youtube

I read an article that referenced learning from youtube. It then alluded to simply learning from video's so that would include movies, television, video's, DVD's and of course Youtube. The question then comes to mind, is this possible?

The answer, like most things involving physical disciplines as applied to self-defense and even sport, is involved, complicated and just plain convoluted. The short answer is, "yes-n-no."

If you are a novice with little or no experience then the short answer is no. You cannot take a book, a movie, or DVD, etc. and learn a system. You cannot go on-line and learn a system from your browser on some web site. It cannot be done. There is way to much stuff missing that cannot be gleamed from any of these sources. 

If you are an expert with a good deal of experience then the short answer is yes. You can look at a book, a movie, a DVD and even Youtube and supplement your current knowledge. One caveat, it takes that expert experience to take these sources and move them to the dojo floor to work them out and remove as many of the faults you may inadvertently incorporate learning from such limited sources. It takes time, effort and many senses to see what is valued and make it work. This is a simplistic answer for such a short article.

It is like posting to the blog, it is valued information but you still have to take that information and work it out to see if it has value for you. These things have depth and breadth that cannot be conveyed in a film. This is why in the end all of it must be vetted in a training environment with others who are experts and experienced in reality based scenarios. Even in one of these environments you have to go over it again and again and again because each time something new is going to pop up. This does not happen in books, films and video's etc. It just doesn't. 

Think of it this way, movies take you to a world that fools you into believing the possibilities, i.e. in two hours you can feel like you have experienced days, weeks, and even months if not years, a misperception of what is true violence vs. drama, and can make you believe in things that were not even displayed within the movie itself. If we can be misled by movies than why should we contribute any type of validation toward movie's taken on someone's phone? Why should we assume that just because it is on film that it has all the facts, etc.? It does not and it can fool you into believing something not real. 

Information on Rank

Let me begin by giving you the source of this synopsis on karate rank. You can read the entire article, "How the Masters Got Their Ranks: Origins of the Karate Rank System," written on the JudoInfo.com site ( http://judoinfo.com/karateranks.htm ).

In a nutshell, as you are already aware, on April 12th in the year 1924, Sensei Gichin Funakoshi, The "Father of Modern Karate," awarded karate's first black belt rank upon seven of his students. It was to be later understood that Funakoshi's own rank was of no consequence. It was to be assumed, by him I suppose, that the rank system was for students, not for the system masters. 

In Japan, the Butoku-kai, issued instructor's licenses. These were the titles of renshi, kyoshi, and the highest of the three, hanshi. Karate groups were called upon to register for official sanctioning sometime around the 1930's. A meeting called for in 1938 consisted of a group of masters who most had founded their own styles and therefore automatically assumed the highest rank that their agreed upon perspective of standards allowed. 

As for Okinawa, the dan/kyu ranking system did not take hold or start to take hold until after World War II. It was known of before that time, however, many individual karate masters didn't not make use of the dan'i system. In 1937, Miyagi Sensei, was awarded the title of kyoshi from the butoku-kai. They appointed him as their chief representative on Okinawa making the island a branch of the butoku-kai. 

At the end of WWII, on Okinawa, the surviving karate masters had to start over and because the butoku-kai was not a presence there, or even in Japan, they were on their own to do what the deemed prudent and necessary. Many of the dojo came together to form their own organizations. Each association during the 40's and 50's came to codify their own rules for ranking. 

It became a practice that any perceived higher authority resulted in those groups adopting their requirements resulting in the legitimization of their actions. Those actions included rank awards.

All these organizations, i.e. Goju-kai, Shito-kai, Chito-kai, Shoto-kai and Japans karate associations, set the patterns and are considered the original sources for today's ranking systems. Even so, it did not perceivably remove the veil of confusion over rank and awarding rank to present day. Back then the individual clubs would assume ranks for which they were qualified but that may have been strictly according to those head guys perception and perspectives. They were the ones actually writing their criteria for rank and their system or style. 

