Not Ichimonji No Kamae in Black Dragon Ninjitsu

 Both are Taisabaki images... above

This is Fudo Kamae... above

A fun little comparison brought up from a still image of the Jukyu DVD was that it looked like Ichimonji no Kamae. Allow me to explain this simply, this is not Ichimonji no Kamae. I was simply demonstrating taisabaki, the lead arm is passive and is raised only to demonstrate the range for hand strikes. It is used to help understand the basic element of striking distance in the scope of moving through the three dimensional space of one's "battle field."

Now it is very important to realize the differences in how Ichiminji no Kamae is applied & how Fudo Kamae of Black Dragon Ninjutsu is applied. Fudo Kamae is merely a platform for striking techniques, Black Dragon Ninjitsu uses explosive power, the snapping of the hips (called Fajing in Kung-fu, Chinkuchi in Okinawan Karate), thrust of the arm and transfer of body wieght along the knees to generate an explosive thrust into the target. The application of Ichimonji no Kamae is more often then not similar to the application of Kokutsu Datchi of Karate.

Fude Kamae is a fluid platform used to teach principles like balance, movement and positioning. They are similar in principle but not application the generation of power comes from the movement of the body. Strikes in Black Dragon Ninjitsu from Fudo Kamae are similar to a whip snapping and once the concept is learned, the Black Dragon Ninjitsu disregards the posture for the principles of balance, footwork and movement existing in the kinetics of the moment.

Comparing the two is like comparing apples to oranges... Omoto Ryu Jujutsu/Taijutsu (we should I know by now I used the "i" and "u" interchangably in "jutsu/jitsu") is very fluid almost Aikido-like in application but also far more aggressive in application. As in Karate, Budo Taijutsu, Aikido, Judo & Jujitsu taisabaki plays a big part, because you are not just moving your knees but positioning your body to avoid and even counter your opponent's action. However, to generate power you must also apply Koshi-Waza (Hip Technique) also called Fajing in Chinese arts  & Chinkuchi in Okinawan Karate. This is the concept of explosive power being delivered behind one's strikes and not merely "leaning" into the strike.

The difference in power of impact as well as the ability to change targets is very simple. The passive raised arm of taisabaki exists only to show the potential range of one's strikes while moving away, around or closer to one's opponent. Allow me to show you exactly what I am referring to.

Here is an online course from a Bujinkan Dojo, I grabbed it to highlight the differences here... That said I'm talking about technical thinking and not the individual here. The principles are sound, the execution for his art is fine but to my level of thinking no so much...

The attacks lack power and in a fight strikes are not so easily seen. Consider that both men have extended arms and that both art outside of striking range for throwing a jab. The attack is telegraphed & moving inside at a 45 degree angle don't protect you from being hit by the reverse hand (I point this out because it is something taught in the Bujinkan which is false). Consider that one person is striking an attacking limb while moving inside at a 45 degree angle and counter striking with a knife hand to the side of the neck.

Compare this to say Karate were here we see in a Tournament a person the person on the right using a much larger and more telegraphed lunge strike & it is countered by stepping back and executing a faster reverse punch to the chin. The Winning Karateka also used their positioning on the inside of the attacker's guard to position themselves for the strike. The fact that the Losing Karate was also in a position to counter with a reverse punch is still there.

The Logic as to why 45-degree angles exist and why they don't always work is simple. Take my very bad Paint drawing of boxers, fighters if you will... I point to boxing because Boxing uses the 45 degree angle, as well as a host of other arts... almost all of them to be honest.

Now just so you understand what everything is we have this image, the term centerline is found in Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do it refers to an imaginary line from the area above the upper lip & below the nose and goes to the groin passing through the solar plexus/diaphragm. I passing along a path that includes almost all vital areas on the torso.

Here were see the idea of offsetting or aligning to the strike the centerline area and targets like the chin, nose, throat, solar plexus & diaphram, the floating ribs, various organs along the belly and the groin. If the fighters were to stand square or even off set such as above they create a "triangle" that reveals the essential angles for striking.

Following the triangle we can see that both hands are equal distance from the centerline and our "triangle" is created. The base of the triangle is the line of intersecting for defense while the two sides are paths to strike (excluding the potential for hooking strikes) for arguments sake. By standing offset the trangle changes to place on fist closer to the target area then the other.

As you can see here the left hand (ok its circle but it represents a hand) is closer to the target then the right. This is the position the Karate fighter used to deliver a reverse punch for the win in the above video. If each one is standing at an angle the triangle changes.

Here see this triangle elongated and this is looking at the square up for two orthodox fighters (meaning two right handed boxers). The range of the reverse punch is extended and less lightly to deliver a blow, were as the lead hand is capable of delivering jabs and hard leads to the opponent. Something the passive lead hand floating represents in Taisabaki.

Breakdown the Ichimonji no Kamae and the inside 45-degree angle places you in danger of a reverse hand strike. You are literally lining yourself up for the reverse hand strike.
 

