Category Archives: philosophy

karate, martial arts, philosophy, self-defense, zen

Is MMA the natural evolution of Martial Arts?

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Every time I hear that martial arts are going to disappear and MMA is going to take over I chuckle. I’m not denying that MMA is prevalent now (I even saw a very popular school change its name to include MMA). It’s not that I am a purist. I think anyone who studies a martial art should cross train in another art that complements the art they are studying. For example if you study a standing and striking art, then you should complement it with a ground, grappling style.

What many don’t seem to understand is that martial arts are meant to be encompassing.

No one style has everything you need. Before the splintering of schools, the sharing of knowledge was a common thing. Even now I interact with fellow students of different styles; jujitsu, aikido, muy thai, and karate that get together to share knowledge of techniques and what we can apply where. I think this is essential if martial arts are to move forward with the times. Many of the opponents to this kind of cross style interaction feel that something will get lost in the translation. Speaking from the history of Karate, I know that many of the old masters used to do just that. They would get together to share and find out what worked and discard what didn’t.

I think that today this is necessary, and that we as martial artists should embrace the diversity that exists under the umbrella of “Martial arts”. We need to share, learn from each other and support one another in our respective endeavors.

strong spirit-strong mind-strong body

Sensei Orlando
business, karate, martial arts, philosophy, self-defense, tradition, zen

Martial Arts – Business vs. Tradition

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More and more frequently, I come across young children who receive black belts. Adults and children both, have been attaining the rank of black belt after only a couple of years of training. So I took a moment and began to form the usual questions in my head (e.g. Did they have prior experience?) Then I stopped myself and thought “A 7-year old girl with a black belt?” What possible prior experience could she have?

Here is why I take issue with this situation. I am not saying that it’s impossible to attain a black belt in a few years. I’m sure many have done it especially if they had prior experience. What disturbs me about giving a young child a black belt, is that a black belt denotes a certain level or proficiency. In essence a shodan (first degree black belt) says that you are now ready to begin serious training. It also implies a certain level of maturity and the ability to impart, at least on a basic level, the techniques that you, as a black belt have learned. When you attain the rank of black belt you are also viewed as a senior in the class, in which the ranks before you look to you and at you for instruction and some guidance.

By awarding a black belt to such a young child, all of the above is pretty much null and void. As an adult studying a martial art I have a hard time grasping the concept of a 7 year old being effective as my senior. I question the ability of ayoung child to have enough of a grasp of language to instruct and teach others the techniques that exist in most martial arts. As far as maturity goes, while I have seen some very mature children, I have not seen any at that age to be mature enough to understand the responsibilities that go along with the rank of black belt.

The real question is why does this happen? I’m sure this is not some isolated incident. My opinion is that the black belt is now more of a marketing ploy than anything else. There is a prestige associated with being a black belt. The marketing ploy ensures that the child (and his parent) stay at the school. Schools have twenty or so ranks (belts). Let me elaborate. When I first started training as a teenager the school I first went to had three ranks: White, Brown, Black belts. I understand now that school was very outdated and that instructor was adhering to a very old way of ranking. I didn’t realize it wasn’t the norm until I took up training much later at another school.

Then I found out about the schools that use promotions as method to increase revenue. These are the schools that have four ranks for white belt (white belt , white belt one stripe, white belt two stripes etc.), and four or five ranks for each subsequent belt. When it gets to this level it becomes silly and pretty meaningless. Each promotion requires the parents’ monetary investment.

Are martial arts schools a business? Absolutely. The key is that they should be run with integrity and honesty.

I feel you can do both. Have a school that adheres to a fair ranking system while covering your overhead as a business. When the balance is tipped to either side (business vs. tradition) the students, instructor and the style can suffer.

strong spirit-strong mind-strong body

Sensei Orlando

philosophy, zen

Overcoming Adversity

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A firefighter friend of mine conveyed two stories to me that happened recently. He was called to an elderly woman’s apartment and much to his shock found that the woman had fallen and broken her hip and had been in this condition for four days. When he asked this poor woman why she hadn’t yelled or attracted attention her reply was that she didn’t want to disturb her neighbors by being a nuisance. Shortly after this call he had to rush to another call where a man wanted to be taken to the hospital, the reason was that he felt his heart was beating a little fast, because his boss yelled at him and so he felt compelled to dial 911. I’ll give you a moment to let the contrast set in… OK so what does this show us?

In of themselves, each of these stories is valid. The elderly woman was able to overcome pain and discomfort for days before she was discovered all because she adhered to a certain code of being. Likewise the gentleman may have felt his life was truly in danger from an accelerated heartbeat, and felt compelled to call 911 as a preventive measure.