Ranking, i.e. the dan-i or kyu/dan system, only started to take hold around 1956, under the formation/new organization the Okinawa Karate Association. I quote, "Chosin Chibana, first to name his system shorin-ryu, was the first president. According to the historical data of the Shudokan (a Japanese group started by Kanken Toyama in Tokyo), Chibana and Toyama were officially recognized by the Japanese Ministry of Education to grant any rank in the art of karate, regardless of style. Chibana helped organize the OKF, and it was then that the mainstream Okinawan groups, on a widespread basis, began differentiating their black belt ranks as other than simple teacher and student demarcations."

In a nutshell there were then created associations, i.e. AJKF (All Japan Karate Federation), the AJKF Okinawan branch, Okinawa Kempo League, All Karate Kobudo Rengo-kai, Okinawa Kobudo Federation. 

Richard Kim says the most significant regarding the use of the dan/kyu system was in 1964 when the FAJKO (). The FAJKO adopted a standardized rank system in 1971. Most groups are still tied to the FAJKO in terms of rank structure and sanction. Others that were not tied to the association still adhered or conformed to the FAJKO criteria and standards. 

In 1967 saw the formation of the All Okinawan Karate and Kobudo Rengo-kai by Seitku Higa sensei. This group adopted similar standards of the AOKF. It was this group who certified hanshi several karate-ka who had their own group or style that included Tatsuo Shimabuku of Isshinryu. It is this ranking structure that most Isshinryu practitioners regard as authorized but with some caveats.

First, the person who awards rank shall be recognized within karate's mainstream community. It shall be based on tradition, and linked to a body or sanctioned individual who is considered beyond question authoritative. The standards used to qualify for a rank must be recognizable, and conform to the Okinawan/Japanese martial arts hierarchy. It must be recognized and accepted by existing groups and organizations that provide rank legitimacy. 

As can be seen by this synopsis all of this still remains open to interpretations, perceptions, and personal perspective. If an organization becomes to restrictive in determining rank then natural instincts drive others to either go elsewhere or determine their own rules, requirements and legitimization's. If too loose then it drives others to award ranks that may not meet minimal requirements for proficiency, knowledge and expertise, etc. 

In the end it will still come down to perception as to skill and knowledge over ranking. It is the endeavor to achieve both skill and knowledge at all levers that is of greatest importance vs. the quest for rank. 

Going to Ground

This is one of those things I discarded in my early years of practicing karate. I always felt going to ground in self-defense was stupid. I still feel that it is right. I also allowed my training to discard ground work because I was a "stand up karate-ka." That was stupid, a mistake. After all, even if going to ground is the absolute last thing one should do in self-defense it does not mean that some MMA or BJJ inspired adversary is not going to try their very best to drop you to the ground as fast as they can.

It would be a mistake to remain static and true to a system that does not address every single aspect of fighting, combat and self-defense. If your system does not have it and you feel it should not that is ok but you should still add it to your overall package. You can teach it separately or as a whole while remaining true to your core system. You can practice them separately and then have time where you train using all of it holistically as a single whole system of defense. 

You may be saying to yourself, well doah, that is just how I do it but you would be surprised how many still hold true to the ideology that one system is the ultimate all you need system. Even those who incorporate stand-up with ground work are not that ultimate system. Oh, there is no ultimate system.

One warning tho, don't think you can get it all and make it work by attending a few classes or seminars. Don't think you can get it all and make it work without taking time and effort to train and practice - with regularity. Not once a week and not necessary every single day but give it the time and effort and due diligence to make it work. 

It's like working with a UNIX computer system. If you know it and work at it that stuff is easy to maintain but if you stop for a period of time it will get lost and you will have to relearn it. That is just the way things are.

Going to ground is a fact of life and you should spend the time preparing for it. You also have to make sure of the reasons why you are learning it. There is a difference between the sport aspects and the self-defense aspects. One does not necessarily work with the other (there is going to be crossover but do you want to bet your life on it?).

