the art of the assasin

8/6/2019 The Art of the Assasin

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The art of the assasin



The art of invisibility

None of what you learn here will teach you to just disappear are based on realisticapproaches towards training. I will not (and I hope you don't either) concern myself with black magic or concepts based on ancient history and storytelling.

If you truly want to master the art of invisibility, I would also suggest you throw awayyour ninja text guides to wearing black (which honestly isn't even the right color for hiding in the shadows). And until you manage to track down David Copperfield - hereare a few tips to improve skills in the physical realm. The first is to memorize (notmesmerize) my definition of being hard to see:

To be invisible, you must not be seen or heard in a way that would distinguish you asYOU.Remember that forest with that tree that falls with no one around to hear it fall? Youknow, the one that ends with this question: If there is no one there to hear the treefall, does it make a sound?

Yes, the tree does make a sound. Why, because if you were there - you would hear itand you would say, "wow that was loud." Regardless of your presence or your perception of reality, the tree will always make the sound. The real question is do wedefine the word "sound" and associating that to our hearing. When in fact, the fallingof the tree creates a noise as a fact regardless of the way we perceive definitions.This is another concept of invisibility. Both the theory and the tree remain elusive andthus invisible. You want to be that tree.

Okay, let me take you out of the woods before we you get lost. The concept of invisibility means that you can make sounds and even cross within your opponent'svisual sight, but you must not be perceived.So, you can be within your enemy's eye sight, in fact, he may even see you.However, because you have blended in with your surroundings, you are notperceived. Another example is, "Where's Waldo?" You may be looking for Waldo,who is well within your sight, but unless you perceive him, he remains invisible.Invisibility is the art of blending in, becoming an insig nificant part of our environmentand disappearing within it. Hey, this reminds me of high school.

So, in order for us to remain invisible - we have to master the art masking any and allindicators. An indicator is something that would basically say, "hey, it's me and I'mhiding behind this rock."We mask indicators by developing our skills in the following areas:

CamouflageObviously you want to remain quite when traversing through the woods or a darkalley. The key to concealment is learning and practicing a few techniques of stealth.Camouflage is usually seen as green patterned clothing for use in a forest.



Camouflage (whether artificial or natural) is actually any and all skill you use toremain unseen. This includes - sight, sound, smell and sense:

SightThe human eye sees movement first. So, this is your number one priority, in order tostay out of sight, you need to know what you can do and what your opponent is trying

to do. This goes for all your invisibility training. Here are the basics:

Don't be a jerkYou need to lean to move with patience and fluidity. Jerky movements are easy tosee. Also, don't go disturbing the peace in a natural environment. A flock of birdstaking off is a sign that something is in the area.

If you are heard - it does not mean that you will be perceived. Even if it is obviousthat you are there. However, if you are seen - not only is it obvious that you are there,but your exact position is now revealed.What is that? Is that a big black head?

Your visual goal is to remove the distinct shape of the human form. You will alsoneed to pay attention to shape and lighting. Think of what might create a silhouetteand know when you should hide, crawl, walk, stealth or run. What kind of uniform or outfit do you have on? Do you stand out or blend in? Are you carrying a big sword or what looks like a tree branch?Form - an opinion

Depending on your situation, jogging clothes often make a much better outfit for urban invisibility. Why? Well, what if you happened to be revealed? A jogging suit ismuch more believable than the embarrassment of having your tabi (a ninja warriorssplit toed footwear) out in plain sight. For photographs and Ninja films the uniformportrayed looks great, but it is more effective to look like a fallen tree branch than amodel for Ninja magazine.

Colors for concealmentIn order to be invisible, it is crucial that you wear clothing or material that blends inwith your surrounding environment. Colors should have the same level of intensity,brightness and contrast in order to remain consistent. Use the following guide.

Night: Dark blue, black, gray or other dark color Country: Green and brownsCity: Gray sometimes blue

Just because it is night, does not mean a black uniform from head to toe will makeyou invisible. That outfit will actually make you stick out and it will be easy to spot youwhen moving. Unless you remain deep in the darkest part of a shadow, a dark blackoutfit is not realistic. Remember, black isn't a very natural color - the sky is dark bluenot black and trees, leaves and grass are usually made up of greens or browns. Also,a black uniform is limited to night work, while a green and brown uniform can adaptwhen the sun comes out.Remember, the goal is to remove the distinct shape of the human form. Color



choices can help to do this.Movement

Always move from shadow to shadow, rock to rock, obstacle to obstacle. Other strategies and specialized body tactics are used in combination with your movements. The more you look like part of the surroundings and the less you look

like a human hiding behind a bush, the more likely you will remain invisible.You will usually use your environment in one of two ways: either to hide behind or blend beside. If the area you are hiding behind does not fully conceal your figure or form, then it is important that you shape your body to look like that of your cover. Fo r example: laying down in a field, crouching amongst rocks and extending your armsand legs along tree limbs and branches.