Breakdown the Ichimonji no Kamae and the inside 45-degree angle places you in danger of a reverse hand strike. You are literally lining yourself up for the reverse hand strike. Positioning yourself with the reverse hand's "triangle" of threat range. It would be useless against a boxer or kickboxer, a karateka and potentially even against an untrained fighter who is going to come in with both arms swinging.

This is just to point out both that the Taisabaki image is not Ichimonji no Kamae and that the principle foundation of Ichimonji no Kamae is not something endorsed by Black Dragon Ninjitsu on a technical level.

Black Dragon Ninjitsu Home Study Course 10th Kyu DVD

You can now pre-order the Jukyu grade video and earn your white belt in Black Dragon Ninjitsu. Both the Jukyu and Kukyu DVDs will be available in April, perhaps March 15th if I can rush my production of the course.

I then plan to release a new video every month until I get the whole home study course out. Many of the methods used to train for the course were developed or simply used by me in my own individual training. So after not having been active in my training for almost 3 years, I am not getting back into fighting fit condition but also refreshing my skill sets. So I will progress in rebuilding myself through each rank as the home-student builds themselves back up. Ideally, within a Year I should have the complete course available.

As such you must ask, What is Black Dragon Ninjitsu?
Black Dragon Ninjitsu is an American Style of Ninjitsu based off Omoto Ryu Budo. Since I live in 21st Century America I believe the older skills of the ninja have a valid use in modern society in this age of information, manipulation and, global terrorism. However, Koryu Jujitsu and the Gendai Jujitsu systems based off Koryu Systems and ancient culture of Japan, while tactically strong are in need of adaptation to suit modern needs. So other martial arts and training are applied to make Black Dragon Ninjitsu more  sound as a fighting system.

Because Ninjitsu is a Japanese art, whether speaking of the Omoto Ryu methods or Historical Methods that is the required study from the Bansenshukai at higher levels, you will see variations of training methods and techniques from Mixed Martial Arts & Reality Based Self-Defense methods. This allows for a more practical and complete martial arts training, flavored with Traditional Martial Arts that reflects the learning of Japanese cultural elements.

Paper Tigers & Ducking Dragons 6: Internet Trolls & BSMA

One of the things that gets funnier and funnier is how the online martial arts community continues to defend each others lies. Especially when I have proven that Barron Shepherd and Don Roley are lying about my past, not once but twice. You have to wonder why? Why lie about someone, slander their name just to make yourself look good if you are truly the better person, art, martial artist and so on..?

Let me break it down for you... To make money or more correctly to keep others from achieving the success they are working for because you haven't found the success you think you deserve. Lets be clear Don Roley is person out to make a buck and he gets to stand up and attack people so other Bujinkan instructors don't have to. This a pattern carried out by Hatsumi when he attacked Karate, Judo & Aikido as ineffective, so his American Cult of Personality followers do this by attacking all others. Course we all know Takamatsu just read the modern documents translated into modern Japanese to invent his system, Takamatsu also lied about being named as Soke of the Kuki family arts of Kukishin Ryu to invent his Kukishinden Ryu. William M. Bodiford explains this in a Koryu.com article on Soke: Historical Incarnation of a title and its entitlements; in a nut shell, Soke is a reference to a ruling economic class of iemoto (Soke) tradition. Since Soke refers not a martial arts title but a familial business system. Common for non-martial arts;

From Koryu.com
Nishiyama (1982b, 273-278) identifies several reasons why martial art lineages never developed into iemoto (a.k.a. soke) systems. Prior to the establishment of the Tokugawa peace, rapid acquisition of military prowess constituted the sine qua non of any system of martial instruction. An instructor who withheld instruction in the most advanced techniques as a family secret, as was the norm among soke who taught peaceful arts, could not have attracted students. For this reason, during the sixteenth century, military students usually attained full initiation rather quickly, after which they were free to teach all that they had learned to their own students. If anyone issued diplomas, they did so on their own authority, without having to pay license fees to any larger organization. After the Tokugawa regime imposed peace on the land, both older and new schools of martial instruction became more structured, more secretive, and developed more complex and time-consuming curriculums. Students who received diplomas no longer necessarily acquired independent rights to issue diplomas themselves.7 The ruling authorities also actively prevented any warrior groups or martial schools from developing organizational bonds across domain boundaries.8 Moreover, the rulers of each individual domain preferred to patronize only their own local martial systems, which could be kept under their own local control. Finally, in an age of peace it became practically impossible for any one martial lineage or group of lineages to demonstrate decisively their superiority over their rivals. Innovative teachers could (and did) devise new methods of martial training and establish new schools without having to risk lives to demonstrate their combat effectiveness.

Oh and Sine Qua Non refers to something that is in essence the standard. So what we see is this, the term Soke is taken from the Kuki family which did teach their art and the associated Shinto practices  under a familial ownership organization, especially to alternate Shinto mythologies. To teach Kukishin Ryu martial arts or conduct Kuki family rituals you had to be licensed through the Kuki family. So the many trolls who argue Hatsumi is the only true source, are simply trying to protect Hatsumi's ownership of ninjutsu (which is a joke because no one owns ninjutsu), though Hatsumi owns Togakure Ryu and the other associated ryu (except for the others claiming the same lineages like the Genbukan).