Let’s go a little deeper, what is the initial reaction when we hear these stories? The guy is a wimp, wuss, weak and cant handle the pressure. The elderly woman is brave, stoic, amazing, and has immense fortitude to withstand four days in that condition. Its not surprising that we are so quick to judge. We place each of them against the stereotypes we have created or have been exposed to throughout our lives and for many of us the man falls short.

The bottom line is that we don’t know what will test our mettle and when we face adversity we should be prepared to face it head on. Each dealt with the situation they were faced with in their own way. You will deal with adversity in your own way.

What we must remember is that at some point we will all face some type of adversity, but we must strive not just to survive it, but to overcome and triumph in the midst of adversity.

strong spirit-strong mind-strong body

Sensei Orlando

karate, martial arts, philosophy, zen

Diligent Practice

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During one of the karate classes I teach as we were going over basics I was asked by student, ” Why do we have to do these things over and over?” It was actually a very good question and from the perspective of a student how many times do I need to learn how to punch and kick and throw a person before I learn it. Why do it hundreds, thousands of times?
One of the reasons we practice , be it martial arts or really anything that we enjoy is to become better at what we do. In the case of martial arts we practice the techniques so they become second nature to us. We are constant teaching our bodies and brains that this is how we punch or kick and the body remembers this with practice. In other endeavors, lets say playing an instrument, it is practice that determines how well you excel with your chosen instrument.

The key thing about practice is that many times we just want to do something in order to be busy. Practice is not easy and is very rarely enjoyable. When we practice diligently we must practice those things that we are not good at in order to improve them. This is usually the opposite of what we do since we all like to the things we are good at. That is not what practice is for. In our times of practice we have to stretch ourselves and enter those areas where our performance is lacking and work and polish there. This means hours upon hours of hard work while seeing little result, this is why it must be diligent practice. When you practice make the practice itself the goal. work on improving the areas that you would normally avoid working on. It is this kind of practice that will give you the most benefit.

strong spirit- strong mind-strong body

Sensei Orlando

philosophy, zen

Awareness

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What does it mean to be aware? Many of us with the stresses of our lives and what we may consider the “daily grind” keep us preoccupied as we walk to and from the train station ,the office, and our homes. We walk around in a kind of fog, oblivious to what or who may be around us. It is this state of mind that can make us a potential victim. Rather than make eye contact many of us prefer to look down towards the ground with the thinking that if “I just mind my business” nothing bad will ever happen to me.

The dynamics of living in a city may make it a necessity to divert eye contact and to keep to yourself and I understand this dynamic.

I want to challenge you to live a different way, whether it be the city or anywhere else.

  • Carry yourself with confidence.
  • Look straight ahead when you walk.
  • Take in your surroundings, the people who are around you.
  • Make eye contact with people, although many will divert their eyes away from you.

What this does is help you exude a certain aura, a “vibe” that you are present to whats going on around you. It also makes you less likely as the target of an attack. Wherever you are, be aware, don’t let stress or bills or any preoccupations keep you in a fog as to what is going on around you right now.

Live in this moment.

strong spirit-strong mind-strong body

Sensei Orlando

philosophy, zen

Communication

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We live in what is called the information age. We can speak with anyone around the world instantly in the form of email or text messages. Everyday millions of conversations take place throughout the world. Often we feel that our most important conversations or communications are not being heard or understood.

In our conversations with those closest to us – family, friends and coworkers – we have to remember one very important thing called active listening. Active listening is listening devoid of any running commentary in our heads. It is listening, truly listening without interrupting, without second-guessing where the conversation is going.

We have all been guilty of “spacing out” during a conversation, only to wonder later on what it was we were discussing. When we practice active listening, we are truly in the moment, in the “now”. The person speaking to us feels truly heard and appreciated. Try practicing active listening this week. When someone speaks to you, stop and give that person your undivided attention. You will notice the change in them and in yourself. The lesson is in our anatomy, we have one mouth, but two ears – maybe listening twice as much as speaking is something we are designed to do.

strong spirit-strong mind-strong body
Sensei Orlando
philosophy, zen

Being Postive

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Has this happened to you? You feel a tickle in your throat and you utter these telltale words: “Oh no, I’m sick!” Next thing you know, a fever sets in, body aches, runny nose and before you it, you have a full blown cold. How about this? You feel a tickle, but you have a deadline to meet or some other urgent situation to address. The next words you utter are: “I don’t have time to be sick!” And somehow the tickle never develops into more than a tickle. The above examples are my personal experience, it may or may not be the same for you.

The one thing I can share with you is this; being positive in your outlook, words and thoughts help you to lead a positive life.