Note that when doing so (aligning your body with that of an object for concealment)that you do your best to be in a position you can respond from. If you lay face downin the mud and can't react when an opponent is about to stick a 6 inch dagger in your back you will have more than just mud in your face.

This ends Part One

Part 2

Now let's continue to learn how to stay on our toes when it comes to being quiet as amouse.

Night vision

It can take a person up to 30 minutes for their eyes to adapt to darkness. Anyonewithout this night sight will have drastically reduced vision. A flash of light is all that isnecessary to ruin a person's night vision for another 20-30 minutes. So, don't loseyour night vision and keep your opponent from developing theirs. This will allow theshadow warrior to observe his enemy yet still remain invisible and camouflaged in thenight.

Note: when watching for things in low light, you will have a better chance of seeingthem if your eyes remain unfocussed. You can do this by looking in a circular motionaround the object, for example a circular or figure eight pattern.

Sound

Another major ingredient to the art of staying invisible is your ability to move quietlythrough various terrains. Following are some practical techniques for stealth. After time and training, you will begin to develop your own style of stealth. Some will be



slight variations of what you learned here and unique to your individual style. Thesetechniques alone will not make you move through the night as quiet as the wind. This information is only a principle to aid in your practice and is of little use by itself.You must practice until you become very good at moving silently, in turn - stayingquiet. In order to move in silence, we must pay attention (but not focus on) what it is

that makes noise in the first place. The next step would be to reduce these "here Iam's" as much as possible. In training, you can practice stealth on various terrainsand in a variety of environments to get a feel of the different techniques you can use.

Making choices

Okay, you come to a point where you must choose one of two paths. One path isopen and covered with sand while the other is narrow and protected with trees.Which path would you take? The sand path will be quieter to move across unlike thetree path which has leaves and branches strewn about. However, the tree path offerscover and camouflage and as we learned earlier, it is better to be heard than to beseen. These types of questions only help to explain the variety of choices you will

have to deal with.

S - stepping

T - touch

E - exhale

A - attention

L - listen

T - toler ance

H - harmony

Stepping

This is your most important skill to staying quiet. You depend on your footwork.Practice will make a difference. Before completing a step, keep your weight on theground leg until the other leg is in position. This requires balance and ha rmony tomaster.

Touch

Stepping is only half the battle. Use your hands and feet to feel for obstacles and for clearing the way. Thick soled shoes make it difficult to feel and manage over a noisyterrain. Either where light shoes or go barefoot. The more you can feel your surroundings, the better you chances are of moving through them quietly.

Exhale



Do not hold your breath when you move. Breath as you step, twist, turn or lower your weight. This will keep you and your muscles relaxed and assist in your ab ility to adaptwith your movements.

Attention

Pay attention to your surroundings and not just the ground. Keep a circular vision atall times - focus when you step, but keep your attention on your environment. Thisincludes all your senses.

Listen

Stay alert to the sounds you are making and pay attention to the way these soundscorrelate with your surroundings. Stop completely if you make a sound, listen for anyreactions or any signs of being discovered. Keep a constant ear for any changes inthe environment.

Toler ance

Patience is your key to staying quiet. If you are not patient, your movements will be jerky and mistakes will occur. How long can you tolerate standing still and remainingabsolutely quiet?

Harmony

Stay focused, keep the knees bent and move with all the muscles and joints flowingnaturally. Move like a cat - balanced, patient and fluid.

Techniques for stealth

I teach 8 specific techniques at my Ninja Camps to develop footwork skills. Theseskills must be taught to you by an instructor.

1. Normal stealthy step

2. Cross step stealth

3. Cat stealthy step

4. Sweeping cat step

5. Stealth cr awling

6. The dropping squat

7. The cross crouch

8. The f all back

Pr actice



The only way to develop your skill is to actually practice. Here are just a few ideas -expand on these and come up with a few of your own.

1. Here kitty kitty

Try sneaking up to a sleeping cat and touching it before it discovers what you are

doing. Please note that this only works on cats that are active and healthy. Also,stuffed animals won't work and by "cat" I mean a house cat - not a mountain lion.

