The Grind

The Problem

    I am a fan of social media and use of social media in many different ways. It is great that we have it and I see influencers trying to get everyone's attention with it. I see the great videos with music telling a story of success or overcoming obstacles. It shows super talented or super fit people in dramatic settings while they look absolutely amazing. It is great advertising and marketing, all the way. However, it is misleading, and deceiving also. 

    The reel I am thinking of shows a young woman who is in phenomenal condition, training with very inspirational and motivating music. After a few challenging exercises, it cuts back to this image of her in amazing condition. There are reels with men just like this as well. They are doing exercises and talk about the amazing results if you just follow a certain plan. It crosses both genders on Instagram and everywhere else on social media. For me, it sends a message that you can achieve something with only minimal effort.

The Truth

    What is real is more like what I spoke about in my last post, where you grind away, trying to achieve a goal, hoping that you can stay healthy and not get demoralized when progress is slow or seemingly invisible. There is no glamor like what you see in the reels and videos and amazing photos posted online.

    My workouts are not very photogenic unless I make an extreme effort to present something that is photo-worthy. It is a process, with a lot of mistakes, combined with a lot of patience and determination. It could be fitness, it could be martial arts, it could be in anything. Every level of success takes a lot of patience and learning from a lot of mistakes.

    I understand that nobody is interested in boring reels or photos, so we need to put on our best face and presentation for everything we post, but the viewer needs to be reminded that progress and success are preceded by a lot of boring repetition and daily discipline that is not very glorious. I think as people who put info out there in public should try to be real, as well as inspirational. 

The Grind Looks Different within Each Age Group

    When looking at social media, try to remember a few things. Among the top of my list is the age of the influencer, especially in fitness and martial arts. Why? Because age makes a difference in the way you present information, consume information, and the way your train. If you are 50 years old or older and you are watching someone do amazing things with his or her body on a reel and that influencer is in their 20s. That may not be a realistic thing to aspire to. Twenty year old bodies are very different from 50 year old bodies, even if the older body is in amazing shape and fitness. The grind of a martial artist in their 20s has the added benefit of quicker recovery. When one is older, you have to train smarter, not longer or with reckless abandon, like so many in their youth are prone to doing. Then you have those who are in-shape and out-of-shape. Those factors affect the realism.

    Whoever you train with, make sure you train with someone with perspective, so there is a high level of realism within your training. It takes time to build skills, fitness, and abilities. They do not appear out of thin air, and it takes a lot of repetition to excel in whatever you do. Age is a factor, as well as everything else. Do not take anything for granted, no matter what age you may be at. Do not take anything for granted even if you are super fit and skilled. Always assume you can get better. Have humility and the perspective of a white belt and you will go far.

    Keep grinding and working. Don't be fooled by social media. Enjoy it if you like. Be inspired if that helps. But keep it all in perspective.

Train hard.

Chronicling My Training for the Next Test

 

The Challenge

    The Challenge is that as a 52 year old martial arts practitioner I am being called upon to do a black belt test in the near future where the test will be anywhere from 2 to 5 hours. Here is the dilemma: the average 52 year old is not usually fighting fit to do a 5 hour event of anything involving physical exercise. One of the last black belt tests administered in my school, from what I understand, went approximately 5 hours. So, that leaves me with a plethora of thoughts running through my head about how to approach this challenge. 

    First, one can be fit, yet not be conditioned to perform in a sport or given event, given their training. There are a lot of people my age who are fit. But, being fit does not constitute near enough training to be able to pull this off. I have a pretty good working knowledge of my art, and my body is familiar with all the moves. But familiarity and average training do not come nearly close enough to the training that is required for what I am about to try to do. 

    I was explaining to a friend of mine that I have to actually try to roll back the clock with my training to bring my body back to a level where I can last for 2 or 3 hours with a high level of intensity. It is like being an elite athlete when performing a test. You can take chances, and you have to be able to perform at a high level. Excellence is demanded, which is fine. It is part of attaining such an honored rank. However, the greater challenge, at this point, is getting a body that has been out of "elite" mode for some time and get myself conditioned to take the punishment that will be coming. There are multiple levels of conditioning that have to be considered, things that I did not even worry about when I tested for 3rd degree brown at 25. I was an active track and field athlete then and had youth on my side. Now I have more experience, but the physical conditioning will need to compensate for my lack of youth. Ugh. It is a challenge.

    I embrace it as a process. I look at it as part of the journey. I try to analyze and plan the training so it can fit my new self. What do I have to do to pull this off? Well, it is a lot. First, my general lifestyle is this: I have a family that I support; I am 52, not 25; I work full time as a teacher and extra hours as an athletics coach; I have no more than a 2 hour window each day to fit in whatever training (mental and physical) that I need to continue making progress towards my goal; and I have general physical aches and conditions that must be monitored in order to safely and effectively training without interruption. It is a lot to handle. Planning is key and discipline is 100% necessary if I am to be successful at this point. 