At best Takamatsu made up his Ninpo tradition copying from historical documents, at worst he made up his Ninpo tradition based of the 60s Japanese Pop-Culture Ninja Boom. Thus anyone claiming ninjutsu outside of the Takamatsu-den must be attacked as frauds to claim ownership of a particular lineage and the art of ninjutsu itself. This is why men like Jinichi Kawakami in Japan, Anthony Cummins, Chosin Ninja Greg Park, Frank Dux, Ashida Kim and myself must be attacked... Its is simply marketing and claiming ownership of an art that fraudulently claims to be the root of all "ninjutsu."

What is even funnier is that these "online experts," who have to lie under the guise of "fraud busting" to keep from being called out as frauds devoted to a fraud themselves, have taken to attacking "Jay" and Damian Ross of the Self-Defense Company frauds and spreading lies about them as well. Because I simply asked a friend who is an instructor for Damian Ross to write an article for me while I was off working on the Black Dragon Ninjitsu video course.

First off, Defendo/Defendu is not a iemoto system, their is no "Soke" of the art. Anyone trained in the lineage can claim the lineage as a source of information. Defendu/Defendo is a Western Martial Art and not a Japanese system governed by ancient Japanese social rules. Secondly, the issue is this Damian Ross is no fraud nor is he a member of the BDFS. So yes, I do associate with other people outside the BDFS such as Chris Friedman who also wrote for this blog and is in China training in the Shaolin Temple as you read this. What gets even more disruptive to their claims is that I have never met Damian nor do I have any issues with him. In fact, many of the things I discuss and teach are based on concepts he teaches (learned from others outside his lineage such as NCOs I served with in the military) and so I cannot fault him for what he teaches.

Let me give you an example: Color Code Awareness, I am not a fan of color code awareness taught by many self-defense instructors to civilians but, I have this issue because it gets used out of context. I espouse what I call Educated Awareness.

Now let me explain this you in the simplest terms, Situational Awareness is knowing whats going on around. It is limited by your 5 senses. Educated awareness bridges a gap between what you can see, hear, etc and what you can't. First off it begins with a description of criminal tactics. I've seen Damian Ross's system, through "Jay" address that as well. So me and Damian Ross, having two completely different lineages and systems have some over lap here. Where I have my biggest issue with the Color Code system is that it is a military method, and lacks the military (life style) context. What I mean by this is, before being dismissed for the weekend we had a Safety Brief which include things going on in our area. How many people today pay any attention to the news, weather or so on? Without attempting to educate ourselves about things happening around us, our situational awareness is diminished. So I have a little term I am always using called Educated Awareness, which refers to extending your situational awareness with "Field Intelligence."

A friend of mine will shoot me a facebook message or text message when he comes across traffic jams, road blocks, or accidents and I do the same for him. We have a system of communicating information between us to maintain educated awareness to expand our situational awareness. Is this method fool proof, no but, neither is watching your local news, meditation to "know without knowing" and seeking some esoteric practice to gain Sakki powers either.

So what is the issue? That the internet trolls are attacking me and, people who actually look at the facts and follow the evidence I put online know that they are liars and frauds attacking others like Damian Ross or an associated instructor of his "Jay" is the only way to cover up the fact they are liars and frauds themselves... Lest we forget "Jay" is also training in the Bujinkan's Budo Taijutsu System, which is what the trolls cannot stand. "Jay" is a Black Belt in Kenpo Kararte, a Combative Instructor under Damian Ross (who they try to demonize) and associated with their ninja-cult... Course in "Jay's" defense he is actually training with someone in the Bujinkan as opposed to arguing and attacking people like Damian Ross in a facebook group.

Once again it is just more stirring the pot to avoid the fact, nothing is set Barron Shepherd & I's little MMA match until we both show up and register as Amatuer MMA fighters with the West Virginia Boxing Commission... Unless Baron wants to arrange an event in Florida? I'd be happy to come to Florida Barron? Oh and Don, you say a person who issues a challenge should come to the challenged, whats the MMA venues like in Colorado? Oh thats not a challenge by the way, that is just me saying if you want to make it a real sanctioned event amd issue a challenge (Like you did with Dan Harmon) I will come to you...

Hell Donny they're even cartoons about how you are such money hungry ass goblin, who disobeyed Hatsumi's wishes and had a Memorial Seminar using Oguri's name to make a quick buck and promote yourself... Is there any doubt, especially given the proof that you'd lie and slander my name to promote your Ninja Cult?

Anything to get away from the fact, Barron "Bitch Titties" Shepherd is a liar and punk ass little bitch who would try to set me up rather then fight me like man... Come one, we're just counting down to March 4th and hell I might shoot a YouTube video from the fighter registration for the Charleston event...

Paper Tigers & Dicking Dragons 5: Don Roley... Trying to Change the Narrative

So I get an invite to a Facebook group called the Koga Ryu Vetting group or some BS. I figured it would be some BS of "Bujinkan cultists" trying to claim to the only source of the truth or a bunch of teenagers trying to live out a ninja fantasy... which doesn't exclude the first option. What I found was basically a person with genuine self-respect and a perchance for, perhaps, buttering people up to get them to open up... Melvin Williams (sorry to put you on the spot like this...) who I was basically pretty open with & would have gotten all the information he wanted just by acting with civility and a few (unneeded) compliments.

