Protective Arts

STEALING FROM THE MASTERS – JKD and KENPO

Aikido is an energetic system – we require a partner to train effectively and ultimately need the partner’s intent to inform our responses. This fact leads some to conclude that Aikido is a defensive art because it does not appear to emphasize attack and its marketing history decries violence. Nevertheless, when one actually studies what O’Sensei and other prominent Shihan have demonstrated and written, it is abundantly clear that attacks are a primary means of eliciting a response from uke to force a line of response – thereby “controlling the encounter” or in the more poetic (obtuse) phrase – “winning before the battle is enjoined.” Ignoring the debates of the moral superiority of this approach to a violent encounter, let us focus on the reason or the logic of training in this manner.

All training is by definition a complicit encounter. We are trying to cultivate a trained response to a dynamic encounter – therefore neither the attack nor the response can be random: if it were the chance of an injury is guaranteed. Given the inherent limitation of training (vs fighting) a partner based method (vs a solo or kata based) is an expedited training method – it requires us to focus on our personal movements as well as our partners.

Because of this – quite often I see people trying to “train” uke to respond in a prescriptive manner. In order to train a technique both players must adhere to the logic of the encounter: what is uke trying to do and how is nage contending with that intention. Therefore – both players are executing at the most basic understanding a choreographed – i.e. prescribed – movement pattern in order to understand how both parts of the action relate and comprise a unified action. The inherent danger is that often uke is taught how to “follow.” This is a misleading (if sometimes useful) verb. I personally find it an offensive verb because if I follow as uke, then my self-directed action, my intention, is all “given” to nage leading to dangerous metaphorical understandings of the art – “it’s a lot like dancing.” No it isn’t! [1]

So while “teaching” ukeme and learning to follow a lead is sometimes a useful teaching tool, it is a very dangerous one because it can lead quickly to an empty pattern of movement – devoid of the logic of combat, which I submit, must be the primary basis to inform your movement patterns. If it isn’t combat effective, then why do it?

How then should uke train? Once the rudimentary movements are learned – the basic pattern of response – then start to think: “How would I best position myself given the limitations of my current body position, my available weapons, and my proximity to my partner in order to deliver a lethal counter strike?”

These notes are reminders for an outline of a series of courses on the “why” for our lines of movement that should help facilitate the “how” in executing them.

Aikido’s traditional ki-hon techniques may in fact capture the range of human motion within the compendium of its curriculum, but it is not presented in a ‘systemic’ manner. For that I baldly plagiarize the following from Kenpo with only minor modifications from Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kun Do (JKD) five methods of attack:

Please remember that Bruce Lee was a great student and connoisseur of motion. He borrowed heavily from fencing (read his note books) and recognized many of the important combat lessons this “sport” still has to teach. Primary among them is the realization of ranges – “4 Combat Ranges” – were instrumental in becoming a “total” martial artist.

The four ranges of combat: Kicking / Punching / Trapping / Grappling: Originally labeled short / close / medium and Long. But these were ambiguous labels since they are relative, hence the evolution to the more descriptive forms based on the tools available to the players. The discussion of ranges is tied to “True Times” which are also ranges that play on the segmentation of combat distance (maai)

The strong-side lead is another fencing lesson adapted to empty hand – which derives from the observation that the best defense is a strong offence, hence the principle of “Intercepting” and the preference for a strong-side lead. Lee believed that in order for an opponent to attack someone they had to move towards them. This provided an opportunity to “intercept” that attack or movement. The principle of interception covers more than just intercepting physical attacks. Lee believed that many non-verbals and telegraphs (subtle movements that an opponent is unaware of) could be perceived or “intercepted” and thus be used to one’s advantage. The “5 Ways of Attack“ are attacking categories that help organize the repertoire. The concepts of Stop hits & stop kicks and simultaneous parrying & punching were borrowed from European Fencing and Wing Chun’s theory of simultaneous defending and attacking.

Five Ways Of Attack

Single Angle Attack (SAA)/Single Direct Attack (SDA). Is a single motion (Punch or Kick) which moves with no effort to conceal it, directly to the target on the most economical route. It can also be indirect, beginning on one line and ending on another. Such as a punch that starts to the stomach (mid line) and ends on the chin (high line). SAA is an attack that is launched from an unanticipated angle that is achieved by moving in such a way as to create an open line into which to strike.
Hand Immobilization Attack (HIA) and its counterpart Foot Immobilization attack, which make use of trapping/parrying to limit the opponent’s function with that appendage.
Progressive Indirect Attack (PIA). Simulating an attack to one part of the opponent’s body followed by attacking another part as a means of creating an opening.
Attack By Combinations (ABC). This is using multiple rapid attacks, with volume of attack as a means of overcoming the opponent.
Attack By Drawing (ABD). The goal when using attack by draw is to “draw” the opponent into a committed attack by baiting him into what looks like an exposed target, then intercepting his/her motion. One can execute a motion that invites a counter, then counter attack them as he takes the bait.

