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Fundamental Principles of Martial Disciplines [基本原理の武修行]

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Dai-ichi-genri [第一原理] First principle; Principles of Theory [理論の原則] (Universality, Control, Efficiency, Lengthen Our Line, Percentage Principle, Std of Infinite Measure, Power Paradox, Ratio, Simplicity, Natural Action, Michelangelo Principle, Reciprocity, Opponents as Illusions, Reflexive Action, Training Truth, Imperception and Deception.)

Dai-ni-genri [第二原理] Second principle; Principles of Physiokinetics [物理的な動力学の原理] (Breathing, posture, triangle guard, centerline, primary gate, spinal alignment, axis, minor axis, structure, heaviness, relaxation, wave energy, convergence, centeredness, triangulation point, the dynamic sphere, body-mind, void, centripetal force, centrifugal force, sequential locking and sequential relaxation, peripheral vision, tactile sensitivity, rooting, attack hubs, attack posture, possibly the chemical cocktail, Multiple Methodologies [actual tactics and attack methodologies of impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression, etc. are best for stopping a threat]???see below)

Dai-san-genri [第三原理] Third principle; Principles of Technique [技術の原理] (techniques vs. technique, equal rights, compliment, economical motion, active movement, positioning, angling, leading control, complex force, indirect pressure, live energy and dead energy, torsion and pinning, speed, timing, rhythm, balance, reactive control, natural and unnatural motion, weak link, non-telegraphing, extension and penetration, Uke. Multiple Methodologies [actual tactics and attack methodologies of impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression, are best for stopping a threat])

Dai-shi-genri [第四原理] Fourth principle; Principles of Philosophy [哲学原理] (Mind [mind-set, mind-state, etc.], mushin, kime, non-intention, yin-yang, oneness, zanshin and being, non-action, character, the empty cup, inner peace.)

Dai-go-genri [第五原理] Fifth principle; Principles of Self-Defense [自己防衛の原則] (“Conflict communications; Emotional Intelligence; Lines/square/circle of SD, Three brains (human, monkey, lizard), JAM/AOJ and five stages, Adrenal stress (stress induced reality based), Violence (Social and Asocial), Pre-Attack indicators, Weapons, Predator process and predator resource, Force levels, Repercussions (medical, legal, civil, personal), Go-NoGo, Win-Loss Ratio, etc. (still working on the core sub-principles for this one)”Attitude, Socio-emotional, Diplomacy, Speed [get-er done fast], Redirected aggression, Dual Time Clocks, Awareness, Initiative, Permission, multiple attack/defense methodologies (i.e., actual tactics and attack methodologies of impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression, etc. are best for stopping a threat)

Dai-roku-genri [第六原理] Sixth principle; Principles of Chemical Cocktail [化学カクテルの原則] (Attacked Mind, Train It, Breath It Away, Visualize It Away, Sparring vs. Fighting, Degradation of Technique/skills, Peripheral Vision Loss, Tunnel Vision, Depth Perception Loss/Altered, Auditory Exclusion, Weakened legs/arms, Loss of Extremity Feeling, Loss of Fine Motor Skills, Distorted Memory/perceptions, Tachypsychia (time slows), Freeze, Perception of Slow Motion, Irrelevant Thought Intrusion, Behavioral Looping, Pain Blocked, Male vs. Female Adrenaline Curve, Victim vs. Predator, The Professional, Levels of Hormonal Stimulation, ???)

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“In order for any life to matter, we all have to matter.” - Marcus Luttrell, Navy Seal (ret)

THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Chinkuchi Elements (Lengthening the Line)

