Shirkers

"God has given each of you some special abilities;be sure to use them to help each other, passingon to other's God's many kinds of blessings."

--Peter 4:10

"Be sure to use the abilities God has given you…Put these abilities to work."--Timothy 4:14

How Far are We Meant to Go?

Let me start, by saying that I am in no way some fanatic or freak rambling on like a crazy cult member or something. ? I am just your average person that has seen quite a few different scenarios of "life" in general, and have been right there with fellow college graduates, partying, sinning, and learning about "life" in a generic world. I have seen both sides of the spectrum; from popularity and giving in to the pleasures of life, to reflecting on what kind of impact this could have on me and those around me. I am truly happy for the many countless blessings that have been given, but I am not in anyway, the type that would try and force religion upon another person. That is for you to decide. I would be happy to help in anyway possible, but I will not be forcing anything on anyone by any means. Faith has had a huge factor on myself and of me attempting to correct my ways; as my writings/style reflect, but Shirkers is a class, a mixed martial arts class of complete training. We would love to help anyone who would like to be helped, but in class, we will teach, not preach about our complete system of training. Shirkers does however, have its origin as a Christian system of the Knights Templar; so those not comfortable with this, would probably be better off looking else where for training purposes. This is a very demanding course, that will not give rank away lightly. This is the kind of system that will give one insight on their very being, as well as preparation for the most grueling of combative events. We subscribe to the concept of "Safety-Defense" (protection of one's self as well as those around them that are in need of protection/help), as opposed to strictly "Self-Defense," (protection of one's self). We have no reason to teach the ways of Shirkers to the evil, or those who would abuse their power for their own selfish motives; but if you seek to be rounded in all defensive combat ways, if you seek to know more of the Knights Templar, if you seek to do what you can for the benefit of society, and if you wish to be prepared to defend your loved ones from the evil of the world then read on…and see just "how far the rabbit hole goes..." Preface First of all, I am a Christian first and foremost; a loyal & humble Christian servant. In the

end, the only thing that matters is Christ. Not what we own, how "cool" we are, or how generic we are, but that we lived a good life; a good Christian life, helping others as we can and having Christ in our heart and soul. This is the inevitable truth. We all know this, we just pretend not to sometimes. Just because it may not always be the most "popular" thing with all people, we have to rise above merely what others think and do what is so obvious, but people often try and run away or hide from; acceptance of one's own mortality. That we are loved and cherished by something that we can not fully understand, explain, or comprehend. And that is Christ. Please pray to Christ if you have not already. Confess your sins, ask him to come into your heart and accept that he died on the cross for us all, rose on the third day, and will come again where we will all live in his house forever and ever. Accept Christ and be a true Christian and truly be saved. This paragraph is the inexorable truth, so any of my findings or research are all under this understanding. We are meant to go as far as Christ wants us to go in other words. Some things are beyond our understanding and we are therefore not meant to understand. Consider this: 100 years ago…….We still had one last Indian war, horse was the main source of transportation, the "Old West" was just coming to a close, a few basic models of the first automobile were just under way, flight was still believed as fool hearty and not possible. Now, in just 100 years, we have jets, nuclear weapons constructed through the most complex of nuclear physics, hydrogen weapons, landing on the moon, space stations, super highways, super computers, cloning of animals, the first signs of artificial intelligence! This was looked at as absurd 100 years ago. But now…..it's merely "science." Do not turn away from Christ or try and write him off. You can not let this happen. Of course, I'm not sure where the world is going, but I do know that we must stay faithful and loyal to Jesus Christ and follow his teachings and in so, help mankind in every way that we can. We must be prepared to deal with the "evil" that comes...

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled

around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and you're feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with

which you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation andthe sword of the Spirit, which is the word of the God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions

with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on prayingfor all the saints." (Ephesians 6:13-16) Thank you.

Introduction

The Knight Templar & "Shirkers"

Many of the techniques used by today's Western special forces groups come from the mysterious "Far East," but east is only a direction. It is true that many of these special forces groups get thier origins from groups such as the Ninja. But down through the ages, the West has not been slack in producing its own cadres of night fighters and special forces groups. Some of these have a history that goes back to time unrecorded, while others have their origins as recent as the 20th century. Many people do not think about the "Wolfshirts" of the Vikings or even the Native American Indians of the West in the same league as the ninja; but their same tactics and battle strategy (with slight alterations of course), were the same none the less. The Wolfshirt Norseman honored bravery above all else and thought nothing of throwing themselves into battle against far superior forces. But the Norseman also admired guile and cunning. The envy of any modern SEAL operation, wolfshirts would drift silently down rivers, gliding ashore just before dawn to strike their enemies. –Several hundred years later, the night-fighting ability of the Indian terrified European settlers. The Indians' skills were light-years ahead of the colonists' because prior to the coming of the white man, Native Americans had amused

themselves by raiding rival tribes who were equally skilled in the arts of stealth and combat fighting. *–But our focus is in between these two groups, in the year 1118. During the Crusades, various groups of crusading knights orders came into being. One of the most well known, were the Knights Templar, founded in 1118. In a relatively short time, the Templar went from being an impoverished order to being one of the richest in Europe, having castles and estates stretching from Paris to the Levant. As they grew more powerful, the Templar inevitably acquired powerful enemies who needed watching. With incredible foresight, especially in an age of internecine warfare and petty nationalistic loyalties, the grandmasters of the Knights Templar set up Europe's first international intelligence network with fielding operatives in every European kingdom and principality. These Templar intrigant (a French term meaning "one who engages in intrigue), agents were also known as SHIRKERS. In medieval times, the word shirk, today synonymous with evading the performance of a duty or obligation, meant to go stealthily or to sneak, and aptly describes the intent and actions of Templar shirkers special forces groups. Shirkers were expected to master (along with all of their Christian Knightly duties), the twin techniques of "shirk and dirk"—stealth and if need be, assassination. Their motto: "an ear to every crack, and a dirk through every crevice." They spied on, did coop missions, and removed through bribe, scandal, or assassination anyone who posed a danger to the Christian Order. (A basic "special forces" of the Templar so to speak). And this, is where "Shirkers" originated. –After the Templar' order was suppressed at the beginning of the 14th century, surviving Templar scattered, some helping to found Masonic secret societies. Some Templar shirkers helped disseminate techniques of shadow and stealth by taking work as mercenaries, spies, and martial arts instructors. (Dr. Lung) This is the basic "overview" of where the term "shirkers" has come from and its roots. The most closely related method of combat used by shirkers is that of the ninja. As it will be discussed and shown in later sections, ninjitsu covers all aspects of "doing anything that it takes." And this same train of thought too, is necessary when facing the demons/evil of the world. Taijutsu or (unarmed combat), of the ninja, also ties straight into that of the Templar/shirker; a sense of "anything goes." All of these will be thoroughly discussed later in this documentation. Now we have the origins of shirkers. But this is just a glimpse of what shirkers is all about. It is now necessary to look further into the Knights Templar, to get a full understanding of who they were/are, and their impact on history.

Mission Statement—(so to speak—from "beyond heroes")**We ALL must unite in love & harmony as best as we can, if we hope to make God happy in our inevitable judgement.  Christian, Muslim, Islamic, Buddhist, etc., etc. - we must set aside our differences and unite in alliance against the evils of the world, which are Satan.  I love God with all my heart, and would die for Christ if needed, and while I hope that you turn to Christ; that is a personal journey that you must undertake and find.  *But never the less, our battle is not against one another, it is against Satan and it's demons, along with their many schemes and disguises.  Unite behind love and sprituality, and realize that the devil is our enemy, not each other my Brothers & Sisters...**"The Templar are priests with a mission. They do as they can through Christ to assist in saving souls of humanity. This could involve removing corrupt priests, restoring honor of the Church, and destroying Daemonic forces threatening to create hell on earth. To a Templar daemonic evil is an affront to his faith, destroying an agent of evil is a holy act. Though the Templar becomes a raging avenger when confronting daemonic forces, he is otherwise

thoughtful and compassionate. He sees himself as an advocate of the common man, a source of solace to the downtrodden and disadvantaged. He can if needed, conduct impromptu prayer services in makeshift chapels, and can officiate/assist at Christenings and burials. Though completely devoted to his Christian faith, a Templar respects all other religions except those of daemonic worship. Templar try and live by the following codes:1) Promote the principles and ideals of Christianity.2) Honor and respect all members of humanity regardless of race or religion. (this does not apply to those who have clearly turned to evil.)3) Sacrifice his life for his fellow man if necessary.4) Consider the feelings of others and take care not to offend them. In other words, "common courtesy" and manners. Hold one's self in a respectful manner at all times.5) Speak tactfully and kindly; avoiding such things as insulting, gossiping, or talking judgment on another person.6) Behave with dignity; refraining from emotional outbursts, excessive eating or drinking, foul language and/or other unseemly acts.7) A Templar demonstrates unyielding courage in the face of adversity. No danger is too great to prevent him from fulfilling a promise or completing a mission. His commitment is stronger than his fear of pain, hardship, or even death.8) A Templar always tells the truth as he knows it. He may decline to speak or choose to withhold information, but he will never intentionally mislead anyone, even his enemies. Though a Templar does not make promises lightly, once he give his word he always keeps it. He behaves in a morally sound manner even when he's by himself or when no one else will know of his actions. 9) Honor also involves respect, not just for the Templar's peers and superiors, but for anyone sharing their commitment to goodness and justice. The Templar shows mercy to the repentant as well. * Templar would rather die before compromising their principles, betraying their faith, or abandoning a protected charge. 10) The Templar remains humble in spirit and action. He speaks modestly of his deeds, if at all, grateful for the opportunity to fulfill his moral obligations. 11) The Templar gladly shares his possessions with anyone in need. He will give his last crust of bread to a hungry child, even if he must go without food for the rest of the day. He is also generous of spirit, always willing to lend an ear to a troubled companion or acknowledge a friend's accomplishments with lavish praise.12) The Templar engages in productive activity the majority of the time. He works diligently and hard until he completes the job at hand. When not working he studies, exercises, or practices his combat skills."

These are more a "summary of guidelines," than a set of rules. No one is perfect and therefore it is completely normal for you to not live up to many of these guidelines. However, with work and dedication, you can begin to live up to more and more of these guidelines, and the result will be that you bring more overall goodness and light to the world and to your fellow man!

There are book after book after book, on the history of the Knights Templar, so it would be redundant for me to give a complete history of them, so instead I will give just a glimpse of where they originated and how they came to be:

"The history of the Templar is grandiose and illustrious, it datesback to the defense of Jerusalem by the Latin kingdom, and

was descried for its lofty idealism, ingenious organization, Spartandiscipline, and romantic history spanning two centuries. The combinationwhich brought forth the Templar is an unusual one as well, a combination

between the ascetic life of piety and the warlike spirit of conquest.--Once Jerusalem was captured in 1099, the Palestine area was filled

with less than sympathetic Muslims, who made it somewhathazardous for pilgrims to go there. Out of this necessity, we find

various military orders. The Templar, one of the Church'sthree great orders of fighting monks, were founded in Palestine

in 1119 by Hugh of Payns, a knight, shortly after the First Crusadecaptured Jerusalem. The Templar' monastic rule, written with the

help of St. Bernard of Clarivaux, was based on the Rule of St. Benedict,(founder of communal religious life in the West). The mission was fairly

simple, whatever group took this mission must be able to protect the commonman/woman from the dangers of pillage, being sold into slavery, or being killed.

From this, nine nights formed a brotherhood-in-arms, and made a pact to aideach other in clearing the highways of infidels and robbers. The name which

they gave themselves was the "Poor Fellow-soldiers of Jesus Christ."As a formal oath, they renounced the World and its pleasures, and in the

Holy Church of the Resurrection, in the presence of the Patriarch ofJerusalem, they embraced vows of perpetual chastity, obedience, and poverty,

after the manner of monks. They had an embalming quality of the most

indomitable themes of humanity, self-sacrifice, piety, and courage. Withina short period of time, their protection of the pilgrims and the road to theHoly Sepulcher caused them to acquire a reputation and in return, gather

more of a following." (Addison, C.G. "The History of the Knights Templar")

*The Current Order of the Knights Templar (FYI—just for your own information) To be made and knighted a "Knight Templar," it is necessary to go through a set of representations of the same quests and oaths that the Knight of old went through on petitioning to become a Knight Templar. The first step is to apply for membership into a local guild, or fraternity of free masons/Masonic lodge. Once accepted into this lodge, you will have to go through three degrees. Once you have completed these degrees, you may then be allowed to enter into the York Rite of Masonry. This York Rite will take you into the rites of passage that once completed accurately, will result in your knighthood as a Templar. (Another small summary of the Order of the Templar as written by Heirloom Bible Publishers (pg. 5-6) *note that these are just a summary because much is sworn to secrecy and not to be revealed until you go through the rites personally): "When you have passed through the Royal Arch you become eligible to take the first step in the Order of Knights Templar. This Order is composed of three orders, the illustrious Order of the Red Cross, the Order of Malta, and the Order of the Temple (Knights Templar). In the lessons you will experience the most interesting, the most serious and the most sublime impression which can come to anyone who is concerned with those impulses in life which make for better manhood, better citizenship, and a better society. They take you from the most ancient times to the moment that you are yourself reminded of all that will someday remain of the shell which you now occupy. A) The illustrious Order of the Red Cross is taken from the Bible and from the history of the Jews at the time of Darius Hystaspis, ruler of Persia. It is a simple lesson of how a great monarch was moved to recognize the religious zeal of an oppressed people, and contains a sublime comparison of those forces in life which contend for supremacy. It is designed to impress upon you that there is one God and that human nature changes but little over great cycle of time. It prepares you for a more serious participation in the work which is to follow, and leaves with you a clearer understanding of its purport. B) The Order of Malta is a symbolic degree, which, like the Order of the Knights Templar, found its inception in the period of the Crusades. Its adherents are known as the Knights of St. John. The Malta cross, which is worn by the Knights Templar in uniform, is symbolic of this degree. C) The Order of Knights Templar, which is conferred upon you in the Order of the Temple was founded in the twelfth century, being much older than Ancient Craft Masonry in its present form. Its purpose was to defend the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was a union of the religious with the militant spirit and filled a crying need of the time. Its origin, history and temporary suppression by Phillip the Fair and Pope Clement in 1312, furnish the most absorbingly interesting story which has ever connected the activities of any society of men since the dawn of civilization. *One reason why you are urged to become affiliated with the York Rite is that the world is today in greater need of the Order of Knights Templar than were the heroic crusaders of the twelfth century. There is more at stake, more to save. You will find the precepts of this institution a renewed conviction that right must prevail, that oppression, by any class whatsoever, is wrong and incompatible with Christian thought. It still combines a religious and militant spirit, and is pledged to defend those principles and ideals upon which civilization is based. When you have been created a Knight Templar you will have been reconsecrated to the service of your country. –It is an order particularly fitted to American institutions. It embraces those ideals which have made human liberty the watchword of ages. You are impressed with your responsibility

not only as a man and a Mason, but as a citizen and defender of the society of which you are a part. Nothing seditious can live in the ranks of Knights Templar. It offers no asylum to the disloyal and no succor to those who seek to destroy what our forebears have built. To be a Knight Templar you must be right with God and country, honest with yourself and with others, ever ready to lay down your life, if need be, in the service of truth, righteousness and justice. You are pledged to follow the banner of your Order wherever they lead in human service, no matter what may be your condition in life or station in society. If you are willing to subscribe to these precepts you are welcome into the York Rite of Masonry, into the Royal Arch, the Council, and the Order of Knights Templar. You are welcome not only as a member, a sojourner, a companion and knight, but as an active worker in any or all of these activities."

With this said, one does not have to tie into all of the doctrines of the Templar in order to study Shirkers of course; this is just an overview of where the terminology/history got it's roots and origin. Shirkers could best be tied to ninjitsu as mentioned in the above. The fact that we train to be able to overcome any style of opponent, from the boxer, kickboxer, judo player, grappler, wrestler, knife attacker, and so on; places shirkers as a very dominating style both armed and unarmed. The unarmed aspects could be comparable to that of vale tudo, jeet kune doe, Krav Maga, or any "complete" system utilizing everything from joint locks and pressure points, to throws and pins, to Muay Thai kickboxing. Shirkers would get any student well versed to compete in a boxing/kickboxing/grappeling/mixed martial arts match. Utilizing every positive aspect from Russian Sambo to the French style of kickboxing known as Savate. The fact that it is most closely related to ninjitsu, lies in the fact that it is not limited to only unarmed fighting. Practice with weapons in congruence with un-armed fighting allows one to most readily prepare for a "life or death" situation that we may possibly face at any given time at any given place; (considering the day & age we live in, one can never afford to underestimate when "evil" may take the form of a attacker jumping you from behind a bush, to getting attacked right in the middle of the local Mall?). Direct survival techniques are also addressed, such as knowing what to do in the event of injury, snake bite, etc., etc. How to make a shelter, a fire, hunting and finding food, to finding your direction using the stars and sun. It pays to be prepared… Not only for the sake of protecting ourselves and loved one's, but even the woman getting forced into someone's car or the child being up-ducted. We have to face the facts; the world today is becoming that much more violent and the ways of the wicked are increasing as well. We should be prepared to combat this wickedness by any means possible? Whether with faith, love, or defense; we will eventually run out of places to run/hide and in turn, be forced to face this wickedness and evil. Shirkers attempts to better one for this; through body, mind, and spirit/soul. But regardless of one's personal goals; be it for complete fitness, self-defense, competition, enjoyment/hobby, or to just be prepared when the "evil day" comes/and to help society however we can; one should at least consider looking into shirkers as a form of complete Mixed Martial Arts Training. So, as Bruce Lee said: "Take what is useful and develop from there," *and perhaps we will see you in the training hall. ?

The Art of the Shadow

Introduction

The warrior tradition known as "Ninjitsu or Ninjutsu," has its roots in the martial, religious, political, and cultural histories of the ancient island nation of Japan. Conceived of during a time of political turmoil and total civil chaos, when day=to=day survival of one's family depended on personal strength, resourcefulness, and creativity; the ways of Japan's legendary Ninja warriors created an underground counterculture that provided the means and inspiration for prevailing despite overwhelming odds. The warrior tradition of the Shinobi clans fostered the development of a living personal art that blended components of devastating combat skills, finely tuned powers of intuition and observation, and practiced abilities to transform intention into reality. The essence of the tradition stemmed from the training methods of Japan's Shugenja and Yamabushi mountain warriors ascetics, who subjected themselves to the harrowing rigors of harsh wilderness living, in order to realize and achieve the strength of the very mountains in which they dwelled. In the early part of the ninth century, the shugendo methods of cultivating power through the experience of trial were expanded to include the Mikkyo "secret doctrines" of enlightenment, then recently introduced to Japan from their far=off Himalayan sources. The limitations of the English language and the Western cultural viewpoint lead us to describe that original Shugendo concept as a curious mixture of religion and martial training. In reality, however, it was neither a religion nor a martial art in the sense that we use these terms today. Shugendo was the way of approaching enlightenment by repeatedly exposing oneself to the experience of overcoming dangers and potential death in the mountains wilderness. Shugendo was a process of examining religious systems and folk beliefs in order to find the universal elements that could lead to power and insight. More than a method of teaching troops or individuals the mechanics of battle tactics, Shugendo was a process of going beyond technique to the higher experience of using the personal will as the ultimate tool for self-protection. Art of invisibility. As the history of the land of the Rising Sun progressed through the ages, many of those samurais and warriors who took to the practice of Shugendo for personal reasons found themselves in a position of growing contention with the ever-changing governments and military powers that played a broad chess game with the villages, cities, and regions of feudal Japan. Vastly outnumbered by the conventional troops that attempted to subjugate them, prevented by law from defending their home communities and family domains, and blanketed by government tax restrictions that denied their freedom to construct staff

temples, shrines, and retreats, the wild holy men of the mountains more and more found the essence of their training being converted into a means of clandestine psychological and commando warfare. Thus was born the legendary art of the Ninja; invisible warriors of south central Japan. A blending of the ways of samurai warfare, espionage, and intelligence gathering,; harmony with the cycles of nature; and intense loyalty to one's Ryu (clan, family, school, tradition, etc.), the art of Ninjitsu (or Ninjitsu) developed as a warrior tradition unparalleled in the history of the world. During the 13th-17th centuries in Japan, dozens of regional Ryu operated out of the Iga and Koga territories of the capital in Kyoto. Hidden away in their protective, inaccessible mountain abodes, the ninja families operated as powers in their own right and also aided conventional warlords who needed the assistance of the ninja's expertise in intelligence gathering and surprise attack warfare. The "grim reputation" of the ninja has been too far stereotyped in today's society. It is an unfortunate reality that the art of ninjutsu and the ninja practitioners who developed the warrior tradition are often held in less than favorable light in the eyes and minds of some sections of the public. This skewing of fact and philosophy is due to perhaps primarily to the writings of long-ago Japanese historians who, as part of the established ruling power structure, would naturally disdain anyone who opposed or threatened the status quo. If the samurai were to be seen as the guardians of the peace, then the ninja would have to be portrayed as terrorist and assassins. If unquestioning obedience and "knowing one's place" were what held feudal Japanese society together, then the ninja's free-flowing situational ethics and personal integrity would have to be presented as immoral treachery. This gross misunderstanding and stereotype has persisted even in modern times… Highly subjective historians as well as entertainment writers of Japan's post feudal age have created a bleak and dismal portrait of the ninja in their attempts to glorify the samurai mentality. This "pro=samurai/anti=ninja attitude peaked during World War II in Japan when unquestioning obedience from the troops (the Samurai way of thinking), was desired by the militarists who had taken control of the nation, and probing self-direction of the individual warrior (the ninja way of thinking), was feared. This attitude lived on after the war, carried in the hearts of the right-wing nationalistic old-guard leadership of the traditional martial arts in Japan. Many of the Western martial arts students and writers who found themselves in post-war Japan emulated and followed after this old guard unquestioningly, and thereby transferred this abhorrence of martial individuality to the United States and Europe. Today, adventure novels, movies, and even daytime TV soap operas in the West, are quick to add a ninja or two whenever a supposedly sinister and immoral character is needed for evil purposes. This misunderstanding itself is a working part of ninjitsu today in that it reminds the student of the impact and power of perspective in life. So what is ninjitsu? The essence of Ninjitsu is self protection and prevention of danger. Ninjitsu epitomizes the fullest concept of self protection through martial arts training in that the ninja art deals with the protection of not only the physical body, but the mind and spirit as well. The way of the ninja is the way of enduring, surviving, and prevailing over all that would destroy one. It is a pragmatic art of self protection and personal survival methods. More than merely delivering strikes, and deeper in significance that the simple out-witting of an enemy; ninjitsu is the way of attaining that which we need while making the world a better place. The skill of the ninja is the art of winning. *(this too, is why it ties into shirkers so well) *The foundation of all aspects of ninjitsu combat methods is the practice and perfection of ninpo-taijutsu, or the ninja's "art of using the body." Taijutsu is the original Japanese warrior method of unarmed combat, and its roots can be found far back in the history of