Three Parts of JKD JKD practitioners believe that techniques should contain the following properties

Efficiency – An attack that reaches its mark using the maximum amount of energy and applying it to a single point in the least amount of time.
Directness – Doing what comes naturally in a learned way.
Simplicity – Thinking in an uncomplicated manner; without ornamentation.

Simultaneous parrying & punching
When confronting an incoming attack, the attack is parried or deflected and a counter attack is delivered at the same time. Not as advanced as a stop hit but more effective than blocking and counter attacking in sequence. This is also practiced by some Chinese martial arts. Simultaneous parrying & punching utilizes the principle of economy of motion by combining attack and defense into two movements thus minimizing the “time” element and maximizing the “energy” element. Efficiency is gained by utilizing a parry rather than a block. By definition a “block” stops an attack whereas a parry merely re-directs an attack. Redirection has two advantages: It requires less energy to execute. It utilizes the opponents energy against them by creating an imbalance. Efficiency is also gained in that the opponent has less time to react to the nullification of their attack while having to worry about defending an incoming attack.

In addition to the forms of attack – the development of “laws” also provides a framework for thinking:

Kenpo Law #1: The Circle and the Line
The first law of kenpo states that when your opponent charges straight in and attacks, you should use your feet to move your body along a circular path. You should also consider moving your arms in a circular pattern to deflect the oncoming force.

When your opponent attacks you in a circular fashion, however, you should respond with a fast linear attack —along a straight line from your weapon to his target. Just as the circle can overcome the line, the line can overcome the circle.

Kenpo Law #2: Strike First
This principle has several meanings. First, it indicates that kenpo is primarily a striking art. The second meaning is that if a confrontation is inevitable you should not wait for the aggressor to attack first. The kenpo curriculum also includes numerous grappling and throwing techniques, but research has shown they are used in less than 25 percent of the encounters practitioners have found themselves in, and they are ineffective against multiple attackers. Because grappling uses more strength and energy than does striking and is therefore deemed a last resort suitable for use only if your opponent penetrates your primary lines of defense: your feet and fists.

Kenpo Law #3: Multiple Strikes
Kenpo teaches to strike first and strike often in rapid succession— high, low, straight in and along a circular path. While unleashing such rapid-fire strikes, it becomes difficult to kiai (shout) in conjunction with each one. Therefore, you should forget about issuing a kiai with each blow; in fact, doing so means you are expending excess energy. Your first and second strikes should be designed to stun, distract and slow your opponent. Your third and, if necessary, fourth strikes are the power blows. Remember the kenpo maxim: First set your opponent up, then take him out.

Kenpo Law #4: Targets
Attack “soft” targets. No one ever broke his knuckle punching an attacker’s temple, no one ever fractured his instep kicking an attacker’s groin and no one ever injured his knifehand striking an attacker’s throat. In Japan the makiwara board is used to toughen the hands, and in Thailand muay Thai fighters harden their shins by kicking banana trees. Kenpo teaches the path of least resistance and least pain (for the practitioner). Precisely targeting the temple, face, nose, neck, solar plexus, stomach, groin and floating ribs is superior to simply pummeling away on random parts of the aggressor’s body.

Kenpo Law #5: Kicking
Kenpo’s mandate to kick low is based on logic. A roundhouse kick and spinning reverse crescent kick to the head may be flashy and impressive, but such maneuvers take longer to execute because your leg has to travel farther. They also expose your groin to your opponent’s kick. Because kicking high requires superior balance and focus, you should practice your leg techniques high. But deliver them low for self-defense. Furthermore, kicking low to the legs—attacks the “pillar”—so as to break your opponent’s balance or his leg.

