The Youth Class at the Wells Street Studio

This picture was taken at the Wells Street Studio in the early 1980's
Look closely....if your in your mid to late 30's ...you might be in there!
That was truly an outstanding group of young students!

American Karate-Do - Self Defense Technique - Def. Ag. single lapel grab

Students LS and SG practice a Self-Defense Technique based on movements from Nihanchi Kata. It's a defense against a single lapel grab.

Lesson 1:

After trying to break the hold

LS needs to soften the opponent with an angle kick to knee/shin

She then follows up with a back fist/hammer fist

Then backs up with a defensive hand position

asses the situation

and escapes!

Modern Arnis - double stick against single stick Tapi Tapi

JRRMAS staff member PR and Sifu practice a double stick against a single stick Tapi Tapi (counter their counter) drill that Sifu learned from Chuck Gauss (Thanks Chuck) a few years ago. The drill has an excellent flow to it.

Lesson 1:

This type of drill trains the sensitivity of your hands, wrists and arms. Training sticks greatly assists in the development of your bodies sensing abilities (Tien Jing - Listening Skill). Once you can feel, follow and lead through the inanimate stick...the skill of listening with just your body will be greatly enhanced.

Lesson 2:

One of the great gifts from Prof. Presas was the idea that working with a single and double stick serves to speed up the developement of you empty hand skills....The Prof. was absolutely right!

Little Dragons photograph

Having fun with the photo op.... Little Dragons student OT and Sifu set up for an 'action photo'.

OT has just completed several months of the Little Dragons program (ages 4-6).

This Thursday morning at 10:30am (July 30) will be the last Little Dragons class until the first week of Sept. The class will resume the first Thursday in Sept. from 4:00-4:30pm

The class will be limited to 10 students.... so sign up early to reserve your spot.

Modern Arnis - Tapi Tapi - Counter their counter

Sifu and JRRMAS staff member PR practice a baiting and locking series. The idea is to counter their counter (Tapi Tapi).

Lesson 1:

Tapi tapi is an excellent platform for skill aquisition

training the 'live hand' to seak the path

Internal Exercise Set - Part Six

This is Part Six, the conclusion of the Internal Exercise Set based on Master Haywards Twin-Cities Warm Up's.

If you click on the Label to your left, named Internal Exercise Set, all six parts will be grouped together on one page. Part one will be at the bottom.

Lesson 1:

The Internal Exercises in these six video clips

are in 'real time'

just follow Sifu as he does the exercises:

With as much awareness of your body as you are capable of.....

Pay attention to:

The point of balance in the middle of you foot (feet)

The alignment of your entire body - follow gravity -

Be relaxed

Balance between Peng expansion energy and Sung releasing, opening, rooting (rubbery - not stiff)

Distinguish between the exercises that use the whole body "One unit"

and those where you are isolating a particular part or area of you body

Breath using T'an T'ien breathing (abdominal breathing)

Now the real part........

Do them once per day and enjoy Robust Health!

Two students promoted to White Belt - 8th Kyu

After one month of consistent training, two students were promoted to White Belt 8th Kyu this morning. One from the Little Dragons on the left CT and his sister from the Youth Karate-Do program ST. Their mother to my left was (re)recognized as a 2nd degree Brown Belt which she earned as a teenager.

This an extra special promotion for me as they are family: My sisters grand children and daughter, respectively.

Internal Exercise Set - Part Five

Part Five of the Internal Exercise Set

Internal Exercise Set - Part Four

This the fourth part of the Internal Exercise Set based on Master Haywards Twin Cities Warm Ups. I tried to upload a longer segment but I can only upload a 100MB clip! So after 5 or 6 tries this is all I could get to upload.

If you look at the 'labels' to the left side of the blog. Click on the 'Internal Exercise Set' and all the Parts will be grouped together in reverse order with the first Part last on the page.