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• Intention of Zanshin. (Zanshin is a sub-principal of philosophy that manifests through the physical into a methodology useful for self defense; methodology useful for self defense;  a combination of “both awareness and experience”, etc.)
• Perfection of Technique (often related to technique based training models but actually one of the fundamental principles, “Technique,” that addresses all the subprinciples of “techniques vs. technique, equal rights, compliment, economical motion, active movement, positioning, angling, leading control, complex force, indirect pressure, live energy and dead energy, torsion and pinning, speed, timing, rhythm, balance, reactive control, natural and unnatural motion, weak link, non-telegraphing, extension and penetration, Uke. Multiple Methodologies [actual tactics and attack methodologies of impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression.”)
• Fluid Movement (This one addresses tersely the sub-principles of the principle, “Physiokinetics, Breathing, posture, triangle guard, centerline, primary gate, spinal alignment, axis, minor axis, structure, heaviness, relaxation, wave energy, convergence, centeredness, triangulation point, the dynamic sphere, body-mind, void, centripetal force, centrifugal force, sequential locking and sequential relaxation, peripheral vision, tactile sensitivity, rooting, attack hubs, attack posture, possibly the chemical cocktail, Multiple Methodologies [actual tactics and attack methodologies of impacts, drives (pushes), pulls, twists, takedowns/throws and compression.)
• Speed of Movement (see fluid movement above)
• Power of Movement (see fluid movement above)
• Ki as an essential ingredient (a concept using sound and no sound to provide the mind-state enhancing abilities when coupled with breathing and other physiokinetic principles applied universally in karate and martial arts)
• Proper tensing (Physiokinetics: sequential locking and unlocking; centripetal and centrifugal forces; breathing; alignment, structure, haviness, centeredness; rooting; posture; body-mind; chemical cocktail)
• Proper breathing (Physiokinetic sub-principles)
• Accompanying of technique with mind-control (actually applying mind-set to accomplishing defense goals through application of principles toward manifestation of multiple methodologies, etc.)
• Being loose until the moment of contact (positive relaxation then applying physiokinetic sub-principles to achieve force and power in defense, etc.)
• Allowing your Ki to flow through the movement (Ki as in blood, etc., that make the body work along with proper application of physiokinetics to maximize energy flow to achieve power and force in a single moment for any given situation regardless of technique based applications)
• Exhalation makes the strike stronger (simplistic meme to convey complex actions where breathing coupled with other sub-principles of physiokinetics to achieve force and power in defense)
• Capability to stun your adversary (chinkuchi achieved by proper implementation of physiokinetics)
• Tighten abdominal muscles as you strike (chinkuchi achieved by proper implementation of physiokinetics)
• Kiai (chinkuchi achieved by proper implementation of physiokinetics through mind-state, thoughts and set verbally or non-verbally)
• Mind Control (What is mind-control as it applies to the practice of karate and martial arts? It is simply training the mind with knowledge, understanding and experience to control how we use our bodies to the degree where that movement and the triggers that drive the movement(s) becomes automatic and instinctual bypassing the human thinking brain and allowing the lizard brain to make it work. It is not magic and it is not mystical, it is a matter of hard work, sweat equity, reality based adrenal stress-conditioned exposure and a dedicated continuous endeavor to achieve master, efficiency and proficient application in self-defense.)
• Focused strength and power (chinkuchi achieved by proper implementation of physiokinetics through mind-state, thoughts and set verbally or non-verbally)

These few, no where near complete or comprehensive, provides the practitioner the knowledge to continue research toward a fuller depth and breadth of understanding as to the concept of chinkuchi. 

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THEORY; THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Ratio

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The ratio principle concerns the relationship between “Energy and Effect.” 

Ratio 1: As martial artists we want a positive ration of effort vs. yield, with “effort” referring to the energy we exert in executing a technique (which ultimately should be relatively nothing) and “yield” referring to how much we affect our adversary.

The real goal involves expending less and less effort while achieving greater and greater results. We also want to produce a greater effect through less and less effort. 

Ration 2: The amount of power in a methodology vs. the amount of effect. How that power gets delivered to the target. Despite containing the same amount of overall power, even the amount of inertia, different methodologies will produce different results in the adversary.

As karate-ka and martial artist we actually want more yield than power. Energy can be delivered in different ways. It can produce lesser or greater effects depending on how it is managed. The human body is more susceptible to spiraling energy than straight energy, we can produce a yield greater than power if we use spiraling methods rather than flat ones. 

Ratio 3: How much we move vs. how much we make our adversary move. We want to move less and less while causing our adversary to move more and more. 

Ratio 4: Power is relative to time. The same amount of power delivered in half the time equates to twice as much power. Moving quickly to the target accomplishes little if we spread the impact over a long duration. We must not only focus on the speed at which we reach a target, but also on shortening the length of time it takes to impact the target. 

The same force concentrated into a smaller area results in greater power? Reduce the surface area by half and increase the power by two. Focus our energy on smaller and smaller surface areas. 

Ratio 5: Unfortunately, the distinctions between such applications that apply to ratio 5 prove far to subtle to illustrate in words. They must be experienced to be appreciated and learned.

FINALLY: We don not want just one ratio working in our favor; we want all ratios working in our favor. Every principled based multiple defense methodology should offer a positive effort to yield ration, power to yield ratio, movement to yield ratio, time to yield ratio, and space to yield ratio. 

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THEORY; THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Imperception and deception

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I&D suggests that we execute karate and martial arts most effectively when we do so beyond our adversary’s perception. If an adversary (consciously or unconsciously) does not know what we are doing then the adversary cannot counter. This speaks to the OODA, if we can stick the adversary in the OO bounce and away from the DA then we are successful in I&D. 

The easiest methodology to implement is the one the adversary never sees coming. If they cannot observe they cannot orient and they cannot decide on an action and the cannot act on that action. 

Imperception refers to acting in ways that the adversary cannot perceive or that lock them into a OO bounce. Even if the act is seen but not in the adversary’s ability to comprehend they are still forced to enter the OO phase and possibly bounce around trying to decide what the heck is happening. If the imperception is to hide something or to provide something that the adversary’s mind cannot reason or determine appropriately the goal is still achievable. 