Kenpo Law #6: No Block
Kenpo emphasizes economy of movement and economy of time. Hence, its no-block principle teaches that to avoid being struck by a punch or kick, you should move the target. The most advanced defense taught in the martial arts, it was perhaps best expressed by the old Shaolin priest in the Kung Fu television series: “Avoid rather than check; check rather than block; block rather than strike; strike rather than hurt; hurt rather than maim; maim rather than kill—for all life is precious.” Strategically, a block is a wasted move because it does not stop your opponent from attacking again with his free limb. It is much better to move yourself out of the way of his punch or kick and simultaneously counterattack.

Kenpo Law #7: Yielding and Redirecting
Yielding and redirecting are best exemplified by the symbol of yin and yang (soft and hard). When your opponent attacks hard, you should counterattack soft. If he is weaker than you or attacks soft, you should counterattack hard to end the encounter quickly and directly. Aikido includes many techniques that rely on the same principle of yielding and redirecting. In most karate systems, however, blocking is extremely hard and may injure not only the attacker but also the blocker. For the most part, kenpo does not adhere to this concept of “a block is a strike.” Instead, it teaches you to block soft and strike hard. Redirecting is also of paramount importance. Many arts teach their practitioners to use a downward block to stop a front kick, resulting in the hammer fist being slammed into the attacker’s instep. But such an impact can break the blocking hand or arm. Kenpo teaches that it is preferable to parry your opponent’s leg to the side and spin him off-balance before you counterattack hard. Such a redirecting movement will usually disrupt his balance and leave him vulnerable.

Kenpo Law #8: Mobility
Mobility may be the easiest kenpo principle to understand. It holds that a moving target is harder to hit than a stationary one. As basic as that sounds, many martial artists fail to implement it. Kenpo teaches that there are three types of fighters: the statue, who has little mobility and will not retreat; the runner, who has to be chased around the ring; and the steamroller, who just keeps coming at you. If you are any one of these, be careful because you are predictable and can thus be defeated. To transcend mediocrity, you must mix things up and no matter what, keep moving. If your stance is upright and your movement is good, you will be able to put yourself in a superior position relative to your opponent.

Kenpo Law #9: Flexibility
The law of flexibility is the law of survival. Kenpo is unique in that it adapts to your build, personality and spirit. The old kenpo masters showed their wisdom when they proclaimed that in a fight you should use what you know best and forget about the sanctity of the style. Every practitioner has different attributes that can make him or her effective. The law of flexibility allows them all to develop their own repertoire of techniques from within kenpo.

Kenpo Law #10: The Warrior Spirit
The final principle of kenpo is composed of two essential components: the internal and external. A rabid dog may pose a formidable threat, but it possesses only the external component of the warrior spirit. Inside, the animal is not thinking. To have a complete warrior spirit, you must be ferocious on the outside but calm and tranquil on the inside.
Samurai warriors used to say that any day is a good day to die. That did not mean they sought death. On the contrary, they wanted to preserve life— especially their own. But they knew that if they went into battle with fear in their heart, they could die or sustain a serious injury. They knew that only by embracing and accepting death could they focus everything on the physical task at hand: defeating the enemy. Your kiai, facial expressions, stance and on-guard position must all work in unison. Following the principle of yin and yang, you should be hard on the outside and soft on the inside. When used in this way, warrior spirit can be more important than physical skill.

See TACTICS – BEYOND THE ONE HIT KILL

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[1] Unless we approach our understanding of dance as a means of teaching the body martial movement patterns – which many forms were… but even then the metaphor is backwards – dance is like martial arts, and the reciprocal isn’t really true. On martial dances.

HUBUD AND REACTION DRILLS

“Why do you teach other drills, why don’t you stay with Aikido?” First I warned you at the onset that I am being selfish and I am experimenting. Furthermore, I am not convinced the traditional methods of monkey-see monkey-do teaching are the best. Nor am I convinced that the exercises always get to the meat of the matter. Over the years I have watched my instructors experiment and develop and expand their understanding and I am inspired by their example (With a Chomsky-inspired linguistic bent, Mulligan Sensei once said, “Aikido should be generative”). I also warned you that I try to steal from everyone – not to create a hybrid, but rather to deepen my appreciation and understanding of the art of movement.

The art of movement. Aikido is my “mother tongue” but one should learn to speak many languages in order to explore the richness of communication. So, I introduce new phrases to make you appreciate the richness of your own lexicon.