"Practice everyday and do your best"

Grand Master T. T. Liang

Blocking for Self-Defense

JRRMAS adjunct staff member TS from Potsdam NY gives a presentation on Self-Defense blocking. TS started training with me in 1979 and is one of my senior most Black Belts (4th degree) in the American Karate-Do System, he is also a Black Belt in Modern Arnis. He is currently teaching T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Self-Defense and Aerobic Kick Boxing at the University in Potsdam. With over 30 years of consistent training, TS has a lot to offer. It was wonderful to have him assisting with the youth classes in the morning and participating in the Seminar in the afternoon this past Saturday. I only wish he lived closer!

Internal Exercise Set - Part Three

Thoughts about martial arts and the toughest of times

This is an abridged version of a note, that I recently emailed a young student, who has just been through an ordeal and had to rely solely on himself for the first time in his life. In that situation he reflected on how his martial arts training, at JRRMAS, has had an effect on his ability to deal with the stress of it all.

Him sharing his thoughts with me reminded me of why I've dedicated my adult life to teaching this stuff, in spite of all the hardships that, that entails.

"After reading your letter, I can appreciate that you now have a deeper level of understanding that one of the main ideas, in what we practice and teach at JRRMAS is to help one get through the toughest of times.

Once a practitioner recognizes that and contemplates it in their daily practice, than things really start to change. At JRRMAS the main purpose of training is to maintain (or develop) 'robust health', mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually and to train for those times of great pressure and crisis.

So consequently, we train to stay calm, first and foremost, as that will allow us to be balanced, centered and strong, to believe in our self, keep a clear head and act decisively, with compassion"

Sifu

"Martial Arts training doesn't start until we confront ourselves"

Sifu

Internal Exercise Set - Part Two

The second installment of the Internal Exercise Set based on Master Haywards Twin Cities warm ups. This portion of the Set mainly involves stretching the neck, shoulders, arms and back.

Lesson 1:

Do these exercises daily!

with proprioceptive awareness

and proper alignment

with 100 percent concentration on observing and adjusting

and a relaxed muscular effort

celebrate when ever thing moves effortlessly and pain free!

Trouble uploading video to Studio Blog:(

Yep! I've thrown a few hours at the Studio Blog this morning....having tons of trouble's uploading another video clip of the 'internal warm ups' I shot yesterday morning. So.....I'm going to go practice now!!
I'll try again later....thanks for tuning in and thanks for your patience.

FYI - There is still time to sign up for the 'Special Training Seminar' I'm offering this coming Saturday 7/18 from 1-5 at the Studio. Fun time for all!!

Harvard Medical School's Harvard Health Publication - "Simple life style changes can have enormous impact on our longevity and quality of life"

Harvard Health Publications July 2009
We all know aging is an inevitable process, yet most of us are eager to maintain our health and enjoy our life in the most vibrant, vigorous way possible. We want to age gracefully, while retaining our vitality, energy, and memory. The good news is that simple lifestyle changes can have an enormous impact on our longevity and quality of life (*).
One of the most important factors to aging gracefully is avoiding the onset of common medical conditions. From heart disease and stroke to Alzheimer’s disease to hearing and memory loss, sidestepping these conditions can add years to your life and life to your years. It’s important to know the steps you can take to prevent these conditions and other common threats to your good health.
But it’s not just physical ailments that can impact your health in your later years. Keeping a sharp mind and memory is equally important. As many as two-thirds of people age 50 and over notice greater difficulty remembering names, appointments, and other details. But research has shown that our brains can keep growing new neurons (brain cells) and making new connections throughout life. People who keep learning (*) and stay mentally active increase their odds of retaining good brain function as they age. The more you use your brain (*), the stronger it gets — and the longer it stays strong.