    I have to be in bed by 9:30 pm, roughly, and I must wake up around 4 am to 5 am each day so I can fit in whatever I need to. It's like when I was back in college and training as a division 2 athlete for track and field. The schedule was different, but the discipline was needed all the same. You can't play around with something like this. I did a quick search on statistics. The answers were somewhat anecdotal, but they help demonstrate a point. I was once reading (with respect to college sports), that less than 5% of high school athletes ever go on to play any level of college sports. In researching about how many people who start a martial art and go on to achieve a black belt the estimated percentage was between 1%-6%. very similar numbers. I guess my point being is this, to achieve this level, you must be prepared and you must be disciplined. The knowledge and the learning of the way of martial arts is a journey that you must find joy in. However, the push to the "top" is not easy. The one thing that has helped me is that I embraced the fact that there is no "end point" in martial arts where you are done. You either embrace the way and the training, or you don't do it. I guess, for me, the intensity has to increase for a time, but the journey is worth it. It is like life. It is changing and evolving, but if you are able to grow with the art, then it becomes easier to understand.

Continuing the Training

    In a continuation of what I started writing from before, I decided to add to my entry. It is August 24, 2023. I continue the journey of training. There are distractions, to be sure, but my path continues to be consistent, which is what I need. This Thursday is a strategic day of rest. The personal trainer in me tells me I need one day off to let myself recover just a bit. The martial artist in me says to push on and ignore any need for rest. I am not sure which is better at this point, considering the goal, but I listen to my body's need for recovery more than the imagined immortal warrior yelling at me to train on, no matter what, even if it hurts or does not make sense. I suppose there is a place for strategy, since Sun Tzu was made famous for his musings on various strategies.

    As a side note, in actuality, earlier this week I was in a fair amount of pain and stiffness from the other day of training and I trained through all of those days. So, if anything, I did push through, but in principle, the body does need to rest in order to recover and push harder. It is a matter of science and common sense at this point in the 21st century.

    However, there is no amount of science and common sense that make training for this any easier mentally. The chore is real. The mental and physical battle with myself is real, because life is full obstacles and this on stands in front of me and requires overcoming. I know, no matter the level of difficulty, it will be a valuable achievement to persevere with. We cannot learn without challenging ourselves. It is in the difficult moments that we learn what we are able to do, because those are moments of learning. In one way or another, it is a moment of learning. Every moment is a moment of learning, but especially when times are difficult. 

    I am partially inspired by our track and field athletes at the world championships. They persist in the most difficult conditions, with the most challenging competitions, and find what they can do. For, in this way and on this journey, I find myself on a similar path. It is not a world championship, but I am testing the limits of my physical ability, and trying to find solutions to obstacles that stand in my way of reaching my goal. I must train daily, and train with a plan, so I can be successful. I must remain undaunted by what I face so I do not fail. In that way, sports and martial arts mirror life. We all must persevere, and we all have challenges, we all must remain vigilant and have a plan to help us find success - however that may look or consist of. It is a mirror for what we face in life. 

September 30, 2023

    More than a month later, I have been able to continue the training. That, in itself, is a major hurdle that I was able to overcome. Working full time as a coach and teacher, it is hard to find time to train, and I was able to do it. It is a process on a road where travel is measured in feet and inches, not miles or kilometers.

    Part of the journey for me is knowing my priorities. First, I must sleep enough, so I can function each day. That is a must. Second, is eat correctly and monitor health. Without those two things, everything can fall apart quickly. Third, understand when I can fit things in. I try to train 3-5 days per week, depending on the home and work schedule. Home and work are not exactly routine schedules every day. Things shift. When things shift, I find having flexibility is the greatest ally. As long as I can keep the 3-5 days per week in of training, I feel that I am on track. Fourth, I recognize my big blocks of time are on weekends, so 2 of the training days come there, that means 1-3 days during the week are trained the same days I work. 

    Martial arts is a lifestyle, and a way of life, so I find where it fits in and make it happen. There is certainly nothing easy about it. There is nothing glamorous about it either. I wake up at 4 am a lot of the time so I can fit in 30-60 minutes of training, before I run off to a crazy day at work. I don't have the luxury of training with my classmates on a regular basis because I live 3 hours away from my instructor's school. Often times it is lonely and cold, or I am stiff and trying to overcome the least efficient hour of the day to train so I can burn in some material in a way that I can become more efficient with it. I fit it in where I can. If I were to make a video, I would try to make it pretty and glamorous and show only the interesting and relevant side of training, but most views who look at social media want music video stuff that lasts about 60 seconds before they move on to the next clip of whatever they find interesting. With any hope, maybe you snag a couple of followers who may or may not come study with you and help you build your list of students or your school. But it is not about that. If you do what you do, make it a part of your life, eventually you find people who recognize what you do as real and worthwhile and they eventually follow along for the ride. That is when you can share your skills and knowledge that you have spent years developing.

