Official Karate Magazine summer 2013 by OfficialKarateMag

SUMMER 2013

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Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

8 I The Martial Art Used By Japanese Police Where police use their hands more than their guns!

12 I Police Defensive Tactics and How It’s Changed

Police Defensive Tactics pioneer Dennis Bootle describes its evolution.

14 I Myths About the Relationship Between the Martial Arts and Law Enforcement

Marty Katz shares from his years of police work.

18 I Pain Resistant Attackers

Veteran cop Loren Christensen asks what do you do if the attacker doesn’t feel any pain?

22 I Why You Should Train

Insights from military and police veteran Mike Sullenger.

26 I Wisdom from a Grandmaster

Go through these steps before you even have to actually fight.

30 I Defending Against a Knife Attack Veteran Police detective GM Richard Morris

discusses knife defense strategies.

34 I Combat Knife Defense WRITERS WANTED: We want well-written articles on topics of interest to a traditional karate audience. Stories on respected historical figures in the martial arts, advanced how-to articles (not “how to do a front kick”), and articles on educational philosophies or technical aspects, are all welcome. We reserve the right to edit articles to fit and, of course, we will only accept articles that we believe will be of interest to our audience. For writer’s guidelines, send your email address and writing experience/bio to: Editor@OfficialKarateMag.com 4

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Master Sergeant Tommy Vaughn shows knife defense techniques.

36 I Favorite Fighting Techniques from the Masters TM

Defensive tactics for women from a female

Army officer and paratrooper.

CONTENTS

Summer 2013

38 I Favorite Fighting Techniques from the Masters

Loren Christensen

Master Danny Lane on gun defense.

40 I One More Round

Joe Corley reveals the Joe Lewis Eternal Warrior Award winners from the Battle of Atlanta

43 I James Mather’s Karate Life

18 30

What do you do when you don’t know what to do?

44 I The Voice of Tradition

Hanshi Dan Tosh on Marine Martial Arts training.

46 I Kung Fu Korner Sifu Karen Schlachter reflects on her military mentors. TM

50 I Western Wrapup Emil Farkas on lessons learned from an TM

Israeli Commando.

52 I Eleven Reasons Why Your Martial Arts Business Needs an Engaging Facebook Fan Page

Richard Morris

Tommy Vaughn

Social Media Expert Andrew Linick on how your school or organization can benefit from this exciting high tech opportunity.

58 I Nutritional Self-Defense

Concussions Part Two.

64 I Martial Arts Milestones

34 Be sure to “Like” us at

Recording MA history for posterity.

www.Facebook.com/OfficialKarateMag

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Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

SUMMER 2013

THE VOICE OF THE MARTIAL ARTS SINCE 1968

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Official Karate Magazine™ the “official” publication of Martial Arts Grandmasters International® is a 21st Century version of the original Official Karate that was published 1969–1995 by Al Weiss and Charlton Publications. We publish quarterly in digital format with a printed “annual” issue. We seek to secure permission for photographs but if you see a photo that is yours please let us know so we can give you attribution. MAGI® is a dynamic association of traditional and modern martial arts practitioners. Since 1994, we have strived to fulfill our mission to recognize and register students, black belts, and grandmasters of various martial arts styles organizations, Asian and Western self-defense systems, and fighting arts. Editor and Publisher: Andrew S. Linick, Ph.D. Managing Editor /Creative Director: Keith D. Yates Editorial Consultant: David Weiss Contributors: Dennis Bootle, Loren Christensen, Joe Corley, Marty Katz, Kathy Rhine, Mike Sullenger, James Mather, Richard Morris, Yessica Rocha, Dr. Craig Rubenstein, Karen Schlachter, Dr. Dan Tosh, Tommy Vaughn. MAGI® Member Benefits Membership in MAGI® will afford you the opportunity to have an affiliation with the first-generation pioneers who sit on our Board of Advisors. Of course you can share in their wisdom in the pages of Official Karate magazine (a subscription is included in your membership) but you can also take advantage of a direct dialogue with these Grandmasters through our websites and Facebook pages. You can proudly display the impressive MAGI® membership certificates, colorful uniform patches, and even attention-getting trademark protected four color window decals that proclaim you are an “affiliated” professional MAGI® school. (It’s considered the ‘BBB’ in the MA industry) You will receive big discounts on high-quality Asian weapons, books, videos & DVD’s, e-books, t-shirts, equipment bags, and even professional custom framing for MAGI™ certificates and for your own school certificates. We are adding new features and benefits all the time so click on and “LIKE” us at www.facebook.com/joinMAGI.You can also go to www.joinmagi.org.

Sound Off! KARATE IN THE OLYMPICS Hi Grandmasters Linick and Yates, I never write to magazines and I even less often read articles in magazines as they are usually boring and full of BS. However your recent publication in print and the article by Jim Mathers on karate in Olympics was excellent and obviously someone who really knew what was happening. My personal experience with Nishiyama Sensei as well came to the same conclusion as him. I once asked him why so many people said he was so difficult to deal with his answer was amazing. He started to laugh so hard his back teeth were showing and said, “They are right I am very difficult to deal with.” Anyway. Great magazine. Deep bows for producing something so professional and so darn good. —Don Warrener, President, Rising Sun Productions GOLDEN SHUTO AWARD I am deeply honoured to receive the prestigious Golden Shuto Award from a group I deeply respect and admire. Particularly I would like to thank Grandmasters Andrew Linick and Keith D. Yates for their vision, leadership and continuously resetting the bar for martial excellence. —Cezar Borkowski, Karate / Kobudo Hanshi, Toronto, Canada. For information on how you can nominate someone for the Golden Shuto award go to www.officialkaratemag.com

OFFICIALKARATEMAG.COM Summer 2013

EDITORIAL

by Yessica Vargas

From the Dojo to the Marine Corps Martial Arts

ver since I was a little one I was intrigued with martial arts. It all started with my mother who is a 3rd degree in Shito Ryu Karate. I was raised to always be prepared and aware of what could happen at any circumstance. My actual introduction began with Grandmaster Keith D. Yates. My love for training started at five years old and grew stronger as I grew older. Training with Mr. Yates taught me how valuable dedication and commitment was. Not only was Tae Kwon Do something impressive but the self-discipline and respect was a huge part for me. Every new thing I learned was fascinating but my favorite part was getting out there to spar. I was all about fighting and when it came down to it, what I learned had to work. It is actually kind of funny because when I started fighting I was afraid and I usually got beat up because of my small size, but that just made me even stronger. The best feeling of accomplishment was when I received my black belt at age 12. The crazy thing that I will never forget was having to fight my own mother and older brother who was also going for his black belt—and they did not go easy on me at all. When I received my black belt I knew that was the start of something big and I would not stop there.

My mind set was always to be challenged and fight for what you set your mind to. I always wanted to be a part of the military and protect our country so at age 18 I joined the United States Marine Corps. Going through boot camp I had to be physically prepared as well as mentally, and I’m not going to say I was perfectly prepared for it but I knew I could handle it because of the mind set I had previously established in the martial arts. Becoming a United States Marine was my ultimate accomplishment and I knew my next step was to keep making progress in learning new things and that is when I learned about the MCMAP. The Marine Corps Martial Arts Program is a combination of combat techniques that are required for every Marine so they can defend not just themselves but others. Like traditional martial arts it also stresses valuable assets like morale, leadership and character development. And like other arts the program uses belts to represent the levels of training you’ve developed. I quickly got involved with the training and am progressing through the ranks. Being a part of the U.S. Marine Corps is an amazing feeling. My goals will always be to enhance my knowledge of the martial arts and keep being a part of the best in whatever I do. Check t Lance Corporal Vargas when she it ou was a 13 year old black belt.

http://www.marines.com/videos/-/video-library/detail/VIDEO_MARINE_CORPS_MARTIAL_ARTS_PROGRAM

Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

The mar used by japa

ne of Japan’s biggest cultural exports is its martial arts: karate, judo, aikido, kendo. Back before anime got really big, Japanese martial arts was one of the big draws that got Westerners saying “I wanna move to Japan!”

Beyond the romantic notions of Japanese martial arts as some kind of path to enlightenment or self-realization, they still have lots of practical applications. Japanese cops are one group of people who still incorporate martial arts into their everyday work. Japanese police work in a very different environment with a different set of tools and expectations than, say, American cops. While an American police officer using their gun is uncommon, it’s even more rare with Japanese police. Using a gun in Japan, even if you’re a police officer, carries with it incredible consequences (the paperwork is the real killer), so it’s no surprise that the police have a wide arsenal of less lethal methods of subduing criminals. In that arsenal is a martial art known as 逮捕術, or taiho-jutsu, which literally translates into “arrest technique.” It’s used by police, Imperial guard, the Japanese Selfcontinued on page 10 8

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rtial art anese police

Reprinted from tofugu.com Used by permission.

contined on next page Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

continued from page 9 Defense Force, Kamen Riders, Sailor Scouts, and pretty much every law enforcement and military agency in Japan. Japanese law enforcement has used martial arts for a long, long time, but the modern taiho jutsu didn’t start to take shape until after WWII, around 1947. Post-war Japan was more or less entirely ruled by the occupying United States forces, which placed some restrictions on the way that Japanese police operated, including limiting their use of physical force and traditional martial arts. At first, this caused problems; the country was in ruins and unrest, and limiting police meant that they had a hard time keeping order. Fortunately, Japanese police officers turned lemons into lemonade and took the opportunity to basically build a new martial art from scratch. If you know about Krav Maga, the martial art developed by Israeli police and military, then you have a pretty good idea of what taiho jutsu is all about. Both were developed for military and law enforcement, and both are built out of other martial arts. Taiho jutsu, unlike Krav Maga, had the benefit of being created in a place with a strong martial arts tradition. When the Tokyo police bureau was in the process of creating taiho jutsu, it gathered masters from lots of differ10

OFFICIALKARATEMAG.COM Summer 2013

ent martial arts including judo and kendo, along with experts in armed combat too. The martial art that was created in the postwar era was existed ever since, with minor revisions along the way. It incorporates lots of ways of disarming people with hand-to-hand combat, in addition to using police batons and, heaven forbid, guns. When Japanese police aren’t laying down the law against wouldbe criminals, they practice and show off their skills in exhibition matches between officers. Not only is it nice to work out aggression against co-workers in a sancation environment, but these exhibitions have the added bonus of providing officers with the incentive to train harder to beat their peers. Of course, taiho jutsu looks a lot different on the street than it does in an exhibition where all participants are wearing protective gear and have the same training, but these sorts of exhibition matches are still impressive. You get to see it all in action without knocking over a Family Mart. Not all police officers learn exactly the same thing; some parts of the country emphasize particular styles, whether it’s judo, kendo, or aikido. But one thing’s for sure: if you decide to break the law (like dancing past a certain time of night), you might learn pretty quickly what kind of martial arts your arresting officer knows.

www.abkusa.com/okm Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

Dennis bootle Pioneering Police Defensive Tactics Innovator

OFFICIALKARATEMAG.COM Summer 2013

photos by Terry Rhoda

Police Defensive Tact

n my 41 years of active law enforcement I had the opportunity to be on the forefront of creating defensive tactic techniques and continuing to participate in the evolution of those tactics. Entering the Police Academy, I was eager to learn and couldn’t wait to be on patrol. However, the Academy was an eye opener. Defensive Tactics was in its infancy. The basics were baton training which was very archaic and the handcuffing techniques that could get you hurt trying to apply on a subject who was resisting arrest. In the firearms training, we used revolvers and were taught single action firing in three different modes... Slow, Timed, & Rapid. Oh, and boxing class was a real waste of time.We used 16 ounce gloves and the main purpose was to see what it felt like to get punched in the face. On patrol as New York City Transit Cop we worked alone with poor equipment like radios that didn’t always work. One had to rely on his wits and experience. At times you could pick up some good things from experienced cops but they were few and far between. In the late 1970s, I saw a need and then created a course of restraining techniques that were unique to transit police work in the subways. One of the main focuses was to train non martial artists in the use of grappling techniques. My thoughts were directed to Kata. It was the one thing a person could do using there minds to see and feel what they were doing while training. I became process oriented as opposed to outcome oriented, this meant putting a mind set together that combined skill training and a positive feedback loop that people coming into police work could see and understand. In 1980, I started the first Defensive Tactics unit in New York City. This unit addressed issues that a police officer could encounter while on patrol. At the same time the city started to increase the hiring of police officers including women and men of smaller stature. Now the unit’s job was to develop techniques that everyone could use and be effective. The first course was restraining and controlling subjects. This included positioning and protecting your firearm, being able to either restrain and remove someone from a location or handcuff and arrest them. In 1981 I developed a course called speed cuffing, a term I borrowed from a couple of policeman who had put a simple course together, which I took to an entirely different level. It worked beautifully. Officers learned how to apply cuff control with takedowns and submissions. This course was so popular with other police agencies, That I was hired by John Jay College as an adjunct professor to develop courses called Street

tics and How itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Changed Survival. In 1992 I developed a Street Survival Car Stop and Control video for the FBI based on the levels of force needed to determine how much force to use on a arrested subject. The mental and physical training I taught in these courses focused on the use of batons which were made of PVC pipe and foam wrapped with duct tape. One of the courses was known as the X Pattern Baton Technique which made it easier to protect yourself and if attacked, anything entering the X zone was struck. You didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seek a target it was presented to you and you could disable it. This allowed the students to make contact on a person and get the feeling of what it was like to strike someone with a baton. It was a huge success. We did have a few injuries but those taught us valuable lessons. Next , we used kicking and punching bags. Officers learned the front, knee and stomp kicks. They also learned close in punches and elbow strikes. The women particularly responded well to this training, as it demonstrated to them what they were capable of doing in a confrontation. Additionally, the unit taught team tactics, working together, no matter who there partner was, using techniques to subdue and control a subject. At the police academy, a two person team would run from the basement to the sixth floor and back to the gym where they would engage another recruit and attempt to restrain and hand cuff them. This training created stress and they learned how to use the techniques effectively. To this day I still get feed back from people who completed the course saying it was the best training ever.

