Omoto Ryu Budo is an art of many fascets, Ninjutsu is what it is best known for through me but, among others it is known for it's application of Kenpo in its Atemi-waza. Now when I say Kenpo you must understand what Kenpo is...
Kenpo is different between America and Japan. If you say you study Kenpo in Japan most Japanese will ask you if you study "Chinese Kenpo" And if you say no... They then ask if you study "Okinawan Kenpo." The reason for this is that Kenpo is a purely Japanese term.
Kenpo literally means "Fist Law" which many in the West associate with Chinese Temple Boxing. However, this has a far more mundane meaning. It is the focus and domination of striking principles and techniques. Literally, the Law of Striking with the fists. Striking arts did not become big in Japan until Funakoshi brought Okinawan Karate to Japan and changed the Kanji to mean empty hand rather then Chinese hand, as it means in Okinawa.
Thus, any striking are is referred to generically as Kenpo. Fujita Seiko was a Soke in Na Ban Sato Ryu Kenpo which means Sato School of Foreign Killing Fist Law or Foreign (non-Japanese) Vital Point Striking Art in a more polished definition. It was said the Samurai who founded Na Ban Sato Ryu Kenpo learned the art in Okinawa. So we need to address the difference in Okinawan Kenpo, Japanese Kenpo and Atemi-waza in Judo, Jujitsu, Aikido etc.
Most Japanese arts were developed for warfare based on the Sengoku period. During the Tokugawa Shogunate peace made it possible for new schools to develop and new arts to exist. Many of the New arts were untested.
So Samurai deployed to Okinawa and even Korea came back with knowledge of Foreign arts. And Many of the arts had influence from Chinese arts. Named Kenpo in generic terms as unlike the Japanese arts which focused on grappling due to the fact of fighting in Armor making striking less effective than throwing someone to the ground to be stomped or killed with a weapon, making breaking an arm, fingers or choking someone to death all possible and a more highly effective option. By contrast this also has its roots in Chinese martial arts. Chin Na is a Chinese grappling art and involves not only Joint manipulation and destruction but, Dim Mak against acupressure and acupuncture points and grabbing and tearing of muscles and ligaments.
All Chinese Kenpo (to use the Japanese term) contains some Chin Na, but is best known for it's application of striking. Hence Kenpo Fist Law means governed by the fist or striking methods.
In regard to Omoto Ryu Jujitsu, the Atemi-waza is heavily influenced by Kenpo. Now this is not the Kenpo Karate we are used to in the US. American Kenpo Karate began with Ed Parker, Ed Parker was a student of William Chow who begin calling it Kenpo Karate as opposed to the Kosho Ryu Kenpo Jujitsu he was first taught. Omoto Ryu claims not connection to the lineage of Ed Parker or to Kosho Ryu Kenpo.
Kenpo in Omoto Ryu Jujitsu refers to the principles and concepts of striking arts upon the Jujitsu system. The techniques of Omoto Ryu are unique in that they are driven by one thing. Practicality... Practicality is the primary concern of Omoto Ryu. Whether you believe the Omoto Ryu is an art made up by me, taught to me by people who embellished their own history or really is a system first developed by warriors of Koga/Koka City and modified through ages as it was used by members of the Yakuza and the Kokuryukai is irrelevant (I find these claims questionable myself but, hey). There is no Soke of Omoto Ryu Budo.
In fact, being blunt Soke is a bit of a joke as a martial arts rank. It is a socio-economic (pedagogy) term to denote a familial heir to a trade... There are Soke in tea making, pottery and blacksmithing. When martial arts were no longer used in battle after the Sengoku period, Tokugawa Shogunate period that marked peace many new systems developed out of untested ideas. And many new systems were developed under the propriety ownership of certain forms of music, stories and verses in songs. Similar to modern copyright laws but, under the exclusive ownership of the Soke and the family in a system called iemoto seido. As such information was withheld to certain members based on status in the original iemoto family, social status and so on. Of course, the many new systems which were developed for commercial teaching of martial arts, using the iemoto system insured members of the Bushi/Warrior class would have greater training them say a farmer. A wealthy merchant could gain greater knowledge based on how much he could afford to pay to learn the art, compared to the farmer.
Now why doesn't the Omoto Ryu have a Soke is a good question? You have to understand what a Soke is and what it means... There is a wonderful article on Koryu.com about this very subject. In essence, certain families controlled all the art, poetry and music within an area. So these families would exert influence over anyone else doing similar work in their area. In terms of martial arts a Ronin could be hired as a Junior Instructor in an area for an established school, even though they were not of that particular lineage. However, prior to 1868 when Japan was organized into a modern nation, under the Meiji Restoration few such schools existed using the iemoto seido because of the many new forms of martial arts and new methods of training be devised by clever instructors. After the Meiji era however, many systems developed using the iemoto seido as the Meiji Restoration brought with it a change in warfare, the warrior class which ruled their own pockets of the nation was replaced with a central (federal) army made up of conscripted citizens, trained in boot camps and armed with muskets. So many martial arts adopted the iemoto seido to both pass on traditions and retain control of who taught the art both to preserve the tradition and to maintain it's traditional roots.
Omoto Ryu is not concerned with maintaining tradition in the strict since of techniques and histories passed from one person to the next. Quite the opposite the Omoto Ryu is concerned with practical application of techniques. As such many non-Japanese concepts can be applied to Omoto Ryu Atemi, and in Japanese tradition this would be referred to as "Kenpo." Body mechanics and such which makes use of the concepts of "Okinawan Kenpo" and combines them with Japanese Jujitsu. Under Sensei Martin these methods added old school USMC Hand-to-Hand combatives, boxing and wrestling. Under me adding Jeet Kune Do philosophy and modern military training & weapons. The school which withholds knowledge is not a school but a scam for extorting money from others keeping them enrolled and scamming them if their money to learn the "secrets of the arts." Under Kiyoshi Omoto Omoto Ryu was very much about Weapons with Jujitsu taking a backseat to using those weapons. Jujitsu with a semi-focus on striking and associated biomechanical actions as well as, conditioning the hands and feet for striking.
Now Omoto Ryu Budo is taught by me as Black Dragon Ninjitsu... There is no Soke.
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
Friday, April 22, 2016
Bicycle Combatives: SHTF Transport Safety Concerns
So I owe this article to Will Williams, it was a suggestion in jest on Facebook that got my gears turning. I know a few people who plan to Bug-Out on a Bicycle, a BMX style mountain bike and so William's suggestion sparked some ideas on SHTF bicycle safety. Now riding a bicycle when cars, trucks and semi-trailers are sharing the road and can hazardous in itself. But what about when civil order breaks down to the infrastructure that keeps people sane and safe disappears?
So I thought about it but not much, I scribbled down some talking points and went to bed. This is a result of those talking points, so lets start with some basic information;
Basic Bicycle Road Safety Procedures...
More of the Basics...
How Not to Get Hit By Cars...
and now that the basic safety is covered, the Bicycle as a SHTF fan vehicle...
Survival Bicycling... Part 1 (Not Part 2 at this time keep checking the source link)
Best Survival Bicycle...
Value of Bicycle after SHTF...
So in that little bundle of links, I don't think there is much I can cover they can't... However, I'm gonna try damn it.
Thought # 1: Bike Storage:
Ok I had a few minutes of online research to come up with the facts... For Storage on your bike, you have some options and it would stupid not to consider your bike as a carrier for your gear. I won't tell what to pack but I will make a few suggestions. A front rack can support two kinds of loads a standard load held in the backet area & a low rider load that hangs beside the front wheels. Rear racks can support packs of this type as well and allow for great carrying capacity behind the rider. Also the rider should have their Bug-Out Bag, literally on them at all time while riding the bike incase of some emergency where they need to abandon the bike.
Suggest Gear to Carry:
1. Sweat Towel: If you are riding a bike chances are you will get sweaty. sweat is your bodies natural means of cooling itself of. So if you are sweaty and going to make camp for the night, dry yourself off. Do not use the same towel for drying yourself of sweat that you use for drying yourself after bathing. Staph bacteria lives in your sweat glands and using a sweat towel could lead to a staph infection. Likewise, you need to "wash" yourself before making a camp even if only using cold water from a canteen or baby wipes (personal favorite).
2. Layers of Clothing: Depending on temperatures you can dress down by wearing a set of loose clothing over a T-shirt and Bike Shorts, as the temperature increases you can dress down. WARNING: Excess exercise and labor in extreme heat conditions can be deadly if you aren't hydrated and/or lead to sun stroke. In many cases it may be more practical to camp/rest of day and travel by night. This raises another issue with the use of lights on the bike and whether one is willing to trade safety for visibility.
3. Load Bearing Gear: Any gear like a LBE or LBV or tactical vest, fishing vest etc, that can support readily handy items and provide easy access to essentials should worn, even if dressed down.
4. Tarp Camo or environment appropriate color: Your Bike needs protection from the elements as well but you want to camouflage it as best you can and lay the bike down. Lay the bike down in the direction you want to travel, cover it with a tarp and camouflage it with debris from the area.
