Friday Knight News
"One Strike, Certain Death." Mas Oyama
There is a long history in martial art training that admonish us to finish a fight in an instant. In most modern day scenarios we often teach to do this in one to three seconds. In karate, kempo and other related arts there has been a teaching that emphasized the goal of having a one punch kill but other styles also have other answers that we will discuss later. Ikken hissatsu is the Japanese term used for teaching this concept. Its meaning is translated to annihilate with one blow, but this can even happen after a strong block. I certainly have stopped fights both ways. The paradox of the martial arts are that they teach us to avoid fights, respect life, and only use our skills in self-defense, but they still teach us how to use ikken hissatsu. However, in my mind they are one in the same.
In a way the old adage ikken hissatsu works at helping us avoid a fight, that is if its at all possible. It holds the realization that the potential of death is always near and should be avoided. I know many people that train in the martial arts do so with the intention of developing inner peace, healing, and fitness. All of which are good things and are more practical goals for most people living in a polite society. Yet there should be a realization that we do not truly live in a polite society, we may have a measure of harmony but others around us often do not. Although many people and even some martial artists like to delude themselves into thinking that they are safe, ignoring the times when they or others around them have been caught up in road-rage situations or other circumstances that could have gone wrong. After all, every highway lends itself to people with good and bad intentions alike. Along its path often muggers or other criminals that set themselves up to look like innocent victims of circumstance, like a panhandler or a hitch hiker, but if you don't keep your wits about you, you can find yourself caught unaware in a crime scene.
Some of us martial artists have had to deal with the darker elements of society because of our line of work. These groups being primarily military, police, security, bodyguards, bouncers and emergency workers, but anyone dealing with making bank deposits can be a target and find themselves dealing with less than savory sorts. Most of the time EMT's, nurses, and ER doctors have police, or security to fall back on if a patient gets out of hand due to drugs, or mental defect. However, this isn't always true, I have known many emergency workers that have had to step up to defend themselves or others when reason and passivity didn't work. Thankfully they have had the skills to handle themselves and the situation as police and security were often far away and it takes time to call for them, let alone to wait for them to arrive.
Having ikken hissatsu skill as a guarantee to at least have the ability to use your body and your technique as a weapon when none other is available. There are two primary methods of developing a one punch kill. Both are very effective from my experience and merging the two together makes them even more so. As my regular readers no doubt recall, I am a proponent of regular daily practice with either iron palm training and/or striking post training as the first method. The second method is vital point training which greatly enhances the previous training method. I have found that either one of these methods has the potential of ending a fight or at least dropping an opponent in their tracks on its own merit alone. Once these methods are combined, they often can do the same without conscious attempt to do so.
“A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.” Bruce Lee
Using these skills in this way I have at least protected the life of whomever I was defending and/or at the very least my own life. Even if I was only defending myself, I was in a way defending all of those who depend upon me for guidance, security, mental, emotional, and financial support. So this is why I have always had the goal of being able to finish all my fights in one move. However, a strike is not the only answer to ending a fight in one move or in three seconds or less. I will address this subject in next week's blog.
There is a long history in martial art training that admonish us to finish a fight in an instant. In most modern day scenarios we often teach to do this in one to three seconds. In karate, kempo and other related arts there has been a teaching that emphasized the goal of having a one punch kill but other styles also have other answers that we will discuss later. Ikken hissatsu is the Japanese term used for teaching this concept. Its meaning is translated to annihilate with one blow, but this can even happen after a strong block. I certainly have stopped fights both ways. The paradox of the martial arts are that they teach us to avoid fights, respect life, and only use our skills in self-defense, but they still teach us how to use ikken hissatsu. However, in my mind they are one in the same.
In a way the old adage ikken hissatsu works at helping us avoid a fight, that is if its at all possible. It holds the realization that the potential of death is always near and should be avoided. I know many people that train in the martial arts do so with the intention of developing inner peace, healing, and fitness. All of which are good things and are more practical goals for most people living in a polite society. Yet there should be a realization that we do not truly live in a polite society, we may have a measure of harmony but others around us often do not. Although many people and even some martial artists like to delude themselves into thinking that they are safe, ignoring the times when they or others around them have been caught up in road-rage situations or other circumstances that could have gone wrong. After all, every highway lends itself to people with good and bad intentions alike. Along its path often muggers or other criminals that set themselves up to look like innocent victims of circumstance, like a panhandler or a hitch hiker, but if you don't keep your wits about you, you can find yourself caught unaware in a crime scene.