    It is what you do in private, in the dark of night or the chill of the morning, that makes the biggest difference. What you do in public or post to social media is entertainment version of what is done. I have a few people who have followed me for years that understand it is a way of life and want that to be something for them. It is for those few people, myself, and my family, and my brothers and sisters I have trained with that I do this. After so many years, there is no way I stop. As I sit here now, I can feel certain aches and stiffness from it just being morning and knowing that I have to go through a process to prepare myself just to train so I can perform my martial arts practice with a certain level of fluency. However, I embrace the process and journey because I recognize it is a way of life. I sensed it was a way of life years ago when I first started. Now I embrace it and make it my own. I want to share it with my friends, family, and the world because I think the study of martial arts is a physical and academic endeavor that can make us all better and I hope to inspire maybe just a few people to do the same, or inspire them and maybe they take a different path, but it is still worth sharing and trying to inspire others. 

Martial Arts and the Aging Warrior

 How Does Our Training Change As We Age?

    As martial artists start to age, or maybe they pick up martial arts late and he or she is contending with the aging process already, it is important to remember that the practice of martial arts, the way of the warrior, is a large part very athletic. For those that practice something more traditional than MMA, there is a philosophical and artistic side to it that can be emphasized more as age catches up with us, but that is almost like cheating ourselves out of what we can do with our art.

    I have been doing martial arts and sports in general my whole life. Martial arts started while I was 18, sports started in elementary school. So, being active is just in my nature. When I was 18, I had this amazingly young and athletic physicality about myself that made martial arts just another athletic endeavor for me at that time. Over the 30+ years I have trained and practiced, I have felt the differences in my body as I go through what I have learned in Kenpo. Now being 52, I have had to seriously re-evaluate my position on how I train. My body is different now. Which, is obvious. 18 and 52 are two very different ages. But how I operate and function is just different. I am definitely trying to reconcile the changes with the training I want to do now. It is a process.

    Fortunately, I have a background in athletics and fitness that has not quit for my whole life. Sports is just part of who I am. I even reinforced it by getting certified as a personal trainer. Now, I look at training as a wholistic, multi-layered process that does not end - it just evolves. 

Warriors and Training

    From ancient times, warriors have been inherently athletic because they were called upon to do incredible physical tasks that warriors have been trained to do since time immemorial. We are athletes. Pure and simple. How we choose train ourselves is our decision, and we come in all shapes and sizes, and the methods may differ, but we are athletes and we should not look at ourselves otherwise. Now, can martial arts be accommodating to anyone who may have some limitations or physical differences? Yes. Absolutely. Part of this journey is finding our best selves and meeting the challenges in front of us. but that does not mean we should train to anything less than our full potential. Therefore the athlete behind every martial artist should be realized.

    This is where the idea of adjusting and accommodating training for the aging process comes in. It is pretty common knowledge, you can't stop training in martial arts and expect to keep your skills. It is necessary to practice all that you learn and know, as well as teach and expand on that knowledge. It is a physical and mental process that requires rigorous time and study. There is no substitute. 

    Unfortunately, in the martial arts world, I often see aging martial artists continue to practice while their physical ability slips away with time and age. Everyone has a choice and I am not in a position to criticize anyone's choices. We all have our own paths to walk, for sure. But for me, what I have learned, is that I have had to employ a larger range of tools in trying to stay "fighting fit". Often times I have to battle nagging injuries that prevent me from doing what I physically want to do. This is where each of our unique training requirements start to really come into play. Everyone of us needs to try to understand what it takes to stand and be effective at the end of the day of training.

    Our training must become as unique as our expression of the Kenpo principles. We all have our own expression of how we do martial arts and how we move. Our training must start to reflect that uniqueness more as we age. It is part of the reason why I have tried to branch off into personal training, as well as martial arts. Sports today have become highly specialized in their training based on the types of moves that they do. Martial arts is no different in that respect. We have specific needs that need to be addressed when combined with specific physical requirements.

Things to Remember

    There are some key points to think about when training in martial arts. I will go over what I think are some of the important things to consider from a personal fitness and training aspect.

1. Mobility

When I was a college athlete we talked some about mobility, but nowhere near what is discussed today. Martial arts was kind of ahead of the times because mobility was considered key the practice. However, the depth and range of mobility exercises out today for athletes to use and consider is mind-boggling. Also, because martial arts can be hard on the joints, it is even more critical to practice mobility exercises to stay injury free. In addition to the fact that as we age we need additional mobility work, a good mobility program is absolutely essential in order to be an effective martial artist.

2. Strength Training

There are a lot of options for this. Each person is going to be unique in what they desire. There are TONS of options. If you want to do something more sport or art specific, programs can be built. If you want to cross train and go more in terms of weights and plyometrics, that can be done too, you would just need more time. If you want a hybrid, there are many choices. It would be best to seek out a martial artist who is also a personal trainer. They will have the most complete skill set to help design a program that can increase the strength related to martial arts practice. 

