El Camino #21 English by Radio Cultural Charrúa

El Camino Martial Arts Magazine was born with the aim of promoting martial arts and reaching the largest number of people in a digital way, according to the times and technologies. We hope you like it and join us in this beautiful martial universe, with the love of always:

Graphic Direction:

Mario Segnini Fursa.

Commercial Address:

Mario Segnini Fursa.

Editorial Address:

Javier Acosta Serrano.

Main Editor (English Version):

SM Guy E. Larke

The opinions expressed in this magazine are the responsibility of each person who is published and promoted; is made and distributed with No.23-02 from Montevideo Uruguay for the month of February. Thank you.

INDEX:

02 -WHAT IS MORALITY AND ETHICS IN DO AND LIFE?

SBN Ramón Navarro

04 - CELLULOID: TRIANGLE OF SADNESS

MASTER Jesús Ricardo Félix

05 - THE TRADITIONAL CENTER MARTIAL ARTS MÉXICO

06 - THE TRUTH DOES NOT REQUIRE SELF-DEFENSE ITSELF...

SBN Javier Acosta

07 - UECHI and GOJU RYU

THE FAMILY OF THE CRANE

SENSEI Cecilia Salbuchi

09 - JUDO FOR LIFE

PROF. Marcelo Ehrlich

12 - ECONOMY TSD

Elias Pulgar

13 - GM LEE DAE-SAN

The Legacy of The Hwarang of the Silla Dynasty

SMASTER Guy E. Larke

20 - DYNAMIC TANG SOO DO MASTER John Correlje

21 - TANG SOO DO URUGUAY

SBN Mario Segnini

26 - MUSASHI´s BOOK FIVE RING...

SBN Mary Cayte Reiland

28 - MA and ME (CAP. 16)

PROF. Carlos Damasco

30 -THE AMAZING ODYSSEY OF GM CLINTON ROBINSON (p3)

SM Guy E. Larke

34 - DOJO STORIES

SENSEI Gerardo Balves

WHAT IS MORALITY AND ETHICS IN DO AND LIFE?

teacher.

Well, the thing is that in general all martial arts have the word Do in their name. What is this Do? It is supposed to be the humanistic aspect that must be provided in the attitude of the martial artist. This must be the one that if you have to defend yourself, do it at all costs but after you have defended yourself, do not continue hitting that opponent unless it is in war.

What is Morality and Ethics in Do and Life

Greetings to all from the Republic of Panama, your server SabomNim Ramón Navarro 6th Dan of Song Moo HapKiDo that through the International Song Moo Kwan HapKiDo Federation so you can participate in this growth and to do this write me on WhatsApp +507 67808222.

Everyone, no matter what kind of society we were born into, our parents try to teach us to say thank you and to ask for things. I said they try because there is no book to be parents, however in the long run it is seen in life that respect is important as well as ethics. What causes this? That one has a better life, that is, that doors get opened for that person. In martial art there are the type of instructors that should be from 3rd Dan, and regardless of his rank he is on as a teacher first then is a Master. In that way? In general, the professor in school, is there to tell the student his mistakes and the teacher is there to motivate the students regardless

of whether they are good or bad students. Of course, the head of the house or school wants his students to be better as people, I also believe I could be wrong but there are guides or instructors in the martial art schools who want to have the best fighters.

I think there don't want to be bad teachers, although each person thinks they have the truth but what seems like the truth depends on how the first teacher taught, with or without a humain way. Of course, each martial art must be done with combat training and must be taught so that the student is better every time in their combat training, even so, he must be respectful, which was the first lesson that we are taught; this: You have to respect the elderly or black belts. What you will learn is not to look for fights and (it depends on the order that is taught in each school of course) since it is not taught like this: when we fight you have to hit your partner as if he were your enemy. Do what you want even without paying attention to the

Let's remember that in general most of the martial arts are Japanese or Korean so it does not have the Japanese Jutsu or Sul Korean in the name but Do. These Sul or Jutsu (well today around the world they call it Jitsu and not as Jutsu as it should be). There are the hard martial arts and the soft. The hard ones are of the linear type, and they go force against force, and the soft ones tend more to be circular or wrestle. There are also the few that are of the hybrid type. Everyone focuses on respect and camaraderie.

When you give respect, you will receive respect. The camaraderie is for the student to support his partner or teacher, for example in combat, if two students are beginners they are technically good that is, they

Sbn Ramón Navarro

know how to use kicks, blocks, and punches. And the idea that is taught is that they should not mistreat each other, although it can and that there are schools where they can teach ruthlessness. Being ruthless is not the true essence of martial art since it is well thought to strengthen character making that student a better person. The martial art is to help the being to improve his physique, his mind and develop his spirit. This spirit is to be a better person. The mind of a martial artist must be of a considerate one and be in good health which would improve his physique.

What is the best martial art? This does not exist if what you have learned is useful for your health and to be prepared in case of an emergency in which your life must be protected. What is better are people. A person who is better is not to be and prove you are better than another person but rather he improves daily and so you have learned to control your mind because the only true enemy of one would be yourself if you are not a grateful person and show ethics and morality.

Each martial art has its technical

aspect and some focus more on kicks, others on the use of their hands or on the ground. In general, the warm-up is done at the beginning or to start the class and before the end of the class, most do a set of cool-down exercises. What is the focus of the warm-up? That of preparing the body so if a bad movement is done the body is not injured and the cooling to relax the body, returning it to the state of tranquility or natural in which it was before working out the body, that is, it is an aerobic activity for say. The styles where each martial art comes from have a focus such as those of Japan or Okinawa after warming up they do hand work starting with the positions, walking in the various positions to continue with the blocks and thus finish the part of the use of hands with the blows to continue with the kicks portion and then work the forms or Kata although it is somewhat different in the Korean styles that after warming up the body preparing it for training they continue with the kicks and then train the blocks and blows to finish doing the forms or Hyung as in TangSooDo or Poom Sae in TaeKwonDo. Most do

sparring practice before cooldowns to end class. Of course, there is other as KungFu that has the use of forms and are learned to pass ranks and those who fight as JuDo or Jujitsu or Jujutsu that, in addition to having their type of combat, learn holds and throws, etc. to pass rank. None is better than the other per say regardless of their different training and application approach. The important thing I think is that they show what they teach is to help the community. This is what makes a martial artist a better person, although the truth is thought in a martial art that is not the technical part and its combat but to improve day by day. They say that when the student is ready, the teacher appears, but in reality a student can have that teacher and not take advantage of it, even as he learns, he does not take advantage of the path to follow, so it is best to do his part and walk this Do properly by training and doing his best.

CELULLOID: TRIANGLE OF SADNESS

Master Jesús Ricardo Félix

Celluloid: Triangle of sadness

"It is not the consciousness of man that determines his being, but, on the contrary, the social being is what determines his consciousness."

Karl Marx

When Luis Buñuel locked up a group of bourgeois in his film El ángel exterminador, he played at being a social scientist contemplating the behavior of a group of guinea pigs in the laboratory. The idea was to capture how the members of the upper class could get rid of, little by little, their most ingrained manners when they found themselves involved in a survival situation. Suddenly there is no way out of confinement, to the extent that the most basic resources, such as water and food, are scarce, the most primitive traits of their humanity begin to emerge. Chivalry, manners, forms are left behind when the struggle for power becomes present and you have to compete with the other to survive.

In his Lord of the Flies novel, William Golding traces a route similar to that

of the Aragonese filmmaker: a group of teenagers have been shipwrecked without adults being able to guide them to survive. Half of the group seems to be conciliatory, reasonable, civilized, while the other half, that of the hunters, fights for leadership using the resource of force and aggression. More than the class struggle, what the authors seem to want to address is the issue of the human condition, peeling off the onion of identity until finding the pure essence. Detach falsehood, morality, customs and social rituals to strip the man. That is why this week in El Celuloid we will talk about El triángulo de la tristeza, by Ruben Östlund.

Östlund is a Swedish film director known for films like The Square (2017), the filmmaker likes to tease the audience with offbeat ideas and scenes that make you want to look away. In an interview, he confessed that the title refers to that little wrinkle that forms between the eyebrows when we express concern.

The film is divided into three segments, in the first of which we

explore the life as a couple of models Carl and Yaya. These influencers are about to enter a situation that will change their lives forever. In the second part, Östlund invites us to take a ride on a luxury yacht where a group of bourgeois live together and lead the life of kings. You have to keep an eye on servitude, as in Buñuel's film and Bong Joon-ho's Parasites, his participation is key to understanding the film's proposal. In the last part we attend the laboratory where the director's experiment occurs, I can't say much about this segment since any description would sink me into the muddy spoiler terrain.

Definitely recommendable, it is true that we have seen the theme developed in other films and novels but it is worth it for the quality of the performances and the script. Woody Harrelson plays a good role as the ship's captain, although an actor like Bill Murray is missed in these cases. The film carefully weaves its thread until it takes you to scenes that simply explode in your face, we see Russians with capitalist ideas and critical gringos with a tendency towards the left, emancipated servants, bourgeois who play the role of servants, and then we imagine Östlund laughing like a child when we don't see the next scene coming. At times eschatological, then philosopher, then Buñuelian, the Swede seems to have fun peeling off the layers of the onion of our most hidden humanity.

The Traditional Center Martial Arts

It is born from the idea of not establishing a single system as unique and the study and teaching of the enormous variety of martial arts around the earth, the study, the practice, the history, the technique, the philosophy and above all the orderly opening are the fundamental bases of this construction, which begins to forge in 2012, with the interest of Sbn Javier Acosta and the full support of his Kjn Eduardo Martínez V. the latter a world legend of martial arts.

Accompanied over the years by masters of Japanese Jujitsu, Wing Shun, Aikido, Karate, Tkd, Kick Boxing, Muay Thai and Tang Soo Do and having practiced some of them for long periods and others for short periods, the doubt ideas are generated, aligned and this study center is formed that today offers its students the various variables of the Moo Duk Kwan school, as well as Aikido, Self Defense, Kick Boxing and a hybrid similar to MMA, that directs and studies Ksn Donovan Aguirre, in the studies of weapons Ksn Dr. Daniel Rodríguez and in the organizational support

the Ksn Melba Valenzuela and Ksn Taira Aguirre, all of them with the freedom to seek and bring to this project the ideas and concepts of those that orbit the same but are in different tribunes, some years ago the CTAM has crossed borders and has teaching relations with various countries, as well as its first subsidiary school in Las Tunas Cuba directed by Ksn Alexei Pérez who is also part e fundamental part of the study of martial arts, we have teachers endorsed by the CTAM in Uruguay and Argentina for Kick Boxing and Moo Duk Kwan Taekwondo, today Sbn Javier Acosta, participates as a technical advisor to different organizations around the world in terms of teaching for the physical disability, thanks to his career as a volunteer teacher at the Mexico telethon foundation, he also directs the El Camino Podcast editorial and to this day remains faithful to his great teacher Kjn Eduardo Marinez who is part of the promotion of the Taekwondo Hall Of Fame 2019 and holds the highest degree in Mexico, as well as a Dan Bon Directo from Kjn Hwang Kee.

The traditional martial arts center is the greatest achievement of Sbn Javier Acosta and each of its

members, it is tangible and grows solid every day. Today, together with Sbn Mario Segnini from Uruguay, the learning and massification of martial arts through technology is studied and practiced fraternally, he is the one who today travels the do accompanying Sbn Acosta and learning at the same time for his students, As you can see, the important thing is not to be a giant, it is to walk with giants...