Thought #2: Open or Concealed Carry:
I know someone is going to disagree with this but, if you are the guy not caught in bumper to bumper traffic, with a bunch of gear someone is going to try to steal your ride. You have panicked drivers, road rage and just plain human self-interest to contend with. So my suggesting is openly carry a weapon, a big knife and/or a handgun, hell if you can mount a rifle on that bike do it (thinking of the old western rifle cases on saddles but hey).
Open Carry Deters Crime... <---- Proven Fact
Thought #3: Crossing Water:
Now this is a fun thought, how will you get your bike across creak or stream. You can water proof and even make your BOB a flotation device by putting everything in a plastic trash bag, no holes BTW, with all the cloth items rolled into balls. This traps air in the cloth, trapped by the plastic bags and can help you to float, you can do the same with gear in your bike, assuming its mostly cloth. Or by contrast you can carry a few large inflatable inter tubes for the river, 2 to 3. You simple secure the bike to 1 or 2 of the tubes and yourself rides on one and float across. The hardest part will be inflating and deflating the inner tubes.
Thought #4: Camping Wilderness & Urban:
So here are my tips and suggestions for camping in the Wilderness with a Bike...
1. Camouflage: You want to camouflage your area as best you can and lay the bike down. Lay the bike down in the direction you want to travel, cover it with a tarp and camouflage it with debris from the area. You can sleep under the tarp with your bike if you like.
2. Use Noise & Light Discipline: This is simple, don't use light you don't have to... If you cook boil your food to keep down smell, don't burn pine or any similar wood they smoke a lot, use a Dakota fire hole, if you use a flash light use one with a red lens and do so under a poncho or coat. Don't talk if you don't have to, whisper if you have to talk and do not smoke anything... cigarettes, marijuana or anything else. The smell of tobacco can be detected by a non-smoker for over a mile away and the cherry can be seen from the same distance. Marijuana is worse of the smell.
3. Use Basic Tactics: If you are going to camp, make a "J Hook" by doubling back on your trail so that you can observe if anyone is following your trail. Keep watch on your trail. In the Army I go used to sleeping prone so that I was ready to return fire if attacked, I still sleep on my stomach with pillows under my chest.
4. If in a Group Post a Watch: If you are in a group, always post a watch, and change the watch every hour. 3 to 7 person (not counting young children) 1 person a on watch for 1 hour. 8 or more 2 people on watch for 1 hour.
5. If Alone Set an Alarm: If alone set an alarm along the trail where you can maintain security, a double or triple bind is a must but you want alarms to your flank and rear as well. Fishing line and bells or flares should work fine. WARNING: Alarms does not mean Booby traps you could face a series of issues for using such, least among them is legal consequences and worst is making an enemy who might want to return the favor.
And my suggestions for camping in an Urban Environment with a Bike...
1. Camouflage & Hiding: As with the Wilderness Terrain you want to conceal your bike when you camp, this can be done by hiding behind dumpsters, entering abandoned buildings and carrying rope to hoist the Bike onto and down from roof tops. Looking like a bum with a shopping cart full of stuff to conceal the bike on the opposite side might also be a good form of camouflage. In urban environments, what most think of as disguise is merely urban camouflage. In an area of grown up wood, such as parks or forested areas between buildings the same rules for the Wilderness apply.
2. Use Noise & Light Discipline: As always the basic concepts remain the same...
3. Use Basic Tactics: Same as a wilderness environment but remember to apply certain basic urban warfare concepts like the Slicing the Pie and the difference in material which means the difference between a wall being cover or concealment.
Slicing the Pie:
Slicing the Pie is an individual tactic of taking a corner in small sections, to maximize the use of cover or concealment by the corner. The idea is to get the drop on the enemy and see them before they see you, one's weapon should be at the ready and on should take a half step to a quarter step about 3 to 6 inches with each step. This tactic works just as well for alley ways as it does for hallways.
Once the entry is secure bring in one's bike, set an alarm at the entry, again fishing line and bells, and secure the rest of the area. Note: You do not need to search and secure a whole building securing a path to one room and securing it is enough. The difference in Cover & Concealment can be summed up as this; Cover prevents contact with the threat or danger and concealment only prevents site from the threat or danger. A sheet rock wall will not stop bullets and is concealment but a concrete barrier is cover if it stops bullets.
4. Stay off Road as Best You Can: If the social order has broken down then stay off road as much as possible sticking to back alleys. Prior to whatever event will prompt a social breakdown pay attention to laws and rules of road. Always stay to the side of road and keep a look out for possible threats. Roads are going to be full of threats and that will be addressed later.
5. In a Group: Its important to have basic communication available, CB or Handheld radios between the groups members, use of military patrol formations and staying off the main routes of travel are all highly suggested. However, be very cautious in back alleys as well, you don't know who claimed it as their "turf" or how they will react.
6. If Alone: Same basic concept but here more then anything speed is your ally, when you travel you have no form of shelter from possible violence so travel on an obscure pattern, not a straight line, make circles back on your route to see if you are being followed and always move fast.
Thought #5: Shelter From Elements:
Ok, Bikes offer no shelter from the elements, wind, rain, heat and cold... This means you need to stop in a secure or secure a location and rest periodically. Exposure is potentially deadly if untreated and this is an important element to consider for travel on a bicycle during a SHTF bug-out event. So the same basic principles of exposure apply as if on feet except, one important factor. This important factor is wind chill, wind chill will increase with one's speed of travel.
Thought #6: Moving as a Group:
Now when moving as a group on a bike as with on foot you need to make use of patrol formation to maximize travel time and cover.
1. Travel in a straight line to conceal the number of people on bikes, trying to ride in the path of the person in front of you. In this way a group can use the "J-Hook" as well as an individual.
2. When travelling in a line have a "point man" approximately 30 to 50 yards ahead of the group, if the point man stops everyone else stops as well. If their is a threat ahead of you, they only see the point man and not the whole group.
3. On wide roads travel in a staggered line on the sides of the road about 20 yards from the person in front of you on the opposite side of the road. This allows the group following the "point man" to get off the road to cover or concealment on the side of the road or react to a threat from either side of the road.
4. In open areas position "security elements" to the sides, rear and front of the main group (useful to groups larger then 10 adults or groups with children).
For more information on Small Teams & Group Tactics Read Army of Shadows or TM 725-15 The American Homeguard Anti-Terrorist Handbook
Thought #7: Security:
Security measures should be taken to help anyone trying to evacuate a danger zone by bicycle, these should include using the following items (which implies having them).
1. Caltrops: An easily made device for disabling wheeled vehicles. Even if you are running from a bunch of gun happy inbred mutant red necks on a bicycle while they have a 4x4 death machine. Caltrops can pop tires and leave them stuck in the road riding on rims.
2. Smoke Devices: Smoke grenades can be purchased for about $15 to $25 dollars a piece or you can read Black Dragon Ninjitsu for the various formula and means of construction.
3. Flares & Flare Gun: Meant for Plane Crashes and Ship Wrecks, the flare gun has a great use as an emergency signal for a point man or lighting up an area were a potential threat is located.
So now that we have basic tactics and such discussed lets examine the threats. Understanding your threats is vital for preparing your defense and ensuring your security.
Panic Drivers: This list isn't listed in any order except what came to mind first... Panicked drivers, people trying to flee a hurricane, a flood or a forest fire are going to be highly emotional and hyper sensitive. They are going to try to force their way into traffic and not worry about getting hit or hitting others. These are a threat to people walking on the sidewalk and won't share the road with a bicyclist on normal days. So add SHTF and watch out.
Road Ragers: These are the people who snap in traffic on a normal day and they will be 100 times worse when you add a life threatening danger to the mix. They are likely to intentionally run you over, force you off the road orget out their cares and assault you with a weapon.
Dogs & Wildlife: Dogs chase cars, they also chase people and if you are on a bike you don't have metal between you and dog. So a can of mace or pepper spray can also keep the puppies off your back tire. Not only is this an issue with dogs but other animals and wild life as well could be a threat to you based on environment.
Pedestrians: These aren't people trying to knock you off your bike these are just slow moving walkers (No Walking Dead reference intended) who might get in your way.
Criminals: Criminals are people who going to try to take your stuff and they may or may not be armed. As I stated above openly carrying a weapon is deterrent for criminals.
Gun Men: These are would be snipers and people shooting at you, bikes don't offer protection from bullets.
Cliffs, Falling Rocks, Forest Fires & Flood Waters: Natural disasters, threats and obstacles be as deadly as they can be obstructive and you cross raging rapids on an inner tube. People and animals aren't your only threats, "Mother Nature" is a Bitch sometimes too...
Note: Hitchhiking with your Bike: In some cases as with a mass exodus from danger zone, a bug-out scenario you may have the opportunity to catch a ride. This is dangerous under normal circumstances. However, your choices are your own and this could a valuable advantage to Bugging out with a bike. If you have a bike rack mounted on your car, you could have an "escape pod" for your car if it breaks down.
So I thought about it but not much, I scribbled down some talking points and went to bed. This is a result of those talking points, so lets start with some basic information;
Basic Bicycle Road Safety Procedures...
More of the Basics...
How Not to Get Hit By Cars...
and now that the basic safety is covered, the Bicycle as a SHTF fan vehicle...