Then up comes Don Roley who starts demanding I answer his questions. First off, to Don Roley you are a liar and a coward, do not ever try to contact me again directly or indirectly to others. You are a liar and, have spread the same lies as Barron Shepherd when I put up my court documents...

Lets be 100% clear here... Anyone who is guilty of sexual crime is scum. Anyone who spends their time behind a keyboard making up lies about a person and slandering their name to falsely claim they are guilty of such a crime is less then scum... After all how pathetic and weak does that make you to lie about one of the most horrible crimes a person can commit. You are a liar and your credibility as any kind of source of who is authentic is basically resigned to the fact that when I called Barron Shepherd as a liar... I proved you just a bad for spreading those same lies.

Tell me Don, have any proof of this beyond Barron Shpeherd and the pack of lying teenagers and internet tough guys trying to impress those teenagers at BSMA or the other little facebook groups you guys start? Seriously, what does that make you when you have to lie about someone else..? What does that say about your fraud busting..? If you are the "creditable source" and get caught lying about someone well Don Roley that makes you a liar and how can anyone believe you... Yes that is a challenge for you to pay $3,000 for a transcript of the court hearing or offer any proof that is as you are claiming?

Do not stalk me online, don't invite to your little groups and say what you want... I don't have to obey "your rules" which means I can and will disrespect your pathetic lying ass all I want. But, it is just better to point out thats exactly what you are doing. Because the simple fact is Don Roley, once you get caught lying about others it makes your credibility, seems well... worthless. But, Don Roley is trying to take attention away from the March 4th Cage fight... That Barron isn't going to show up for.

Don Roley is trying make this a historical argument or a lineage argument because the simple fact is... I already proven Barron shepherd and Don Roley were (I will use Don Roley's own wording here) conspiring to spread lies about me online.
1. I already proved Barron Shepherd lied and you are just repeating the same lies. 
2. I proved Barron Shepherd was lying that I never served an Hand-to-Hand Combatives Instructor in the Army.

Since I called out Barron Shepherd for trying to get me to come to Florida for an Unsanctioned fight via his third party troll account Mraymond Locktools. If he wants me to fight him in Florida, just set up  something with a fight promoter for an MMA bout. The more you cowards lie and bigger you make the lie and the more your bubble busts when the truth comes out...

Lets just call it like it is... You are trying to distract from the fact, that you trying to sell your "ninja fantasy" and don't want anyone else selling theirs. The thing is Donny... I used what I know, people can buy a copy of Black Dragon Ninjitsu or Never Back Down and see where I actually used what I know...

All you do is talk about how you can read Japanese and quote history books (aside from stalking and harassing people online), pretending to be a pseudo-intellectual. If it wasn't for the Bujinkan and pushing what Takamatsu made up and taught as ninjutsu in the 60s, you wouldn't matter. You base your whole existence off of pretending to be an authority, one who relies on the ignorance on the ignorance of Japanese history by Americans.

Now for anyone who cares to discuss my past training and such, by all means contact me. I even offered this to Melvin Williams though my Android didn't relay what I thought I typed intelligently, you get the picture...

Building the Mind by Toughening the Body

When Mraymond Locktools first contacted me it was over a my Go Fund Me account and he kept asking me loaded questions. Really, it is more to "stir up the hornets" and troll bridges. All the people lying to make themselves look good like Barron Shepherd & Don Roley have just opened themselves up to something big and legal. But, it can wait... Well lets be honest, how creditable does it make their arguments?

More so, let me explain my actions... Zen philosophy is a meditative or contemplating philosophy that basically rationalizes life as existing between to points of intellect and thinking and the chaos of living in the emotions of the moment. Zen philosophy then dictates one strip away the excess while living a balanced between emotion and instinct and intellect and understanding. So any attempt to produce any results in my favor is going to spark the attention of the internet "boy bands." Mainly because it would contradict what lies Don Roley and Barron Shepherd has told... So I was almost assured to draw the attention of someone using another troll account.

And Mraymond Locktools started off asking about Ashida Kim and other elements of my past. Ultimately, the goal seems to be to cause divisions with me and the other members of the BDFS. So otherwise here how it breaks down. Business investors don't ask about your past, they ask about their return... Simple as that. 

Regardless I have and there has been attempts to produce a Black Dragon Ninjitsu Homestudy Course and there has been some Beta testing of an older version of the idea. I am now working on a more functional version of the course. 

What you see below is a fudo kamae or former posture, to really get a better understanding you have to watch the video. However, the video was filmed during my embracing of the Judo concept of Kan-Geiko, this is a form of training meant to condition both the mind and the body that is conducted for 10 days in the harshest winter Conditions. This is an element building the mind while training the body. Of willingly testing yourself by willingly and joyfully suffering.