Javier Acosta Serrano

SBN

THE TRUTH DOES NOT REQUIRE SELF-DEFENSE ITSELF...

SBN Javier Acosta

The truth does not require self-defense itself...

This is a story that, without being an anecdote, exists the possibility of occurring, or perhaps it has already occurred, without a doubt.

The story that hides truths in interpretable concepts is nothing more than a barrier when working on the virtues, let's say I take a notebook and a pen that most of us know what their possible uses are and we already gave them a name, and I take them to a community where they have never seen one, a place in some corner of the vast world and my arrival implies making myself understood with signs and examples.

1.- I show my products to the natives of that place.

2.- In amazement at the unknown, they move away or get closer, something very normal.

3.- I get them to come closer by opening the notebook and drawing only the sea and a ship in it.

4.- It will depend on their beliefs how they see this act, it may be that they kill me because they consider me evil or they venerate me for the magic seen,

it could just be that they already know that this can be done with the charcoal from their bonfires on the walls from a cave, or with a rod in the vast sand.

5.- If what will happen is to exchange methods, which is the one that has occurred by history, then the manipulation or acceptance of this utopian truth and nothing current example begins.

6.- I will let you know by all means that my object is better than your sand or stone paintings.

7.- Your coal can be used for other things, or perhaps you have something of greater value to me, so I could exchange my products.

So, I will show you that my pen is the latest in technology, and my notebook takes care of the information more easily, which is indelible due to the ink it contains, in addition to being more geometric and aesthetic, its lines help it to be used more order and ease optimizing and not wasting. I must have been a seller of notebooks and pens...

Now their concepts will come, the coal that we use to write is produced naturally by the phenomena of the universe, which is the supplier when the resource is finished, the rock is

covered by a mountain and has the exact geometry that water and erosion they have given it, we take care of the trees, we delete the information after having studied it several times, promoting brain memory, we optimize resources and we promote memory.

After so much truth, it would be an imposition to continue, as everything in life has been, but this is not currently functional; today, without the notebooks and pen being necessary, it would be quite difficult to make the transition, in the future we do not know, this example is only to try to carry out what is possible to work on, the virtues in balance against the defects, no we know if in that sense we can be perfect, for centuries we were taught that only God is perfect, and one or another child of God who, being a great teacher, served as a platform for manipulation and, let's say, healing those who did not understand the vital information, We can try to be perfect, don't have the slightest doubt about that, if we stop justifying our mistakes and start working on forgiveness, forgetfulness and non-recidivism, we will be on the right track, consider if you really don't feel like God's creation with a magical touch of perfection, don't be sold post mortem perfection, we don't know what exists beyond it, also, if so, it will be easier to acquire it if you work on it from today, conscious individual beings are required Before, of free thought and without fear of the creator so that at least your little world rotates in your favor, the worlds that have orbits directly alien to your universe will also be energy working in the universe of the great creator and will not escape the laws.

Thank you.

Sbn Javier Acosta Serrano E.O. CTAM

UECHI AND GOJU RYU, THE FAMILY OF THE CRANE SENSEI Cecilia Salbuchi

Uechi and Goju Ryu, the family of the Crane For those of us who practice Uechi Ryu, it is difficult not to feel close, in technique, to Goju Ryu practitioners. These two aspects of the Chinese Chuan Fa are crossed by the style of the White Crane. They have several elements in common, including history, characters, techniques, forms, and even a common history with their organization's name. So today we are going to look for similarities between both styles, some of them simple curiosities. The creator of what we know today as Uechi Ryu was Kanbun Uechi, born in 1877 in Okinawa. He took refuge in China in 1897 and managed to be taken as a disciple of Shushiwa, a great martial artist of the time. By 1904 Kanbun received the Menkyo Kaiden, where he was named a Pangainoon master (Half hard and soft/soft), at 27 years of age. It is his son, Kanei Uechi, who gives the current name to the style: Uechi Ryu.

In the case of Goju Ryu we can say that its history goes back to Kanryo Higaonna, who studied the system of the White Crane of Fuzhou under the tutelage of the legendary master Ryū Ryū Ko for 13 years, and later founded the style known as Naha Te. This would be the predecessor of Goju Ryu, which years later would be created by one of Kanryo's disciples, Chojun Miyagi. Goju Ryu means “Half Hard and Soft” style. Kanbun spent 13 years in China, where he went through various difficulties until he found the teacher who was going to train him as a martial artist, Shushiwa. He studied traditional medicine from the region and became known for it. Seiko Toyama sensei, used to say that Kanbun had met the Shushiwa students and was impressed by the toughness they developed, especially through the Sanchin Kitae, for which he asked to be accepted as a student. But time after time he was rejected. Beset by loneliness in a foreign land,

Kanbun reflected on the lessons of patience and determination that his father had taught him, so he continued his practice of Chinese medicine in the area. One day, Shushiwa suffered from such a severe headache that his students went looking for Kanbun to cure it. Kanbun prepared his mixture of herbs and with it he managed to cure the teacher, who now officially accepted him, with a ceremony called Pai Soo, as a disciple in the temple where he taught. On the other hand, Kanryo Higaonna spent several years doing housework for Master Ryū Ryū Ko before he set out to teach him martial arts. One day, during a flood, the teacher's daughter was trapped in the water and it was Kanryo who came to her rescue, saving her life. After this episode, he implored Ryū Ryū Ko to teach him Chuan Fa as a reward, and he agreed. In both lines, the student earns his right to learn after passing through the test of being persevering and being available to the teacher to step up and show his worth. Chojun Miyagi studied under Kanryo Higaonna for 13 years. He then went on trips to China and studied with other martial artists. Already trained, he meets Go Kenki (1886-1940) a Chinese martial artist from the Cry of the White Crane boxing, very important in the development of Karate in Okinawa. Go Kenki immigrated from Fukien (Fuzhou) province in southern China to Okinawa around 1912, married an Okinawan, and lived as a tea merchant. He was barely

two years older than Miyagi, so they became friends and shared time practicing martial arts. Go Kenki had also become good friends with Kanbun Uechi. They would have met during their stay in China. Kanbun had returned from China with a sad incident weighing on his conscience. A student of his had killed a neighbor in an argument that got out of hand. Because of this, Kanbun had made a promise never to teach his art again. Therefore, when he returned to Okinawa, he did so by keeping a low profile, teaching only his father's bojutsu to his neighbors in Okinawa. But Gokenki found out that his friend was living in Izumi, near Motobu, and was sending students with his recommendation letter so that Kanbun could teach them his Pangainoon. Kanbun continued to refuse and for 14 years he kept his promise not to teach. The name of the Goju style comes from a verse in the poem Ken No

Taiyo Hakku (The Eight Phrase Poem on Martial Arts) dedicated to Chinese martial arts, which reads: "Ho wa goju o tondosu" (literally, "Everything in the universe breathes hard and soft"). This is how the Goju-Ryu style was born, the style of strength and softness. In the case of Pangainoon, the characters used are: 半硬軟, which is not exactly known to what type of Chinese dialect it responds to, but we do know that in Japanese it is read as Han Kōnan (hard soft half), and that currently some teachers still use this name. For followers of the Uechi family, the style became Uechi Ryu under the guidance of Kanei Uechi Sensei, who organized his father's method of power teach it all over the world and created 5 new kata. From the technical, both styles focus on Sanchin (3 battles or conflicts). Uechi's being the more "Chinese" version, keeping the blows with an open hand, and Goju's version more "Okinawan" with a closed fist. They both have

Sanchin Kitae, or Sanchin Shime, which is to help the practitioner achieve more fit, balance, grounding, and toughness through punching and pushing. Both styles have Seisan (13 in Chinese… this number again!), a kata with a similar structure, and which is present in many lines of Okinawan Karate. And also in both styles there is Sanseryu (36 in Chinese), where at least I don't find many coincidences beyond the name. But above all things, both styles have an important component of crane techniques that we can all appreciate. All Okinawan karate is united. Throughout its history, karate practitioners did not lock themselves in a single dojo, but went to other dojos where they made friends and compared techniques. Those practitioners later became great masters and founders of their own lines. Thanks to these exchanges, we can see how all of Okinawan Karate has been enriched and evolved into the fascinating art we know today.

Hello friends readers of the magazine "El Camino". In this installment, we continue with the theme "Self Defense" (second part), started in the previous note, where we saw that in all Martial Arts, this modality is kept and practiced. In some as the central axis of the activity, in others as a section for exhibitions, Katas and exam requirements. In the first (which are not sports), all the practice of movements is based on fundamental schemes for the correct application of the technique, in pre-established situations. In the latter, where sports competition prevails, almost all the time is dedicated to the acquisition of skills to develop in combats, where sports regulations are applied. Both have coexisted until today, since there will always be people who like one or the other. The one that seeks more the sporting aspect, has evolved accompanying a physical, psychological, nutritional, applied training and scientific knowledge improvement, where information in networks is shared by all. And we can observe and understand how the practice is, almost all over the world! There are Katas championships, where the technical movement,

JUDO FOR LIFE

Prof. Marcelo Ehrlich

displacement, execution time, etc. are judged. But it's always the same choreography for 150 years. Faced with the same attack, from the same side, the same blow, the same response, the same displacement, the unconditional help from the partner, since (for example in Judo, it is presented in pairs, Uke and Tori / the one who performs the action and the one who receives it and the score is for the couple, each one fulfills their role)... They are very aesthetic to see, and in Europe in some festivals I have seen them with music and they are very good, but they are still choreography.

In Judo, they are like exam requirements for Black Belts, several of these self-defense Katas and they are practically studied only for that purpose, even if you do sports Judo, and then they never study it again. Many years ago in a grade exam, the attacker made a mistake in the attack, and the attacker threw it to the ground, since the attacker jumped in response to a bad defense and in order not to harm the executor, for me, that deserves the loss of the exam. On another occasion, in the middle of the execution of the Kata, the performer got confused and forgot

the continuation, and asked to be able to repeat the Kata again, for me, it also deserves the loss of the exam. Fantasy cannot take place at times like this! And I always tell them and I take charge of my exhibitions, "The fantasy seen on these occasions, in exhibitions, films, choreographies", does a lot of harm to our activities, and of course very well, to some who without having the knowledge or experience, they profit from seminars, courses and videos where they show their "artistic abilities", lying to people! I repeat that what has been demonstrated in Katas, are a guide to technical possibilities, applying logical mechanical principles, in the face of certain attacks. If you just practice all the time, just that, the day they attack you from the other side, they hit you with another type of blow, they grab you in a different way, they spit in your face, they throw something at you to distract you... you will have no idea of how to answer, since you will have only the response reflex, acquired in the friendly way! And that last paragraph brought to my memory a situation lived in the Center of Montevideo, many years ago (in the seventies), after a Judo training at Club Lavenir, we were having a coffee at the Bar Hispano (in San José and Río Negro), and

a dispute breaks out between two people (a client and a shoeshine boy) and they go out into the street to fight. They are leaving the premises towards the sidewalk (where we were), going down a couple of steps, when the one in front (the shoeshine boy) turns towards the one who follows him and throws a spit in his face, when he tries to clean himself, the first he punches him, and sends him under a table, semi vanished! My companions laughed and for me, it was a lesson in the unforeseen combat! Now we move a bit away from the traditional and we stay in our reality, out of the friendly of the Dojo, the gym, the club, the friends... I am a student of conflict, of human behavior, of body language... And the street is an open book where I can observe the predators, the victims! The bad guys, too, study all the time, to improve their skills and improve the results! Before you get fully involved in a fight, because they try to rob me, or rob another person, or kidnap them, or they try to rob the commercial premises, where I am making a purchase, or