Survival Bicycling... Part 1 (Not Part 2 at this time keep checking the source link)
Best Survival Bicycle...
Value of Bicycle after SHTF...
So in that little bundle of links, I don't think there is much I can cover they can't... However, I'm gonna try damn it.
Thought # 1: Bike Storage:
Ok I had a few minutes of online research to come up with the facts... For Storage on your bike, you have some options and it would stupid not to consider your bike as a carrier for your gear. I won't tell what to pack but I will make a few suggestions. A front rack can support two kinds of loads a standard load held in the backet area & a low rider load that hangs beside the front wheels. Rear racks can support packs of this type as well and allow for great carrying capacity behind the rider. Also the rider should have their Bug-Out Bag, literally on them at all time while riding the bike incase of some emergency where they need to abandon the bike.
Suggest Gear to Carry:
1. Sweat Towel: If you are riding a bike chances are you will get sweaty. sweat is your bodies natural means of cooling itself of. So if you are sweaty and going to make camp for the night, dry yourself off. Do not use the same towel for drying yourself of sweat that you use for drying yourself after bathing. Staph bacteria lives in your sweat glands and using a sweat towel could lead to a staph infection. Likewise, you need to "wash" yourself before making a camp even if only using cold water from a canteen or baby wipes (personal favorite).
2. Layers of Clothing: Depending on temperatures you can dress down by wearing a set of loose clothing over a T-shirt and Bike Shorts, as the temperature increases you can dress down. WARNING: Excess exercise and labor in extreme heat conditions can be deadly if you aren't hydrated and/or lead to sun stroke. In many cases it may be more practical to camp/rest of day and travel by night. This raises another issue with the use of lights on the bike and whether one is willing to trade safety for visibility.
3. Load Bearing Gear: Any gear like a LBE or LBV or tactical vest, fishing vest etc, that can support readily handy items and provide easy access to essentials should worn, even if dressed down.
4. Tarp Camo or environment appropriate color: Your Bike needs protection from the elements as well but you want to camouflage it as best you can and lay the bike down. Lay the bike down in the direction you want to travel, cover it with a tarp and camouflage it with debris from the area.
Thought #2: Open or Concealed Carry:
I know someone is going to disagree with this but, if you are the guy not caught in bumper to bumper traffic, with a bunch of gear someone is going to try to steal your ride. You have panicked drivers, road rage and just plain human self-interest to contend with. So my suggesting is openly carry a weapon, a big knife and/or a handgun, hell if you can mount a rifle on that bike do it (thinking of the old western rifle cases on saddles but hey).
Open Carry Deters Crime... <---- Proven Fact
Thought #3: Crossing Water:
Now this is a fun thought, how will you get your bike across creak or stream. You can water proof and even make your BOB a flotation device by putting everything in a plastic trash bag, no holes BTW, with all the cloth items rolled into balls. This traps air in the cloth, trapped by the plastic bags and can help you to float, you can do the same with gear in your bike, assuming its mostly cloth. Or by contrast you can carry a few large inflatable inter tubes for the river, 2 to 3. You simple secure the bike to 1 or 2 of the tubes and yourself rides on one and float across. The hardest part will be inflating and deflating the inner tubes.
Thought #4: Camping Wilderness & Urban:
So here are my tips and suggestions for camping in the Wilderness with a Bike...
1. Camouflage: You want to camouflage your area as best you can and lay the bike down. Lay the bike down in the direction you want to travel, cover it with a tarp and camouflage it with debris from the area. You can sleep under the tarp with your bike if you like.
2. Use Noise & Light Discipline: This is simple, don't use light you don't have to... If you cook boil your food to keep down smell, don't burn pine or any similar wood they smoke a lot, use a Dakota fire hole, if you use a flash light use one with a red lens and do so under a poncho or coat. Don't talk if you don't have to, whisper if you have to talk and do not smoke anything... cigarettes, marijuana or anything else. The smell of tobacco can be detected by a non-smoker for over a mile away and the cherry can be seen from the same distance. Marijuana is worse of the smell.
3. Use Basic Tactics: If you are going to camp, make a "J Hook" by doubling back on your trail so that you can observe if anyone is following your trail. Keep watch on your trail. In the Army I go used to sleeping prone so that I was ready to return fire if attacked, I still sleep on my stomach with pillows under my chest.
4. If in a Group Post a Watch: If you are in a group, always post a watch, and change the watch every hour. 3 to 7 person (not counting young children) 1 person a on watch for 1 hour. 8 or more 2 people on watch for 1 hour.
5. If Alone Set an Alarm: If alone set an alarm along the trail where you can maintain security, a double or triple bind is a must but you want alarms to your flank and rear as well. Fishing line and bells or flares should work fine. WARNING: Alarms does not mean Booby traps you could face a series of issues for using such, least among them is legal consequences and worst is making an enemy who might want to return the favor.
And my suggestions for camping in an Urban Environment with a Bike...
1. Camouflage & Hiding: As with the Wilderness Terrain you want to conceal your bike when you camp, this can be done by hiding behind dumpsters, entering abandoned buildings and carrying rope to hoist the Bike onto and down from roof tops. Looking like a bum with a shopping cart full of stuff to conceal the bike on the opposite side might also be a good form of camouflage. In urban environments, what most think of as disguise is merely urban camouflage. In an area of grown up wood, such as parks or forested areas between buildings the same rules for the Wilderness apply.
2. Use Noise & Light Discipline: As always the basic concepts remain the same...
3. Use Basic Tactics: Same as a wilderness environment but remember to apply certain basic urban warfare concepts like the Slicing the Pie and the difference in material which means the difference between a wall being cover or concealment.
Slicing the Pie:
Once the entry is secure bring in one's bike, set an alarm at the entry, again fishing line and bells, and secure the rest of the area. Note: You do not need to search and secure a whole building securing a path to one room and securing it is enough. The difference in Cover & Concealment can be summed up as this; Cover prevents contact with the threat or danger and concealment only prevents site from the threat or danger. A sheet rock wall will not stop bullets and is concealment but a concrete barrier is cover if it stops bullets.
4. Stay off Road as Best You Can: If the social order has broken down then stay off road as much as possible sticking to back alleys. Prior to whatever event will prompt a social breakdown pay attention to laws and rules of road. Always stay to the side of road and keep a look out for possible threats. Roads are going to be full of threats and that will be addressed later.
5. In a Group: Its important to have basic communication available, CB or Handheld radios between the groups members, use of military patrol formations and staying off the main routes of travel are all highly suggested. However, be very cautious in back alleys as well, you don't know who claimed it as their "turf" or how they will react.
6. If Alone: Same basic concept but here more then anything speed is your ally, when you travel you have no form of shelter from possible violence so travel on an obscure pattern, not a straight line, make circles back on your route to see if you are being followed and always move fast.
Thought #5: Shelter From Elements:
Ok, Bikes offer no shelter from the elements, wind, rain, heat and cold... This means you need to stop in a secure or secure a location and rest periodically. Exposure is potentially deadly if untreated and this is an important element to consider for travel on a bicycle during a SHTF bug-out event. So the same basic principles of exposure apply as if on feet except, one important factor. This important factor is wind chill, wind chill will increase with one's speed of travel.
Thought #6: Moving as a Group:
Now when moving as a group on a bike as with on foot you need to make use of patrol formation to maximize travel time and cover.
1. Travel in a straight line to conceal the number of people on bikes, trying to ride in the path of the person in front of you. In this way a group can use the "J-Hook" as well as an individual.
2. When travelling in a line have a "point man" approximately 30 to 50 yards ahead of the group, if the point man stops everyone else stops as well. If their is a threat ahead of you, they only see the point man and not the whole group.
3. On wide roads travel in a staggered line on the sides of the road about 20 yards from the person in front of you on the opposite side of the road. This allows the group following the "point man" to get off the road to cover or concealment on the side of the road or react to a threat from either side of the road.
4. In open areas position "security elements" to the sides, rear and front of the main group (useful to groups larger then 10 adults or groups with children).
For more information on Small Teams & Group Tactics Read Army of Shadows or TM 725-15 The American Homeguard Anti-Terrorist Handbook
Thought #7: Security:
Security measures should be taken to help anyone trying to evacuate a danger zone by bicycle, these should include using the following items (which implies having them).
1. Caltrops: An easily made device for disabling wheeled vehicles. Even if you are running from a bunch of gun happy inbred mutant red necks on a bicycle while they have a 4x4 death machine. Caltrops can pop tires and leave them stuck in the road riding on rims.
2. Smoke Devices: Smoke grenades can be purchased for about $15 to $25 dollars a piece or you can read Black Dragon Ninjitsu for the various formula and means of construction.
3. Flares & Flare Gun: Meant for Plane Crashes and Ship Wrecks, the flare gun has a great use as an emergency signal for a point man or lighting up an area were a potential threat is located.
So now that we have basic tactics and such discussed lets examine the threats. Understanding your threats is vital for preparing your defense and ensuring your security.
Panic Drivers: This list isn't listed in any order except what came to mind first... Panicked drivers, people trying to flee a hurricane, a flood or a forest fire are going to be highly emotional and hyper sensitive. They are going to try to force their way into traffic and not worry about getting hit or hitting others. These are a threat to people walking on the sidewalk and won't share the road with a bicyclist on normal days. So add SHTF and watch out.