Dennis Bootle on a 1978 Official Karate cover.

today is the stungun or Taser. This allows an officer to stop and control a subject, no matter their size . We have gone from six shot revolvers to semi automatic pistols which can hold 10 to 18 rounds. The 1980s was a time of change in the world of Defensive Tactics, dedicated people with Martial Arts training were committed to making things better. The Red Man suits and equipment that allowed you to make contact and get a great feedback loop made the difference. I hope my contributions provided a better and safer environment for both Officers and subjects. We were on the forefront of change in New York. As a Martial Arts and Police Academy instructor, along with being a College Professor I was able to put into place a new mind set that lifted students self image and capabilities to to new heights. It all comes from the tenants of Karate of commitment, dedication, and training not only the body but also the mind. ver the years many training concepts and In closing I can say that I have the experiequipment have been developed, some enced working in Anti Crime, Stakeouts, Patrol and came and went and others remained. The I worked in the Detective Division for 18 years as a PR 24 based on the Okinawan karate weapon called Detective Sergeant. I also worked in Homicide, Cold the Tonfa, was a big success and some agencies still Case, Warrant Squad and few Federal Task Forces. I use them, but they proved ineffective to people of was a street cop. This allowed me to use every aspect smaller stature. The expandable ASP baton, a very of karate...mind, body & spirit. I would like to thank effective tool, if one knew how to use it, and was my Karate Instructor Taika Seiyu Oyata who opened intimidating when expanded as it makes a sound my mind to true technique and the meaning of kalike a bullwhip being cracked, very scary. There rate. He was a genius. have been a variety of handcuffs developed and some are still in use. One of the most effective tools Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM 13

The Relationship between Mar

The Author in action, 1973

OFFICIALKARATEMAG.COM Summer 2013

hen I entered the police academy I was a third degree black belt. I had taught Japanese karate and self defense for years. I had found out that what I taught worked in both tournaments and street fights. So I believed that when I entered the police academy I would do extremely well in the defensive tactics classes. I was wrong. I was in great shape, fast reflexes and had strong discipline. But self defense for citizens is extremely different than self defense for law enforcement officers. Being a martial artist does NOT mean you are ready to train law enforcement officers. While you have great ability to defend yourself and train others to defend themselves, the physical aspect is just one part of the overall knowledge and training needed to prepare a class of officers for the streets. In law enforcement there is a governing set of rules pertaining to what action can and should be taken when defending oneself or affecting an arrest. These rules are called the Use of Force Matrix or Objective Reasonableness Response to Resistance. These guidelines are the rules and policies pertaining to the techniques that are permitted and legal for an officerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s respond to resistance. In other words, it is the bible that provides the parameters for techniques

By Marty Katz, 7th Dan

rtial Arts and Law Enforcement that will keep an officer out of trouble departmentally, criminally, civilly and definably physically. After a technique is used, there are a number of forms and paperwork that must be completed. These documents will articulate the justification and the success of what was done or what was needed to improve. A police officer must be able to define such topics as passive resistance, active resistance, and aggressive resistance. Here is a basic curriculum for police officer defensive tactics training: Introduction Overview of Defensive Tactics Program Preparation for Defensive Tactics Training Use of Force Force Guidelines Survival Stress Reaction Defensive Tactics Techniques Fundamental Principles of Defensive Tactics Threat Assessment—Threat Assessment and Response Threat Assessment—Communication and Commands Control Tactics—Pressure Points Control Tactics—Escorts and Transports Control Tactics—Restraint Devices Control Tactics—Frisks and Searches Sudden Attacks—Blocks Sudden Attacks—Striking Techniques Sudden Attacks—Takedowns Sudden Attacks—Upright Grappling Body Holds Sudden Attacks—Vascular Neck Restraints (optional) Ground Maneuvers—Falling Techniques Ground Maneuvers—Ground Escapes Ground Maneuvers—Ground Control Nonlethal Intermediate Weapons—Impact

Weapons (optional) Nonlethal Intermediate Weapons—Chemical Agents Weapon Defense and Control—Weapon Retention Weapon Defense and Control—Handgun Disarming Weapon Defense and Control—Defense against Edged Weapons Deadly Force Techniques A quick summary: Just being a martial artist or just knowing the book work does not qualify a person to teach law enforcement. There must be a combination and working knowledge of both sides in order to train those who will patrol our streets and neighborhoods. Once I became a police officer I read stories about Don Buck, a true martial arts master, and police officer that influenced me to blend all my martial arts training with the training of law enforcement. Don was a San Francisco police officer and was a mentor to a generation of officers. Later in my law enforcement career, I had the opportunity to train under and teach for one of the greatest law enforcement defensive tactics masters, Joe Hess. Joe, a world champion martial artist and has been responsible for the defensive tactics training for many thousands of officers. While I love traditional martial arts, I discovered that for combat on the street while wearing all that police gear, some changes needed to be made. The real challenge came from developing quick and exacting techniques as there are no referees or rounds in street combat. There is one round, and winner takes all. Keeping in mind that in every confrontacontinued on next page Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

tion a police officer has, there is at least one firearm present, the officer’s. Over the years I found that certain techniques seem to always work. Techniques like brachial stun strike or knee strikes to the common peroneal nerve replaced tradition strikes. The use of leg sweeps, judo throws and aikido joint locks become the cornerstone to success. Where the subject’s head goes, the body was sure to follow. As I got older, I loved having pepper spray and a Taser readily assessable. Since mechanical implements might fail, I had to look for ways to defend myself using pressure points and strikes to muscle groups. I used the judo philosophy of Maximum Efficiency Minimum Effort. The goal for me became ending physical conflicts quicker and with less stress on me. But the most important aspect of this relationship, martial arts training and law enforcement, was the proper warrior mindset. The discipline of daily hard training in martial arts created an overwhelming confidence in one’s ability to use the correct technique, remain within the Use of Force Matrix, and end conflict with little injury to the subject. It is always the subject’s resistance that dictated the pain and injury they received. Many times the mere presence of a combat ready officer will stop any further aggression. I did not invent nor recreate the wheel. I took what worked and used it. From this came command presence and confidence and the by-product of officer survival. This is the relationship between Martial Arts and law Enforcement.

Master Katz recently retired from actively teaching martial arts. You can read his reflections at http://www.official karatemag.com/speak-up/

QIGONG Teacher Training Course Sifu Karen Schlachter of the An De Institute of Peaceful Virtues announces a 220 hour course in Qigong and Taiji/Qigong Medford New Jersey. October 11, 2013 For more information visit the website www.theandeinstitute.com or email theandeinstitute@gmail.com. Sifu Karen Schlachter can See her article be reached at 609-560-8300 on page 46. This course is open to Yoga Teachers and Martial Art Instructors to expand their practice and enhance their classes. It is also open to anyone interested in becoming teachers and have limited experience. Students will receive teacher certification and will be ready to offer classes and CEUs as well as adding the beautiful movements and healing forms in their classes. Classes will cover • Healing • Medical Qigong • Meditation • Taiji/Qigong healing sets • Ancient methods of stress reduction and rejuevenation techniques. Courses will be open to out of town students through weekend immersions Local students will have weekly classes.

OFFICIALKARATEMAG.COM Summer 2013

Mrs. Sue Hawkes, Kyoshi, invites you to attend the

A FOUR STAR ✭✭✭✭ EVENT Tournament: Saturday, October 12, 2013 Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North Hotel 5151 San Francisco NE, Albuquerque, NM

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Seminar: Sunday, October 13, 2013 Jim Hawkes Karate Dojo 405 Montano NE, #5, Albuquerque, NM

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Online Registration: www.jimhawkeskarate.com/OKM

U.S. Association of Martial Artists Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

PAIN RESISTANT ATTACKERS By Loren W. Christensen

here is a truth in the world of handto-hand combat that too many martial artists aren’t aware of or refuse to believe: Every time you discover a sure-thing technique, one that makes all your training partners groan and writhe in agony, there exists out there in the mean streets, a host of people who won’t feel it. Sometimes an attacker’s sheer will drives him on no matter if you punch, kick, grapple, or shoot him. Other times an attacker keeps coming like a zombie in a B movie because his brain or his body has blocked most or all pain signals.

The author applies a technique.

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Pain receptors Whether you’re applying a wristlock or raking your fingers across an assailant’s eyeballs, his brain receives pain signals by a type of pain receptor called nociceptors. Some parts of the human body have many of these, while other parts have only a few. The eye, for example, has more than the chest, wrist, or back. Case in point, a person suffering a heart attack describes it as a dull ache in the chest, while a person who has been poked in the eye, screams and utters every blue word in the Book of Swearing. Anytime you deliver force over a relatively large area—a kick to the assailant’s back, for example—fewer pain receptors are activated than when you apply that same force to a smaller area, such as a kick to the gums.

Some people will experience a dulling of the consciousness, meaning they feel some pain, or no pain at all. Who are we talking about? In my experience, here are the categories of attackers in which there are always a few who can tolerate pain to some degree. Attackers who: • have extreme fat or muscle bulk. • are intoxicated on alcohol. • are under the influence of drugs. • are out of control with rage. • are mentally deranged. • feel pain but like it.

Every time you discover a sure-thing technique... a host of people won’t feel it! People with extreme bulk People carrying excessive fat or muscle bulk are often tolerant of certain pain techniques simply because their mass prevents proper application of, say, grappling moves, or it literally pads the pain receptors against blows. On one occasion, several police officers and I were dispatched to help an ambulance crew control a 400-pound, former Olympic weight lifting competitor who had gone berserk as a result of running out of pain medication. Normal restraint and control techniques were a no-go, handcuffs were too

small for his wrists, and even large, leather gurney restraints wouldn’t fit him. The only way we could control the man was to dogpile him and tie his arms and legs with bed sheets that had been twisted rope-like. When we finally got him to ER, nurses shot him with four times the normal dosage of tranquilizers to calm him. What about the axiom: Where the head goes the body follows? Could we have dumped him to the floor using such techniques as: • push the big attacker’s chin up and back. • push the back of his head forward and down. • take advantage of any weight shift to force the big person down in whatever direction he’s leaning. I used these often on the street against big guys, but there are big guys and there are really BIG guys, like this Olympic heavyweight power lifter. In his case, the situation required force, but he was too large for normal control techniques and greater force wasn’t justified. The dogpile is an effective technique as long as you know where the threat’s hands are and as long as you don’t stay on top of him too long (suffocation can be an issue). And, of course, as long as you have enough people. To be clear, not all extremely obese and muscular people are impervious to pain, but it’s been my experience that there are many who are—and they can be a challenge. People intoxicated, high, enraged and mentally ill There is a wide-range of responses to pain within these categories, meaning that some people react normally, others feel it a little, and a significant number feel nothing at all. Here is an example of someone in the latter group. continued next page Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

A fellow officer got a call on a pregnant woman who had been stabbed in the stomach, with the suspect last seen somewhere in the blocks between houses. The officer eventually found the man in a backyard, and ordered him at gunpoint to drop his knife and lie down. Glassy-eyed and either mentally deranged or high on something, the man began slashing the air with the blade as he advanced toward the officer. Not until the cop backed into a garage wall did he fire a .45 caliber slug into the assailant’s chest. As if in a nightmare, the man ignored the hit and continued to slash the air as he advanced. With no other choice, the policeman, who was also a member of SWAT and a martial artist, fired a second shot into the man’s chest. Again, he only twitched before continuing his advance. So the officer shot a third time, which bent the man toward the gaping wound. But once more, the suspect straightened and slashed at the officer. When the cop fired a fourth and fifth time, only then did the man drop dead into the grass. Round after round into critical targets and all the subject did was twitch each time he was hit. Do you have a technique that’s more powerful than a .45 slug? I don’t either. There is no guarantee when applying pain to a violent person whose mind is altered by one of the mental conditions listed above. Additionally, consider that by the time you’re forced to defend yourself, the person might be at the peak of his rage, intoxication, drug high, or his psychotic behavior. People who like pain There are many reasons why a person will grimace and smile as you give him your best shot. He might be smiling simply because he is drunk or high and doesn’t feel it, he might have had a violent past and is conditioned to pain, or it could be some sort of sexual issue with him. It might be a blend of all these things. 20

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What to do What is important when dealing with people impervious to pain is the same thing that is important when dealing with any attacker: When something isn’t working for you, you need to switch tactics. Logical? Not always. You’ve heard the stories of panicked people in a burning building pushing against a locked door over and over until it’s too late to take another avenue of escape. The same thing can happen when an adrenaline surge takes over your rational thinking. You hit a violent person, say, in the chest. When that doesn’t get the desired effect, you keep hitting him the same spot, over and over. Of course, you might eventually wear the guy down, but since he isn’t feeling the blows, the window of opportunity is wide open for him to attack you in some fashion. A word about the groin When a student gets whacked in the groin in class, he drops into the fetal position and begins channeling Nancy Kerrigan: “Whyyyy? Whyyyy?” But in the street, striking an aggressor in the groin gets mixed results. Sometimes he curls to the sidewalk in agony and sometimes he doesn’t give the hit a passing thought. The problem is that there is no way to tell by looking at someone as to how he will react to a groin hit. I took a hard, jumping knee to the groin two weeks before I retired from the PD. But I was so engaged in the brawl that I didn’t feel it until after we got the guy in a cell. Then Mr. Pain and Mr. Nausea came a calling. The groin is a good target; just don’t stop to watch for a reaction. It’s better to flow right into a second, third, or however many techniques it takes to stop the threat. Train to keep attacking It’s important to train in such a fashion that you don’t become unnerved when someone doesn’t react to your best joint lock, palm-

heel strike, or roundhouse kick. Here’s why. Say you apply a joint lock on a nasty drunk, the same technique that made your classmate dance funny-like on his tiptoes. Not only does the intoxicated man not react, he looks puzzled, as if he isn’t sure what you’re doing and what you want from him. You look puzzled, too, wondering why the technique isn’t eliciting the usual yelp and chest slap. Then, because you allowed half a dozen seconds to pass during your confusion, the drunk smashes you in your puzzled face. When a radio talk show host doesn’t say anything for a few seconds, it’s known as “dead air,” and considered a bad thing. When you pause or hesitate in a physical confrontation while the threat is still a threat, that is a bad thing too. To prevent this, you must train physically as well as mentally to keep on the offense until the seemingly invulnerable person is under control. Say you kick the man in the thigh twice, neither blow drawing so much as a grimace. Although you see his lack of reaction, don’t pause to wonder what went wrong. Instead, immediately hit targets where there are more pain receptors, targets that shock the brain, or targets where an injury greatly reduces the recipient’s ability to attack, even when he can’t feel the pain. Consider the following: Targets that debilitate Here are a few vulnerable targets that debilitate an attacker impervious to pain. • Eyes: if he can’t see he can’t fight. • Brachial plexus: Half way between the front and side of the neck. A blow there causes stunning and possible unconsciousness. • External occipital protuberance: A blow to that boney ridge of the skull just above the back of the neck instantly stuns an attacker an impervious attacker. • Bladder: A punch or kick at a 45-degree angle activates a host of nerves that debilitates.