2. Snap, Cr ackle, Pop

Another fun thing to sneak up on is a mini -cassette recorder or voice activated audiorecorder. Create a distance between yourself and the recorder to sneak up on. Then,play it back to see if you could hear yourself getting closer. Pay attention to all thenatural sounds in the environment. Try this in different terrains.

3. Don't turn around

Games are a great way to improve you silent footwork. We play a lot of these at our martial arts training camps; the only requirement is having at least one more personto play with. Here is one that we use a lot:

Have your partner stand about 50-100 feet away. Your job is to sneak up to him/her and touch them on the back or shoulder without them knowing you are there. Your partner is trying to listen and has one chance to turn around, but only if you are withintouching distance. You win if you touch him/her first and they win if they touch youfirst. This requires a lot of patience from both the Ninja and his prey.

4. Boo!

This next one requires that you know your partner or the other person very well. If you haven't guessed it yet - this exercise requires that you sneak up and scaresomeone. I used to do this to my family and friends all the time and I was luckyenough that they had a sense of humor (well, not always). Some people are not verynice and will get very mad if you scare them. So, make sure you know who you arescaring (and make sure they won't have a heart attac k and leave you with a life of guilt). The rest you will have to come up with on your own.

A note on Terr ain

Dry areas are the loudest and unless you plan to carry a bucket of water with you, try

to either avoid dry areas or practice moving through them. Snapping twigs andcrunchy leaves are probably number one cause to losing your concealment.

Smell

You never want to hear, "I smelled you a mile away." Along with clothing, you shouldalso conceal any and all other things that might give you away. This inclu des your smell. Cologne and perfumes are easy to smell, so is McDonalds. The closer you areto your environment in all aspects, the more likely you are to remain camouflaged



within it. Use natural oils from your surroundings to help mask your scent. Heck, takea mud bath. This is important if you want to blend in with nature and avoid animalsrecognizing you as they have a highly tuned sense of smell.

Other Factors

Remaining invisible is not just a few concepts thrown together to give you an ideaabout stepping on twigs. You need an overall development and understanding of what it takes to be stealthy. This requires expanding your thoughts and thinkinglaterally. Many things could have an affect your ability to stay concealed. Here are afew examples:Are the people you are hiding from are expecting company.

Are you in a group - in which case if one team snaps - you all snap.Unexpectedweather or terrain.The concealment you had last night - is gone today.

A dog is barking at what smells like a Big Mac and fries.There is a nearby accidentand you are the only one to help.Did you go to the bathroom before you left thehouse?

These are just a few, but if you think about them, you could prepare and or develop abetter understanding for the art of invisibility. No matter how much you know, you stillneed to develop that knowledge into action. If you want to be good at kicking - thenkick. This is the same for vanishing into thin air.

That's it

Defending against a

KnifeSince the beginning of time, the knife has proven a very practical tool for survival.This easily concealed item is the most confronted weapon in the home, on the streetor in the work place. Knives and sharp objects can be found almost anywhere. Theknife has many advantages:



y Easy to obtain in almost any environmenty Easy to conceal on the body or nearbyy Simple to use and just as deadlyy Silent, quick and deadly

Regardless of who you are, where you live or where you wor k, the possibility of

being attacked exists equally for everyone. Can you avoid the situation? Self-defense begins with awareness and is more than just learning some techniquesfor dealing with a weapon. The best strategy is one of avoidance. Pay attention toyour gut feelings. Sometimes natural instinct is all you have between a step thattakes you home to a step that takes you into a life -threatening situation. Avoidhazardous surroundings where problem situations are more likely to occur. Thisincludes people, as well as places.The idea is to avoid all confrontations if possible. TRAINING < br /> If the situation is unavoidable, then make sure you are prepared

through realistic training. In order for us to learn to defend against a weapon it isimportant to learn to use the knife so we understand how one attacks or uses theweapon as well as its strengths and weaknesses. Thus giving you background in howyour opponent might react or think. Start with Practical Practice (realistic tr aining). The more reality based training you have the better. It won't be as easy as learning afew fancy disarms. You have to internalize each technique in order for to be useful incombat. And even then, it will be a challenge to escape a knife attack unharmed. Theodds of getting cut while defending are high - even for a trained martial artist andespecially for a traditionally trained martial artist. What I am saying is that you mustincrease the odds of self protection through realistic repetition in training and not fromfancy moves at a typical school that knows very little about the reality of combat or knife fighting. If you are training knife skills that are not realistic - then reality will cutup your fantasy and leave you little more than a leaking artery. Train your knife skillsin the following manner: Empty hand versus the knife Knife versus empty hand Knife and weapons versus knifeSince it is unlikely you will be carrying a readilyaccessible weapon with you at all times, you must put emphasis on the first area of empty hand training. Start with a rubber knife, then a wooden and plastic knife. Once

you have developed your skills move onto a steel (non sharp) knife. Once you areready to start training, find a partner and use the ideas below to get you started: Observation first Try to learn to see a possible attack before it happens. Pay at tention to eyeexpression and movement. Your attacker's physiology can be telegraphed indicatorsof upcoming actions.