The more time you spend on things like this the less time you need to refresh it later in the game. What? Oh, that means if you dedicate the time and effort up front learning, practicing and gaining experience the less time you need to spend refreshing it. Let me explain, if you spend adequate time for say about five years learning well your self-defense system then you could actually visit the dojo once or twice a week to keep up with what you know and keep it fresh. This means your not trying to add anything but is dependent on your establishing a solid system that works for you. If you want to add things or teach then you need to remain diligent and frequent in practice and training. 

I mean this to qualify that if your not a martial artist dedicated to your practice, system and growing knowledge, etc. then you don't have to spend all your time in the dojo to keep your SD aspects fresh. If you want to practice for life, continue to add to your repertoire and teach others then you have to spend the time and dedication of open-minded practice, training and applications to remain fresh. 

Make sense?

Push Up Bars

Caveat: this is not to denigrate the chinkuchi push up bars nor the definition used for these devices. I don't mean to convey that this is either right or wrong or that this device is useful or not. I feel it is a good device to use for push ups, I also agree that they are by observation difficult to use thereby providing a benefit to the user if used properly. My only effort here is to question things for clarity and I hope readers will provide input along with a source to get a pair for myself. I also want to express that this is strictly an academic analysis until I do have a pair that I can use and test and theorize on their usefulness along with their association with the Okinawan quality called "Chinkuchi."

I am curious. I use a push up bar to do push up's every other day. I like them because they allow you to go deeper so you get a full cycle for a push up. You can move them around to achieve various angles thus various parts of the upper body to receive benefits, etc. 

What I am curious about is the normal push up bar has a T-bar at the bottoms of them for stability. I am curious how one can perceive chinkuchi from the bar's pictured on that face book page. On initial analysis, without having a pair to use, it seems that this is more a means of strengthening the grip and wrist while still getting a deeper push up. I feel to say that as long as you can maintain them in proper position is maintaining chinkuchi and the loss is loss of chinkuchi to be a bit iffy in truth. 

I also feel like using free weights that there are benefits, i.e. using free weights is more difficult vs. using a machine. A machine allows more weight and a more direct focus on a muscle group vs. free weights that require control to achieve good exercise with heavy weights. This may actually be the same principle for the chinkuchi push up bars. 

Now, to fully appreciate chinkuchi you really need to understand its concept. Many of the explanations, including the one Advincula uses, seem to be a bit limited. I actually feel that chinkuchi is actually the use of all the fundamental principals of martial system I believe in but I am not an expert. 

If I look at it from afar as I am doing now. I look closely at the pictures used to demo the bars on the face book site and notice that it requires the user to have their legs and feet spread out for greater stability. I wonder if the bars can be used with the feet together, legs straight and together as is done in a classical push up. I also question the push up bars being used on natural ground like in the yard. The formation of the bottom of those bars being round means they will push down partly into the ground forming around the base giving it limited stability that along with the spread legs and feet contribute to overall body stability while doing push ups.

I am not saying that those pushups are not difficult. I find the one's I do with my classical push up bars is difficult if for no other reason that when done properly it provides a much deeper and complete cycle of up and down. After all, push ups are the best if not the top three exercises anyone can do for health, fitness and upper body strength. 

I guess I am wondering if it truly is a matter of maintaing chinkuchi or just difficult enough requiring a greater focus and concentration on certain body parts to do it right and benefit. We tend to adhere names and stuff to things on a whim before truly vetting out these things so I ask these questions.

Anyone have comments, ideas or experiences with these push up bars? Anyone know where I can get a pair?

Click for a larger view and clarity.

Reality Check: Making it work, making sense of it, attaching it to the reality of violence.

Today, I read another article at the Chiron Blog written eloquently by Mr. Rory Miller. First, go there and read this one. I especially appreciate two parts. The first part is his recommendation to write a little private essay on why you are not an expert. Second, is the end part that starts to speak toward some of the things he feels are related to the first from his perspective. It is about your own "reality-check."

I have in these last years questioned myself about my expertise. I came to the conclusion that I am not an expert about self-defense. I am not an expert in martial arts either. Going into the why is more personal but this admission here is to convey the importance of what I have read today at Mr. Miller's blog. 