Deception functions by misdirecting the adversary’s mind away from our actions. It can be a feint, i.e., when a social or competitive action is required but often not wise in an attack requiring a self-defense action. Even creating an opening to draw and adversary into committing to an action to take advantage is still outside the parms of self-defense and into either a social conflict or competitive one. This must be studied.

Use I&D along with sound tactics and strategies that incorporate what is necessary for the situation, i.e., social vs. asocial vs. sport vs. fighting vs. combative vs. etc. 

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THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Lengthen our line

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The very premise of a karate and martial discipline must be that we can defeat otherwise superior physical aggression.

Karate and martial arts assumes (1) that people will try to exert control over us and (2) that out methodologies permit us to remain in control despite that fact.

Personal responsibility is critical to karate and martial training. We must examine ourselves for our own deficiencies to understand why the attacker can have any control over us at all. If we were perfect in application of fundamental principles in applying our methodologies then the adversary would not exert control over us. We must look at the limits of our own self - centeredness, posture, structure, anatomy (in other words, principles and methodologies), etc., that permit the adversary control over us. 

It is about the perspective of improving ourselves relative to the attack - lengthening our lines so as to make the adversary’s line “shorter” by contrast. We have to examine ourselves and out principles and methodologies, or more importantly, the principles expressed through methodologies. 

Principled based methodologies should always posses the inherent power to defeat the anticipated attack, no matter how powerful it might be, period. Any principled based methodologies in which we do not find the potential to defeat superior attacks must be questioned. Either we must deepen our understanding of its principles and make it applicable or we must discard it.

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THEORY; THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Opponents as illusions

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We need not and should not focus on what we do to our adversary but rather on our proficiency in principles (principled based multiple methodologies for defense). Illusions have power if we believe in them. If we give life to the concept of “adversary’s” by worrying about what they might do to us and what we can or cannot do to them then we risk compromising principles in order to produce certain results. Production of certain specified results is the basis for a technique-based training model rather than a principled based one. 

Giving credence to the notion that the adversary holds power actually gives power to the adversary. When I think of this I consider any doubts I might have as they relate to an adversary along with the various repercussions from his attack and those of society in case we violate certain socially driven legalities such as a greater level of force then necessary or even required. One hallmark of karate and martial art training is to achieve a present moment situational view of being attacked where there is no win or loss but just reaching a previous permissible goal, to survive. 

Example: If an adversary grabs our wrist we tend to focus on the wrist but if we apply principles such as “Indirect Pressure” we can move from a location other than our wrist, say the elbow, we can overcome the power the adversary has over us via our focus on the wrist, etc. Note: these principles end up createing an appropriate response derived from the multiple methodologies for defense rather than those driven by a technique based model. 

Believing the adversary has power gives the adversary that power. Our mind-set creating a mind-state is our weakest link especially when we fail to avoid and escape. Once we resort to some physical response our minds, i.e., mind-set and mind-state, must remain outside influences of the ego, the monkey dancing idiot within us all, and reach for our defense goals. Disregarding the adversary, provided we execute/apply principle-based multiple defense methodologies, dispels the illusion of power. As always, proficiency in applying principle-based multiple defense methodologies applies. This is about learning to disregard, or at least stop blaming, our adversary.

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THEORY: MULTIPLE METHODOLOGIES

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I have written a bit on principles and I have also added in multiple methodologies as the goal for applied principles in self-defense. I then got a reminder that there are things not yet told but in need of telling from an article by Marc MacYoung, i.e., on hitting and generating power. There are a few references that spell out how one generates power but also on how to apply that power effectively and efficiently. A couple of those are as follows:

MacYoung, Marc. "In the Name of Self-Defense: What It Costs. When It’s Worth It." Marc MacYoung. 2014.

Miller, Rory Sgt. "Meditations of Violence: A Comparison of Martial Arts Training & Real World Violence" YMAA Publishing. 2008.

Then there is the article I have read and find I need to review and reread time and again just like the two sources listed above (Oh, and my bibliography has a few more recommended references as well). 

Marc MacYoung has a web site titled, “No Nonsense Self-Defense,” and an article therein explains a bit more about those multiple methodologies. The one article in reference is, “Generating Power,” and about half way down the article, read the whole thing tho, you have the section titled, “Dr. PITTCo/CoD PITT.” 

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THEORY; THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Efficiency

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It concerns how we conceive of and practice karate and/or martial arts, including its curriculum, its pedagogical method, its approach to self-defense, etc. 

It is the effort that allows us the ability to validate principles properly applied with emphasis on those multiple methodologies to ensure that we are actually applying principled multiple methodologies so we may correct the principles to make the methodologies work. In this way we fulfill the pure objective.