Japan. As a system of survival self protection, as opposed to the modern martial arts more popular today, the ninja's taijutsu has to be able to cover all fighting possibilities. Without the luxury of rules, weight classifications, and skill level rankings, it is not possible to disallow or eliminate any potential technique or strategy that could be encountered in a hand-to-hand combat situation. Taijutsu is by nature a comprehensive method of employing the body's natural movements to avoid injury while dealing appropriately with one's adversary. *Obviously, this means that the ninja's unarmed combat method will have to provide ways of successfully subduing a boxer, a wrestler, a kicking expert, a karate or judo practitioner, a huge hulk, a weapon wielder, or multiple attackers, not to mention dogs or mechanical objects that could do one harm. Broad-based fighting skill is the key to surviving attacks on the streets or in the field. The practitioner of an exclusive or specialized technique system will be in extreme danger when he discovers that he is in a situation for which his specialty is useless or less effective. As the Ninja's taijutsu method is a system based in natural body movements, it soon becomes second nature, doing away with the need to "remember" what is it that you have to do when under stressful or dangerous situations? (protection methods)-without this kind of training, even people who think that they can defend themselves usually can not. The majority of law abiding citizens would not be able to deal with a potential violent situation, so what chance would they have against the mugger, the rapist, or a steroided out hooligan? *Ninjitsu is a personal journey, how long proficiency takes will primarily depend on each individual. However, we have found from past experience that after three months or so of training, most students are well on their way to achieve a good sound knowledge of self defense. You don't always wear masks or disappear in a puff of smoke. That is not what ninjitsu is all about. All classes are controlled by the instructors to minimize the risk of injury. There is not a greater risk of injury from the practice of ninjitsu than that of any other physical activity. Combat efficiency and the pursuit of personal enlightenment are the two goals of the dojo's training methods. Unlike the more popular conventional modern martial arts, no sports competition (although our training is "true mixed-martial arts training (MMA)), cultural pattering, or routine memorization is to e found in the ninjitsu training halls.

Essence of Ninjitsu –(Toshitsugu Takamatsu)

In the beginning study of any combative martial art, proper motivation is crucial. Without the proper frame of mind, continuous exposure to fighting techniques can lead to ruin instead of self-development. But this fact is not different from any other beneficial practice in life carried to extremes. Medical science is dedicated to the betterment of health and the relief of suffering, and yet the misuse of drugs and the exultation of the physician's skills can lead people to a state where an individual's health is no longer within his or her personal control. A nutritious well-balanced diet works to keep a person alive, vital, and healthy, but grossly over-eating, over-drinking, or taking in too many chemicals is a sure way to poison the body. Governments are established to oversee the harmonious interworking of all parts of society, but when the rulers become greedy, hungry for power, or lacking in wisdom, the country is subjected to needless wars, disorder, or civil and economic chaos. A religion, when based on faith developed through experience, a broad and questing mind, and an unflagging pursuit of universal understanding, is of inspiration and comfort to people. Once a religion loses its original focus, however, it becomes a

deadly thing with which to deceive, control, and tax the people through the manipulation of their beliefs and fears. It is the same with the martial arts. The skills of self-protection, which should provide a feeling of inner peace and security for the martial artist, so often develop without a balance in the personality and lead the lesser martial artist into warped realms of unceasing conflict and competition which eventually consume him. If an expert in the fighting arts sincerely pursues the essence of ninjutsu, devoid of the influence of the ego's desires, the student will progressively come to realize the ultimate secret for becoming invincible—the attainment of the "mind and eyes of the divine." The combatant who would win must be in harmony with the scheme of totality, and must be guided by an intuitive knowledge of the playing out of fate. In tune with the providence of heaven and the impartial justice nature, and following a clear and pure heart full of trust in the inevitable, the ninja captures the insight that will guide him successfully into battle when he must conquer and conceal himself protectively form hostility when he must acquiesce. The vast universe, beautiful in its coldly impersonal totality, contains all that we call good and bad, all then answers for all the paradoxes we see around us. By opening his eyes and his mind, the ninja can responsively follow the subtle seasons and reasons of heaven, changing just as change is necessary, adapting always, so that in the end there is no such thing as surprise for the ninja.—Takamatsu (The skills can intertwine with the process of being a "Christian Soldier for Christ." (when & if Christ chooses of course; and in whatever way) at least we could be prepared to do what we can to "make the world a better place," and to spread the word and help where we can.)

The 18 Skills of the Ninja--(Dr. Hatsumi—Bujinkan Ryu)

The Togakure ryu, (established approximately eight hundred years ago), is now in its thirty-fourth generation. The ryu exists today as an organization dedicated to teaching effective methods of self-protection and promoting the self-development and awareness of its members. Due to the stabilized nature of contemporary Japanese government and judicial systems, the Togakure ninja ryu no longer involves itself directly in combat or espionage work. Previous to the unification of Japan however, it was necessary for the Togakure ninja to operate out of south central Iga Province. At the height of the historical ninja period, the clan's ninja operatives were trained in eighteen fundamental areas of expertise, beginning with this "psychic purity" and progressing through a vast range of physical and mental skills. The eighteen level of training were as follows:

1) Seishin Teki Kyoyo (Spiritual Refinement)—The Togakure ninja worked at developing a deep and accurate knowledge of himself, his personal power, his strengths and weaknesses, and his influence on the playing out of life. The ninja had to be very clear about his intentions, his commitments, and his personal motivations in life. Personality traits could often mean the difference between life and death in his/her line of work. Exercises in mental endurance, ways of looking at things, and proper perspective when evaluating things, were taught to the ninja along with his physical skills. *By evolving into a mystic's (Christian) understanding of the universal process, the ninja became a warrior philosopher. His engagements in combat were then motivated by love or reverence, and NOT by the mere thrill of violent danger or need for money. 2) Tai Jutsu (Unarmed Combat)—Skills of daken-taijutsu or striking, kicking, and blocking; jutaijutsu or grappling, choking and escaping the holds of others, and

taihenjutsu or silent movement, rolling, leaping, and tumbling assisted the ninja in life-threatening, defensive situations.3) Ninja Ken (Sword)—The ninja's sword had a short straight single edged blade, and was considered to be his primary fighting tool. Two distinct sword skills were required of the ninja. "Fast Draw" techniques centered around drawing the sword and cutting as a simultaneous action (iaido). "Fencing" skills used the drawn sword in technique clashes with armed attackers.4) Bo-Jutsu-(stick and staff fighting)—The Japanese stick fighting art, practiced by samurai and peasants alike, was also a strong skill of the ninja. Togakure ninja were taught to use the bo long staff (six feet) and hanbo (half-staff) cane, as well as sticks and clubs of varying lengths. Specially constructed shinobi-zue or ninja canes were designed to look like the normal walking sticks, but concealed blades, chains, or darts that could be used against an enemy.5) Shuriken-Jutsu (throwing blades)—Throwing blades were carried in concealed pockets and used as harassing weapons. The Togakure ryu used a special four-pointed throwing star called a senban shuriken, which was constructed from a thin steel plate. The blade was thrown with a flat spinning motion and hit its target with a sawing effect. Bo shuriken or straight shaft darts and spikes were also constructed for throwing.6) Yari-Jutsu (Spear fighting)—Ninja agents were taught to use standard Japanese spears and lances as middle-range fighting weapons. Spears and lances were used for stabbing and piercing attacks, and rarely ever thrown in normal combat. The togakure ryu also used a unique spear weapon called a kami-yari, or "sickle lance," which consisted of a spear blade with a hook at the base. The total length of the weapon was over nine feet. The lance point could be used to lunge and stab, and the hook point could be used to snag and pull the opponent or his weapon.7) Naginata-Jutsu-(Halberd fighting)—Virtually a short blade mounted on a long handle, the Japanese halberd was used for cutting and slashing attacks against adversaries at medium range. Togakure ryu ninja warriors were also proficient with the bisen-to, a huge heavy-bladed version of the naginata halberd. Based on a Chinese war tool, the broad-bladed weapon was heavy enough to knock down attackers, smash through armor, and ground the horses of mounted samurai.8) Kuari-Gama (Chain and sickle weapons)—The Japanese chain and sickle weapon was adopted into the arsenal of the Togakure ryu ninja. A chain, six to nine feet in length and weighted at one end, was attached to the handle of the traditional grain cutting tool. The chain could be used to block or ensnare the enemy's weapon, and the blade then used to finish off the attacker. 9) Kayaku-Jutsu (Fire and explosives)—Ninja were experts in the effective placement, timing, and rigging of explosive devices for demolition and distraction. In later years, the use of black powders and other explosives were supplemented with knowledge of firearms and their strategic applications.10) Henso-Jutsu (Disguise and Impersonation)—Essential to the ninja's espionage work was his ability to assume false identities and move undetected through his area of operation. More than merely just putting on a costume, ninjutsu's disguise system involved thoroughly impersonating the character adopted. Personality traits, areas of knowledge, and body dynamics of the identity assumed were ingrained into the ninja's way of thinking and reacting. He or she literally became the new personality, whether taking the role of a monk, craftsman, or wandering entertainer.

11) Shinobi-Iri (Stealth and entering methods)—The ninja's techniques of silent movement, breaking and entering, and gaining access to inaccessible areas became legends in feudal Japan. Togakure ryu ninja learned special walking and running methods for covering long distances, passing over floors silently, and for staying in the shadows while moving, in order to facilitate entry and escape.12) Ba-Jutsu (Horsemanship)—Togakure ryu ninja were taught to be proficient on horseback, both in riding and mounted combat skills.13) Sui-Ren (Water training)—Stealth swimming, silent movement through water, methods of using special boats and floats to cross over water, and underwater combat techniques were taught to Togakure ryu ninja.14) Bo-Ryaku (Strategy)—Unconventional tactics of deception and battle, political plots, and advantageous timing for use of current events were used by ninja. By employing or influencing seemingly outside forces to bring the enemy around to doing what the ninja wanted him to do, ninja were able to work their will without drawing undue attention to themselves.15) Cho Ho (Espionage)—Methods of successful espionage were perfected. This included ways of locating and recruiting spies and served as a guide for using espionage agents most effectively.16) Inton-Jutsu (Escape and concealment)—Ninja were experienced masters in the ways of using nature to cover their exit, allowing them to "disappear" at will. The goton-po five elements of escape were based on a working familiarity with the creative use of earth, water, fire, metal, and wood aspects of nature and the environment.17) Ten-Mon (Meteorology)—Forecasting and taking advantage of weather and seasonal phenomena was an important part of any battle consideration. Ninja were trained to observe all the subtle signals from the environment in order to predict weather conditions. 18) Chi-Mon (Geography)—Knowing and successfully using the features of the terrain were crucial skills in the historical art of ninjutsu.

The Elemental Approach

Taijutsu, the ninja self-protection method, takes an elemental approach based on:

Chi Earth Stability, the attitude of confidence and strength. The confrontation is won before it has started. You stop them in their tracks. You are immovable as a majestic mountain or a might oak tree. At the earth level, the basest of the elemental manifestations, we are conscious of our own solid physical ness and stability. There is a resistance to any change or movement, and a desire to maintain things exactly as they are. Rocks are perhaps the most characteristic example of the earth principle, in that they are incapable of growth, movement, or change without the aid of the other elements. When our personality is under the influence of the earth element of manifestation, we are concerned with keeping things in their places, and we are conscious of the solid parts of the body. Chi, the earth element, has its center at the base of the spine, and the color red is associated with this physical influence.

Sui Water responsiveness, the attitude of fade and strike. You withdraw from your aggressor's attack, and respond with a blast of power. You are as a wave in the surf rising back and then crashing on the shore. At the water level of our physical personality, the

next highest of the elemental manifestations, we are conscious of our own emotions and the fluid elements of the body. This level of consciousness is characterized by reactions to physical changes and a fluid adaptability to one's surroundings. Plants provide the clearest example of the water principle in action, in that plants are capable of independent movement and growth, they react to stimui, and yet they are incapable of controlling their environment. When our personality is under the influence of the water element, we react to what we encounter, and we are oriented toward the heavier emotions. Sui, the fluid element, has its center in the lower abdomen, and the color orange is associated with this emotional influence.

Ka Fire expansiveness, the attitude of foresight. You perceive the potential for attack and are committed to stopping the aggression the moment you perceive it. You are as a fireball hurling forward. At the fire level, the third highest of the elemental manifestations, we are conscious of our aggressive nature. Aggression in this sense refers to dynamic or expansive energy, and it is not intended to carry a negative or violent sense. At this level we experience feelings of warmth, enjoyment, and direct control over our environment. Wild animals are perhaps the most characteristic example of the fire principle, in that they are capable of remembering and thinking, exerting control over their lives and seeking pleasure. When our personality is under the influence of the fire element of manifestation, we are aware of our expansiveness, dynamic power, and our reasoning faculties. Ka, the fire element, has its center at the lower tip of the breast bone, and the color yellow is associated with this expansive, aggressive influence.

Fu The attitude of intellect (Wind). You are free moving and skillful enough to know exactly where you need to be in order to take control of the aggression, positioning yourself to take advantage of your momentum. You are like a cloud of smoke that one tries to grasp as you slip and curl from between his fingers and out of his grip. At the Wind level of our personality, the fourth developmental state from base physical ness, we are aware of our own intellect and benevolence, and this influence manifests itself as feelings of wisdom and love. Human beings are the highest example of the wind principle, in that they are capable of contemplation, intellectual understanding and love. When our personality is under the influence of the wind element, we experience compassion, acceptance, and conscious consideration of our interactions with other individuals. Fu, the wind element, has its center in the middle of the chest, and the color green affects this benevolent influence.

Ku The Void, the source of all elements. You use your skill to face unknown attacks and acquire the appropriate attitude in response. The highest and most refined of the physical elements is Ku, the "great emptiness of potential." This emptiness is today best represented by the concept of subatomic structure. Invisible bits of energy form atoms which then combine to f0rm the entire range of material things in existence. In the personality, the emptiness brings about the creative capability and the ability to direct the potential to become any of the four lower elemental manifestations. Ku, the source of all elements, is centered in the throat, and the color blue is associated with this creative influence.

From the excerpt of Stephan K. Hayes during his time as a student of Tagakure Ryu:

"One particular mood is likely to produce more desired results under any given set of

conditions. In the same manner, an appropriate fighting method is needed to prevail in any given self-defense situation. Appropriateness in a fight is based on the combined aspects of the total situation, with all details taken into account. Our surroundings, our mood, the amount of room we have, social and moral considerations, the number and size of our attackers, and the severity of their intentions are all determining factors. Unlike a sports contest, there are no agreements, weight classifications, or safety considerations in true combat. The ninja's fighting is taught as a total system that includes sticks, fists, blades, throws, mental outlooks, and all aspects of personal combat which might be faced. (much like that of the Knight Templar or other such knightly orders). As a general guideline, the following approaches to a fighting class reflect the specific elemental manifestations of consciousness influencing the response." Each of these Elemental responses correspond to how a certain person (or their attacker) will deal with a situation. For example:---From the earth level; you hold your ground solidly, taking the onslaught without letting it affect you. You know that your strength will prevail. The hips are the body's center of motion and consciousness, a familiar concept for judo players. Your adversary feels as though he is fighting against a rock—you are impervious to anything he does. (This could be an example of someone like George Foreman, who will take your best shots, and just keep coming. )---From the water level of consciousness, you shift and flow, using distancing and unexpected movement to defeat your adversary. You know that your flexibility and cleverness will win out. The lower abdomen is the body's center of motion and consciousness, a concept familiar to aikido practitioners. Your assailant feels as though he is fighting against the ocean waves—you recede from his advances and then crash back to knock him over. (This could be an example of a fighter such as Ali, Chris Byrd, or my friend 'Jesse Kinney' ? )---From the fire level, you go after your adversary with fierce resolve. The harder he fights, the more intense your blows become. You are committed to injuring him in direct proportion to the strength he uses against you. The solar plexus is the body's center of motion and consciousness, and the total body moving into the opponent is an action familiar to karate students. Your adversary feels as though he is fighting against a brushfire—you flare hotter and brighter the more he beats and fans "the fire" (you) in an attempt to put you out. (A Mike Tyson kind of attacker)---Under the influence of the wind level of the personality, you fight with purely defensive moves, protecting yourself well without causing undue injury to your adversary. You use enough force to discourage him without harshly punishing him, and your counterattacks intercept his moves and stun him without the necessity of blocking first. The center of the chest is the body's center of motion and consciousness, allowing for the quick lightness demonstrated by boxers as they duck, slip, and roll with punches. Your attacker feels as though he is fighting against the wind—you become ever-elusive and occasionally sting his eyes with a little dust as a gentle dissuader. ---Under the influence of the Void level, the emptiness, you use your creative powers in thoughts, words, and actions to create an environment in which you have no need to fight with anyone. An adversary never appears.

In almost all instances of conflict, these primary methods of relating to one's opposition will manifest themselves. I for example, whether it be in competition, the street, or the field of

battle; would use a combination of these elements. In the beginning I would attempt to use the "Void." I will not fight for pride or prejudice. I will only fight for the Lord, my loved one's, for the better good/self-defense of mankind, or self-defense. This element alone, will eliminate 75% or confrontations. Why else would you want to fight? If confrontation is un-avoidable, I will become like the "Wind." I do not know how dangerous my attacker may be? If they have a weapon, etc.? So until I do, I will be mostly defensive, ready to attack with the appropriate ferocity as the situation calls for. I will "feel out" my opponent. Once this has been developed, I will begin moving like the "Water." I will shift and flow and use distancing and cleverness to look for openings and capitalize on them. Knowing that I am fighting for just cause, I will at all times keep the composure of the "Earth," when tested upon. I know my heart and "Will," will prevail. I will make myself impervious to anything he does. Once my adversary begins to tire and will not yield, I will look for my opening and attack with complete "Fire!" I will go after my opponent with fierce resolve until my cause is triumphant. Regardless of your approach; looking at and studying situations with this in mind will better help one get an understanding and "general" enlightenment of the world around us.