Arteries and Organs When you see a blade, be sure that your stance and movements are guarding and or protecting your arteries. Never block an attack with the radial artery exposed. Keepyour lead shoulder up to protect the carotid artery. Turn your lead leg in to protect thefemoral artery. Just be aware that if you get cut from a slashing type of attack - you

want it to be in a location that you can risk (forearm as opposed to wrist). The organsare an area of concern when dealing with piercing cuts. Start by developing muscl es(such as the abdominals) to build a protective layer or shield. Next would be to twistor turn to keep the blade from entering too deep (not something that is easily donewhen comparing body movement speed to the speed a knife can travel in the hand). Try to distr act your opponent Here is an example of a technique I often teach to demonstrate gaining control of your opponents attention: When you hand over your wallet you might slip it throughhis fingers or accidentally drop it, and during that split second he uses to focus on thewallet (trying to grab it as it falls) gives you time to react. Even the blink of an eye,

sudden sound, movement or the inhalation of breath may give you the chance youneed if your speed and timing is right. Reality Check Often you will see goofy ninja, and the self made black belt demonstrate veryunrealistic knife defenses. Reacting to a blade very unrealistic techniques. This typeof action is complete nonsense and very UN-practical. Remember unreali stic trainingwill be memorized by the brain and throw off your future eye hand coordination,footwork, and timing. Try this - give a friend a wooden or rubber knife and say, "cutme with it." I remember an incident shortly after learning my first defensive technique aga inst astick. I gave the stick to a friend and said, "swing and hit me in the head." Well guesswhat, he did exactly just that. The reality was that people swing sticks, knives andfists in their own way and not always the way you learn in a martial arts d ojo. Avoid going for the weapon directly. Don't risk a cut leg, arm or worse a cut artery.Sometimes it is better to kick in order to keep distance and avoid getting close or cut.Kicking must only be used by skilled practitioners and best with protectiv e shoes or boots. All jumping, spinning, and flying kicks should be left in the classroom. On the Offense When disarming a knife it is important to know the practical use of evasion, blockingor deflecting techniques. The following are a few primary st riking areas that can beused to immobilize or distract your opponent.

y Knees (kicks) y Eyes (clothing, dirt, objects, fingers, liquid, etc.)y Throat (in close combat, locks, strikes and chokes)



Screaming < br /> Whenever applying a strike, it may be useful to kiai as well. A kiaiis meant to break the concentration of your opponent, also to speed up your adrenaline flow which results in a sudden surge of power. A kiai is also good for controlling your own pain and fear. A kiai doesn't have to be loud - it just has to beharnessed (and internalized to trigger a confident state of mind). MENTAL FOCUS When confronted with an assault, it is imperative to remain calm and observe thesituation. This way you can get a clear perspective of all the available options. Oftentimes you can work your way out of the attack using intelligent speech or psychology.Below are a few tips to remember that will help keep you from adding to the list of blade victims: * Mind Set When defending against a blade, one must first accept the liklihood of being cut. If one does not accept this possibility, it could result in false confidense, poor

judgement, unrealistic moves and bad timing. Also, this Fear of being cut by a knifeand the emotional result of such a fear must be overrun with the fear of losing your life (you may have to risk something small to save something big). * Plan for the worst - but expect the best. Each opponent should be treated with an equal level of respect . Also, don't rely onlooks alone and remember a knife can be easily concealed. If someone is over confident they might be armed. * Stay in control. Never allow your friends, your ego or your emotions to affect your reactions. Keep aclear head, avoid interference and make a rational decision. It is always better torespond than it is to react, whenever possible. * Stay calm and accept the possibility of being cut. Don't get the shakes because you are trying to protect yourself from being cut. Letyour confidence and skill overrule. Train to create a positive stimulus response tothese types of situations. IMPROVISED WEAPONS Observation of your environment might reveal something to give you an edge. Bychecking your surroundings you can improvise a weapon of your own. Below are afew you might find practical. Jacket This can be used to wrap around the arm for protection or used as a weapon toentrap the incoming blade. Jackets can be swung or thrown to aid in self protection.