In the last five years my studies have been wide, varied and most informative. It is this study time that has opened my eyes to the expertise involved in the self-defense, fighting and combatives arena. What I did not know about violence and self-defense could and does fill a book, several books, oh heck a lot of books. 

Those books could fill a library and do, my library is not extensive but it is pretty large. Most of the informative books have come from Rory Miller and others like Marc MacYoung (love his site on self-defense). My library extends beyond martial arts or self-defense books simply because it is apparent to me that these things encompass far more than those books. 

Lastly, I am not an expert in the sense I have not taken it far enough into the physical practice and training to warrant any designation other than I am knowledgable. I would not now go forth upon the world to open a training facility and teach said stuff. I would want to go to the sources and gain training and expertise there first and only after I could adequately create an essay on why I am not an expert would I even try it. My only roadblock is I am fifty-nine and do I want to make the effort now to go that distance. 

Rory Miller, Marc MacYoung, and many, many others make you think. Of all their experience and abilities I feel that this ability to make a person think is probably the most important one they possess. I realize Mr. Millers inference to "are your efforts resulting in other improvement" is solid but even there if you are not making them think for themselves and making them want to think outside the proverbial box then you should think about it. 

"Qualified" by Rory Miller

New Things: The First or Second Try

Human nature tends to disregard things that don't work on the first or second try. It is not an ancient thing but rather a new thing influenced greatly by, first the industrial revolution, second by the eRevolution, and third by human evolution toward a greater need for instant gratification. 

Nature has not released us from natural evolution. If nature allowed us to quickly evolve toward this type of living then it would not be such an issue. All this has created greater stress, greater distances between humans regardless of the so called social networks, and greater conflicts that at one time in history were fewer since tribes and distance kept such conflicts at a minimum. 

We tend to encounter many things in our martial arts training but our one great obstacle is our personal and dojo belief systems. We tend to allow ourselves to get connected both emotionally and mentally to such things as "this is the supreme system of self-defense," and so on. We get stuck in believing that because some wonderful master of yesteryear created this awesome and complete system that we must adhere to it strictly and without deviation to remain true to that system. Mistake.

We encounter someone's perception of a technique for defense and then we try it. We try it once, maybe twice and in very few cases several times BUT if we cannot make it work to our satisfaction we discard it as useless and then make the mistake of using that to qualify and quantify our system as the greatest thing since peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Mistake.

We must allow ourselves the latitude to achieve proficiency in all we encounter, all the new things. We have to give it due diligence and adequate time to vet it out properly and see if it will work. Not everything works for everyone. But, if we fail to give something the time, effort and diligence to work it out and see if thoroughly for what it truly is then we do ourselves a disservice by discarding it willy-nilly. 

Not everything works for every individual. What will work for this many on this side of the dojo may not work for just as many on that side of the dojo. It does not mean that this particular technique is either valid or invalid. It just means you can't make it work adequately for you. You are a unique individual, like no other human being so things will sometimes work for you and sometimes not. 

Allowing a technique to reach the junk pile, for you, without giving it a chance over time and with effort is a mistake. Personally and in the last decade I have found many things that I, at one time, felt were not beneficial to me and my system. Since I started to realize my mistake I have found many of the beliefs, thoughts and applications to be beneficial to one degree or the other. Some I ended up discarding and most not. I have to include this in my personal philosophy on martial arts and self-defense as well. 

When you encounter or are introduced to new things, don't just give it a try or two. Give it the allotted time and effort to find out if it truly works for YOU or not then either incorporate it or discard it. In truth, you might find it a boon in the dojo if you keep it all the same. After all, even if it does not work or fit your character and style it just might be the ticket for one of your practitioners who will be able to run with it. 

Character vs. Personality

When martial artists of old spoke of masters and experts they included that persons character. This person was not only proficient in the physical forms and applications of martial arts but they had a character that was serious, disciplined and honorable. They don't rely on the impression of others and how they behave in private was more important than how they impressed in public. They looked inward.