Taijutsu (Ninja & the Knight's un-armed fighting system) The Ninja or Knight Templar's close combat system is best represented by Taijutsu. Taijutsu translates into English as "body method." As a method of unarmed self-defense, taijutsu is of a more general nature than some of the more popular forms of sport martial arts. As mentioned earlier; techniques such as punching, kicking, throwing, and wrestling are all studied by the student of taijutsu. Once these techniques are learned in the more or less ideal conditions of the dojo or training hall, these same techniques are trained under a variety of conditions such as on uneven ground, in water, in the dark and even blindfolded. Added to this type of training is the study of body weak points (and how these same points can be used to promote health and relieve pain), diet special forms of conditioning, and practical psychology. The reason taijutsu covers so many different areas is a product of its long history. Unlike modern martial art forms such as judo, karate or aikido, whose histories are only traceable back 100 years or so, taijutsu has a history that stretches back centuries. Because of this, the overall aim of taijutsu training is different from that of sport forms. This is not to disparage modern forms, in fact, most long-time practitioners of ninjutsu have at one time or another engaged in either the Japanese sports of kendo, judo, or karate, or they have practiced the Western sports of fencing, boxing, or wrestling. These sports, by their very nature, are valuable supplements to taijutsu training. However, anyone training in ninjutsu will always take taijutsu as a foundation to his training. The insistence on real fighting conditions is one very important reason why taijutsu is so different from other martial art forms. The ninja trainee is expected to be able to perform self-defense techniques, regardless of the surface upon which he is standing or the type of clothes he is wearing. While many martial arts allow for competition under set and rigid rules, the ninja begins with the assumption that there are absolutely no rules and "ANYTHING GOES." Because of this type of thinking, the planning out of strategies, as it is often used in fencing or judo, is simply not possible. Since there is no time for such planning in real self-defense situations, the development of intuition is very important. The wide variety of fighting skills helps in this training of intuition. *(Remember that ANYTHING GOES; if we have to throw an attacker then we will…we might punch them first, we might kick them first, or we may not punch at all, but instead gently take them to the ground to

defend ourselves? Either way, in taijutsu, one needs to be prepared for any scenario and how to protect our loved one's with these skills.)The "Psychological" Factor of Training The many stories of trained fighting experts losing to less experienced opponents or "street thugs/hoodlums," can usually be accounted for by saying that the expert's training laced an understanding of "shin ken gata" (the mental training that makes it possible for the martial artist to apply his or her physical abilities.) Thus, a fairly unskilled opponent, who is actually "uneducated" to the real dangers of fighting/violence, can often overcome a trained fighter because the trained fighter's very training can actually get in the way. That is, because the trained fighter has been educated, his reactions are often inhibited by his desire to select a specific technique; or they may just be plain scared because they have a good understanding or how dangerous (and sometimes pointless) real fighting is. There is absolutely nothing wrong with fear. In its purest form, fear is just energy, like any other emotion. It is only when this energy combines itself with self-awareness and imagination that a trained fighter looses "no mind" and will freeze-up or over-react. This type of reaction must be overcome through mental and psychological training. A good example of how this fear reaction works can be seen in the following experiment: "An instructor should take a padded stick and stand about six feet from a student. He should tell the student what type of blow to expect, and the student should wait to the last instant before avoiding the attack; grabbing or blocking the stick is not allowed. The student should avoid the strike by using proper footwork. The instructor should check the student's timing and level of overall body tenseness. Next, the instructor should speed up the attack until he is attacking full-speed. Generally, as the attacks speed up, the student's timing becomes less accurate because of the speed of the attack. Also, his motions will become much larger than needed. This process should be repeated with a "bokken" (wooden sword), a dull metal sword and a real/sharpened blade. Since that student always knows what attack to expect, this exercise only approaches "shin ken gata" when done with the real sword. However this too is very limited. While it is true that real swords are very dangerous, if the attack is limited to only one type of attack then it is very easy to avoid. This type of training can be continued with padded sticks or bokken so that different attacks are introduced, until the student has to react to whatever the instructor does. For example, after the student can react properly to a straight downward cut (me uch), then he should learn to react to angled downward cuts or sideward cuts (do uchi). Timing in these drills is critical. The trainee must move at the last possible instant, or he will be taken in by every fake. Why train with a real sword? First of all, a sword moves faster than the hand or foot. Also, one has more angles of attack when wielding a sword. There is also a big reach disadvantage the defender must overcome if he wishes to take the opponent's sword. Lastly, and most important, a sword is generally a "no touch" weapon; while sticks can be caught, it is generally inadvisable to catch a sword by its blade. The reason for this long process of moving up to training with real weapons is not always obvious. However, it is not possible to submit to such training without acquiring some degree of mastery over timing. Mastering of timing is very important for any martial art. Any technique done with close to perfect timing simply cannot be countered. This is one reason why experienced martial artist who are actually somewhat out of shape can easily overcome less experienced but much stronger and better conditioned opponents. Whereas one's conditioning changes

constantly, one's level of achievement with timing is more of less permanent. Thus, if one can walk, then he can use timing to naturally overcome his opponent. It should be added that if one uses exact timing, he will not be fooled by fakes or tricks. In his famous "Book Of Five Rings," Musashi states that the basis of his system is timing and rhythm. In the very same vein, timing is given a central position of taijutsu. It should be added that many martial artist move too much, too soon, and then too fast. If one's timing is exact, then raw speed per se is not as necessary. Well-timed motions will blend with those of the opponent in terms of speed and power.Implication of Training Methods In real life situations of fighting evil forces or just in real life situations. Shirkers and ninjitsu both utilize everything at one's disposal. For instance, one of the oldest combat tactics is the proper use of light. Regardless of the source, one should endeavor to have the brightest light behind themselves. To do this, one should place themselves between the light source and the opponent. Not only does this tactic work well for martial artists on the ground, but the old World War I saying, "A Hun in the Sun," shows just how well German pilots understood this idea too. A perfect example of this is Miyamoto Musashi, who was notorious for arriving late for duels. While this habit was undoubtedly irritating to his opponents, it was far from and idiosyncrasy on his part. Since duels were fought at given times, whoever showed up last could approach his opponent with the sun to his back. Also, by showing up late, Musashi could wait until the sun was high enough (at morning) or low enough (in evening) so that it would be just above the horizon. Thus, when Musashi's opponent squared off, he found himself looking directly into the sun. This is just an example of how even light can be used as a crucial weapon when need be. A quick flashlight shined in someone's eyes and then turned off, causes a brief moment of blindness which leads then to vulnerability. One needs to develop/hone their senses to better see these examples. The same could be said about keeping the high ground or leading your opponent into the terrain that you see fit. More examples of using anything at one's disposal would be the use of obstacles such as large rocks, trees, or even trash cans can be used to shield one from the opponent. Small objects such as sticks, rocks, trash can lids, etc., can be used to trip up an unwary opponent; also such objects can be thrown. Distraction through physical or psychological misdirection is another powerful weapon. Physical distractions can be anything from simply throwing a handful of dirt into the opponent's face to more esoteric weapons such as throwing blades or spray chemicals. The main principle is to hit the opponent while staying outside the reach of their weapon. The tactics are meant more for distraction purposes and not intended to kill or maim the opponent. Instead these are used to aid in escaping. Psychological misdirection could be any number of scenarios. One example of this would be why you see older martial artists defeat younger ones. Misdirection is not just the use of fakes and fancy techniques, but more a process of making the opponent believe in something that is not present in the situation. A skilled warrior may put on an act of being scared or drunk to mare the opponent overconfident. Faking an injury or begging for mercy to allow the opponent to lower their guard could be another example of this. Of course, no discussion of tactics would be complete without the subject of surprise. In fact, it would be fair to say that much of what is known as tactics is really nothing more than the scientific application of "surprise." With out question, the best way to attack or counter attack someone is by doing or making something happen that is totally outside their realm of expectation. The examples of this are countless; knocking an obstacle over so that it falls

on the opponent, quickly killing whatever light source is available, or hitting someone with a punch when they are expecting a kick, are just a few of examples of this. The point is to take advantage of the opponent's lack of attention. This is critical, because even if one masters technique and tactics, it is still impossible to force victory on any given opponent unless that opponent participates to some extent in their own defeat. Tactics, their applications, and the ways of training to use them are almost endless. Being aware of your surroundings and what elements can be used to your advantage are two very important aspects of successful combat tactics. Expertise in weaponry and unarmed defense can prove inadequate if you don't become equally expert in the psychology of combat and the utilization of everything at one's disposal.

NO MIND… In almost all the classical martial arts of Japan, the concept of "No Mind" is used. Training in a wide variety of techniques is an aid to achieving this state of "no mind." Like so many other things in life, the achievement of "no mind" has to be experienced to be understood. Fortunately, it is possible to see if a martial artist has reached this stage of development. With "no mind," as in anything else that is naturally human, there are different levels of achievement and understanding. Someone whose technique comes from "no mind" or "mushin" (literally, from nothing) does not decide what to do and then do it. Rather, in a very real sense, he does not know what he is going to do until he has already done it. Lastly, there should be no exaggeration when doing a technique. This is one of the biggest differences between sports martial arts and classical martial arts. "No mind" is basically the ability to "not think at all----but to do!" Instead of letting one's self get stressed about "what if this…. What if that???," they simply do and do not let any factor alter this mind set. (not fear, intimidation, nervousness, worry, doubt, etc. All of these factors can have a very negative effect if one can not control them.)Weapon TrainingNinja training today also involves perfecting skills with several classical combat tools. Weapon training with the historical gear enhances overall coordination, and it provides physical models from which psychological or philosophical lessons can be taught. But most important of all, it allows the student to learn the ability to recognize and improvise self-defense tools from common articles in the environment. All ninja weapons are timeless in the sense that they are fundamental combat tools rather than unique or unusual gimmicks. Sticks, blades, pieces of rope or chain can all be found readily, and the fighter who is proficient in their use need not endanger himself by having to rely on carrying a specialized weapon with him at all times. The ninja's weapon fighting methods are identical to the ninjutsu unarmed combat in terms of body dynamics and the coordination of physical response and mental observation. The fighting poses are slightly altered to accommodate the physical dimensions of the weapons, but they do follow the general classifications of purpose relating to the five elemental manifestations, just like the taijutsu postures.Stick Fighting A natural progression from unarmed defense is the bojutsu stick fighting system. Traditional weapons of the Japanese samurai culture, the wooden cane and staff are natural extensions of the arms, and they are relatively easy to master once unarmed fighting proficiency has been developed. The roku-shaku-bo, or six-foot staff, is just under

two meters in length, and the han-bo, or "half-staff," is a cane just under one meter in length. Contemporary students of ninjutsu find that stick techniques experienced in training are easily adaptable to real-life situations where a walking stick, yard rake, tennis racket, or even a rolled-up newspaper, can easily be found in everyday surroundings and pressed into service as defensive weapons.Blade Weapons Ninjitsu's "ken-po" blade technique teaches practical skills with handheld as well as thrown blades. The formal training is made up of fast-draw techniques for pulling the sword or knife from the scabbard and cutting in one simultaneous movement, plus fencing skills for using the handheld blade against an attacker's weapon, and throwing skills for hitting distant targets with the released blade. Though the two-handed Japanese sword is used for some practice sessions in the training hall, today's student of ninjutsu could use a contemporary hunting knife, kitchen implement, or garden tool in a true life or death struggle.Chains & Cords Chain and cord weapons also follow the unarmed fighting system in their practical application. The kuari-fundo, a short small linked chain with weighted ends, the kyotetsu shogei, a blade weapon attached to a three-meter cord, and the kusarigama, a four meter chain attached to a long handled sickle, are three flexible ninja weapons that are practiced today for their practical application in street self-defense. Short chain techniques practiced in the training hall can be duplicated with a belt, camera strap, dish towel, or even a necktie when self-preservation warrants it. The long cord methods can be utilized with an electrical appliance power cable, fishing tackle, water ski, or any various rope, telephones receiver, etc., in an actual attack situation. The Ninja/Shirkers' Self-Training It has been said that only about one in every two thousand martial arts students become an instructor. To this, it should probably be added that only about one in every ten thousand instructors becomes a Master. There are of course, many reasons for this. Some authorities would claim that people today will not follow instructors the way they used to. Others would claim that today's life-style is the wrong environment within which to train. Finally, there are those who claim that "masters" are more myth than fact and that such a level of skill does not really exist. All of these reasons have some claim to truth, but each and every one of them overlooks the critical issue of self-training. The longer someone is in the martial arts, the more important self-training becomes. While an instructor can maintain his level of skill by teaching classes, real improvement can only come by the lonely process of self-training. *Miyamoto Musashi was an example of what can be done through self-training. Although he received very little formal training, he is remembered today as Japan's greatest swordsman. Practically all of his skill and accomplishments rested on an almost inhuman program of self-training. Today, Musashi's program would be impossible to follow. However, the spirit of his effort can be followed in a more balance manner. A huge portion of my training is through self-training. Visualization of one's opponent, bringing "good" to the world, and going through various techniques and procedures over and over again; has taught me much. I have trained with many people including my good friend Ryan Jones; but he too will agree to the extreme importance of self-training. Self-training is not just repeating a set of techniques however. It is a complete system of training through your mind, body, and senses. One that is hard to explain in words, but extremely

important none the less. Before actually beginning self-training, it is important to realize a few things. First, persistence and patience are more important than an occasional frantic outburst. As a person collects experience, it takes longer and longer training intervals to show any real improvement. Most experienced martial artists have experienced such "dry spells" and learned that about all one can do is wait it out. Secondly, self-training can sometimes be exasperating. Since one is working to eliminate weak points, this means spending long hours working on the things one has difficulty with. It can also mean working on things one is not interested in. Generally, people are most skilled in areas that interest them. Areas that are boring or overly difficult get ignored. This is exactly the sort of thing that self-training should correct. Lastly, self-training does not "count" in most dojo. **Often rank has less to do with a person's skill than the amount of time he is in a dojo. This is, or course, a tradition, and no judgment passed here. The important point is that all self-training is totally personal. If all this seems to make self-training a rather thankless task, that is because in some respects it is. However, self-training is the only chance a martial artist or one training in ninjitsu/shirkers, has of ever reaching the high level of skill and over-all self-mastery it makes possible. The number of forms self-training takes is almost limitless. However, the ninja and/or shirker have always kept their training close to nature. Here, some of their ideas and methods are given. This particular type of training can be adapted to fit both the city and the country environments; and it does not matter what type of martial art with which a person begins. Just as self-training transcends style, so too these drills are appropriate for any martial artist. The first set of exercises are designed to develop overall agility and endurance. Whereas heavy bag or speed bag work can help develop hands and feet, the ability to move the entire body quickly and smoothly is often overlooked. Also, since real fighting skills are rarely used in ideal situations (such as in the dojo), such training will help enable the ninja/shirker to automatically adapt to any environment. A simple exercise for developing agility is running in wooded areas. The area should be such that one cannot run more than a few yards before dodging around a tree or under a limb. This type of running should be done as fast as possible. I personally have used this in the woods of my parents 70 acre farm, but even a city park or parking lot could be substituted. Or even a self made obstacle course would do. These courses could be set up anywhere, from a wooded area to a city alley. Such courses should add climbing, crawling and jumping over things to the obstacles presented by the first drill. Training on such courses is one of the sources of the ninja's ability to escape or simply outrun their usually slower opponents. Striking a variety of targets is useful for a variety of purposes. To begin with, the trainee should strike the target by just extending the hand or foot that is used. Next, a step should be added, but the arm or leg should not be extended. Lastly comes the full-power blow using the fist or foot with total body motion behind the strike. Care must of course be taken to prevent injuries. This is particularly the case with strikes that use the fingertips and toes. It should be noted that the real point of this type of training is not being able to break objects but rather to his a target with the fist and body aligned for as much power as possible. *Too much of this type of training is not good and only leads to permanent injury to the body. To train for accurate strikes, the following exercise can be used. Take a bottle of common soap bubbles and have a training partner blow bubbles. Use the bubbles for

targets. Because the bubbles fly in odd patterns and are made in groups, it is possible to train accurate, multiple strikes. In this exercise, kicks can be combined with punches for better training as well. (*A similar example of this would be having a partner throw fruit into the air and let you practice your iaido, or drawing of the sword, to improve you accuracy of your blade.) *Another important, but often neglected form of training, is that of using a blindfold to increase your overall awareness. There are several ways to approach this training. One method is to take a few hours and wear a blindfold around one's house. It is often surprising what can be learned by such a simple experiment. If training in groups, it is possible to string a thin rope over a fairly simple course and have blindfolded trainees follow the course. Care should be taken so that dangerous situations will not arise. These courses should be followed at a slow but purposeful pace. Of course, training of any type done in the dark is good for developing awareness. Just walking at night in areas (preferably something like a countryside with little light) is good training. One of the most important elements in any marital arts training is the repetition of basic motions. This is probably the origin of the various kata methods used by most arts. Even such basic motions as walking and running need to be studied deeply. The proper application of the simplest motion, such as a kick or punch, can take years to learn. In taijutsu, long walks are used as one method to train the most basic motion in a variety of conditions. This would seem simple until one tries to walk up the side of an ice-covered mountain or on a frozen lake. If this type of training is done properly, the transition to techniques used on difficult terrain is not only easier but will proceed in a safer fashion. *Although not a part of classical training, the spread of information has made it possible for the modern martial artist to read and study about a variety of styles from various cultures. This study must be followed up by practicing various arts. Thus, such arts as kendo, judo, boxing, wrestling, kickboxing, grappling, etc., have a place in training. A wide variety of training will make one's understanding of his/her own art much deeper and meaningful. In fact, in today's world, if one is not versed in several martial arts, then he/she is not really a true martial artist at all. It is better if these arts come from a variety of cultures because martial arts vary fundamentally from one culture to the next – based on differences in dress, battle tactics, armor and even the build of the people that evolved the art. Self-training is an almost unlimited area of study. The ideas given here are some of those used in practicing ninjutsu/shirkers. The role and importance of self-training can not be expressed enough nor should it ever be over-looked. *It is one of the main differences between an instructor and a "master instructor." By continuously examining his responses to danger and conflict, the student of ninjutsu/shirkers can eventually learn what is appropriate as a response to any given situation in order to bring him or her to their goals. They can recognize what works and what does not work, and then develop the intuitive nature that will allow them to know the best response every time without having to think it through mechanically. The ninjitsu/shirkers approach to winning is not merely a special method of fighting; it is a total dedication to personal perfection—the achievement of harmony with the world.

The Warriors Spell Book

Mentality & Warrior-ship A true warrior does not necessarily need a "war" to make him or her a warrior. A warrior first becomes one in heart and mind. This is not as easy as it may sound; nor is it a bad thing at all. Many people look at a "warrior," as someone willing to kill. This is not always true. In many, if not most instances, it is the desire of a true warrior to let their opponent live. By doing this, the vanquished party has a chance to reflect on the mistakes of their life, and hopefully reinforce it in a positive manner hence forth. A true Crusader or Christian warrior, may train day and night for the possibility that one day the Lord may have use of them in some way "to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." (Ephesians 6:13-18) This is not a warrior who looks to kill, but to protect those that he or she loves and serve their Lord accordingly. In war, there is death; but "killing" is much different than "murder." Remember this, before forcing stereotypes upon someone. Before you can take up any study of the martial way, you have to get the right mind-set. Unlike the hobbyist or athlete, the warrior acknowledges his warriorship and pursues internal versus external objectives. Warriors are unique individuals. Since they understand the concept of honor, they set their ethical standards above most of the rest of society. Since they also pattern their lives around the pursuit of excellence, they tend to achieve in their chosen vocations. Warriorship is not for everyone. In past martial cultures the warrior caste was occupied by an elite few. Gone now are the days of inherited status. To achieve admiration and respect today, the warrior must set himself apart from the rest of society by his personal excellence. Where warriorship was once a birthright, it is now a calling. Start today by believing in yourself as a warrior. Stop being a teacher, a secretary, or accountant who does judo or karate as a hobby, and become a warrior who practices both his profession and his art to hone his spirit. It will be discovered that both your professional competence and your art will improve. True mastery in the warrior way involves more than mere physical prowess and expertise. The master warrior is a person of character and integrity; a person of wisdom and insight. These goal are far more

elusive than those regarding technical expertise, but you can begin the long road towards character development by learning to recognize and pursue internal versus external vices. The warrior's way is a discipline devoted to the perfection of character, not the collection of prizes. Train to achieve personal excellence, not certificates or belts. All systems are artificial, there is one true warrior way.Do Not Limit One's self People who study a single martial art or strategy tend to focus exclusively on the beliefs or doctrines of that art. They often do not understand that those doctrines, valid though they may be, were developed in response to specific threats and for fighting in specific situations. These disciples of a single doctrine tend to shut out ideas form other sources and convince themselves that, "their's is the one true way of combat." As a result, they become slaves to the very doctrines they profess. Think about Tae Kwon Doe for instance. They focus their attention to kicking. However, a boxer's focus lies with his fists and his conditioning, while a judo black belt relies almost solely on throws and limited submissions. The boxer knows nothing of kicking or takedowns? The judo player is out of his "area of safety" in a stand-up fight? But what if one person implements the study of each of these areas? You then are dealing with an individual who has knowledge of all three areas. This one individual can throw and submit the Tae Kwon Doeist, while kicking the boxer unconscious, and then punch the judo player out of there. So why limit one's self when it is not necessary? This is quite unlike the art of the warrior. A true warrior never tolerates enslavement to any one limited system. They are masters of their own destinies. The starting point for you and every warrior must be a realistic analysis of the threat you are most likely to face. We live different lives, and threats to our safety, not to mention the constraints on our behavior, vary widely. A soldier preparing himself for the field of battle sees a far different threat than the executive preparing to cross a parking garage in the middle of the night. A police officer may face conditions as lethal as the soldier, but the ways in which he or she are allowed to respond to those conditions are much more limited. Most women face different threats than men do. The question you have to ask is: "Will it most likely be life threatening or merely harassing? Will your attacker be apt to strike you, or will he try to wrestle you to the ground? What can you do? Might you face criminal or civil penalties if you brutalize your attacker, or can you leave him with his body broken and bleeding? Each of these questions must be addressed and answered honestly before you can select an appropriate "doctrine" for self defense. Equally important, you must evaluate your own physical and emotional capabilities. You must have the fortitude to carry out the violent acts on your adversary that your chosen art may call for. For instance, if you can't stomach the groin-kicking and eye-gouging responses called for in ninjitsu, maybe you could better defend yourself with the blending, controlling, and throwing techniques of judo or aikido. What's important, is you must have both the will and ability to do in a crisis what your art attempts to teach you in the training hall. A few points to remember:

There are no superior or inferior martial arts, there are only warriors vs. non- warriors. Warriors do not quibble over which system of fighting is the best. They know no one system fits everyone's needs in all situations. Each art is based on doctrine, a set of broad and general beliefs. People who

study a single doctrine tend to shut out ideas from other sources and convince themselves that their system or style is the one "true" way of fighting. They become slaves to the very doctrines they profess. Choosing which doctrines to follow not only determines what art form you will study, but it also drives how you will develop your strategy and tactics. Choose each martial doctrine by analyzing the threat you are most likely to face, evaluating your physical and emotional assets, then selecting the doctrine that best fills your needs. (Relying on one narrow doctrine is dangerous, so build your skills around a doctrinal core.) The final ingredient is integration. As you develop skills from a variety of doctrines, you must learn to integrate them into an effective personal arsenal. The result should be that you become a smooth fighter; effective at all ranges and in any situation.