It is about karate and/or martial arts being a struggle against conflict and violence often applied by an aggressor/attacker who has a goal of grave bodily harm or even death. It is not play, sport or an exercise program, it is an aggressive physical discipline meant for civil self-defense. It is not about techniques but how principles support applied methodologies as they apply to that pure objective. 

We cannot waste time training on a technique based model, that would require memorization of many, many techniques that will not end the fight. We have to focus on optimizing those principles and methods that will combine toward ending a threat. It once again is optimizing expressions of the pure objective.

Focus on weeding out mistakes that make the principles lose their effectiveness thus making the methodologies inefficient and ineffective. To practice such ineffective and inefficient efforts may allow us to perceive progress but the applicability as principled applied methodologies would not meet that pure objective. 

It must be remembered and a focus of training, practice and understanding that any methodology that does not achieve your self-defense goals allows an attacker/adversary/predator more time to act against us. 

By removing technique based teachings to the limited principles and methodologies should hold the potential to achieve self-defense goals thus ending the conflict and violence rapidly and effortlessly. This must be considered critically serious in training, practice and application. 

Examine each principle and method of principle driven methodologies. Even a methods not necessarily effective enough to stop the violence may, when combined with other methodologies still meets the pure objective (The ratio is important here). 

In the end, we cannot see an argument for devoting time, habituation, and even our safety to a training and practice model that ultimately cannot achieve what the final analysis requires.  

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THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Standard of Infinite Measure

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How do we know what makes for effective technique? (Effective techniques are about applying the proper methodology to the given situation while supporting the methodologies with the fundamental principles with emphasis on physiokinetics; it is about principled based practices rather than technique based efforts)

What standard can we use to measure our martial arts for effectiveness? (principles for if the principles are not balanced properly then the effectiveness of the effort dies out and falls to nothing)

Does it “Work” in self-defense? (primarily, for karate, it is about self-defense and that means adhering to all the principles involved including the principle of self-defense itself)

Does it “Work” in sport? (distinctions are important for all of this, to distinguish between the various ways one can apply karate addresses those special methods along with appropriate training models to achieve success)

What part of the world of violence will it work against and will it transcend all lines of conflict and violence? (karate, itself, cannot transcend all the lines of conflict and violence. The whole is way bigger than karate in its current state but karate can train one to apply principled based methodologies then it comes down once again to the distinctions of its applications for the types of conflict and violence involved. This is why the fundamental principles themselves hold more importance than the actually system or style itself.)

Is the system of practice adequate for the situations you will likely encounter? (Distinctions, it all comes down to distinctions and proper training and practices toward the goals indicative to the distinctiveness of the actual situation at hand be it fighting, combatives or self-defense.)

In other words, will a methodology work in a given self-defense scenario, against a skilled, larger, stronger adversary who will resist at every opportunity and in every conceivable manner and who in all likelihood attack with complete and utter surprise causing you to lose structure and balance while causing you damage? (the reason why self-defense spans a greater chasm of conflict and violence other than the narrow parameters of karate or a martial art.)

Is it even possible that any given system, style or technique or combination of techniques or combination of strategies “Work” for every conceivable manner of conflict/violence? (herein lies the conundrum of all fighting, combatives, self-defense, etc., that they often do not cover all possibilities in self-defense situations; to assume any one thing can address the myriad things that are conflict, violence and the defenses necessary toward survival is just stupidity, it takes a whole system of systems to learn, understand and then apply those strategies necessary to handle conflict and violence regardless of the level and extent of same)

In MASD (Martial Arts Self-Defense), one cannot afford to stake their safety, security and life on untested methodologies. Does the strategy, tactic, principle-based methodology, and goal work in a real SD situation or at least in a reality based training and practice situation?

The general method of testing a system/principle is to test to make sure “It works.” It works is complicated due to perceptions and assumptions along with the degree of experience and the depth and breadth of that experience simply because no one technique or goal or strategy or tactic will work in all SD situations of conflict and/or violence. The “Does it Work” measure also varies greatly. To use an arbitrary standard of measure requires an understanding of the variance according to each individual and the situations and environments that expose them to conflict and/or violence. 

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THEORY; THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Control

Controlling our selves, controlling our adversary’s and controlling the environmental influences that lead to conflict and violence. Our objective it to control ourselves, i.e., our minds, our bodies and our spirits. We don’t want an adversary to control us physically but more importantly mentally and spiritually. 

In a physical realm of applied methodologies we must maintain the integrity of the principles applied, i.e., those physiokinetic sub-principles where an assumed posture, an overextension removing alignment, etc., of our bodies or allowing an opening are all about control. The greatest tool of control is our mind, the mind-set and mind-state we achieve when confronted by conflict and violence simply because conflict and violence require the highest of prices one can pay in modern society. 