A martial artists or any person of character relied on the inner self by the honor the felt themselves. They didn't perform to impress others but performed to meet the stringent requirements of self. A demonstrations was simply a demonstration, not a performance that is judged outside the self. 

Today's master is driven by the impressions they receive from others. They become a person of perceived personality that speaks to the need to be a salesman, a social operator, a person with a ready smile, a hearty handshake, and an ability to get along with colleagues while at the same time positioning and performing to outshine them. 

What kind of martial artist are you, a martial artist with character or a martial artist with personality?

Character: The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual; also nature - personality - temper - figure - disposition.

Personality: The combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character; Qualities that make someone interesting or popular; also character - individuality - personage - person - figure.

A key component that differentiates one from the other are moral qualities and that one is simply one aspect of the holistic other. One can have a personality but still not posses character. While character traits can span across many individuals the character of an individual is unique based on factors such as culture, beliefs, and the perceptions of the person at any one moment. 

A term used by Okinawans to denote or represent a person of character is "bushi." Bushi is explained through an article by Charles Goodin of Hawaiian Okinawan Karate. (http://seinenkai.com/art-bushi.html)

Some forms of martial arts simply focus on personalty while others focus on character. Character has personality as a smaller part of the whole as a contributor toward bushi type character. 

1's and 0's

How do I relate yin-n-yang to western philosophy? One's and zero's, the language of computers. Why? Simply because we are now a technological society that relies heavily on one's and zero's, the language underlying all computers in every form. 

In reality all the wonderful technological advancements we enjoy in today's techno-society are actually run by one's and zero's. Every single language and every single architecture that runs the languages is based some where, some how on those one's and zero's. Our advancement appears to be far beyond these mere one's and zero's but in reality they are just layers upon layers fooling us into thinking we have control of the techno-society.

Techno-society has control of us. We are so consumed with the ability to receive instant gratification through technologies that the micro-second we are presented with some new bell and whistle we line up like cattle going to slaughter to purchase the latest and greatest. We think we need it but do we?

How does this apply to martial arts. The martial arts are based on some concepts beginning with yin-n-yang or yin-yang since they intertwine and exist as one. The yin is the zero's and the yang is the one's. Things are either off or on, action or inaction, right or wrong, up or down, left or right, and in a nutshell all of it can be extrapolated down to either yin or yang or various levels and combinations between the extremes. 

Take a look at multi-tasking. Multi-tasking of human efforts is similar to the perception of a computer having an ability to perform multiple tasks. In reality both simply rely on the ability to do one thing very very quickly and then simply switching, very quickly, to another task and so on. We fool ourselves into believing we can accomplish more in tandem with other tasks but what is occurring is we are simply switching quickly between many task but in any one single moment we are actually working on one thing at a time. Is this effective, efficient and productive? No!

It is proven that such things while appearing to be productive have been proven to be less productive and less efficient. Maybe this is why so many new young persons want to work on high level aspects of tasks so that the specifics are not addressed, hidden from view and hidden from inspection and analysis.

In martial arts we tend to think that the complexity of a thing means we are knowledgable and of expert levels. Our complexity of martial arts is another veil we pull down over our eyes to achieve comfort, security and confidence in what we do. In reality it hides us from the true underlying needs or foundation of martial arts or any physical skill used in conflicts. 

Basics are boring. Fundamental principles of martial systems are boring. Constant continuous diligent practice of simpler strategies and tactics are boring. But, it is that practice and training when done based on reality that tend to program our minds to achieve proficiency and expertise. Concentrating on the one's and zero's are closer to what our instinct and lizard brain can use effectively than all the complex chains of techniques and actions you see in most dojo or training halls. 

We as humans seem to think that we must fill up our time, minds and effort with things that will remove the boring aspects of training and practice so we may achieve instant gratification repeatedly. It reminds me of an addictions, they seem euphoric but when you go down to reality it pushes the right buttons to go for the euphoric again and again. Almost like we can't live in the real world and we have to get to the glory of a fictional world. Kind of like being in a Matrix.

