another level

[Art Rabesa]

There is another level to the training of uechi ryu. I refer to it as the wall. All training, no matter what it is , has this wall. Weight lifters will get stuck at a particular weight, not being able to get over it. Runners talk about hitting "the wall" at a certain distance. In martial arts there is also this wall. Many will remain at this level. Those that feel they can get better, stronger, faster, work to break past "the wall". I know this wall can be busted through, with proper awareness of your training. You should not feel that age is a pretty good reason for a decline in your ability. Feel that you want to get stronger, faster, better. You want your sanchin to be the engine that busts through that wall. There is no doubt in my mind, that you can raise your level to that next height. I know I can hit harder now, and move smoother than when I was much younger. i still want to get better. Don't settle down in that comfortable chair quite yet. You've got bullets you haven't shot yet. You can get to another level. -------Happy Trails --------- Art Rabesa

[Josann]

Great post.

As we age, we can be more efficient and better able to defend ourselves. Toe to toe, squared off fighting no, but self defense yes.There is a difference between sparring, sport, standing and trading shots and self defense.I used to cross train in small circle jujitsu and my teacher(who thought very highly of uechi ryu by the way) emphasized the distinction between fighting and self defense.

By learning to use sanchin, fight inside, preempt, and attack, we can continue to defend well. I've been taught this by all of my uechi seniors, but your videos on infighting make it clear on how to train for it. Thanks Art.

[Art Rabesa]

Thanks for the post Josann. I posted a statement 6 years ago about the deepness in the uechi ryu training. It is a style that wants you to dig deeper in its meaning. I have never been bored with the training since 1963. I enjoy training and teaching more now than yesteryear. I love to take something and make it stronger. Thomas Edison made many things better. He did not invent these products, he simply made them work better. Uechi ryu is like that. It is a style that needs to be looked at carefully. That is why I continue to delve into what is there. That makes the study of uechi ryu meaningful. -------Happy Trails ---------Art Rabesa

[Art Rabesa]

Working on the heavy bag this AM, I found a new toy. When working the radial strike, I began to arc it even more. I found that I could hit very hard with the one knuckle using the same mechanics as the hook punch. So I began to strike the bag with head and body shots using this real tight arc. With the one knuckle strike, I can now get even closer . This strike really sinks pretty deep because of the tiny hitting surface of the one knuckle. This works great on the ground when you do not have much room to operate. I'm also working the thumb knuckle into the radial strike as well. This really gives me another very close, very destructive strike to play with. These strikes can hit to the body as well as the head. Can't take many of these because of the shock it causes. OK, back to work. Let me see if I can come up with some other toys. ------Happy Trails-------Art

[Art Rabesa]

Had lunch with Walter Mattson and Van Canna today. The three war horses of Uechi ryu. We laughed at the fact that the older we get the better we were. To say we are old school would be an understatement. We discussed teaching and teaching others to teach. I should have taped it. I could have written another book. We talked about what we like to see in promotions and what we do not want to see. We agree on pretty much everything in our beliefs on training. The rubber stamped dan tests are not a favorable thing with us. I can not remember the last time I saw someone fail their test. Certificates are made out prior to the tests along with their new belts. It upsets me when I see a dan candidate clearly not performing up to standards, and yet awarded their promotion. Times they are a changing. Passing your test was a pretty good achievement back when. Now. it seems to be no problem at all. We just shook our heads at the goings on. I'd really like teachers to really look at the people they send up for promotion, and make sure I'm not on the testing panel. --------Happy Trails ------Art

[Art Rabesa]

OK, so here we are again at that same degree, or level, of our ability. Here we are again ready for the class to begin. Lets see now, what are we going to work on tonight. I know we will do sanchin, some kata, maybe some pre arranged stuff, a little lite sparring. Time to end the class now. Have to get home for dinner and catch "NCIS" at 8. Sound about right? Thats it folks. That is why you are spinning your wheels. That workout is not taking a look at making "YOU" better. Weight lifters do not keep lifting the same amount of weight to increase their strength. Long distance runners do not continue to run ten miles, when they wish to be a marathon winner. What makes you think we, as martial artists, are any different? -----Don't give me any B>S> , because it is just that - BS. You can make that sanchin stronger. Your speed and power can become more explosive, and filter down into everything you do. Work on it. Begin with getting your sanchin to really start popping. I watch some 6-7-8dans doing sanchin, and I want to yell "STOP". "Who let you get this far in your training ,performing like that"? OK, I'll calm down. I'm really "old school", I quess. I won't apologize for that. It is what it is. -------Happy Trails -------Art

[Art Rabesa]

You are getting your students ready for the upcoming promotional. They have the time in. They have been paying their dues on time. The dojo is running along very well. It really looks good when someone watches a class, and there are a good number of black belts working out. It's good business. All this is true. However, it really would be nice if those being tested could show good uechi ryu. There are standards that should be met. How high should the standards be. They shouldn't be so high that no one could pass. Not so low that it becomes a side show. Maybe somewhere in the middle. Okay, where is that? Look! Here it is. If you do not mind how your student performs, as long as he/she passes the test, then you should rent your dojo to a yoga group. If you want to look out at your black belt class with pride ,then make sure they are going to perform at a high level. I never had a lot of black belts. However, if I were going into battle, they'd be the first ones I'd want with me. My standards might be high, but that's old school. Hell, I still drive a standard pick up. I literally turned a computer on seven months ago. Please! Lets not dumb down a great karate style. That would be a sin. Plus, it would really upset me. That is not a good thing to do. -----Happy Trails-----Art