3 Cardio Training

It is not necessary to really go outside of the art if you do not want to cross-train. I, myself, like to cross-train, so I look for opportunities to do cardio outside of my martial arts practice. There are huge benefits if that is the route you choose. You are more efficient if you choose to do cardio that is sport specific. However, the cardio training that you need to do as you age needs to be monitored carefully and with consideration. As we age, our maximum heart rate level comes down. I have come up to the edge of my limits and not realized it. Wearing a smart watch with health functions helps a lot. It can monitor heart rate, calories burned, and other metrics that can assist with training. Work with a trainer to determine what is the best method to up your cardio training.

4. Injuries Are More Common As We Age

Aging brings about a predisposition to injury. This is one of the main reasons we have to be more mindful of our training. Do not take for granted your health. Take every precaution and work with your trainer or coach or instructor to avoid injuries, because if you are injured you really cannot train. It is a battle, every day. If you do things right, you can still train a lot, but just be aware of what is needed to stay healthy.

5. You Are What You Eat

Food is very important. We are what we eat. Therefore, the nutritious food is really important when we are older. Our bodies cannot recover from junk food like when we were kids. Nutrient dense food is key. I have another blog where I go more into fitness in nutrition. If that is something you are looking for, you can find it here. 

    So, I could go on and on about this subject, but the reality is that as we age, we need to adapt our training. There are many things to consider, and many options to use to adapt with time. The potential for obstacles multiplies as we age, so we must keep up with that by trying to stay one step ahead, if possible. Don't become a victim of aging. Don't let your training suffer because you are changing. Take the steps to adapt your training and lifestyle and continue to be the complete warrior that you want to be. This is what I have dedicated myself to now, as an aging martial artist. Trying to help others train as they progress in age and in life, wherever they may be at in their journey. I enjoy the challenge of doing innovative training. If you have questions about what I have experienced, or want ideas to explore in your training, email me. I am happy to discuss what I know. 

Continue to train hard!!

**Photo: Model: Jesse Brown, Photographer: Gina Navarro-Brown, Editor: Jesse Brown

Being A Complete Warrior

 Contemplation of the Warrior's Path

    I was sitting here trying to imagine what might be useful in this next entry. I realized that a path does not have much meaning unless one can sit down and process what is being done. Over 30 years ago I started on this path of martial arts. While it may not have unfolded as I might have predicted, it is still my path, and one that has taught me a lot. I have appreciation for what I have done and what I have trained in the martial arts, and that the journey is still vibrant and interesting, and there is not shortage of people to learn from and discuss things with. It takes a lot of work, a lot of thinking, to figure out what your path and what your art of training, and of expression, means for each person. It is with this on my mind that I approach today's entry. 

    A person can train and fight as hard as he/she wants, all day and all night, but if  that person does not stop to contemplate the actions, the training, then what progress is made and what lessons are learned? I would say not so much has been learned, not near enough as if time had been taken to think through analyze what has been done. 

    This lesson is always being taught to me, over and over again, when I meet with my sensei. He always says you need to sit down and analyze why things are and how things work. It is the only way you can make progress, real progress, and move forward in a meaningful way. Am I saying if a warrior does not sit down and reflect that makes him or her less of a warrior? No. But that person is only a shadow of the warrior that he or she could be, if time had been taken to stop and contemplate the path that is being walked. 

The Road Not Taken

    A famous poem, by Robert Frost, goes by the same title. It makes me think of this entry about contemplating a warrior's path. What is the value in contemplation? It is a good question to ask and an even better one to think about. What value do we gain if we think about our actions, our knowledge, and the direction we are going? I would argue we would gain quite a lot of valuable insight if more of did this actively.

    If you have not read "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost, read it. You can find it here. It is very philosophical and will make you think about what the value of the road less taken can mean. Each person's path is for that person. Sometimes people share part of your path, but your path is your path alone. If we are lucky, we have people who frequently intersect our path and provide us company and guidance. If that path is the one less traveled, then how does that play into our journey? If it is more traveled, how does that provide value and guidance to each person? It is a question that each of us can only answer for ourselves.

An Art of Principles (of Motion)

    Kenpo is an art based on principles of motion that can guide each person on what to do and what not to do. In my art, Kenpo Karate, created by Ed Parker, the idea is not for everyone to do the exact same moves all the time, but to take elements of different moves, ideas, and concepts and express Kenpo that is unique to that person. We share the same principles, but our self expression should be unique. I think the path of a warrior is similar. Warriors share a great deal in common. We have many things we can bond over from one art to another, on discipline to another, but each person's path is unique an expression of what that person needs it to be.

    I would argue there are some base principles that each person should strive for as they seek the way of martial arts. It is up to each person how they pursue this, because we all make our own decisions. I think the path of the warrior needs certain things to be a complete warrior, and a complete person. Obviously there could be a lot of debate about this, but this is just purely my reflection after so many years of training. 

