Are robots better swordsman?

As part of Yasakawa Electric's 100th anniversary, the company decided to create a robot samurai named Motoman.  Motoman is a robot arm that is programmed to analyze and learn the sword movements of Isao Machii who is a famous Iaido sword practitioner in Japan.  Motoman and Machii Sensei were pitted against one another in a contest of cutting.  Machii Sensei has several incredible videos on Youtube and is a Guinness World record holder.  The results were very interesting and to some kind of scary. I personally found the experiment quite interesting but I wasn't that impressed with this samurai robot.  Motoman cut with a certain fluidity and efficiency and even the robots lack of hesitation made the martial artist in me jealous.  But, there was something that Motoman noticeably lacked.  After watching the video a few times, I realized that Motoman's sword cut lacked ki (氣).

Motoman is a machine programmed to cut and thus has no ki and no kokoro (心) or spirit or soul.  In all Japanese arts, one strives to put their ki into the pursuit and at the highest level we strive to become one with movement.  In shodo infusing one's ki into the brushwork is called bokki (墨氣).  In Aikido, when one's ki permeates the technique it is referred to as ki no nagare (氣 の流れ) or the flow of ki.  Motoman has no ki or kokoro and thus the movement has an empty quality to it.  Really look at the cut.  It is surgical and precise but one can almost feel the emptiness inside it.  Motoman is just a machine at work and cuts without discrimination.  In addition to looking at the actual cutting, look at the end result.  Watch how much Motoman disturbs what is being cut and how it is disturbed so little by Machii.  Also look at the formation at the end challenge and take note of how the Motoman's surroundings are sloppy and chaotic and how Machii's is uniform and pristine.  There is an old Japanese proverb, "Yaiba ni tsuyoki mono wa rei ni suguru" which means that the greatest warriors surpass all others in matters of etiquette and decorum.  It is not just the things one says or does, but in how they do them as well.  Motoman does not have any discrimination and thus does not understand decorum - Motoman just gets the job done.  

To be a swordsman is to study humanity.  Humanity dictates that our actions must have meaning.  In order for our actions to have meaning, they must be done with a sense of purpose, responsibility and discernment.  Motoman unfortunately is not human and thus cannot understand humanity and because of that Motoman is not a true swordsman.

The video is interesting nonetheless.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3XyDLbaUmU

Shhhh...people are trying not to think

The main reason why we discourage people from talking is that it distracts others who are trying to learn. A while back, we had a visitor from another dojo.  He was in town for a couple of months and wanted to train with us.  On the first day, he spent a lot of  time talking during class with the other students.  I asked him to please refrain from talking.  Later on in the class, he raised his hand to ask a question.  I told said to him, "Please save your questions until after class."  Then I explained that Aikido is a experiential pursuit that  needed to be experience on a physical level first.  He kept his hand up.  I further explained that the techniques cannot be learned with the mind and like, "a picture is worth a thousand words" talking about the techniques would only create further confusion.  Subsequently, the student waited for other students outside and complained about the "no talking" policy.  He never returned.

I would love to sit and have a conversation about Aikido, philosophy or the techniques.  But, the truth is that we don't have the time and what little time we have I would rather spend it having the students put the time and energy into improving their techniques.  One of the biggest lessons I learned about teaching is that there is a thin line between teaching and talking.  One is for the students and the other is for my ego.  Do you find that the same is true for you?

If you must talk, please keep your talking to a minimum and use the slightest hushed tone.

Shodo Harada Roshi to give a free talk

I thought you might like this...

I found this on the internet.  It is really good and applies to my life now.  I can look back and see how it could have been useful at times in the past.  Maybe it will be useful for you now.  Please know that life is not about rights and wrongs or good and bad.  It is about lessons.  Some lessons we learn the easy way while some lessons must be learned the hard way.  Sometimes things come to us in our moment of need.  Hopefully this helps you in yours. The Awakening By unknown

A time comes in your life when you finally get it. When, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out… ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying and blaming and struggling to hold on. Then, like a child quieting down after a tantrum, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening.

You realize it’s time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety and security to magically appear over the next horizon.