While judo competition is used to explain (philosophically) the overcoming of conflict and the technical ability for self-defense on a physical level, it also embraces the element of resolving one's self to embrace suffering. Not all things that stress us in life can be overcoming something we must simply accept and move on. Kan-Geiko teaches the judoka to accept the cold, suffer through it and continue training... I embraced this idea while shooting the Black Dragon Ninjitsu Jukyu/10th Kyu Video.

Fudo Kamae is a formal posture, a basic stance to learn taisabaki (body shifting), ashi-waza (footwork), nagare (flow) and atemi-waza (striking methods)

You learn a lot about footwork and balance by practicing in ice and snow. There are things in life that is well beyond your ability to influence them and learning to suffer through them (we called this the "Enjoy the Suck" and the "Suck it up" philosophy in the US Army) is paramount to inner peace. You can do nothing about the cold so you simply bear it, suffer through it and overcome it by keeping up your own motivation to press onward. Learning to suffer is a big part of life, how do beat the weather? How do you beat death? These things are there and we can seek shelter but we cannot change them... they are always there. Accept the things you cannot change, have the courage to change the things you can change and the wisdom to know the difference.

This is so easy to say and not do, so easy for someone to take pictures in the snow and post online about your Kan-Geiko training... I don't expect you to believe it. Course there is video right? Seeing is believing.

While I have been debating about the video it does show the harsh conditions in which I shot and trained in this video course. The video is an unintended consequence of timing and events that I will simply embrace and use, it shows me out of practice and out of shape training in such harsh conditions. If I can do it in the snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures why can't you do the same in your living room.

You have to discipline the mind by testing your resolve and mental strength against the body, fatigue, emotions, cold, heat and pain. Focus the mind...

This is not Ichimonji no kamae, it is Fudo Kamae used in Nagare no kata. The hands must do something, while taisabaki focuses on the legs and balance. The elongated  hand position shows the "range" of the hand for strikes, though the striking method is not taught with the elongated hand. This kind of "Long-Fist" striking is generally seen in only two arts Chinese Long-Fist Kung-fu, designed to be used against a smaller person, and the Bujinkan style of striking.

Images from the taisabaki drills and teaching of the jukyu course. The Red Dotted line shows the starting position and the path of the attack we wish to avoid using Taisabaki Ashi-Waza.

Paper Tiger's & Ducking Dragons 4: The Trap is Sprung & I Lied

So here is the fun part, for all those who have followed the Paper Tiger & Ducking Dragons blogs, you already know I challenged Barron Shepherd to fight me in a Cage, at Ruckus in the Cage (a strictly amateur MMA event) in Charleston West Virginia on March 4th. Now Barron has basically painted himself into a corner...

According to Barron himself and not his "go between" Mraymond Locktools, Barron did register online for Ruckus in the Cage... Now lets get something clear, nothing is "set" until we show up and register at the fight. This means we show up, pay a fee to the West Virginia Boxing Commission to register as Amateur MMA fighters. Chris Smith won't set anything up until we show up, this is because the last fight he had 4 new fighters and 3 no shows, with the fourth guy showing but almost leaving the event.

By Barron Shepherd's own admission he signed up to fight me on the 4th of March 2016, in Charleston WV. This means unless Barron lacks the nuts to show up, THE FIGHT IS ON!!! And after all the BS from Mraymond Locktoolz (I swear that seems like Phil Elmore's boy band at work) trying to get me to fight Barron in an Unsanctioned Fight in Florida, so that I could be charged with assault win or lose.

Now if you look at Paper Tigers & Ducking Dragons, you will comments by Barron Shepherd that I never contacted Chris Smith of Ruckus in the Cage.

Now this prompted Paper Tigers & Ducking Dragons 2, where I did prove I contacted Chris Smith and had a 4 minute conversations with him. Showing the record screen and the Phone History on my Android. His number is the 1-304-610-2881 number...

Yet Barron had Dustin Hatfield or, perhaps Dustin himself, lied about me never contacting Chris Smith of Ruchus in the Cage.

And we know from the images above that Dustin was full of shit...
How we can see where Mraymond Locktools contacted me about fighting Barron and were he claims Barron agreed to a cage fight.

Now lets look at when Mraymond Locktools, first of we see what I wanted, a standard MMA match. I really don't want to deal with any stupid internet secret "Death Matches" or "Samurai Swords at High Noon" fantasy BS.

But then, Mraymond Locktools and not Barron Shepherd agreed to a cage fight on Barron's behalf... I was skeptical but, if it meant fighting Barron I was down. Then I began in inquire who organized the fight?

Now here is were things get shady... In order to fight in almost every state you have to registered with the State Boxing Commission or similar athletic body. Local governments get to insure proper safety procedures exist for fighters and spectators. This includes fighters being in a good physical condition to fight. So upon hearing "Thats only if your a licenced fighter in your home state." I went from skeptical to concerned. So I continued to address state licensing requirements.

And you can see the continued dialog and the statement about Florida doesn't require Fighters to register with the Boxing Commission. This is a lie... Much like my own state you take (are given) a pre-fight physical, weigh-in and pay a registration fee with the Boxing Commission.