Knowledge

Knowledge is critical in understanding the choices you make. Every practitioner is always learning, no matter how many years of training he or she has been through. Without knowledge, how does one grow? We must be willing to learn new things, and understand that learning is an evolutionary process. If we refuse to evolve, than how can we learn new things?

Reflection

Reflection is necessary because it allows us to process new knowledge. Knowledge without reflection runs the risk of creating problems more than helping someone become better. As  teacher, I have needed to reflect over the years and try to grow with each new year of experience. An important part of that process is reflection. It helps us to understand what we have experienced.

Humility

Humility enables us to be able to reflect and appreciate what we learn. If we become too attached to a certain way of doing things, or a certain set of guidelines because we think that this is the only way, the best way, we lose out on so much knowledge and potential to grow. Humility is the catalyst that allows for growth within each warrior. 

Compassion

Compassion allows for us to apply our knowledge in a way that promotes the world around us in a positive way. Compassion comes from sensitivity. It is not being soft, but it is being aware and being humble at the same time. It gives us an appreciation for others. 

Morals

Our morals are the compass by which we navigate the world and make decisions. Each of us should have a moral compass. With the knowledge that we learn, we have responsibility to watch out for each other and protect that world that is our world. It builds positive character so that we can live in an inclusive world, and not be exclusive in how we live. 

    The path of each warrior is filled with decisions and obstacles, ones that are not easy to navigate and require great strength of character to overcome. It is in our training we find hope that we can do the right thing and make the best of our decisions. Martial arts is a reflection of life, and that path of the warrior is a way of looking at the world that can help us feel connected and responsible to those that we train with, as well as our general community, if we are just willing to stop and process our training means.

A Vision of What a Dojo Should Be

I have spent years thinking about what a perfect dojo would be for me to create for when I teach on a regular basis. There are many choices and, really, every design should and will be a reflection of a person's personality and life. I think we all have our own vision of what it means to train in martial arts and what our training hall should look like. Of course, there is always what is wished for compared to what is practical. 

A martial artists training encompasses many things, and what I hope to explain here is what my vision for my dojo is like. What it will be, well that is another situation that I have not quite arrived at yet, but I am closer since I do own my own house and most likely it will be something that is attached to my own living space, just to simplify matters and not  have to pay rent to another building. I would rather just use my own space and keep it simple.

1. First, there is philosophy. If you do not have the right philosophy, then the dojo won't go anywhere no matter what you do.The philosophies of martial arts are varied and range far and wide. We all have our own take on what it should look like. My vision is one that is, in part, derived from my home school and my training from over the years. It is also a combination of other things that I have uncovered and learned through history courses and personal reading and study. Kenpo is an American system, but I have read a lot about other people, styles, and disciplines. In addition to all of that, I have the training that I personally adhere to.

While this entry is not aiming to be a personal philosophy of what my martial arts looks like at the moment, I did want to give enough information of how I approached the equation that someone could understand what I am aiming for. Kenpo is my base art, but I also believe in the way of the warrior, and part of that is training yourself to be a complete person mentally and physically, that means become more than just a martial artist, but an athlete that can perform day-in and day-out to perfect the various aspects of martial training. . I now have a personal trainer certification that I combine with my martial arts training. My goal is to be a complete athlete and that is what I want to present to my students every day that they train with me.

I also want to present an atmosphere that is conducive to mental training and spiritual training. All three aspects are key in developing into the best warrior, and person, that someone can be. It is this philosophy that I have gathered over my varied career that I want to share with my students. 

2. Environment is the second element of a dojo that needs to be established. This can be tricky. Unless you have the perfect set-up, or unlimited money, you may have to be creative to get what you want. For example, I know my space is going to be my garage. What I do with that space is up to me. I know part of the vision is keeping the cost low each month, so that means not having to worry about meeting a minimum student number every time, although if you do what you do and do it well, people will come. I will need to remodel my garage to make it look like I need it to for a dojo space. I believe plants, Asian themes, peaceful settings, natural colors, and other elements like those all contribute to a steady mind and body. Steady calm is what I want my environment to make someone feel. I know there are those who really want the industrial, Rocky III kind of feel. While there are uses for that, that is not what I want. Ultimately, the environment should reflect the instructor and the type of student that wants to train at the dojo. 

As I go though this, I will need to draw a rough design so there can be a vision of what I want it to look like and feel like. Every school and plan should have been carefully thought out, not thrown together in a chaotic way that makes little to no sense. Vision is what is needed, it simply takes some time. 