One element in Aikido that has troubled me deeply is the ‘one hit, one kill’ premise. This premise leads to a dangerous ‘artifact of training.’ Let me explain. After I returned from Japan, I started training karate to enhance my Aikido (Okamoto Sensei disagreed with the pithy comment, ‘one lifetime, one art’). At the time I saw the arts as different yet complimentary – puzzle pieces that fit together to make a better whole. Regardless of the ultimate relationship of the arts to each other, what I realized was a limitation Aikido fostered in me – the idea that a successful hit ‘ended’ the encounter. It was in my first kumite – sparring bout – when I landed a well-timed side kick on my opponent that I reflexively stopped. In my mind I knew I had ‘won.’ However, the bout did not end and my opponent recovered and proceeded to land a series of punches. It took me a while to recognize that the fight was still on. Training in Aikido had ‘conditioned’ me to stop after a successful technique. A conditioned reflex – an artifact of training.

It is because of this lesson that I occasionally “mix it up” by including reactive training methods. In the past I have shown this with a yokomen, gyaku-yokomen double attack sequence. Most recently I have used a very rudimentary hubud lubud drill.

Despite being cribbed from the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA), hubud is familiar to Aikidoists as, yokomen countered with ashi-sabaki ikkyo with the added two beats of a trap and terminal punch (ask me in class if this doesn’t make sense to you). So as a drill it shouldn’t feel too strange to your body. What confuses people is the tempo of the delivery. It is a ballistic drill with a quick tempo not terribly familiar to most Aikidoists. That is because it is a reactive drill – meaning it is designed to improve your reactions. Reaction training should improve your coordination. The better coordinated you are with the specific movements, the faster you can perform them. First, however, you need to know what to look for before you can react. To develop your ability to react, you need to know what it is about your opponent’s movement that will cue you to the proper response.

Hubud starts as a simple oblique angle attack – a feed from the side (like yokomen or a haymaker punch or Angle 1). This gives you time to recognize the threat and set up the response. (Later it can become a straight thrust.) Given the set stimulus, you can focus on recognizing the cues and build on successful repetitions. Remember we are training to succeed and not fail, therefore we must always gain in proper repetitive actions.

Successful repetition is defined as increasing your ability to recognize telegraphing movements that your partners present when they are preparing or just beginning to deliver an attack. Watch for the ‘tells’ before the attack is delivered: changes of expression, movement of the eyes, shifts in balance, footwork, positioning, posture, etc. that present themselves before the actual attack. If you can see a tell in your opponent – learn how to minimize them in yourself. Further successful repetitions leading to ‘seeing’ the attack before it is delivered will increase your perceptual speed, allowing you to become ‘faster’ in the response. By recognizing the signs of an imminent attack earlier, you will have more time to process what is happening and therefore more time to respond. Hubud should allow you to readily work on the threat recognition. You know it will be yokomen(esque) so the ‘correct’ response in the drill is simple – get in an ‘intercepting’ strike (aka gyaku hanmi block). That is beat one of a four beat drill.

Strike – (1) intercept (2) redirect (3) trap (4) strike, which starts the sequence for your partner to start their 4 beat response. Notice because it is an even beat count that the pattern is right to right, or left to left. But more importantly for Aikidoists, notice that it is a 1 to 4 response pattern. You are doing four movements for every one provided by your partner. And then the sequence repeats without a ‘conclusion.’ So it is reactive – meaning a quick stimulus-response(s) – drill combined with a constant movement. No conditioned stopping point. This is a different psychology of training than most of us are used to. An “Ouroboros” loop.

To improve on reactions – one simply adds levels of challenge (faster, more pressure, different angles of approach, etc.) but avoid adding fake movements of feints until a high level of proficiency has already been achieved. We don’t want to ingrain flinches or poor responses. I have introduced reactive drills sparingly. It is clear that transitioning from relatively slow coordinated practice (i.e. “normal” training) to reacting smoothly within fast-paced reaction drills is a challenge. Skills will break down initially when you are under pressure. However, they will improve through practice under pressure. This is a normal part of the process. Don’t let it discourage you. Training for reaction requires a structured and progressive approach. Developing sound coordination and a good understanding of the cues and proper responses involved are prerequisites – hence a ‘simple’ hubud drill as one tool to learn from. By gradually adding pressure that allows you to reach just a little above your current skill level, you will make progress quickly, and you will continue to see improvement. Going too fast and too hard can lead to sloppy results and bad habits. That must be avoided at all costs. Remember, the goal is to use drills to bridge our skills up to the level required for application.

But this is a reaction drill: didn’t you say to react was to fail (the old action is faster than reaction example)? Indeed – hubud is a way to train a reaction, but the training method is not the end goal – it is a means to a better end.