And here is where I first addressed Ruckus in the Cage & Chris Smith. When I addressed having checked the rules with the Florida Boxing Commission. This is when Mraymond Locktools mentions the Florida Boxing Commission and says "It will have to be an unsanctioned event." This was a Major RED FLAG for me. Taking me from Skeptical, to Concerned, Cautious & assuming Mraymond Locktools was full of shit.

I even called him on his Bull Shit which lead to basically me demanding proof and getting none, before finally Banning Locktools.

And not only did I ask for Barron to agree to a MMA fight like Claimed above, delievered later and after much prodding but, I also showed Mraymond Locktools how to  take a screen shot and continued to ask for proof concerning him speaking to a Florida fight promoter... However not before Barron Shepherd posted this in Paper Tigers & Ducking Dragons 3.

And Mraymond Locktools little spat of Dialog below... Followed by Barron's claim that he did register online.

Now we have to ask... Did Barron just claim to come after me but not in an MMA event and did he just say right after he registered online. Meaning he just needs to show up pass a physical, get weighed in and pay the WV Boxing Commission to get in the Cage with me... And I have to do the same. So were exactly is the issue and why was Mraymond Locktools trying to get me to fight Barron in Florida in an Unsanctioned Fight? Whats more is Mraymond Locktools never once answered my questions about the Florida fight promoter or offer any proof that he contacted Chris Smith of Ruckus in the Cage, yet I did... So we are left to only examine the facts as they are presented.


So Barron Shepherd wants to call me a liar... Cool, "I lied when I said all you have to do is sign up." Actually, I didn't (exactly)... See all you had to do is sign up online, that creates a paper trail of expected fighters to compare to fighters who showed up. Your claim to having signed up online is enough because now everyone knows you are expected, whether you show up or not is a different matter entirely. So if my goal was to get you into a cage... I did it. By your own admission you registered to fight. Which means if you back out, don't show up or what have you... YOU LOOK LIKE A BITCH!

Now in Paper Tigers & Ducking Dragons I showed how Barron Shepherd was crying I threatened him. Which I didn't... In Paper Tigers & Ducking Dragons 2 I proved Barron had lied about me never contacted Chris Smith & how Mraymond Locktoola tried to get me to agree to an unsanctioned fight in Florida, which I thought was a set up. In Paper Tigers & Ducking Dragons 3. I got Barron Shepherd to admit/claim he registered with Chris Smith, the fight promoter for Ruckus in the Cage online. Online registration is required but, basically proves nothing, because a Fighter has to show up and register with the West Virginia Boxing Commission as an Amateur MMA fighter, the registration is done at the weigh-ins with the pre-fight physicals. Now... Lets look at Mraymond Locktools statements concerning his speaking for Barron Shepherd.

Offered nothing to believe he was a real person, offered no proof that Barron was in contact with him, offered no proof he contacted any fight promoters, claims Barron Shepherd's crying online that "I threatened him" was acceptance of the fight and so much more... Only after I stated for Barron to contact me via my blog did he do so, however he never stated he would fight me in the Cage he merely launched out with a pointless internet threat about "coming after me."

Lets be real... That is kinda like saying "YOU! Yes, you... I coming for you. I don't know were you live or anything else but I am going to come see you." Bitch Please... This is the kind of internet drama that punks who hide behind computer screens use to look tough. Its the Paper Tiger mentality of I am a "Black Belt so fear my Deadly Skillz" (yes I intended to use a z there as a reflection of the childishness of the mentality and the statement). It is the Ducking Dragon philosophy of "I won't fight you in a cage but, we can face each others as warriors with Katana at high noon like true Samurai Warriors."

Lets be real for a minute, if its going to be a street fight it will be anything goes and we will both be injured or arrested. I can live with a injury from getting my ass kicked in the cage. I can live with the indignity of getting beaten by Barron Shepherd. I am not going to risk jail or wasting money on bond while trying to build my business.

What we see is that there was in fact some collaboration between them. That Barron Shepherd has not shown any proof he spoke with Chris Smith nor that his "Buddy" Mraymond Locktools even spoke to a any Fighter Promoter either in Florida as claimed or Chris Smith in West Virginia. Hell Barron who claims this can post a image of his phone to prove he talked to Chris Smith. I did... Why can I do it and be called a liar but they want everyone to take there word for it and be called truthful? Especially when I've proven Barron Shepherd was a liar; Barron Shepherd Proven a Liar and Slander and When YOU ARE Proven a Liar... And in Scared Lil Internet Trolls & Why Martial Arts Suck I addressed his ducking out of a challenge he issued in 2009 but seems he is doing so again now (Remember he is coming after me but not in a Cage). In Ducking Dragons 2 I proved he relied on other liars to validate his lies.

Now let's be clear about my intentions; I want to embarrass Barron. I've already proven him a liar concerning my court cases, a liar that I never contacted Chris Smith and now I will prove him a liar about signing up for Ruckus in the Cage. After all nothing is official until you step into the Cage or we both sign a contract. And while I am pushing the issue to make Barron Shepherd look like a bitch, at the end of the day... I just want to beat his ass.

