Rousey

Students have asked me if I like Ronda Rousey, and now in the wake of her defeat there are a lot of criticisms being aired. Sad that people feel the need to reserve commentary on what appear to be negative personality traits for fear of being shouted down by those who cannot separate an athlete's skill, dedication to greatness, sacrifice, and talent from their behavior, demeanor, or persona. How long is the list of elite athletes who have been condemned for their attitudes and behaviors toward things that are totally unrelated to their jobs? "It's different," I'm told, "And you're not a fighter; you don't understand." Granted, I'm not a professional fighter, but I'm also not a police officer or sherif's deputy and yet I know that those men and women are quite capable of fighting for their lives without the necessity for hyping, confidence boosting, building a brand, or because they're highly skilled and have worked so hard - all reasons listed for the least appreciated Rousey behaviors. Others claim that as long as Rousey is "doing her job" her attitude or behavior are irrelevant. Ironically, those who make such a claim are often those who complain about how rude their server is, how nonchalant the DMV worker is, or how disrespectful a sales associate is. I don't want to conceive of a world where publicly displayed attitude and personality don't matter. 

So, do I like Ronda Rousey? I appreciate her dedication, skill, and pioneering spirit, but I don't know her beyond what has been portrayed about her through the media, so I don't know if I "like" her. I can say that I would feel honored to meet her and would hope to have a conversation steeped in the humility, grace, and thoughtfulness that I presume are part of her lesser publicized self. Maybe this defeat will allow her handlers (and I hope they are very good to her in terms of future planning) to reveal a different side of the Rousey experience. 

Farang!

Martial Arts Resonates

It's not always obvious to us that our martial arts practice is improving our quality of life. In fact we are sore, bruised, and keenly aware of the physical toll our bodies pay for being on the path. Everyone gets a quick charge from getting a technique perfect in class or from seeing a Bruce lee Clip on Facebook, but how do we know that our martial arts practice is having a deeper, more profound effect on our lives instead of being one more way we describe ourselves to others?

For me the answer has always been about resonance. I knew that I was truly on the path when other parts of my life were being activated, enhanced, or otherwise improved as a result of my martial arts practice. Things as mundane as washing dishes became opportunities for reflection on water and circle principles that are the foundations for so many of our techniques. One day I noticed that my guitar playing was similar to my sparring style. I became more sensitive to the concepts of balance, syllogistic logic, and character development in literature. My putting stroke incorporated "power finger" technique. It was as if every part of my life was becoming deeper and more intricate as a result of my martial arts training. 

As schlocky as it may sound, I have used the film Independence Day as a metaphor for this idea of resonance. (When the "mother ship" gets close to our planet all of the alien technology on Earth gets activated.) 

Are aspects of life resonating with your practice? If so, you are seeing how martial arts practice is not just something you do a few days a week or a label you use to describe your interests. It's a part of the deeper fabric of your life - a tap into the universal. If you don't see the connection yet, keep showing up and working hard. It's there waiting for you. 

Master Pinto

Last class I was asked about Master Pinto of Farang Mu Sul Spokane, Wa. I have had the honor and pleasure of working with Master Pinto at various FMS seminars and at The Gathering of Masters, an anual event held in Sacramento by the Martial Arts Collective Society.

To be clear, the term "working with" can be loosely translated as being thrown around and pummeled by Master Pinto's lightening fast strikes and held in some painful joint locks. 

So why post this video, except for the entertainment value to my students?  For one thing I want to underscore the ethical rule of "confidence in friends" as represented by the trust we must place in our partners and our willingness to allow othersto practice (and in this case, demonstrate) techniques on us.