Some of us martial artists have had to deal with the darker elements of society because of our line of work. These groups being primarily military, police, security, bodyguards, bouncers and emergency workers, but anyone dealing with making bank deposits can be a target and find themselves dealing with less than savory sorts. Most of the time EMT's, nurses, and ER doctors have police, or security to fall back on if a patient gets out of hand due to drugs, or mental defect. However, this isn't always true, I have known many emergency workers that have had to step up to defend themselves or others when reason and passivity didn't work. Thankfully they have had the skills to handle themselves and the situation as police and security were often far away and it takes time to call for them, let alone to wait for them to arrive.
Having ikken hissatsu skill as a guarantee to at least have the ability to use your body and your technique as a weapon when none other is available. There are two primary methods of developing a one punch kill. Both are very effective from my experience and merging the two together makes them even more so. As my regular readers no doubt recall, I am a proponent of regular daily practice with either iron palm training and/or striking post training as the first method. The second method is vital point training which greatly enhances the previous training method. I have found that either one of these methods has the potential of ending a fight or at least dropping an opponent in their tracks on its own merit alone. Once these methods are combined, they often can do the same without conscious attempt to do so.
“A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at.” Bruce Lee
Using these skills in this way I have at least protected the life of whomever I was defending and/or at the very least my own life. Even if I was only defending myself, I was in a way defending all of those who depend upon me for guidance, security, mental, emotional, and financial support. So this is why I have always had the goal of being able to finish all my fights in one move. However, a strike is not the only answer to ending a fight in one move or in three seconds or less. I will address this subject in next week's blog.
My stories are about martial arts adventures that are intertwined with paranormal or supernatural events. The following links are to the Kindle version books from the "Dream Walker” series. Our adventurers find themselves on a quest where they are confronted with both conspiracy and mystery. Their challenge is to unite their mind and body skills together utilizing what they have learned in the martial arts with the transcendental power of dream mediation. They attempt to do this while they are trying to make a life for themselves and elude those that seek to use and control them.
Conversations with a Sage (Book 1 of the Dream-Walker)
Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past.
Conversations with a Sage: This explores Xander Davidson's early encounters with the mysterious fog like Dream Walking martial art sages. He ponders if they are real or if they are only remnants of his dreams. He mainly keeps this secret world to himself as he tries to copes with abuse, growing up without support or guidance and the mystery of his family's past.
Xander and the Assassins Gift (Book 2 of the Dream-Walker)
The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.
Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)
Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.
The Assassins Gift: Xander Davidson struggles with the conspiracy of his family and the group that is actively trying to manipulate him to join them or die. The young Dream Walkers learns an early lesson to be careful about whom they let into their circle.
Warriors of Perception (Book 3 of the Dream-Walker)
Warriors of Perception: Xander Davidson and his band of friends embark on a mission to free themselves from their oppressors. They bravely face the challenge all the while vying for the right moment to turn the tables.
Jace Lee The Shift (Book 4 of the Dream-Walker)
Jace Lee The Shift: We find a new apprentice, Adam, that is fighting for his life. He is struggling to understand the amazing skills of his mentor, Jace Lee; a younger man that has trained under Xander Davidson. All the while his mentor attempts to reconcile the fact that his skills do not match up with the other Dream Walkers.
Jace Lee No Agenda (Dream Walker Book 5)
Jace Lee No Agenda: Jace Lee attempts to find himself on a self-imposed vision quest of sorts. Instead he finds himself being stalked by the same group that had previously sought after his teacher, (Xander Davidson). Instead of mastering his odd Dream Walking skills he finds love and the potential loss of his powers.
Jace Lee The Tutelage of Ming Wu: Jace Lee rejoins his teacher Xander Davidson as they cope with a possible combined threat (the mysterious), Ming Wu and the Council that has continuously monitored the Dream Walkers.
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