[Art Rabesa]

I see many good advanced students as I roam around teaching. They seem to have the Uechi Ryu blueprint down OK. They can perform their kata's OK, and get through their prearranged kumite's. Some are at pretty high ranks. Everything seems to be going along at a comfortable pace and level. It is this level that I question. Do they all want to stay in neutral, or shift it in a higher gear? I'm not talking about turning everyone into world champions. To get your Uechi Ryu into a higher level just takes one step. That step is the power base recognition acquired from sanchin. I've talked about this at great length. Most really are not aware of this "power base". They are doing their sanchin with the feeling that they are performing it correctly. They are going through the mechanical movements with no understanding of what is missing. The power base is never set, so what follows is just arms moving air. This is taken into everything else involved in the training. For most, this is never detected. Everything seems to be OK. When you finally acquire this power base you will feel it. It is a comfortable feeling with everything moving smoothly in one piece. You suddenly realize that your arms do not have much to do with this new found explosion you have. Everything you are doing is firing from this power base of sanchin. I always find it difficult to write about this. When I can get in front of you, I can usually get that power base set, and understood. This gets you to bring this new found power into your normal training. However, the training is no longer normal. Your regular dojo partners will be very aware of this when working with you. It has lifted your ability to that next level. When should this be introduced? I feel it should be taught right away. This means that the students know no other way. It is their norm. I would take beginning students and introduce them to the power base of sanchin. Those that have been with me for many years know only this power base way. For them it is normal and comfortable. For those that are content with simply moving air around, I wish them luck. There is another level - there really is!! -----Happy Trails ----Art

[Art Rabesa]

Got an email yesterday from a student (6th dan) that attended a class I taught ,at a Uechi Ryu school south of Boston. In going over the power base of sanchin, and what it should feel like, something clicked. He finally became aware of new found power in his entire sanchin. I spend a good deal of time on setting yourself on the step, and setting the hand for the thrust. Nothing rushed. Establishing the foundation. Feeling the power base in the stance before the thrust. The thrust itself is looked at very carefully. It's path and very late snapping of the hand about 90% of the way out. This student woke up to a new feeling in his movements. Without working so hard as he had always done, he found things firing very easily with lots of power. He expressed in his email, that after 30 years of training he was now aware of sanchin. Everything will now take on a different look and feel. Effortless speed and power will now place him at that "Next Level" I speak of. This is why teachers teach. This is my main goal in my teaching. To have that light bulb finally go on. Getting to that next level is not easy. I'm very pleased when I can get someone to finally get there. That's why I teach. ----Happy Trails ---Art

[Art Rabesa]

I'm pretty sure I've beaten this topic to death. I just re-read the posts. I do not think I can add anything to them concerning this topic. So I wanted to get this to the top of the forum to highlight it once more. If you go over each post on "another level", I hope that light bulb goes on. Longevity has been discussed. I feel strongly about this in Uechi Ryu. Always seeking better output in your training tends to be the key. I'm sure of this. This is a quiet topic. It's something that you do not broadcast. I might be going against that by posting this, but it should be in everyone's awareness. Never satisfied. I can be better. Yes I can. Push. Am I touching a nerve here? I am aware of those that are simply content with where they are. That is their business of course. It makes me very much aware of my output. I'll be 74 in a couple of weeks. Still working to get faster and stronger. I'm pretty sure I can. Can you? -----Happy Trails ----Art

[Art Rabesa]

Just going over my posts. The "longevity" thread brought me back to this "another level" thread. I mentioned a "level in life", referring to a level of comfort. Comfort in my Uechi Ryu training and teaching. Let me run something by you here. When I write things, it usually meets with my approval. True concerning my comfort, but the level is questionable. Level being satisfied with my ability. I always feel something is missing, or something is needed. I've always been like that I guess. I believe there are levels of this as well. I hope there are not many that feel like me, however, there are those that could use more of this. More of not feeling 100% satisfied. The bottle being half empty or half full. I just see a bottle with liquid. Here's what happened this morning. Sat in my chair in the den with a cup of coffee. I felt kind of tired this morn. I remember the thought of being 74 sliding into my mind.That p#&sed me off. I got up quickly and threw on my New Balance shoes, sweatshirt, and Red Sox wool hat. Out I went to the hills behind my house for about 45 minutes. Down to my tiny training area in the basement for some kata and the heavy bag. All this because I knew I was 74 and feeling tired. That is fact. What is also fact, is that p#&ses me off. I went over the "another level" thread again and felt better. Being comfortable is one thing, but confusing it with feeling tired because I'm 74 is something else. You really know what the most important thing is? Don't p#&s me off. --------Happy Trails ----Art