they try to steal someone's bicycle, motorcycle, car... first of all this, I must be attentive to the environment, simply observe everything. It is not about becoming paranoid, but about having a calm and observant attitude, when I am leaving my house, when I am going to cross the street, when I am waiting at the traffic light inside the car, I look at the windows every once in a while to see who is approaching me, I do not hesitate to turn my head and see who is next to me, I observe their way of walking, if they have something in their hands or between their clothes, their shadow, my body attitude also projects a message (do not walk hesitantly, distracted, looking at the cell phone all the time or talking on it, carrying various things, hunched posture looking down, etc, etc.). When I see the people at the bus stops, all of them looking at their cell phones and I see the bad guy approaching on foot, by bike or on a motorcycle, ready to take my cell phone, the lady's wallet, to put his hands in my pockets, and then they run away at full speed, to repeat that action several times a day! The victims, completely distracted by their things, without looking around,

are surprised by the speed of these actions and lose their belongings! Maybe this is the first step, an outburst, loss of things that belong to me, I don't see weapons and I don't suffer injuries, except in my dignity. When it is more than one, and they impose fear on me through the demonstration of violence to achieve their ends, when they show me weapons and threaten to use them if I do not do what they want, a robbery, an attempted rape, a takeover of your home, when I am in the company of my loved ones, young children, etc, etc. And there are more and more cameras on the streets or in shops that can deter these attacks, or security guards in premises, who can dissuade with their presence, that is, the bad guys, look for the victims who, according to them, offer less resistance or complications for your purposes. They also know that while the cameras record them and the Police arrive, they have time to escape, and they take risks. There are several offers of seminars and self defense courses, since the demand is great and a serious study in Martial Arts takes time, years, a lifetime, you could be doing several

things at the same time! And it is really good to be able to participate in this type of seminars where the acquisition of knowledge in the field opens our eyes! In the previous note we had said that the important thing is what we do after the seminar, it is not framing the attendance certificate and that's it! But to continue practicing periodically, complementing knowledge, sharing experiences.

Normally when the bad guy wants something that I have in my possession or tries to attack me to achieve his goals, he must make physical contact with me. If we were able to comply with the first precept, observation, we are possibly prepared to deal with their intentions, if we did not realize and their attack comes, we must respond logically, according to my knowledge, practice, and the situation that arises. . Continuous practice is forming my reflex, my motor habit, hence the repetition of the technique applied to each situation and adaptability to each circumstance is so important. For example, if they push me, it was an accident, it was on purpose, I am in an open space, in a corridor, in a bathroom, in an elevator, there are people behind me, it is a push with a grip, it was just the push or already a blow is coming, or I lost my balance and fell to the ground, he holds me

against a wall, I see his face, which transmits to me anger, violence, or determination for another thing etc A lot of things, a lot of information to analyze in two seconds. That is why our reaction is so important, there is no time to think, I can only act! In a sports match, there is time, in a real situation, only the moment! In sports combat, the competition area is demarcated, there are referees, doctors, regulations that protect me from prohibited actions and I know the time that is remaining. In real actions, nobody takes care of me, everything can be used to hurt me or for me to use in my favor, most of the people who observe do

not interfere, maybe they just record with their cell phones. I must finish the actions as quickly as possible, causing damage proportional to the aggression, causing pain that puts an end to their motivations, controlling the aggressor if I want to turn him over to the Police, or fleeing the place as soon as possible, if I find myself in a place where there are several "friends" of the aggressor. Faced with a similar attack, various responses, depending on the moment, my physical condition, my profession (a law enforcement officer could not leave the scene without arresting him), my knowledge and practice, and my mental state at the time. And always taking into account the legislation of the Country, what I can do and what I should not do. In the next installment, we will get fully into the analysis, movement mechanics, possibilities, unarmed attacks, with conventional weapons, equipped with other items, standing, on the ground, etc, etc.

See you at the Dojo, in "El Camino" and on the street! Prof. Marcelo Ehrlich

ECONOMY

Tang Soo Do

By Elias Pulgar Olguin

RESILIENCE OR ANTOGONISM

Greetings to those who follow us by this means. On this occasion I want to refer to terms that are in the path of martial arts and for those who will start or are on the journey of business. By definition Resilience in psychology, the ability of a person to overcome traumatic circumstances such as the death of a loved one, an accident, etc.

"Resilience enhances happiness", it is a capacity, it is the same capacity that a Dan has, he had to walk for years in discipline, to reach the entrance of the door to another higher level, with challenges, never seen, in The same thing happens in businesses with the difference that when the bank arrives to seize the property for non-payment, a K.O. to receive this sad news. Therefore, every person who starts a business or wants to receive the desired black belt must keep in mind that there is an unknown path full of obstacles that must be passed. Businesses are for resilient people,

because on many occasions even dignity is lost and there is an internal battle with the ego and countless emotions. By definition antagonism is the incompatibility, opposition or rivalry between people, opinions or ideas.

"The traditional antagonism between Great Britain and Argentina for the sovereignty of the Falklands ended in a sad war." This definition is the order of the day for those who dare to open a business. The world is full of antagonists, there is always a better place, a better service or a better product, there is always antagonism, just like in martial arts there will always be a better school or instructor than the one who opens or promotes his own school, like the example of the Malvinas, we generate a Incompatibility with whom we speak, then the capacity for resilience must enter into action.

Antagonism will always be present in our world but we must be resilient, in the same way that combat is faced, the psychological

game of antagonism must be faced head-on with intelligence. Dear readers, how are we helping our schools to be within the budget of our students' families? Are we working on marketing? Are we working with objectives? At the end of the day we need the monthly allowance to maintain our Martial Arts schools.

One way to help us is by making web pages, applications, discounts of the month. In my personal case, we did a commercial for a barbershop with a friend Lerthon Theuma, this empowers the barbershop business and in turn opens a new gap for those who want to do a commercial, that is, the constant search to win at life, to the same way when looking for the K.O. in combat, then the business is to make an advertising commercial, web page, professional photos, giving the client a pack so that they reach more clients and sales increase.

And are you resilient or antagonistic?

https://www.lerthontheuma. com/ if you want to meet Lerthon Theuma here is his link. Tang Soo!!

The Legacy of The Hwarang of the Silla Dynasty

By Master Guy Edward Larke

The Legacy of The Hwarang of the Silla Dynasty

Lee Dae-San’s Bon Kuk Kum

By Master Guy Edward Larke

Ever since I was a toddler, I fancied myself a knight of old, brandishing a stick or whatever was close by as a longsword. I know I was far from alone in that. As I grew older, I fell in love with Robert E. Howard’s immortal creation of Conan the Barbarian. That grew into a fascination with the bladed weapons of the Samurai and Ninja. Slowly that developed into an interest in bladed weapons in general from all over the world.

I decided after coming to Korea to focus on my empty-handed training until a chance meeting at a Hanminjok Hapkido yearly meeting 14 years ago in Seoul. There I met amongst all the suit clad grandmasters, an older gentleman garbed in the armour and colours of ancient Korean military officers. I had no idea that that meeting would change how I would view traditional arts forever. History: The following is an account, or theory if you will, of the history of sword arts in general of this region by my master. There is no mysticism, talking animals, pretty protagonists or love triangles involved (although the Korean media and Hollywood wants us to believe that)!

As I stated previously (and in other articles) two things inspired me to come here actually; my childhood hero, Chuck

GM LEE DAE-SAN

Norris, and tales of legendary young Korean knights called Hwarang, which existed in the Three Kingdoms Era of ancient Korea. They were the sons of the ruling aristocracy in a country known as Shilla. These young knights were skilled and educated in all things, martial, scholarly, and philosophically. Some say they were almost too good to be true. They lived by a strong code of honor and ethics that was more important to them than their own lives. They had five basic commandments. They were:

Sa-gun-i-chung: This meant to serve your monarch loyally.

Sa-chin-yi-hyo: This translates into being a dutiful and respectful child to your parents.

Gyo-woo-yi-sin: One should always be a true and faithful friend and ally.

Im-jeon-mu-toi: Never flinch or hesitate when on the battlefield.

Sal-sang-yu-taek: A Hwarang also was never to take a life unless necessary. In fact, so intense was the training of these “Flowering Knights” as they were called, that is said they developed the first truly sophisticated sword system in Korean history (their trademark weapon). Historians claim it was actually the first pure sword art in Asia’s history (Korea’s first actual sword was actually in existence many centuries before that). These powerful military leaders lead

their country to conquer the other two neighboring nations of Baek-jae and Goguryeo. The nation was in power for almost 1000 years.

After the reign of the Shilla Empire the unified nation went through a number of other dynasties. Sadly, the end of Shilla also spelled the end of the Hwarang. As the Shilla Dynasty fell, the Hwarang were fragmented. Those involved with the physical aspects became military leaders. The heads were given the title Kook-San.

Those more spiritual or scholarly became shamans. The leaders of that group were given the title of Poong-Wuhl-Joo.

The most significant era in the erosion of Hwarang arts was the later Joseon Dynasty. In reality, this dynasty sought, through Confucianism, to have the pen subdue the sword. However, in 1790, King Jung-Jo ordered a set of military texts to be compiled on all existing combat methods known to the nation. This included armed and unarmed combat, as well as fighting done while on horseback. One of the sword-fighting ways was entitled Bon Kuk Kum (Bon Kuk meaning “Original” or “Motherland” while Kum translated to “sword”). It was paired with staff techniques, polearm arts, and several others (a total of 24) and was released as the Muye Dobo Tongji (Illustrated Martial Art Textbook). To this day, it

is still reprinted by several companies (the English edition is available from the American company, Turtle Press).

I decided after coming to Korea to focus on my empty-handed training until a chance meeting at a Hanminjok Hapkido yearly meeting 14 years ago in Seoul. Amongst all the typical “important chief men” as one of my Korean friends called them (stern looking conservative men with brush cuts, and dark suits) stood one middle aged gentleman with a beard (although traditional, almost never seen on a Korean man since the Japanese occupation) and a gold hanbok (traditional Korean clothes). With his sword, clothing, and presence, he seemed to have stepped off a movie set by mistake and ended up there. As I have always liked anything and anyone different, I immediately walked up and introduced myself. I discovered the man is name was Grandmaster Lee JaeSik and he was solely responsible for

resurrecting the lost art of Bon Kuk Kum (National Sword Art). He proceeded to explain to my wife and I a bit about this art and Korea’s martial legacy. History: The following is an account, or theory if you will, of the history of sword arts in general of this region. There is no mysticism, talking animals, pretty protagonists or love triangles involved (although the Korean media and Hollywood wants us to believe that)!

As I stated previously (and in other articles) two things inspired me to come here actually; my childhood hero, Chuck Norris, and tales of legendary young Korean knights called Hwarang, which existed in the Three Kingdoms Era of ancient Korea. They were the sons of the ruling aristocracy in a country known as Shilla. These young knights were skilled and educated in all things, martial, scholarly, and philosophically. Some say they were almost too good to be true. They lived by a strong code of honor and ethics that was more important to them than their own lives. They had five basic commandments. They were:

Sa-gun-i-chung: This meant to serve your monarch loyally.

Sa-chin-yi-hyo: This translates into being a dutiful and respectful child to your parents.

Gyo-woo-yi-sin: One should always be

a true and faithful friend and ally. Im-jeon-mu-toi: Never flinch or hesitate when on the battlefield.