• Peroneal nerve: This nerve runs from the hip to the knee on the side of the leg. Hit it 1/3 of the way down from the hip with a penetrating punch or roundhouse shin kick to affect incapacitation. Warning: A blow to the brachial plexus and external occipital protuberance can be fatal. Some eye technique can cause blindness. Dealing with any combative person is seldom easy and always dangerous. This truth is magnified many times over when an attacker not only doesn’t feel pain, he doesn’t even react or acknowledge your techniques. Happily, you don’t run into these types of people often, but when you do, it can be a real challenge. When I first began working on my book Fighting the Pain Resistant Attacker, I asked a high-ranking jujitsu instructor about the mechanics of a particular technique. He answered my question, and added, “When done correctly, this hurts everyone.” Out of politeness, I didn’t respond. If I had, I would have said, “No, that technique doesn’t hurt everyone. There are people out there who will eat it, smile, and keep coming at you.” Loren W. Christensen is a Vietnam veteran and retired police officer with 29 years of law enforcement experience. A martial arts student and teacher since 1965, he has earned an 8th dan in American Free Style Karate, a 2nd dan in aiki jujitsu, and a 1st dan in Modern Arnis. He is in the Martial Arts Masters Hall of Fame. He has starred in seven instructional martial arts DVDs. As a writer, Loren has worked with five publishers, penning 45 nonfiction books on a variety of subjects, a thriller fiction series called Dukkha, and dozens of magazine articles. His newest book, Meditation for Warriors can be found on Amazon or at Mr. Christensen’s website www.lwcbooks.com.

Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

Why You Shoul T

hroughout my fifty plus years in the martial arts, forty in law enforcement, and twenty years in the military, the topic of training has often been discussed. From a cop’s point of view we can’t get enough. But it costs time and money and usually the city fathers don’t want to provide the funds—they don’t understand its importance. When we do train we spend the lion’s share on the firing range. Yet for the majority of times when we have to use force it’s nonlethal. Officers who understand the importance of hand-to-hand training (self-defense and come-along tactics) often seek instruction outside their departments at their own expense. Sadly they’re the exception rather than the rule. The majority of their colleagues have the mindset, “if they want me to train then they can provide the time and money.” That attitude does not serve them well when the chips are down. Officers cannot afford this kind of mindset. They must realize their survival is no one’s responsibility but theirs. I want to focus on my experiences in order to illustrate my point. In the martial artists community there is a lot of focus on sport competition. Many are more interested in trophies and less concerned with their student’s ability to defend themselves. In our school’s training the sport aspect is the least important of three areas (sport, art and self-defense). Students must practice defenses 22

OFFICIALKARATEMAG.COM Summer 2013

against a variety of attacks regularly so their reactions will be instantaneous in the event of an attack. Sport sparring is not preparation for the streets. Preparing for street survival First, know there are NO rules. No excessive contact or illegal techniques—you train to stay alive. The more you train and the longer you prepare the better you are at applying a varied response. By this I mean knowing what level of force to use. If a drunk friend is being obnoxious and pushy you don’t want to break his arm. Merely applying a joint lock or knocking the wind out of him will suffice. On the other hand if the person is unknown to you, but still unarmed, your response can be more debilitating without breaking something or being lethal. I teach a three pronged approach to self-defense that incorporates light, moderate and hard responses. The nature of the

ld Train.

response is dictated by the perceived threat. What might not be considered as a serious threat by me might be more so to a young woman. I was talking to a friend the other day who was taking Krav Magra (Israeli Military Cobatives). I said the training she was receiving was very good, but it focused on taking the other person out in a very dramatic way. That may be appropriate in some circumstances, but not in others. Training provides us with an increased confidence in our ability to function at a specific level of competence. A person who trains to become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) first learns the basics. He looks for specific indicators upon arrival at an accident scene. Identifying the â&#x20AC;&#x153;mechanism of injuryâ&#x20AC;? helps the EMT focus on some things while ruling out others. As the medic becomes more proficient he also becomes more confident. Likewise police officers (and martial artists) must train towards a similar level of confidence and competence. One day shortly after retiring from the Air Force my family and I came upon a traffic accident. I pulled our car onto the median and ran to the car that had been involved. I checked the occupants to see if they required medical attention. Once satisfied they were not seriously injured I ran over to a lady who was calling 911 on her cell phone. I identified myself as a police officer and got permission to take over the call. I described the nature of the accident and expressed concern that the disabled car might be hit by oncoming traffic. When the first police unit arrived I instructed them to

By Mike Sullenger, 9th Dan Major, USAF Retired

direct traffic. When all was under control I rejoined my family and as we were driving away my daughter asked how I knew what to do. I told her it was a combination of training and experience. Some years later that same daughter paniced when her eighteen-month-old had a seizure. Later, I told her she should get training as a first responder or even a basic EMT. Had she received the right kind of training she would have been better prepared. Regular Training Training is something that cannot be overemphasized. We need it initially to develop the basic skill sets and attitudes that allow continued on next page Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

People who train seriously to defend themselves practice defensive and offensive responses to a myriad of attack scenarios.

us to function in a difficult situation. Intermediate and advanced training enhances these skills allowing us to function at a higher level. None of this will happen unless we train on a regular basis. Training helps us develop the necessary conditioned reflexes to immediately deal with a problem as it happens. It also prepares us for a variety of possibilities. Here’s an example. Let’s say you are walking down a hallway and a person abruptly comes out from around the corner. A non-trained person would jump and probably let out a startled scream. The trained (prepared) person would take a quick step back while simultaneously raising his hands. The raised hands might be perceived by another as a gesture of surprise. The trained eye would see it as a guard stance. People who train seriously to defend themselves practice defensive and offensive responses to a myriad of attack scenarios. This not only enhances their ability to react instantly but also develops a keener awareness of what to look for in an assailant’s body language before they launch their attack. For street cops having this edge provides added reaction time, especially when there may be more than one attacker. In the gym (dojo) I tell my students they should practice their skills as realistically as possible. A few bumps and bruises here will lessen the chances that you bleed on the street—or worse. I maintain the philosophy of preparing to fight—in the hope of never having too.

OFFICIALKARATEMAG.COM Summer 2013

This is the same philosophy that true warriors in all walks of life follow. Some of my favorite shows on Spike TV emphasized this same thing. “Because Life Depends On It,” “What If” and “Conceal and Carry” all showed the importance of training and being prepared. Their main thrust revolved around being armed—and this is the easiest and quickest way to prepare yourself, but the larger point was regular training. How they would you react if you dialed 911 and got no answer? Without training to defend yourself and your families, or to provide emergency medical care would you panic? The helplessness that would grip you defies description. With training and preparation such panic can be avoided. The Boy Scout motto to always be prepared is one we should all adhere too. Like I tell my wife when I leave the house carrying my umbrella and she says it’s not suppose to rain, “I’d rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.” The choice is yours. Mike Sullenger, 9th Dan, BS/MS Major, USAF Retired American Karate System Chief Instructor (the AKS was founded by Mr. Ernest Lieb) www.aks-usa.com

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Wisdom from a grand master Keith D. Yates

Before You T

he news media gives us endless coverage of tragic mass shooting like the 12 people murdered in a Colorado movie theater shooting last summer. But they didn’t cover the other 30 to 40 murders that occurred in America on the very same day. Why? Because that much violence in one place is “news” but violence spread out across the nation— well, that’s just everyday life in the United States. I am not going to give you a bunch of statistics here but suffice it to say you have a greater chance of becoming a victim of violent crime that you do of being injured in a auto accident. Now if you fasten your seat belt every time you get in your car and if you stop at a red light instead of trying to speed through it, then why, in heaven’s name, aren’t you taking the same kind of precautions about your personal safety when it comes to crime?

PRE-FIGHT

Before I begin teaching actual self-defense techniques to my students I cover what I like to call the PRE-FIGHT check. Read that again, not pre-flight, but pre-fight. In other words, before you are forced to fight, I want you to be in the habit of practicing a few simple steps. Somewhere along the line I learned the acronym “P-R-E” which stands for Prevention, Recognition and Escape. You can go a long ways towards avoiding a confrontation with a criminal if you first practice these and make them a part of your daily routine.

PREVENTION

I was a Boy Scout and I still remember the motto, “Be Prepared.” They take precautions like having insect repellent and drinking water in their backpacks. What kind of precautions do you take in your everyday life? Ben Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Good advice. I know you have heard the typical crime prevention tips. Lock your house when you leave, don’t open the door to strangers, don’t leave your keys in the ignition, don’t put your name and phone number on that Internet chat site, etc. 26

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Have to Fight! But your life is so busy. You just don’t have time to buy that extra dead bolt for the house. You are preoccupied with the job and the kids and you can’t pay attention to every little thing. Besides what are the chances something will happen to you? Unfortunately that’s what millions of crime victims every year thought too! There are plenty of good books on selfdefense that go into a lot more detail than I can give you here, but here are a few practical prevention tips. • Lock your doors and windows. Fifty percent of home break-ins are though unlocked doors and windows. So if you lock your house up you cut your chances of burglary in half. • Get to know your neighbors, or better yet start a neighborhood watch group. • Keep at least a quarter of a tank of gas in your car so you don’t get caught having to stop at a gas station in a bad part of town or late at night. • Don’t leave your keys in the car when you leave. • Ask a security guard at the mall to walk you to your car if it’s late (don’t be embarrassed— that’s what they’re there for). • Hold your purse or your expensive camera up under your arm and not dangling by a strap. • Take a friend with you to the mall (especially important for kids and teenagers). • If you absolutely have to use an outside ATM, scan the area first. Better yet, make sure you don’t have to use it at all. Plan ahead. • Don’t jog or walk with earphones from your music player blotting out all external sound. • If someone says they are a police officer and they are not wearing a uniform, request a uniformed back up.

• Stay away from people who abuse alcohol and drugs. It is estimated that in about 75% of sexual assault cases the attacker had been drinking. Now I don’t drink and I don’t presume to tell you that you shouldn’t. But you should be aware that both alcohol and drugs lower inhibitions and make someone’s behavior unpredictable (yours included). They also act as pain suppressants, so that your self-defense techniques have less of an effect on someone who is high. • Tell your kids not to talk to strangers and then practice the same thing yourself. A common practice of muggers is to come up and ask someone for directions or for the time. I know you don’t want to seem rude but just say, “no,” or at least keep your antennae up.

RECOGNITION

Speaking of keeping your antennae up, that’s what this next step is all about. You have to be able to recognize danger, not be oblivious to it. In a word, this is called “awareness.” I know that Gichin Funakoshi said there is “no first strike” in karate but I’ll bet he would agree that we should be constantly aware. What I mean here is that our “first strike” is one of tactical awareness and of the ability to defend ourselves aggressively and without hesitation. This is a shocking surprise to most felons. Let’s say you have obeyed most of the above rules of prevention. Congratulations, you have certainly reduced your potential for becoming a victim of crime. But let’s face it: sometimes people just end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. Is your level of recognition, your awareness, at the stage where you see something bad coming? Going back to those terrible mass Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

shootings, the common thread seems to be signs that the shooter was disturbed. In retrospect people remembered things that suggested he might do something heinous. But most of his acquaintances (they don’t really have friends) brushed it off as just weirdness. This is a common scenario in situations where something bad happens. The rape victim says the guy had been getting more aggressive over the last couple of dates. The carjack victim says he noticed that red pickup following him but he didn’t think anything of it. Recognition abilities mean you perceive the situation or the person is dangerous. A good way is by noting his body language, the way he is standing, his facial expression, and his tone of voice. Awareness is often just trusting your instincts. If you feel uneasy in a situation there is probably a good reason. Keep your eyes open at all times. Of course some people have poor instincts because they are in denial that something bad could happen to them. A common problem with kids and teenagers is they face peer pressure to be “cool” and nonchalant. That’s the opposite of the kind of attitude you should have. Practice keeping your eyes and ears open and alert.