Time and again I come across the teachings of experts that speak to the need to keep it simple but fun. It is actually up to us to achieve variety in the mundane, the simple and then provide our own excitement, or fun, while continually and diligently practicing over and over again those things we need to be efficient, proficient and productive in martial arts. 

Martial Myths by Wim Demeere

Hi, All:

Wim Demeere has the beginnings of some great postings on the martial arts myths. He starts out with the "Myth of Chi Projection."

Bookmark his blog and read the upcoming posts on myths, his writing style and completeness is great.

Worth the Effort to Read

"At the Big Kids Table."

Aging in Marital Arts III

Actually this is about the effects of aging for martial artists. In general our hearing and vision decline, muscles and associated tendons, ligaments, etc. lessen in strength, our skin and blood vessels become less flexible, and lets not forget the overall diminishment of our body tone. 

Body organs perform less efficiently. Depending on how well you took or take care of your body your organs will diminish by different degrees and the healthier you are the less you will experience. 

The immune system protects us against viruses and bacteria. Our immune systems also lose ground as to their ability to provide protective functions via our immune systems, i.e. antibodies, etc. 

Not to put out a dampener for those of us reaching the winter years but knowledge is power and realizing that our bodies are going to make changes that mean less ability, etc. teaches us to make adjustments. It is a reminder that our bodies are constantly changing and we need to change with them. 

At birth we begin developing our muscle strength and the nervous system. As we reach the toddler stages we develop finer muscle control and motor skills. Then we reach adulthood meaning we stop growing and have reached physical maturity. 

In our thirties and early forties certain chemicals change and our bodies begin to decline. Metabolism slows, i.e. why we begin to get that middle age spread. At the ages of 40 to 65 our muscle strength declines as well as vision and hearing. Our fifties provide us the gift of aging by the decline of cognitive abilities. 

As we enter our winter years, our sixties and beyond, our skin becomes less elastic. Our joints and bones may become brittle. Our bodies ability to fix itself lessens. 

I think you see what I am alluding to here. We aging martial artists shall have the need to consider these changes and make the appropriate adjustments in our training, practice and applications. We spend a good deal of time refusing to accept the inevitability of the aging process. In martial arts it can often manifest itself in our attempts at staying up with the younger martial artists. 

As an aging sensei your experiences and knowledge can still be beneficial and is often critical to younger marital arts learning but it may require a bit of a different approach to passing along to the younger artists. 

Part of being a martial artists and a sensei is the ability to go the full distance. Going the full distance means letting go of some things especially some things that may bring you great joy and satisfaction while maintaining the ability to continue on. I believe this type of mind-set and attitude is how those early Okinawan and Japanese pioneers of martial arts were able to teach, practice and train way past their sixties and in some cases right up and into the hundred year deep winter years. 

This also teaches those who are younger and have the false feeling of invulnerability that how you handle your body both externally and internally will dictate how well your body ages. 

Then there is the second of the holy martial trinity, the mind. How one ages in the mind is of equal importance. As we age we will experience a breakdown in the assembly process of memory. It actually begins in our twenties but gets increasingly more irritating in our fifties. 

In our early years we have reached a level where our overall brain structure is set but what continues to be created and reinforces are the connections between cells, the synapses. As we age the strength and connectivity we gain in our early years will define how those synapses begin to falter and that means how well you can retrieve memory. It as all about the drop in certain chemicals in the brain and that is far more complex than this simple post.

According to sources some parts of the brain are more susceptible to aging, the hippocampus loses about five percent of its nerve cells with each passing decade, the brain itself shrinks and becomes less efficient. Then if you inherited some special unhealthy genes or have been exposed to external chemicals, smoked too much or imbibed way past acceptable levels you will experience faster and greater declines when you age. 

I want to add this quote so you will understand that this is not damning  in and of itself but aging has its effects while you can maintain as stated in this quote, i.e. "While some specific abilities do decline with age, overall memory remains strong for most people throughout their 70s. In fact, research shows that the average 70-year-old performs as well on certain cognitive tests as do many 20-year-olds, and many people in their 60s and 70s score significantly better in verbal intelligence than do younger people."