People who are always negative (and we all know one) have a tendency to be surrounded by negative situations or negative people. Like attracts like. Today even in the midst of problems and difficulties, try to be positive. By doing so, you attract the positive in life. Today when you see the glass with water leveling at the middle, see it as half full, not half empty.

strong spirit strong mind strong body

Sensei Orlando
philosophy, zen

Gratitude – Being Thankful

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We spend most of our waking moments thinking and contemplating what we lack. It is the rare moment that we stop to take stock of our lives and express gratitude. It’s possible you may be asking why should I be thankful? The mere fact that you are reading these words means that one or both of your eyes is functioning pretty well. Be thankful for your sight. Likewise if you are healthy and alive, be thankful.

When you have much and everything overflows, be thankful. When things are scarce and there is lack, be thankful. I hope you are noticing the trend. Being thankful. For the large things and the small things. For the positive and the negative. Try to express your gratitude at least once a day. When someone does something for you, say thank you. I know it may seem antiquated in this day of emails and instant messages. Simply saying thank you can make a co-workers day. Saying thank you may not seem like much, but try it for one day. When someone says thank you to you, you feel appreciated and respected. It’s a food feeling. Today, express your gratitude; be thankful for what you have and who you are. When someone does something for you, say thank you.

karate, martial arts, philosophy, zen

Perseverance

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What does it mean to persevere?
According to Webster the answer is: to persist in a state, enterprise, or undertaking in spite of counter influences, opposition, or discouragement.
-Perseverance is being committed, working hard,being patient and having endurance.
Perseverance is being able to bear difficulties with a calm demeanor and without complaining.
Perseverance is trying again and again. Another word often used but rarely heard is steadfast, in most cases these two words have similar meanings.

Many times being persevering is confused with being stubborn. The definition of being stubborn is (again according to Webster) : unreasonably or perversely unyielding, difficult to handle, manage, or treat.
As you can see they are very different words with different meanings.

What does it mean to us as martial artists to be persevering?
It means to have an attitude of not quitting, for some it means executing that last pushup when your body says “impossible”, for others it could be training in spite of the difficulties life throws our way. To persevere means to endure and as a martial artist it means to endure patiently and calmly, without grumbling and without protest. It is this attitude that seperates the mature practioner from the beginner. When you adopt this attitude, things stop becoming impossible, obstacles no longer stand in your way and excuses are exposed.

Each day we strive to “make it through”. I suggest we stop trying to make it through like it was a chore. The day, week, month, year and life will continue whether you desire to “make it” or not. For many of us each day is a chore and we awake looking to the end of the day,we start the week thinking about the weekend. When life gets difficult as it sometimes does, we must understand what it means to persevere, to withstand whatever life gives us with calmness and tranquilty. It is that spirit of not quitting, of not giving up no matter what, that we should seek to cultivate daily.

strong spirit-strong mind-strong body

Sensei Orlando

karate, martial arts, philosophy, zen

Teaching

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What does it mean to be a sensei? Irrespective of what rank it may define, a sensei at his or her core is a teacher, regardless of rank. When you are a sensei all you can really do is guide a student. True there are fundamentals that must be learned, but after the foundation is set all the teacher really can do is guide. Occasionally I marvel at the importance placed upon rank in the various organizations I have been exposed to. When distilled to its essence, rank only means ” I have been doing this longer than you have.” When that is truly understood, the higher the rank the more indebted the practitioner is to the newer students, the higher the obligation to pass on the knowledge learned and acquired throughout the years. Yet even with this passing of knowledge each student takes his/her own path.

So what makes a good teacher?

A good teacher is flexible – Able to adapt to the changing dynamics of the situation and each individual student.

A good teacher does not impart truth but reveals it for the student to find- They allow the student to make the discoveries necessary to advance along their prospective paths at their own pace.

A good teacher is not a slave to routine– Although a lesson plan may be used a good teacher can change if the situation demands it.

A good teacher does not make clones of him/herself-recognizing the individuality of each student. He does not impose his own will or influence , but rather allows the student to grow and flourish, expressing him/herself.

The ideal teacher shows the student how to think, not what to think.

A good teacher gives due recognition-The good teacher is is plentiful with complements when due and correction when necessary.

I have had the opportunity and good fortune to have excellent teachers in my very short path in the martial way. I have also heard of poor teaching methods and have learned what not to do.

If you are ever given the privilege of teaching, take it as one of the highest honors that can be bestowed upon a student , regardless of rank, and apply yourself with all sincerity and seriousness to the task. Never forgetting that a few doses of humor can also go a long way.
strong spirit- strong mind- strong body
Sensei Orlando