ESCAPE

The old saying goes, “the best defense is a good offense.” Well, maybe that works in a sports competition where the person or team with the most points wins. But in a self-defense situation the best defense, as one famous movie sensei said is, “no be there!” Backing off or even running away is preferable to having to hit or be hit in an actual physical confrontation. I tell my young students to run if someone tries to grab them or hurt them and kids seem to get the concept. Adults however (maybe I should say “guys”) sometimes 28

OFFICIALKARATEMAG.COM Summer 2013

think running brands them as “chicken.” But believe me you’d rather be a live chicken than a dead duck. Other people (both male and female) can go into shock and freeze, not being able to escape—or do much of anything except stand there in shock. The best way to avoid either freezing or trying to foolishly stand your ground is to decide ahead of time that you are going to make a break for it if the situation looks bad. Simply put, that means having a plan. Now your plan could be as simple as just mentally rehearsing a scream for help and running. Or it could take more elaborate dimensions. Do you have a plan for escaping from your home if it were on fire? I’m sure you know where all the doors in your house are. Perhaps you have even planned ahead and have a collapsible ladder by the upstairs window. Before a commercial airliner takes off the flight attendants are required to point out the exits. Most people don’t pay attention. I do. I also scan for the exits when I go into a restaurant. I always want to have a plan. In a confrontation your reaction will probably be based on not wanting to get hurt rather than on your survival, but I am telling you that it can’t be. You might have to jump out of your car when a carjacker jumps in. Yes, you might get hurt, but you will survive. Start planning like a survivor right now. Plan to escape however you can.

Keith D. Yates is a grandmaster level instructor and the managing editor of Official Karate Magazine. This article is adapted from his book, The Complete Guide to American Karate and Tae Kwon Do, which you can purchase on page 29. Contact him at www.akato.org.

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Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

Defending Against

KNIFE Attacks

by Sgt Richard Morris

Sergeant Richard Morris has been with the Fort Worth Police Department for more than 35 years. He is currently assigned to the Gang Intelligence and Detective Unit. In this time he has worked hundreds of stabbings, always interviewing the victim, assailant, and witnesses, for the arrest and filing of the case. Sergeant Morris conducts the interviews for insight into the mind of the attacker and the victim, as well. This has given a decided “edge” to his understanding of knife attacks on a psychological and physiological basis.

“On the street, I have been attacked with a Buck Knife, a machete, kitchen knives,broken bottles, sharp sticks, and a can-opener.”

ommon knife attacks involving slashing and stabbing motions, whether the attacks are a roundhouse or an overhead knife attack. We must understand the common characteristics of knives used in fighting, as well as the common types of attacks and attackers, before we can prepare for a violent street fight. Knife attacks are used to slash (slice or cut) or stab (puncture) your body. While any knife attack can be dangerous, typically, only a few lay30

OFFICIALKARATEMAG.COM Summer 2013

ers of skin are cut and the visceral fat is exposed from a slice or stab. More serious injuries to the body generally are from a stab, not a slash. The exception is a slash to the throat and neck area. Common injuries are stab wounds to the upper left abdomen. This is because most people are right hand dominant, causing them to blade their bodies with their left side out. Because the hip is slightly turned and the back foot is behind the body and turned slightly outward,

the knife attack will arc towards the body, like a low roundhouse punch. Usually, the downward stabbing attacks are from attackers who are shorter in stature. Many women attack with a downward stab in the upper right chest area of a male victim for this reason. Most knife fighters are poorly skilled and tentatively flail their knives in jabs or slashes. The attacker could attack as a result of anger, to further a criminal attack, or for a tactical military response. Most attackers with a weapon concentrate on the weapon and virtually ignore other methods of fighting. All of their attention will be on the weapon and the target. If an attacker holds a weapon in both hands, the dominant hand determines how he will use the weapon. The non-dominant hand merely supports the dominant hand. If the attacker grabs you first at a close range, the attacker is usually more violent and determined. A skilled knife fighter will use his knife in conjunction with his free hand, often to grab and control the body from moving away. This is done from close range. On the street, I have been attacked with a Buck Knife, a machete, kitchen knives, broken bottles, sharp sticks, and a canopener. There are many types of instruments that may cut us, but we will focus on the general characteristics for use: 1) The most common is a kitchen knife, which is designed for slicing meat, such as a steak knife or butcher knife; 2) a knife designed primarily for stabbing, such as a dagger, dirk, or stiletto (rarely used); or 3) a combination knife, such as a tactical or hunting knife. This is the second most common. Both 2 and 3 have a hilt or handle, which are designed to keep you from slicing your fingers, while stabbing. The kitchen knife has a flexible blade and no hilt, or other means to keep you from slicing yourself, as they are not designed to stab. When the attacker strikes a rib, bone,

compressed muscle, or clothing with a kitchen knife, the hand will generally slide towards the leading end of the knife. They also tend to cut their non-dominant arm, since it gets in the way of the attacks with a resisting victim We must be in control of our thoughts and actions, as well as those of the attacker. The key word is “control.” We must control our facial expressions, breathing, heart rate, fear, mindset, as well as our physiological approach to the environment and the attacker. Only then can we effectively handle a person who is “out of control.” As Robert Koga, legendary martial artist and police trainer says, “Before we can control others, we must first control ourselves.” Effective fighting takes discipline of the mind and body. The ancient Chinese proverb says, “The mind and body must be as one.” This means that we must prepare the mind and the body, and we must act with both mind and body. We must learn and visualize the principles involved as we practice the techniques. Then we must repeat the process and continually improve our performance and understanding. In reference to visualization, I have never fought anyone for the first time. I have fought them thousands of times…on the street, or mat, or in my mind’s eye. Only the faces and their clothing change. While many martial arts teachers teach lunging knife attacks, they are actually very uncommon. I do not remember seeing any in my 35 years of police work, and I have seen and studied hundreds of stabbings. Think of hitting a baseball, swinging a golf club, or hammering a nail. These are all done from the rear, nonweight bearing side with the dominant hand, not the hand from the forward weight bearing side. People tend to do what feels natural to them, what is intuitive, unless they train and learn

While many martial artists teach lunging knife attacks they are actually very uncommon. I don’t remember seeing any in 35 years of police work.

continued Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

otherwise. Think of walking, for example. When your left foot is in front, so is your right hand and visa versa. This contralateral scissoring movement is what helps us to walk with balance. If we try to walk with our left hand forward when our left foot is forward and right hand forward when our right foot is forward, we will be very off balance. This is important for several reasons: For one, as the attacker strikes, the non-weight bearing side is usually the rear and dominant side. Because it is not bearing weight, the arm has a greater range of motion and ability to move. It is hard to control. The weight bearing side is more easily controlled. This is why the weight bearing side is the one to throw. If you try, for example, to throw the non-weight bearing side with a leg sweep, the leg will merely swing like a pendulum. Control the weight bearing side and you can control the person. Most people are right-handed. Many people reveal their dominant side by their standing posture. The dominant side is turned slightly away from you, the dominant hip and shoulder is lower, and the dominant foot is rotated outward. More weight is carried on the dominant foot. Any weapon is probably carried on the dominant side. That is the side to watch. Another training concern is that when someone tries to cut us, he will not just stand there and hold the knife in front for you to grab the arm or remove the weapon. You can expect

that he will fight and move his arm vigorously. It is not, “first my turn, then it is your turn.” This type of training is not realistic. Paramount to defending a knife attack is securely controlling the hand and arm that holds the weapon and keeping the attacker off balance. The attacker may cut you as he withdraws his hand if you have a weak or ineffective grip. Most people grip with the fingerprint area of their fingers. This is very weak, especially for those who give active resistance. It is best to grip with the tips of the fingers, much like a c-clamp. The forearm is much more involved in the grip process. The key is to grab between the radius and ulna bones, much like an eagle grabbing its prey with its talons around the bone. Note that you can also use the same grip to grab around muscle and tendons. When you are close to being within reach of the attacker, keep your palms turned toward your body to protect your wrists from cuts to the arteries, nerves and tendons that allow you to grip. If your palm side of your forearm is cut deeply, you will not be able to close your hand. Also the damage may never heal. If the back of your forearm is cut deeply, it will only make it more difficult to open your hand. The closing motion is what you need to hold your phone, open a door, grab the attacker’s arm, start your car, or hold the steering wheel. In my classes, we strive to improve our methods continually. An effective and safer way, in my opinion, to handle weapon attacks is to throw the attacker’s non-dominant (usually the left) side. This causes a primitive startle reflex, similar to the moro reflex in babies. The moro reflex is when you lay a baby backwards, he will open his hands and move them laterally. The moro reflex usually discontinues after three to five months in babies. I have discovered, however, that if you destroy the balance of an adult on his non-dominant side, he is thrust into

“First my turn, then it is your turn” type of training is NOT realistic.

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a major panic mode. This is a good example of Kuzushi (Japanese term for unbalancing or destroying balance) at work. It is critical to throw the weight-bearing side. As the attacker shifts his weight to his lead left leg, and his weapon is on the opposite side of their body, I throw him with a modified osoto gari (major outer reaping) throw. This causes a reflex more like the moro reflex than the typical bilateral startle reflex. I don’t lift my leg high, or reap, with my (closest) leg, because it is dangerous to do so, especially when wearing tight clothing, police or military gear, or if you are fighting on a slippery surface. One reason that it is safer to throw the non-dominant side is that it is closer to you. To throw the right leg of a left leg out opponent, you have to move around his body up to 270 degrees. This takes several steps and gives you his non-weight bearing side, making it difficult to throw him. Another problem is that stepping around the attacker takes you directly in front of the knife, or other weapon. Throwing the non-dominant proximal side is two steps, and it keeps your weapon away from the attacker’s dominant hand. In teaching the police and military, I focus on teaching a few universal techniques that will work effectively against several similar attacks. In a street fight, especially with those involving a knife attack, our heart rate climbs incredibly fast. It can go from 70 beats per minute to 175 beats per minute in fractions of a second. According to Lt. Col. Dave Grossman, ret., author of On Killing, On Combat, Warrior Mindset, and more, tells us that when this happens, the frontal lobes of our brain do not function. In other words, we are not in a position to reason or make decisions when we are in a crisis that causes the “fight or flight response.” The less complicated the defense, the more available and effective it will be. I call this my “tool belt analogy.” Consider that, in a fight, instead of carting around a 900-piece tool set in a large cabinet, it is better to wear a tool belt (like police or military) with a few multi purpose tools.

Lt. Col. Dave Grossman and Sgt. Morris. Bruce Lee said, “I do not fear the man who has practiced one thousand techniques one time, I fear the man who has practiced one technique one thousand times.” Sergeant Morris is currently conducting seminars for Police and Federal Law Enforcement Agencies, the US Military, Martial Arts Studios, and more. He is also collaborating with Lt. Col. Dave Grossman on a book scheduled to come out next year. He can be reached at: Richard@RichardMorrisSeminars. com His website is: www.RichardMorrisSeminars. com

Fort Worth Police Chief Jeffrey Halstead witnesses Richard Morris being promoted to 10th Dan by GM J. Pat Burleson at a special ceremony in January, 2013. Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

™

Real life 1

Combat Knife by Master Sergeant Tommy Vaughn

MSG Vaughn gets in some kicking practice while in Afghanistan. 1. MSG Vaughn squares off with Jon Binford playing the role of attacker.

2. As the attacker thrusts forward with a knife, Vaughn parries down. 3. He wraps his arm around the attacker’s arm (see right) and steps forward with an elbow strike. 4. He finishes with a knee to the body. Alternately (right) he can break the attacker’s arm with an upward knee.

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Defense

here are many different thoughts and ideas when it comes to knife defense. I have attended numerous seminars as well as taught knife defense over the years. One of the most memorable seminars I attended was taught by the great Mr. Jim Harrison. Many of his concepts and principles were very much in tune with what I have come to know due to experiences in a combat zone and on the street. I started training in martial arts in 1977. I joined the Army in 1980 and retired in 2003 as a Master Sergeant (E-8). I was in Desert Shield/ Storm in 1990-91. I’ve also been deployed to Afghanistan, this last time for 18 months as a Department of Defense civilian. Every time that I have deployed, I have had an opportunity to continue training, teach fellow soldiers and in some cases civilians. My military experiences, especially the ones down range, have greatly influenced my way of teaching knife defense and martial arts in general. A few of the basic concepts I teach are; realize that you are going to get cut. Once you realize this, give them a target that can get cut that is not life ending or inhibits your ability to fight back. The next one is; enter, enter, enter! If you step back you allow your attacker to keep attacking. The available space and difficult terrain can be a major factor. Control the weapon, control the attacker. Once this is done, strike with weapons that cause the most damage and eliminates your attacker from continuing; elbows, knees, and palm strikes. These techniques are conducive to close quarters combat (CQB). Why no punching? Punching properly takes a long time to learn, and punching the face and head can break the hand, especially if someone is wearing a Kevlar helmet. In the photos at left you can see where I am in a ready position. Now I realize that you may not always be able to get in some type of stance, but these techniques still apply. As my Uki, Jon Binford comes forward with a middle

With CW4 McGuire and Sgt. O’Rourke.

knife thrust, I move forward and clear with the top of my forearm. That way, if my arm gets cut, nothing vital is injured and I can continue to fight. Once I clear the knife, I continue moving in and trapping the arm. This can be done a number of ways. It depends on what the situation determines. While I trap the arm, I rotate my body forward and strike to the head with my elbow. I follow up with a knee strike(s) to the ribs, and then grabbing the attacking arm with both hands, pulling it down and raising my knee at the same time, breaking the arm. The blocking technique I demonstrate can be applied to slicing across the body, overhead, and lower attacks. They can also be used against attacks involving clubs or bats. The most important thing is to survive, leaving your attacker(s) unable to counter, and to live another day. I would like to thank the many men and women I was able to train with. There was never any ego involved, just fellow martial artist wanting to learn. Spec. Kelly Hancock, one of my soldiers that introduced and taught me Kenpo. Us Army CW4 James “BJ” McGuire, who taught with me at Camp Phoenix in Kabul, a very talented black belt in International Tae Kwon Do. SGT Daniel O’Rourke, who trained with BJ and me at Camp Phoenix, and was always willing to help. Navy Chief Stevens, at Kandahar Air Field (KAF), who combined his Jeet Kune Do class with my class so that we trained for four hours instead of two. I would also like to thank the numerous other stylist and teachers that expanded my martial arts world and knowledge with Krav Maga, Marine Combatives, etc. Thanks to all of you who have served, and continue to do so! —Tommy Vaughan Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

Self-Defense from a Cold War Persp by Lieutenant Colonel Kathy Rhine

DETERRENCE As Thomas Schelling, the 2005 winner of the Nobel Prize, wrote in his book, Arms and Influence, “There is a difference between taking what you want and making someone give it to you, between fending off assault and making someone afraid to assault you, between holding what people are trying to take and making them afraid to take it, between losing what someone can forcibly take and giving it up to avoid risk or damage. It is the difference between defense and deterrence.” I grew up during the Cold War, when deterrence was the lynchpin of the U.S. military’s plan for self-defense of our nation and our allies. Deterrence also works in a personal self-defense plan. Here’s how I view it: 1. Have a plan (starts with good intel.) Be prepared to modify the plan. What do you do if your clothes catch on fire? Stop, drop, and roll. Everyone knows that — but what are the odds of your clothes catching on fire? You have a much greater chance of getting attacked — but do you have an automatic response to that? You should. Think about it. What are you willing to do to protect yourself and others? 2. Set up your defensive perimeter. This includes locking your doors and windows, locking your fence, and knowing your neighbors. It also includes awareness and intuition. If something “feels” wrong, or someone creeps you out, remove yourself from the situation.