All martial arts training must be about gaining control over ourselves. The greater our control over ourselves , which comes through principles and multiple methodologies, the greater our control over the situation/conflict.

We must maintain or re-establish control as a primary impetus for karate and/or martial training. In the physical sense, that is control over our body. If the adversary also takes control of our mind then our attention is then removed from the goals at hand therefore we must also learn to take control of our minds. 

Martial principled multiple methodologies seeks to maintain or regain control of a situation/person rather than have it/him/her control us. 

Karate and Martial arts involves gaining/maintaining control over ourselves no matter how adverse the combative situation. We train first to gain control over our own bodies and minds - coordination, self-discipline, confidence, etc. We then seek to maintain that control despite combative conflict, such as when grabbed, kicked, or hit. 

A trained karateka and martial artists must act with the motivation of being in control of his or her person and circumstances, he or she then chooses to prevent aggressors from taking away that control. 

We foremost seek to maintain control of the self, we first must possess control of the self. We must establish control over our own bodies, so much control over our own body that it cannot be controlled by another body - a radically different mindset. 

To lose control -  when we sacrifice posture to execute a takedown, leave an opening while over extending to land a punch, or some other sacrifice of integrity for the sake of controlling the adversary. Control begins and ends with self. 

It is also best to remember that an adversary will willingly sacrifice physical self-control to gain control over us. Practice principles and multiple methodologies toward integrity, efficiency and applicability that cultivate self-control.

THEORY; THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Michelangelo principle

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It postulates that all the principles that drive karate and the martial arts lies within and we have to remove the chaff from the wheat to get the most of training and practice and to fully understand and implement principles, i.e. overlaying methodologies with principles. 

We must not accumulate multiple methodologies but rather “chip away” all the things we do that fail to conform to martial principles in their purity. Pursuit of karate and martial art/excellence becomes a process of reduction, to chip away the marble excess to reveal the principles that are martial systems. In a nutshell this means we remove the technique based training and practice for self-defense and implement the finite principled-based multiple methodology model of self-defense. 

This is apparent when we understand that human anatomy generates more power one way than it does another, that it bends certain ways and breaks in others, that it is vulnerable in certain respects and strong in others, etc. Strengths and weaknesses of the total human being pre-existed the emergence of karate, martial arts and karateka/martial artists. 

Karate and Martial arts cannot be about accumulating practices that empower us but rather ceasing all practices that disempower us!

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THEORY; THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Natural action

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1) Movements that are instinctive and/or “come naturally,” or

2) Movements that conform to the body’s way of movement.

Lets address the concept of instinctive and/or natural body movement. The generally acceptance of instinctive means we don’t have to take conscious control of the action and the generally acceptance of naturally means we feel like and perceive the action as more natural. In truth, it is not actually instinct but rather “Procedural Memory, i.e., The ability to remember motor acts like changing lanes - called procedural memory; is called a type of implicit memory - means your brain holds knowledge of something that your mind cannot explicitly access. It is how we execute actions easily, but without knowing the details of how you do it.”

When using operant conditioning you program procedural memory that relies on the unconscious brain to act or use said action dependent on the “Hunches” the brain gets to respond to stimuli. Once you associate something with something that paring of concepts can be enough to induce an unconscious association that removes the conscious, slower brain process, from the equation. 

It is building on the body’s natural instincts (encoding procedural memory, etc) for defense. Some systems attempt to build on our instinctive reactions by constructing method combinations, etc., from similar motions. Our bodies possess natural instincts for self-preservation and we should tap into that power for the sake of self-defense.

As karate-ka and martial artists we ultimately must strive to act in ways that most people would not. Instinct-based principled-based multiple methodologies means the development of quick and effective self-defense skills that are immeasurably valuable. As karate-ka and martial artists, we ultimately strive to move far beyond the instinctive motions to which most people remain constrained. We practice until we re-train our instincts (procedural memories, etc). 

Natural Action is about the idea that all methods or methodologies must closely adhere to the finer workings of the human being. We must concern ourselves with exercising the intrinsic power of the body, mind, and spirit - the “Natural.” 

Intrinsic Power refers to the ways in which the human being is anatomically, mentally, and spiritually powerful. We must seek the “natural action” of the human being not in terms of the most common action or the initial action, but the deepest inherent connection to power. 

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THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Training truth

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We must train and practice and apply the way we want to defend ourselves or we will not defend that way at all. A perfect lead-in regarding self-defense through karate and martial arts, the type that can be called, “Adrenal Stress-conditioned Reality Based Training.” Two additions to the standard fundamental principles of defensive disciplines” being “Self-defense and Chemical Cocktails.” 

Sport and Combat oriented styles, especially more philosophical driven systems, train toward their true nature while self-defense oriented systems/styles must train according to the true nature of conflict and violence, i.e., self-defense. 