As far as the issue of training is concerned, I think Karate Master Masutatsu Oyama might have summed it up best when he said, "If someone asked me what a human being ought to devote the maximum of his time to, I would answer, 'Training.' Train more than you sleep." While this is a gross over exaggeration, training is an obvious, and dominating part of anything in one's life that he or she wishes to improve. The warrior is always in training, and to an extent, at some level of consciousness, training is always on his or her mind. In modern day society, it is very difficult to allow for an adequate amount of time to train day in and day out. We all have tons of obligations to meet with loved ones, Church, work, etc. But none the less, the warrior calmly plans the specific exercises he will use that day to continue his or her slow, steady progress towards obtaining their goals. Warriors are distinctly different from the rest of society. Where the typical man in today's culture fills his spare time pursuing entertainment and pleasure alone; the warrior entertains himself cultivating his spirit. That is his pleasure, and to some degree his very survival depends upon it. Warriors of old had two ever-present goals in life: to serve valiantly and to die well. Death was their profession and their constant companion; it hung over each of them like a specter, waiting for an unguarded moment to "snuff" them out of existence. This was never more true than in the case of Japan's samurai. For these warriors wielded razor sharp swords, and each confrontation inevitably resulted in the death of at least one of the combatants. As the samurai faced his enemy, he expected one of only three possible outcomes. If he was significantly more skilled than his opponent, he would find victory and the enemy would die. If, on the other hand, the opponent was superior, the samurai would die. Often the two combatants were equally skilled and "ai uchi" (mutual killing), would result. In these circumstances, each warrior knew he had at best a one in three chance of surviving combat. Given these odds, the warriors of old took their training very seriously. Of course, we will probably not have to face a sword-wielding enemy, but your potential attackers today can be every bit as dangerous. Warriors rarely have to face one another in actual combat. The threats we face are from the gun, knife, and club toting degenerates who thrive on preying on the weak. Fighting is still a life and death proposition (so be careful). Even an unarmed man can injure you with every blow, and your attacker won't stop after he bloodies your nose. Once enraged, the alley mugger or the parking lot rapist

will keep brutalizing you until you're completely helpless. Then, only if he is merciful, will he let you live. I do not trust in his or her mercy, do you… Today's warriorship focuses on life. Where warriors once trained to die, we now train to live. *Nonetheless, you should never lose your ties to those noble warriors of the past, because people die just as easily now as they ever did. *Burn that fact into your subconscious. If you never forget that defeat in combat means death, you will train more effectively and live more vibrantly as well. If you want to learn to win in mortal combat, if you really want to be a warrior, then you must put aside the ways of the hobbyist and the game player. Instead, you must study and follow the ways of the classical warriors, the men and women who lived in paths of service and died in the name of a forgotten word for modern times…."honor."

"Everyone has a game plan; until they get hit…"-Mike Tyson

* "Fear"--Fear can kill by either preventing us from acting or causing us to panic and act rashly. If a demon were to attack you, you would feel genuine fear. To fear in such circumstances is understandable and even desirable, provided that fear does not paralyze you with inaction. Fear + Control = ExcitementBut if "fear" is not controlled in the way that a roller coaster evokes fear, then we do not get the same "controlled" fear that causes excitement, but instead a fear that causes panic and irrationalness. The secret to mastering fear, thus turning it from foe to ally, lies in our realizing how all too often we misinterpret our body's signals that it is ready to fight, for signs of fear.(Butterflies in the stomach for example are produced when blood rushes away from nonessential organs, such as the stomach and intestines, to the arms and legs that are needed for either running away or fighting. -- Failure to recognize these natural reactions as signs of readiness as opposed to signs of cowardice and weakness, can paralyze us with fear. A point to remember concerning "fear;" is that whatever we fear is always in the future. Rather than live in fear of a threat that might not ever materialize, we should prepare ourselves mentally and physically to be equal of any threat scenario that does appear. *Once we become confident of our ability to deal with any threat, our fear diminishes. (Just remember too, that if our cause be noble and pure, the Lord is with us, so there is of course nothing to fear.) --A little bit of fear is healthy. Healthy fear urges us to caution and can save our lives. Left unchecked, however, fear can become chronic, paralyzing us in moments of danger, incapacitating us for life. So it is important to maintain a healthy level of one's emotions. Whether it be fear, rage, anxiety, or any emotion, one needs to maintain a balanced and healthy level of these. Leaving any of these un-checked, can result in an imbalance of stability, which in turn can leave your life open and vulnerable to danger.

Training A few simple rules that will make your system or art much more effective:1) Train against serious attacks; this point seems almost too obvious to mention, but too many of today's martial arts students are "playing" at combat. A serious

attack is, to the greatest extent of safely possible, an attack done at full strength and speed. As unsavory as it may seem, you must learn what it feels like to defend against a person trying their best to hurt you. You need to experience the difficulty of breaking a bear hug when a stronger attacker refuses to let go until the pain or leverage you apply forces them to. You need to realize what really is going to happened when you get taken down to the ground or out of your game plan. Often students will develop a false confidence while doing attacks at 40% or less and relying on a set of a few patterns that when an attacker does not follow these set patterns, the student becomes lost and/or in return, beaten. To use a personal example; "Extreme Fighting Arts," (a local school in which I have spent some time training), teaches Tae Kwondo (which I did not participate in), as well as grappeling, Muay Thai, and mixed martial arts training (which I did train in). The school's Tae Kwondo core class participated in the Muay Thai class one day. They could not adapt to the Muay Thai's "all out" approach to sparring. They still had the "points system" of Tae Kwondo engrained into their minds. After they would land a punch or more often a kick, they would stop fighting and then get pummeled by the Thai fighter due to their lack of defensive skills and the fact that they had not practiced against a serious attack. Is an attacker going to quit their attack after you land one light kick? Probably not, so one should take this into consideration when training. "Practicing bad habits, will lead to bad habits." Points sparring can be a prime example of this. As your training progresses, you must learn to handle multiple attackers and attacks with weapons. First work against slow, restrained attacks until your defenses and counters become second nature. Then, increase the intensity until you are really defending yourself from real/full attacks. These principles are central to learning true self-defense. This also leads into our second rule: 2) Make free sparring an important part of your training. Free sparring, done as a training exercise rather than a contest, is an essential part of the modern warrior's regimen. It provides you with a forum in which you can develop the strategies and tactics you will use during actual combat, and it enables you to test the effectiveness of your attacks against a partner determined no to let them succeed. For free sparring to be an effective method of training, it must be realistic, and that rules out "point sparring." You will never learn to defend yourself adequately, until you know the feel of hitting and being hit. (This does not mean climbing in a ring and trading punches.) But combat is a brutal experience, and you will never be physically or emotionally prepared for it unless you have tasted some amount of contact. Just remember; we warriors are not concerned with winning points, we are concerned with learning to win in actual combat.3) Become a student of anatomy. Well trained students of the striking arts know which side of the body holds the spleen and what effect they can achieve by striking it. They know exact locations of an opponent's kidneys, temples, solar plexus and other vital targets. They learn the most effective strikes for each and practice hitting square inch-sized targets with precision. Even the most casual student knows how easily a collar bone or knee breaks and understands the devastating effect well placed strikes to those targets have. If you are a serious warrior, then you should become a well versed student of anatomy.4) Practice forms with utmost seriousness. First of all: No, you can not do kata (a formal, prearranged exercise used to mimic the moves in one's art in a

flowing/repetitious almost dance like way), on someone who attacks you. But you can learn to execute classical combinations with speed, power, and balance essential to effective combat by practicing forms. More importantly, proper forms training will condition and harden your body for combat and instill in you that steely discipline that separates the warrior from the brawler. Simply walking through a kata without applying power, focus, and the necessary attention to detail will not advance you effectively. First, you must execute each technique as if your life depended on it. The word focus (kime in Japanese), takes on special meaning in the martial arts. Not only does it refer to the ability to hit a target with precise aim and range, it also implies concentrating all of one's strength, internal and external, on the point of impact or leverage at a precise time. Make your forms a central feature of your warrior training and practice them daily and you will be well on your way to mastery of your art or arts.

The Way of Strategy

"Those who are certain to capture what is attacked,Attack locations that are not defended.

Those who are certain to secure what is defended,Defend locations that cannot be attacked.

Thus, an opponent does not know what location to defendAgainst those skilled in attack.

Nor does and opponent know what location to attackAgainst those skilled in defense.

Subtle! Intangible! Seemingly without shape.Mysterious! Miraculous! Seemingly without sound.

They master the destiny of their opponents.From The Art of Strategy (Wing, 1988, p. 83)

One key often overlooked for the warrior is that of "strategy." Strategy is the essence of warriorship. It lives in the heart of every thing the warrior studies, practices, and does with his life. When the warrior chooses an art to master, a career to follow, or a place to live, strategy lies at the root of his choice. The warrior strives to keep up with the latest tactical developments, but strategy itself is a timeless commodity. Sun Tzu wrote "The Art of War" over twenty centuries ago, but its principles are just as valid today s when he used them to become the most effective general in early China. He has a greater following now than he ever did during his lifetime. Not only is his work an important part of the curriculum of every major military academy in the world, but he's studied by international negotiators and board room executives as well. But Sun Tzu isn't the only classical strategist modern warrior chieftains study. Another is the famous Miyamoto Musashi. Musashi was a master swordsman who lived in seventeenth century Japan, and he's become the most famous samurai in history. He began his career in 1600, when less than twenty years old, on the losing side in the Battle of Sekigahara. (The conflict in which Tokugawa Ieysu defeated all opposition and became Shogun) Although Musashi escaped the episode with his life, the peace that followed left him unemployed. Unlike many other ronin (unemployed samurai) of the period, Musashi chose neither to become a bandit or to lay down his arms for another line of work. Instead, he devoted his life to

mastering the sword. He trained relentlessly and soon realized that swordsmanship wasn't merely an art of physical prowess but one of cunning as well. Along with this realization came an enlightenment to the way of strategy, a "way" which would lead to victory in ANY kind of combat. Like Sun Tzu, Musashi wasn't merely a philosopher. He set out to test his strategy in the traditional manner-by seeking out and dueling with his country's most skilled swordsmen. Over the remaining years of his life, Musashi fought and defeated sixty opponents! His strategy proved so effective that during the later portion of his career he disdainfully felled fully armed adversaries using only his wooden practice sword (boken).Shortly before his natural death in 1645, he retired to a cave and wrote his Go Rin No Sho (A Book of Five Rings), concisely detailing his strategy. His book, like Sun Tzu's, is a standard text for modern strategists. So why aren't more martial artists reading it???? Most of you understand the role doctrines (the system, set of moves, or guidelines in which you address combat), play in fighting systems, so what about strategy? Strategy is basically the putting of one's doctrines into action. Just believing your feet are superior weapons or grappling is the best method of fighting for a stout man to use won't get you very far on the street. You also need a "plan"-actually a set of plans-to turn that strategy or plan into reality. Planning your actions and reactions for the vast multitude of possible situations that you could face can be a difficult task. Strategic planning is much easier and more effective if you break it into four phases. To develop your own personal strategies, you should:a) Identify your objectivesb) Collect intelligence about your situation or adversaryc) Plan for environment (ex: don't just practice throws with someone wearing a gi.)d) Program for engagement

Let us break these down a little bit further. Take some time right now and think. What do you want to achieve if you are attacked in a dark alley? Do you want to simply escape your attacker or subdue and hold him for the authorities? How will you deal with the same situation if a loved one is with you? Will your objectives differ if there's more than one aggressor? What about age? Do you react differently if your opponent(s) is/are old vs. young? These are questions that you/a warrior should consider well in advance, NOT just when a situation occurs. *With your mind clear of debate over how strongly to respond, you are free to read the intentions of your attacker, free to move smoothly and thoughtlessly into defense and counterattack. **Where non-warriors tend to freeze at the onset of conflict, you are prepared for confrontation. And you are even better prepared if you have already collected intelligence on your possible opponents. The more you know about your adversary the better you can prepare yourself and handle the situation once conflict has begun. You want to know everything there is to know about he fighting systems they study and their physical and technical skills. Consider size, strength, right handed, left handed, aggressive, or defensive? The list goes on and on. Finally, you want all the information you can get about their plans to attack you or do someone you are defending harm. The more you can find out about your adversary, the better you can prepare to prevent, avoid, and if necessary, defend against their attack. Once you are prepared with information on your adversary are you prepared for environment? Are you prepared to face them on any terrain, day or night, any weather? In ninjutsu, the student practices fighting in a variety of environments, form ice, to water, to sand. Musashi emphasizes

this point best in the following (real life/experience) paragraph:

"Examine your environment…Always chase the enemy intobad footholds, obstacles at the side, and so on, using the virtues

of the place to establish predominant positions from which tofight. You must research and train diligently in this."

--Musashi from "A Book of Five Rings"

I can not overemphasize this point enough. Are you prepared to fight in the snow, a heavy rainstorm, or in the water? What do you do if you're blinded by blowing sand? *Plan and train for these environments in advance, even as you collect your intelligence. Know your enemy, know how you'll fight in a variety of environments, and you'll be ready to program for engagement.

At this point, you need to begin planning how to defend one's self against various attackers. (Once again, I'm not talking about writing down detailed scenarios that will only confuse and frustrate you in a time of stress.) I'm talking about conscious, strategic programming to smoothly react to a variety of attackers in a broad range of environments. This process is a kind of mental programming. Done correctly, it will establish certain pathways in your mind that will lead you to the appropriate strategies in crisis situations without employing the cumbersome, inexact mechanics of conscious thought. In other words, one will not have to say to themselves: "Ok James…throw a jab and the a low kick; then if they throw a kick I will catch it and let me think…the I'll do a leg sweep, etc., etc." It will all just happen without me having to think about it consciously! This is the mental programming that will instill these concepts into one's un-conscious thought. Develop general approaches for how you will fight boxers, wrestlers, karate men, larger/smaller opponents, the terrain, a person yelling a lot in a very unpredictable matter, and armed vs. un-armed opponent. Mental programming is an excellent tool for developing conceptual response, but effective strategic planning isn't a head game alone. One has to translate those mental programs into physical reactions. That requires dedicated, repetitive practice. *Practice diligently. Use as many training partners as you can, and train in all kinds of environments. In time, not only will you develop the confident reactions that come from sound strategy, but you will develop a definite fighting savvy, provided you train methodically to develop your tactics. Tactics are the nuts and bolts of fighting so to speak. They are the mean by which one "fools" their adversary into defeat. Developing tactics can be as confusing and overwhelming as developing strategy unless you approach the process in an organized fashion. Much like "strategy," tactics can be learned most easily by breaking them into their principal elements. These elements include:

Read Your Opponent-Skilled warriors know at a glance whether you are close enough to kick, punch, or grab them. They know by reading into their adversary. Are they going to be overly aggressive? Or completely counter? Would it be best for me to keep this fight standing or are they so good standing up (such as a good kick boxer), that I will want to take it to the ground? (wrestling, grapple, etc.) With serious training, you can be the one that knows exactly what your

opponent intends to do before they do it.

"See first with your mind, then with your eyes, and finally with your body."-Master swordsmen Yagyu Munenori (1571-1646)

Control Fighting Range-This is the principle of keeping your adversary exactly where you want him. Whether that is keeping a Muay Thai kick boxer on the ground where you can pound him while not having to worry about their dangerous strikes or the complete opposite-keeping a wrestler standing up at the end of your strikes (not letting them take you to the ground). This can be summed up by the boxing term, "keeping them at the end of your jab." In other words, the boxer is keeping their opponent exactly at the end of their punch, which will not only negate their opponent's offense, but will also vastly improve their own.

Feint Effectively-Feinting is simply convincing your opponent that you are trying to do one thing, while you are really setting him up for something else. I recently saw a fight between a wrestler and a kick boxer (Crocrop vs. Randleman-Pride 2004). The wrestler shot for the kick boxer's legs twice (in order for him to take the kick boxer to the ground), after going for two take downs, he then "feinted" for the take down and came up with a left hook and knocked the kickboxer out! The kickboxer was completely "faked out!" He had his hands down ready to block the takedown, and left himself open to the punch. A beautiful example of how feinting can work.

Use Rhythm and Timing-Develop the ability to feel and exploit the rhythms of your opponent. Some breath loudly or even snort with their techniques. Others step or dance rhythmically or even bounce up and down, their patterns virtually yelling out when they are strong and when they are vulnerable. Learn to time their cycles and expose them! I have seen some boxers that when they attacked they would attack with great ferocity and approximately 10 punches. After this they were tired and would not punch again for approximately 30 seconds. So what would one do here in order of rhythm and timing? One should be defensive until they throw their 10 punches and then during the 30 seconds that they are resting, attack! This will be using very effective rhythm and timing to defeat your foe.

"The less effort, the faster and more powerful you will be."-Bruce Lee

Avoid, Evade, and Intercept-This is a simple concept that is many times ignored? When you are clearly stronger than your attacker, intercept their attack with crushing force. Even preempt their attack with a feint and vicious barrage of your own. (*But never underestimate your opponent.) -When they are clearly stronger, you can still command the fighting range, so avoid. Remember, if they can not reach you, they can not hurt you. So let him or her expend energy flailing vainly at you. (I'm not saying run, I'm simply saying maintain the proper distance waiting to counter your opponent, while at the same time, avoiding them.) As your adversary lunges and swings about, relax and be ready.

Soon they will over-commit their attack. Once you have evaded his over-extension, you will then want to pounce on this opening and attack accordingly.

These simple concepts apply to literally every martial art in some way or another. Study these well and learn how to apply them in the systems you practice. Use them to develop your own overall strategy and tactics.

"If the opponent is ready to challenge:When equally matched, we can offer battle;

When fewer in number; be ready to evade them;When unequal to the match, be ready to avoid them."

-Sun Tzu from The Art of Strategy(Wing, 1988, p.47)

PART II We all have physical bodies and a living spirit. So having an "internal energy source" (some would call this "Ki"), is not a relevant issue, other than in the need to stay healthy and strong. What is important to the warrior-what does give the true warrior almost magical powers-is the ability to coordinate his body, mind, and spirit as one complete being and focus those entities so effectively during combat. It is the focused application of this energy or ki that gives the adept such amazing abilities and makes him or her so formidable. And YES, this precise coordination and focus does, in some cases, produce abilities that can not be fully explained by the physical sciences. To concentrate one's life force is sometimes referred to as Kiai. Some describe this in terms of a "spirit shout." Indeed, the spirit shout is an important tool for learning to develop kiai, but like so many other aspects of modern training, the outward, physical trappings of kiai practice have become confused with the internal function itself by those who don't know what or how to direct one's life force. (The fact is some classical martial arts such as kenjutsu, (Japanese swordsmanship), does not shout at all as they "kiai," focusing their spirits and their blades into their targets.) Masters of kiai sometimes project it without moving, much less shouting. United life force or spirit is referred to as Aiki in it's original text. Aiki is an impassive state of mind without a blind side, slackness, evil intention, or fear. This union refers not only to the act of coordinating one's own body and spirit but to blending with and dominating an opponent as well. In the modern interpretation, aiki usually refers to the act of physically blending with an opponent's attack, then using leverage to upset their balance and dominate them. -Whether this phenomenon is actually the product of some projected energy or merely the psychological result of concentrating one's will on a weaker ego can only be answered by those who have experienced it. In any case, kiai and aiki do exist, and their effects are the same whatever lies behind their function. True kiai and aiki can take years to develop. There is not a cut and dry formula for instance success. But there are a basic set of clear-cut instructions that will begin your internal development and take the "hit-or-miss" guesswork out of this part of your warrior training. These include:

Find Your Heart/Will-Best describes as "Heart" or refusing to accept defeat.