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3. Make yourself a hard target —something he doesn’t want to attack. One of my First Sergeants used to admonish the troops: “Move with a purpose!” It’s good advice. Someone who looks lost or distracted, or shows no self-confidence, is a soft target. Don’t be that person. Keep control of your belongings, stay aware of your surroundings, and remember your plan. Also remember: no one has the right to hurt you. RESIST. RUN. If necessary, FIGHT. Other people depend on you, love you, and need you to be there for them. Don’t for a moment think that you aren’t worth defending. 4. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse — practice! Here are a couple of simple techniques that I teach in my women’s self-defense classes. They’re part of my plan if attacked: Go for the eyes, with secondary targets of throat and knees. Then RUN. If he can’t see me, can’t breathe, and can’t stand up, he can’t catch me. Part of the planning process: be prepared to be disgusted by body fluids. The attacker’s face might be oily, sweaty, and bloody, with plenty of spit and snot. It’s not pleasant, even in practice. But confronting it in a practice situation helps prepare you for the real thing, should you ever have to use it.

LTC (Ret.) Katherine P. Rhine is a former U.S. Army paratrooper and jumpmaster who served tours in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Cuba, and Germany. She holds a third dan black belt in Nam Seo Kwan TaeKwonDo and a first dan in Kobudo. attacker: Casper Winge photographer: Heidi Regier

pective • Go for the eyes— grab the back of his head with your fingers and shove your thumbs into his eyeballs. • What if you can’t reach the eyes? Shove your thumb up his nose. His eyes will water, and he’ll probably look away. • At the same time you hold onto his head to attack his eyes or nose, bring your knee up hard into his groin, repeatedly. • You can also grind your palm into his face, ripping with your fingernails and pushing his face away from you.

Try to make it too difficult or dangerous for the assailant to carry out his attack. If you can deter him by having good security: a good defensive perimeter and by being a hard target, then you might not need to fight. If you do have to fight back, then have a plan and carry it out to the best of your ability.

Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

Favorite fighting techniques from the

Masters

by Danny Lane

DEFENSE AGAINST A GUN

Danny Lane has 45 years experience in military/police/martial arts/body guarding and corporate and personal security. He is a highly decorated US Marine Vietnam veteran with two Purple Hearts and numerous other commendations, a retired decorated police officer, detective and police defensive tactics instructor, 10-time hall of fame inductee, world and national martial arts champion and a 9th degree grandmaster and bodyguard to movie stars and VIPS. Visit his website at DannyLane.com or MartialArtsActionTheater.com.

Gun is pointed towards my body or head area. As I twist my body to clear the path of fire, I grab the weapon with my right at the same time. You can reinforce the grab with your other hand and reverse the weapon horizontally back towards him TRAPPING his trigger finger into the trigger guard. The smaller the circle the faster and more force the weapon puts on the trigger finger. I twist it clockwise and bring the gun under his hand and putting him into a joint lock. The weapon is pointed at him and in control with my left hand. His trigger finger is still in the trigger guard if it goes off. NOTE! Action is FASTER than REACTION and based on my electronic testing and practice you can have the weapon away from you and in your control in .3 tenths of a second. If it goes off it shots HIM and not YOU! 38

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/okm Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

GM Joe Corley

One More Round

The Joe Lewis Eternal Warrior Awards

S “The most memorable moments for me in a long-long time” Joe Corley says of the presentations of the Joe Lewis Eternal Warrior Awards to and by Jeff Smith and Bill Wallace, Kristina Lewis and Mike Allen

At a special seminar, former Zig Ziglar lead Speaker Bob Alexander passionately describes how and why Joe Lewis made such an impression on all of us 40

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ome recipients were moved to tears as they received welldeserved Joe Lewis Eternal Warrior Awards at the Battle of Atlanta June 15, saying “This is the most meaningful presentation I’ve ever received.” And these are champions who have accolades going back three decades. Such is the import of the contribution of Joe Lewis. The path to the award was indeed very special. In an inspired moment on Joe Lewis’ birthday in the spring, we envisioned a Joe Lewis Eternal Warrior Award to perpetuate the legacy that was Joe Lewis. The awards would be presented by his daughter Kristina, his original World Champion Partners Jeff Smith and Bill Wallace and by Mike Allen, president of Joe Lewis Fighting Systems. Empowered with a personal energy for the cause and the generous permission of artist Bob Mueller to incorporate his magnificent work, we set about to bring to life an award befitting this legacy.

In the Group Photo in the Foyer, this year’s recipients and presenters: from left, Terry Creamer, Art Heller, Jerry Piddington, Bill Clark, Jim Graden, Mike Allen, Kristina Lewis, Lynn Gregory, Pat Worley, Mark Graden, Keith Vitali, Jerome “Magic” Johnson, Tony Young, Jeff Smith, Sam Chapman, Bill Wallace, Mitchell Bobrow Unsure of our own abilities to choose the right words, we sought guidance from the ages. Lo and behold, it was Gentleman Jim Corbett himself who provided the clue to the emotion. Wikipedia revealed that Gentleman Jim Corbitt, author of the historic poem One More Round, was known as the father of American Boxing, bringing to boxing the nuances that made it American. Joe Lewis, born 11 years after Gentleman Jim’s passing, did the same for American Kickboxing. The more we read, the more we saw that Joe Lewis had in fact channeled the energies and career of Gentleman Jim. Jim Corbett starred in films. So did Joe Lewis. No shrinking violet, Jim Corbett was outspoken. Sound like Joe Lewis? And so it was that this Award was born, inspired by 5 decades of American Excellence, and will remain a beacon for American Karate athletes for years to come. Just before press time, for example, we were able to deliver his award to Kevin Thompson, recently stricken with ALS, bringing tears to his eyes and to his hundreds of supporters in the special gathering in New York. Thank you Joe Lewis. Rest in Peace, Eternal Warrior.

See next page

Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

Kristina Lewis, right, joins Joe Corley in a presentation to champion Larry Carnahan.

Joe Lewis Fighting System President Mike Allen joins Bill Wallace and Jeff Smith making the presentation to Master Bill Clark

9th dan black belt Joe Corley is founder of the Battle of Atlanta and an inductee into the Karate Masters Hall of Fame速. You can reach him at wwwAtlExtremeWarrior.com.

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, Official Karate f o s e g a p e in th have you advertise K website. We Not only can O e th n o d a a banner binations ges with com you can have a k c a p g in is ntact us on advert emselves. Co special rates th y b rs e n n a ebsite b or even just w om. ds@gmail.c a g a m k o t a today

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jim mather’s Karate life ™

Jim Mather

What do you do when you don’t know what to do?

everal years ago, Hanshi George Anderson, head of the national governing body for karate under the U.S. Olympic Committee, visited my dojo to teach a weekend workshop. He opened it with a question. “What do you do when you don’t know what to do?” Students started throwing out suggestions. He rejected them one after the other. “No. No,” he said after a while. “Come on, every real martial artist knows this!” A few more thoughtful answers were suggested by students, and all rejected. “If the Queen of England were to walk in here right now, what would you do?” Some suggested polite greetings. “How are you, Queen?” a young student offered. “Welcome, your majesty,” offered another. “No,” said Hanshi Anderson. “You don’t talk to the queen unless she speaks to you first. Come on, what would you do?” Everyone was afraid to venture another guess. “You do what every good martial artist knows to do,” scolded Hanshi. “You stand at attention and keep your mouth shut!” Why, one asked? Well, what can you do when you’re standing still and not talking? You can better focus on what’s happening around you. If the queen had walked in, standing at attention and not talking would allow you to better monitor how she and her party reacted to various comments or actions. And you would likely figure out the right course of action.

In his book The Art of War, Sun Tzu listed several things that would increase a martial artist’s chances for success. One of these was dictating the time and place for the battle to occur. To achieve this, it is often best if your target isn’t aware of your intentions. Use anger to throw them into disarray, use humility to make them haughty. Tire them by flight, cause division among them. Attack when they are unprepared, make your move when they do not

expect it. Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness; Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness; Thereby you can be the director of the opponent’s fate. —Sun Tzu, The Art of War, Thomas Cleary Translation Although Hanshi Anderson felt the ability to remain still, quiet, and observant were qualities all good martial artists possess, we see far too many today who have no control whatsoever over their emotions or actions. I think the problem is tied to the difference between a fighter and a martial artist.

This column is taken from Jim Mather’s Karate Life Blog. Mr. Mather is a well known traditional karate master and historian. His blog traces his over 55 years in the arts including friendships with many icons and celebrities. His new novel is called Arrow Catcher. He is also on the Board of the Karate Masters Hall of Fame® Contact him at mather@ckakarate.com Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

Hanshi Dan Tosh

the

voice of tradition

Martial Arts in the Marine Corps

his issue I want to focus on my military training experiences for combat readiness. I was a combat instructor in the Marine Corps and Captain of the Marine Corps Karate Club. In 1970 I went TAD to Kin Air Force Base in Okinawa to compete in a tournament where I took first place in kumite and kata. It was a great experience and just made me even more in love with the art and science of karate! I started a karate training program in the Marine Corps in 1970. That’s not to say they weren’t already teaching combat training. I simply introduced a more specific “karate” focused approach. It was a lot of fun and it got me out of other duties like “fire watch” and “field day.” The program consisted of front and back attacks, upper middle and lower directional approaches. There were also defense against grabbing and redirectional maneuvers against multiple attackers. This program was developed and tweaked over the years into what it is today. Until a few years ago, I thought my contribution was just a marine giving back to the country and corps. I was told that my name was in an old manual that was still floating around somewhere in the combat training unit of the Marine Corps. I believe they had my first name as “Don” instead of Dan but it’s still flattering. One of my black belts, Captain Jorge Martinez, who at the time was in boot camp and in an army combat class. There were several drill instructors in the class and one of the drill instructor used to be in the Marine Corps. Anyway, Jorge was watching one 44

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of the other drill instructors do some sort of technique and he was shaking his head without realizing it. Another drill instructor asked him why he was shaking his head. He replied of course that he was not. The drill instructor insisted that he was and said “What Martinez, you don’t think the technique will work?” He replied “no sir!” The drill instructor said “we have a volunteer; Martinez is going to show us how it’s done!” So as the drill instructor charged Jorge, he stepped back into a “jig stance aka zenkutsu-dachi,” used a forearm strike to the back of the instructor’s head as he dove in and Jorge continued to step on his head holding him there until he was rather loudly told to step away. He was in deep “dodo” as they say, until the former marine drill instructor asked if he was a black belt, he replied “yes sir, I am a 5th degree black belt”. He said “who is your instructor?” Jorge said, “Hanshi Dan Tosh”. The drill instructor said, “Dan Tosh from California?” Jorge replied “Yes sir!” The marine drill instructor said to the others, he knows what he’s talking about Dan Tosh, started the Marine Corps program for karate combat training. Of course when I heard this, I was shocked that anyone would even remember my little contribution especially since I left the Marine Corps in March of 1971 with an honorable medical discharge after an LP mission in Cambodia and hurting both knees. Anyway, going way back to my boot camp; I was always getting myself into some sort of trouble. It didn’t feel like it was my fault at the time but as I grow older, I realize I was a bit hard headed about some things

and should have guide” to toss me gone with the flow like a cat in the air. more. The very I remember thinkfirst day, I got into ing I was flying and trouble for knockI landed behind ing the platoon him on my feet, as commander into he turned, I jumped the oil gun burner up and hit him in in the middle of his big raggedy Quonset hut. I was face with my hands asleep and at 4 am, and feet. He fell after getting to bed and bounced like Jorge Martinez training with students. after 1 am, the plaa big oak tree and toon commander threw a trash can down the I just kept hitting him. All of a sudden I was middle of the Quonset hut for us to get up. I pulled off and it was not just a drill instructor, rolled over and went back to sleep. Next thing it was the platoon commander again. Back to I knew, I was slapped and I turned while still the duty hut with the gloves on and the hitasleep and pushed him into the stove in the ting began again. middle of the floor. Now I was awake and the As time went on I gained some favor platoon commander said “You have 5 minutes by being the fastest rope climber and then to get dressed and get into the duty hut and 3 by being an expert on the rifle range. Then minutes are already gone!” I replied “Yes sir.” during the pugil stick fighting, the platoon I went to the duty hut, read the words on the commander put 3 guys against me and told door knocked 3 times and said” Sir, Private them to kill me. I took that as a challenge and Tosh, Platoon 3017 requests permission to started fighting like a karateka instead of folenter the duty hut sir!” he replied “enter slime lowing the rules of not removing your hands ball.” from the padded areas. Evidently, I broke one He put on his leather gloves and startguy’s leg and another’s arm; they were rushed ed hitting me and telling me that he was in off the sick bay and didn’t graduate with us. complete charge of my life in boot camp; he After that, the platoon commander appeared was my mother, father, teacher, preacher and to like me. Go figure. judge. After being hit several times, he said to I went on to ITR and BITS and after my get out and that I was going to be on the “S” first leave was off to Hawaii and beyond. The list from now on. Of course I was! I got lots Marine Corps was a great place for a guy like and lots of extra cleaning duty, missed out on me to finish growing up and to hone my kachow and the “guide” picked on me as much rate skills taught to me by my teachers, Sensei as possible. One day, I was sick from the pow- Joe Spriggs and O’Sensei Miyagi. As far as I ered eggs and nasty breakfast we were forced know some of the karate technique that comes to eat. I went to the head and was told they from kata that I introduced is still being used were having a field day and that the head was today in the Marine Corps. secure. I said that at least one is supposed to —Domo Arigato be open at all times and I went anyway. Dan Tosh is on the Board of Advisors of Martial Arts Grandmasters As I was leaving the head, only wearInternational® as well as the Karate Masters Hall of Fame®. He has been ing my skivvies and a t-shirt, someone training in Shorin-ryu karate-do since 1958. You can contact him at grabbed me from the back of my shirt and www.shorin-ryu.biz. threw me in the air. Since I only weighed 125 pounds at the time, it was easy for “the Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