Road Ragers: These are the people who snap in traffic on a normal day and they will be 100 times worse when you add a life threatening danger to the mix. They are likely to intentionally run you over, force you off the road orget out their cares and assault you with a weapon.
Dogs & Wildlife: Dogs chase cars, they also chase people and if you are on a bike you don't have metal between you and dog. So a can of mace or pepper spray can also keep the puppies off your back tire. Not only is this an issue with dogs but other animals and wild life as well could be a threat to you based on environment.
Pedestrians: These aren't people trying to knock you off your bike these are just slow moving walkers (No Walking Dead reference intended) who might get in your way.
Criminals: Criminals are people who going to try to take your stuff and they may or may not be armed. As I stated above openly carrying a weapon is deterrent for criminals.
Gun Men: These are would be snipers and people shooting at you, bikes don't offer protection from bullets.
Cliffs, Falling Rocks, Forest Fires & Flood Waters: Natural disasters, threats and obstacles be as deadly as they can be obstructive and you cross raging rapids on an inner tube. People and animals aren't your only threats, "Mother Nature" is a Bitch sometimes too...
Note: Hitchhiking with your Bike: In some cases as with a mass exodus from danger zone, a bug-out scenario you may have the opportunity to catch a ride. This is dangerous under normal circumstances. However, your choices are your own and this could a valuable advantage to Bugging out with a bike. If you have a bike rack mounted on your car, you could have an "escape pod" for your car if it breaks down.
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
How will your Martial Arts help you if & when SHTF?
Sometimes I speak of Ninjutsu and sometimes I talk about Survivalism and Prepping, the ever dreaded when the Shit Hits The Fan or SHTF. SHTF can take so many forms and not all of them are end of the world disasters. Take the conditions from which Jews lived in the Warsaw Ghettos or the way the poor in many nations live. Sometimes when SHTF is simple stuff like being falsely accused of a crime or having a car repossessed. One thing leads to another and the show ball effect takes place and while the rest of the world goes about it's day... You find yourself neck deep in "shit."
So what are martial arts? And how should they help you come SHTF?
Martial Arts fall into a series of categories and sub-categories.
Because of this Martial Arts attract a Niche Market. I person trying to better themselves might focus on Traditional Arts to develop themselves Physically and Mentally or in Competition Arts to see themselves as develop better physically. Self-Defense Arts focus on the type of injury they can produce and many times all arts have these elements in their system but choose to focus on one or the other. As an individual, you need to find what works for you...
The new trend in Martial Arts is cross-training, due to the sport of MMA. So many people have to train in one art at a time & martial arts markets compete over gets the business. The blunt honest truth that no one wants to tell is that by and large martial arts are worthless... And some punk with a gun can take it all way from you.
So lets ask the hard question, why train in martial arts at all?
The surprising answer, because you need to. You need physical exercise you need to health and fitness and you need to be able to defend yourself with a gun or knife because sometime they aren't handy and we drop stuff... This is why I was being specific in the saying Martial Arts.
Traditional Arts either focus on self-defense application with "too deadly to spar" kata (non-resistant training compared to Karate solo-forms called Kata) or they embrace rules and competition called Randori (Free Exercise) such as with Judo. Arts like Karate call these striking drills Kumite (Free Fighting "Sparring") and Kendo calls in Shiai (Competition). Typically in arts like Judo, Japanese terms, culture, philosophy and etiquette are learned as their goal is to spread Japanese culture. In many Chinese traditional styles, Chinese terms and etiquette are also taught but they place a greater focus in fighting then on spreading Chinese culture.
Traditional arts have one huge defect, they exist to spread or pass on a tradition and cultural influence... Both Morihei Ueshiba the founder of Aikido and Jugaro Kano the founder of Judo built their arts around this aspect. While Ueshiba was more spiritual in his focus & Kano more practical in his, both arts have spread aspects of Japanese culture and philosophy around the world.
Competition Arts focus on how well one performs techniques and competing within a specific set of rules. This more well know in MMA but can be seen in Sport Karate & Sport Judo (off shoots of Kano's original vision). They include arts like Sansoo (Chinese Kick Boxing), Muay Thai (a Thai sport variation of the combat art Muay Boran), Brazilian Jiujutsu & even the Western Arts of Boxing or Wrestling.
Competition arts focus on fitness and techniques. They often exclude the more dangerous elements reserved for combat or self-defense and water down their techniques. Its not about the techniques they use but the ability to beat another person with them. Competition arts like Kano's original form of Judo used competition as a metaphor for life and conflicts, you overcame adversity by "rolling with the punches" and flowing around a head on challenge with meeting directly. Funakoshi's philosophy for Karate-Do was different, meet adversity head on and face challenges with perseverance. Like Judo, Shotokan Karate-Do used competition as a metaphor for life and life's hardships.
Self-Defense Arts tend to focus on doing damage. So they rarely, use "safe" or Competition friendly techniques. They often focus on things like knife hand strikes, eye gouges and groin strikes because they need to inflict pain quickly and break contact with the aggressor or threat. Some traditional art teach their philosophy and culture through the traditions of a particular branch of martial arts lineage.
What you are shopping for isn't always what you are buying... For example, I won't "Out" anyone here but... There is a certain group online who lives for the expression of the history and traditions of Japanese culture. Now sometimes, they do teach real Japanese history and sometimes they add their own lies to it. They claim to be more legitimate because the head of their tradition is in Japan.
Of course, I am a Collins from a Branch of the Family that left Ireland came here before the Civil War. I could spin you a tell of ancient Irish fighting arts used by my family during the civil war and go back even further to Cork County Ireland with myths of Celtic warriors and such. I'm from West Virginia, my father is from Virginia and my mother from West Virginia. Both places have lost of history related to the Civil War and some of the bloodiest battles & skirmishes were fought here using tactics passed down from trapper, fur traders and Indian fighters (specialized soldier who adopted Native American tactics to European &, later American, technology). My family roots span from Ireland to colonial Virginia & spread up and down the east coat... But that would all be Bull Shit and no more creditable then some old Japanese con-man and his cult of pseudo-mystical ninja telling half-real Japanese history and half-made up garbage.
These same people teach otherwise effective techniques with some made up history all to convince you to buy a proven lineage. But they don't have the lineage they claim and the otherwise effective techniques aren't taught effectively. They are basically, selling you on a made-up "Warrior Lineage" and effective techniques but don't deliver either. You can train in a fly-by-night course that teaches you "Killer Commando Combat Self-Defense Secrets". I can spend all day telling you what is wrong with the self-defense industry or I can waste less time by telling what it done right about self-defense arts...
1. Self-Defense techniques are gross motor skill movements. They don't need a lot of time to learn, think of them as fighting hacks, but they do need regular training to maintain your skills. If the course doesn't have a formula for expending your training or offer additional courses of study to expand that training it might be worth in the long run.
2. Self-defense Courses that simulate combat conditions, teach awareness, and criminal tactics to avoid threats and conflicts are great systems for practical application. As opposed to whipping out a "Color Code Awareness" worksheet without telling what to be aware for.
3. Self-Defense Course are great when they mix the "culture shock" of simulated combat conditions with a grading process. They aren't grading you for rank they are grading you on progress. run you through the threat situation before training, give you some good training and run you through a different situation of similar intensity. This also gives you an idea of the value of your training.
Now lets ask something else... What does this have to do with SHTF?
First off, like I said not all SHTF situations is a World Ending event. Sometimes the world is here but, the world you live in has fallen apart. You might find yourself homeless from a house fire, a messy divorce or a number of other possible situations that might leave you in a bad place, in a bad way... More then fighting or teaching Japanese history (real or BS), they should teach you to be mentally tough and emotionally strong...
They should teach you to deal with life, not just fighting or a mugger. Martial Arts should test you, try you and build you up. They should teach you to think and act with purpose and to aways be working to develop yourself even outside the Dojo, Gym or Kwon.
So what are martial arts? And how should they help you come SHTF?
Martial Arts fall into a series of categories and sub-categories.
The new trend in Martial Arts is cross-training, due to the sport of MMA. So many people have to train in one art at a time & martial arts markets compete over gets the business. The blunt honest truth that no one wants to tell is that by and large martial arts are worthless... And some punk with a gun can take it all way from you.
So lets ask the hard question, why train in martial arts at all?
The surprising answer, because you need to. You need physical exercise you need to health and fitness and you need to be able to defend yourself with a gun or knife because sometime they aren't handy and we drop stuff... This is why I was being specific in the saying Martial Arts.
Traditional Arts either focus on self-defense application with "too deadly to spar" kata (non-resistant training compared to Karate solo-forms called Kata) or they embrace rules and competition called Randori (Free Exercise) such as with Judo. Arts like Karate call these striking drills Kumite (Free Fighting "Sparring") and Kendo calls in Shiai (Competition). Typically in arts like Judo, Japanese terms, culture, philosophy and etiquette are learned as their goal is to spread Japanese culture. In many Chinese traditional styles, Chinese terms and etiquette are also taught but they place a greater focus in fighting then on spreading Chinese culture.