It has been shown that we can both mitigate problems of aging of the mind but we can also reverse them as well. Knowing this now whether your young or in your winter years means you have the knowledge of find the answers and work diligently to limit the effects of aging. A primary means of doing this is what we all do anyway, physical exercise and mental stimulation, i.e. training the mind. The more you exercise and train the mind the more you stimulate the brain to stop cells from shrinking, etc. 

A stimulating environment goes a long way to create a mind or brain that will endure and carry us through our winter years. You may not learn or remember as well as you did you your spring and summer years but you will learn and remember nearly as well. In many cases the lack of brain ability comes from lack of use. 

As you can see the body and mind will reflect your aging but you also will see that exercise and stimulation of the mind and body through exercises and stimulation will defer the effects for a longer span of time allowing us to reach those late winter years while remaining able to get out there on the dojo floor and practice and train - just a bit different than at age 20 :-)

Personality

Our lives are governed by several factors. Two of those are our gender and our race. The third and possibly most important is personality. The yin-n-yang of personality is the spectrum of introversion to extraversion. Where we fall in that spectrum says a great deal about such things as choosing our friends and mates. It governs how we make conversation, resolve differences, and it affects what career's we choose - mostly. 

Our personalities have a lot to do with how likely we are to exercise, function well without sleep and I suggest when subjected to adrenaline dumps and emotional effects. It can have great effect on how we learn from our mistakes, become a leader, and ask such questions that are "What if" questions. One third to one half of people in the west are introverts. Introverts are known to embrace the inner world of self. 

Do introverts make good martial artists? Introverts posing as extraverts may actually be the most dedicated and long term practitioners of not only martial arts disciplines but most disciplines of human kind. The difference is they tend to be more involved in the smaller close-knit groups often referred to as the back yard dojo with three to five participants. 

The introverted karate-ka tends to avoid self promotion and fall into a "thinker" category. They can and do take on an extraverted model but you may find them also seeking out a more reclusive state to recharge, to build up the batteries of energy depleted by extraversion activities. 

It can be important for personalities to take stock of their own talents and no more so than those who are introverts. It does not mean extraverts don't have a need to take stock but it is important to understand how that part of personality affects all the things we do. 

Is it possible that deescalation may be better suited to the introvert vs. the extravert? Introverts as inner thinkers may have a unique approach to things like negotiations. They tend to practice and prepare more than the seemingly gifted extraverts. 

Introversion and extraversion spectrum of personality can provide many answers to not only the individual practitioner but the leaders as well. A good example is for extraverts conducting larger group driven practices may benefit them more while the introverts will in all likelihood do better in much smaller individualized type practices. 

Introverted/Extraverted Practitioners

It came to mind while reading a book on introversion and extraversion that this may be a valid reason why many drop out of the martial arts. We all assume that a person remains with a discipline like martial arts simply because they have a type of connection that appeals to the person but what if it has something to do with extraversion and introversion. 

Many of the dojo I have attended or visited seemed very outgoing, extraverted. Now, this does not mean that the practitioners were all extraverted since a lot of introverted people use extraversion when they need it but it may mean that many who feel forced into an extraverted atmosphere will feel a huge drain on energy, authenticity and even physical health. Unless they find a connection and then make the appropriate adjustments it costs a lot resulting in ending the training and practice. 

The following is a quote from that book related to introversion in the workplace. "Remember that one third to one half of your workforce is probably introverted, whether they appear that way or not. Think twice about how you design your organization's office space. Don't expect introverts to get jazzed up about open office plans, or for that matter, lunchtime birthday parties or team-building retreats. Make the most of introverts strengths - these are people who can help you think deeply, strategize, solve complex problems, and spot canaries in your coal mine."

It might benefit the dojo and those introverted participants if the dojo took the knowledge of introversion and extraversion as a part of their teaching model so that they make appropriate adjustments to embrace both at all levels creating an atmosphere that is conducive to utilizing the model to its maximum.

Bibliography:

Cain, Susan. "Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking." Broadway. New York. 2013.