KUNG FU KORNER TM

Sifu Karen Schlachter

No Matter What…They Kept Training

A facinating look back at the influences of military men in Sifu Karen’s life and training.

few days ago I received a phone call from my brother Bryant Harrell in Florida. He said someone was there and wanted to say hi to me. I couldn’t imagine who would be there that we both knew, except, oh please let it be...Yes! I heard the familiar voice of a dear dear friend, martial artist training buddy, and soldier. I pulled the car over into a parking lot and breathed a sigh of relief. “where you been Troy, are you ok?’’ He laughed and said “I am now. Lets talk” So I sat and talked to him for an hour about old times, old training, the “Supreme Ultimate Stone Enhancement (yin yang) he constructed in my moon garden 20 years ago, and his deployments to the Middle East. He said the deployment to Afghanistan was harder than anything he had ever done and its been 5 years since he returned to his base in the states. He couldn’t call us or write us because he wasn’t sure who he was anymore. He didn’t want us to see him in that state. I didn’t need to know the details. I couldn’t see his face but I knew the look he had on his face. Unfortunately it was a look that spoke volumes but never said a word. Far away gazes, tears, and a set jaw. My heart broke for him but I knew what to say. “Troy, are you training?” Then I heard the chi come back into his voice and he said the familiar phrase “My Kung Fu saved my sanity and my life. It brought me back to my friends, Sifu Karen, it brought me home.” It always does and always will. This fact has been proven to me over the years and will continue to be the answer for all of us.

My training started in 1959 in judo. My first sensei was Richard Cavalucci. He had studied judo while in the service and stationed in Cuba. He often spoke of his sensei simply referring to him as Bolette, Oh! How I wish I could have met him and heard his story. Sensei Cavalucci opened a dojo in Berlin, New Jersey and introduced the art of Judo to the people in the area. His wife sewed our gis and we dyed our belts in the washer at home. The air conditioning was the front door propped open with a chrome kitchen chair and the bathroom floor was cement. He was a military man, Navy I think. He was strong on discipline and manners. It was home for me and I still see us there when I drive past the building. When it was time to go home we would sit and listen to him talk about Cuba and Bolette and the tour of duty and judo as he called it. My Dad was an Army Demolitions Expert and spent his tour during WWII in Okinawa. He had seen some martial arts there and was one of the first men to sign up their sons in Sensei Cavalucci’s class. I was the only daughter in the class and it was a tough sell to get my parents to agree to train in that dojo. My brother was there so they thought I’d get tired of it soon enough and quit. I’m still training and my brother quit training before he finished high school. He chose to follow in my older brother’s footsteps instead. They both went to military school and right into the Army. The two most important teachers in my teens were my Judo instructor and my Karate instructor. They were Air Force recruiters who had

He said the deployment to Afganistan was harder than anything he had ever done.

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recently returned from tours in Japan and Okinawa. Sensei Darrell Meeks was a Shodan in judo. He had trained in the Kodokan and earned his black belt there. He never intended to seek higher rank. Why? He had worked hard for the black belt and he earned it. No need to waste time testing for rank. He taught Judo the old way. I loved his classes. He taught Monday and Wednesdays at the Magnolia Academy of Judo and Karate in Magnolia NJ. I never missed a class. Tuesdays and Thursdays were Okinawan Shorin Ryu class with Sensei Steve Martin. He taught me to love the history, the spirit and the obligation of the martial arts. During the school years Sensei Martin and Sensei Meeks would pick me up at school and we would travel to different high schools doing Judo and Karate demonstrations as part of the Air Force Recruiter program. It was a different life than other young ladies and I thrived on it. I never lost sight of the fact that these great teachers were all Military men who sacrificed so much to train and earn the title of Sensei while they had the chance to train in Japan. Looking back I realize that my training was molded by the teachers who were stationed here and who was being relocated to a new post. They all brought a sense of discipline and personal dedication and love of the martial arts. Then they were gone. Then a new Sensei would arrive and we would keep going. I shed so many tears and wrote so many letters to my beloved teachers and tried to stay close to them and their families. Later on I had moved back to New Jersey, married and mom to two young daughters. I started looking for a new home dojo and discovered Judo was nearly extinct and the Ninja was the new fad. Tae Kwon Do and Tang Soo were the new kids in town and I was lost. But I finally found a Shorin Ryu listing in the phone book. At first there was some hesitation on my part because I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sure I could fit into this new world. When I walked in the building the door was propped open with a kitchen chair and the dojo smelled

of sweaty gis. The senseiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s haircut was high and tight, the dojo was orderly and the bathroom floor was damp cement. I was home again. Where do I sign? Sensei Jim Flaherty was United States Marine Corps and still serving in the Reserves. He received his rank in Okinawa and was a professional kickboxer. It was a great eight years. I earned my Sandan with him and still remember the stories and the mindset of a great teacher who had done the work while serving his country. Sensei Flaherty left when the Gulf War broke out in 1990 and soon our dojo became a Kung Fu School with Sifu Peter Pernigotti. Sifu was an Army Ranger in the Korean war. He also was one of the artists who painted the faces on the planes like the tigers and eagles we see in the movies. He carried with him the scars of war. He started his training in Shotokan and earned his rank in Japan. Many times he would get that look on his face as the memories of the war would cloud his eyes and he would repeat what I had heard so many times before. The training in the martial arts kept them sane and brought them back to the person they could remember from their past. Kata was the great Universal Healer and sparring cleared the heart and mind of the pain. My dear friend Master Peter Urban was a Navy man. He was a brilliant decoder. He spoke eight languages and that earned him a seat in the very end of a submarine with another decoder and a guard whose orders were to shoot them if the submarine was captured. He spent his time off the coast of Japan sitting with earphones clamped on his head listening to the radio waves and writing down messages. When his day was over he headed to the dojo of Mas Oyama and later on Master Gogen Yamaguchi. He trained even though they highly resented him and used him as their uke mercilessly. He trained like a dragon he would say and earned a 7th Degree Black Belt in Goju Ryu. He said that even tho he earned the highest rank ever given at that time by Master Yamaguchi continued on next page

Many times he would get that look as the memories of the war would cloud his eyes.

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and even married his niece he was still known as “The Foreigner” He would laugh when he talked about that. When the Gulf War started and Sensei Flaherty was activated GM Urban called me and said that he was willing to do his part and help a fellow Military man. He taught for 4 months at our dojo until his health no longer permitted it. I would pick him up and drive him home 2 nights a week. We had a wonderful time and I will always honor his effort to help out Sensei Flaherty during a time of war. They had never met but it didn’t matter. Its all part of the code. The fraternity of the military in the martial arts is something that can’t be described with simple words. I was a young 8 year old kid who knew the language of the military from my family. By the time I was 16 I knew how to cope on and off the mat because of the example of my senseis. I understood honor and duty from the greats of our time. I had the priviledge of training with Ishikawa Sensei every Saturday for 5 years. He was a military man and a tremendous teacher. He believed in the give and take of randori and the need to train hard on and off the mat. He honored hard work and dedication but he also expected kindness and compassion. He was the essence of Judo and stood tall in the face of great sadness and adversity. Over the years the Military brought me great teachers and then took them away. Sometimes they came back. The Viet Nam War took Sensei Steve Martin and I lost contact with him for several years. Then one day the phone rang. I was in Florida and my dad was calling from New Jersey. He said “I have someone here who wants to speak to you” I heard the rustle of the phone being handed over to someone else. I couldn’t imagine who it was. Then I heard my old dojo nickname “Poo Poo? Is that you? Its me Sensei Steve... Time froze and the tears burned but our smiles were luminous. I heard the look and I said “What happened dear friend? Are you ok?” All he said was there was a plane crash and he had neen badly injured. He had just arrived back in the area and he was going to be ok soon. I remember choking up and staring into the kitchen closet and finally I asked him “Can you train yet?” He said he was getting his health back 48

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through kata and training. Its what kept him going. He was going to open a school soon and then he would be fine. I was so sorry I could not be there to help him. It was enough to know that he was ok and working his way back. He had driven to my old house and spent the day with my dad. They talked the language that only military people speak. At the end of the day he was better and went home. Later that year he opened the now famous Green Dragon Kwan in Fort McGuire AFB, Wrightstown NJ. He still has his school in Wrightstown NJ and he and his wife, Judy, are still keeping the traditional training alive. He’s known as Grand Master S. L. Martin now but I still see Sensei Steve the intense Nidan who taught me how to walk this path. If it wasn’t for the military in presence in my life I would never have spent 54 years in the Martial Arts. We owe our martial arts history here to the men and women who endured the hardships of the foreign dojos and only had 1 year or 18 months in their tour to learn as much as they could before being shipped out to a new location. So many of the men and ladies that have taught me, like Joe Lewis who told me he ripped his shoulder out practicing punches in the dojo in Okinawa because he only had 9 months left before he had to leave, and Sunyata Saraswati Army Ranger,who also painted Betty Boops on the planes in Korea, Bryant Harrell USN who trained all night in Cuba the night he learned of his 2 yr old son’s passing, gave their time to serve the United States citizens and then brought home the gift of the martial arts. These teachers laid the foundation for hard training, discipline and kata. GM S. L. Martin said Kata is the soul of karate, Sunyata said it was the great healer, and they all say the fighting was the sculptor of our character. No matter what they endured in their time of Service they all said that it was the martial arts that kept them going and brought them home. So to you, all of my dear teachers, I say thank you and bow deeply. To Troy I say welcome home and keep training. I owe all of you my heart and my promise to keep teaching and to keep their words alive. Sifu Karen Schlachter teaches Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong for Tranquil Seas Retreats, and is the Master Instructor at The Sun Moon Tao Institute. You can contact her at Sunmoontao11@gmail.com

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Kyoshi Emil Farkas

The Element of Surprise: Israeli Commando Style

am always surprised at the responses that I get when I ask most martial artists why they feel what they teach will work on the street. Many think it’s being able to respond to an attack quickly; some claim it’s the power of the technique that will win the fight; others believe simplicity is the answer to winning a fight. All of these things are true; however, the reality is that a person trained in martial arts should win a fight because he or she has the element of surprise on their side. I always tell students that street fighting is different than sparring in a dojo, because in the street your attacker has no knowledge that you are skillful at combat. Therefore, when you go into action, it will take them by surprise and you should be able to win the fight if you use what you have learned effectively. Over the years, I always tell my students the story of how I learned about the element of surprise the hard way. It happened when I was still a novice black belt. One of my Ju-jitsu instructors was a hand to hand combat instructor in the Canadian Army and he would take some of his black belts with him to help train new recruits at Camp Borden. This particular week he was training a group of military police personnel with the emphasis on knife fighting. That same week a group of Israeli commandoes were also at the base having come to Canada for some specialized training. The dozen or so commandos were also allowed to participate in the hand to hand classes that we were teaching that week. The training, which was held outside, began as usual with warm ups and then a discussion of various ways an attacker would hold a knife and then different defensive moves to stop the attack. The students then paired up

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and began to practice the various moves. The other black belts and I would walk around making sure that the techniques taught were performed correctly. At one point, I observed an Israeli soldier who didn’t have a partner, so I approached him and offered to work with him. I grabbed a training knife. I wanted to see how much he knew, so I crouched and holding the knife, began to move in waiting for an opportunity to attack. He began slowly moving backward staying out of range. Then, suddenly, he seemed to trip and fall backwards. But he jumped up quickly and I resumed my attempt to stab him. Suddenly, his hand flew forward and before I could react my eyes were full of dirt and I was virtually blinded. Instantly, I felt him grab for the knife and within seconds I was on my back my eyes full of dirt. If this had been for real, my opponent could have easily stabbed me. He then gently began clearing the dirt from my eyes and smiled at me and apologized. I felt like a total fool at being tricked like that. I never saw him pick up some dirt as he fell and he totally surprised me. I learned a valuable lesson that day. I realized how the element of surprise is the most valuable tool in combat. Years later when I began working as a bodyguard in Hollywood, I would always fill one of my pockets with salt. A number of times, I saved myself from having to fight by simply surprising my opponent with an eyeful of salt. A lesson well learned thanks to a sneaky Israeli commando. Master Emil Farkas is a prolific author and a top historian on the martial arts. He founded the Beverly Hills Karate Academy where he teaches many celebrities as well as training and coaching several champions. He was one of the original columnists for Official Karate magazine.