"Indomitable spirit" is another word used to describe this. Of course, refusing to back down from a threat is not easy. Too often we go through life seeking the course of least resistance, or the easiest way to get by. But in some situations there just in not any way to compromise. Sometimes you have to fight; figuratively or literally. Kokoro (heart) is something we all have within us. We simply have to reach down deep and drag it up. That is why I say you have to find "Heart," rather than learn it.

"Power of mind is infinite while brawn is limited."-Koichi Tohei

Practice Relaxing-"Relax" in every situation, stay loose, relaxed, and calm at all times. Do not panic; but instead be confident and relaxed in all situations. Whatever system you study, get in the habit of checking your body from time to time for unwanted tension, then consciously relax it. In time you will relax out of habit.

"The angry man will defeat himself in battle as well as in life."-Samurai Maxim

Develop Kokyu Chikara-This involves using your breathing to coordinate the contraction of your muscles so you can use your physical strength most effectively. The person who uses this, uses all the muscles-but only the specific muscles-required to accomplish the task at hand. To develop this, relax and breath deeply into the abdomen, not the chest. Then exhale in coordination with the movement. Do not forget to keep your breathing silent so not to expose your rhythm to your opponent.

"Control your emotion or it will control you."-Chinese Adage

Apply Kime (Focus)-The central principle of Kime is to focus your entire being on achieving your objective(s). When you apply kime, there is nothing else in your world but the task at hand, nothing but destroying the target, defeating the evil. This level of commitment must be physical as well as mental. If you go into battle resolved to destroy evil no matter what the cost-if you go into battle truly committed to die for the opportunity to save loved one's, bring light to the world, do right in the Lord's way, destroy evil, etc.-then your adversary will read this in your eyes and be crushed by it. The following quote best summarizes this focus:

"The fighter is to be always single minded with one object inview; to fight, looking neither backward nor sidewise. To go

straight forward in order to crush the enemy is all that isnecessary for him." --Daisetz Suzuki (Rogers, 1984)

If there is a single trait that ties all of these points together, it is the ability to enter mushin, or "mind-no-mind." This mental state is the principle source of the traditional warrior's quick reactions, extrasensory perception, and steely calm. In fact, mushin is probably the biggest discriminating factor between modern martial artists and true warriors of the past and present. Although the effects seem magical to some degree, mushin is a very simple concept-just don't think. Thinking interferes with fighting. Crazy as it seems, thinking gets in

the way. (We all have to think to learn and therefore learn in order to master, but this is not what I am referring to.) There comes a point when conscious thinking interferes with our ability to do a technique and slows down our reaction time. Picture for a moment the processes that occur when a thinking student has to block a kick. The opponent begins the kick, and the student's eyes sees the movement. As his eyes gather information, his mind struggles to interpret what he sees and select the proper response with which to command his body. This action involves not only conscious interpretation of sensory signals but a decision process as well. As a result, the student probably isn't going to get the right block up in time to stop the kick. And his performance will be even worse if his mind in on another train of thought, anticipating a different attack or planning an attack of his own-when the opponent launches his/her kick. Now imagine the same student sparring while in mushin. The opponent launches his attack, but this time, instead of waiting for his mind to think the situation through, our student's body moves spontaneously, not only to defend against the attack but to intercept and counter as well. I have seen this in contests as well as in street fights. One individual was actually in what appeared to be a state of mushin. He seemed focused and relaxed. He calmly waited for his adversary to make a mistake but then he happened to get caught with a small punch. This started a small nose bleed and the crowd became louder. At this point the individual came out of his mushin and began to look around, panicking at what was going on!?!? He then got caught a few more times, because he was thinking about getting hit, thinking about his nose bleeding, thinking about the crowd making all the noise, etc., etc. If he would have just focused and NOT thought. He would have been triumphant. One smooth, fluid movement. NO thought….just action! Now for the last part of this little puzzle…One of the most advanced skills in the martial arts is the ability to enter "Zanshin." Zanshin is a Japanese word that has no direct translation into English. Roughly speaking, it means alertness, but there is much more to that that. Zanshin is alertness distilled to its essence. Absolute, focused alertness; total dominance. This is zanshin! Zanshin is an instinct we all have buried within us. Warriors don't learn it, they remember it. By building our kiai and training our minds to enter mushin, we strip away the conditioning modern civilization has put upon us, impeding our access to this basic fighting instinct. Once we remove those blocks to our natural fighting skills, zanshin emerges for us to discover. Zanshin is a core instinct in all predatory animals. Wolves perform a ritual that clearly demonstrates zanshin as they compete for females and/or leadership of the pack. A strong male will stake his claim only to be challenged by another, and they will fight. Eventually, one will dominate and pin his weaker opponent on his back. With the stronger fighter astraddle his victim, teeth bared and ready to rip out the loser's throat, the vanquished animal will freeze in admission of defeat. At that point, the wolf on top is in complete zanshin. Every fiber of his being is focused to an unreal level, on the animal beneath him. But rather than kill him, he will begin to back off, still growling and snarling, still poised and triggered to resume battle should the opponent flinch. When you to experience this, you will feel it. You will feel energy surge within you. You will pounce on your opponent and snuff his every attempt to defend himself. They will be helpless to your domination. The experience is unmistakable! When this feeling does come, savor it. Feel it to your core. Let it sink into the deepest recesses of your spirit. As you develop your skills over time, you will be able to

call up that feeling on demand. Then you will be able to enter zanshin before the fight or at any point that you deem needed. This is when your sensory exercise you have been developing will really pay off!From the excerpts of "Zanshin" by Vince Morris: "A serious martial artist will understand that the journey along the path of his or her are is not simply directed towards mastery of the art itself, but towards an even more remote and elusive goal - that of realizing potential; of fulfilling the promise inherent in each newborn infant, a continual striving towards an ever unattainable comprehension and adulthood which comes from the constant facing of truths, be they physical or emotional. Well, the 'Way' does lead upward, but rather as an enhancement of humanity than as a denial of it. The aim is to become a fully developed person, able to achieve an integrated view of both the immediate concerns and the universal picture. -The practice of the martial way should lead to a far greater awareness of one's place in the scheme of things, and is conducive to the desire for 'Right' as opposed to 'Wrong' actions, for harmony rather than discord, for truth instead of falsehood. This should lead to a greater awareness of the human condition, and with it a sense of understanding and compassion, and a propensity for Good rather than Evil. This "awareness," and the mental toughness which stems from the concentration and discipline of meditation practice, should then be applied in a similar way during your physical martial training. -*This will lead to the state of 'Mizu no Kokoro' (Mind like Water), unemotional, reflecting all but getting "hung up" on nothing; concentrating not on defeat, nor on victory, just total, undiscriminating concentration. In a word, Zanshin. It is essential to be able to seize an opening on the instant, without conscious thought. It was not possible to take the time to think about which technique to use, which block, which counter strike, which weapon. Those milliseconds of indecision could mean extinction. -In many Dojos nowadays this intensity of experience is lost. One might say: "And naturally so," as the training no longer leads to battlefield encounters, and fights are usually for points rather than defense of life. Again, the rise in popularity of 'Sport' karate, judo, tae kwon doe, etc., encourages the move away from the need for such intensity. Matches are for points only----unfortunately this also leads inexorably away from the refining and development of Zanshin and from practice in dealing appropriately with life-or-death situations. Even in 'traditional' Dojos the training is by no means as severe as it was twenty years ago or so. I will not presume to bore you with reminiscences, but it is worth making the point that to Asano sensei there was no such concept as "Sport" karate. His regime was so severe that for many of the years that I (Vince Morris), was one of his senior students there was only a core of about four high grades who continued-day in, day out-to endure the harshness. Asano had been captain of the renowned Takushoku University Dojo, (now closed owing to the severity of its training regime) and twice the all-Japan student's champion. He was from an old Samurai family, and had established a reputation at the Japan Karate Association Honbu as a fearsome and cunning fighter. *-Sensei's training was centered entirely on the traditional way, of concentrating upon the development of a strong spirit, with no thought, for example, for tomorrow. Only the present was important, and had to be experienced to the fullest. This led to sparring sessions with him, and with the other senior students, every training session, which were really mini-wars. Of course we pulled our techniques

somewhat to the head, but the body was considered fair game. *No techniques were forbidden, and I well remember being introduced to the art of head-butting in ju-kumite with another JKA instructor who was assisting Mr. Asano at the time, Mr. Sode. Over the years of training, teethe were knocked out, ribs broken, tendons snapped and black eyes were common. This regime carried on for many years, and I could give many similar examples. The point that I want to stress, however, is that this type of training was as near as it was possible to get to establishing the feeling of life-or-death encounters, and I really do mean this. -Of course, not every sparring partner was out to kill or maim you, nor would they all have had the skill. None the less, during every session it was usual to fight with at least one or two who either had no control, or who did not believe in it, or who simply were not concerned with the niceties of protocol such as acknowledging a good technique or a successful counter, but who were not content until they had put their opponent on his back. And we had to fight Asano sensei as well! My last example to illuminate the intensity of the training is as follows: Sensei knew that I (Vince Morris) suffered quite severely from asthma, and his fights with me became almost legendary-not because of the brilliance of my technique at all. -Although he fought all the seniors, he invariably kept me out far longer than any of them, and naturally, after a certain time I would develop great difficulty in breathing. At this stage, you would imagine that he would recognize this and allow me to sit down. -Not at all! At this stage he would begin to press me even harder, until I really couldn't breath, then he would knock me down. Each time I struggled to my feet he would knock me down or sweep me again. I can remember seeing out of the corner of my eye, as I got back to my feet, some of the other class members, who would all be seated in a line at the edge of the area. They knew I wouldn't give in, and they also knew that I was too far gone to fight back, so they would turn their heads away, not really wanting to be a part of this apparent brutality. -The moment actually came in one particular fight that will stay with me (Vince Morris) forever, the moment when I thought I was going to die. My mind, inside my exhausted body, was quite calm, and almost a disinterested observer of my fighting to breathe and to get up again. I knew that I could end this pain at any time by simply staying on the floor. I also knew if I did this I would have to admit to defeat. Not of skill-Sensei was already my master there-but in a very personal way, in that I felt that I would be surrendering to my own weaknesses. I found, at that profound level, that I could quite coldly and calmly make the decision to die. -I looked up and saw Sensei just looking at me, waiting. So, I made my decision and my mind-almost ludicrously-quite cheerfully thought: 'You might beat my body, but you can't beat me!' --I struggled to my feet, and I couldn't even raise my fists or attempt any sort of guard. My chest and lungs felt as if they were bursting with the effort to drag oxygen into them. Still sensei stood there. -Not able to take any stance or guard I just resolved to try and knock him over by charging at him. I launched my attack and also launched myself into what I expected to be my last moments in this existence. All I could do was stumble and stagger forward. At that instant, for the first time in all the years of battles I had with sensei, he stopped me, said 'Oss!" and motioned me to sit down. So I had died, yet not died… I ramble on; but to me this was a deeply significant stage in my training, and in retrospect I can see that it was these highly intense moments that sensei was keeping us in the tradition of the true martial arts in order to develop the strength of our spirits by forging them in the same fires as the Samurai of old. * Training today, even in my dojo, is different. Perhaps rightly so, but if the martial

arts are ever to be more than just sports; a conscious attempt must be made in every dojo to develop a training system which, if not so brutal, must force the students continually to face up to their fears and weaknesses in order to travel beyond them. Without danger there can be no need for Zanshin. If a watered down martial art does not require zanshin, and doesn't develop it, then it is no longer any different from any other sport which demands great concentration and physical effort. I do believe, however, that it is possible to foster the development of zanshin in the modern dojo, but it does mean that the sensei must take on the responsibility of devising training methods-at least for the higher grades-which place tremendous demands on them, and should also guide them in their meditation practices. I will say, quite bluntly, that if neither aspect is catered for, then that dojo is not practicing a martial art, and the students will never realize their full potential, because that 'Way' doesn't lead anywhere!

"When I entered a competition I never felt stress because I wasphysically, psychologically, and mentally prepared.

To eliminate stress from your consciousness you must be preparedTo handle any contingency that may arise. You should concentrate on

The task at hand and visualize the result you want."--Chuck Norris

Mental visualization and rehearsal allows the practitioner to become familiar with an event even before it actually takes place. This provides a sense of personal control, thus alleviating the stress of entering a completely unknown environment. Visualization of one's own technique can allow critical analysis and the opportunity to correct faults under ideal conditions. It is a truism that any fighter who can not visualize him or herself under various conditions (adverse or advantageous) and has not mental plan as to what they could do in such circumstances, is more likely to find that the circumstances will be directed by the opponent. -It must be emphasized that using visualization to mentally prepare for all the "what if's" that may happen in the ring and/or street, will improve just about any aspect of physical as well as mental practice. This will also eradicate much of the stress associated with the "unknown." *If you know your adversary but not yourself, then the odds are evenly balanced. When you know your opponent and yourself, you cannot be beaten. (Lord willing…. ?) Another further form, and what some might call "extreme" mental conditioning, (which could also better prepare one to face the various "demons" of the world when "re-treat is no longer an option), are as follows from the writings of Westbrook and Morris: The Samurai were encouraged to begin each day by imagining the many ways in which it could be their last. They would consider their end. Be it by the sword, arrow, or whatever. This could be a little bit over doing it, but spending time in contemplation of the worst that might happen has a twofold effect. Firstly it accustoms one to facing up to failure; but more importantly it begins to make one aware of how silly most of one's fears actually are. It also allows the opportunity of devising tactics to help deal with the problem and perhaps prevent the worst from happening. Just as the Samurai considered the results of their failure, so should the modern warrior, whether competition related or not. This conditioning, which made the Japanese warrior's contempt for death renowned the world over, began in infancy. The child of a military household was exposed to cold in winter and expected to endure the heat of summer without complaining; he was often

sent on difficult errands which were purposely prolonged. His fear of death and the supernatural was substantially further reduced by sending him to such uncanny places as cemeteries and places of execution at night, even while quite young, in order to familiarize him with and, in time, inure him to that "chilling sensation" which the presence of death usually elicits. (Westbrook, Secrets of the Samurai) All training must pay attention to the power of the mind. Meditation, plus mental rehearsal and visualization should form part of every warrior's way of life. In this manner the spirit can remain strong and fearless, in the face of all odds, even when our physical strength starts to decline. Calm, concentrated awareness, Zanshin, does not come about without training, and the mind must undergo it in the same way as the body. Then this inner strength can be utilized in all of life's encounters.

Part III

"Mine honour is my life; both grow in one;Take honour from me, and my life is done.

--Richard II, Shakespeare One point that is completely overlooked in all aspects of life & living is that of "honor." Honor is central to warriorship. It's a concept common to all warrior groups, regardless of the cultures in which they formed. Whether you call it Bushido or Chivalry, all fighting men and women should aspire to ethical codes guiding the manner in which they do combat and how they live their lives as a whole. (Most of these codes are compatible with most religions and are often mistaken for doctrines of religious origin.) Honor is essential among professional warriors. When hundreds or thousands of lives are at stake, superiors must know their subordinates are absolutely reliable. They must be able to trust those under their command to report information accurately, no matter how bad the news is. *They must have their unfailing loyalty. Leaders must know their warriors will march into battle on command and die if necessary to defend their comrades, their groups, their societies, and their ideals. The non-warrior elements of society also must rely on the honor of warriors, for warriors can be the most dangerous people in the world. As a group, they are the fittest and the best trained fighters in any society, and they wield the most of the weapons, including those most sophisticated and destructive. Warriors without honor quickly become tyrants, as some third-world countries today demonstrate…Whether you are a military member or not, personal honor is just as important in every regard. Studying the martial arts makes you stronger than your non-warrior peers, and you are much more capable of injuring those around you. Without the moral compass that honor provides, citizen-warriors can be dangerous indeed. *Only honor separates the warriors from the thugs. (As we grow and come to understand the difference between right and wrong, we develop a conscience or sense of shame. This leads us to weigh alternatives and avoid wrong actions even when they could go undiscovered; we choose to do right even when we see no outward negative consequence of doing wrong. Finally, honor becomes a habit and we find ourselves not even considering wrong alternatives.)

"To fight with honor is not always easy. Sometimes the wayof honor will seem foolish to those who have none.Nevertheless, without honor, there is no victory;

With honor, there is no real defeat."--Quest for Glory

"To see what is right and not to do it is to want of courage."--Confucious

Courage is the virtue most often associated with warriorship. Moral courage is the fortitude it takes to do what is right, no matter what the personal cost. While not as dramatic as physical bravery, it is the kind of courage most often called upon in every warrior's life. -One point to make about courage: having it does not mean you do not feel fear. Fear is a natural human emotion, and honorable people experience it just as dishonorable people do. What determines your level of courage is how you handle fear. Warriors face it, get control of themselves, and do what must be done; cowards run. Do not be discouraged if you have been dishonorable in the past; we all have. No living warrior is a saint. We have all failed in our obligations or turned our faces from justice at one time or another. But the past is behind us, it is a memory, it no longer exists. All we can do now is live as honorably as we can today. Each of us must cultivate and nurture our own sense of honor. We must practice the principles of obligation, justice, and courage until they become second nature.

"Be loyal to your king.Be obedient to your parents.Be honorable to your friends.

Never retreat in battle.Make a just kill.

--Hwarang Warrior's Code of ConductKorea, c. 6th Century

PART IV

"Fatigue makes cowards of us all."-Vince Lombardi

The Qualities of Warrior Fitness The sporting world has many fine athletes playing a wide range of games. To reach world-class level in any of these contests, competitors have to achieve a degree of conditioning far beyond what most ordinary men and women can even imagine. Champions of the various sports are the most highly conditioned athletes in the world. Fitness of the body as well as the mind, are essential as well to your warriorship; but the definitions of what physical fitness is differs dramatically from area to area.

Warriorship too requires development of a precise set of physical qualities. The kind of conditioning required differs somewhat from one martial artist to the next and between different body types as well. But for now, accept the fact that generally, warriorship demands development of the following seven interrelated, physical attributes: power, speed, endurance, agility, coordination, evasiveness, and vitality. Power-is an essential ingredient in any form of combat. Power does not necessarily equal strength. Power is more or less, the ability to exert force, (of which strength is only one component.) Everyone has their own way of gaining power. Personally, I find it favorable to mix in weight training (lower weight/higher repetitions), with that of striking the heavy bag. For me and my system, I find these to compliment each other nicely. Speed-is an essential quality, and every good fighter can be extremely fast when he or she needs to be. But the need for speed goes much further than tactical applications such as maneuver or evasion. Speed is a key component to power. Since the ability to exert force is determined by how fast one can move mass, one can make up for having less mass than their opponent by having more speed. (In other words, a well-conditioned, small fighter can hit just as hard as a slow-moving giant with twice the strength and mass. Conditioning for speed involves building strength and flexibility and learning to relax the antagonistic muscles, (those counterproductive to motion in the direction desired), during performance of any technique. Flexibility and relaxation are extremely important because one will want the least resistance possible to slow down the desired action. Developing fast twitch muscle fibers (such as in anything explosive: sprinting, lifting lighter weights but doing much higher repetitions, sparring, speed bag, etc.), will help take your overall speed to the next level. Stamina-is an incredibly important quality in warriorship also. Although many fights only last seconds, you have to know you can last out the long one's if necessary. Stamina training concentrates on two functions: aerobic conditioning and muscular endurance. Building muscular endurance involves conditioning the muscles, specifically the "slow-twitch" fibers, to perform without fail for long periods of time. I have witnessed first hand at tournaments, on the street, etc., how poor stamina can easily lead to defeat. It sometimes amazes me that even if person "A" is much more skilled than person "B;" if person B has the better stamina, they will run person A down and defeat them. This should not be an issue with a warrior elite. Running, swimming, biking, sparing, etc., etc.; will improve one's stamina and endurance greatly when practiced regularly. Agility/Evasiveness-is the ability to move quickly and easily and avoid damage. An agile fighter starts and stops quickly and changes direction with grace and ease. It is an enviable quality, one essential for effective technical execution and tactical maneuver. --Developing agility and evasiveness is a matter of cultivation the proper balance of strength, flexibility, and relaxation. One's body has to be flexible and relaxed to move quickly, especially in respect to sudden acceleration and maneuver. Agility is the product of nimble, relaxed, power. One can improve their agility by working on their balance. Balance can be improved through various sparring techniques, gymnastics, etc.; once this is tied in with evasiveness (getting out of the way of damage and/or redirecting an opponent's attack so not to receive damage), then the warrior will be much more complete. (Practice sparring with the mentality of "not getting hit!" Move around your opponent with fluidity and avoid being struck or taken down by your opponent. Once they miss with a potential punch, kick, etc., make them pay by using your agility to move in and counter!)