This morning I presented two interpretive entries on irimi – first from “elbow shield 2” and then from a scallop cut to the triceps. Neither should be construed as “the” entry since both are (to my mind) just training tools to show how to establish a connection to uke. They are physical metaphors. Otherwise I would simply present the “how” to do limb destruction rather that the “why” to move. I am not sure how better to stress it other than to repeat the idea that one must first know how to destroy before once has the choice to connect. We are striving to develop the higher level skill set of empowered choice.

I ended class with the simple hubud drill connection to ashi sabaki‘s exercise. It is easier to show that to write about – but I am using the exercise to remind us all to ‘trade’ multiple beats for every one we are given and furthermore to use the multiple beats tactically as rhythm disruption, ‘flinch’ training and speed augmentation. Ultimately I am hopeful that this will become ingrained so as to result in a smoother ‘flow’ (rather than a staccato) so as to ‘look’ more like a ‘one breath’ response [which I suggest semantically disguises how many actions must take place]. Sorry – not trying to be cryptic but these notes rely on the context of the classroom presentations.

And emphatically yes, I am ‘borrowing’ from other arts to enhance my understanding of Aikido. My premise is that all arts are the study of human motion and none have primacy, therefore the quest of understanding universal lines of motion can glean evidence from every source.

This is a link to Hubud training tips from JAK and reposted below for redundancy to ensure ease of reference:

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I have made a blend of the best hubud methodologies with those skills from the Snake and Crane arts. It is a decent union, each unique aspect of each of the three arts compliment one other. There is no conflict of styles. There is only smooth, unstoppable flow. Like a river (hubud) and its tributaries (snake & crane) a great force is thus built. That which opposes it often gets swept away in the current and unseen undertow’s. This is mind boxing at it’s best when properly learned. Knowing and using jing energy with Hubud is also helpful and this skill originates from Kung Fu.

I guess the primary thing to address in this article about the ten biggest sins of hubud training is to first identify what hubud is for those lacking first hand knowledge of it. Hubud Lubud means “to tie up and to untie” and this is why some people have said it is similar to a wing chun exercise known as chi sao. Hubud lubud is the basis in the FMA (Filipino martial arts) for trapping, striking, locking and various weapon applications as well. It also values the aspect of adherence as does the afore mentioned chi sao drill of kung fu. Hubud unlike chi sao is a multi-range method. Chi sao is a close quarter method only. Hubud on the other hand can play in three ranges and with weapons added too. Personally I feel hubud has more to offer than does chisao. The entire chisao connection has been way too overrated simply due to it’s association with Bruce Lee’s passing fancy with it. Yes, Bruce used chisao during a certain period of his development, but later moved past it in lieu of faster, better methods of developing skill. To blend the skills of chi sao with those of hubud lubud should be the goal of most modern fighters who employ these particular arts in their personal matrix of defense. Where chi sao holds center, hubud gives center, ah, the best of both worlds then. Do not see these methods as being different. Instead see them as “complimentary” to one another. Ok, let us take a look at some of the more common pitfalls that a person can encounter when learning and training in the various hubud lubud methods.

1. Releasing the trap:
To trap or tie up the opponents limbs is a large part of getting to the root of hubud. But what I most often encounter is anything but a trap. Why? Because most people simply release it. You see, hubud is a four count exercise. There is the initial deflection (startle response), followed then by the “carry” done with the back of the hand, next comes the slap or lift to trap (immobilize) the arm and last is the finishing blow. One, two, three, four movements and the hubud cycle is complete. The third movement (the slap or lift) must be kept in place. To simply slap the opponents arm and then release it is to defeat the purpose of the entire drill! I have asked many people if they “know hubud.” Most say yes they do, but find little value to hubud because it is a waste of time and has no real applications. Every one of them released the trap instead of making the opponent release it. Without that critical understanding and the proper energy (pressure) the drill makes no sense. It swiftly becomes a slippity-slap pile of crap. But it’s not the Hubud system that is at fault. It is a classic case of user error once again. Doh!

2. Knowing only one way and only on one side:
Here is another pitfall that seems to plague the practice of hubud. It is a pitfall that common sense could fix but most do not catch the slip. Too many people can only do hubud on one side, usually the weapon bearing side. You see it is the weapon applications of hubud that encourages the lop-sided effect. It’s an understandable mistake that should be corrected. Hubud is most often learned in a seminar setting. The use of a knife or stick makes for a faster way of learning hubud, so it’s a one sided application. Many never go beyond that surface level introduction to the hubud family of drills.

