2 days ago
Started by Big Boss
The Jo or the short stick
The history of the short stick or jo is allied to one of the most moving stories concerning the martial arts.
There was once a samurai called Muso Gonnosuke. He was a very famous samurai who knew how to use a vast number of weapons but, who was particularly attached to the staff. He had studied the bo technique in depth, first at the Katori ryu and then at the Kashima.
Armed with the bo he roamed Japan challenging the greatest masters and never suffering defeat and so he came to Edo (Tokyo).
His fame spread until the day Miyamoto Musashi took up the gauntlet. Muso attacked with an even swifter and sudden movement, however Musashi parried the blow with his sword and threatened Muso's life. Mushashi did not want to take the advantage of his victory and did not kill Muso he let him go.
This defeat threw Muso into the depths of despair and for years he tried in vain to think of a way to remedy it and overcome Musashi.
Eventually he went to Kyushu in the south of Japan and took refuge at the top of a mountain where for several months he forced himself to lead a life of meditation and asceticism.
His enlightenment occured during one sleepless night. The next morning he immediately began to make a new much shorter stick our of a very hard wood which he called the jo. He thought that this short stick would enable him to get closer to his opponent and to concentrate his blows on the vulnerable points of the body (atemi). Muso perfected a series of twelve basic movements and named his new skill jojutsu. And so, the technique of the short stick was born.
Muso still wanted his revenge agaainst Musashi and a new encouter took place. This time, the impossible happened Musashi who had until then remained unconquered, suffered the only defeat of his life and Muso emerged the winner. But as Musashi had spared him Muso also gave him his life.
Once jojutsu had been accepted into the family of martial arts it continued to assert itself particularly during the Tokugawa period when there was an increasing tendency to confront adversaries without killing them.
Nevertheless the practice remained secret until the Meiji era and it was only in 1955 that it lost it fighting image and became in turn a do under the name jodo.
The practise of jo (which is now attached to the kendo federation) although seemingly easy, requires many years of training. As in bo no protection is worn. A characteristic of these two weapons is that they are, more often than not used in open air and they require a great dexterity and a certain amount of courage if one is not to fear the blows.
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By Iain Abernethy
What we refer to as “traditional” in the martial arts often isn't traditional at all. Mention traditional karate today and people immediately think of white gis, coloured belts and marching up and down the hall in lines. All of which are modern practises and none of which would be recognisable to founders of the art.
All of the past masters were innovators and none of them went on to teach the art exactly as it was taught to them. The true tradition has been one of constant change and it was only ever the core concepts that were supposed to remain constant. So what were the core concepts upon which the traditional art of karate was based?
There are not many written records on the history of karate due in no small part to the secrecy that originally surrounded the art and the bombing of Okinawa during World War Two. One important document we do have access to is Anko Itosu's 10 precepts of karate.
Anko Itosu (1832–1915) was one of karate's true innovators; he was the creator of the Pinan (Heian) kata and was responsible for introducing karate onto the Okinawan school system. To make karate suitable for children, Itosu watered down the karate he taught to them. As part of this, he started teaching kata without their applications so that the children could gain the physical benefits of kata training without irresponsibly giving them knowledge of the violent and brutal methods the kata were created to record.
It is my view that Itosu intend to foster two types of karate: the original combative karate and the new children's version. However, as we now know, it was the children's version that really took off and the ramifications of that are still being felt today. Itosu's modifications enabled the art to spread – it is arguable that karate would never have spread to mainland Japan and from there to the west without his modifications – but they undoubtedly meant it was a “de-clawed” version of karate that was popularised.
By Kevin Hensey
"I work all day. I don’t have time to exercise."
"I quit going to the gym because I have too much on my hands right now. I'm just too busy!"
"I'd love to work out more often, but I could only squeeze in the time for that if there were like 40 hours in a day."
These are just a few of the excuses people give for not being able to exercise regularly. And you know we've all been there. We'd all like to lose weight, get fit, and settle into a regular exercise routine. But somehow, there's always just too much to do during the day that we have little energy left to exercise once the work day is over. Weekends are out of the question. Many of us prefer to simply kick back and do nothing on those precious couple of days, or go out instead and party to shake off the week's stress.
But is there really no way for us to set aside time to exercise?
This doesn't have to be the case. We tend to think that working out entails grueling hour-long classes or three-hour sessions at the gym, so we often forget that there are plenty of ways for us to get in a bit of exercise throughout the day.
Walk
One thing you could do is get your feet moving and walk more often. Walking is a great form of exercise. Park some distance away from your office building, but get in early so you won't feel panicked about getting to work on time. It doesn't seem like much, but it pushes you to walk to and from the office everyday.
If you go out to lunch, find a place within walking distance of your building. You'll be able to walk off your meal that way, too.
Take the stairs
Instead of taking the elevator, you could just climb the stairs to your floor if your office isn't located too high up your building. But even if it is, you can still take the elevator partway up and climb up the last two or three floors.
Use breaks wisely
You're not going to stick your nose to the grindstone every minute of every workday. There's bound to be some slow days, or even 10 minutes when you don't have to deal with a crisis falling into your lap. Use this time to do some stretches at your desk or a bit of work on your legs. Keep some weights handy and do several sets whenever you get a chance.
When the weekend rolls around, you don’t have to lounge around doing nothing. Even your usual activities can turn into a workout. For example, cleaning your house is one activity that helps burn calories. Do some exercises instead of flopping on your couch and channel surfing. If you really must go out and party, you can even dance off your stress and your fat.
These are some very simple things you can do to get on the road to fitness, but every little bit helps!
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com
by Aaron Hoopes
What is Zen?
Well, Zen is… Sorry, it’s not that easy. As anyone who has looked into Zen knows, attempting to define Zen is like trying to catch a fish with your bare hands. It immediately wriggles between your fingers and slips away. The more you seek it, the harder it is to find. To say Zen is freedom, fluidity or perfection is a start. However, to say Zen is the reflection of the moon in a mountain stream just leaves us scratching our heads. Zen is right here, right now. Zen is this moment of existence. It is action without thought. It is thought and action as one. It is action before reaction. Zen is Zen…though I know that’s not helpful.
The roots of Zen are based in ancient Chinese philosophy. The Chinese word for Zen is ch’an. In Sanscrit, the ancient language of India, it is dhyana, which can be roughly translated as pure human spirit. It can be imagined as the integration of the disparate aspects of the self into one complete and divine being. Zen was eventually brought to Japan where it was elaborated and “perfected” by the Japanese samurai. It is the foundation of the Bushido code, the way of the warrior. The samurai, who lived their lives at the edge of a sword and could die at any moment, were taught to concentrate on and immerse themselves in the here and now in order to connect with the fundamental core of their being. It helped them develop the powers of concentration, self-control, awareness and tranquility. If they approached each battle as if it were their last, they would be able to have every part of their being at their disposal.
Zen itself has no theory. It is not meditation. It is not thinking. It is not not-thinking. It is not something you learn. It is simply something you are. To practice Zen is to live fully and completely, not in the past or the future, but right here and right now. Zen is, in fact, the reflection of the moon in a mountain stream. It does not move, only the water flows by. Zen implies a contemplative, mystical element to the process of self-discovery. Zen allows, and indeed encourages, a deeper exploration into the individual self.