Vitality-in our context, is the ability to persevere even though you are hurt. In boxing they would call this having a good "chin" or "taking a good punch." In other words, having one's body tough enough to take punishment and keep going. Not letting your body give up once it has been hurt. This is partially a mental factor as well. But at some point, you will face an opponent that is equally skilled in both agility and power. This opponent will eventually land strikes against you. Instead of falling to the ground, you must press on! (within safety situations of course. Differs from a silly tournament to life and death struggle). If someone has knocked you to the ground, and they then pull a weapon out and come after you; you can not just sit there!? You must ignore the pain your body may be feeling and defend yourself! Sparring again, is the best conditioner for vitality. The first time you get kicked in the thigh or punched hard in the stomach, you will probably want to quit. But once you develop your body to deal with this attack, you can recover and keep going! Coordination-is the single most important physical quality required in warriorship. It is simply the ability to perform required movements smoothly, powerfully, and gracefully. A warrior's level of coordination is the measure of his skill, and one's command of coordination is a mark of technical mastery. -In essence, coordination is technical agility, and it requires development of all previously mentioned components of fitness. The warrior must be strong, flexible, and relaxed to achieve the necessary speed and agility, and he must have the stamina to maintain them. So in order to achieve a high degree of coordination, one must develop all the qualities of fitness. But more than just that, one must train their entire body to perform the complex techniques demanded on themselves. -Therefore, the single best conditioning program for any given activity is the activity itself. Sparring is the best all around approach to this. (I of course, think that mixed martial arts sparring is the best, in other words, "anything goes" sparring (within safety parameters of course)). You will now be putting everything into action. You will have to be agile enough to avoid a takedown, but strong enough to counter with you own. You will have to have the vitality to take a kick or punch to the mid-section and the power to come back to your opponent. You will have to keep going, even though your body is exhausted. THIS, is pulling it all together through coordination! Physical conditioning is long, hard work, and extended periods without noticeable results can lead to frustration. In these situations, some athletes resort to anabolic steroids, blood packing, or some other shortcut to give then an edge. Do not be influenced by this. Warriorship is a life cycle in which you aim to strengthen your spirit as well as your body. Drugs and other shortcuts are emotional crutches. Using them destroys your will and shows your weakness in spirit. Heart, conditioning, and proper nutrition are the keys to your physical fitness, NOT these shortcuts.

*---Warriorship is a profession of courage, a calling to valor-not just on the battlefield, but in all of life's conflicts. So steel your nerve and march forward! Far better to fail in an honorable endeavor than to succeed in a cowardly one. That is the Way of Honor. That is the Way of the warrior…

Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't dothan by the one's you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe

harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore! Dream! Discover!"--Mark Twain

10 Sub-Class Categories of Cross-Training to Compliment Our Training System

"Nothing bothers an adversary more than a variety in both attack and defense."

--Bruce Lee

The following are taken from various areas of my training to help fill holes and improve our training overall. We have incorporated various techniques to help better our system. For example; we have taken some of the drills from "Savate" -(French style of kick fighting that focuses almost exclusively on kicks), to help in the development of precision kicking. Savate, in my opinion, has a lot to be desired as a "whole" kicking system, but the results of their kicking drills and accuracy of kicks can not be ignored. That is why we would leave most of the "impractical" -(or 'low percentage moves that could get you in serious/dangerous trouble), behind-while incorporating their strong points into ours. (OF COURSE-in the instance that these do not land successfully-always be prepared to follow up with a variation of some kind and if that one misses, another, and another, etc., etc.)

Boxing/Muay Thai Kickboxing-(Punching and Kicking system of combat)-1) Jab-This strike can be used to set up all your punches and kicks. It allows you to keep your opponent at bay while you sting him/her and set up your other punches because it does not require a great deal of energy to throw.2) Cross-To execute the cross, begin turning so the right side of your body moves forward. Do not move your arm first. As your shoulder lines up with the target, extend your arm so your fist travels in a straight line and your elbow remains pointed downward. Just before you make contact, turn your fist so your palm faces toward the floor. 3) Hook-Begin by turning your upper body, hips and lead foot toward your opponent. Your forearm eventually becomes horizontal and travels behind the punch. 4) Uppercut-Rotate your hips and pivot on your rear foot. Your fist makes contact just as your shoulders line up. Your palm should face your own body. The technique is most effective when thrown up into the bottom of the chin or into the body.5) Spinning Back fist-It is referred to as a "blind technique" because you have to turn your back to throw it and because your opponent will have a hard time seeing it. No matter how it is employed, accuracy is crucial because a slight error can lead to error. Power comes from the momentum and the snap as your body

tightens upon impact.6) Elbows-Thrown from various angles and positions.7) Kicks of all kinds-Front kick, Round kick, Side kick, Hook kick, Spinning back kick, spinning hook kick, etc. (these, as well as the punches, will be best discussed in more vivid detail in person as opposed to written down) Brazilian Jujitsu/Grappeling-(Sub-mission/joint-locking/choking techniques)1) Multitudes of chokes, joint locks, and submission work using everything at one's disposal that must be discussed and demonstrated in person as opposed to solely documented.)

SAMBO-(Russian Based Style of grappeling/submission combat)-1) Flying Arm Bar-Throw right leg under opponent's arm-as you are pulling them down-grab their right arm. The result will be your typical (gigi go tame-arm bar) in a vertical/standing position as opposed to the more traditional position of the arm bar. Good against an aggressive/slash sloppy attacker. (Different variations of course.)2) Variation to a takedown-(good if opponent is about to trip you up or if you can not get them to a taken down position)-lightly jump into person throwing your legs around them, bringing them into your guard-as you are going down pick an ankle and pull it up with you as you go to the ground simultaneously bringing your opponent into guard-cradle the ankle/or heel, and then apply pressure forcing opponent to yield. (throw opposite leg over as needed or any other multitude of variations depending on the situation.)3) Rolling knee lock-As you begin entering into the traditional or more free-style tie-up, grab back of neck area on your adversary-quickly hook your leg on theirs as you jump into them-(one leg will be hooked while the other shoots between their legs)-roll back on your shoulder as you grab their foot/leg and roll them over into a knee bar. *Variation would include, but is not limited to-instead of rolling, hook the leg-fall straight back & pull the knee into you rolling your opponent into a knee bar.4) Defense from a counter of a arm-bar-Catch your opponent in an arm bar from guard (hopefully it ends here…) They could attempt to lift you or power out, instead-set your feet in their hips while remaining in control and suplex them over and gain mount (or at least side control) and finish. (similar variation-while the opponent is standing up from your 'failed' arm-bar attempt, grab the back of their back leg with a free hand and roll them into a proper arm-bar or a variation, better positioning, etc.)5) From side control-in the event that you have side control and you choose to go to mount but can not seem to get past opponents guard or knee-catch under their leg and throw it between your legs as you swing the other leg around and secure the ankle/heel lock. 6) Person attacks from behind or attempting to get your back-if they step close enough and set their leg between yours (or make sure you straddle their leg), reach down and grab their lower leg area as you are already rolling them over into a knee bar.7) If the person almost has you mounted or are in position-you grip one of their legs with your legs-reach around the side of them-grab their foot and simply

pull it straight up as your leg is securely behind their knee.8) From opponent in your guard-slide one of your arms under their leg-pull up on leg trying to roll your opponent over as you get them in a secure arm lock. (*Remember to keep the arm trapped.)

The Art of Judo-(The three most important techniques to properly throw your adversary when the fight gets too close is kuzushi-or "balance breaking." The second is tsukuri which is basically you moving into a position against your adversary that permits leverage of the particular technique to be effective. The final stage is Kake-which is the actual completion of the throw (when the adversary is hurled to the ground.)

1) Ogoshi-is your most basic throw. Simply turning into your opponent while either grasping their back or shirt-shoot your hip slightly past theirs and throw.2) Haraigoshi-or sweeping hip throw-is typically a throw that a bigger/heavier opponent uses against a smaller opponent. By mis-directing your opponent's balance by perhaps raising them to their toes or getting them to go backwards-then either by holding them by the back of the neck or neck area-shift your hips in for the throw and use your leg as a trip to complete the throw.3) Uchimata-inner leg reap-is often done against a bent over opponent or one that has a wide stance. Very similar to haraigoshi except instead of a true "trip," it ends in a throwing position-shifting your leg between your opponent's legs and all the way up to the ceiling-completing the throw.4) Seionage-shoulder throw-is usually done against a larger opponent but not necessarily-it also is very effective against a regular shirt or jacket-go into your normal throwing posture, but continue to hang on to the shoulder area of your opponent's shirt or attire-maintain control of the arm and finish the throw. (throwing action if from the shoulder while the other bent/grasping arm is slightly bent up and under the opponent's armpit. 5) Taiotoshi-body drop-requires both speed and timing. In one quick motion you will whirl around into a throwing position and trip your opponent to the ground. This is not a hip throw and therefore requires you to use your opponent's momentum to make it work to your advantage.6) Osotogari-Big leg sweep-is actually a backwards throw-you step out just a bit with your right foot (but maintain balance!) and then bring the left foot straight up into a big leg sweep-and straight back into the opponent's leg-taking them to the ground.7) Ouchigari-leg hook-is basically a matter of manipulation-feint as if you are going for a forward throw and then simply shoot your leg back and through your opponent's getting the hook and backwards throw.

8) Tomoenage-or suplex throw-is often seen on television and movies. It is a sacrifice throw that can leave you in very good position or away from danger. As you lift up on your opponent-step forward with the left foot and as you drop your weight and aim for you body to hit just between your opponent's legs-you will drive the right foot into their abdomen and flip them over.9) Katagaruma-or Fireman's carry-is basically a matter of dropping to a knee and shooting straight in with one hand going between the legs-as you lift the opponent off his feet onto your back and then over onto the map.10) De Ashi Harai-is basically a leg sweep-as your opponent is moving side to side-lift up enough to get them off balance-and sweep in a scooping matter to assure that you will completely sweep the legs straight out form under him. (as you shift his weight to the opposite of the sweep to assure it is successful.)

The "Martial Art" of Wrestling-(A few basics to help in our cross-training)

1) Duck under the typical tie-up-while shooting the arm in your way "up"-then shoot in aiming your shoulder for your opponent's arm pit-closing your "butterfly grip" (thumbs in) around your opponent. Now you can go to the back or variation.2) Split your opponent's guard-with their hands close together approaching you-do a double-downward block-splitting your opponent's guard as you shoot straight in with your leg stepping in deeply on your opponent-as you do, clasp your hands around your opponent and raise your chest to the ceiling-use your thigh to assist in throwing your opponent to the ground.3) Arm Drag-get wrist control with one hand-shoot other hand in under your opponent's armpit and snap it down-spinning your opponent around and take their back or variation.4) Double/Single leg takedown-Just as it says-shoot straight in on your opponent (at a good time) and go for two legs (which would result in a dominant slam) if you get just one leg though-drive in or raise up with a leg sweep-taking your opponent down. *Variation-pop opponent's shoulders back with your hands-while dropping straight down and shooting in.5) Two-on-one-As soon as your opponent puts his hand on you, immediately turn your waist in the opposite direction while simultaneously grabbing their wrist with your right hand and under their bicep with the other one-keeping your head pressed against them. Here you can go for a multitude of variations, takedowns, etc.6) Heel Pick-from a tie-up position-put weight on the back of your opponent's neck and begin leading him-pull him forward-as you do they will step towards you and will have all of their weight on that one leg while you simultaneously grab his heel and pull it to the ceiling-getting the takedown.7) Snap-down-Snap down on your opponent's neck & shoulder causing them to go to the ground-or at least be in a better position for a takedown-example: after they raise straight back up shoot straight in and take their legs. *Variation-snap

down into a Fireman's carry (same as described in "judo"-one hand is on shoulder or arm area while the other one shoots between the legs of your opponent and rolls him onto your back.8) Bear Hug-Bear hug your opponent when confusion hits, etc.-hands locked around opponent-quick twist in opposite direction-lateral drop leaves you in side control.

Savate-The French Secrets for Speed and Accuracy

Savate fighters are known for their devastating street and ring ability. Accuracy and speed are the primary attributes necessary to score a telling blow and the French training method is very practical and can be adapted in ANY style. Kickboxers usually use focus mitts to perfect their punches and kicks. The French martial art of savate uses an even more realistic method for training focus. It is called "glove-target" training and it is the savate method of using boxing gloves as the focus target. Unlike the kickboxer, who must stop between rounds and trade their boxing gloves for focus mitts, savateurs are able to practice attacking and defending in a continuous flow. This is one reason for their accuracy & precision kicking.1) Practice various drills to improve your accuracy through using the boxing gloves as the target. All Savate kicks are thrown with a completely straight leg. (just poking it out there like a true "leg JAB")-focus on making firm contact with your partner's gloves continually while also maintaining your balance and footwork. Keep your gloves/target at various levels from above your head to all the way to the ground. (the Heel normally makes contact but the ball of the foot is another possibility.)2) Have your opponent hold a short stick out in front of themselves-lift your leg straight up and begin passing it over the stick then to the other side without bending the knee. Repeat for one minute with each leg.3) The low-mid-high "fouette" is basically a kick used at maximum range to keep the opponent at a far greater distance than most traditional kicks. It is thrown in a manner similar to that of a tae kwon doe double side kick, but with much more snap and force. 4) Lateral chasse-is thrown similarly to that of a backwards roundhouse except as you are coming into an almost spinning back position or a mule kick position-shoot your kicking leg straight out at mid-range into your opponents side or stomach while lifting off of the ground into a jumping lateral chasse if necessary.5) Many Savate kicks are low and straight at the opponent-driving straight through the shin or ankle area causing a possible sweep. Lean back-back leg bends-free lead leg shoots straight forward and into/through your opponent with the heel generally.

Kendo/Iado/Weapons Training-(Various aspects of firearms, sword, bow, staff, knives, throwing blades, etc.)1) Proper footwork and implementation of weapons in the service of Christ and/or the defense of one's family & loved one's. 2) To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor, to better pursue the cultivation of oneself. -Improves speed and agility, precision and timing, self control and well-being, comradeship, inner peace and calm.3) The correct (and safe) handling and use of various weapons to betterment of mankind. Tai Chi/Relaxing Techniques1) The initial aim of tai chi is to teach the practitioner to relax. To use the body as efficiently as possible, with no muscular tension.2) On a mental level, the quiet concentration required to tai chi brings a serene state of mind, in which the everyday stresses of life can be placed in their proper perspective. This leads to more tolerant, even state of mind, and a calm mind is able to respond more quickly and effectively to challenges in any situation.

Kung Fu/Jeet Kun Do-1) Our main use of the traditional art of Kung Fu will be limited to their focus on defensive techniques and overall balance of one's maneuvers.2) Jeet Kune Do brings forth a hybrid form of kung fu that is quite similar to the tai jutsu techniques of ninjitsu and shirkers which we will borrow from accordingly.

Our system has a very high percentage of techniques from (but not limited to), kickboxing and grappeling. But it will not ever be limited to any specific style, time, or place. We have (and will continue to incorporate if/when we see something useful in another style not mentioned above; whether it be karate, tae kwon doe, or some new system), however pulled many techniques together as a "whole" from many other styles as well, to present a true mixed self defense/combative style, that can be best used in facing any threat (Lord willing), that we find ourselves called upon to face, in the name of Christ, our family, loved one's, etc.

In Conclusion… In Conclusion…the way of the Templar is not for everybody. Thugs, hooligans, and those meaning to do harm to society in general are not welcome. But those of you that would genuinely like to learn a complete system of mixed martial arts training and be able to use a "safety first" kind of response for the good of society; then our training hall doors will always be wide open for you and I give you an open invitation anytime!

Afterward…-Be ever prepared to support our Brothers & Sisters-

We must all be prepared for whatever kind of evil may strike us. None of us really know what form of evil the devil may use? All we really know if that through Faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, all will be well. The true mission of the ‘true’ Templars were to battle against enemies of Christ and enemies of mankind. Who knows what form this could be? We are all, only what God wants us to be, and we are given nothing, just what God grants us. (such as titles, positions, etc.) I‘m not saying that we will all be battling demons in demonic form, or zombies like portrayed by the movies; but who knows? I‘m not presuming to know anything of the such. I just am equally not willing to presume that all of the forces sent to wreak havoc by the “evil one,” will all be in the form of corrupt individuals of mankind. But who knows? Either way, it is best to be prepared for the evil as described in Ephesians:

“For we wrestle not against flesh andblood, but against principalities,

against powers, against the rulers ofthe darkness of this world, against

spiritual wickedness in high places.Wherefore take unto you the whole armour

of God, that ye may be able to withstandin the evil day, and having done all, to

stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the

breastplate of righteousness.” -(Ephesians 6:12)

We can only prepare spiritually, mentally, and physically as much as our maximum level. *But we should push ourselves, and our “maximum” beyond what we imagine those limits are. By this, one may be better prepared to deal with and protect their loved one’s and their fellow man, from whatever form evil takes. We should never wish for war, combat, or any type of bloodshed; [“Return the sword to the scabbard. There let it remain until consumed by rust, rather than draw it in the cause of injustice, falsehood, or oppression.”], as reiterated in the Knight Templars monitor by the Grand Encampment Knights Templar--2003. Another example from the Templar monitor, and from a part of the ritual of Templar knighthood, that sums up this same theme is as follows:

From the exerts of the Templar monitor/the passages of Templar knighthood:“I now present you this Sword. In the hand of a valiant and magnanimous

Knight of the Temple, it is endowed with three excellent qualities: itshilt with Justice impartial, its blade with Fortitude undaunted, and its

point with Mercy unrestrained. Learn from these this importantlesson: that when you draw your sword, you should be well assured

of the Justice of the cause in which you are engaged; being thus assured,press forward with Fortitude undaunted to victory; and having

subdued your enemy, regard him no longer as your foe, but extendto him that glorious attribute of Deity,--Mercy.

As a Knight Templar, let you honor ever remain as unsullied asthis glittering blade, and hold your sword ready to be drawn in the causeto which you have so solemnly consecrated it; hoping ever, and praying

always for the advent of that glorious day when ‘the mountain of the Lord’sHouse shall be established in the top of the mountains’; when ‘swords shall be

beaten into ploughshares and spears into pruning hooks’; when ‘nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more’; when the Reign of the Blessed Emmanuel, the Prince of Peace, the Great Captain of our

Salvation, shall become universal and eternal.”

Shirkers does not pretend to prepare anyone for anything. That would be one‘s own personal journey, as well as their coming to terms with themselves, and in finding Christ. But what shirkers does help to do, is to prepare you as much as we can, (Lord willing), to battle against these various forms of evil that we may be faced with. Not only on a physical plane, but hopefully on a spiritual and mental one. We can have any parts of us attacked; not just the physical. So we should be prepared to defend ourselves from each standpoint: physically, mentally, & spiritually. Why just limit ourselves to 1/3 or 33% of just “physical?” -That would leave 2/3 open for attack- We are only able to go as far as we are meant to go, of course. But whether it be a mugger on the streets, a fanatical raving religious cult, a mind-playing crook, machine, to some kind of demonic figurine; we should be as prepared as we know to be, to defend ourselves and our loved one‘s, from it. *-As well as be able to defeat it.- May God Bless,Sir James Edward Stroud

I leave you with a short story of unprecedented courage, honor, and faith. One, (myself included), may look at and ask: “Would I have enough courage, honor, and faith as they had?” The answer is: “we should.” Man, woman, child, or what not; “we should.” And at some point we may be put to a similar test of equal magnitude. Are you “we” ready?

“This report, written in 1270, was based on the attack of the Egyptian army on the Templar castle of Safed four years before. The new

sultan was a brutal and treacherous Kepchak warrior named Baibars Rukd Ad-Din, who had taken the throne by murdering the former Sultan.

-When his attacks on the castle failed, he offered free escape and pardonfor all the Turcopoles, (the native-born troops who comprised the major

part of the garrison), and they began to desert in numbers. Stripped of their support, the Templars sent one of their Syrian-born sergeants, Brother Leo, to

negotiate with Baibars. Leo returned with the good news that allof the Templars were free to leave, with a guarantee of safe-conduct through

the Egyptian lines. The Templars had not yet learned the character ofTheir enemy, and accepted.