Belt, Purse or bag A belt or scarf can also be used to entangle the attacker for disarming purposes. Abelt buckle may be used attack or distract, slashing at the face and hands. Theymight be used as distractions to allow a quick getaway or chance to attack. Items in a

purse or bag might also prove useful. Tr ash cans, tables, etc. These can be used as practical barriers between you and your opponent. A trash canlid could be used as a shield, a bottle or other items might also be found. You mayeven come up with a weapon more dangerous than your assailants. Nothing can guarantee your survival, but with knowledge in the arts, you can gain theskills necessary - giving you the defensive edge.

Stances and States of Mind used in the Martial arts

Stances and States

Stance (Èstan(t)s) = the position of both body and feet from which an athlete starts or operates.

In the Martial Science, stances are very important. Different postures are associatedwith different mind sets (emotional state of being) or feelings. The same is true in our life. Every stance is an attitude. If you want to have a specific feeling, you change your stance. Remember--stances are nothing more than physiological changes. Changeyour physiology and you change your mental attit ude along with it. Thus, we can usestances to determine our states. What state of mind do you want?

Elementary Elements

The four most popular stances are those that relate to the elements. These stances



are important because they teach us basic responses and can be associated to avariety of attitudes. The mental strategy and states concerning the four elements are:

1. Earth (Strength and Control - Neutral State - Combat Stance)2. Water (Adaptability and Flow - Defensive State - Defensive Stance)3. Fire (Aggression and Speed - Offensive State - Fighting Stance)

4. Wind (Compassion and Sensitivity - Passive State - Open Stance)

Each stance allows us a different attitude. This is important in communication as wellas in self-defense. Most people fit into one of the elements at any given moment intime. If you wish to build rapport, then it is wise to adapt to the same or similar element in use. If you want to compare this with the three modalities, then wind wouldmost likely be the kinisthetic person; fire would be the visual; and water would be theauditory. It is best to use these elemental states when the person you are matching isin that particular element, "in his element," so to speak.

If someone is reaching out for someone to listen, then it is wise to adapt to theelement of wind. If someone is screaming and shouting, then you can adapt to the

element of fire. If someone is being stubborn, you can adapt to the element of earth.If someone is leashing out for self-protection, then you can adapt to the element of water. Once you have entered into the same elemental state of mind as another person, it ispossible for you to then lead them into another element. First you pace, then youlead. Remember, people will respect you more when you enter their element. If youtry to motivate a person in the earth element with an attitude of fire, they may get justget upset or irritated with you. You first must have rapport and one of the easiestways to do this is to get into that person's element. In combat this might be a little different. Most likely you will need to adapt thephysiology of fire if you have no time to negotiate. If you see an upcoming attackfollowing a verbal assault, it would be wise to u se this verbal moment for getting intothat person's element. In kickboxing, a fighter can quickly change from one elementto the next to keep his opponent from being able to adapt and learn his strategy. Thisis fighting from the void or all of the elemen ts. Next is the elemental age

When we are children, we start off with lots of energy and we can be very aggressive.This is the fire stage. We then get a little older and begin to learn a little about life.We take some risks, but we also pull back. Thi s is the water stage. When we become

adults, we often become reserved, take fewer risks, and attempt to stabilize our lifestyle. This is the earth stage. As we become grandparents and senior citizens, webegin to be more sensitive to our surroundings, we t end to care and listen more. Thisis the wind stage. Of course we all have moments where we pass through differentelements. But overall, there can be some logical classifications. Using thisinformation, which element should one be in when speaking to chi ldren? Which typeof element should one be when speaking to the elderly? Do you run up to an elderlyperson, shaking out your arms, screaming about your new sword collection? The



answer is - No. Just as you don't try to get a child excited about baseball by firstexplaining them the rules of the game.

The Elements in Self-Defense

These elements are also used when determining a proper attitude for self -defense

techniques. If you are facing a dangerous opponent, then you would use a firetechnique to stop your attacker. However, if this person was simply drunk and notquite aware of the mistakes he was making, you might use a wind element to evadehis assault and leave him out of harm's way. The element you choose depends onthe level of intensity and the type of situation at hand. As you can see, there aremany variations and applications for the elements in combat and in life. When you practice your stances, you start off in one and then adapt from thatposition into the next. It should be a smooth trans ition. The goal is to be able to gofrom one stance to the other with fluidity. When you can do this, you become moreflexible with your surroundings and when change is necessary it doesn't take you off guard and knock you to the ground. You simply adapt a nd go with the flow. Make sure that when you go from stance to stance, you are also practicing your mental attitude and state of mind. By doing this, you will anchor (mentally program)that response to the change in physiology. This is called "Mind Control."