You realize that in the real world there aren’t always fairy tale endings, and that any guarantee of “happily ever after” must begin with you… and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who or what you are… and that’s OK. They are entitled to their own views and opinions.

You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself… and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born of self-approval.

You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things they did to you – or didn’t do for you – and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don’t always say what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there for you and everything isn’t always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself… and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties… and in the process a sense of peace and contentment is born of forgiveness.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.

You learn the difference between wanting and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you’ve outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with.

You learn that there is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a “consumer” looking for you next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don’t know everything, it’s not your job to save the world and that you can’t teach a pig to sing. You learn the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.

Then you learn about love. You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as you would have them be. You learn that ‘alone’ does not mean lonely.

You stop trying to control people, situations and outcomes. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs.

You learn that your body really is your temple. You begin to care for it and treat it with respect. You begin to eat a balanced diet, drinking more water, and take more time to exercise.

You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels the soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you deserve, and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen.

More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance. You learn that no one can do it all alone, and that it’s OK to risk asking for help.

You learn the only thing you must truly fear is fear itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms.

You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn’t always fair, you don’t always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people… and you learn not to always take it personally.

You learn that nobody’s punishing you and everything isn’t always somebody’s fault. It’s just life happening. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.

You lean that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and redirected or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Then, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than you heart’s desire.

You make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

You hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind.

Finally, with courage in your heart, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best as you can.

If this story resonates with you then you are one of the awakened! And slowly you are realizing the power of your own thoughts….

Just as you create your own reality, we are also co-creating our realities together. We are a collective! As a community, a city, a country, and a species, we decide where we want to go and how we want to flow. It is up to us to decide what happens next in the epic tale that is the human race, but change has to start from an individual level. Remember – You can have, DO, or BE, ANYTHING you want!

If you know who wrote this please drop me a line.

FREE LECTURE TONIGHT How to care and clean a Japanese Sword

6:30 PM tonight

This lecture is open to the public and everyone is invited to attend

  In Japan, a person who is a master craftsman is referred to as a shokunin (職人).  In the digital era, this idea of hands on type of craftsmanship has started becoming obsolete.  In the past a shokunin was someone who followed the Way of something. The path of Aikido was referred to as Aikido no michi (合氣道の道).  No in Japanese is a possessive and michi means path or way. In the generation before ours it was unconscionable to study more than one Way. For instance, if you did Aikido, you only did Aikido. The mindset of people of past generations was that if one was to become a master at something, they needed to pour all their efforts into that one thing. They knew that the only thing that separated a master from a novice was experience.

In the movie Jiro Dreams of Sushi, they describe five key factors that all shokunin chefs should possess.

1. A shokunin must be majime (真面目) or serious about their art.
2. A shokunin is constantly kojoshin (向上心) or striving to improve themselves.
3. Shokunin have a penchant for cleanliness and organization or seiketsukan (清潔感).
4. All shokunin are ganko (頑固) or stubborn.
5. Every shokunin is jyonetsu (情熱) or passionate about what it is they do.

Tonight we host Karita Sensei and his son Naoki.  They will be giving a beginners lecture on the Japanese sword.  It is a beginners lecture because before one can use a sword properly they should know how to care, clean and maintain it.  To the Japanese, the sword is a living thing and thus like all living things we need to know how to care for them.   They are both sword polishers in the Honami style.  Karita Sensei has been polishing swords since the 1960s.  Regardless if you study the sword or collect swords, it might be interesting to see a true shokunin talk about his craft.  Having spent a lot time with Karita Sensei, I am blown away about how much he knows about swords and all of their accoutrements.  He is extremely passionate and it shows by how generous and forthcoming he is about his craft.   As I follow the path of Aikido, when I come into contact with other passionate people it inspires me and helps me stay on my path as I have high hopes that someday I too might be a shokunin.

KARITA SENSEI TAI CHI SEMINAR TONIGHT AT 6:30 PM."How to use the body"

Free class that is open to the public and everyone is welcome to attend.