In karate and martial arts, “sparring” is an excellent drill. Sparring is not the same as real fighting and real self-defense for many reasons. If we exercise one model when training and a different model when sparring, or if the same model looks different in the two contexts, then are we “Training Truth?” If we do not exercise our goals we train and practice in the way we practice it then why should we practice it that way?

It must be remembered that the anatomical dynamics of two humans clashing in unarmed conflict has not changed much since … well, since there were humans. 

We will have difficulty transitioning our practice and training into self-defense if we don’t bridge them from practice to application, a reality based application. The proper understanding and application of fundamental principles of defense (multiple methodologies) systems is required if that functionality is to be unleashed. 

In a fight, i.e., in a self-defense situation, one person is the aggressor or attacker or adversary who attacks someone who does not want to fight. The adversary’s intent is not to win but to hurt, to get something from the victim. The adversary typically does not posses foreknowledge of the defenders skills but has situated the attack to apply surprise, fear and pain, to overcome their lizard brain and keep them stuck in the OO bounce. 

If we cannot translate our training and practice into the actual context in which they must be applied, we must question (1) the goals themselves, (2) the training and practice methods, and (3) the nature of the context. 

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THEORY; THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Power paradox

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The power paradox defined the very nature of power, i.e., true power “feels,” and actually should be, “effortless.” At this moment I should translate effortless because it also just feels effortless while the true physics involved generates power and force through principles like structure, alignment, breathing, movement, etc. 

That which feels like powerful is “Not.” This that area many assume makes them feel stronger and more powerful, the dynamic tension detectable when one is practicing such as performance of kata. It is not a matter of hard and soft with emphasis on hard but a balance where one applies fundamental principles through multiple methodologies toward appropriate levels of force and the force and power generated. 

Actualized effortlessness, however, constitutes our goal in karate and martial arts methodologies. A methodology that feels powerful cannot actually be powerful. The feeling of power emerges from the sensation of exertion, and greater exertion means less power. To overexert oneself pulls or bleeds off a limited amount of energy in our bodies and through the physical physics of movement of our mass toward a goal of maximized power and force. The concept should be to use as much of our energy and effort for power and force in lieu of demonstrating a false presentation of force and power in a demonstration fashion. 

Don’t confuse “harder” with “more power.” When we produce a greater “effect” through equal effort, an equal effect through less effort, or a greater effect through less effort can we be said to have increased our power. Also, the human body can only generate so much energy that can be converted into power and force so to waste any on looking and feeling strong and powerful reduces the actual strength and power and force we generate. Even using the various physics of our bodies, the adversary’s body, the environment and any enhancing actions still has limits so it is to our advantage to maximize the use of our energies to reach a maximum efficient production toward power and force in self-defense. 

A “hard impact” actually represents little power. Were we truly powerful in striking, we would overwhelm the target with power and thus encounter no resistance, effectively feeling virtually no impact whatsoever, just like punching gelatin. All this remains contingent on effect. We seek to create an equal or greater effect with lesser  and lesser effort. Lessor and lessor effort translates to energy generation for power and force. 

Once you align the principles of the methodologies properly, the methodologies happens with relative effortlessness. 

If in executing methodologies we properly align all those principles that makes us powerful while simultaneously exploiting the ways in which our adversary has failed to align his or her principles, we then cannot help but to encounter no effectual resistance. 

True power should be effortless and feel effortless. 

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THEORY; THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Reciprocity

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The state of mutual dependency, often of opposites. Yin and Yang reciprocate one another. An “equal  and opposite reaction” is the reciprocal of “action.” 

Reciprocity in karate and martial arts means that the way in which we are strong is the opposite of the way in which we are weak.

Despite our ability to balance, we are invariably strong in two directions and weak in the reciprocal directions. Strength reciprocates weakness, the human body is strong in one regard, it will be weak in the opposite regard.

Then, taking it a bit further, reciprocity is about the force levels used in self-defense, i.e., the level of force you face from an adversary my be only reciprocated in kind at that same level or less as appropriate. Your must, to remain in the self-defense square, take only those actions necessary to stop the threat where the force required to do that must be a response to that action by making an corresponding action of the same level or lower regarding force.

Reciprocity is a practice and training model where two practice exchanging with one another for the mutual benefit of both parties so that they may lean, grow and apply self-defense appropriately to any given situation.

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THEORY; THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Percentage principle

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Pretty much this means what percentage of power we generate that actually reaches our adversary. Our goal is to transfer the highest percentage of power generated whole body into the adversary. After all, any one body can generate only a finite amount of force an any given moment. 

The quantity of the force generated depends on the body in question, i.e., the overall weight of the body, the structure applied, the posture as it relates to the applied application/technique, etc., spinal alignment, relaxation, heaviness and so on (see the particulars of the physiokinetic principle).

The total power expended by an individual when, say, punching usually includes exertion in other parts of the body. 