As for what happens if I get my ass kicked? It is the risk you take when you fight, either in the Cage or in the street, it happens. The only question is, is he going to step up or back down. You can't "win" if you aren't willing to lose... So I am going to make Barron Shepherd lose face until he decides to step up.

Oh yeah, Barry... We could always fight in Florida. I would love to get away from the snow. Just give me the name of a MMA promoter and we can make arrangements.

Shaolin Kungfu Fighting Methods by Chris Friedman

Shaolin kung fu is often referred to as the origin of martial arts, with the exception of Shuai Jiao [wrestling] which predates the Shaolin Temple . Though the famous Shaolin Temple has been burned down several times by the government and it’s monk killed or dispersed throughout it’s turbulent history, it has been rebuilt and continues to thrives till this day. Shaolin kung fu as a style has changed over the centuries, but still has kept many of it’s original forms and techniques ,due to fleeing monks teaching villagers and keeping the system alive.

Though the majority of the world’s martial arts can be somehow traced back to the Shaolin Temple, Shaolin as a martial arts has taken a strange turn. In china where the art originated many modern day practitioners practice the art for [鍛煉身體Duan Lian shen ti] fitness or body/health training. Even the famous monks at Shaolin, though they spar regularly and occasionally practice fighting application or some kind of fighting drill, mostly practice for a form of mind/body exercise.

The Shaolin monks are often seem demonstrating fast and powerful looking solo forms, as well as performing highly athletic acrobatic maneuvers and feats of strength ,but what does all this have to do with practical modern fighting methods? In fact historically all the various training methods do relate directly to fighting both empty handed as well as with weapons, it is just that in recent non warring times in China the emphasis has been placed on fitness and performance.

For this article we will explore the Shaolin methods of preparing the student for combat. When one begins training in Shaolin Kung Fu, one will quickly understand that the mind is the most powerful tool. If one does not seek physical conflict but to live a happy healthy life, one can change one’s psyche. Thus by training the mind and heart to be peaceful in those ways similar to the Buddhist belief ,one can usually avoid a confrontation by simply being tolerant and none ego driven. For example if one is constantly engaging in sport fighting events and feels he is indestructible, he may be more prone to engage in a physical confrontation over harsh words when it may in fact be an avoidable situation.

With a proper mind set one will begin one’s training in the art of Shaolin kung fu. From the beginning of one’s training one will be forging one’s body to be faster, more flexible and stronger than it has ever been in the past. Though Shaolin kung fu[and other kung fu systems as well] do have specific techniques and strategies for combat, they also place utmost importance on the attributes of their physical training on making the system work as a whole.

Often the techniques within the solo routines are hidden. One would not be able to decipher the meaning without prolonged practice and fundamental skill training. It is not simply knowing that this move is a punch ,this move is a kick or throw that makes them work under pressure. The body must be trained properly in order for these techniques to work as they were designed to.

When learning a new routine or form, a Shaolin instructor will not teach you every application for every move. Over time he will reveal some of the movements meanings. Each moment in a Shaolin form has actually several meanings. What appears in a form as a simple pretty poster may be a lock, throw or strike. One is also encouraged to explore even create or rediscover the meanings behind the movements. This goes back to the students attributes being more important then individual techniques.

Training the body to be a fighting machine, the Shaolin way starts from the begin of one’s fundamental lessons. Stances play an important role in any kung fu system. The primary goal of the stance in kung fu is to offer stability in fighting. In ancient time as well as modern being on the ground is a last resort, so having solid stances can help one form toppling over under pressure or being taken to the floor intentionally by one’s aggressor.

Stances also have aggressive maneuvers within their hidden applications. For example the cross stance or 歇步 Xie Bu in Chinese can be used to stomp on an opponents knee while simultaneously locking the attackers elbow. The front stance or 弓步Gong Bu can use it’s forward momentum to create a powerful push/double handed palm strike to send an opponent flying backward [a technique the author used in a real altercation before].

The基本功Ji Ben Gong or basics of Shaolin kung fu come in the form of a series of kicking methods and punching drills. Within the kicking series are certain techniques that are simple designed to stretch the legs and gain flexibility and agility in the legs of the Shaolin student. The others are practical fighting techniques that can be utilized in dangerous situations. One of the author’s Shaolin teachers mentioned that in a real altercation one should not kick any higher than the waist of the opponent. Keeping the kicks low prevents the aggressor from catching the kick and downing the kicker, as well as preventing the possibility of losing one’s own balance while launching the kick.

Some of the most common Shaolin kicks used in combat are the instep groin kick. In this kick the instep is swung upwards into the opponents’ groin. Low level side and round house kicks to the knees or thighs. Shaolin students develop power for these kicks not only by practice low stances throughout solo drills and forms, but also by striking a variety of pads, bags and posts.

The punching basics are simple punching drills from various stances as well as transitioning form one stance to another. These drills are meant to develop full body power behind ones strikes. For practical use the Shaolin student’s fighting stance must be modified. The common Shaolin fighting stance is similar to a boxer’s stance but the lead hand is held future out in front of the body. This is because many of the Shaolin techniques involves grabbing with the lead hand either to pull the opponent into a strike or to help set up a lock or throw. The lead hand being extended out future in front of the body also helps in defense against kicks , as in used for blocking.