The Fall OK Mag Chuck Merriman and other traditional Asian stylists.

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by Andrew S. Linick, Ph.D.—The Marketingologist™, Social Media Marketing Expert

11 Reasons Why Your Martial Arts Business Needs an Engaging Facebook Fan Page

As of today, there are over a BILLION Facebook users. • 48% of 18-34 year olds check Facebook when they wake up. • 35+ year olds represent over 30% of the Facebook userbase. • 71.2% of the US web audience is on Facebook. • 57% of people talk more online than they do in real life. • 48% of young Americans find out about news through Facebook. • 750 million photos were uploaded over New Year’s weekend. In 20 minutes on Facebook there are: • 1 million links shared  • 1.32 million photos tagged  • 1.48 million event invites  • 1.85 million status updates  • 1.97 million friend requests accepted • 1.58 million wall posts; and   • 2.71 million photos uploaded  •10.2 million comments made. • 2.71 messages sent

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Is your martial arts school, event, products/ services or business on Facebook? If not, WHY NOT? Consider setting up a Facebook fan page. What is a fan page? Some refer to fan pages as “like” pages or “business” pages. Originally, the intent behind Facebook fan pages was to allow “famous” people or large companies to connect with the masses. Your personal profile page within Facebook limits you to 5,000 friends and many users requested a larger “fan” option, so the “Fan Page” was born. You may be thinking, “I am not a celebrity OR a large school/company, so why do I need a Fan Page?” Regardless of what type of school, association, or business, you have, you can benefit from having a fan page presence on Facebook. Here’s why:

because they are different, they add value that your personal profile does not. Fan pages allow you to brand your business, use your logo and customize your “look” just as you would a website. With this extremely valuable tool you can keep your “brand” consistent across the board as it relates to all aspects of your online presence. The other value to fan pages is that you can keep the personal “you” separate from the business “you.” It’s a great way to maintain relationships with family and friends through your personal profile while maintaining a separate business presence.

Sending too many promos will simply annoy your fans.

1. Universal Marketplace with Geo-Targeting There are over 600 million users on Facebook (nearly twice the population of the US); 50% login every day; The average user spends 55 minutes on Facebook every day; 70% of Facebook users are outside the US; and Facebook is in 70 different languages.

2. Measure & Track Response via Analytics Facebook has a feature called Insights that allows you to track your fan base demographics by gender, age, location and even language. You can also track comments that receive the most interaction, which will allow you to continue providing content that will engage your target audience. 3. Global Branding for School/Org./Business Fan pages are a bit of a different animal and

4. Your Personalized Fan Page=Unlimited Fans Your personal profile page has a limit of 5,000 friends that is imposed by Facebook. While most of us do not have 5000 personal friends, if you are combining your personal friends with your business contacts or prospects, this number can be turn out to be very limiting. A fan page, on the other hand, will allow you to have an unlimited number of “fans.” Some celebrity fan pages number into the millions of fans. The other advantage of a fan page versus your personal profile, it that your fan page will allow you to send updates to all your fans at one time. Your personal profile page only allows you to send out to 20 people at a time. However, I would caution against contacting your fan base more than a few times a week. You should be careful to consider their time and you certainly don’t want to overrun their inbox with miscellaneous stuff that could just as easily be posted to the fan page wall. Sending too many promos will simply annoy your fans and cause them to leave your fan page. continued Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

5. Get Indexed by Google & SEO This is a MAJOR FREEBIE! Your Fan pages are fully indexed by Google, meaning anything you post on your fan page can be found by a Google search. Content from your personal profile page or a group does not have this same benefit. Exposure to your school, association, or business will be expanded because your social media content will now be found by anyone (not just a Facebook user) who searches via Google. All links from your fan page to your website will increase your chances of achieving higher rankings within Google.

fan page is so valuable. You can have all the collaboration tools available within Facebook for FREE! You can share content, videos, photos, run contests, ask questions, etc. This interaction will build relationships with your target market (fans). Encouraging interaction, providing fresh content and building a sense of unity in your community will ensure that they keep coming back.

It is a known fact that people response rates to videos are much higher than with text.

6. Instant Admission Your personal profiles as well as groups are semi-closed environments, depending on privacy settings or the option of joining a specific group. Your fan page, on the other hand, is totally open to anyone who stumbles across it. If someone is searching for something through Google and your fan page pops up, that person can view your entire fan page without “liking” or “joining.” Obviously, it is your hope that they will “like” your page. You can add incentives to build the desire to join your fan page but joining is not necessary for them to view the content of your page. 7. Interact with Your Target Market Audience (Fans) Your Facebook fan page permits you to have a more personal communication with your fans than you can have through your website. Obviously, you could set up forums or other communication methods but most small business school owners do not travel this road. Adding features such as this can be costly and many small businesses simply do not set aside funds for this type of student/ customer interaction. This is why a Facebook 54

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8. Pre-sell While Driving Traffic to Your Site Another huge benefit to Facebook fan pages is that you can customize them and make them appear as a mini version of your website. You can have an opt-in option, display videos, and even have students/customers order directly from your fan page. Remember Facebook has over 350 million ACTIVE users and if you tap into even a fraction of this market, WOW! By connecting and building relationships you dramatically increase your ability to market your products and services to your fan base! 9. Advantages in Having Multimedia Exposure Facebook allows the end user to upload videos, photos and audio files for FREE. Essentially this means that you do not have to worry about your web host dinging you for more bandwidth if your video goes viral and gets 500,000 views in a month. Plus, it is a known

fact that people response rates to videos are much higher than text. The use of videos on your fan page will increase the quality their experience on your fan page which will keep them coming back. You might feel that your martial arts school/business would not generate a lot of interest but fan pages are a MUST if you own a school or business. They provide one more way for your school/ business to be “seen” and that is a crucial piece of marketing online… visibility. 10. Events You can use Facebook Events to advertise happenings within your school, association or business to your fan base to gain more exposure.

book wall because of this. This tip is a great way to utilize your personal profile page to gain added visibility for your school/business in a very subtle but effective way. It’s that easy and now your fan page is displayed as a clickable link at the top of your personal profile page!

You might think that your martial arts school would not generate a lot of interest but fan pages are a MUST.

11. ADD Your Personal Profile Employer Link This is one of the most common mistakes that I see all kinds of businesses making. 95% of schools/businesses are making this mistake! I have seen hundreds of personal Facebook profiles where the owner is definitely not aware of this mistake and they are missing a golden opportunity to promote their school/business/event AND their fan page at the very top of their personal profiles. The top of your personal Facebook profile is premium real estate because that is where your prospects eyes are drawn when they visit your personal profile. The mistake you want to avoid is not linking your personal Facebook profile to your fan page in the “work and education” section at the top of your personal profile. If you have mingled your personal family and friend relationships with your business associations on your personal Facebook profile page it can be very difficult to expose your school/business on your personal Face-

—National and International brands of all sizes, Entrepreneurs, Website/Dojo Owners, Tournament/ Event Planners and Authors/Publishers hire Andrew’s expertise with one goal in mind: to accelerate profits by integrating proven online marketing and social media strategies, as well as keeping them in step with trends and constant changes of the social media world. To learn more about how to use Social Media Marketing to increase your leads, drive more traffic and convert leads to repeat sales, sign up for our exclusive social media and online marketing updates at www.officialkaratemag.com/ updates. Contact: HanshiLinick@gmail.com • Call to schedule a FREE 15 minute phone consult at 631.924.3888.

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Law Enforcement and Military Signals

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Nutritional self defense

™ Dr. Craig Rubenstein

Pre and Post Concussion Six Nutritional Heavy Hitters Part 2

his is a continuation of last issue’s discussion about nutritional treatments for concussions. I am going to break down all of these nutrients for you and we’ll discuss how they can be of value in treating concussions.

You can do a lot for concussions nutritionally.

Omega 3’s: First, let’s look at the mighty Omega 3’s. To impress upon you the potential role that omega 3’s could play in human concussions, we will look at a recent study found in the Journal of Neurosurgery. In this study run by Dr. Barry Sears (famous for creating the Zone Diet), it was reported that “Animals receiving the daily fish oil supplement for 30 days post concussion had a greater than 98 percent reduction in brain damage compared with the animals that did not receive the supplement”. Also, according to Nutrition and Traumatic Brain Injury: Improving Acute and Subacute Health Outcomes in Military Personnel, p. 188-204) omega-3 fatty acids have been proven to reduce inflammation within hours of continuous administration. One way in which Omega 3’s help protect the brain before a concussion takes place is that the EPA portion of the fish oil which is anti-inflammatory replaces the inflammatory Omega 6’s in the nerve membrane. When the cell is damaged from a concussion the 58 36

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anti-inflammatory Omega 3’s are now released into the brain thereby limiting the inflammation that occurs. The DHA portion of fish oil makes up an even larger amount of the fatty acids found in the brain than EPA. Numerous studies have found that both administering DHA before a concussion or after a concussion leads to decreased injury to the part of the nerve cell that transmits impulses called the axon. EPA and DHA acts as an anti-oxidant in the brain and also as an antiinflammatory, it reduces toxicity in the brain, stops cell death, decreases swelling in the brain, protects the energy producing part of the cells called mitochondria, protects the connections between the nerve cells called synapses and promotes nerve growth. These and other mechanisms are listed on the site of the United States National Institutes of Health at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC3205506/table/T1/. The Pittsburg Steelers disclosed after winning Super Bowl XLIII that their players have used DHA. Since then other professional and college teams have gotten on board. It has been suggested, depending on the source that up to 5 or 6 grams of an EPADHA mixture should be taken per day after a concussion occurs. It is of utmost

importance that any bleeding has been ruled out before implementing high levels of Omega 3’s as they are “blood thinning” It is further suggested that anyone on a regimen of anticoagulant/blood thinning medications should not take omega-3’s without their doctors approval. Please see my previous article The SAD Omega 3 Story-please link this to the article to see how your diet may be setting you up for a worse outcome if you were to get a concussion. Vitamin D: Next is Vitamin D. Most of our Vitamin D comes from sun exposure as few foods have high levels of D in them. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency (low normal levels that are far from optimal) is rampant in most industrialized countries. This is due to the reduced sunshine in the winter months, the use and possible overuse of sunblock, the growing sun phobia leading to terribly reduced sun exposure that is critical for our health, dark-colored skin and obesity. To add to this, many people are unable to synthesize adequate amounts of vitamin D from sun exposure alone. According to recent research as many as two thirds of apparently healthy young people are vitamin D insufficient at the end of winter. Research with athletes that get daily sun exposure has also found significant vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency. As much as 30% were Vitamin D deficient and over 50% had insufficient levels. It is very rare that when I run Vitamin D levels in a patient’s blood that anyone is in the optimal range (6080ng/ml). How does Vitamin D help in concussions? Vitamin D acts as an anti-inflammatory steroid in the brain and can also affect more than 1,000 genes. Recent studies suggest that Vitamin D can limit the extent of injury following concussion by reducing swelling in the brain (cerebral edema), decreasing the inflammatory response and preventing cell death (apoptosis). Since vitamin-D levels

can be accurately measured in the blood as 25-hydroxy vitamin-D (that is the name of the test if you want to know your current levels, which is a very good idea) determining your dosage is much easier. Generally, I have seen very few people that did not need a minimum of 2,000IU’s per day and most need about 5,000IU’s per day to be in the optimal range. Research suggests that maintaining proper Vitamin D levels prior to injury may be more important than treating a Vitamin D deficiency after a concussion. Curcumin: Curcumin is found in the Indian spice turmeric used in curry and has been shown to have numerous mechanisms that protect and help the brain heal from injury. Curcumin acts not only as an anti-oxidant in the brain but also as an anti-inflammatory, it protects the blood brain barrier, stops cell death, decreases swelling in the brain, protects the energy producing part of the cells called mitochondria, and protects the connections between the nerve cells called synapses. These mechanisms are listed on the site of the United States National Institutes of Health at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC3205506/table/T2/.The most commonly suggested dosage of standardized curcumin (standardized means that there is a known quantity of a particularly active component of the herb-using a non standardized preparation would be like taking a hand full of powdered antibiotic or other drug and not knowing how much you were taking) supplementation is 400-600 mg taken three times per day post concussion. Specifically related to concussion, a number of studies have shown that supplementation with curcumin, pre and post concussion helps limit as well as repair damage to the brain. In these animal studies curcumin offered significant protection to the brain due to the previously continued on on page continued next59page Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

37 59

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mentioned mechanisms. It has been shown to improve post-concussion cognition (the ability to think and acquire knowledge) by stabilizing levels of certain brain compounds related to learning and memory. These studies also demonstrated that pre and post concussion curcumin supplementation resulted in significantly less inflammation reducing the amount of swelling in the cells of the brain. Resveratrol: Resveratrol is a plant chemical called a polyphenol. Resveratrol is most famously found in red wine due to its concentration in the skin of red grapes. Specific to concussions resveratrol shows potent antioxidant effects and the ability to reduce swelling in the brain. Although resveratrol has also shown antiinflammatory effects, the ability to reduce toxic brain chemicals such as glutamate and help promote molecules that are healing for the brain, these beneficial effects have been shown in strokes and other forms of brain issues, but has not yet been studied in traumatic brain injuries. Resveratrol’s protective effects have been demonstrated in studies where supplementation decreased post concussion nerve loss and improved movement, anxiety and memory. Other animal studies have shown decreased swelling following concussions. The typical supplementation range is up to 500 mg/d after a concussion. As with fish oils, due to resveratrol’s “blood thinning” effect, caution should be exercised if taking any blood thinners. Getting your doctor’s advice is suggested. Creatine: Creatine, which is found in protein rich foods, such as meat, fish and poultry is a very common athletic supplement, but in the case of concussion, creatine can give the brain an intense and immediate source of energy 38