The other day a student was telling me about a class that he had taken where he felt was a waste of time.  He said, "I didn't learn anything" and began to dissect the class and tell me how the class and the teacher could have been better.  The funny thing is that this person isn't even a teacher and he doesn't have any real world knowledge about not only the subject matter but how to teach.  The problem the student is having is that he can only see one side of the coin and hence his perception is colored by not only judgement but also by speculation.  I tried to caution him that having this type of perspective sets him on a path that only leads to wasting time but also a lot of suffering.  Having this type of perspective disables one from learning and thus it takes us longer to learn things or prevents us from ever learning things.

"When the student is ready, the teacher will appear" is an often quoted but possibly mistaken quote that is attributed to the Buddha.  Regardless of its origin it is apropos to this situation.  If we can enter the gates of knowledge with an open mind then we can see that there is something to be learned from every person and every thing - every situation becomes our teacher.  All it takes is a shift in our perspective.  If we can be ready and willing to learn, then we can learn from anything and thus the teacher will appear.

Tonight Karita Sensei is teaching a Tai Chi seminar on how to use the body that will be geared toward Aikidoists.  One might be thinking, "Isn't Karita Sensei a sword polisher?"  Yes he is, but he is also a Tai Chi teacher that has been teaching Tai Chi for something like 30 years.  Before you poo poo it and turn your nose upon it, try changing your perspective.  Think, "This just might be the thing that gives me the clue to something that I am working on."  If we can do that then the teacher will appear.  If not, and I know this from experience, you will not learn anything and just waste your time spinning around with your own judgements and speculations sitting there with your arms crossed while the good stuff just passes you by.  Nothing is more sad or expensive than regret.

In order to change one's life, one must change their perspective.  Changing the way we look at things opens the door for change and changing is the only way to improve.  Please be ready, willing and open tonight.  If you are, you might just see something that will change everything.

Zenshuji to offer Introduction to Zen Meditation lecture to be held on four Thursdays' evening starting Aug 6

Put the work in

To be able to do it one must put the work in. If you want to get good at baseball, you gotta put the work in... If you want to be a great painter, you gotta put the work in...If you want to be a better driver, you gotta put the work in... If you want to get good at cooking, you gotta put the work in... If you want to get good at Aikido, you gotta put the work in...

Whatever it is the work must first get done.  That's nature's law.

The Trouble TreeAuthor Unknown

The carpenter I hired to help me restore an old farmhouse had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric saw quit, and now his ancient pickup truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence.

On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening the door he underwent an amazing transformation. His tanned face was wreathed in smiles and he hugged his two small children and gave his wife a kiss.

Afterward he walked me to the car. We passed the tree and my curiosity got the better of me. I asked him about what I had seen him do earlier.

"Oh, that's my trouble tree," he replied." I know I can't help having troubles on the job, but one thing's for sure, troubles don't belong in the house with my wife and the children. So I just hang them on the tree every night when I come home. Then in the morning I pick them up again."

He paused. "Funny thing is," he smiled, "when I come out in the morning to pick 'em up, there ain't nearly as many as I remember hanging up the night before."

The idea of the trouble tree is similar to the dojo.  Sensei often said, "Cut off your head and leave it outside the door."  One of the first truths in Buddhism is that "Life is suffering."  The dojo is supposed to be a place of refuge where one gets the opportunity to leave the problems of the world at the door so that we can get the space to work on becoming better.  Better what? Better martial artists?  No.  Better people.

The lessons learned in the dojo aren't about felling opponents.  Rather the lessons in the dojo are about how to defeat the self.  Sensei always said, "The lessons of training are to be used to better one's life."

Often, people tell me about how hard it is to come to the dojo because of some problem they are having and how training is interfering with them dealing with this issue.  What they don't realize is that like the problems in the story, they seem a bit smaller when they come to pick them up after class.

Got a problem?  Training can help.  It is not a magic pill but, rather a respite from the daily grind where one can come shed the woes of the world and work on getting better.  That is why like the Trouble Tree we must leave our egos and our problems at the door.

Kiai -気合

To kiai or not kiai. A kiai (気合) is a shout or scream one emits some time during the technique.  Ki 気 is one's energy and ai 合 means to bring together so from their definitions we can see that the kiai is supposed to bring together all of one's energy and spirit and is thought to be the pinnacle of one's power.