When performing the punching techniques of Shaolin in an actual confrontation the techniques are performed tighter and from the shorter more mobile fighting stance. Shaolin has many comprehensive blocking methods that vary slightly from teacher to teacher. They usually involve deflecting and trapping the attacking limb while helping to set up the Shaolin fighter’s attack. As with many other Chinese Kung Fu systems, the Shaolin fighting methods are done quickly and aggressively with forward moving footwork to crowd and disrupt the attackers balance in the process.

Throwing locking and grabbing an opponents vital areas on one’s body are all part of the Shaolin fighter’s arsenal. After an attack is deflected and neutralized the Shaolin fighter will strike with a barrage of fist ,knees, kicks elbows, head butts[just to name a few] strikes all while moving forward and crowding the aggressor. After one has entered one’s space and stunned one’s attacker with several strikes, the Shaolin fighter can throw, lock or do a combination of the two to down the opponent and end the confrontation. If the aggressor wants to continue to fight while in a prone position the Shaolin fighter has many finishing maneuvers for just such a situation.

For the Shaolin practitioner, if he should end up on the ground ,his primary goal is to regain a standing position. This theory can be best illustrated by the famous butterfly kick from the ground where the practitioner swings his legs in a wide circle and the momentum propels him/her back to their feet. This maneuver is used in the situation where the Shaolin practitioner is downed and the opponent remains standing. It has several applications from kicking a standing opponent’s legs, to sweeping him to the floor, and of course bringing oneself back to one’s feet. In a broader sense this application relates the entire theory of ground fighting in Shaolin kung fu. That one needs to get back to one’s feet regardless of what grappling maneuver or system the aggressor may attempt/posses. The author has the fortune to have a coach and friend that previously taught the author Chinese wrestling[Shuai Jiao] but is also a professional MMA fighter with a purple belt in BJJ. The author has focused on learning escapes from popular hold and submission with an emphasis on escaping and regain a standing position to add to his Shaolin curriculum.

Body Condition and two man exercises

The author has witnessed that the Schools surrounding the main gates of the Shaolin Temple all seem to participate in free sparring every Saturday morning. The level of intensity and techniques allowed seem to be the same from school to school. Punches ,kicks and limited throws seem to be the norm within these training sessions. The students spar with a high level of intensity [pretty much full contact strikes are allowed]. These matches look similar to other styles when engaged in stand up sparring matches. With a keen eye one may notice the wide swinging type of hand strikes resembling Shaolin specific striking techniques seen within the forms. Beside the common kickboxing/Sanda methods of sparring are many Shaolin specific conditioning drills and as well as fighting games.

The forearms and shins are imports tools in any striking systems arsenal. For this reason it is important to train the body to take sufficient contact to such areas. In Shaolin kung fu the forearms are used both in striking as well as defending. There are many two man drills used to condition the forearms for contact. Simple drills evolve standing in a stationary stance and banging forearms in a pattern. More complex forearm drills evolve complex footwork as well as target practice on the partners body utilizing the forearms as striking weapons.

There are several two man sets designed to condition both the instep of the feet and shins for striking and defending purposes. Again both moving and stationer drills can be performed with light to moderate contact being made at the beginning, till one works his way up in pain tolerance and toughness. For both the forearm and leg drills if a training partner is not available a tree can be used. It is also important not forcefully rub out the trained area using the hands and rubbing away from the heart to help prevent blood clotting.

Body conditioning drills also exist in Shaolin Kung fu to toughen up the body against strikes. These come in many forms but are similar to the leg/arm drills in where you continually strike your partners body in mirroring movements.

Grappling drills consist of standing in stances and trying to pull, push or off balance one’s training partner. One drill that the Shaolin students play is to assume a right foot foreword horse stance and clasp the lead hands as if shaking hands tightly. From here simply try to pull one out of one’s stance without moving one’s own feet. Another drill is done where both partners face each other in a right foot forward front stance. Begin by crossing lead arm forearms then trying to quickly secure a grip of your partners wrist while preventing or breaking your partners attempt. If a grip is secures you then try to pull your partner out of his stance while remaining in your stance.

The first drill will help the student to practice his rooting ability[stability in one’s stances] as well as pulling strength and hip movements. The second drill also develops rooting, pulling and hip movement as well as practice wrist grab escapes and securing a wrist hold.

This article gives a brief glimpse into Shaolin Kung Fu as a fighting systems. In reality one could dedicate one’s entire life to understanding such a system and still not know it’s entirety. Many times it has been said that it is not the system but it’s practitioner that makes a system effective. This can be said for Shaolin Kung Fu as well. If however the Shaolin student wants to be an effective fighter, Shaolin has what is needed in it’s system to do so, as long as one trains appropriately with such methods .

About the Author:

Chris Friedman has been doing the martial arts since his early teens. He has lived in China for the past 9 years studying various Chinese martial arts. He now lives in Henan 15 minutes from the famous Shaolin Temple. For more info on Chris or Shaolin kung fu please go to www.shaolinwithchris.com