Those more spiritual or scholarly became shamans. The leaders of that group were given the title of Poong-Wuhl-Joo.

The most significant era in the erosion

of Hwarang arts was the Joseon Dynasty. In reality, this dynasty sought, through Confucianism, to have the pen subdue the sword. However, in 1790, King JungJo ordered a set of military texts to be compiled on all existing combat methods known to the nation. This included armed and unarmed combat, as well as fighting done while on horseback. One of the sword-fighting ways was entitled Bon Kuk Kum (Bon Kuk meaning “original” or “motherland” while Kum translated to “sword”). It was paired with staff techniques, polearm arts, and several others (a total of 24) and was released as the Muye Dobo Tongji (Illustrated Martial Art Textbook). To this day, it is still reprinted by several companies (the English edition is available from the American company, Turtle Press).

Sadly, a successful invasion by the Japanese imperial army brought about the end of the dynasty and almost destroyed what was left of the Korean military tradition (although Confucianism already pretty much destroyed it). Japanese forces tried to re-educate their new colony by having the Koreans adopt all things Japanese, including martial arts. Bon Kuk Kum went into a kind of limbo for several years.

Many years later, Lee Dae-San (born Lee-Jae-Sik) was born in the small town of Masan in the south part of the country. His grandfather, a rebel against the Japanese during the Japanese occupation, was also a Poong-Wuhl-Joo (a spiritual leader of the knights who protected the ancient Korean kingdom of Shilla).

Lee studied the sword under his father (who learned from his father) at the age

of nine. So enamored was Lee with the arts that he hungered to studied as many martial arts as he could, such as Goong Joong Mu Sool (royal court martial arts), Tae Kwon Do, Gong Bahng Do (staff fighting), Ki Gong Sul (Qi-Gong) and so on.

Lee later began to research and properly translate ancient Korean textbooks on military practices into the modern Korean language. As opposed to Kumdo (Japanese Kendo) and Haedong Kumdo, he took forms (hyung) and techniques from old textbooks that Korean leaders of old used in times of war. The hyung were short, simple, brutal, and decisive. There were no “points” or methods to look pretty. These were skills men took to their graves. After resurrecting these methods, Bon Kuk Kum was officially established in 1980.

most basic one is Si-man-se. It resembles the Ahp-seo-gi, or walking stance, found in Taekwondo, save that the back heel is lifted. This was copied over from the ancient military text, Muye Dobo Tongji. It allows the fighter to explode from that stance at any moment.

In addition to constant stance training, the cuts and blocks are drilled repeatedly in combination with each other. There is little competition in the art. There is more attention put into studying traditional Korean philosophy and history. Breathing and meditative techniques are daily practice, even for young children.

A subtle difference is, when the sword is sheathed and gripped, the sword hand is held over the top of the pommel, rather than on the grip of the hilt. This was in times of war to prevent the enemy from pulling your blade out of your sheath to use against you. Every part of the sword has a purpose in the forms, or as they are called, kum-bup.

Kum-bup isn’t learned until red belt. There are few rolls or superfluous techniques in the hyung. The parries resemble ripostes from fencing at certain points, while the attacks are quick and brutal. The forms are, therefore, short and direct. Once again, just like a real fight. There are three sets of twelve kumbup: Bae-Dahl, Hwarang, and Taegeuk. Each form has a specific name, meaning and emulates a particular condition of battle.

At higher levels of black belt training, other weapons are learned. These were considered many times the secondary arms of the Hwarang and other ancient military adepts. Most noticeably, the weul-do (curved halberd), hyeop-do (light halberd), bong (staff), chang (spear), and kwon-bup (unarmed combat). Also, fighting while on horseback is taught to the most serious of candidates.

Confucianism already pretty much destroyed it). Japanese forces tried to re-educate their new colony by having the Koreans adopt all things Japanese, including martial arts. Bon Kuk Kum went into a kind of limbo for several years.

Lee studied the sword under his father (who learned from his father) at the age of nine. So enamored was Lee with the arts that he hungered to studied as many martial arts as he could, such as Goong Joong Mu Sool (royal court martial arts), Tae Kwon Do, Gong Bahng Do (staff fighting), Ki Gong Sul (Qi-Gong) and so on.

Lee later began to research and properly translate ancient Korean textbooks on military practices into the modern Korean language. As opposed to Kumdo (Japanese Kendo) and Haedong Kumdo (a flash art/ sport created by an actor in the 1970s), he took forms (hyung) and techniques from old textbooks that Korean leaders of old used in times of war. The hyung were short, simple, brutal, and decisive. There were no “points” or methods to look pretty. These

Sadly, a successful invasion by the Japanese imperial army brought about the end of the dynasty and almost destroyed what was left of the Korean military tradition (although

were skills men took to their graves. After resurrecting these methods, Bon Kuk Kum was officially established in 1980.

In March of that year, he opened the first of over 100 gyms in the city of Masan. Slowly he built a reputation and a following. Now, several schools and TV appearances later, his association is spread throughout Korea and is gradually spreading internationally. Branches include Denmark, USA, Canada, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and various Latin American nations. System: Like other systems of swordsmanship, footwork is essential. There are numerous positions, but the most basic one is Si-man-se. It resembles the Ahp-seo-gi, or walking stance, found in Taekwondo, save that the back heel is lifted. This was copied over from the ancient military text, Muye Dobo Tongji. It allows the fighter to explode from that stance at any moment.

In Bon Kuk Kum there are eight basic techniques. They are done in conjunction with Bo-Bup, or proper stepping or footwork. Those particular strikes are as follows:

1.Pyo-do-sae:

First you need to learn Shee-man-sae. This is the basic attack pose of all the weapon techniques. Find the opponent’s mind with your mind’s eye. Clean your mind and have a mind like a calm pond. Also, relax your shoulders and keep a fist’s length from your stomach to the handle of a sword. Your left foot should be slightly behind the right one with the heel gently lifted. Then lift your sword up, over, and behind your head parallel to the floor. Step forward with the back or the front foot, making sure the back heel remains up off the floor and brings the blade down firmly and decisively toward your opponent’s skull.

2.Yo-gyuk-sae:

From Shee-man-sae (all moves actually originate from this position), Lift your sword up, over, and behind your head once again. Step with your right foot toward your opponent as you cut his waist from right to left. Yo-gyuk means horizontal.

3.Gu-jung-sae:

Start with the blade low off to your right leg. Bring it quickly up and out, cutting your opponent’s torso up to his face area. Perhaps this seems brutal, but these are battlefield arts.

4.Jija-ik-sae:

From the standard position, angle the blade so you cut at a 45 degree angle from the spot between the collarbone and the right shoulder down to the left side around the waist. Be careful you stop shortly after that point! Do NOT overstep your cut!

5.Oo-ik-sae:

This is basically from the left to the right. Jwa means “left” and Oo means “right.”

6.Jun-ki-sae:

This resembles #3 in that it starts by the leg of one side but differs where it comes upwards at a 45 degree angle. It is usually but not always performed on one’s dominant side. It targets under the ribcage and up through the torso.

7.Pan-bok-sae:

You seem to pull the sword back in hesitation and retreat into a kind of back stance. Suddenly you explode into a forward stance and thrust forward at the same time towards the stomach, chest or throat of your adversary.

8.Eun-mang-sae:

This is a very difficult set of maneuvers. It can be done to the left or right. If you step with the left foot, then cut downwards from left to right at a 45 degree angle. Then you do a vertical block and bring the sword around your head and repeat the diagonal cut. Repeat the block and cut one more time, then block and pivot 180 degrees away from you. Then do one more diagonal cut. This can be used in cutting practice on bamboo, straw, or for sparring.

Every part of the sword has a purpose in the forms, or as they are called, kumbup. Kum-bup isn’t learned until red belt. There are few rolls or superfluous techniques in the hyung. The parries resemble ripostes from fencing at certain points, while the attacks are quick and brutal. The forms are, therefore, short and direct. Once again, just like a real fight. There are three sets of twelve kumbup: Bae-Dahl, Hwarang, and Taegeuk. Each form has a specific name, meaning and emulates a particular condition of battle.

(spear), and kwon-bup (unarmed combat). Also, fighting while on horseback is taught to the most serious of candidates.

Swordplay has existed in every civilization as has dance. The successful combination of the two no the other hand is far, far rarer. Perhaps it is due to ruling classes not wanting their warriors “softened” by dance or their women too aggressive by practicing military arts. No one really knows for sure. In Korea the two may have been united in the Shilla Dynasty by the elite Hwarang knights. The legendary Hwarang Kwan Chang traveled from Shilla to the nation of Baek-jae where he performed a kind of sword dance in the open streets for all to see. So amazing were this young man’s movements that news of it reached the ears of the king of the country. Kwan Chang was invited to a private audience to perform for the king. In midst of his performance, he quickly and deftly assassinated him. Since then, the people of Shilla (and other kingdoms later), celebrated that incident wearing Hwarang Kwan Chang’s mask and reenacting a variation of his performance. That skill and story is even mentioned in the classic military text Muye Dobo Tongji in the

Bon Kuk Kum section. Since this story was officially documented at that time, many martial artists consider the Shilla period to be the beginning of Korean sword culture. Therefore, Kwan Chang is considered by many to be the father of Korean sword arts.

Why practice these maneuvers, you might ask? We are martial artists. Our skills are meant to go above and beyond conventional movement. No matter what discipline you study there should be some level of artistic expression. One of the most famous couples teaching the art of Kum-Mu in all of Korea is Grandmaster Lee Dae-San and his wife, Choi Hye-Rahn. Not only are they my family’s personal instructors, they have become like family. They can be reached through me by e-mail or Facebook.

Obviously, the sword was an instrument of battle. In times of peace it became an instrument of beauty. Not surprisingly, therefore, the sword dance with music gained popularity. With the events of the Joseon Dynasty and especially the Japanese occupation that followed, however, the sword dance almost faded into obscurity. Contemporarily, a famous North Korean dancer from before the war, Choi Seung-Hi, revived Kum-Mu

as seen on tomb walls. Thankfully Bon Kuk Kum founder Grandmaster Jae-Sik Lee brought it back into the twentieth century as not just an art but also as a combat training method.

In modern day, Kumdo or Kum-Sool is used in conflict situations. In Bon Kuk Kum, aside from combat, you are training for enlightenment, coordination of mind and body, and artistic expression. This is the reason that Kum-Moo is taught to all advanced students. Usually when training in that particular branch of swordsmanship, beginners focus on power. Over time they become more flexible and smooth. This naturally affects the quality of their Kum-Mu training and performance. At that point there is no differentiation between the ancient performance art and the combat arts that comprise Bon Kuk Kum.

The Korean website is http://www. bonkukkum.com/main.html.

An improved site in English is in development, as well as an updated international textbook. English inquiries can be sent to kisadomuye@gmail.com. Master Guy Edward Larke has spent the majority of his life enamored with martial arts, Asian culture and writing. These led him to move to Asia in 2000 where he remains to this day. Currently, he is living in Seongnam, South Korea with his wife Gi-Ryung and their son Alex. Together they operate Kisa-Do Martial Arts & Marketing. He can be contacted on Facebook or at kisadomuye@gmail. com.

Dynamic Tang

Soo Do

I was looking on Facebook when I came across a post from Master John Correlje asking for help with his book, he needed someone who knew the Tan Tui or Damtoi forms in Korean. The tantui are a series of short forms 12 in total that belong to Wushu and can also be found in many styles of northern China.