It turns out the use of the kiai can be backed  up by science.  Sounds like screams or kiai fall into an auditory spectrum that directly triggers the part of our brains that control the fight or flight mechanism.  According to a recent study, "The higher the roughness, the scarier the sound, said people asked to judge the screams. The researchers also monitored brain activity in study subjects as they listened to screams and other sounds. Screams triggered increased activity in the amygdala, the region of the brain that processes fear response. Interestingly, when scientists manipulated non-threatening sounds to increase their roughness, the listeners' fear responses increased, as well, with more activity in the amygdala."

The kiai not only activates you as you summon all your power it but it can also trigger your opponent to lose his.  In the history of Aikido and in some current iterations of Aikido there still exists the usage of the kiai.  However today, the use of a kiai has evolved out of use.

One of the reasons that it has evolved out of use has to do with where one finds themselves in their training.  Beginners need to summon all of their power to steel themselves and make the techniques work so there is an importance on "activating" oneself.  As one evolves as a martial artist they come to understand humanity and therefore it becomes less of an emphasis on "activating" oneself and more of a need for us to be balanced, calm and steadfast.

Source: www.livescience.com/51586-screaming-triggers-brain-alarms.html

Time is not our side

If you lived to be 100 years old you would have only lived 36,500 days.  Isn't that incredibly weird?  36,500 days doesn't seem like a lot of time and that is because it isn't.  Naively from our childhoods, we think that we have all the time in the world.  As we get older and, presumably more wiser, we realize that as Sensei used to say, "There is no time left." If "there is no time left" then that would compel us to use our time and lives wisely.  Whatever we have been putting off must get done.  Whatever we have wanted to say, needs to be said.  Life is too short to leave things unsaid, undone or to have to tolerate things.

Gandhi said, "Live as if you were to die tomorrow.  Learn as if you were to live forever."  From there we can say, "Live you life as if you would die tomorrow and train as if you would live forever."  Please train hard because there might not be a tomorrow.

Sessa takuma

 

Sessa takuma is a Japanese idiom or yojijukugo which roughly translates to mean "to improve together through friendly rivalry by encouraging each other."

Setsu (切) and sa (磋) together mean to cut or scrape something in reference to something hard in order to change its shape and taku (琢) and ma (魔) mean to polish something in order to bring out its natural beauty.

The dojo is supposed to be a place of community where we all work together to improve one another.  It is supposed to be a place of sessa takuma.

When we perform the techniques on our partners, we should try and do the techniques to our fullest ability and not hold back.  This will enable us to grasp the understanding of how to fully use our power and it will give our partner the opportunity to learn how to fully receive the technique.

However, this doesn't mean that we do it with the intention that we hurt our partners.  We do it fully with the intention to make them better.  If our technique is too strong, they will have to work harder to take better ukemi.  If we hold back our technique, they will never grow or improve.  You might be thinking, "What if they get hurt or get mad?"  This can happen.  If it does, first check your intention and make sure your intention wasn't to hurt them.  Secondly, if they do get hurt or upset then you should apologize.  Also if you see your partner struggling, you should quietly with hushed tones explain or help them with their ukemi.  This is sessa takuma.

We have to remember that our uke is giving up their body for our benefit so that we may improve - which is a compassionate act.  Knowing this, we must use this opportunity with the best intention and do our best to not waste their sacrifice.  Of course, we cannot abuse them either.

If we can put our emotions and intentions in check then we can push ourselves and our partners to be the best they can be and insure that our dojo is a community which is trying to foster "sessa takuma" or a place where we make each other better.

The Way is hard...

"Strive to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat." - Boots Williams Congratulations to the people who took their tests over the weekend.  Regardless of the outcomes, it took a lot of courage to show up and try.

For those of you who passed, please remain hungry and humble.  Arrogance is the number one killer of those recently promoted.  My grandmother said to me, "Go forth with the heart of a tiger," after I passed my shodan test.  Now is the time to double your effort.

For those of you who didn't pass, please take this as a call to work harder.  As Shakespeare once wrote, "Nothing is right or wrong, but thinking makes it so."  Take this set back as an opportunity to let your true metal shine through.  It is nothing more than the calm before the storm.  Please work hard for the next test.