Traditional arts have one huge defect, they exist to spread or pass on a tradition and cultural influence... Both Morihei Ueshiba the founder of Aikido and Jugaro Kano the founder of Judo built their arts around this aspect. While Ueshiba was more spiritual in his focus & Kano more practical in his, both arts have spread aspects of Japanese culture and philosophy around the world.
Competition Arts focus on how well one performs techniques and competing within a specific set of rules. This more well know in MMA but can be seen in Sport Karate & Sport Judo (off shoots of Kano's original vision). They include arts like Sansoo (Chinese Kick Boxing), Muay Thai (a Thai sport variation of the combat art Muay Boran), Brazilian Jiujutsu & even the Western Arts of Boxing or Wrestling.
Competition arts focus on fitness and techniques. They often exclude the more dangerous elements reserved for combat or self-defense and water down their techniques. Its not about the techniques they use but the ability to beat another person with them. Competition arts like Kano's original form of Judo used competition as a metaphor for life and conflicts, you overcame adversity by "rolling with the punches" and flowing around a head on challenge with meeting directly. Funakoshi's philosophy for Karate-Do was different, meet adversity head on and face challenges with perseverance. Like Judo, Shotokan Karate-Do used competition as a metaphor for life and life's hardships.
Self-Defense Arts tend to focus on doing damage. So they rarely, use "safe" or Competition friendly techniques. They often focus on things like knife hand strikes, eye gouges and groin strikes because they need to inflict pain quickly and break contact with the aggressor or threat. Some traditional art teach their philosophy and culture through the traditions of a particular branch of martial arts lineage.
What you are shopping for isn't always what you are buying... For example, I won't "Out" anyone here but... There is a certain group online who lives for the expression of the history and traditions of Japanese culture. Now sometimes, they do teach real Japanese history and sometimes they add their own lies to it. They claim to be more legitimate because the head of their tradition is in Japan.
Of course, I am a Collins from a Branch of the Family that left Ireland came here before the Civil War. I could spin you a tell of ancient Irish fighting arts used by my family during the civil war and go back even further to Cork County Ireland with myths of Celtic warriors and such. I'm from West Virginia, my father is from Virginia and my mother from West Virginia. Both places have lost of history related to the Civil War and some of the bloodiest battles & skirmishes were fought here using tactics passed down from trapper, fur traders and Indian fighters (specialized soldier who adopted Native American tactics to European &, later American, technology). My family roots span from Ireland to colonial Virginia & spread up and down the east coat... But that would all be Bull Shit and no more creditable then some old Japanese con-man and his cult of pseudo-mystical ninja telling half-real Japanese history and half-made up garbage.
These same people teach otherwise effective techniques with some made up history all to convince you to buy a proven lineage. But they don't have the lineage they claim and the otherwise effective techniques aren't taught effectively. They are basically, selling you on a made-up "Warrior Lineage" and effective techniques but don't deliver either. You can train in a fly-by-night course that teaches you "Killer Commando Combat Self-Defense Secrets". I can spend all day telling you what is wrong with the self-defense industry or I can waste less time by telling what it done right about self-defense arts...
1. Self-Defense techniques are gross motor skill movements. They don't need a lot of time to learn, think of them as fighting hacks, but they do need regular training to maintain your skills. If the course doesn't have a formula for expending your training or offer additional courses of study to expand that training it might be worth in the long run.
2. Self-defense Courses that simulate combat conditions, teach awareness, and criminal tactics to avoid threats and conflicts are great systems for practical application. As opposed to whipping out a "Color Code Awareness" worksheet without telling what to be aware for.
3. Self-Defense Course are great when they mix the "culture shock" of simulated combat conditions with a grading process. They aren't grading you for rank they are grading you on progress. run you through the threat situation before training, give you some good training and run you through a different situation of similar intensity. This also gives you an idea of the value of your training.
Now lets ask something else... What does this have to do with SHTF?
First off, like I said not all SHTF situations is a World Ending event. Sometimes the world is here but, the world you live in has fallen apart. You might find yourself homeless from a house fire, a messy divorce or a number of other possible situations that might leave you in a bad place, in a bad way... More then fighting or teaching Japanese history (real or BS), they should teach you to be mentally tough and emotionally strong...
They should teach you to deal with life, not just fighting or a mugger. Martial Arts should test you, try you and build you up. They should teach you to think and act with purpose and to aways be working to develop yourself even outside the Dojo, Gym or Kwon.
Monday, April 18, 2016
Stalking & Harassment 2: The Pattern of Behavior expanded
This is a Continuation of Stalking & Harassment: A Pattern of Behavior examined where I showed the intent of the "Internet Trolls" like Phil Elmore, Don Roley & Barron Shepherd to harass and stalk me. Some may not know this but these same clowns even tried to become involved in my legal cases, of which I had all charges dropped. While Phil has been careful to not go out of his way to exaggerate claims into the grounds of slander, Barron and Don Roley have not...
Regardless of me and my own agitations, it doesn't take a lot to see a pattern develop. When I first started "fighting back" online and even now people told me I was being too negative. Perhaps, but you fight back, you don't back down... Bullies are the same regardless. After Paper Tigers & Ducking Dragons 8, I received a message across facebook. Now Paper Tigers & Ducking Dragons 8 showed Trition D. Smith using the image of a former Dux Ryu student, trained under Sky Benson, defending Barron Shepherd backing out of a challenge to me. Stalking & Harassment showed how Barron was dead set on trying to entangle me in legal troubles, rather then face me directly. Quite simply put these "people" exist only to harass and defame other martial artists to push their products.
Here is one example;
Now Dan Harmon is an example of a person who was mentally ill. Dan lied and made up stories because he wanted be more then just who he was... He wanted to be respect, admired and loved. He made the mistake of thinking he needed some external source for this... He didn't.
He didn't have a teacher or the money to get a lot of training in "ninjutsu." What he developed on his own, was his own concoction from many different sources, he told stories and such. Cool... I really don't see a problem with developing your own style. The reality is it doesn't matter if you learn martial arts off YouTube or in a Dojo, it is what you do with the information that matters. Do you think a mugger cares if you stop with a self-defense technique you learn from online, a book or in school with a proven line to some ancient master?
Does it matter if the guy or gal who kicks your ass trained in his garage or in dojo? Do you know how many legitimate Karate black belts with lineage going back to Funakoshi himself, who have told me stories about fighting in Karate in Japan and they have never been out of the country? Too many... I know qualified and legitimate martial artists with made up stories of secret kumite and claims of being street fighters with no proof & just weren't the type. The type of person who is a Street Fighter is either crazy or near suicidal by the way.
I remember a story Where at a Tai Kai Event Hatsumi called a man in stage to help him demonstrate a technique and the man stated his rank was "Soke" and Hatsumi addressed him with the respect of calling him "Soke." I remember watching Ashida Kim dealing with other self-proclaimed masters who he addressed then with the same respect and often "traded ninja secrets" with them, often helping them to develop better techniques and skills. Many times looking back, I often wonder to myself if he ever did this with me... Playing the role of the "secret teacher." Dan Harmon would have no doubt fallen into this category with me and many, many others over the years. Karl Jung would have referred to this as the Wise Old Man & in some ways the Trickster. Regardless, Ashida Kim did show me a different way of looking the phrase "When the student is ready the master will appear." Masters appear to us in all ways of life and we often never know it.
Being blunt, terms like Shihan, Hanshi, Sensei and so on all sound awesome Master, Grandmaster & Teacher sounds authoritative but what do they mean? No not the dictionary meaning but context. They are ranks right? Sergeant sounds impressive but what does it mean, it is a rank right? So colored belts show rank and have titles to go along with them that context. I person ranked as a black belt in BJJ shouldn't have to prove himself or herself by breaking bricks like a Karate or Tae Kwon Do belt. Two different systems with two different ranks, its not about rank it is about the knowledge. Rank is dependent on the system involved and nothing more. So Dan Harmon invented a history and invented a rank to rank himself... Did that mean that he was to be harassed, threatened and mentally abused to the point of ending his own life?
This is an ongoing pattern of abuse, threats and intimidation designed to do one thing and one thing only... Harass people into dropping the term "Ninjutsu" so that the Bujinkan is free to sell their products alone. Dan Harmon didn't sell books or Home Study Courses like I do... He doesn't run a company like Shadow Warrior Publishing, like I do. No what Dan Harmon did was more painful to the Bujinkan bottom line... He put out free information online, he made commercials for non-existent course he was in the process of making and they looked pretty good given the low quality but still it looks remarkably like the other non-contact, non-sparring instructional videos produced by the Bujinkan.
My concern isn't what the Bujinkan is doing, I don't like what they do... So what, I don't have to. My concern wasn't that Dan Harmon had a mental illness or lied about is past. My concern is that psychological abuse in the name of a bottom line against a person with mental illnesses is akin to beating up a man in a wheelchair or (sorry for my blatant masculine bias but) beating women.
Unlike my cited friend above, I am lucky in that I don't have a school or students to protect and don't have to "nut ride" or attack others to sell products. In fact, I am simple... I hate bullies. Anyone who knew me in grade school will tell you I was often fighting bigger kids, not to protect myself but to protect other kids. Someone, who said many of my posts seem negative dealing with this drama and BS asked me how I would convince parents that I was qualified to teach their kids to warriors and, I will end this blog with that answer...