3. Tools for training are the third element for a dojo. This can have great variety. It will also reflect the instructor's philosophy. Some people may just keep it very simple. I have seen schools where they are just mats and walls surround a space. I have seen other places like a UFC Gym that has countless gadgets and equipment that can give a martial artist or fighter endless toys for training. For me, and what I have in mind, I want to reflect a certain element of simplicity, but at the same time have enough equipment that can allow anyone to have very diversified training. Also, I want it to reflect that the training is more 1:1 or 2:1 than large groups. That should be obvious, given the size of the space that I have. However, there is a balance that has to be struck. I have bands, extensions and tools for bands, bars for weights, a limited amount of weights, a heavy bad stand with a heavy bag, pads, etc. I feel I have nearly achieved the amount of tools to diversify training for the most part, but still retain and element of simplicity. Tools are important, but not at the expense of good instruction.

4. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of establishing a dojo is to have an academic setting where it can engage the mind after the body has been trained. This will be the challenging balance that I have to set-up. Everything needs balance, but how can you achieve it? That is a matter of how to set up the space, but also the tools for study. You could also set this up so a person may have mental space for spiritual preparation as well. Books, papers, technology, and more can all help drive academic study of martial arts. I feel I have a lot of the books and some of the technology to satisfy this, but the key is to set up up in a way that it is comfortably accessible to students, or myself, so I can study well and think clearly.

I believe a space does not have to be big to achieve all of this, it just has to be well designed. The design is key, as well as having a clear vision. it will take patience and clarity to achieve this, but it can be done as long as an instructor is clear for what his or her vision is for a dojo. 

As of right now, this is my plan, I just need to define the details better. Once I have done that, I will share here.

The Building of Foundations in Kenpo Karate

What is the meaning of a foundation? That question sounds deceptively simple, yet it baffles many people. As a martial artist and a teacher, I think about this often. I find it takes greater meaning and importance each time I go back to review it. Foundations are simple, yet incredibly important for creating whatever it is that you are trying to accomplish. As a teacher, I try to stress the importance of going back to the beginning each time I do a lesson, but many students want nothing to do with it. They want what is flashy, complex, and inefficient activities and ideas to dominate their attention. They fail to see the beauty in the simplicity of creating a foundation that will support all future knowledge.

Look at a house and ask yourself how long it will stand if the foundation is flawed. What do you think? The answer is not very complicated. There is a great deal that can be learned from building a great foundation. Let us switch gears from architecture to Kenpo Karate. Yellow Belt is the foundation of Kenpo. It has the beginning of all movements there. It has the first basics, the first self-defense techniques, the first forms, and it introduces how to apply Kenpo principles to all these beginning motions. The rest of the Kenpo system builds from there. Yellow belt is the keystone for the rest of the system. If a practitioner understands this, then it makes sense to constantly revisit the principles, concepts, and movements from the beginning.

Often times, when I am in a lesson with my instructor, he references certain techniques and moves as master key techniques or moves. It is around these moves that other movements congregate because they are effective, efficient, and follow the rules and principles of Kenpo in a most efficient manner. What I talk about in terms of Kenpo can also be applied in terms of self defense techniques, sparring techniques, training practices, and any other disciplines both within the world of martial arts and outside of martial arts. The principles of foundations and learning apply across the board. Martial arts and Kenpo training are microcosms in life, and what applies there can apply in how you live your life.

Think back to when each person is a small child. The usual pattern for a baby is to learn to sit, then crawl, then walk, and then run. The progression happens gradually as an infant and child learns to master each stage. Each stage of movement is a foundation that builds to the next stage of movement. The same holds true with the knowledge learned at each belt. Each belt acts as a foundation that builds to the next one. Just like any foundation, whether it is physical or mental, if one leaves it alone for too long then it grows weak. A foundation must be tended to through practice and review. Just like a foundation for a building must be tended to in order to ensure it can support the greatness of the structure above it, so it is true in Kenpo. Kenpo is a great system, but only in so much as each practitioner tends to their foundations.

If we take this idea that building a foundation is as simple as practicing and attending to the basics, then, in theory, there should not be much of a problem in becoming proficient at whatever you apply this to, or anything that you create. However, it goes deeper than that. There is one other issue that must be attended to before revisiting basics. This issue in question is the idea of motivation and practice. I could separate these out, but in the interest of brevity I will address them together. Motivation and practice are major obstacles in trying to achieve fluency and proficiency in anything. That is why I bring this up. If a person does not apply himself/herself, then there can be nothing achieved. Each person must find their motivation to rise up and drive towards that goal of excellence. Excellence goes further back than the fundamental basics, it goes to your motivation and drive to practice that which you know. The other half of that is how you choose to practice. Fortunately, in today's world, there is a plethora of information out there that can help guide you. It is best to have a good teacher to help you, but there are those who train more alone than with others, who are forced to find that information and knowledge to help guide them on their own. But there are many good teachers and sources of information to help guide your practice, you just simply need to take your time, do your research, and be smart about the choices that you make. Your time and energy are precious, do not waste them on bad practices. Any good martial arts teacher will try to guide you more than tell you their way is the only way. There is no one answer or way to practice or to learn. That part of the journey is up to each individual. Remember that. The way you choose to think, learn, and make choices is up to each person, and nobody else.