Lesson 1:

(*) Developing a daily martial arts practice

can have an enormous impact on our health

mentally and physically, our quality of life and overall happiness

To be effective, that practice should include:

whole body exercises (That especially includes the mind),

with proprioceptive awareness of principles,

for strengthening (especially legs) and stretching,

solo forms (especially T'ai-Chi, Bagua) and basics,

weapons forms and basics,

qigong and standing meditation

NOTE:

To be effective it's imperative that practices are done with correct principles and concepts.

"The mind directs, the body follows" - Old Chinese Martial Arts saying

"Observe, then adjust according to principles" - Sifu

"When practicing, awareness of oneself is key" - Sifu

Always practice with a mental focus on observing oneself,

then, adjust according to correct internal and external principles and concepts,

Your goal is to practice with the correct spirit (inward feeling).

"Strive to be present and in the moment" - Sifu

Lesson 2:

Pay attention to injury management,

properly attend to injury and illnesses

adjust your practice,

so that you can do it daily!

Lesson 3:

*A note to those that are on the ‘path’ to Mastery:

Eventually, your daily practice will become a daily routine just like brushing your teeth and bathing. With personal hygiene, one learns to adjust around injuries and illness.

There are occasions when it may be impossible to do our daily hygiene, because of illness or injury, but, as soon as you are able to, you would immediately get back to the daily routine of bathing and brushing, right?

For those that are on the ‘path’ to Mastery, if there was an interruption to their daily practice, they would return to it as soon as they were able to. Now their art has been elevated to the same status in their personal life, as bathing and brushing! That's a Master!!

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American Karate-Do - Self Defense Technique - The Lever

Studetns LS and SG practice the second Self-Defense Technique, The Lever.

Lesson 1:

This is an medium escalated version of the lever

defending against single lapel grab with a straight arm.

There is a de-escalated version with no counter attack

and a more escalated version with multiple counters

ending in a take down or throw

Lesson 2:

In a potential Self-Defense situation

asses the amount of force you need to defend yourself

with the use of force continuum in mind.

It's always better to avoid physical conflict whenever possible

and to use the least amount of force necessary to subdue the attacker

to allow you enough time to escape.

Modern Arnis - Slap off and re-grab drill

Sifu and JRRMAS staff member LS practice the Modern Arnis counter the counter, slap off and re-grab drill

Lesson 1:

The attacker (LS) strikes with one of the 12 angles of attack,

Sifu block, checks and counters the original attack,

The attacker stops the counter with their 'live hand',

either on the inside or the outside of the fore arm (Sifu's)

Then Sifu will either

'slap off'

then..... re-counter from the same side

or

're-grab'

then..... re-counter from the same side

Lesson 2:

A central theme in Modern Arnis is to 'Counter the Counter': 'Tapi Tapi'

.....infinitely....

until you steal their time

and achieve a superior body position,

Until you find

or create the opening

allowing you to successfully Counter their Counter!

Lesson 3:

This is an excellent drill for skill acquisition!

American Karate-Do - Self Defense Technique - Crash of the Eagle

Students LS and SG practice Crash of the Eagle, a defense against a rear shoulder grab or push. This is first required self-defense technique for rank in the American Karate-Do system in it's medium 'escalated' form with a single back fist/hammer fist counter attack. It's more escalated form would have multiple counter attacks ending in a take down or throw.

Lesson 1:

In Crash of the Eagles 'de-escalated' form

students first learn to step forward,

turn quickly to face the attacker

and with a descending elbow,

break the hold (or regain balance from a push),

then,

withought countering,

but with awareness,

simply ......step away from the attacker

with your hands up in front of your face,

palms out,

fingers spread,

projecting a peaceful (but secretively defensive) hand position

then to look for a means of escape..........

then......ESCAPE!

Lesson 2:

The sole purpose of self-defense is to ESCAPE!

Wudang Sword - Split practice

Internal Exercise Set - Part One

This is the first two exercises at beginning of what I'm calling the "Internal Exercise Set".

It's a set that I've based on Master Haywards Warm Up Exercises with a few additions and variations.