I don't want to teach anyone's kids, my own if I had any, to be warriors. Teaching children to be warriors is akin to raising child soldiers. I will teach kids to be fighters but not warriors. Being a warrior is not about how brave you are or how strong you are. Its not about your tradition or system. Being a warrior is about one thing, the belief that you have to stand up for those who can't. Sure this crap is negative and it is something I rather not be typing about or people I don't want to deal with... However, I'm taking it upon myself to do so. Not because of being a warrior or any martial arts stuff I learned, not because I am defending my business. I'm dealing with this because I am worried about the next person driven to suicide by mental illness and the harassment of so called Martial Arts Instructors.
What happens when the next person to be driven to that point is a teenage kid with ninja fantasies to escape abuse and violence at him? Rather then having someone ease them into real world and helping them to better themselves they just get pushed further by so called fraud busters online. So if being a Warrior means, standing up for those who cannot themselves stand up... I guess I'm warrior but like many things in my life, I'm not the best man for the job, I'm the guy who showed up cause their was no one else... I'm not a warrior, I am just that guy.
Update: 4/18/2016
After speaking with someone about what happened to Don Harmon, I decided to "go back in time" to an earlier blog about this same issue... Fake Koga Ryu Ninjutsu & The Events Leading to Dan Harmon's Death. In that blog I posted three images, two dealing with the statement's of another martial arts group on facebook talking about those who harassed Dan Harmon and pushed him too far.
It is plain to see that these alleged instructors and martial artists are nothing more then corrupt businessmen. Frauds and cowards devoted to harassing anyone who might be competition for them, even if they are fakes and frauds... Even now I have gotten several anonymous text message from 1-916-216-9579, each message contains insults, threats and in some cases images trying to insult me or make me feel bad about myself... May be they just want to make me mad, sitting behind their computer screens laughing at how they've "pissed me off."
I've fought through more then cowards like you all could ever deal with and I doubt any of you are strong enough to face the same challenges I have overcome. Its very sad and pathetic, this is the very best in mental abuse these cowards can offer...
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Stalking & Harassment: A Pattern of Behavior examined...
So I have been getting a few laughs out of Barron Shepherd for not showing up in Charleston on March 4th, over a month ago when he said he would. Not showing to a online challenge is nothing, unless you say you will show up... Then you look like a bitch when you don't.
Barron's insane rant on his blog, which seems to be all about me... And his insane stalking of Frank Dux, Barron Shepherd looks a bit like scared and jealous little boy. Dementia, or the rumoured schizophrenia, seems mostly in his innane comments to Frank Dux, blaming Frank Dux for things I say... Let's add paranoid to his list of mental illness, theoretically since I am not qualified to offer an official diagnosis.
Even more interesting is that Barron Shepherd has once again proven himself a liar and now worse a coward. On Barron's blog is a quote seen in the image below were Barron Shepherd claims, Chris Smith told him he needed an MRI because of his age. This is false. Not only has Barron failed to show where he has even spoken to Chris Smith the promoter for Ruckus in the Cage but he is citing a law which does not exist...
At the weigh in no proof of physical was required only signing a statement and a brief examination by a doctor which amounts to the doctor grabbing your balls and telling you to cough, same thing I had to wrestle in high school. Ooh and ah, MRIs are not required due to age under WV Code. That means Chris would not have told Barron Shepherd he needed an MRI and Barron Shepherd is trying to hide behind Florida state code. This means Barron Shepherd lied and if he will lie about what Chris told him...
But here is what I think, y'all ready for this...
I think Barron and MRaymond Locktools* tried to get me to fight him Florida in an unsanctioned event. Too which Barron Shepherd was claiming I threatened him and had every intention of having me arrested. Now, that is why I went to Chris Smith and Ruckus in the Cage which Barron Shepherd never signed up for.
Actually, you never saw me you just went crying to Don Roley...
That is a 4 minute conversation I had with Chris, to set up the event and Barron Claims he signed up... After I pointed this out.
Ok here Barron Shepherd is caught lying because he says he called Chris Smith and then never showed up, in fact Chris is loving the free publicity... but lets look at what Barron says "Just to end any confusion I did accept Ron's challenge I did register online after Ron clearly stated that he set the fight up with the promoter. This however was nto the case Chris Smith the fight promoter of the event who can be contacted at csmith@ruckusinthecage.com said it was NOT SET UP and that it won't happen."
Then when I call Barry on his Bull shit he says this...
Well first off under West Virginia Code 29-5A-18 it clearly explains that the physician is in attendance of the event. Oops I lied when I said you gave them a physical exam form, you don't but if you actually knew anything about West Virginia codes you'd have known otherwise. More so, there would be not need for Chris Smith to contact you. Barron is clearly trying to cite Florida state law which requires such... Many MMA fighters come to West Virginia because our physical examines are more lax.
Which reminds me... Barry if you are too old and out of shape of fight in MMA how did you win a Judo tournament? How were you even allowed to compete if you are so sickly..? Or was that another lie...
I think Barron claimed he signed up for it, trying to save face but didn't. I think in his little bald head Barry, thought I was bluffing and didn't show. I think Barry was surprised when I did show and posted video on YouTube that he didn't show up... He started trying to hide behind Florida state regulations as opposed to West Virginia which wouldn't give him an out.
So Barry and Don, got together to concoct their scheme to get me to come to Don Rome's seminar in Lexington Kentucky so aside from them lying the driving time and distance, they claim 2 hours and it's closer to 4 to 5 hours depending on route and traffic, comes the fact that a) this occurs during the BDFS October event, so I have a reason to not be at Roley's seminar and b) it would give Barron Shepherd a host of witnesses to say I came there just to fight him, plus the internet. Under Kentucky's stand your ground law Kentucky Code (Revised Statutes) 503.055 (3), me going to Don Roley's seminar with the presumed intent to fight Barron Shepherd, since I was invited for that purpose alone, would allow Barron to legally attack me but would not protect me legally. Thus, its easy to see a set up in the works from someone too scared to fight me...
In less legal jargon this would show intent on any assault claim made by Barron Shepherd. That means, I am legally the aggressor regardless of whether Don Roley invited me or not... I would be arrested for assault. This is nothing more then a scam to get me arrested so that these bitch ass punks can call me a thug and pretend to be bad asses. There are no legal consequences for a sanctioned event, just cashing a check your mouth (or fingers since your typing) is writing hence my reasons for trying to set one up. By contrast anywhere outside of Don Roley's seminar would not place me under this umbrella of intent, as we have our Annual BDFS event and either Roley or Barron or anyone else's appearance their starting trouble would automatically make them the "aggressor" and prove intent. So outside of either event, the aggressor is going to be whoever initiates conflict...
Course instead of playing these bitch games I can always call Chris and have a new match scheduled? He has events in Virginia and some even in Florida. However, Barron will never step into a cage only wants to fight on terms where I face the potential of legal backlash. I I thought I saw a Puddy Tat, I do, I do see a Puddy Tat... Getting someone to face you on unfavorable ground is good strategy but when they don't take your bait then what?
*Here is the Long Stream of Messages between myself and MRaymondLocktools on facebook concerning the attempt to get me to fight Barron in an unsanctioned event.
Barron's insane rant on his blog, which seems to be all about me... And his insane stalking of Frank Dux, Barron Shepherd looks a bit like scared and jealous little boy. Dementia, or the rumoured schizophrenia, seems mostly in his innane comments to Frank Dux, blaming Frank Dux for things I say... Let's add paranoid to his list of mental illness, theoretically since I am not qualified to offer an official diagnosis.
Even more interesting is that Barron Shepherd has once again proven himself a liar and now worse a coward. On Barron's blog is a quote seen in the image below were Barron Shepherd claims, Chris Smith told him he needed an MRI because of his age. This is false. Not only has Barron failed to show where he has even spoken to Chris Smith the promoter for Ruckus in the Cage but he is citing a law which does not exist...
At the weigh in no proof of physical was required only signing a statement and a brief examination by a doctor which amounts to the doctor grabbing your balls and telling you to cough, same thing I had to wrestle in high school. Ooh and ah, MRIs are not required due to age under WV Code. That means Chris would not have told Barron Shepherd he needed an MRI and Barron Shepherd is trying to hide behind Florida state code. This means Barron Shepherd lied and if he will lie about what Chris told him...
But here is what I think, y'all ready for this...
I think Barron and MRaymond Locktools* tried to get me to fight him Florida in an unsanctioned event. Too which Barron Shepherd was claiming I threatened him and had every intention of having me arrested. Now, that is why I went to Chris Smith and Ruckus in the Cage which Barron Shepherd never signed up for.
Call records are below...
Then when I call Barry on his Bull shit he says this...
I think Barron claimed he signed up for it, trying to save face but didn't. I think in his little bald head Barry, thought I was bluffing and didn't show. I think Barry was surprised when I did show and posted video on YouTube that he didn't show up... He started trying to hide behind Florida state regulations as opposed to West Virginia which wouldn't give him an out.