GM Hwang Kee learned these forms during his 14 month stay in China when he trained with Yang Kuk Jin and later trained for some time with Li De Jiang who was a Quanfa (kung fu) instructor. These forms strongly influenced Soo Bahk Do, which is why I became interested in studying them. For this reason I offered to help Master Correlje in his book. It was a very enriching experience to be able to

cooperate with him. At the time I received the complete book at my house sent by the Master John Correlje from Holland in gratitude for my help.

There I could see the quality of the material that was in this book, during all the years of practice in martial arts I have had many books, but this book is simply the book of books in tang soo do. It contains a history of all the masters who created the forms and who in some way influenced these forms to be part of tang soo do. In addition, in some cases it contains more than one version of some forms, since it depends on the organization, sometimes the forms have changes.

The drawings are very good, they help you to see step by step the development of the shapes in question. I think every serious practitioner of tang soo do should have this book which has the cooperation of different teachers from different parts of the world. Then the Master John Correlje asked me if he could translate the book into Spanish, which I obviously agreed. Now they will be able to have this book in their language and be able to understand it even more. You won’t regret it.

KJN Patricio Saavedra

Why Tang Soo Do?

You have come this far, and that means then that you have opened your world of possibilities regarding martial arts, they are no longer those "few you knew".

Today you have the opportunity to offer in your recognized institution an innovative and original proposal, until now non-existent in Uruguay. At the same time, offering ancient values and teachings through an art such as TSD, which has been transmitting a philosophy of life from generation to generation for hundreds of years.

You come to our meeting at a time when two of the best ingredients that an organization can offer you are combined: youth: we have been operating in Uruguay for approximately four years with sustained growth, and experience: the Uruguayan TSD is made up of a team of instructors who average more than fifteen years of being at the forefront of martial arts schools, working together with other institutions and betting on permanent training both within martial arts, as well as in various areas (first aid, education, nutrition and more).

Our commitment:

Without a doubt, the world is a different place from the one you and I remember from our childhood, even more so from that world that gave rise to martial arts. It is then necessary to take on the challenge and take charge of the role that we have in society when it comes to transmitting our teachings. Today we talk about some concepts that we believe are key:

Bullying - The reality of school and other areas is a fact and our attention is directed to that focus when it comes to the little ones Self-defense - Of course, when thinking about daily activities, from leaving our homes, to the various situations that can also arise there, it is fair to think of tools to be able to solve these situations.

Sport - Leaving aside the great variety of devices that offer us "entertainment", the endless hours of work, in short, the routine. It can be a challenge, but we have decided to say NO to a sedentary lifestyle.

Meditation - Exclusive benefit for Tang Soo Do practitioners. It has not been placed on this list by chance, it represents everything that makes us unique as human beings, meeting our feelings, emotions, who we are, pursuing harmony and achieving

self-control in the broadest sense of the concept.

Values - We could mention endless articles on this list, but it is true that the fundamental basis of martial arts is values, act as a reinforcement and in some cases as a source of inspiration. - Respect - Trust - Selfcontrol -

If we could summarize all this in a dream, we would then speak of integration in the broadest sense, people of all ages, genders, creeds practicing in harmony to take today's society to another level, where coexistence and peace are the common denominator. . But we clarify, we need you in the process, you, EVERYONE.

Contact: SBN Mario Segnini: +598 98 731 076

Web: wttsdu.com

Facebook: @worldtraditionaltangsoodounion

Correo: worldtraditionaltangsoodounion@gmail.com

HISTORY OF KICKBOXING IN JAPAN, FROM MUAY THAI TO

K-1.

This book marks the first publication in the West of a work dedicated exclusively to telling the exciting history of Japanese kickboxing. A chronicle that begins with the first interactions between karate and muay thai, and that leads us to relive the epic of the first challenges between both styles. Kickboxing was the result of the importation and adaptation of Muay Thai to Japan, carried out by the promoter Osamu Noguchi in the 1960s. In this paper, we will discover the background, the birth, and the different phases of growth and evolution of kickboxing in the land of the rising sun. We will also see its subsequent globalization, and we will reach the last kickboxing revolution, the launch of the K-1, by the master Kazuyoshi Ishii, in the early 90s. A vibrant story, full of unprecedented data outside of Asia,

that will surprise, and It will change the reader's perception of the history of this martial sport until now.

David Leonardo Bárcena after 10 years of compiling exhaustively, the History of KickBoxing summarizes it for us in an excellent self-published book.

You can buy it on AMAZON Product Details

Publisher : Independently published (December 18, 2020)

Spanish Language Paperback: 291 pages

ISBN-10 : 1549802879

ISBN-13 : 978-1549802874

“El Efímero Observador”

It is a reflective philosophical work, its author exposes issues as controversial as they are common, taking them to extreme points, and always looking for a healthy individual balance in thought, no dogmas, die to radicalism and without hypocrisy or contracts, a look at the daily life of each one of us who inhabit the planet and the wornout concepts and customs waiting to be destroyed with a hammer.

BIOGRAPHY:

He was born in the city of Hermosillo, in 1976, the son of Juan Manuel Acosta and Yolanda Serrano (+), he develops in a context of traditional education, his early social relationship occurs in a certainly different way, attached to having friends from the elderly, always questioning the social changes that were seen in his contemporaries, as well as the prejudices and value judgments that occurred in a time overwhelmed by capitalism and consumerism in Mexico. A child with a lot of imagination, and even an inventor of non-existent events, someone who, based on fantastic odysseys, captured the messages that his teachers gave him, sometimes harsh, many others with laughter in between. Married to Melba Valenzuela since 1998, with whom he had four children, student of society and its behavior, insatiable reader and lover of balance of thought, volunteer for various causes of a social nature, martial arts teacher, seminarian, and international competitor in Peru, Argentina, Uruguay, etc. Today he debuts as a writer and continues in his social causes from his own trench, the traditional center of martial arts.

ENDORSEMENTS:

“I recommend reading this book,

which reminds us of the values that are being lost today, the ways of teaching, the factors that influence one's personality and good customs. Order in your life as a fundamental stone, find your place in the world, meet your inner being and always seek the truth.

Mario Marcelo Segnini Fursa martial arts teacher Graphic Designer,

Radio Panelist and Entrepreneur. Montevideo, Uruguay. “Whenever we talk about teaching, it is easy for us to think of schools, high schools, universities, but… What if the path we follow in our lives is marked by many more ingredients than those? You have to read this work then, and rediscover yourself with information that sleeps in your mind. I invite you to recognize and change old patterns.

John Suarez martial arts teacher Entrepreneur, Neurosales Trainer, Apprentice of life. Montevideo, Uruguay. "The Ephemeral Observer", a recommended reading in these times where the generation gap seems to get bigger and bigger Finding yourself, the importance of keeping

the values and roots of each being strong. Observe, describe, understand and never judge.

Daniel Rodriguez Garcia Medical Specialist in Rehabilitation Master of Martial Arts

Musashi's Book of Five Rings: The Book of Water

SBN Mary Cayte Reiland

work but to the unarmed martial artist. Let’s say for argument’s sake you get grabbed. Movement in the wrist is essential to breaking out of that grip, whether you’re going to the inside or outside, your wrist must be loose and move in order to break out.

Musashi’s Book of Five Rings: The Book of Water

SBN Mary C Reiland, USA

Tang Soo readers, happy February! This month, we continue our discussion of Musashi’s Book of Five Rings, the Book of Water. In this book, Musashi talks about the basics of his style, from stances to footwork and holding the sword itself. I noticed while reading the Book of Water that there’s one theme weaved into every section, and that’s the consistent need to

practice, both while training and not training. You must integrate everything you practice into your everyday life, or you’ll never be on the true path.

Warriors take up space wherever they are. It’s less physical and more mental, it’s the way you carry yourself. You don’t have to be large in stature in order to take up space, size does not always equal victory in a fight. You have to look confident in order to be intimidating, stand with your back straight, shoulders relaxed, core tight and feet rooted to the earth. All of these things equate with a good stance, regardless if you are in a relaxed stance, ready stance or fighting stance.

When I first learned how to hold a sword, I was told something similar to what Musashi says in the book. Your grip must be loose but tight. I was taught that you grip the hardest with your pinky finger, and each finger holds the sword a little looser, going all the way from the ring finger to the thumb. Musashi says you must strike as if casting a fishing line. Your wrists must be loose, and the entire strike is in the wrist. This applies not only to sword

Musashi continues with the discussion of footwork. He says “proper movement of the body depends entirely on the manner in which you carry yourself.” This goes back to our discussion of stance. Footwork is not just the movement of your feet, but the movement of your whole body. The feet move, the body follows.

The next section is on the five positions of attack. Musashi says a person can strike only to the upper, middle, lower, right and left sides of the body, but whatever way you attack, you must strike with one purpose, to strike down your enemy. Musashi says straight in attacks are best, they are filled with conviction and purpose, but that is not meant to discount strikes to the sides of the body. Every strike starts in your central core, regardless of where it goes, which is a proponent of practice.

I could go into the various other points of attack that Musashi discusses in the remaining sections of the book, but I promise you’d stop reading by the time I got done discussing the second one, because you’d be bored out of your skull. I’ll discuss a few that I find interesting, but I won’t be long winded about it, I promise.

Musashi discusses what

he calls “the strategy of ‘attackno-attack’”. He talks about being flexible and adaptable, because you can never count on the enemy to be predictable. You must be willing to change, and you can’t be afraid of it, in any aspect of your life.

He then goes to discuss combinations of attack, where you must use diversion as part of your attack in order to strike down your opponent. You must practice striking not once, not twice, but 3-4 times without pausing, to wear down your opponent until you can make that final blow. Striking without pausing, without wasting time and movement is known as the flame and flash cut. You must be deliberate and move quickly, lest you be destroyed.

As a final note I will discuss how the sword is just an extension of you. We learn this throughout weapons training, you must think of any weapon as an extension of your body, whether it be a sword, staff,

kali or sai. You have to strike with your entire being, be committed to it and not worry about getting hurt. Your skill and practice carries you, and you have to trust in it.

In conjunction with footwork, when fighting you need to have minimal space between you and your enemy, especially if you’re shorter. Getting inside may be the only chance you have to take your opponent out. Retreating is not an option, you must continue to press your attack until the fight is over.

I won’t belabor any points but to follow Musashi’s warrior way requires great focus and practice. I wonder if any of us will ever be able to reach such heights, but then again, we’re not living in a time when people walk around carrying swords and killing each other. It brings us back to the “spirit of the thing”, which carries even into this modern day and age. Be consistent, be flexible, and never ever give up on your path. Until next month,

when we will discuss the Book of Fire. Tang Soo!

Endnotes:

Stephen F. Kaufman, Hanshi 10th Dan, Musashi’s Book of Five Rings: The Definitive Interpretation of Miyamoto Musashi’s Classic Book of Strategy (North America, Latin America & Europe, Tuttle Publishing, 1994).

Already started 1988, and giving classes in various places, in March we returned to Buenos Aires with Professor Ruben Gonzáles and some of our students, to technical improvement classes for a week with Maestro Tajes. We were housed in the same gym and we were invited to the Chung Do Kwan National Tournament to be held in June. Upon return we began to evaluate the possibility of attending with some students to compete. The experience in B.Aires was profitable, for my part I perfected my Forms and Technical Bases; I participated in two daily classes with various black belts, all of them taught by Master Tajes. When the month of May arrived, we decided to travel to the Tournament with six competing students, who had good technical conditions and could travel, since they had to pay for tickets and

accommodation out of pocket, just like Gonález and me. All lung. We trained together for several days and a good physical and technical level was achieved. Finally we traveled and R. González and I were not allowed to compete, since he considered that we were the representatives of the School in Uruguay and at the same time we had to act as Coach of the competitors. We arrived on Friday and the competition was held on Saturday at Club Pompeya, in the Federal Capital. The balance was positive, our competitors, all in the Color Belts category, achieved three first places, one second place and the remaining two failed to reach the podium. We returned Monday morning, not being able to participate in classes. We returned happy with the achievements achieved, and to continue training.