As soon as Baibars had taken control of the castle and the Templars, he gave themthat night to decide whether they would choose conversion to the Islamic

faith, or death. In the morning they were lined up outside the castle gate toannounce their decisions. Before they could speak, the Templar commander of

the castle called out to them to choose death rather than abandon their Christian faith. He was promptly seized, stripped, and skinned alive

in front of his brother Templars. Unshaken by the screaming and bloodof their leader, the Templars to a man; chose death rather than give up the cross. They got their choice, as Baibars ordered their immediate

Beheadings.” --Born in Blood, Robinson

The following will compile some documentation of actual training principles used hundreds of years ago, by various Knightly organizations, as well at the Templars, Hospitlars/Malta, Teutonic Knights, etc, as well as the specially trained Shirkers of the Templars:(You will see how these same concepts and tactics are tied into modern forms as well, *but remember, to only use these skills for defense purpose or when forced. Always seek the peaceful alternative-)

Medieval and Renaissance Knife Fighting HistoryCopyright Pete Kautz 2000

Renaissance Knife Fighting first appeared in Hock Hochheim's CQC Magazine

Medieval Knife Fighting“There is no man at arms who can use courtesy or kindness to face his enemy” - Fiore dei

Liberi, 1410During the Middle Ages, roughly the 14th-15th Centuries, the warriors of Europe developed a powerful

style of combat that proved equally victorious on the battlefield in times of war, on the street for suppressing riots, and in personal defense. These men fought personal and judicial duels to the death, as well as taking part in organized “melees”, or tournaments. Though the tournaments may have appeared civil, and were fought with wooden or blunted swords and referees, they often ended up with crossbow

men becoming involved in the fray, trying to prevent their knight from being beaten, captured, and ransomed back later by another knight! Forget the chivalrous notions you may have had about the lives

these men lead – they were killers, or they were dead, plain and simple. As the wars raged across Europe, fighting techniques were tempered in the forge of battle, and the swordsmen of each country

perfected the art which they would pass on to the next generation.These techniques of killing, known to men who had fought and survived many battles and challenges, became part of an oral military tradition, passed on from one warrior to another. Then, starting in the late 1300’s, books that taught fighting techniques were made in small numbers, each one carefully reproduced by hand. Some of these books contained only a few dozen illustrated techniques, but others, such the works by Fiore dei Liberi and Hans Talhoffer, catalog literally hundreds of individual techniques and counters. By the 1400’s these manuscripts were produced in an ever increasing number, with several authors writing multiple books in their lifetime. This continued throughout the Middle Ages and Renaissance, with books being written in many countries, though the vast majority came from Germany and Italy. The 1400’s saw the height of Medieval close combat, and this was the golden era of the “Fechtbuch” or “fight-book.”Though during the Renaissance, roughly 16th-17th Century, things would change with the invention of printing and the rise of teachers who accepted civilians as students, during the Middle Ages these books were kept among professional warriors, and the real killing techniques and counters were guarded secrets. In his 1410 book Flos Duelatorum (Flower of Battle) the Italian master Fiore dei Liberi states that these techniques should be kept secret “For the experts in swordsmanship who help the men at arms during wars, riots, and duels” and should never become known to the common people “who are created by God without a wit like cows that are born only to carry heavy loads”. Fiore would never show his techniques in public, except as he used them in battle, and he taught all his students behind closed doors, swearing them to secrecy about what they learned. He wrote his book only as an old man, long after he had need of his skills, and in the service of “the most Illustrious Messer Niccolo Marquess of Ferrara,

Modena, Parma, and Reggio”, who would use this book to train all his knights.On a technical level, one of the first key elements you find in reading the Medieval books is that they contain a large amount of unarmed combat material. A Medieval Knight, or Man-at-Arms, would be expected to know unarmed combat and dagger fighting in addition to the sword and spear skills we associate with them today. In the surviving combat manuals, most contain long sections on unarmed striking and grappling, unarmed defense against the dagger, and dagger fighting. Unarmed techniques against the sword, and dagger against sword are also shown. The manuals show systematic joint locks, breaks, throws, disarms, counters, ground grappling, strikes, clinches, holds and more. The unarmed system is also fully integrated into the sword and spear work, with the majority of the techniques shown involving some degree of “close work”.You will see identical techniques (particularly throws and arm locks) done with all the different weapon forms, showing the integrated nature of this system. The Medieval knight truly understood how to “make the connection” between the essential techniques in combat, regardless of weapon. Primarily this was a weapon based style, that using standing grappling and a full compliment of basic powerful striking tactics. In this respect, it is much like military combatives today, using eye gouges, chin jabs, knee strikes and low kicks. Ground fighting was used mainly to hold a man down while you drew your own blade and stabbed him, or held him to be “pinned” by a few spear men from your unit.Only when showing the techniques used in judicial combat or dueling, where no one was going to interfere with the fight, do you see grappling holds as we think of them now, being applied. Just like the ones used when standing, you find chokes, arm and neck breaks, gouging, fish-hooking, and a host of other “gutter fighting” tactics that we love, being applied on the ground. The armor was used to grind into the foe and tire him, and often we see men picking up weapons that have been dropped, or drawing a dagger, while grappling. The duels were grand public spectacles, with elaborate preparations for the combatants involving prayer, ritual bathing, and so on. They would walk onto the field from their pavilions proudly, in front of the assembled crowd, but then once they stepped into the list, there could be no one there but the two of them, the marshal, and God. Many images we have of period ground work show it under these settings, in a traditional octagon ring – just like a Medieval UFC.In addition to the use of various other weapons, such as the mace or axe, the Medieval warrior had to learn to use the armor he wore as a weapon. Fighting in real armor is quite different than fighting without, and the Germans coined the phrases blousfechten and harnisfechten to describe fighting in regular clothing and fighting in armor, respectively. The plate and chain armor of the time could render many slicing and stabbing blows useless, enabling the wearer to close in and fight with their longsword in a shortened “bayonet” grip referred to as halbschwart, or “half-sword” techniques, designed to deliver maximum power thrusts at the gaps in the opponent’s armor. Additionally, the armor would be used to grind into the opponent while on the ground, and the pointed knees and elbows could deliver horrible pressure to an unarmored foe, in addition to delivering lethal strikes. Even the knight’s shoes came to points designed for kicking. These were called sabatons by the French, and would be used when on horseback to kick people in the face who got too close to you.Fighting from horseback was another important skill the knight had to perfect. The long spear, or lance, was used from horseback, along with the mace and sword. Fiore dei Liberi, among others, also shows many ways to apply grappling techniques to unseat another rider when in close, side by side. Fighting from astride an armored war-horse, the knight was as an imposing force on the battlefield, particularly when in large units. At around 2000 pounds each, and traveling at up to 35 miles an hour in a charge, the mounted knight must have inspired true terror in anyone facing them on foot.This completely Western unarmed combat art is far older than comparable Asian styles such as JuJitsu, Chin-Na, Aikido, or Hapkido. Most styles of martial arts taught today, are less than 100 years old and

may or may not have any relation to life and death combat. Many practiced today are taught as health or meditation systems. With the Medieval fight-books, we are discussing traditions and specific techniques that are over 500 years old, and designed to kill. Many will talk of “Samurai Heritage” or the “Shaolin Spirit” by way of making their art sound ancient, but where is the true history for the specifics of what they teach? Is there an actual link is there on a technical level, or is it merely “inspired by” some older art? With the Western historical combat arts we have the verifiable link by way of the Master’s written works by way of knowing that this was used, for real, on the battlefield and the street.

Renaissance Knife Fighting“In these modern times, many men are wounded for not having weapons or knowledge of

their use.”- Achille Marozzo, 1536

During the Renaissance, roughly 16th-17th Century, there were many changes in the European styles of swordplay, and a new style evolved, based on the earlier Medieval methods. Overall, there was a shift from swordplay based in military combat, to being more and more designed for use by civilians, and used in sparring in an early “training hall” environment, where common people would pay to take lessons. Additionally, the invention of the printing press gave rise to mass-produced training manuals, many of which were translated into other languages and sold abroad. Before this time, these books were the secrets of professional warriors and the real killing techniques and counters were carefully guarded, but this tradition of secrecy changed as teachers during the Renaissance sought a civilian audience with money to spend learning these “formerly classified skills”.In the Renaissance, with the rise in urban culture, the lighter rapier truly became the people’s weapon, while the military increasingly used firearms and pike formations to wage war, lessening the importance of individual combatants, and of the sword. Some masters, particularly the English, preferred the old ways, however, and one of the famous master George Silver’s big complaints about the “new” rapier was that it was of no use in times of war, and that men should fight with the older, heavier, military cutting swords instead.This separation between military and civilian swords was even parodied in England in the 1640’s, in a play entitled “Work for Cutlers”. In the play, two actors representing the thrusting Rapier and the cutting Sword argue back and forth over which of them is the better weapon. Each one boasts of his unique abilities, and why the other is inferior. A third actor appears as Dagger, and tries to make peace between the two. Eventually, Dagger gets Sword and Rapier to become friends by declaring that Sword is best for the soldier, and Rapier best for the civilian. Dagger, for his part, says that he works equally well with them Both, and will always be there to back them up in a fight! A happy resolution for all, and a great insight into how the people of the Renaissance viewed these arms.The first manual to be mechanically reproduced for sale was Achille Marozzo’s Opera Nova (“The New Work”) in 1536, and Western swordsmen have always considered it one of the most important fighting manuals. Marozzo not only published this book, but he also taught many teachers, and became the first great Western master to “bridge the gap between the military, the police, the martial artists, and the informed citizenry”. His book covered both the older military weapons, such as the longsword and spear, and the new civilian weapons, such as the lighter cut-and-thrust swords and rapiers, and the small buckler. He also included a long section on unarmed combatives, and in this respect was the last to do so for over 100 years. Not until the mid-1600’s would anything close to this be seen in Europe, in terms of the level of unarmed technique depicted. Twenty-two techniques in this section, two of them show knife on knife fighting while the other twenty depict various unarmed versus knife encounters.Marozzo, then, is the link between the Medieval styles and the new Renaissance ones. What he shows is

a condensed version of the types of moves used in the earlier Italian systems, such as that used by Fiore dei Liberi and documented in his 1410 Flos Duellatorum (“Flower of Battle”). Dei Liberi showed over 100 individual techniques of wrestling, dagger fighting, and unarmed defense, which Marozzo distills down to 22 techniques. One important difference between them, however, is what Marozzo leaves out of his book. While Fiore shows multiple counters to all of his moves, Marozzo does not even mention them as a possibility. In this sense, Marozzo’s work is very “optimistic” about the techniques working as planned and the “counter for counter” idea is not explored.This in no way reduces the importance of Marozzo’s work, however, and many scholars since have studied and taught his methods, and many fencers declared him the “Father of Modern Swordsmanship” and “The First Scientific Teacher”. The great swordsman and historian Alfred Hutton was a fan of Marozzo’s unarmed versus dagger methods, and included 14 of the 22 techniques into his 1889 book, Cold Steel (not to be confused with John Styer’s 1952 work by the same name). Hutton was one of the fathers of modern research into the true ancient Western combat arts, and his books Cold Steel and Old Swordplay are still excellent starting resources. In 1999, as a tribute to both Hutton and Marozzo, this author wrote a book entitled Hands Against the Knife , which describes all 22 of Marozzo’s unarmed versus dagger techniques, explains their hidden inter-connections, and gives training methods for their practice in the modern day, as well as having the first complete translation of the text from the Italian. Many experts, such as Hock Hochheim, Jim Keating, and John Clements have found this book to be insightful in their study of these historical methods.After Marozzo, the majority of books published during the Renaissance were purely on the civilian aspects of swordplay, though as late as 1594 Giacomo DiGrasi still includes the military two-hand sword, halberd, and spear in his True Art of Defense. With a few such notable exceptions, the majority of the manuals on into the 1600’s focused on the rapier, or rapier paired with a dagger, buckler, cloak, or second rapier. Sadly, the techniques of using the knife or dagger as a solo weapon are ignored in the majority of manuals from this era, and techniques for unarmed combat are relegated to a few support techniques, referred to generically as Grips (Grypes). They were meant to be used when you end up too close to the enemy to use the sword effectively, and were no longer taught as part of a larger spectrum of unarmed skills the swordsman should have. The majority of the Grips used in Renaissance swordplay could be described as Hand Snaking or Wrapping disarms. They are generally done with the free hand or with the dagger, but are sometimes also done with the sword, in what many modern practitioners would call a Vine disarm, or Weapon Snake.When the knife is mentioned as a solo weapon in the Renaissance, the classic Medieval tactic of cutting the opponent’s knife hand is frequently described. Like in all great knife traditions of the world, this simple technique was highly valued as a quick fight-ender. Other basics that were commonly taught in the Renaissance styles included using low fakes to open up high attacks (and vice-versa), and fakes to one side before launching the real attack on the other side. Throwing the knife, or even just faking a throw, were also sometimes mentioned. One preferred method of throwing was to use an underhand swing, and to release as the knife comes on line with the enemy, allowing the knife to fly straight into the target point first, with no spin.By the end of the Renaissance, the styles of swordplay would again change, as smaller, even lighter, thrusting-only swords come into fashion, and the dagger would be dropped from use. These “small-swords” became the mark of a gentleman, and were used for duels of honor. The techniques that were used became more and more refined and abstracted from the realities of the Medieval battlefield, hundreds of years before. They were quick, light, athletic movements that could be delivered in a rapid-fire manner, with each block being answered with a thrust. This gentleman’s dueling style was also favored with military officers, and became what we would call “Classical Fencing” today. In turn,

Classical Fencing would change into the athletic sport of Olympic Fencing with the advent of electronic scoring in the 20th Century. Today, more and more people are researching and training in the Medieval and Renaissance forms, however, and seeking a return to the earlier combative roots of the Western tradition.See the following examples:Flos Duellatorum or Flower of Battle comes in three flavours of the original treatise written or at least dictated by Fiore dei Liberi in 1410. These are known as the Novati/Pisani-Dossi (which is the source of this online presentation), the J.Paul Getty Museum or Getty's copy (MS Ludwig XV13) and The Pierpont Morgan Library or Morgan's copy. AEMMA has both the Pisani-Dossi and Getty's version, however, the Getty's version remains available only internally for study due to restrictions of copyright enforced by the Getty Museum. The Getty's version of Liberi's treatise is the most informative, containing detailed textual descriptions accompanying each of the illustrations rather than sometimes the cryptic verses that accompany the illustrations in this version. 

The illustration on the left is an example of the illustrations found in the Getty's version. It depicts the guard of the window or posta de fenestra instabile. Note the extensive text that accompany's this illustration. It is typical of all illustrations in the Getty's version. On the other hand, the illustration on the right is the same posta from the Pisani-Dossi copy. The text that accompany's these illustrations are typically 2-4 lined verses that communicate the intent of the illustration and which are often somewhat cryptic. The text is rarely in the technical terms as those found in the Getty's version.

The study of this treatise is an ongoing project and probably will never end. Enhanced interpretations, the application of the techniques described into practice and the validation of those techniques through their employment in fighting engagements will continue to enhance our understanding of this most detailed of martial art treatises. Liberi states that the techniques described in his treatise can be deployed in unarmoured duels and in armoured combat engagements. He also indicated that due to the very dangerous and deadly techniques that it is advisable not to use this treatise to train anyone that is of questionable character or "thugs" because these people do not possess the self-discipline to control themselves in conflict situations.

Click on the Knight to go to the online library for a full list/breakdown of these

concepts http://www.aemma.org/onlineResources/liberi/contents_body.htm

The following will give more specific details on the actual “training” associated/intertwine within Shirkers:

Continued… Basics of the Clinch - to the Take down

Always look to "change levels" quickly and swiftly prior to shooting in.--Single and double leg takedown to be reviewed primarily at first.--(Bez Pravel class)—Take one leg, swing around to the opponent. If they stand there and let you take both legs, then do it and take them to the ground, then take their back. –If not, pick up the one leg as high as you can while applying your head to their chest area and sweep the other leg, or just force them back and off-balance, resulting in the takedown. (Get their leg on top of your shoulder if needed).--Close distance and get around their waist to pick up (blocking their hips) and slam. Swat their hands apart upon entry. (lower % against experienced adversary)--*Constantly slap their forehead/back of the neck area to get through.--Force/slap someone into immediate guiotine and crank or go to guard if necessary. --Slap-down/throw-down--Shoot in and lock up with your opponent as you wrap your leg around their back leg, and force them back and to the ground.--Tai-toshi (judo throw into a trip take down)--Seionage kind of shoulder/hip throw--Hashihari (your leg is in between their legs, and you simply fall straight back while sending them soaring over you.)--2 Sambo rolls (While grabbing your opponent's neck/collar area, hook with your right leg between their legs and quickly roll to the ground?grab their foot and you should have a knee bar in place. Option 2—Instead of rolling, just fall straight back once you have your right leg between theirs and pull their leg through & between yours causing the knee bar.)**Work with over/under hooks and the various control of each. ***As well as the 2 on 1 arm control.

Drilling Practices with Various Components (Review Navy Seals Course Training if needed)--*Remember to work on a variety of combinations that work for you.)--Parry your opponent's shot while you throw a hook cross.*Grab the side of your head (ear region), for a defense/block of your opponent's shot when a parry or dodge will not work.

--Break into your opponent when being rushed or when you are closing the distance?Jab (1)—Cross (2)—elbow—drive the knee into the midsection and then lock up for a takedown, submission, or simply grab the back of your opponent's head for control, and deliver knee strikes until safety can be assured, etc.1)—Left low kick—cross—hook—followed by right kick.2)—Foot jab—cross—left hook/elbow—right knee—right kick.3)—Jab—cross—right low kick or a sweep.4)—Left kick—Right Cross—Left Hook—Right kick5)—Block kick—parry jab—block right—counter right—grab head and knee.6)—Counter jab with jab and big Thai kick right—left elbow—lock up behind head and knee.7)—Lead with left hook—straight right—left kick—tie up (either with knees/elbows, takedown)8)—1-2 to the head, 3-4 to the body—5-6 to the head.9)—Foot jab—right kick—left hook—push—jab—right—push but hold into big/low kick?end with big high kick10)—Will be for practice drilling the (Belfort type punches in succession)?Chain straight vertical punches over and over driving your opponent back. Similar to Jeet Kune Doe.

Benny the Jet's drills: 1) Double-jab2) Double-jab?Right Cross3) Double left hook (to the body/to the head)4) Double left hook?Right Cross5) Jab?right to the body?left hook to the head6) Right Cross to the body?Right cross to the head7) Right Cross to the body?Right to the head?Left hook to the head8) Lunge to the mid-section with a foot jab/stomp kick ?Followed with a big right cross9) Foot jab/snap kick(left)?followed by a thai kick low (right)?optional left hook10) Jab?followed by a Foot jab?optional right cross11) Thai kick to the thigh ?followed by a high thai kick (or knee) to the ribs12) Big thai kick with the shin into your opponent's ribs(left or right)?followed by another side kick with the opposite leg. (1—2 with the legs)13) Double side kick (pushing against your opponent (like a tae kwon doe kick)) *not thai kick?followed with a right cross14) Front kick ?followed by a reverse side kick

15) "Feint" with an exaggerated thai kick and then step over with a big right cross16) Jab?followed by a quick back fist (or elbow if opponent is close)17) Jab?right low thai kick (around ankle area)?left hook18) Jab?lunge into your opponent kicking/sweeping both legs out from under them19) Lower your level and jab to the body/chest/head?followed by a back fist20) Switch positioning to increase power to the left leg (quickly), and thai kick to the side?followed by cross?followed by hook (opponent practice weaving under hooks)21) Feint with a snap kick or knee and follow with a straight right or left22) Four kick combo*--low right kick?high right kick?followed by low left kick?hight left kick. (or vice-versa)23) Double jab?low leg kick (Very quick motion!)24) Feint with a jab and throw a taw kwon doe style (chambered) side kick or mule kick25) Throw a chambered side kick ? followed by a reverse mule kick (backwards kick or reverse spinning kick)26) Jump into the air pulling your leading leg's knee up high (cocking it like a gun)?then explode into lunging/jumping side kick *(jumping kicks are usually too high of a risk to use regularly, due to their being open to a counter.)27) Same motion could be used to generate power into a jumping/lunging thai kick28) Same motion used in doing a jumping reverse side kick

Various drilling techniques of Rob Kaman: (various mitt and heavy bag work. *Best demonstrated in person or on video.)

Practice for Trapping/Parrying:A)--Parry jab?Hit with the Right.B)—Parry straight punches and kicks.C)—Double forearm block followed by a reverse elbow—upward back fist—Hammer fist groin.D)—Silat approach of—back forearm block?other hand traps the arm against the opponent's chest—while you are free to strike with the other hand or take down, etc.E)—Practice of "sticky hands" technique. (other trapping techniques will best be displayed/shown in person.) Really concentrate on re-directing strikes and countering effectively. When someone attacks with a right hand, block or catch his punch?at this point, you can either counter strike, take your opponent to the ground, or go for a submission. With regular practice and "trial and error" on what works best for you, you will be able to concentrate on your Strengths and rid yourself of things that are not working for you. *Then you can develop smoothness and fluidity, which will make you much more prepared to face any "evil or danger" that might cross your path someday.