Your base knowledge, your motivation, and your practice are all fundamental parts of your foundation and that is where you skill, proficiency, and style of martial arts will grow from. Do not take them lightly and do not take them for granted. Remember where it all comes from and you will be well served in how you learn and progress.

What is Kenpo Karate?

Huk Planas Seminar in Paradise, CA in 2015
Photographer: Jesse Brown

30th Annual Huk Planas Seminar in Chico, CA 2016

Photographer: Giovanni Brown

Part 1: Introduction

I suppose "What is Kenpo Karate?" is the fundamental question that needs to be asked when talking about Kenpo Karate. However, the thing that makes it so difficult to pin down is the fact that there are so many people out there with a variety of ideas and notions about what Kenpo means. Kenpo, in its best form, in my opinion, is best when it is very unique in its expression with each individual. Because of this, I believe, you get so many opinions on it out there. I often hear about "good Kenpo" and "bad Kenpo." I want to change that around to "more efficient Kenpo" and "less efficient Kenpo." Everyone is going to have their own way of representing it. I believe, ultimately, that is ok. I believe that because I like to think of myself as a positive person. If a person is doing Kenpo, then it is a good thing. They are learning about the knowledge and principles of martial arts, and Kenpo Karate in particular, to help make the world a better place and help make them a better person. My goal here is to add to the conversation and fill in some of the gaps and add to the information that may exist out there about what Kenpo Karate is about and what we are trying to achieve, particularly under the Parker/Planas lineage, and also under my home school, Epperson Brothers Kenpo Karate. This is my perspective and lens for viewing the martial arts world. Having studied history and written a master's thesis on ancient civilization and art within the Greek period circa 480 BCE, I learned a lot about what it means to try to write things in such a way to help people draw their own conclusions, and one of the first things you do as a writer and recorder of events is you at least state the perspective from which you are writing so people know what they are getting when they get your input and point of view. So, while defining what Kenpo Karate means for me in this article, I will give a lot of other information that will help define me, my experience, and perspective on martial arts. I hope it is useful, entertaining, and informative. I also hope it can start some good conversations between martial artists, Kenpoists, and enthusiasts of martial arts and/or martial arts related areas.

The world of martial arts is vast. There are so many styles, ideas, opinions, perspectives, and conversations out there that it would be difficult to cover all of them and even more difficult to please each person. People are extremely opinionated about martial arts and who is better or more effective, etc. Styles are compared by so many people. MMA matches are speculated upon by viewers fromthe  avid end of the spectrum all the way to the casual end of the spectrum. It is something that people truly love to debate about. I am not sure why people get so opinionated about it. I think my initial thought is that it comes back to an inherent nature of people to be competitive and martial arts embodies competition in one way or another in much the same way NFL football does. Having said that, I really try to not get into arguments with people about what is good and what is not. I just try to promote the good parts of martial arts and the fraternity of the discipline itself. I find that most martial artists who are decent people will respect you if you have humility and decency when you approach them about the topic.

I have been studying Kenpo Karate for a long time. My journey has not been the most efficient one. I started when I was 18 years old and pretty much just a kid at that point with a very different point of view of what martial arts was for me then. I have changed a lot over the years. I was going to college full time when I started, as well as ran track and field for CSU, Chico. I did that for a number of years. For 6 years, actually, I maintained that schedule. I made brown belt in 1997. In 1997 I started graduate school. At that point, my journey slowed down a bit. I was off and on with my training. I would say I have not ever left it completely, speaking on a personal level. I had times then where I may have been too poor to pay for classes or working too much at the beginning of my career. I think most people go through this cycle of trying to find where martial arts, Kenpo, fit into their lives and have to adjust their priorities in the process. I moved from Chico in 2004. It was at that point I really started to miss Kenpo and my school. I was only a 3 hour drive away from Chico, so started taking lesson more consistently since I had started my career in the San Francisco Bay Area. I had a whole new appreciation of my school that I had trained at for so long once I moved away. In my view, there was no other school like it. The Bay Area is full of martial arts schools and practitioners, but none of them could replace home. So, I just kept making the drive each month to go train. I had to redefine how to train for Kenpo for me. In this time I have now found what it means to train with more consistency from such a great distance. This has helped shape my experience.