3. Having no ability to seamlessly switch sides (going from right to left without stopping)
So let us assume that you now have both right and left sided hubud under control. Now you must have a connecting piece. Like the master link in a motorcycle chain the hubud switch element is what brings it all together. There are many ways to “switch” sides, each switch is unique and teaches us another trap, a disengagement, a counter to a counter or a means of creating opening for a strike. Without the magical “switch” the hubud matrix cannot be fully realized. In fact the ability to effectively switch is a gigantic, critical piece of the overall skill set. Yet all too often I encounter those who say that they “know hubud” yet lack any ability to link the sides and concepts from a switch.

4. Thinking that hubud is just another drill rather than seeing it as an entire sub-system unto itself:
Seminar hubud is the most commonly seen version of hubud that people are aware of. What is called seminar hubud is the medio range application. There is the long range version too. It’s called panatuken style. The closest range is the siko version of hubud. The elbow is used exclusively in this range. Hubud has three ways to engage as well. The startle response parry is simply the easiest to teach, hence the most commonly found. There are one handed versions of hubud, there are exterior and interior lines of hubud. Each is different, but still the same. Sounds wild doesn’t it? Well it is and it’s a blast to grasp the entire system versus random pieces of the system. That is why you should come train and study with us – hubud is that good and you deserve to see the true picture for what it is. Did you know that hubud can be done with the legs as well as the upper body? Hubud with the legs is very similar to the kake nempal drills of silat.

5. Use of hubud one dimensionally, a limited purpose:
When I do encounter someone who can do hubud fairly well I find that they still lack insight into the depths of this wonderful exercise. For example if they practice hubud with the single stick then that is it. They never do it with the knife or the empty hand, just the stick because that is how they were first taught the drill, so there it stays. One dimensional training with hubud is a big problem. When one cannot define the multi-level character of hubud in a real time scenario then I say “You don’t know hubud”! You know one way, on one side, at one range. Very limited stuff – again the drill may not have much to offer at that limited point. But this is user error at work again. It is not a flaw within the hubud lubud family of motion.

6. Not understanding how to untie yourself once you are tied up:
To tie up your opponents limbs and take them out of action is the purpose of hubud. This then allows you slip in a blow or two and escape unharmed. But what if it is you that gets tied up? This is why you must focus upon the escape element. The trap and the escape from the trap share a 50/50 role in the hubud training. There is a science behind the “untie” (or escape)phase part of the hubud drill. It involves torque, body mechanics and sensitivity. Listen my friends, once you learn the science (the applied physics) behind this untie-escape element you really begin to appreciate the higher levels of martial art teachings. Many things begin to make sense that you were taught years earlier. Your quest for knowledge will have came full circle. It will then be time to recapitulate and to contemplate all of the many magnificent things that you know, but didn’t know you knew. IE: “remember to forget, because if you try to remember, you’ll forget”. I most heartily concur!

7. Not integrating hubud with other existing abilities:
Hubud can be a stand alone method or it can be a very slick trick to add onto an existing art such as karate, grappling, boxing or even football. Many professional NFL teams have been taught the secrets of hubud as part of their arsenal of the defensive line. Hubud’s universal nature allows it to fit in nicely with just about any discipline you want to apply it to. To use the abilities you garner from hubud practice to enhance your other abilities is genius. Plus, it makes the hubud knowledge come alive and provides some really fertile ground for future growth.

8. To not understand and apply “quadrant play” to hubud training:
Each and every time that limbs or weapons cross that briefly forms a “quadrant”. Meaning there are four gates that appear, four quadrants. By exploring each quadrant on your own (you do not need an instructor for this) you find out what is available to you. It may be a strike or a lock or even a throw. But it is an important aspect because hubud crosses and uncrosses with each of the four moves. Just slow it down some, take time to see the quadrants at each of the four points and then have fun, explore and learn!

9. To miss the energy connection. To have the moves, but lack the all critical “feeling”:
Over the years I met men who learned hubud from a DVD or book. They have the technical lines down well. Meaning the physical movements of hubud could possibly be learned by just watching someone do the exercise. But the pressure, the force or energy in properly done hubud is a rather distinctive thing. Too many people just know the moves of hubud lubud, the energy aspect of hubud is often overlooked and misunderstood. It takes getting together with someone who does know the correct energies to fully learn the how, why and when of these energies. Yeah I know, it all sounds sort of iffy eh? Well don’t let that stop you from learning this valuable material. The reason I exist is to guide you through this phase and lock in the vital knowledge you seek and deserve. Give it a chance, step up, hubud nor myself will disappoint you I promise. Come share the moment with us in an upcoming event. I’ll make sure you understand the hidden energy of hubud lubud myself. The energy is such a big part of hubud and it needs to be brought forth.