On another note I want to model the tenet of courtesy as demonstrated between Master Pinto, me, and the panel of masters who are in attendance in this video. We may be friends and brother who share meals, hotel rooms, etc. but I cannot recall a time when we didn't bow to each other and acknowledge the blood, sweat, and dedication expended by both of us in our respective journeys. Though we are friends, we always use the appropriate terms of "Sir, Kwan Jhang Nim, Master, Kyo Sa Nim, or Instructor" because to fail to do so would dishonor ourselves. Another perfect example of this is the fact that I was close friends with Master Patrick Schleeter for years before I put on a uniform and became his student, but I wouldn't dream of calling him Pat. When I say "Sir" half the room might turn around since there's always a lot of stripes o be seen, but my sense of respect never goes unnoticed and helps to educate those junior to me in the ways of proper etiquette. 

Ok, here it is...enjoy and Farang!

How many knives are out there?

I had the opportunity to ask two Farang Hapkido / Farang Mu Sul training partners, both law enforcement officers, how many contacts they make with people armed with knives. One answered that nearly 100 percent of men and about 30 percent of the women he comes into contact with are carrying a knife. The other said that roughly 70-80 percent have "some sort of stabbing/cutting instrument." I don't claim to be a world class knife fighter, but I train like my life depends on it, and I am thankful to have a grand master (Kuk Sa Nim Michael De Alba) who is considered by people all over the world to be one of the best knife guys around. The sheer number of people carrying knives also underscores a few related ideas: 1) Cardio and conditioning are very important. You can't stab, slash, or cut what you can't catch. 2) Maintain a healthy respect for what even the most unassuming person is capable of doing. Old, young, strong, frail, lucid, or out of it: I am respectful to those around me until they do something that causes me to leave. That's leave, not confront, not challenge, not throw down. As a great man once said to me, "Self defense is not fighting; self defense is getting away and surviving." 3) Reality is nothing like a drill unless the drill evolves into something realistic. Though it looks static, the drill/technique below was dynamic, flowing, and culminated in realistic scenarios in addition to sharpening skills of knife picking and disarming an opponen. In other words, nothing takes place in a vacuum.

Three things are certain: I never want to get into a knife fight, I will train every day for that possibility, and I will avoid the potential whenever possible. 

Farang!

Dedicating My Practice

Years ago I read an article written by a yoga practitioner encouraging others to dedicate their practice to an individual or an idea every time they unrolled their mats. I was so taken by this message that I began to dedicate each class to different people or ideas.
The first night was especially important to me. My Dad had been dealing with some physical difficulties, and before I stepped out of the locker room and onto the mat to bow in, I made a quick mental note that "tonight was for Dad." Throughout that class during every physical challenge and mental hurdle, I kept my Dad in mind and pushed through. Every successful joint-lock or throw was a celebration of Dad. Every shot landed was for him. Every shot I took, I took to shield him. By the end of class, the anxiety I was feeling about him was gone. It had been supplanted by a pure and positive energy. I don't claim to know how it worked, but it did, and over the years I regularly dedicated my classes to various family members, friends, coworkers, social movements, and so on.
When I moved and was training on my own, I was out of my element and the break in routine lead to a loss of this practice until tonight. At the beginning of class tonight I made sure to dedicate the class to my training partner, Farang brother, and dear friend. His mom passed away about ten days ago, and tonight, every kick, punch, joint-lock, roll, fall, muscle cramp, and drop of sweat was for him.
If you're reading this, you know who you are my brother. Everyone at Ferrito Martial Arts has your back.

Martial Arts and Basketball

I would love to see athletes from roller derby to basketball to soccer to hockey to ultimate frisbee come down and get some training in at Ferrito Martial Arts.

http://theawesomester.com/how-martial-arts-can-help-you-become-a-better-basketball-player/

Long Distance Learning

I admit to cringing over the number of academic long distance learning courses offered to young students in recent years. I know that technology is removing lots of economic, geographic, and even cultural barriers for students, but the fact remains that a lot of learning is short changed by the long distance effect. Without a teacher to connect to, without a 360 degree view of things, and without (in the case of martial arts training) physical guidance from a practiced hand, it takes hours and hours of manipulating video for me to gain what others might have with the benefit of physically attending class and having the guidance of Master Schleeter or Grand Master Michael De Alba to learn just this part of Farang Dan Jang Hyung (Farang Cane Form). As always, I can't wait to get to train with them again. Farang!