The swordOne weapon that stands out from almost all martial arts and military training is thesword. Whether gleaming in the hands of a Hollywood actor or brought back to lifevia the imagination while reading Myamoto Musashi's , "The Book of Five Rings," onething stands clear: along with this popularity comes the quest for developingHIGHLANDER like skills. A desire to wield the sword with precision and deadliness. And if you are to be the one on the safe end of the blade, it i s wise to get some kindof instruction. It isn't likely that you will find a master swordsman hiding in the busheswaiting to teach you the Yojimbo quick draw. And since this is the Internet, it isn'tlikely that this article will give you the skills to chop your way through a fruit stand

either. However, I can offer some tiny bits of information that will assist in your training.

In the Martial Science we have 3 specific ways that we teach the sword and each of these ways requires the use of a different sword. First you have a Bokken or wooden sword. Then you have a Shinai or bamboo sword and last you have aKatana or Real Sword. When learning to master the sword, it is important to



have the right tools. Now there is also training in different sizes of swords -such as the Wakizashi, but the training principles are the same; you simplysubstitute the weapon in question. Level 1: The Bokken The wooden sword is probably the best tool for training in swordsmanship. Notonly will you keep from cutting yourself, but also you will have a weapon closeto the same weight as a real sword. Now when I say, "wooden sword" what Imean is, a real hard wood one. Don't go and buy one of those dinky ninjabokkens only to be disappointed when you end up with a broken bokken. Getyourself a real wooden (heavy) sword. The straight sword concept is a MYTHanyway. I like to use the ninja bokken when training in hanbo or half -staff techniques. Once you have a good wooden sword you are ready to starttraining. 1. Sleep with it Make that sword your companion for the duration of your training. Keep it byyour bed, take it with you into the kitchen. Constantly have it near you for practice. When I hike in the back country, I often take with me a wooden swordas a hiking stick. I can train as I hike. Even if you are only working on basicstrikes and slices - it helps to develop a kinship with the weapon (or Kenship). 2. Grip Use your bokken to practice grip and basic strikes. Sit in Seiza or seatedposture and simply work on overhead strikes (vertical down #12). Then switchgrips and do the same. Repeat this over and over - I mean, get in thatrepetition, at least 100 times. This will develop the grip you need for cuts andcontrol. Once you have the vertical strike, add in the diagonal down #4, & 5strikes. Attack Primary striking area Angle or direction 01 thrust inward 02 horizontal left 03 horizontal right 04 diagonal down



05 diagonal down 06 midway horizontal

07 midway horizontal 08 diagonal up left 09 diagonal upright 10 low horizontal left 11 low horizontal right 12 vertical down 13 vertical up 14 thrust down 3. Basics Once you have worked on your grip you can move on to basic strikes. Nowsometimes I teach a number of stances before going into strikes, but you cansimply take the stances you already know and find a way for the sword to fit

into them. For example, a cat stance is great for a crossed sword position.Combat stance is great for a mid-level sword position. The basics includecutting with your sword at all the 14 angles of attack. Simply swing the swordin each angle and adjust your stance accordingly. This will be your mostimportant sword exercise. Every time you pick up your bokken you shouldreview the 14 angles and adjust your stances. This is the foundation of your sword training. 4. Timing From the seated position go back to step 2 and repeat the strikes, only thistime, you are trying to control the swing. To do th is requires that you placesomething on the floor to strike at. A half tire is great, even a thick pillow. Thegoal is to work on striking and stopping as close to the target as possible. Thiswill build up an even better grip and develop timing and contro l in the process.Eventually, you will want to move to advance stages of this type of training.This action would require striking at a target using all of the angles of attack.When you do this, you will need a strong target to hit. Trees are best for thi s



type of exercise (don't bang the tree to death). Trees are more realistic. Youcan put up pieces of carpet to protect the bark. 5. Freestyle Forms