While our goal entails acting with 100 percent of our body’s energy output, we typically use only a fraction of that percentage towards any given technique. Some percentage of the force we generate ends up consumed by unnecessary muscle tension, inefficient technique, a lack of proper intent, etc.

As karateka and martial artists we must strive to employ the maximum possible percentage of power we generate in any given moment. A novice will use perhaps as little as ten or twenty percent (figure varies depending on the individual). We strive to get a higher percentage of force to the principled based methodology that actually makes it to the target. The goal, a higher percentage of our force to the target. 

We understand that we can never communicate more power than we generate but we can strive to communicate the maximum possible sum of it. When we study the full spectrum of principles we can readily see that applying them holistically and fully provide us the means to achieve a higher percentage of force provided our physical structure is not faulty, our motions don’t waste energy, etc., otherwise we communicate only a small fraction of our overall power. 

As a martial artists, simply strive to communicate 100 percent of our power. Take time to study our bodies as to its structure, etc., because our bodies have natural energy bleeding points that must be addressed as well to achieve a maximum possible percentage of force and power. 

I recommend wholeheartedly reading the eBook by Marc MacYoung titled, “Writing Violence III: Getting Hit and Hitting,” because he addresses the issues of power loss through inappropriate energy transmission and transference, etc. It is available at Amazon, click the title above. 

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THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Reflexive action (Procedural Memory actually)

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It is about training and practicing a few options toward an instinctive reactive level, reflexive action. It breaks down to encoding the brain so that the type of actions and reactions are separated from the conscious and driven by the procedural memory, not instinct. Instincts are a type of set unconscious actions of the human survival system. Even tho we might assume “Survival System” involves this procedural memory function, it does not. Our training and practice when related to instinctual survival actions make the encoding of procedural memory more effective. Our trained reflexes depend on the type of training and practices that encode procedural memory.

As a side note it should become apparent to the reader that the old meme or quote about mind and no mind this is that separation of the conscious from the procedural memory. 

It is about taking the few (think principle-based multiple methodology defenses, etc.), doing them in a variety of ways and in one distinct group of methodologies that are encoded into the sub-conscious lizard brain, specifically procedural memory.

It takes more than mere repetitive practices. Repetitive practice alone will not cause the encoding so that they will come up unconsciously when attacked. It is about using a method of training and practice that involved “Operant Conditioning and Adrenal Stress-conditioned Reality-based” so that you can have/develop an automatic, reflex-level-like, response to an attack, especially when that attack comes as a surprise, under fear and violent. It is about training when blitzed along with the chemical cocktail effects. It is that ability to apply in that instant, single second moment, your methodologies for defense so that you can overcome the OODA loop, you can actually bypass the OO bounce and that will cause your adversary to drop back into his OODA loop. 

We need to exercise care in choosing methodologies over technique based strategies so that we condition ourselves to apply in such a manner and in such violent situations because unlearning bad techniques will take twice as long a learning methodologies correctly the first time. Practice and train only those chosen methodologies that will actually work and benefit you in regard to defensive action. It is training carefully thought-out methodology motions that will be encoded into our procedural memory or what some refer to as our lizard brains. 

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THEORY; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Simplicity

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Simplicity comprises one of the more complex principles. The simpler we keep the conflict, the less that can go wrong. Violent conflict will be fast and furious. Complicated, pre-planned combinations of techniques will be difficult to pull off if only because of the speed, ferocity, and chaotic nature of the attack, to say nothing of its sheer unpredictability.

This perspective recognized the “Adrenal response (i.e. the adrenal flood or chemical cocktail) that will occur during a real face-to-face violent attack. 

It can be said that simplicity is the practice of grosser, more general techniques, techniques that closely mirror, or at least emerge from, the adrenaline-induced state we find ourselves during a true “fight or flight” situation. It suggests we avoid the fancy/complicated techniques and keep to a few strikes, a few simple takedowns, a few restraining holds, etc.

Near instinctive techniques can be exceptionally effective for self-defense but they are not necessarily equitable with higher forms of combat. 

Simplicity pertains to the application of a learned technique, but not necessarily to the complexity of the technique itself. All techniques must remain simple in their application, they must not have to many “moving parts,” good techniques might be quite intricate and difficult to learn. Learning these techniques might be anything but simple, but once learned, the techniques are simple in their application. 

Simplicity must refer to keeping technique straightforward and of minimal moving parts, but such categorization could apply both to (1) techniques that involve gross motor movements or (2) techniques that are difficult to learn but are straightforward in their application. Techniques in the second category do uphold the principles, but they require considerably more time to learn and master. 