There are Kenpo schools in the Bay Area, but none of them are associated with the Parker/Planas lineage, at least none to my knowledge and as of this date, they were not listed on Master Planas's website where he lists the rest of the schools around the world. The closest one belongs to my friend, Brandon Hubbard, in Folsom, CA. So, until I can start my own school under the Parker/Planas lineage, I have elected to train on my own and drive a couple times each month to train with my instructor. Why do I share all of this? I share this because this is fundamental in understanding the perspective with which I am writing about Kenpo Karate and understanding the journey I am on with my martial arts training. I remember once I was feeling frustrated with my progress. My instructor, Chuck Epperson, told me that my martial arts journey is unique. It is the martial arts journey that I am on and has meaning for me. I should not get frustrated with my progress because my path is different than everyone else's path. That held great meaning for me and has helped me develop further. I would not recommend to anyone to try to take as long as I have to reach 2nd degree brown belt. I have a new appreciation for my training and what I am doing now. I have tried to fit martial arts into my life the best way I know how. I am proud of the fact that I did not leave it. I kept with it, even if it was at a meandering pace over the years. Every martial artist's training is a personal journey that helps to define their art. It is with this in mind that I write about what Kenpo Karate means to me and try to explain how I define it.

My friend, Brandon Hubbard, owner of the Kenpo Karate school in Folsom, CA

Photographer: Jesse Brown

Part 2: A Definition

I have been to a lot seminars with Master Planas, as well as countless lessons on a monthly basis with my own instructor, and one thing I have learned is that Kenpo Karate is a set of rules and principles that act as guidelines for practitioners to express themselves in Kenpo as an art of self-defense. For me, that is what I would say if someone asked me what Kenpo is. From there, it just expands into endless possibilities and ideas. There are so many options once you get to study Kenpo in any kind of detail. The combinations and ideas just flow endlessly. However, you have to shift your thinking in such a way as to become used to thinking in terms of the exponential possibilities.

Al Myrtle and Chuck Epperson at the 12th Annual Paradise Seminar in CA

Photographer: Jesse Brown

Kenpo is also an art of terms, concepts, principles, and ideas that need to be understood and begged to be analyzed. Through this, Kenpo can be expanded upon and maximized. Ed Parker created a belt system that standardized much of the information. The standard bearer for the system in terms of belts is Yellow Belt. Yellow Belt has so many of the foundational moves and concepts that create the basis for the rest of the system. However, even as foundational as Yellow Belt is, it is still only  a list of ideas for a person to consider in their expression of the martial arts and Kenpo Karate. Once you get to brown belt and black belt, yellow belt material takes on a whole new meaning because a practitioner's understanding of the system should be more developed and create a new lens with which to view all the knowledge that had been taught previously.

Definitions abound and permeate Kenpo in so many ways. I always hear about "Rule #1." What is it? Disrupt your opponent's base immediately to take away their ability to fight. We have terms that explain things, like "backup mass," which is your body-weight moving in line with your weapon. There are definitions and explanations for everything. This is so we can become knowledgeable martial artists and know why we do what we do, not just know the motion. With that knowledge, we can begin to expand and think creatively in our responses when we are confronted with a situation. This is what I believe Kenpo should be about - thinking creatively and moving in a unique way that can adequately defend ourselves based on the rules and principles of motion within Kenpo.

So, given all this, it seems that each person should adapt the art of Kenpo Karate to who he or she is. This means how we train, how we look at the world, how we make our choices in martial arts (and sometimes outside of martial arts as well), and any innumerable other factors that affect our lives will help define Kenpo. Teachers from around the world have this set of rules and principles that we call Kenpo, but each instructor interprets them differently, whereby helping to define each student differently. As such, the teacher you choose for Kenpo will help create your definition as well. This is true in any discipline. It could be the same for your college that you pick to go for engineering, philosophy, or English. Every school is defined by the people that make it up.

As I go around and meet people from all kinds of Kenpo schools and backgrounds, I keep an open mind about the people and listen to what they say. I may agree or disagree with what they believe about Kenpo, but I find that a lot of times I have more in common with them than what the differences may be. I like to think that the camaraderie I develop with people through Kenpo helps define not necessarily the art, but my experience with the art. Somewhere along the way, if I have made a good friend, then I will undoubtedly learn or gain something from them through our mutual bond of Kenpo. I would say the same holds true with other martial arts. While our arts are different, the bond of training through movement and discipline within the martial arts brings us more together. My instructor taught me that while there are many arts, each person defines their art through their knowledge and training and study. Hopefully we are all aware enough of what we are doing to recognize information that is not useful, or even invalid, for our own experience. Conversely, that means we are able to recognize what is useful. I enjoy knowledge and I like to be the one to decide if it works for me or not. I am a huge fan of camaraderie, and if I can make some friends as I study, then that is even better.

David Garcia, one of the owners of the Kenpo Karate school in Grass Valley, CA (an article I am working on about him and his wife will be out soon)

Photographer: Jesse Brown

Kenpo is a set of rules and principles that help guide us in our martial arts journey. That is a constant. It helps us push forward in the art with some degree of consistency, even when we come from different schools and different parts of the world. The people who practice it and interpret it and share it do vary in their approaches and thought processes. It is what makes us unique and dynamic. The people that make up Kenpo create both variety and dynamic combinations of movement, and if you allow yourself to be an informed Kenpoist with a standard of excellence, you will have an art that is deeply satisfying for you and for those that you share it with.

Author: Jesse Brown
December 28, 2016