10. To miss the double tap connection: Pitter patter or paralysis?
Many disparage hubud as a mere pitter patter slapping game. It is a misunderstood four count sequence of actions and it is done in a fast slapping manner hence the “pitter patter” term. The double tap is at the middle of the set. Bam, bam! Fast and stinging! Now see that there are blocks that use muscle and bone to stop any opposing muscle and bone based attacks. In the case of hubud the double taps block the signal from their brain to their limbs. This in turns causes a blank-out. A form a momentary paralysis of both body and mind. This effects performance, intent and more – thus allowing you plenty of time to strike or escape. The hubud application truly does go beyond the physical realm. It is a high art, science walks shoulder to shoulder with skill. Hubud can cause effects in our opponents that are profound, once we touch them everything changes for them. So to those who still think that hubud is a pitter patter drill with no real purpose, please reconsider. Perhaps you misunderstood the material or never gave it a chance. For 2016 I will be doing a special Hubud Only seminar. And a DVD as well. This is in order to more fully explain the hubud family sub-system and to shed some positive light on an incredible skill set.

Conclusion: Timing, combat applications, rhythm and footwork all improve once you understand how to employ hubud as a ballistic overtraining device. Hubud in it’s myriad of forms is an ideal “fight simulator” allowing you to really hone in on specific training goals. I will be showing how this works to those who can train hubud with me in person. Your static and ballistic skills will be greatly enhanced through this advanced training mentality which hubud supplies. The swift, sure methods of hubud bring forth the latent speed and deception you already possess. Hubud training is the key to bringing it all together in a cohesive manner. Once you reach this level, you may then discard the hubud framework proper and just flow into total spontaneity. Hubud leads you to the thresh hold of combat creativity and spontaneous ability. Hubud is a vehicle that can be used to go anywhere in your training regimen and make it better. Develop yourself and help others develop their skills by understanding how hubud fits into the teaching, growth, enlightenment triad of power. Grasp this stuff and you’ll be a good fighter and a great Guro as well!

1. Releasing the Trap (Tie-up)
2. Knowing but one way, on one side only
3. Having no connecting right-left switch to link sides (and skills)
4. Perceiving Hubud to be just a “drill” rather than a minor sub-system unto itself.
5. Using Hubud one dimensionally, for limited purposes.
6. Not Understanding “how” to un-tie yourself and Why it is done
7. Not integrating Hubud with other existing abilities
8. To not practice “quadrant play” and discover Hubud’s secrets from it
9. To miss the energy connection. To have the moves, but lack the all critical “feeling”
10. To miss the double tap connection: Pitter patter or paralysis?

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OODA LOOP

I was introduced to John Boyd’s OODA loop when taking a defensive fire-arm class. Boyd was a successful fighter pilot in the Korean War – he also had an analytic bent and distilled his experiences in a series of briefings.

Boyd never wrote down his ideas about the OODA Loop in a formal paper; he only shared his thoughts in oral briefings. However, those briefings (which evolved over time) have been well studied, and in his Science, Strategy, and War (2005) Frans P.B. Osinga consolidates Boyd’s disparate briefs, notes, and lectures to show how the implications of the OODA Loop extend far beyond a simple four-step process. Nevertheless, the steps provide the basic framework.

The central tenant was (in good military fashion) is the acronym OODA which stands for: Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. It is a good shorthand reminder of proper strategic thinking.

The power of the concept is that it makes explicit that which is usually implicit. It takes the basic method to employ to think, decide, and operate in the world and codifies them into a strategic system that can allow you to succeed in the chaos of battle. It is a learning system, a method for dealing with uncertainty, and a strategy for winning.

At its simplest – the ODDA loop is showing how to keep adapting as information is received:

Boyd continued to refine and expand this concept adding greater granularity, but for our purposes, the simpler the better. The loop can help provide a framework for processing information in a rapidly changing environment. So let’s unpack the four phases.