Simplicity also applies to the goals, strategies and tactics one relies on in such a self-defense situation involving the chemical cocktail or adrenal flood such as overcoming the OODA freeze or loop. When your senses are overwhelmed you train and practice to lean how to shut down the source of the information, during the observe and orient stages. This could be a method where when you feel yourself being caught in the OO bounce or sense it about to happen, you attack. The OO bounce has become an observation in and of itself with a simple one-choice orient (I am frozen) followed by a simple decision: “Hit the adversary!” and a simple action - POW! (courtesy Rory Miller, Meditations on Violence, chapter 2, page 39, para (5). Exploit the OODA loop - expose yourself to the widest variety of situations; act with partial information; keep the plan simple to follow; use a barrage attack or if it is used on you, do no. 5; kill the OO bounce with attack now.

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PHYSIOKINETIC; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Minor Axis

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The body contains minor axes, places where we can rotate limbs within tighter or wider circles. The same rules apply to all minor axis as to the major axis of motion; rotations should be as small and tight as possible, thereby maximizing their speed and power. 

Respecting minor axis means two things: (1) seeking the smaller axis possible in any given methodology and (2) rotating within the circumference of the limb itself whenever possible. As we apply both elements to strikes, locks, throws, etc., we find that we can conserve our own force and equally deliver more concentrated power to the adversary.

Don’t forget, all the movement of the minor axis depend on the integrity of the axis itself. As self-defense, fighting and combatives are applied the coordination and interconnectedness becomes more complex and difficult yet appropriate realty-based training and practice will remove much of that complex difficulty. 

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PHYSIOKINETIC; SUB-PRINCIPLE: Spinal Alignment

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Note: The shoulder girdle and the pelvis are both somewhat rigid and attached to each other through the spine. They act as levers to control the spine and can manipulate each other as well as the arms and legs. This will become an important aspect when you begin to collate sub-principles into a holistically applied whole for power and force. 

The single most overlooked principle of the martial arts. How to properly align methodologies with the spine. All power must be grounded, generated, and conducted through the spine (Note: when discussing the drop step methodologies for power generation the best application of the drop step requires a loss of grounding; Note II: also, truly powerful and forceful methodologies are about movement, movement of our mass along with enhancers through certain physiokinetic additions).

What happens to the anatomy when the spine is misaligned when striking. If the spine is rounded we leak power, if leaning back we leak power. If the spine is misaligned it prevents the legs from stabilizing the body and offering a solid foundation from which to exercise the power of the punch. The spine must function like a post. The spine must be in proper alignment if the legs are to become functional. If misaligned the spine will fail to direct energy into the legs, and consequently diminish or nullify the value of proper foot stance. (Note III: remember, power and force if possible through body movement is superior but in case that is not possible)

Some argue that the upper body can lean forward up to 22.5 degrees or perhaps to the point where the shoulders do not pass the vertical plane of the knees, provided that the spine does not become convex or concave, which means that it must tile from the hips alone. Any other violation of its structure will bleed energy upwards or backwards. At 22.5 degrees, however, the force can still be grounded into the legs through the spine. Proper posture must be upheld and the torso tile must be achieved as a unit from the hip.

In order for exertions of force to root through the spine, they must align with it, which when front facing means they must occur along the centerline. It is critical to understand that they must not only end on the centerline but also begin along it, or at least close to it. Any fault in structure and alignment of the spine as well as other structural body groups such as the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand lead to energy bleed thus loss of power and force. 

Spinal alignment dictates that the spine must act as a solid, unyielding post. Every degree of turn/rotation amounts to a degree it effectively yields - succumbing to “opposite reaction” rather than generating force - and thus a degree of power lost or misdirected. If the spine acts as a pivot instead of a post then our triangle guard will be deflected off target. The spine fails to function as a solid, stable post and instead acts as a weak, turning pivot, which ultimately results in a loss of power. If a punch fails to meet the centerline, the shoulder becomes susceptible to recoiling indirect opposition to the direction of the punch. If the punch crosses over centerline, the body becomes susceptible to pivoting the other direction, or the arm simply collapses toward the body with the shoulder acting as the hinge. (Note: all this depends on balance to achieve efficient maximum output from energy use. There will be trade-offs susceptible to energy losses as well as gains with the use of enhancers, etc.)

Depending on whom you ask, the shoulders either do or do not have to be squared to the target for the spine to align properly. 

The triangle guard brings to light the importance of at least a certain amount of squaring in the shoulders, but the great equalizing factor in this particular matter always seems to come down to landing the strike directly between the shoulder lines so that the energy still grounds back to the spine. The spine needs to act as a post instead of a pivot.

It seems logical that power loss occurs when the body tilts because doing so seems to impact the alignment of other principles. Proper exercise of spinal alignment is to maximize out our power and simultaneously use it to exploit our adversary’s anatomy. The spine connects the body to power, so does it receive power into the body.

All parts of the body connect through the spine. Exercising proper spinal alignment does not mean physically moving force into the spine itself, e.g., forcing an adversary’s wrist to his or her chest. As the name suggests, this principle merely concerns aligning force between the spine and our adversary’s on a vertical plane. 

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