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needed to help heal brain cells after an injury. Although U.S. Military personnel like many athletes have been using creatine in the form of dietary supplements to increase strength and muscle mass, currently, the U.S. DOD (Department of Defense) is actively studying creatine due to the positive research on children and adolescents specifically related to its effects in concussions. In this research, improvements in cognition and behavior were seen in children and adolescents. This evidence comes from long-term studies in which treatment with creatine was started soon after injury. Creatine’s effects may have influenced brain function during both the early phase of injury as well as in later stages. Creatine is thought to maintain the function of the mitochondria (energy producing part of the cell) and improve blood flow in the brain, both of which are disrupted during the acute phase of concussion. These studies have suggested that post-concussion creatine improves both short and long-term symptoms. In the short term, post concussion creatine supplementation has been shown to reduce the duration of post concussion amnesia. Subsequently, those treated with creatine had significantly better cognitive abilities, less headaches, dizziness and fatigue than those that were untreated after three and six months of follow up. The dose in one of the studies was .4g’s per kg. This converts for those in the U.S. to 1.8g’s of creatine for every 10 lbs. So for a 100lb child this would be a dose of 18g’s per day, since one teaspoon typically equals 3g’s. That would be 6 teaspoons per day in this scenario. Please check the label on your creatine to ensure proper measurements. This is actually a higher dosage than the loading dosage for body builders, which is typically .3g’s per kg of body weight. Magnesium: Magnesium is one of the most important Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

minerals in the body. According to the National Institutes of Health, “Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also Effect helps regulate blood sugar Anti-Oxidant levels, promotes normal blood Anti-Inflammatory pressure, and is known to be Protects Mitochondria involved in energy metabolism Protects Synapses and protein synthesis”. Due to Reduces Glutamate magnesium’s role in the cell Reduces Swelling membranes electrical activity it is crucial for proper brain function, thereby essential for protecting and helping repair the brain after trauma. Unfortunately, many people are deficient in magnesium due to low intakes. It’s most important protective roles in the brain are its ability to block the release of the toxic chemical glutamate and its function of stopping too much calcium from entering the brain cells which causes swelling and possible death of the cell. After a concussion magnesium is quickly depleted so pre concussion levels are important to maintain and post concussion magnesium supplementation is essential. The bottom line is that both human and animal research studies have shown that those with low magnesium levels have worse outcomes after concussion. Approximately half of Americans do not get even the “required” amount (bare minimum, which is much less than optimal) of magnesium according to recent research http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pubmed/22364157 . The recommended dosage of magnesium is within a big range, it is approximately 80-420 mg/d depending on age, sex and weight. These dosages are not in relation to concussions. Therapeutically, I have given dosages over 1,500mg’s for long 62

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periods with no ill effects. Excess magnesium will typically cause loose bowels. This is especially true if using magnesium citrate. The use of other forms of magnesium such as glycinates and aspartates as well as others can avoid this effect caused by the citrate form. EPA/ DHA Vitamin D Curcumin Resveratrol Creatine Magnesium * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The above Chart represents a summary of the effects each supplement has shown in either animal or human research specifically in relationship to concussion/TBI. Although some of these substances show for example, anti-inflammatory action in strokes or other brain conditions, if they have not been studied specifically for concussion that action is not listed. There are numerous other nutritional supplements that are being looked at in regard to concussions. These range from B vitamins to green tea and from choline to Vitamins C and E. As many of these nutrients have shown positive effects in the test tube and in animal studies for other brain conditions, there is a great potential that they will show benefit in concussions. According to Dr. Blaylock, “The protracted symptoms of headache, cognitive disturbances and memory impairment as seen in PCS are believed in part to be due to the inflammatory arm of immunoexcitotoxicity following mTBI. Therefore PCS following TBI represents a persistent low-grade, chronically smoldering inflammatory response. Treatments for PCS must address how the brain normally works to activate the microglial reparative process and reverse Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

or block the neurodestructive mode in order to reverse or prevent the PCS and other neurodestructive processes”. In conclusion, concussions are a very common and potentially devastating injury that can totally change a person’s life and the lives of those around them. Although this article does not deal with all of the physical protective and safety aspects of preventing concussions such as, protective gear, rule changes for safer sports, fall prevention in children and the elderly (which Vitamin D has shown a role in), etc, it does deal with nutritional self defense for concussions as well as post concussion treatment via nutrition. Since very few, if any, medications have been found to treat concussions, having optimal levels of omega 3’s, Vitamin D, creatine, magnesium and some circulating curcumin and polyphenols such as resveratrol are essential. These nutrients can potentially save you from or reduce the acutely life altering effects of concussion and the possibility of having the long lasting or never ending life altering symptoms of PCS. I have made it clear that the majority of the studies that this article is based on are in animals, but I suggest that you do not wait for human trials to be done on these health enhancing supplements that have been used safely for many years to thousands of years. I also suggest that before starting on any supplement regimen that you discuss it with your doctor or other healthcare advisor. If you have any specific questions, I will try to answer them. You can contact me through my website at www.drrubensteinnyc.com.

Dr. Craig Rubenstein was a team Chiropractor to the US Freestyle Ski Team in 1990. He is also a certified clinical nutritionist and a Fellow and Diplomate of the International Academy of Clinical Acupuncture. He operates his Park Avenue practice in NY and a satellite office in Suffolk County, Long Island. You can contact him at www.drrubenstein.com or at 631-696-2039.

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Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

Martial Arts Milestones™

AGITM is proud to be participating in the collection of some of the most important MILESTONES in the martial arts. Not only will this eventually be a collector’s edition book, the individuals setting the Milestones will receive an impressive looking certificate and have their accomplishments listed in the Martial Arts Milestones Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/MartialArtsMilestones). It’s important we pass on these significant facts, milestones, and deeds in spreading the teachings of the MA to future generations who want to know about their history, style, roots, lineage, Asian customs and American traditions. Post your contribution on the Facebook page or send in your documentation to the editors at Official Karate magazine. All we ask is for you, or people you know, who qualify for this honor to provide us with supporting photos, documentation—anything else, to add to these wonderful stories, events, milestones, firsts. We ask for documentation because we want to present a credible and legitimate history of the MA (nothing like “I was the first to teach Kung Fu in my kitchen in Schenectady”). Instead we seek individuals who are documented to be responsible for first teaching the martial arts in public schools, colleges, camps, religious schools, or VIPs. Who was the first to demonstrate in a specific impressive venue, first to produce videos, write a best-selling book, appear in magazines (especially on covers), newspapers, radio, TV, etc. Were you first to win such and such, the first to receive a specific award or honor? How about the first to be inducted into a group or HOF? You get the picture. If you or your teachers have made MA history in any area we’d like to know about it. Preserving the knowledge of each noteworthy first event or Milestone is what this book is all about. We welcome any other facts you can share with us. The ones we choose to include in this new book will be eligible to receive a one-of-a-kind, custom-designed Achievement Certificate honoring your “Martial Arts Milestone.” By the way, this book has nothing to do with egos, bragging rights or boasting about one’s accomplishments—it’s a fact that many have contributed to the growth of traditional martial arts as well as sport karate in North America and throughout the world. Who did what, when, where and how is of great interest to most avid practitioners, fans and enthusiasts worldwide. Unless we share YOUR stories, the past will be forgotten. We must preserve the “old ways,” and historic Milestones for all future generations—lest they are forgotten. GM Peter Urban said, “If you don’t write down the past then it never happened.” Many students and teachers want to preserve the lineage of their arts and historic photos, events, traditions, and milestones should be remembered and passed on. This is one more way that MAGI™ is recording history and uniting many associations under our banner.

Record your milestones

or they will be lost forever to future generations searching for their roots! www.facebook.com/MartialArtsMilestones 64

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These Milestones have not been approved for inclusion, they are representative samples only.

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Giving Back To Those Who Serve Ways to Give Our New Home — The Camp Patriot Disabled Veteran’s Retreat Ranch: Your support will

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allow us to purchase our new ranch facility. Our new home will offer veterans a one-of-a-kind experience away from the distractions of everyday life, including a host of programs and unique challenges for disabled veterans of all generations. Disabled veterans will have the opportunity to create new relationships and gain new skills in a wide range of outdoor activities.

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veterans to learn new ways of thinking in order to overcome their wounds on their way to accomplishing amazing goals. These challenges represent a crucible of change that proves to each participant that they can overcome any obstacle.

There is no cost for disabled veteran guests of Camp Friend Patriot. It is only by the financial support of our Leader generous donors that Camp Patriot is able to provide Warrior these brave men and women the love and thanks General they deserve. Your monthly Friends of Camp Patriot Patriot donation helps us cover the cost of travel, food, lodging and activities. The Friends of Camp Patriot is a simple automatic on-line monthly donation program.

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Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING…

Worth it at twice the price!

ince 1994 Martial Arts Grandmasters International® (MAGI®) has strived to fulfill its mission to recognize and register instructors, masters and grandmasters of various martial arts styles and associations. MAGI® is recognized as a legitimate governing authority by several other international organizations. It is also the sanctioning body for the prestigious Karate Masters Hall of Fame®. But what does this mean to you? Membership in MAGI® will afford you the opportunity to have an affiliation with many of the firstgeneration pioneers. Members can take advantage of a direct dialogue with the grandmasters through the MAGI® website and facebook page. But it isn’t all long distance. You can join seminars and clinics with some of the best instructors in the world. You can proudly display the impressive MAGI® membership certificates, colorful uniform patches, and even window decals that proclaim you are an “accredited” MAGI® school. You’ll receive discounts on high-quality Asian weapons, books and videos, ebooks, t-shirts, equipment bags, and even professional custom framing for MAGI® certificates and for your own school certificates. We have arrangements with industry printers meaning you will receive wholesale prices on your brochures and flyers as well as embroidered patches. And, of course, a subscription to Official Karate magazine is included (we’ll mail the printed, “Annual” issue directly to you—the other three of the quarterly issues are available online). We are adding new features and benefits all the time. Our Board of Advisors are not only martial arts experts but also leaders in the business world. They can help you promote and grow your school through professional marketing techniques and even the latest in social media. And, of course, because we sanction the Karate Masters Hall of Fame®, MAGI® members 68

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are eligible for induction into what is perhaps the first and most prestigious Hall for traditional Karate Masters in the world. And did we mention that with our unique “rebate” program you will receive back a portion of the membership fees from all of your student and instructor members? In fact, with as few as two instructors and 20 students you’ll totally cover the cost of your school or organizational affiliation with MAGI®. With additional students or instructors you will actually MAKE money from your affiliation with us. This is on top of all the other benefits and discounts you receive. By the way, we won’t tell you how to teach, what to teach, or how to run your school. We’re only here to help you do better in all these areas by providing resources (via ebooks, videos and even personal seminars). Your affiliation with us will help you network with a much larger martial arts community than you ever could on your own.

Over 200,000 martial artists have taken this course to learn traditional Nunchaku!

A free subscription to the new Official Karate Magazine is a part of your membership, which includes the printed “Annual” issue mailed directly to you! Membership is open to all serious martial artists with a desire to learn and grow in both the arts and in life. But simply stating such and sending in membership dues is not enough. The world, even the martial arts world, is full of people who would misrepresent their qualifications for financial (or other) gain. So we have set up an application process that requires verification of martial experience and skill as well as character references. We are committed to being an organization you’ll be proud to be affiliated with. So what are you waiting for? Contact us for more information now. www.facebook.com/JoinMAGI

From custom membership certificates to sharp looking apparel to dojo certifications, the MAGI ® benefits package offers one of the best deals around for martial arts practitioners.

Teach Your Students Closely Guarded Okinawan Nunchaku Secrets While You Save $20

Using Deadly Nunchaku Fighting Sticks This home study course can enable your students to drastically improve their swings, catches and striking techniques or you OWE NOTHING! Renowned Grandmaster Andrew Linick has skillfully developed an easy-to-master training system that enables you or any beginner to quickly become proficient in the use of Okinawa’s nunchaku fighting sticks! LEARN FAST • LEARN FOREVER Clearly depicted techniques teach you ancient methods (some as old as 1400 years) of mastering direct swings, strikes, cathces, pinches, chokes, and other long-held Kobujutsu (weapon fighting art) secrets. You’ll learn “flick of the wrist moves” after your first lesson and by lesson #4 you’ll be able to surprise, overpower and even knockout a drug-crazed assailant or intruder. In less than a day you’ll know all the basics plus the five deadliest nunchaku striking techniques necessary to render devastating harm to anyone who is unfortunate enough to threaten you with physical harm!

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n Best Buy: Save $20–Deluxe Personally Autographed Collector’s Set (course, nunchakus, poster, I.D. card, patch, and certificate). All for just $69.95 postage paid (retails for $90). n Course only–$35 (includes a list of weapons suppliers and instructions on making your own nunchakus). Go to www.OfficialKarateMag.com/go-shopping/ Risk-Free 90 Day Satisfaction Guarantee With new confidence, command the 5 deadiest ways to protect yourself or simply mail back the products in sellable condition within 90 days for a full, 100% refund. Martial Arts Grandmasters International TM

OFFICIAL KARATETM MAGAZINE MAGITM Building 7 Putter Lane, P. O. Box 102 Middle Island, NY 11953-0102

MARTIAL ARTS GRANDMASTERS INTERNATIONAL ® Since 1994, Perserving Traditional Martial Arts and Rank Certification Worldwide®

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karate masters hall of fame® Since 1972, Honoring the Masters, Pioneers, and Legends of Traditional Karate-Do ®

www.karatemasters halloffame.com “Like” us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ groups/Karate MastersHOF