So Barry and Don, got together to concoct their scheme to get me to come to Don Rome's seminar in Lexington Kentucky so aside from them lying the driving time and distance, they claim 2 hours and it's closer to 4 to 5 hours depending on route and traffic, comes the fact that a) this occurs during the BDFS October event, so I have a reason to not be at Roley's seminar and b) it would give Barron Shepherd a host of witnesses to say I came there just to fight him, plus the internet. Under Kentucky's stand your ground law Kentucky Code (Revised Statutes) 503.055 (3), me going to Don Roley's seminar with the presumed intent to fight Barron Shepherd, since I was invited for that purpose alone, would allow Barron to legally attack me but would not protect me legally. Thus, its easy to see a set up in the works from someone too scared to fight me...
In less legal jargon this would show intent on any assault claim made by Barron Shepherd. That means, I am legally the aggressor regardless of whether Don Roley invited me or not... I would be arrested for assault. This is nothing more then a scam to get me arrested so that these bitch ass punks can call me a thug and pretend to be bad asses. There are no legal consequences for a sanctioned event, just cashing a check your mouth (or fingers since your typing) is writing hence my reasons for trying to set one up. By contrast anywhere outside of Don Roley's seminar would not place me under this umbrella of intent, as we have our Annual BDFS event and either Roley or Barron or anyone else's appearance their starting trouble would automatically make them the "aggressor" and prove intent. So outside of either event, the aggressor is going to be whoever initiates conflict...
Course instead of playing these bitch games I can always call Chris and have a new match scheduled? He has events in Virginia and some even in Florida. However, Barron will never step into a cage only wants to fight on terms where I face the potential of legal backlash. I I thought I saw a Puddy Tat, I do, I do see a Puddy Tat... Getting someone to face you on unfavorable ground is good strategy but when they don't take your bait then what?
*Here is the Long Stream of Messages between myself and MRaymondLocktools on facebook concerning the attempt to get me to fight Barron in an unsanctioned event.
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
The Goal of the Black Dragon Ninjitsu Home Study Course
Ninjutsu is not a martial art, in the historical sense...
Ninjutsu is not the Art of Invisibility, in the historical sense...
Ninjutsu is not the Art of Invisibility, in the sense of Japanese language skills...
What is Ninjutsu?
Ninjutsu is the Invisible Art. Things done that are not meant to be seen, so they are hidden "invisible" to all but the puppeteers behind the curtain pulling the strings. Ninjutsu is the clandestine operations of Japanese samurai and those same skills have been morphed into other professions like intelligence operatives, military scouts, police investigators and some even say, adopted by the Yakuza (Japanese organized crime) for the purposes of smuggling, blackmail, murder and various other misdeeds.
So what is Black Dragon Ninjitsu?
Black Dragon Ninjitsu is the art pioneered by me based on it's roots in Omoto Ryu Budo, which did contain ninjutsu. Mixed with my own insights and experiences from other martial arts, Black Dragon Ninjitsu is more of a paramilitary and survival art then a martial art in the strictest sense of the word. Unfortunately, as dangerious as the world is becoming and need for such skills by everyday people growing, there isn't much interest in Modern Ninjitsu (I use the "Ninjutsu" & "Ninjitsu" spellings interchangeably) outside the military or the militia. So Black Dragon Ninjitsu is meant to be the first paramilitary competition ninjutsu-style in the world... While that sinks in.
The difference in spelling using the "i" or "u" is irrellivant as the Japanese written script of kanji has no English spelling, as it is a logographic (meaning Kanji are ideographs; meaning that the whole character conveys a meaning rather then just a phonic word, similar to how pictographs have a certain meaning which displayed by the image.) Kanji literally means Chinese Character.
Romanji or literally Roman Characters or Roman Letters in English, does have a spelling but the three main forms of Romanji are Hepburn Romanji which was abolished in 1994 and replaced with Revised Hepburn Romanji, Nihon-shiki Romanji which was created by the Japanese and pre-dates Hepburn Romanji and Kunrei-shiki Romanji which is a revised form of Nihon-shiki Romanji.
The difference in the spelling of "i" or "u" also a common argument among Jujitsu/Jujutsu practicers as among ninjutsu/ninjitsu practicers is the difference of a long or short vow. Because the "i" or "u" of Jutsu is a short vow it many times phonically comes across as soft "u" which to the original Hepburn Romanji system was spelled as "i" and was sometimes spelled with a "u" by more experienced Japanese speakers in the West, with no official spelling since about the 1970s, it was not formally added to revised Hepburn Romanji system until 1994, though informally existed in use since almost 20 years before that.
Romanji Spelling aside, the Kanji is the same...
Why does the world need Competition Ninjutsu & How Would Such a Competition work?
This is real question... First off when I was in the U.S. Army, we had many different forms of competition. Modern Army Combatives competitions focused on Brazilian Jiujutsu, Puggle Stick competitions to simulate bayonet fighting and force on force small teams warfare competitions between fireteams. Larger force on force competitions between Brigades and Companies to test the leadership and strategic planning of officers as well as the fighting skills of enlisted soldiers.
Note: Achievements #2 & #3... ARTEP stands for Army Training and Evaluation Program, a massive force on force "War Game" testing different units against each other at all levels. Also note Monthly competitions in Hand-to-Hand Combat and we didn't compete because it was fun. We competed because I gave an experience to learn from...
It was fun and it taught us so much, so why do we need Competition Ninjutsu? Because it will give us an opportunity to grow, learn and take the study of warfare as more then history lessons and Live Action Role-Playing (LARPing) in Samurai Armor. It would be fun...
How would such a Ninja Competition Work? Simple, lets bring in the ninjas open to all arts & systems not just "Ninjutsu" or Black Dragon Ninjitsu... As an old member of Ashida Kim's forum Big Lew used to say "The proof is in the pudding." Now I don't agree with Lew that competition proves anything, you can't sum up all of an art by how a person does in competition. But, you can learn from experience and build yourself up by testing yourself... We never disagreed there, competition would provide a chance to learn and adapt your thinking.
Such a competition would be a 3 to 5 day event, everyone would get together camp out, venders could sell things, authors could do book signings and there would be events...
We of course would open up with a martial arts tournament, similar to, if not MMA rules...
From there would a Self-Defense competition, different scenarios to which someone has to react. Some of it using social controls and interactions and other applying techniques and judged on 3 things: simplicity, effectiveness and accordance with lawful use of force. Weapons competitions would include shuriken throwing, knife throwing and archery. Knife-sparring using chalk knives, stick and staff competitions using pugil sticks and sword competitions on both cutting and kendo like fencing competitions. We could use variations of pugil sticks to simulate spear fighting. Add encryption and decryption code breaking competitions, stealth and camouflage competitions, obstacle course races and end it all with a Night time Small Teams Warfare Competition...
Each "Army" would be broken down into two teams. A 5-man defending team armed with paintball guns & kendo sticks, protecting an objective. A 5-man infiltration force armed with blowguns to shoot paintballs, chalk knives for sentry removal and kendo sticks. The "missions" for each army may be different, get inside and set a bomb: colored smoke device (sabotage), steal the enemy plans and get them back to their base wins (espionage) or kill the enemy commander, behead the dumby and bring the head back to the base wins (assassination). Infiltrating teams can engage on the battle field or sneak past. Defenders can to re-organized into infiltrating teams. Any paintball hit to the head or body, counts as a "kill" and team member is removed from the battle.
If no Army, achieves its objective both have last their battles, mutual destruction. First Army to complete its objective wins.
Why do we need this?
Because there is so much to ninjutsu then just Jujutsu (taijutsu) in a Black Gi and this is an opportunity for everyone interested in Ninjutsu, Ninjas, Clandestine and Convert warfare, Military Combatives, Self-Defense and martial arts to get together to learn from each other, to compete with others and learn find out own weakness and find ways to improve upon them.
How does this begin?
It begins with the Black Dragon Ninjitsu Home Study Course it is the only way I can ensure those involves have the needed skills. You don't need to buy the videos, you can sell the DVDs or trade them purchase isn't a requirement. Once you have your 9th Kyu rank, you can organize a study group of up 4 other people, they don't need to buy their own DVDs, just enroll in the program and submit the weekly testing videos. This gives you someone to train with and practice your techniques against, have a living breathing opponent. As the senior belt you are incourage of getting everyone together and organizing your groups training.
If you reach Shodan, you can rank others up to 1st Kyu/Ikkyu and even teach Black Dragon Ninjitsu as an assistant instructor, requiring all Shodan to come to West Virginia for the 3 Bootcamp and testing. Then compete in the Black Dragon Ninjitsu Ninja Competition against others, other systems and gain some knowledge about yourself that help you to grow as martial artist and a person.
Black Dragon Ninjitsu isn't about doing things my way... Its about finding your own way. By the time you reach shodan you should have the same techniques as me and your own unique style of making them work for you. In a Ninja Competition, the goal is learning about yourself... your strengths and your weaknesses so that you can improve you. So while everyone might be competing they are also learning from one another and becoming better for it.
Because it is not just about Competition, its about cooperation and growth...
Ninjutsu is not the Art of Invisibility, in the historical sense...
Ninjutsu is not the Art of Invisibility, in the sense of Japanese language skills...