The year passed without incident, until December when my teacher R. González traveled to B. Aires and decided to change to the Seng Do Federation, directed by Master Carlos Filippa. It favored us with better conditions, since the costs were cheaper and they provided us with some passage. In the middle of that month I traveled

MARTIAL ARTS and ME (p. 16) Professor Carlos Damasco

to Buenos Aires and participated as Central Referee in the Seng Do National Tournament, held at Parque Sarmiento. Three students traveled with me, two to compete and one to collaborate. This time the results were not favorable to us, since the two competitors were eliminated in the first round. For my part, I was satisfied with my work as a referee. It is noteworthy that at that time Master Filippa was the coach of the Argentine Men's Taekwondo Team. We were invited by him to the High Performance Center (Cenard), where the National Team trained, and we practiced with them. On our return we continue to teach and share our experiences. In August 1989, I traveled again to the headquarters of Seng Do, and I did very good training sessions that enriched my technical knowledge more and more. When we returned, we held joint classes with Prof. González,

providing the new knowledge. In turn, during part of the 80s, 90s and 91s, we held several internal tournaments, as well as joint classes. In 1991 I traveled again to train at the Seng Do Central Gymnasium. That same year, duly authorized by M. Filippa, I participated in a Seminar given by M. Tajes and M. Jung, who came from Korea and spent several months in Argentina, invited by the Chung Do Kwan

of said Country. I was specially invited for the Seminar. It was held at the Rentistas Club on a Saturday, and on Sunday there was an exhibition at the Punta Gorda Yacht Club with a large audience. It was another good experience, since I have always felt like an apprentice and I really like teaching, but I consider that to teach well I must learn a lot. In 1993 M. Filippa came with several Black Belts to teach classes and take the Danish exam . The classes were of a high technical level and especially in the sports part. In October of that year, I suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in my right leg, playing Futsal, another sport that I always practiced along with my Martial activities. They operate and put me in a cast, and I walked for 3 months with crutches. Despite this, I continued to give classes giving instructions.

Then the recovery that took me a long time, but always doing the possible and the impossible to train. I continue in the next note.

THE AMAZING ODYSSEY OF GM CLINTON ROBINSON (PART 3)

BY SR. MASTER GuY EDwARD LARkE

The Amazing Odyssey of GM Clinton Robinson –Part 3 – Warrior Turns Mentor!

By Sr Master Guy Edward Larke

Larke - So, what rank did you test for? Fourth?

Robinson - Yes. And here's what's funny. I did not want to test because I had memories of my tests in Taiwan. My second and third, were really tough! I hated to think what fourth would be like. So finally, I said, Okay, I'll do the test. I went there and I was shocked. I was like, That's it!? Wow, I didn't get beat to death. I didn't have to go through physical torture. I didn't have to break any bricks. I mean, this is cool. So, I will hang out with these guys. Plus, they had a, a structured training course. There was no such thing

in existence in the 1960’s and early 1970’s. Even the Kukkiwon didn’t do a Development Instructor Course until 1998.

Larke - Just briefly, could you describe what was the instructor course like? As compared to what they're like now?

Robinson - The ATA has a very successful teaching system. Where it's allowed them to grow. To the point they are now. I mean, bar none, these guys are the largest Taekwondo organization in the United States. They have got lots of schools, and I think they have the ability to replicate things that are successful, and usually have a business structure training course. It's normally 200 to 300 hours. You must be tested vigorously on how to write lesson

plans, how to deal with problem students… things of that nature. That was really good. You know, plus, that was actual grading criteria. I think Haeng Ung Lee was ahead of his time in regards to those things. Now, I've attended the Kukkiwon instructor training, probably five or six times. Though I enjoy going there and I learned something every time I go, it's not as quite as structured as the ATA program. I mean, I do not feel that they teach people how to teach and learn to manage the school things. There's nothing about teaching, even though I think they tried to address counseling, injuries and things of that nature. But you know, it seems to be more about pushing the Korean culture than helping people expand their abilities and their knowledge. So, I was with ATA until I made my sixth dan.

Larke - And when was that? Robinson - That was in the 1980’s.

Like 1988.

Larke - So, were you teaching during that period?

Robinson - Oh, yes. Yeah, this was all I've done for a living since 1975. Now, I have taught college part time.

Larke - What was your first school called?

Robinson - My first school was

called Sacramento Taekwondo. I'm glad you asked that too, because it show you how insane I was as a young man. I started Sacramento Taekwondo, and I figured, you know what? I need to reflect something bigger. So, I changed my name and the name became International Karate Academy. Yeah. I was in probably about 800 square feet. My thought was, well, nobody can see me in here when I answer the phone. International sounds a lot better than Sacramento. So, I can I have the appearance of being bigger than I really was. Later I went with International Taekwondo Academy. That worked really well. I was able to be successful in business. I opened a number of schools at that time. This was up through the seventh 1970’s. At this time, I was involved with the Professional Karate Association. As a matter of fact, at one point, I had the largest stable of fighters in the state of California.

Larke – Did you have a few famous names in your group?

Robinson – I had a number of folks with me. You know, when ESPN was just starting as a network, I was on television every Friday night in the PKA fights in the Culver City Auditorium in Los Angeles. It was fantastic. You know, I was nominated twice for PKA Trainer of the Year. In 1979, they had a tournament in Baltimore, Maryland, where they were supposed to select the top fighters in the United States, actually in the world, and pick from all over the world there. I placed third in the Heavyweight Division. I was the West Coast first place winner there. I had fun competing. Quite honestly, I had a successful competition career in open tournaments. I mean, I've been featured in the rating systems in Karate Illustrated, Kick Illustrated, and these other magazines. Really, I fought a lot of really talented folks and was very successful in those competitions. One day, I decided as I was getting closer to 40, that maybe it was time to let this go. You know, a 40-yearold man with a family, fighting in tournaments, and really not making any money. What’s the point? You know, perhaps one of the, my biggest, strongest competitors was a guy by the name of Tony Abalos. Tony and I went to Oklahoma City to fight a guy named Tommy Williams for the PKA Welterweight Championship. Tony didn't have much discipline. So, we took Tony's brother there to kind of

keep an eye on him. When it comes to the day of the fight, we can’t find him. Tony finally totally shows up and we can immediately tell that Tony has been drinking heavily. So, the Athletic Commission gives him a physical. They're not going to refuse Tony to fight because the arena sold out. This guy, Tommy Williams is very popular in Oklahoma City. So, they let Tony fight. They had the fight. Tony fights 12 rounds and loses on a split decision. Drunk. I couldn't believe he lasted 12 rounds. Like that, to me was absolutely amazing.

Larke - How did teaching change you as a person?

Robinson - Teaching? For me, it taught me the value of communication. Okay, because it taught me to look for ways to reach other people. Because, you know, I mean, I had my way and this is how you do it. But then again, that led me to get involved in something called NLP.

Larke - Oh, yes. I remember you mentioned that we were at the Kukkiwon Foreign Instructor Course and you were talking a little bit about I was so fascinated about it.

Robinson - That's right! You know, took that because that's just my gosh, you know, you got to be able to communicate with people on a level that they can comprehend. Over the years of teaching, I recognize, okay, I couldn't get a result. I was saying things that

I understood. But they didn't understand. I wasn't utilizing the language necessary to get the point through to them. So, it's, it's made me think less critical of people, maybe more understanding. It's taught me to look for ways to get the point across. So, matter of fact, I had an experience the other night with a young kid, and I was having a drill and everybody understood the drill, but this one kid, and he goes, Well, you should have said this. He was really vocal. I said, Okay, guys, because I wasn't angry. He just brought up something I should probably mention. Everybody understands things differently. I looked at him and said, You know, I would have preferred, you said, gosh, I didn't understand what you meant. So, I could try to explain it in a way to make sense to you. So, let's look at it from this way. That's been really good for me. It’'s

built up my patience, because I think everyone that comes into an activity, is giving their best effort. Okay, I may not feel that it's their best effort. But that's from my observation. But people don't continue to do things that they feel they're no good at. So, with that in mind, now, it becomes like, let's do correction. But at the same time, let's be encouraging. And so perhaps the best way to do that is to this, from my perspective, is to find something that I can complement them on, because people like to be complimented. So let me compliment you. Then let me show you how you can make it better. Here's why you need to make it better. Because if someone understands something, I think they'll extend a better effort. So, I've learned that as a Taekwondo instructor, and from teaching 1000’s of people, In 1982. I went to Paraguay at the request

of a student of mine, a guy that studied with me in Sacramento who was from Paraguay. He then got his doctorate degree at the Sorbonne University in Paris, went back home and decided he wanted to teach Taekwondo. He wanted to teach the same things that I was teaching when I was still involved with ATA. So, I go over there and man, it turns into a booming success. I mean, that was the beginning of the creation of something that ATA still uses call the Songnam Taekwondo Federation. That was the actual birthplace of it. So many talented instructors came out of there. I went there several times to help them develop that. So that was a wonderful experience for me also, and learning how to communicate with those guys. They were all very hard working. I enjoyed spending the time, you know, and in 1990. I was inducted into the very first ATA Hall of Fame for the efforts I did in terms of expanding Taekwondo throughout the United States and even South America. I think I can pretty accurately say, I probably opened more schools than anybody I know. It's always been my desire to assist these people in

making a good living, while doing something that I enjoy. So, I'm not the type of guy that goes, oh, let's keep secrets. No, let's share the knowledge. I felt that when I was a competitor, I never recruited sparring partners from anywhere else. I always recruited sparring partners from my own school. Because my concept of teaching was, let me teach you how to beat me. I can make you better, you can make me better. That's it. So that's how I've always viewed it. So, I showed these people everything I know. As they got better, I had to get better to maintain my skillset. So, it was a great motivator for me. It was also very satisfying to see them break raise their skill sets. So that's been very pleasurable to me.

See next issue how the master comes back home, metaphorically speaking. Plus more of his advice for the arts and life in general.

Sr. Master Guy Edward Larke has dedicated his life from a young

age to the pursuit of the martial arts, Asian culture and hoplology. It led him to Korea in 2000 and has lived there since then. He lives in Seongnam city with his wife Gi-Ryung and son Alexander. He holds black belts in Teuk Gong Moo Sool, Taekwondo, Hapkido, Taekgyeon, Bon Kuk Kumdo, Korean kickboxing, Karate-do, Wushu, Cheonji-muye-do, and various other arts. Currently he teaches Taekwondo, Karate and Cheonji-muye-do full time in addition to writing for various magazines and running Kisa-Do Muye & Marketing. He can be contacted at kisadomuye@gmail. com .