The next step in bokken training is designing your freestyle form. In the MartialScience we have a pre-developed form that we teach students as a guide toswordsmanship. But it is still important for you to develop your own set of movements. A form is a combination of movements (strikes etc.) performed ina fluid and natural manner. Natural according to yo u. It is also good to add in anumber of body movements such as, stances, rolls and strikes. The goal is notto be flipping out in a sword fight, but to develop great control of the weapon.The form will be a set of movements that you perform in one contin uousseries. You can even imagine opponents as you perform a variety of strikes,blocks, stances and rolls. Throw in a kick here and there. The key is to keepan open mind and expand your abilities. Once you have practiced the above five steps, you will be well on your way todeveloping successful sword skills. It is important to remember that this andany training is simply a guideline. You will discover numerous trainingconcepts just by following these rules. It is required for you to step out of theselines to enhance your own personal skills that are designed around your ownstrengths and weaknesses. Ask your instructor to assist in finding your personal strategies. Level 2: The Shinai After working with your bokken it is time to move on to the Shinai or secondlevel of training. The purpose of the shinai is to introduce you to the art of thesword combat. Sword against sword. To most people this will be the mostexciting part of their training. Basically, you will be sparring with two swords.We start with shinai's because they do very little (if any) damage when hit. Butlike any training program you don't just start hitting your opponent in anattempt to reenact Star Wars (which, by the way is based on a Ninja Story). 1. Block and Counter To begin, you face an opponent and work on simple blocks and counters. It isimportant to get instruction on what exactly you can do with a sword. But for those training in the Martial Science we are talking about the TriangleDefensive Strategy (includes the Roof and Wing Blocks). The triangle is asymbol of what angles to follow when being attacked. In order to understand



this concept you will have to be taught (or make an attempt at figuring it out).Let us say that your opponent strikes with a vertical down cut #12. To use thetriangle theory, imagine your sword being the bottom line of the triangle (hilt atthe left and point at the right). Your defense would be to adjust it from thebottom line to either of the sides of the triangle. You do this by tilt ing the hilt up

and down or tilting the tip up or down. For this particular defense we would liftthe hilt up to match the right side of the triangle creating a diagonal block. This is also called a Roof block. The theory is (like that of a roof) that ra in andsnow will fall off of a slanted roof - and so will the opponents sword. Once theopponents shinai hits your block (you know this because of the loud snappingsound) you then carry your sword into a counter - such as a diagonal downstrike #5 onto the side of the neck. This is called a block and counter. It isimportant to note that you are only training various techniques for developingskills and handling. You would continue this block and counter strategy againstall of the 14 angles. Advanced students can add one more levels to thetraining by blocking and countering the opponents counter to your first strike.Experiment a little. 2. Combat Next is the fun part. Once you have become familiar with striking areas andsome basic blocks and counters, it is time to actually start fighting. Be sureand start with Shinais. And before you begin, make sure each practitioner hason: A pair of gloves (usually padded) A cup Eye protection. Head gear if needed You can also get geared up in a full Kendo armor, but that isn't necessary. If you are going full out (real hard) then get all the protection you can. We use

baseball gear and pads. Okay, once you are ready, you simply need to knowthe rules of the game. This is a game that is designed for you to have fun with.Please don't take to competition. The rules are designed to develop your skillsand not to prove your are the next generation Musashi. The rules are simple, you are dead if: you get cut on the torso, back, hit on thehead or hit on any two limbs (hands are optional).



If you get cut on one limb, you lose the use of that limb. A cut is not a scratch;it has to be obvious to each participant. So if it grazes your clothes, it does notcount. If it makes a sound, that usually will do it. You start the match bycrossing swords with your opponent. As soon as the swords are not touching,the match begins - so pay attention. An instructor can also say, "GO." Start off slow and work on controlled strikes instead of wild swings. Also, don'tuse strikes to the head in the beginning. Once you have gotten comfortablewith the rules and the training add some spice to the fight by playing teams or even join an all out war at CAMP. Level 3: The Katana Okay, you have done a lot of playing around and training. Now you want to getyour hands on a real sword. Even though you will have been training inswordsmanship the Katana will still feel really weird. Especially if you don'thave a Tew Ryu modified version. The handle may feel small, the hand gua rdmay be irritating and the weight may feel awkward. This is all okay. Just don'tstart swinging it about, thinking you'll just get the hang of it. Whenever dealingwith a real sword it is important to treat it with respect. 1. Respect The first part of working with a real sword is to make sure you maintain a high