Don't let your opponent get into your blind spot

 

  Our eyes are our greatest asset, but sometimes our brains can trick our eyes into seeing something that is not there or into not seeing something that is there.

I am told that our eyes can only take in something like 4,000 bits of information despite the fact that there are millions of bits all around us. That means at any given time, our brains are filling in the blanks with previously stored information.  The place where the brain fills in the information is called a blind spot and this happens because the place where the optic nerve enters the eye has no photo receptors and this cannot receive any sensory information.

Sensei once told us that to hide the blind spot in our eyes we should turn our heads slightly away from the target.  He said that there are more rods and cones on the outer parts of the eye which makes sense and would minimizes the blind spot.

After long bouts of meditation I also notice that my field of vision increases.  So one could improve their field of vision with some type of guided exercise or meditation.

I also read an article that using cellphones, computers and tablets is causing people's field of vision to decrease.  So on one hand our new technologically advanced lifestyle could hurt our ability to be good martial artists.

For a martial artist, the moment when one blinks or when the vision is obscured for even a moment is the moment when the opponent will attack.  Understanding this calls us to study just how our eyes work and take great care of our eyes.  Our opponents are just waiting for us to blink or look the wrong way in order to move into our blind spots.

I found this website with a bunch of tests that illustrate blind spots and how are eyes work.  I have posted a few and added the website below if you want to try more.

Instructions: Close  left eye and fix right eye on the cross. Place eyes about 12 inches (30 cm) away from the monitor (distance may vary depending on the screen resolution) and notice the dot disappears. .

www.personal.kent.edu/~rmuhamma/OpticalIllusion/illusion.html

Crab tsuba

This is a nice Sukashi tsuba of the Owari school with a crab.

Sensei wrote a comment about crabs in reference to the martial arts in an earlier Daily Message on November 17, 2004.

There is another type of crab that comes onto the beach with the tide and quickly burrows into the sand. Japanese love to eat these crabs but they are hard to find in the sand and it is a lot of work to dig them up because they are very small and very quick. The way they catch them is to take a pencil and start poking the sand. The poking effect seems to resemble the effect of the tide rushing onto the beach so the crabs will poke their head up out of the sand so the water will carry them back into the sea. When the crabs pole their heads up, they are grabbed by the hungry fisherman.

Anyways, we can be caught very easily - when the opponent understands how we act.

Karate Kata Champion Rika Usami

I recently ran across this interview with World Karate Kata Champion Rika Usami who had recently retired.  I found some inspiration as she spoke about her sensei and her training.  I have posted this article in hopes that it inspires you.  I have also added a video of her performing. Imagine this sound: 12,000 people giving somebody a 5-minute-long standing ovation.

Now, imagine this “somebody” is a tiny Japanese girl, performing kata in the middle of a huge arena!

Her name is Rika Usami.

At the 2012 World Championships in Paris.

That’s the incredible power of her kata!

Rika Usami is truly one of a kind when it comes to the technical execution of kata.

Her merits include gold medals from huge competitions such as the Japanese National Championships, Asian Championships, World Championships, Istanbul Open, Jakarta Open, Dutch Open, Paris Open, Salzburg Open and other events in the international tournament scene.

I’ve been filming her top-class kata performances for a long time.

You’ve probably seen her Bassai Dai, Seienchin, Koshokun Dai, Koshokun Sho, Tomari Bassai or Chatan Yara Koshokun many times if you follow my YouTube channel.

However, not until this weekend did I actually interview her!

And the result was epic…

J (Jesse): Okay, Usami-san! Let’s take it from the beginning: When, where and why did you start practicing Karate?

RU (Rika Usami): “I started Karate when I was 10 years old, by joining a Goju-ryu style dojo located near my family’s house in Tokyo. The reason was because one day I saw a cool female fighter on TV, which made me really curious about the martial arts. Back then, my older brother had already been practicing Karate for a while, even letting me wear his gi on occasions, so that helped me a lot when I decided to eventually start practicing Karate myself.”

J: And at what age did you start competing in kata?

RU: “My first tournament was when I had green belt. I was in elementary school at that time, 12 years old. It was a pretty small tournament though, consisting mostly of kids from nearby towns’ dojos. I actually did not participate in any bigger tournaments until I was 15 years old.”