DOJO STORIES SOKON ¨BUSHI¨ MATSUMURA

Sokon Matsumura (松村宗棍) was one of the systematizers of karate as we know it today. His date of birth is not clear, but it is believed that he was born between the years 1793, 1797 or 1809 and died between 1883, 1890 and 1900. Sokon Matsumura, was born in Yamagawa Town, Shuri, Okinawa. Matsumura began the study of karate under the guidance of Sakugawa Kanga. Sakugawa was reluctant to teach Matsumura due to the latter's troublesome nature. However, Sakugawa had promised Matsumura Sofuku, Matsumura's father, to educate his son and he did so. Matsumura lived, studied, and trained for five years with Sakugawa. After these years he achieved great recognition as an expert in martial arts. Matsumura was recruited into the service of the Sho family, the royal family of the Ryukyu Kingdom

in 1816 and received the title Chikudon (also called Chikudun Pechin), a rank of nobility. He began his career serving the 17th king of the second Sho Ryukyu dynasty, King Sho Kö. In 1818 he married Yonamine Chiru, who was also an expert in martial arts. Matsumura became the chief martial arts instructor and bodyguard of King Sho Kō Okinawa. He subsequently served in this position during the last two Okinawan kings, Shö Iku and Tai Shö. Matsumura traveled on behalf of the royal government of Fuzhou and Satsuma. He studied Chuan Fa in China, as well as other martial arts, and brought what he had learned back to Okinawa. He was the first to introduce the principles of the Satsuma school of swordsmanship, Jigen-Ryu, into Ryukyu Kobujutsu (Ryukyuan traditional martial arts) and

Gerardo Balves

is credited with creating the foundation for Tsuken Bojutsu. He passed on Jigen-ryu to some of his students, including Anko Asato and Chochu Itarashiki. The traditional Tsuken Bo was perfected by Shuri's Tsuken Seisoku Ueekata. Matsumura is credited with transmitting the Shorin-Ryu Kenpo-Karate kata known as Naihanchi I and II, Passai, Seisan, Chinto, Gojushiho, Kusanku and Hakutsuru. The Hakutsuru kata contains the elements of the Fujian White Crane system taught in the Shaolin system of Chinese Kempo. Another set of kata, known as Chanan in Matsumura's time, is said to have been devised by himself and was the basis for Pinan I and II. Matsumura's style has endured to this day and the aforementioned kata are the core of Shorin-Ryu Karate today.

DOJO STORIES Sensei

Matsumura was granted the title "bushi", meaning "warrior" by the king of Okinawa in recognition of his skills and achievements in martial arts. Described by Gichin Funakoshi as a sensei with a terrifying presence, Matsumura was never defeated in a duel, despite the many fights he fought. Tall, thin, and with a pair of haunting eyes, which were described by his student Anko Itosu as fast and strongly deceptive. As for his contribution to his, he has been the progenitor of many contemporary styles of karate: Shorin-Ryu, Shotokan, and Shito Ryu, for example. Ultimately, all of the modern styles of karate that evolved from the Shuri-te lineage can be traced back to the teachings of Bushi Matsumura. Of note, his grandson was the modern Tode master, Tsuyoshi Chitose, who assisted Funakoshi Gichin in the early introduction and teaching of Karate in Japan and who founded the Chitö-ryü style.

AND THIS IS HOW THE STORY BEGINS TO BE WRITTEN:

Mr. Sofuku Matsumura made efforts to introduce his son Sokon into the world of Tode. He chose for it, the most recognized Master in those times, a 78-year-old man whose reputation was beyond doubt. After a long journey through the dusty and hazard-infested roads of seventeenth-century feudal Okinawa, he finally arrived, after passing several Chinese police checkpoints, in the city of Naha. He had no problems finding the Master's house, because everyone knew him, not only because of his fame, but also because he was a Magistrate. There they found father and son in front of a venerable old man, who looked more like a poet than a seasoned fighter. The references

that Sofuku presented were good, otherwise it would have been very difficult to be received by the Master; he was a zealous protector of social formalities. "Let me see the boy", the Master cleared his throat as he made strange movements with his body. "Sokon," she told him in a firm voice, "beginning martial arts means starting a new life. You will soon realize that your character and personality are more important than skill or physical strength. Do you think you can give yourself up with diligence, obeying everything you are told without a word against it?" The precision of the Master's gaze, the directness of his voice and the solemn atmosphere of his made the young teenager feel, as if he were shrinking. When he finished speaking to that old man, Sokon looked around him as if to see if he had permission to speak. Everyone present stared at him waiting not only for an answer, but in what form and attitude he expressed it. This situation had already occurred previously in the house and, due to the lack of determination in the responses of the candidates, the teacher had rejected them. The young man breathed in slowly, let the air out on his own and finally answered: "I won't let you down." This was the first step Matsumura took on the path that would lead him to dominance of IT and place him alongside the karate immortals. This significant moment would be the seed that, germinating in time, would produce teachers such as Itosu, Chinen, Tawada, Yasuzato and Arakaki, who would systematize karate to end up being called Shuri-te and later ShorinRyu. Prior to these events, IT was not taught as it has been since then.

Even the name was different, it was called kara-te or to-de which meant "hand of Tang", due to the Chinese Dynasty that brought so much knowledge in all fields to Okinawa. Prior to Matsumura's "reform", the different systems of Kara-te received the names of the experts who taught them, but without any unit each making their own interpretation of the art. Matsumura, however, called his style Shorin-Ryu (Shaolin in Chinese), translated as "the style of the young forest". Once the tutelage process began under Sakugawa, the future Bushi (samurai) Matsumura quickly developed into a skilled expert. And it happened, that in the winter of 1816, enough values were found for him to be recruited into the imperial service as Chikudon, an important title granted directly by the Emperor and, prior in rank to the one received years before by his own teacher -Peichin- . This allowed him to live comfortably and marry two years later with Yonamine Chiru, known to all as a beautiful woman, but above all very intelligent and of great physical

strength. She came from a family of renowned Ti practitioners, and in the future she was an influence and an important pillar that contributed notably to the social and spiritual development of her husband. As always happens, people started comparing them, even arguing about who was the better of the two in martial skills. It was said of her, somewhat jokingly, that he was able to lift a sack of rice with his left hand and sweep the dust from under it with the broom in her right hand. "Who would be the better fighter?". This was a doubt that floated in the atmosphere of the city. The gambling spirit and love for challenges have always been characteristic of the character of the Okinawan people. Those doubts were resolved one night when Mrs. Matsumura was returning from a party that had been held in the Kaki-no-hana neighborhood. As awamori (the name for Okinawan sake) ran rampant among the revelers, the atmosphere gradually became too heavy. Matsumura then told his wife to return home, while he stayed there a while longer. Night was beginning to fall when Yonamine started back to his house by taking a dusty and dirty shortcut that led to the half-abandoned temple of Sogen-Ji. Suddenly, a noise in the bushes made her jump. She jumped to the other side of the path, as she watched as three dirty-dressed, bad-shaven men emerged from the darkness. They leered at her like predators ready to pounce on her defenseless prey. She, realizing the situation of imminent danger in which she found herself, while she took a step back, recovered her breath, inhaling slowly, and placed herself in an area where the vegetation was denser.

"Get out of the way, or I'll have to punish all three of you!" she said, pretending to bewilder them. Her trick didn't catch on among the ruffians, who laughed at these words, and immediately placed themselves to the right of what seemed to be the leader of the group. Yonamine immediately noticed the leadership of the bearded one. Her mind instinctively reminded her that, in situations of multiple aggression, it is always necessary to take the initiative of the attack and direct it against the leader or the strongest of the group. This causes an initial confusion that should be taken advantage of by the assaulted. "Who gives first, gives twice." The step she took back and to the side also had an important strategic reason: "In the fight against several attackers, you have to move in such a way that the leader is always between you and the others," she recalled what her father instructed her. her. Before the bearded man could take another step forward, Yonamine jumped on him like a cat. The man blinked with an expression of fear in his eyes as he watched the woman's placid, feminine face transform in an instant into a war mask with wide-open nostrils, eyes like those of a demon and mouth open showing menacing teeth. His scream, sounded like a strange lightning bolt on a starry night. Nothing seemed to be logical, the criminals thought. His bewilderment was complete. And before he had finished thinking about it, the woman would drop to the ground on one leg, pivot on it, and drive the heel of the other straight into the stronger man's temple. Without stopping the action, leaning on the foot of the leg that she had just used as a hammer, she projected

another side kick that with the edge of the foot that she gave impacted the throat of the second man who received it stunned. She fell over a pile of wood, clutching her throat, barely able to breathe. Yonamine's knees had not yet straightened when she pounced on the first one again, directing the point of her elbow against his Adam's apple. The third man, still intact, stopped instantly and when checking the situation in which his companions were. He showed a frightened dog face expression and cowardly ran off in a panic. In just three steps Yonamine caught up with the bandit by the neck, kicked him to the back of one knee, and fell on top of him. In a position similar to that of a rider riding a horse, he grabbed his hair, and before he could protect himself with his hands, the edge of the woman's right hand cut into the man's neck like an axe. The large artery in his neck could not withstand the blow and the man lay unconscious. He then dragged the three fools until they were seated, back to back, and tied them with his obi, which is the wide sash with which women fasten their clothes. His action did not end here. He tore off the stick that kept the name of the temple and threw it at them as a last act of protest and disgust. The inscription read, - "Peace in the spirit, peace in the body, peace in the hands, peace in the ways." Very appropriate... Hours later, Matsumura was returning home following the same path. As he approached the temple, he was surprised to hear wailing-like noises coming from the surrounding bushes. Peering through the darkness of the bushes, he was surprised to see three men tied up like cattle, one

of them with dried blood plastered to his face. As he untied them, he recognized his wife's obi. He released them and without further question let them go as he watched in amazement as they trudged off into the darkness of the night. The next day, at breakfast, Matsumura dropped the belt on the table in front of Yonamine and said, "I think this belongs to you." His wife, covered in cleaning dust, picked up his obi and without a word, continued with her work as if nothing had happened. Matsumura remained calm but a doubt hovered in his mind-he couldn't understand how a woman as sweet, beautiful and hard-working as his could have mistreated three men so harshly. The traditional Okinawan education limited many the questions that a husband could ask his wife, the sense of offense and privacy in those times, were highly respected. Despite the feeling of worms in his stomach and his face flushed with doubt, he never dared to ask outright. He was sure that she had been responsible for that event. A mischievous smile, drawn on her face, timidly showed that he felt great admiration for her and for what he had made of her, but that he could not show it openly due to her strict social rules. He found out in this secret way, that Yonamine was really a great expert in the world of Ti, and that her family had perfectly concealed her training. Indeed, ka-te, as it was called at the time, was practiced secretly within closed families that kept their techniques behind closed doors. Since then, a doubt accompanied him for the rest of his life, - "What would happen if he found himself one day in a similar situation?". That day was not long in coming.