level of regard. I don't want you worshiping the weapon, but pretend if you will,that you are always on display in front of the world's greatest swordsmen. Howwould you carry your sword at a ceremony? How would you sit? How wouldyou act? Think about this and maintain that high level of respect. This will notonly keep you alive, but also develop some proper etiquette. If you're not surehow to carry a sword - then try to use your common sense. Don't worry aboutwhether to use your left or right hand. Just carry it in a stern manner, a manner that suggests wisdom and patience. 3. Draw Most of your training so far has been (or should have been) in themanipulation of the blade. But drawing the edge from its sheath is half or moreof the skill needed in a true sword fight. Of course you will most likely never end up face to face in a real sword duel. Still, it is part of the training andimportant you know how to draw the sword. There are a few important thingsto remember. First, your sword is or can be very, very sharp. So it would benice to keep from slicing into your hand when drawing the blade. This can



happen when you hold the scabbard with one hand and draw the blade alongthe wall of the sheath. So the basic way to draw a blade would be to actuallypull the scabbard and sword hilt forward and then pulling the scabbard back asyou draw the blade outwards - along the back of the blade. Practice this veryslowly and make sure you get some kind of instruction. As with all of these

techniques, don't do this at home.

Be sure and get some coaching and then use this as a guideline or anenhancement to your previous training. The draw is very important and canactually take years to master - so practice. It also might help to get some oldSamurai and Ninja movies to watch. Try "Yojimbo" and "Sanjuro" as well assome others based on Myamoto Musashi. Look for "Lone Wolf and Cub" andother movies as well. 4. Movement Now it is time to actually practice with the sword. Start with one that is notsharp. Simply go back to level 1 training and repeat what you learned with abokken by using your katana. Be sure to work slow and remember that evenan aluminum sword can have a sharp point. I never suggest wielding a sharpedge, even the masters can make mistakes and you wouldn't want to lose aleg because a fly flew up your nose during a cartwheel. So be careful,remember to respect the blade. Once you have worked on all this training, come join us in a martial artsdemonstration to offer a great hour of viewing pleasure to the audience. This

training guideline for the sword is applicable with many other weapons as well.The key is to be creative, there is no one way to do anything. Just by starting,you will discover numerous other skills and natural strategies - keep an openmind



Pressure points

a "pressure point" is a location where the intersection of vessels, nerves or muscular structures makes for particular sensitivity. This sensitivity, depending on the location,

the nature of the individual and the technique can be used to either disable anindividual or facilitate the execution of some technique.

Despite mythology to the contrary, the typical Korean warrior was not versed inTraditional Chinese medicine. However, the system that has given us Acupuncture

and Acupressure does provide a convenient method of identifying and locatingsensitive points using a universally accepted nomenclature. In addition, knowing the

methods of Traditional Chinese medicine to have a long history of effectiveintervention with both injury and illness, understanding of the principles, thoughbeyond the focus of this art, can only help lend greater appreciation for the

contributions of the Asian cultures.



Structure TCM Location

1. Eyes Bladder - 1 2. Beneath

theCheekbones Small Intestine - 18

3. Ears Small Intestine - 19 4. Behind

the Ears(MastoidProcess)

Triple Burner - 17 5. Jowl

(MandibularNerve) Conception Vessel 22

6. UpperLip

(Philtrum) Governing Vessel - 26 7. Gum

line(Mandible) Stomach - 5

8. Pharynx Governing Vessel - 23 9. Throat

(SuprasternalFossa) Governing Vessel - 22

10. Neck(Jugular

Vein) Large Intestine - 18 11. Rear of

Neck

(TrapeziusMuscle)

Gallbladder - 21 12. Heart

(7th CervicalVertebrae) Bladder - 17

13. Kidneys(1st lumbar

Vertebrae) Bladder - 22 14. Inside

CollarboneStomach - 11

15. Triceps Triple Burner - 12 16. Inside

ElbowLung - 5



(RadialNerve)

17. OutsideElbow (Ulnar

Nerve) Heart - 3 18. Forearm Large Intestine - 10 19. Inside

Wrist Lung - 7 20. Outside

Wrist Heart - 5 21. Finger

Web Triple Burner - 3 22. Thumb

Web Large Intestine - 4 23. Fingers

24. Armpit

(Axilla)Heart - 1

25. Solar

Plexus(XiphoidProcess)

Conception Vessel 14 26. Ribs (7thIntercostal

Space) Liver - 14 27. Floating

Ribs (11thRib Tip) Liver - 13 28. Belly(UrinaryBladder) Conception Vessel 3 29. Testes Conception Vessal - 1

30. InguinalCrease Bladder - 50

31. Inside ofThigh Spleen - 11

32. Back ofKnee Bladder - 54

33. Inside ofknee Liver - 8

34. Inside ofAnkle Spleen - 6

35. Back ofAnkle

Bladder - 60



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