What is Ninjutsu?
Ninjutsu is the Invisible Art. Things done that are not meant to be seen, so they are hidden "invisible" to all but the puppeteers behind the curtain pulling the strings. Ninjutsu is the clandestine operations of Japanese samurai and those same skills have been morphed into other professions like intelligence operatives, military scouts, police investigators and some even say, adopted by the Yakuza (Japanese organized crime) for the purposes of smuggling, blackmail, murder and various other misdeeds.
So what is Black Dragon Ninjitsu?
Black Dragon Ninjitsu is the art pioneered by me based on it's roots in Omoto Ryu Budo, which did contain ninjutsu. Mixed with my own insights and experiences from other martial arts, Black Dragon Ninjitsu is more of a paramilitary and survival art then a martial art in the strictest sense of the word. Unfortunately, as dangerious as the world is becoming and need for such skills by everyday people growing, there isn't much interest in Modern Ninjitsu (I use the "Ninjutsu" & "Ninjitsu" spellings interchangeably) outside the military or the militia. So Black Dragon Ninjitsu is meant to be the first paramilitary competition ninjutsu-style in the world... While that sinks in.
The difference in spelling using the "i" or "u" is irrellivant as the Japanese written script of kanji has no English spelling, as it is a logographic (meaning Kanji are ideographs; meaning that the whole character conveys a meaning rather then just a phonic word, similar to how pictographs have a certain meaning which displayed by the image.) Kanji literally means Chinese Character.
Romanji or literally Roman Characters or Roman Letters in English, does have a spelling but the three main forms of Romanji are Hepburn Romanji which was abolished in 1994 and replaced with Revised Hepburn Romanji, Nihon-shiki Romanji which was created by the Japanese and pre-dates Hepburn Romanji and Kunrei-shiki Romanji which is a revised form of Nihon-shiki Romanji.
The difference in the spelling of "i" or "u" also a common argument among Jujitsu/Jujutsu practicers as among ninjutsu/ninjitsu practicers is the difference of a long or short vow. Because the "i" or "u" of Jutsu is a short vow it many times phonically comes across as soft "u" which to the original Hepburn Romanji system was spelled as "i" and was sometimes spelled with a "u" by more experienced Japanese speakers in the West, with no official spelling since about the 1970s, it was not formally added to revised Hepburn Romanji system until 1994, though informally existed in use since almost 20 years before that.
Romanji Spelling aside, the Kanji is the same...
This is real question... First off when I was in the U.S. Army, we had many different forms of competition. Modern Army Combatives competitions focused on Brazilian Jiujutsu, Puggle Stick competitions to simulate bayonet fighting and force on force small teams warfare competitions between fireteams. Larger force on force competitions between Brigades and Companies to test the leadership and strategic planning of officers as well as the fighting skills of enlisted soldiers.
It was fun and it taught us so much, so why do we need Competition Ninjutsu? Because it will give us an opportunity to grow, learn and take the study of warfare as more then history lessons and Live Action Role-Playing (LARPing) in Samurai Armor. It would be fun...
How would such a Ninja Competition Work? Simple, lets bring in the ninjas open to all arts & systems not just "Ninjutsu" or Black Dragon Ninjitsu... As an old member of Ashida Kim's forum Big Lew used to say "The proof is in the pudding." Now I don't agree with Lew that competition proves anything, you can't sum up all of an art by how a person does in competition. But, you can learn from experience and build yourself up by testing yourself... We never disagreed there, competition would provide a chance to learn and adapt your thinking.
Such a competition would be a 3 to 5 day event, everyone would get together camp out, venders could sell things, authors could do book signings and there would be events...
We of course would open up with a martial arts tournament, similar to, if not MMA rules...
From there would a Self-Defense competition, different scenarios to which someone has to react. Some of it using social controls and interactions and other applying techniques and judged on 3 things: simplicity, effectiveness and accordance with lawful use of force. Weapons competitions would include shuriken throwing, knife throwing and archery. Knife-sparring using chalk knives, stick and staff competitions using pugil sticks and sword competitions on both cutting and kendo like fencing competitions. We could use variations of pugil sticks to simulate spear fighting. Add encryption and decryption code breaking competitions, stealth and camouflage competitions, obstacle course races and end it all with a Night time Small Teams Warfare Competition...
Each "Army" would be broken down into two teams. A 5-man defending team armed with paintball guns & kendo sticks, protecting an objective. A 5-man infiltration force armed with blowguns to shoot paintballs, chalk knives for sentry removal and kendo sticks. The "missions" for each army may be different, get inside and set a bomb: colored smoke device (sabotage), steal the enemy plans and get them back to their base wins (espionage) or kill the enemy commander, behead the dumby and bring the head back to the base wins (assassination). Infiltrating teams can engage on the battle field or sneak past. Defenders can to re-organized into infiltrating teams. Any paintball hit to the head or body, counts as a "kill" and team member is removed from the battle.
If no Army, achieves its objective both have last their battles, mutual destruction. First Army to complete its objective wins.
Why do we need this?
Because there is so much to ninjutsu then just Jujutsu (taijutsu) in a Black Gi and this is an opportunity for everyone interested in Ninjutsu, Ninjas, Clandestine and Convert warfare, Military Combatives, Self-Defense and martial arts to get together to learn from each other, to compete with others and learn find out own weakness and find ways to improve upon them.
How does this begin?
It begins with the Black Dragon Ninjitsu Home Study Course it is the only way I can ensure those involves have the needed skills. You don't need to buy the videos, you can sell the DVDs or trade them purchase isn't a requirement. Once you have your 9th Kyu rank, you can organize a study group of up 4 other people, they don't need to buy their own DVDs, just enroll in the program and submit the weekly testing videos. This gives you someone to train with and practice your techniques against, have a living breathing opponent. As the senior belt you are incourage of getting everyone together and organizing your groups training.
If you reach Shodan, you can rank others up to 1st Kyu/Ikkyu and even teach Black Dragon Ninjitsu as an assistant instructor, requiring all Shodan to come to West Virginia for the 3 Bootcamp and testing. Then compete in the Black Dragon Ninjitsu Ninja Competition against others, other systems and gain some knowledge about yourself that help you to grow as martial artist and a person.
Black Dragon Ninjitsu isn't about doing things my way... Its about finding your own way. By the time you reach shodan you should have the same techniques as me and your own unique style of making them work for you. In a Ninja Competition, the goal is learning about yourself... your strengths and your weaknesses so that you can improve you. So while everyone might be competing they are also learning from one another and becoming better for it.
Because it is not just about Competition, its about cooperation and growth...
Monday, April 11, 2016
Update to: Trolls & Haters are once again showing how little they know.
So by showing the how little the trolls understood of the concepts they are trying to attack with Trolls & Haters are once again at it... And showing how little they know., to justify their claims, because they know nothing and helped to prove it... They sent me new pictures, with new complaints, again showing they know nothing lol... So I'm bored and here is what the haters and trolls aren't explaining.
2. This can easily be seen in the still image below.
Notice the rope is pushed up and away as I slip the punch. This is because the block/deflection is used to establish trapping, something that doesn't exist in Boxing. It also sets up for the trap/grab and counter punch in the same action.
By Variation, you see the slip, block and strike drill done with the lead hand. This means the hips are snapping forward, while the lead knee bends behind the strike to deliver kinetic energy to the target. The counter rotation of the hips also gives the reverse hand power to deflect at the same time the lead hand is driven into the target. Your hips basically supports a column called the Spine, rotating the hips rotates the spine, which moves the chest and upper torso cavity. This why rotation of the body generates kinetic energy within a small space and creates a more powerful strike.
No just a different angle... But, I though the stance was too wide last time and left the groin to open? So its proper when Hatsumi takes a wide stance but not me... Course I'm not in a "stance" am I. I was punching, delivering kinetic energy to point, while Hatsumi is standing there passively in Ichimon No Kamae. I am generating explosive power through action and Hatsumi is posing for the camera. Two very different things...
As for the "Staggered Stance" well...
From a different angle then...
Remember this is an action shot, so the hips are being snapped behind a punch to develop explosive power i.e. kinetic energy.
Danny O. Danny No!!! Some Internet trolls says your head is down. Ok Danny is moving backwards while I am moving forwards but lets see...
No Doug Werner author of a Beginner's Guide to Boxing, doing it all wrong as well... because the trolls say so... lol
1. Chin Tucked in Shoulder of Punching arm... Both
2. Reverse hand up to defend... Both
3. Reverse Hand Position, Me placed to protect the throat and Mr. Werner places hand to outside the chin, not concern with protecting the throat.
4. Head forward... Both. This changes the angle of facehelps to prevent the nose from being a target.
5. Foot Work/Foot Position... Me, "L" shaped pattern more akin to Japanese arts with a wider stance used to move the body further into the strike, generate great kinetic energy. Mr. Werner feet face forward and closer together to allow for better mobility.
That is because I never completed the choke, I wasn't teaching chokes. I was addressing the possible expansion of a basic concept based in positioning. Chokes will be covered later, for now a student needs to focus on angles and positioning in a fight. The promotional video is below and it is intended to teach you yellow belt skills...
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