Observe

Insert here – zanshin – or Cooper’s condition yellow – a state of relaxed heightened awareness.[1] If you are constantly observing then you remain open to new information so as not to be caught unaware. New information allows us to form new mental models. The first Jason Bourne movie (The Bourne Identity, 2002) is a great example of the continuous processing of information using excellent situational awareness. In daily self-defense, observing means things like knowing where all the exits are, noticing congregations of young males, or other statistical threats, or just noticing those elements that are out of place. Subtle cues that suggest something isn’t “normal” and therefore merits focused attention.[2]

Orient

Focused attention – you now orient on that information that piqued your attention: what is it precisely that made you look twice? At this point, the information is something to keep tabs on – we have only imperfect information but need to keep observing in case new information shows it to be a threat.

Orienting is where our mental model exists – where we ‘process’ the information and shapes how we observe. To get good at orienting you must be willing to jettison comfortable paradigms in favor of ones that match current reality. Boyd called this process ‘destructive deduction.’ One of the best examples of this process is found in the brilliant 13 Rue Madeleine (1947) where the agents are tested on their ability to distinguish a car backfire from a gunshot.[3] How we process information is largely contextual and most people are hesitant to star ripping apart their mental constructs into discrete parts in order to reform a better hypothesis. This is a continual process; as soon as you create that new mental concept, it will quickly become outdated as new information is received. So how do we not get stuck in always orienting? Have a plethora of mental models – familiarize yourself with numerous theories and fields of knowledge as possible. Have a plan and act the plan. Constantly challenge your thinking – dismiss doctrine and dogma even if you think it is correct. In short, start destroying and creating mental models. “Sensei, does this really work?” Your fluency in destroying and creating mental models will only come with practice, so start doing it as much as you can. Have others challenge your paradigm. “Does Aikido work against karate?” Try to validate mental models before operation. I have asked other instructors from other arts present on their methods so as to expand your mental models – in Kenpo they do this, in Karate that, etc., so as to break rigid thinking and to validate your new models – “So does this technique work in this environment against that opponent?”

Decide

Boyd expanded much on the decision step – it is the “component in which actors decide among action alternatives generated in the Orientation phase.” But all we can ever do is make the best decision based upon the information at hand – and we always have imperfect information of our environment. At this stage you select your action plan. The more experience (“I have been encountered this before”), the shorter the orienting phase, the quicker the decision phase and the quicker to Act.

Act

Once you’ve decided on your action plan (strategy, technique) to implement, you must act. Action is how we find out if our mental models are correct. If they are, we win. If they aren’t we hope we get the chance to start the OODA Loop again using our new information.

In summary: You need to have a plan and execute it immediately. You must finish your loop before the bad guy does, or strategically interrupt his to gain the initiative.

In Japanese martial theory, the concept of Go No Sen describes the problem, specifically when the attacker initiates the encounter the defender must “regain the initiative after being attacked.” Most practitioners struggle to escape the limitations of Go No Sen: They are forever reacting to an encounter and fail to learn to dictate the encounter – before or after it is initiated.

Valuable lessons can be gleaned from watching video’s of the Founder. Never forget that O’Sensei entered and survived combat, his skills were battle tested. However, in post war demonstrations some accused him of staging demonstrations – ukes seemed too complicit, too responsive. Watch the footage. It is a logical conclusion for the uninitiated. However, look more closely and you should see mental combat as well as good strategy. O’Sensei uses feints, offers targets to attack (baits), he executes pre-emptive atemi, kiai, all to dominate the encounter and force uke to attack to precisely where he wanted.

Boyd provides an analytical framework to help explicate the means of taking and retaking the initiative to dominate the encounter.

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[1] Col. Jeff Cooper. Situational Awareness color codes are much discussed. We need not parse them deeply nor debate how many there are, rather recognize them for a good short-hand to prod us into better overall awareness:

[2] The Gift Of Fear (Gavin De Becker, 1997). A good read with a simple message – trust your instincts. If a situation ‘feels’ bad, it is. Don’t prevaricate – act. Your subconscious processes more information that your awareness can filter.

[3] 13 Rue Madeleine (1947). [Colorized version >here<] I cannot remember when I first saw the movie, but it made a lasting impression on me because of the training methods depicted as well as it just being a great film. I know it isn’t the fast-paced, quick-edits we are used to now, but it remains one of the better spy movies in cinema history. One of my favorite scenes is when Cagney discusses how he discovered the German spy – a nice application of the “theory of cultural types” that Ruth Benedict (among others) was developing as an anthropologist working in the war department to better understand the psychology of the enemy – she later published her research as The Chrysanthemum and the Sword. Her earlier Patterns of Culture is still a good read.