J: So how long did it actually take before you started winning most of your tournaments?

RU: “I was 17 years old when I won a big tournament for the first time. That was the national high school championship. So, it actually took me 7 years to win my first tournament in Karate!”

J: And you’ve been winning a lot more since! Why do you think you’ve had such great success in tournaments anyway?

RU: “Probably because I truly love Karate more than anything else. Plus, I get a lot of support from people around me. Those are the reasons, I think.”

J: Speaking of people around you, can you tell me about your sensei? What is it about your master that makes him so special?

RU: “You mean Inoue sensei? Well, first of all, he teaches me not only the physical aspects of Karate, but he also helps me improve my mental abilities. It’s the spiritual aspect. Also, the main thing that separates Inoue sensei from other instructors is that, unlike many masters, he spends a lot of individual time together with me, to make sure I understand each ‘waza’ (technique) very clearly, practicing together with me for long hours.”

J: And apparently it’s working! So, before you won the female kata division at the WKF World Championships in Paris, how did your actual training/preparation schedule look like? I can imagine it was intense!

RU: “Yeah, in order to prepare for the World Championships, I naturally went to Tottori, where Inoue sensei’s dojo is located, for some very intense training. Around this time there were many other international students there too, training together to win in Paris, like Antonio (Diaz). Along with these dedicated athletes, I sometimes practiced from 10 am to 10 pm. Many times I practiced by myself too, even after finishing the group training sessions.”

RU: “Strength training is the starting point for my techniques, and it’s actually very important for this reason. You must do it. For any technique to be properly stabilized, basic physical strength is essential. Therefore, I perform strength training with the following philosophy in mind; great technique in kata can only be achieved with having a solid foundation of strength. That’s my opinion.”

J: And if anyone doubts that, you are living proof! So what about kumite? Do you practise kumite? A lot of kata competitors seem to shy away from it. Explain your thoughts on the relationship between kata & kumite.

RU: “After I started to seriously participate in kata tournaments, I started to train some kumite as well, to complement my basic (kihon) training. The main difference in the relationship between kumite and kata is that there is always a physical opponent in front of you in kumite, whereas in kata you are performing alone. But, you have to keep in mind that there is someone in front of you when you do kata too! So, kumite has really helped adjust my kata based on that conception.”

J: That’s an incredibly valuable insight. Now let me ask you a trickier question: What is your opinion about the difference between so-called “traditional Karate” (as a martial art), and “contemporary Karate” (as a sport)?

RU: “Hmm…. that’s very difficult [laughs]! *Long pause* Well, my thinking is that you shouldn’t consider those two – traditional/contemporary Karate – as separate things. Instead, try to find where the vital areas shared by both approaches converge, and focus on those. That’s very important, I believe. The most valuable aspects of Sports Karate and Traditional Karate are the ones that will overlap.”

J: That’s an important concept indeed, yet hard for people to grasp! Speaking of important; if you could choose the top 3 most important attributes a person needs to become really good at Karate, what would those be?

RU: “The first one is basic physical preparation. The second one is Karate strength/conditioning and the third one has to be technique. The fourth one is… Oh, sorry! I could only choose three, right? Okay. That’s it. Or, no, wait a second! Here’s a better answer: Body, mind and technique.”

J: Ah, you mean ‘Shin-Gi-Tai’ [Mind-Technique-Body]?

RU: “Yeah, exactly. Shin-Gi-Tai!”

J: Hah, I almost expected you to say that! So, if we flip the script: What are the top 3 biggest mistakes you see people making when practicing Karate?

RU: “Since I cannot speak for others, this answer is based on myself only, okay? The first mistake is, you lose against yourself. Secondly, you fail to properly listen to your master [laughs]. Finally, you just need to keep practicing, repeatedly, and not giving up too early.”

J: And 99% of those three mistakes are based on the mind! So, what kind of mental attitude do you think is actually required for somebody to perform a world-class kata? And how does one train to foster that mindset?

RU: “This answer is simple: To be able to perform your best at a tournament, it is important to simply act as normal as possible. And for that, you need to be very mentally focused during regular training time.”