Yonamine's family was having a family party, when Matsumura started to feel sick which is a fancier way of saying "dizzy", and he retired to rest. A little before dark, displaying that typical Okinawan burlesque character, he dressed as a farmer, smeared charcoal on his face, and ran off to a place called Daido Matsubara where he knew his wife would have to go. back home. He wanted to give her a good scare. He hid in a ditch and waited for his wife to arrive. After a while, he saw her happily descending down the hill carrying in one hand a swinging furoshiki, a bundle in which she carried various household items. When he thought he was close enough to her, he suddenly jumped at her screaming as loud as he could as he waved her arms like a scarecrow. He only intended to paralyze her by giving her a good scare. Her reaction was instant and spontaneous. He dropped the bundle and jumped vertically as he delivered a tremendous kick to the ghost's chest. The surprised Matsumura had no chance to defend himself against her as he was more stunned than she was. There, he did not finish the fight. As soon as he touched the ground, Yonamine used both arms like two springs, whose fists unloaded all the force on the same spot on Matsumura's head. When he began to recover from the dizziness and the stars that he had seen as a result of the blows, he realized that his pretty and domestic woman was tying him to a tree with the same obi with which he tied those bandits. Matsumura was unable to untie himself all night. She was an expert at making ties and knots that were impossible to untie. When the

first rays of the sun warmed the dawn and her body was numb with cold, she saw a man trotting down the slope on a white horse. Matsumura yelled. "Untie me, please!" The man dismounted and was astonished to discover that it was Matsumura. How could a man with his reputation find himself in such a situation? "I understand," Matsumura said, very consistent and visibly embarrassed, "You may be wondering, what happened. I

hardly know myself. Let's leave it as it is, the world is big and I have discovered that there may be fighters far more skilled than me." ". Then like a dog with its tail between its legs, he returned home humiliated. His sweet wife looked at him smiling while she listened to the story that her husband was describing to her. "Tonight a group of men attacked me and I had to defend myself..." As she served him breakfast she only told him, "You have to train harder." Then he fell and continued with his usual simplicity, after all his husband's pride was left at home. At no time did he make her feel discovered. She didn't want to further ridicule her husband.

Matsumura told the story to his revered Master Sakugawa and, after laughing for a long time, he decided to give him some good advice. "My dear student, where is your most vulnerable point?" The most vulnerable point for a man is his testicles and for a woman her breasts. You face an experienced woman, fake a blow to the chest, she will lose her balance trying to cover herself, and then you must enter the hand-to-hand fight by practicing some technique to throw her to the ground.

Matsumura, was feeling utterly discouraged after his defeat at the hands of his wife. He thought about the advice of his teacher and couldn't stop thinking about it. Although he was a woman who

had beaten him, he could not understand how his technique had half-developed, because in those times there were also ronin, wandering samurai who were also women of great danger. He waited until he found the opportunity for a rematch that came two months later. Yonbara, was the town where Yonamine's family lived. She visited alone, walking as far as a day's march from Shuri. Matsumura saw his opportunity there. Before the sun set, he was already camouflaged behind some reeds that bordered the road. Showing off that theatrical character that he liked so much, this time he decided to dress as a fisherman, he smeared his face with oil and sand as if he were an old sea lion, that way he hoped not to be recognized. He hid and I wait. Shortly after sunset, his wife arrived briskly, carrying her small travel bundle. Without waiting any longer, Matsumura pounced on her, simultaneously uttering a loud cry. This time, Yonamine stepped back and began to circle slowly around him, like a cat ready to pounce. Without further ado, he launched a punch directly towards his chest with the intention that his teacher had explained to him, as a bait. Indeed, this action caused her a consternation that allowed Matsumura to approach her until doing a melee. He grabbing her he made her fall to the ground.

Matsumura just dropped her back onto the ground and ran out of her. Yonamine was left alone and very disoriented but not hurt, two attacks in such a short time was too much. Matsumura ran home, washed up, sat at the table, and waited as if nothing had happened while he drank a small glass of sake. "Omedeto gozaimasu," she said when she finally entered the house. "Why Omedeto," Matsumura asked, pretending not to know what she was talking about. "What have I done to deserve that congratulations?" With an expressive smile on her face, she said, "I am happy because after talking with Master Sakugawa, you have finally learned how to fight against a woman who is an expert in fighting." Matsumura looked at her in astonishment. He had been discovered. He didn't understand anything. She should look very angry and very offended that she lost. After all, when he was defeated, it took her three months to recover! And now she was happy having been defeated? He didn't understand anything. "Dear husband," she began to speak in a motherly tone. "Today you have learned two great lessons. The first is that in combat there are no distinctions between men and women. An opponent is an opponent. On some occasions, as you have seen, a woman can be much more dangerous than a man if she is well trained And, second, that the heart of the woman will always rejoice for the victory of her husband, even if she is the one who loses. We are silent fighters in constant fight against daily life. This life has no sound rewards for us, but when i see my husband happy and proud that he had a victory, then for a few moments we feel happy and

proud that we contributed to his happiness.I have always known that you were the attacker, and I have felt sad during these months for your previous defeat. Now I'm happy." Saying this, she hugged Matsumura and went to sweep the floor, lifting a 20 kilogram sack of wheat with one hand and sweeping under it with the other... Matsumura was stunned by the depth and humility of his wife. With each tear that fell down her cheeks she felt an enormous power invade her spirit. The spirit of humility and simplicity that accompanied him for the rest of his life. Martial Arts have in themselves, not only the power of destruction, but the caress of sensitivity. Both extremes, such as Ying and Yang, complement each other, one cannot exist without the other and if this circumstance occurs, a great imbalance will occur. The Martial Arts through physical and rigorous training, strengthens the body to unsuspected limits; breaking stones, tough combat, exhausting training, etc., and through meditation and conversations with the Sensei. The delicacy of philosophy penetrates, little by little, over the course of many years, in the spirit of the initiate. The martial artist has in his hand the possibility of creating life or causing death and his existence runs between these extremes. The humility and simplicity developed over many years of practice will make you understand on any given day, - Why does God listen to women's tears?, or, Why does he hold a sack in one hand and a broom in the other? Subtle questions that find the right answer only, in the silent space of meditation or, in the deep world of a WOMAN's mind.

LEGENDS OF MATSUMURA THE FOUR DEMONS

After Matsumura received the honorable title of BUSHI, an event occurred that further enhanced the mysterious reputation of this Expert. Not only was the bushi reputed to be the greatest exponent in Tode, but, in psychological aspects, he also mastered great and mysterious powers. It happened that one day Matsumura, who was a great pipe smoker, decided to go visit the best engraver in the city to make a symbolic carving on the bowl of his best Kisseru (traditional ivory pipe). The particular craftsman was also a famous tea practitioner well known to everyone in the neighborhood. The man considered himself the best karateka in the city and was convinced that he could take on anyone else. His name was Uehara and he didn't belong to any special school. Until then, this circumstance had been a great advantage for him, since he did not have to give explanations to any Sensei who reproached him for his excessive belligerence or petulance. In the 18th century, challenges were as accepted and common as any sports championship could be today. At that time the playful passions were resolved, literally speaking with blows. Uehara, was 40 years old and that he showed with great strutting and conceit because he was in the best moment of his life. The strength and skills that he mastered were exceptional. They nicknamed him Karate-No-Uehara, which meant that his reputation as a fighter was great, because at that time, the word Karate was only added before

the name when the person had done enough merit in the fight. Indeed, until then he had defeated all his opponents in the combats that he carried out during his frequent trips that, for professional reasons, he was forced to carry out to other regions of Okinawa. He glanced at Matsumura as he entered his shop and stood for a few moments looking at the man who looked considerably younger than him and was taller than most of the Okinawans he had met up to then. Matsumura measured about 6 feet (approximately meter 1.80) and for the islanders of the time he was a giant. "Are you Matsumura?" asked the craftsman without paying attention to the request for the specific job that the younger man asked for. "Yes," Matsumura replied quietly. "You have to do me a favor first," Uehara continued, showing no respect. "Don't worry about the pipe, it's perfect as it is. I wonder if you would give me a great pleasure that I have been waiting for a long time: I want a lesson from you, Matsumura." The bushi was already aware of the engraver's character before entering the shop and he didn't want any trouble, I just came to engrave my pipe! He politely excused himself by declining the proposition, but Uehara persisted.

“Aren't you the King's Guard Fighting Arts instructor?” he asked. "Don't tell me you're afraid to give me some lessons?" "Yes, I am an instructor of the guard and also of the king. And I only give my classes to them and to no one else. It is for this reason that I cannot give classes to you."

Uehara looked at him with disdain as he thought that Matsumura was actually impressed by him and he wanted to avoid

being exposed at all costs. Then he emboldenedly dared to say, "Make an exception this time, Sensei and formally accept my challenge."

Matsumura decided at that moment that this guy was in dire need of a courtesy lesson. He did not know how the king would respond to making this decision, but despite it, he continued with the formal procedure that a challenge had to go through in those times. "Very well Uehara-san. I honorably accept the duel."

Uehara specified the place of the confrontation, which would be the following day at 5 am in the morning and would be held in the gardens of the royal palace. The next day, before the appointed time, Uehara decided to have some advantage over the bushi. To do this, he arrived an hour before the scheduled time in order to familiarize himself with the terrain; highlight slippery areas; the inclination of the terrain; the loose stones and even he located the position of the fallen leaves. Naturally, he did not forget where exactly the sun rose and the reflective glints of light. After memorizing the area, he started up a small hill so that he could see the battlefield as a whole. He was an expert fighter and the strategy before any battle was of vital importance. However, he could not avoid an agonizing sensation that began to flutter in his stomach as he ascended. As he reached the top, the thick dawn mist thinned.

"Uehara!" a powerful voice sounded, "I was waiting for you". On the other side was Matsumura, blurred in the thick fog! He had been watching Him the whole time! Uehara was totally transfixed. He could barely distinguish it, but as the mist dissipated, that shadow reached

larger and larger dimensions at times. As he pursed his lips and ground his teeth, he cursed for not coming sooner, he had now totally lost the strategic advantage of reconnaissance. His ruse had been discovered and this gave her a great feeling of helplessness. "Are you ready, Uehara?" the Bushi added, walking slowly and deliberately towards him. Without another word, he jumped back into his most comfortable fighting kamae. Matsumura watched him as he stood facing forward on both legs with his arms hanging at his sides. He then adopted a resting posture called. Many thoughts were mixed in Uehara's mind. He felt how panic was beginning to seize every muscle in his body. His legs were going weak. He was sweating cold and his face was bathed in that sweat. He was losing his temper before he started. In a moment of desperation and before feeling more upset, he launched his attack. He let out a deep cry and began to move swiftly forward, but when he caught sight of the bushi's calm gaze and was astonished that his body showed no defensive movement, he stopped dead in his tracks. He then jumped back like a spring, aborting the attack, pacing from side to side like a tiger in a cage. He was surely trying to calm down and trying to locate a weak spot or mount some sort of attack. Matsumura's image was now silhouetted against the light of dawn, giving it an impressive frame as if it were a ghostly being. "Uehara," Matsumura said in his gravelly voice, "do something!" The artist then began to make increasingly closed circles, pretending that the sun would

blind his opponent. His spirit recovered energy with this thought. Some advantage this strategy would give him, he thought. Uehara, he tried. He screamed again and lunged at the samurai. He Suddenly he saw how four FudoMiyo came out of the Master's eyes that at that moment shone like the dawn sun! The demons stood between him and the impassive bushi in a demonic attitude. The "things" were like superhuman specters, as if they did not belong to this world. Poor Uehara's body lost all its strength and his mind couldn't control even the weight of his body. He just fell to his knees and started crying. "Don't feel ashamed," Matsumura told him, "you wanted to win at all costs, you chewed your wish in your mouth. It was just a thought and that's where I attacked you. Your own thought defeated you." Saying this, Matsumura left the man alone with thoughts of him and walked away down the hill while he lit the pipe he had left uncut. This lesson was told by the Bushi for many years in his dojo, while the students remained silent listening to the philosophical lessons given by the Master. He continually warned karate followers that; the hunger for glory generates a great vanity that always ends in defeat. You can win a thousand battles and take ten thousand prisoners, but you won't win anything if you don't defeat yourself.

Gerardo Balves 7th Dan Kobayashi-ryu Kyudokan Coordinator of the International Group of Dojos Kyudo Mugen Kyudokan

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