Trouble uploading better quality video...

Hi everyone....just to let you know that I've trying to upload a video clip from my new Cannon video camera....for the past 4 hours!

Anyway...thanks for bearing with me and for tuning in!

Just a reminder about the Special Training Seminar that I'm giving on Saturday July 18th from 1-5 PM
Click of 'Seminars' in the label column to your left to see more information on the Seminar

Well, I spent another few hours at it and I just can't seem to get the video to upload and now it's time to go in to the Studio to teach classes. So.....I'll try again tomorrow. Working through this computer/digital video stuff and keeping ones central equilibrium, is good for the practice. Breathing deeply in Leyden:)

Wudang Sword basic Stab practice

Sifu and JRRMAS Staff members WF, SK and BL practice lines of basic Stabs (Thrusts) with Broadswords.

Lesson 1:

Take any single technique

the more basic the technique is ....the better!

Choose your technique wisely.....

One, that is a common denominator to the Art or Form

Then.....while paying attention to principles and details

repeat the single technique in a line or row

amassing as many repetitions as you have the capacity for

Remember the idea is develop and refine .....

Changing the way you do the technique should happen daily...

Because:

Mastery is the goal!

Lesson 2:

To achieve Mastery in Martial Arts...

Correct practice is essential!

A basic level that is available to everyone is around 10,000 (correct) repetitions

Mastery is only available to those with a life long,

regular daily practice and is around 36,000 repetitions!

Repeating rows of the basic, is the main practice method

Rows makes it relatively easy to repeat the basic 100 or more times in one practice session

Then the secret is to do that practice daily......

It's amazing how quickly the repetitions will amass!

Modern Arnis - Redonda - Forward and Reverse

JRRMAS Staff member PH practices Redonda with Brown Belt student AG.

Lesson 1:

Redonda.....

one circle on the same side

two circle's on the opposite side

The first strike crosses over when going forward

and under when doing the reverse

train both sides simultaneously

Keep the beats even

especially in between side changes

and feel the one, two, three...it's a triplet.....without accents....

add in Rompida and Abinico

Now add stance work...forward, backward and to the sides

It's all there....study the nature of circles, timing and momentum

Truly marvelous practice!

Modern Arnis application from Stick Form 1

JRRMAS Staff member PR leads a recent class in an application exercise based on the first Stick Form (Anyo).

Lesson 1:

In order to lead the mind properly during solo practice...

it's imperative that the practitioner is able to visualize the application of the movement

Practicing the applications of the forms with a partner is the 'secret'

to higher level solo practice...

Visualizating the applications will give the practitioner the correct 'feeling' of the solo gesture

Lesson 2:

"The mind directs, the body follows"

6 year old practices Single Sinawalli

Sifu and his 6 year old (he is now 7) Grandson DR practice Modern Arnis' Single Sinawalli with padded sticks, before the Youth Karate-Do class. Besides stick work DR has been exposed to the Jian (double edged straight sword) and the Broadsword. He very much enjoys the weapons practices with Sifu.

Lesson 1:

When teaching younger students weapons...

The practice always starts and ends with respect!

The weapons should be fun ...but it's NOT play time.....

The practices should be formal and with a qualified teacher

Younger students should learns to hit weapon to weapon first..

NOT weapon to body!

Lesson 2:

Correct weapons training

will greatly speed up the training process of your empty hand techniques,

proper relaxation

and whole body power.

It will help to strengthen you hands, wrists, arms and shoulders.....

it will also help to keep the joints moving properly with good flexibility and range of motion.

Lesson 3:

Weapons training is an excellent addition to an overall health maintenance program

as it will help to keep your hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders strong and flexible.

Grand Master T. T. Liang was still able to write calligraphy when he was well over 100 years old and was still practicing double Dao (Broadsword) and Jian (double edged straight sword) forms well into his 90's! He still remains such an inspiration!