J: That is indeed super important. Train as you compete, compete as you train. Now, let’s talk about your victory at the 21st World Karate Championships in Paris. A crowd of 12’000 people were giving you standing ovations before you had even finished your final kata. Unbelievable. Explain that feeling.

Rika is the Japanese Champion – several times in a row.

RU: “Yes. When I won the World Championships that was absolutely the happiest moment in my entire career. And then, when I realized that people around me were even more excited about my victory than myself… I became overwhelmed.”

J: I even remember your sensei crying of joy after that incredible final. Yet, you are not longing for an encore. Explain your recent decision to retire from Karate competition – what are your future plans?

RU: “Before I won the World Championship title, I had received an offer for advancement to Kokushinkan University. So, after achieving this major Karate goal of my life, I felt I was ready to retire as a competitive athlete and move on to my next goal – to become an instructor for the Karate club at Kokushinkan University. Right now, I’m studying real hard for this, and although a lot of people have different opinions about what I should, or should not, do with my career – I’d like to continue my education while sharing my experience as a Karate teacher in order to help the new generation.”

J: Commendable. Although a lot of people will miss seeing your kata performances! Lastly, what is your message for everyone who aspires to achieve your high skill level in Karate, and kata specifically?

RU: “Everyone has a goal. Whether that is to become a world champion or not doesn’t really matter. Although your goal may often look hard to achieve at first, if you continually make efforts toward your goal, then your time, energy and commitment will never have been wasted. So, keep it up as much as you can. Stay strong until you win against yourself. And at the end of the day, you will always be the winner.”

J: Wise words from a wise champ! Thanks a lot for your time Usami-san, and good luck with your new career!

*High five*

RU: “Thank you very much!”

Article source: http://www.karatebyjesse.com/rika-usami-karate-kata-queen-interview/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeCLSZMS69A

Chinese proverb

"An inch of gold can't buy an inch of time." - Chinese proverb Don't wait for tomorrow.  Tomorrow may never come.  We always think, "there is more time," but there is no time left.  "The moment has passed, "was something Sensei used to say to us often whenever we blew the chance to do something or tried to fix a mistake.

The hardest part about life is that sometimes we wait to long for the perfect opportunity to arise only to miss a descent opportunity laid at our feet.

Training is no different.  Right now, we have the opportunity to train and we are "able."  We are the youngest we will ever be, but if we wait too long the moment will pass.  When it does pass, we might not be "able" to train anymore and nothing is more painful than regret.

Life is to be lived.  Train hard.  Do what you want to do.  Go forth with the heart of a tiger.    Don't let the opportunities of life pass you by.

Kumano

The Founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba was born in Tanabe which is in Kumano.  O Sensei said "I am the godsent child of Kumano" and "Aikido is the manifestation of the Divine Breath of the deities of Kumano." I found this short video on vimeo about Kumano.  It looks really spectacular.  I had the chance to go there a few years ago, but had to pass.  After seeing this video, I wish I hadn't.  Maybe someday I will get the opportunity to go.  Until then...

https://vimeo.com/131426603

ukemi

Ukemi - sometimes you just have to pick yourself up and carry on...

KCET to air programs from NHK Japanese TV

KCET will showcase a full week of new specials in July that explore the dynamic programming available from NHK, (Japan Broadcasting Corporation), Japan's sole public broadcaster, on http://www.kcet.org/schedule KCET and NHK WORLD Channel Monday - "Samurai Wheels" "Samurai Wheels" is an introduction to Japan-made automobiles, focusing on the advanced technologies and luxurious lifestyle that comes with owning one.

Tuesday - "Kabuki Kool" This special program dives into the world of Kabuki theatrics, exploring shows with modern themes that feature Kabuki's creative staging and highlights.

Wednesday - "Tokyo Eye 2020" Viewers discover the most impressive aspects of Japan's most exciting metropolis as it begins a new transformation in preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Thursday - "Journeys in Japan" Reporters travel across Japan, discovering the charms of each place they visit including Azumino, Nagano Prefecture, which offers beautiful countryside with abundant water and rural scenery.

Friday - "Dining With The Chef" This program introduces the attraction of Japanese cuisine and contemplates the overall harmony of a variety of ingredients.