***Ninjitsu is most closely related to shirkers; a "full scenario/safety defense system of anything goes," due to it's "anything goes/everything needs to be prepared for," mentality.--An example of this could be against a knife attack? as the attacker lunges at you with the knife, you duck under and raise up—jamming your shoulder in his arm pit area as you catch their arm and upon pulling their wrist into a lock while controlling the entire arm, you shoot a quick jab into the attacker's face and use a basic hip/off balance throw—once on the ground you either punch your opponent into submission or maintain control of their arm into an arm,

wrist, or elbow lock—then escape. –If needed, you may have to use the attacker's weapon against them? Or deliver a short head butt instead of a jab? Or a choke instead of the finishing joint lock? Maybe a pressure point submission? Then utilize a diving roll and escape/retreat to safety? **Either way, the possibilities are numerous; and one should not ever train "one-dimensionally;" focusing on just joint locks, or just strikes. –What if you had all of your unarmed combat techniques down almost perfectly, but then were faced with an attacker carrying a knife; do you freeze? Then answer probably is: "who knows?" --In my opinion, I would rather "know," and be able to deal with as many situations as possible, for the safety of myself, my loved one's, my brothers, and anyone in need of help. *This is another reason why "cross training" is so important*

---MASS ATTACK--Be prepared to get some pain/injury, and GET OUT OF THERE ASAP!!!--Try and deal with ONE individual quickly and then deal with the next, etc.; instead of at the same time.--Isolate each one "Quickly" and get out of the danger area.--Be prepared for possible weapons attack?Block knife, stick, etc., and twist around their own wrist jamming it into the attacker while taking their knife/weapon, and using it on the second assailant. ***Will go over some practice situations on this and how to deal with it the best one can. (possibly leaving usable weapons around for one to figure out to use what is at their disposal. (sand, shoe, car antenna, stick, trash can lid, etc.))

---STICK FIGHTING--Or Extendable Baton—Use a figure Eight "8" kind of motion.--Diagonal—backhand—upward leg shot while snapping the stick back like a whip—slash downward—thrust—Horizontal back—then forward—and thrust to the mid-section and face.--Counter and parry--MEET THE FORCE--After every force/parry, follow up with an "X" kind of counter attack--Next is hitting with all backhands to stop their attack initially.--Mix in one over-hand smash after back hand and get combos that are fluid for you.--Practice all 8 moves with a partner. First as Defensive? then as Offensive.--*Concentrate on long-range until you know the threat.**Same basic principles apply to the "Knife."

---KNIFE FIGHTING--Drill the figure "8" pattern until it is very fluid in motion.A) DiagonalB) Backhand (upward also)C) Upward to the leg areaD) Slash downwardE) ThrustF) Horizontal Backhand SlashG) Horizontal Forward SlashH) Thrust mid-section

--Horizontal & Diagonal slashes

--*Always keep the other hand free & ready.--Start by first drilling with a partner as defense against slash 1 & 2, then progress as you feel comfortable.--Meet the force with Counter force.--Long/Middle/Short Range of motion.--*Follow the Force with counters and "follow-ups."--**EVADE by "step & slide."Remember to also practice in case your back is to the wall. –Parry & trap the other arm?Left hand from upward of downward in a blocking & trapping manner, etc.

Slash & Thrust1) Against a rightward slash? Keep your body away and parry the attacking arm by you as you slash into the underneath of their forearm then thrust? follow with your left in an uppercut position of blocking while the other hand is at your elbow level—both blocking & defending your vital areas and cutting into their attacking back slash of their wrist, then thrust.2) Redirect the other attack as you slash across the opponents chest & thrust.3) Then as the opponent back slashes you, simply bring the knife across the back of their arm as you re-direct with your forearm & thrust.4) Pass the arm by as you cut into the bend of the elbow & thrust.5) Pass by with blocking arm and thrust. Etc., etc., etc.Taking a grip of the attackers wrist is an option as well, but usually just in un-armed defense.**Also work your grappeling situations/combinations with the weapons such as the knife/stick.

Thrusting can be left – right – or center. It can also be in a "probing" motion, or a "ripping" motion.*Remember to work on your "Step & Slide" techniques of fluidity. -Long range="Meeting the Force" –Not blocking, but staying out of harms way while hitting their attacking limbs.-Be prepared for "fakes;" but it should not affect you once you are fluid.-Stay on top of their mid-range strikes and below on their high one's.-Try and follow a cut with meeting the force, then back to the figure "8" motions.-Mid-Range="Pass-N-Thrust" -Possibly trapping as well. --Constantly block & re-direct with your forearm. -Slice the arm as you pass?then thrust; constantly using the figure "8" motions.*Remember to keep your legs back from possible cuts.Pass-N-Slash and then thrust.

---Empty Hand vs. Knife--Block/Re-direct followed with a finger jab (just like with the knife)? to the eyes or throat of your opponent.--As you are redirecting the arm so that the knife blade is pointed downward? One can take the knife from this weak position & thrust it into their side if needed.-You can of course, implement strikes such as knee, elbow, punch, groin kick, etc.--Practice/Drill your combos.Right hand on the inside or outside—twist arm behind back-and finish.*Look around your surroundings using even your shoe if necessary. ---From defense against the "ice-pick" kind of attack? Use a basic upward block while

following up with your other hand. Turn knife 180 degrees where it is pointing upward & can be easily disarmed.--Left hand block seems to be the safest & best alternative.

Ninjitsu TechniquesOf Shintai Ryu (almost have to be shown in person; examples of a certain school’s katta)

5 elementsEarth----(Chi no kata-strength & control)---Step in with an upward block followed quickly by a snapping (uma shuto) chop to the neck.

Water----(Sui no kata-adaptability)---Backwards hand block (flowing out of the way & crashing in like a wave) Knuckle strike (uba shuto) strike through the throat area.

Fire----(Ka no kata---speed & aggression)-Downward block (wrapping the arm type block) followed with a tiger claw strike.

Wind----(Fui no kata)---Downward leg block followed by a spear hand to the throat area.

Void----(Ku no kata---natural response-could be different to everyone)---Basic downward/outward block followed by boshikan thumb strike, finished with a stomp kick.

Crying Bear-(from a bear hug)-Grab finger break it outward, step out grab back of shoulder and use a scissor kick thus pulling out your leg and delivering a heel kick to the face area.Floating Fire-(Defense against a punch)-Upward scooping block catching the opponents arm then while going back into a cat stance, deliver a snap kick which will bring him down, follow with a knee to the head and a big leg sweep.Twisting Out/In-(Grabbing your clothes or shoulder defense)-Outside or inside grab of their hand forming an "X", bring their hand up, while twisting down, taking your opponent down, roll over placing the back of their hand on your chest. Leaning forward dislocates their arm. Palm strike to your own hand breaks their wrist.Tripping the devil-(Defense against an attacker rushing you)-Grab shoulder guiding opponent by you while tripping him and once he/she is down, deliver a stomp kick to the back of the heel or Achilles tendon.Vanishing Tiger-(Defense from a jab)-Upward block, followed by a vertical punch to the leg and then tiger mouth to the throat with full torque if needed.Rolling Thunder-(Defense from a punch)-Inside double arm block-elbow to the mid-section---hammer fist to the groin---boshikan to the eye-end with hip toss.Sudden Surprise-(Defense against a slight charge)-Step outside and deliver a kick to the mid-section followed by an axe kick to the back of the head area.Twisting Shadow-Snap kick to the knee followed by a palm strike to the temple ended with stepping & wrapping the neck and taking the opponent down to the ground. (End Purple)(Begin Brown)

Dragon's Back-fist-(Steps in with a punch)-Parry punch through-snap back fist to the face-then take leg out from under the opponent and apply a heal lock.Chopping the choke-(Someone choking you)-As you feel the choke coming, grab the hand or thumb twist outwardly, going quickly under their arm chopping down on the back of the arm while tripping. Take opponent down and apply an arm or shoulder lock-palm strike to the back or side of the head area.Wrapping the twig-(Opponent is grabbing your arm)-Sweep your arm over/under & around their own, then grasp your hand forming an arm bar. Take your opponent down with a trip while maintaining the lock. Can deliver a knuckle punch, etc., to the throat area.Crushing Vertebrae-Double arm parry while stepping out using your tasabaki-as you draw him/her in, wrap the neck in a reverse quiotine-deliver a knee to the back area-taking them down.Springing Dragon-You dive into a roll-springing up to a hand-stand wrapping your legs around the opponent's neck. Then twist, taking them down.Rolling Ninja-(Good for multiple attackers or someone coming from behind possibly)-Drop to a backward roll-springing up delivering a kick underneath the chin area.Burning Temple-(Defense for weapon to the back)-Quick twist back delivering the elbow/forearm area to deflect the attack-Grasp the weapon hard twisting down the opponent and disarming them-using their own weapon, snap kick to the temple if necessary. Dragon's Fist-Upward scooping block stepping in with a tiger claw strike pulling down-changing to a tiger mouth to the throat area-spinning kick to the mid-section.Chopping Axe-Round-house kick comes in, scissor your arms into their leg taking them down, then an ankle lock-rollover the shoulder delivering a kick to the back of the head area.Blinding the Serpent-(Defense from a head lock)-Deliver a ridge hand to the groin-then boshiken to the eye area-twist out of headlock-deliver a chop to the back of the arm taking the opponent down-wrist twist opponent over and four-finger eye strike.Flipping Fury-(From the reverse guiotine)-Spring backwards over the opponent there by placing them in a reverse guiotine kicking their legs out & finishes accordingly.(End Brown Belt)(Begin Red Belt)-A few various scenarios.Tracheal Assault---(Duck a punch)-Reaching around your opponents' neck/under their other arm-kick to the back of the knee taking them down & apply pressure with the shoulder while maintaining the lock.Spinning Guiotine-(Duck under a punch)-Spinning around & over the opponent to a guiotine-drop opponent into the ground if necessary. Twisting Tornado-(Defense from opponent pushing or grabbing you)-Shoot up both arms deflecting their assault, quickly grab & turn their head; forcing them to the ground-deliver an elbow strike, etc., etc. to finish.Flowing Water-Double arm block passing by your body -deliver an elbow to the back area-run arm through the front area of your opponent-bring your leg back/arm forward, taking your opponent down-keep arms together after take down & simply pull or raise up.Snapping Dragon-Outside block and hold-snap kick to the groin area-turning and delivering a mule kick to the chest-finish with a stomp kick.

Spinning Void-Downward block-(deflecting a kick)-follow with a round house kick--& then a follow up backwards roundhouse.Wounded Wing-(Opponent Grabs you)-Reach out and over the arms trapping the arm-trip opponent taking them down-or finish with an arm lock.Spinning Top-(Defense against high kick)-Duck-drop down with a spinning backward sweep-finish with a stomp kick, etc., etc.Tossing Trouble-Shoot through your opponent's guard-wrapping their arm into an arm lock-take down-deliver a knee strike to the head area.Twisting Fury-Elbow immediately to the face area while redirecting the arm/elbow to the mid-section-bobbing under their arm (while hanging onto their arm) grab leg-hold into air taking opponent down-deliver a knee to the tailbone.Dropping Aggression-Kick their leg before they can kick you down-snap kick to the mid-section-finish with an axe kick to the head area.Flowing Assault-Outside block of a jab-(redirecting) while delivering a boshikan strike to the head area-kick to the leg.Killing Wind-Wrap punch-tiger mouth while sweeping the legs-finish with arm bar.

Black Belt-Mainly consisting of weapons Sword work-(short & long)-Basic drills to familiarize one's self, etc.Staff & Pole work-different holds & locks with the staff as well as self-Defense & attacks.SpearPossibly Sai work, etc. Bow & ArrowBlow GunChain work-the ability to make whatever is necessary a possible weapon for defense.A few complex drills & multiple attack scenarios which must be won by the student.

*Additional Ninjitsu work---Throwing knives, stars, etc.--Smoke bombs--The ability to blend in with the environment, sneak into an area, disappear when needed--Climbing-walls, trees, etc. The use of ropes, climbing hooks/claws, grappeling hook, and water stealth.--Possibly a camp, etc.(will be discussed in a different area)

"You must cultivate your wisdom and spirit. Polish your wisdom; learn public justice,distinguish between good and evil, study the ways of different Arts one by one. When youcannot be deceived by men, you will have realized the wisdom of strategy."---Miyamoto

Musashi 1643

Various Training conditions associated with “Shirkers:”

ShirkersEveryday of class beginning:

Warm up and stretch routine to include: side twists—touch toes/hamstring stretch—leg circulars (together & separate)—hold leg up and snap kick into the air—slowly stretch the body and legs out while also stretching the back and neck areas—splits as far as one can go safely—finish with bridges. ????? Warm up routines to include light jogging around the dojo; altering side to side and backwards—develop into a roll, then spring up and continue—lunges around the room. ????? **System of preparation of muscles and nerves: Right front kick (Kiai!)—left knee (Kiai!)—Right Elbow (Kiai! (etc.,etc.))—left punch—Right punch—Straight left kick—Right knee—left elbow—right punch—left punch—(at this point repeat, but alternate with roundhouse/Thai kick)—Right roundhouse kick—left knee—etc., etc.

***At the conclusion of class: 100 Indian squats, 50 push ups, and 50 crunches or sit-ups.?? Then finish with quiet meditation and the cleansing/resetting of the mind.

Cross country running and weight training on days off.

Visiting other schools and/or holding special trainers in kendo, iaido, jeet kune do, weapons, boxing, judo, etc.

*Practice drills to include bobbing/weaving, use of a SOCK under the chin to adjust to always keeping your chin down and safe, parrying off shots, blocking/covering up, basic defense against kicks, sprawl against the takedown, etc., etc.

Level 1:It is important to cover an introduction into the history of Shirkers, handouts, etc. Tie in ninjitsu training with Shirkers. An overall introduction to unarmed combat & conditioning. -Break the phases of combat down into specific areas of striking, throwing, grappeling and then armed vs. unarmed. --Go over some basics of taijutsu and tie this into those other areas. (ex: Dash attack—duck under punch and mule kick back of the leg as going by & out of harms way.)Phase 1—striking to include most focus on proper balance of power, technique, and speed. Focusing on Muay Thai, boxing, and ninja striking. (straight punches (vertical & horizontal), hammer fist, palm strike, jab, cross, hook, uppercut, Thai kick, side kick, round house, front/snap kick, stomp kick, basics of elbows, and knees).Phase 2—Your basic takedowns and wrestling skills. (single & double leg, ankle pick, trip, double pick up and throw, hip throw, leg sweep, and major outer reaping.)Phase 3—Your basic grappeling and jujitsu/ground work. (Guard, mount, side control, avoid being punched from the guard, ways to counter and get opponent in guard, etc.. Basic locks, arm bar, key lot, triangle, kimura, and some basic knee bar, ankle bar, heel hook, & chokes) *See grappeling pages for illustrations of grappeling techniques----Cover some basics about conditioning, weight training, and nutrition. (Possibly a workout demonstration, etc.?)--Work on some balancing techniques and move to the first level of the Kung Fu poles *once basic balance has been reached.--Combat with Wooden Weapons(various wooden weapons (long/short staff, bokken, dagger, stick, etc., are taught at this level. Here, we learn our basic handling procedures, as well as valuable ploys for disguising the fact that we could be carrying weapons.)--Paper on why Shirkers? Along with book reportFollowing teaching Assistances: (Examples of some of the many, many multitudes of taijutsu/shirkers, included per each level within documentation.)

Level 2:Discussion and specific attention will be re-emphasized concerning the point of shirkers and for the spreading of "good will" through humanity and the combating of evil, spreading Christianity, etc.--Some basic tasabaki (see Shintai Ryu tasabaki and combos) --and more combinations within taijutsu. (Some examples: will be listed in documentation, as well as section on ninjitsu techniques.) )--Add in some more specific judo (seionage, cartwheel/suplex, taiotoshi, knee roll, fireman's carry, more combination moves going from one throw to the next. Trip to Donald's judo class or have Donald over to our area.)--Aikido (basic moves—Dr. Mink coming by perhaps?)--Sambo (basic moves such as combos seen on the 10 subclasses of styles)--Pancreas work with palm strikes and more intense sparring*Get much more intermediate with:--Striking skills (Muay Thai, add in ninjitsu strikes or shuto, spear hand, boshikan, blade hand, four-finger eye jab, back fist, knuckle slash, tiger claw, tiger mouth, eagle claw, etc.)*Possibly with Richard Clary, Steve Place, Mcfann's Academy, or a Shintai Ryu associate.--Throws and takedowns along with wrestling--More intense grappeling and BJJ--*Possible trip to Lavato's in Oklahoma City.

**Introduction to bladed and flexible weapons (safety precautions, the value of life, safety defense only, etc.)Knife—Free hand knife attack and defense. Mostly comfort ability and handling.Staff—Basic feel and some kata and light sparring with padded weapons.Spear—Same feel for as the staff, but practice with throws also.Chain—The feel for the much more difficult (and harder to control), weapon and it's implementation in "safety defense." -See documentation included on later pages-

--2nd Level on Balance poles

Climbing skills as well as stealth will be a focus point here as well. Start out with your typical (at the dojo), monkey bars to cross and get use to. Then move on to trees, etc. Stealth to include the ninja's walking techniques and basic understanding of moving with surrounding noise instead of against it. (Reading assignment will be both Dr. Lung Books)

--Donation or involvement into a youth center or charitable affiliation.

***Vision Quest to complete this level will be needed. More focus will be given on this at the time a student is ready to go to the third level. (See "Vision Quest" section)

Level 3Tying things together much, much more now!Introduce the term of "BEZ PRAVEL" (Russian for "no rules") as well as some aspects of Jeet Kune DoBegin advance stages of all striking/throws/takedowns/wrestling/grappeling/BJJ/ground and pound in an "anything goes" kind of format and sparring.--Some mild board breaking and energy focusing techniques.--Some disguise work and blending in of one's environment better. (the "bum" off the street approach in Dr. Lung's book)--Tai chi and more focus on meditation. More focus on the "internal" martial arts. (mind control reading assignment)--More stealth work in waters and in the fields (parent's property). To "disappear" when needed. (tie in Dr. Lung's book as well) --Hikes and more attentive focus responses. (Pea Ridge National Park, etc.?)--Travel to a tournament or competition in order to get a feel for "mind no mind." Not letting distractions get to us, etc.--Some basic to intermediate multiple attacker scenarios.--Advanced weapons training with the sword (long & short), knife, staff, spear, shield, chain, throwing knives perfection, bow, and gun. (extreme safety, of course) --making anything into a weapon if needed.

--Climbing rock wall/climbing practice

--Excellent in complete sparring as well as sparring with weapons and GOOD intentions will be needed to complete this level. *As well as something to benefit society, such as working at a youth center with kids, the salvation army, nursing home, veterans, or some other charitable organization, etc.)Book report on a book of humanity and humbleness.

Level 4COMPLETE live sparring with ALL moves armed and unarmed, incorporating anything & everything. Example: If one pulls a weapon, be prepared to pull your own or defend unarmed. Another example: In the middle of a roll or while grappeling, grab a hand full of sand and throw into your attackers eyes, then possibly throw a (safe version) knife into the leg area of the opponent and retreat, and so on. Pulling a hidden weapon from it's hiding place (sleeve, ankle, etc.), to stop the attack and retreat, etc. **Remember, the preservation of life is of utmost importance. To hurt someone is never the goal. Only when a person is of demon origins or in the protection of our loved one's, is it ever warranted to inflict injury on another. (Lord willing of course)--Proficient use of attire worn and it's multiple uses.--Teaching of class and/or assistance.--Expert use in disguise and costume. Ability to blend into one's surroundings as well as other cultures. --Highest level of balance on the kung fu poles.--Complete Zanshin and "Mind No Mind" states.--Expert flips and gymnastic ability (as far as evasiveness goes)--Advanced multiple attacker scenarios.--Our school holds a tournament/event in which our students can compete and get a feel for real safety defense situations, as well as the most important point: TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD THE WORD OF CHRIST, and even mention what TEMPLARY is all about, etc.

Practice Quests/Camp to bring EVERYTHING together to complete this level.

Level 5---Apply for acceptance into the fraternity of the Masonic lodge and then acceptance, completion and passing of the York Rite which will result in being knighted as a "Knight Templar." (for girls the Eastern Star will suffice)

*A little about the AuthorI was born in 1978 in the small town in Arkansas. As a youth I found immense pleasure in sports, especially in the art of boxing. This pleasure, soon lead to my first instructor Ryan Jones, a mixed martial artist with a specialty in grappling. After more than a year of training with Ryan, I decided to try other endeavors in kickboxing, ninjitsu, etc. I still train with Ryan on a regular basis. My training includes:--Amateur Boxing--2nd degree black belt in ninjitsu--1st degree black belt in Muay Thai kickboxing as well as competition--Holds rank (not black belt) in judo--Trained participant in amateur boxing --Candidate for blue belt in Brazilian jujitsu under Rafael Lavato--Holds rank in Bez Pravel (Russian for "no rules")--Explored various other areas of sambo, karate, tae kwon doe, wrestling, krav maga, etc., etc.--Bachelor degree in History/Business Management--Was knighted a "Templar" on May 8th 2004 in Fayetteville, AR; after the completion of numerous obligations and tests, under the head of the York Rite Council from Massachusetts. *Elected Commander of St John’s Commandery #36 for the year of our Lord 2005.

Mr. Ryan Jones--Master's degree in Health ScienceImmense training in all areas of mixed martial arts,From judo, aikido, karate, boxing, with a specialty in Brazilian jujitsu and wrestling.--Has taught grappeling at the University of Arkansas as well as Martial Arts of Springdale.

Both will teach and instruct for the benefit of society; and of the benefit of soul, mind, & body.Feel free to inquire on seminars and/or training-

Sincerely & Respectfully Yours in Christ,James Stroud-God Bless-