Copyright © 2023 by Jeth Randolph
All Rights Reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the author.
“Hi Jeth,
This is a video I saw a couple of months ago that had an older guy showing how to deal with kicks. He seems quite good!”
Thanks.
Watching this, I must say that I have a difficulty relating. I am not a martial artist and haven’t been for a very long time ( more of that in a minute).
How would this fare against the arts of aggression and victimisation? I imagine, a couple of teenage rats with knives going through these respectful and cultured men in so many seconds.
I know also that there will be armchair critics of anything shown here as having no chance against the new age of MMA, but it is always ultimately the individual and not the martial style. I learnt this first hand by travelling abroad and meeting traditional style practitioners who were otherworldly in terms of applying the often dismissed “classical mess”.
“That kick to the ankle would miss under the effects of .. gulp…adrenaline!”
Maybe, but not for everyone.
Everything is also… situational.
I wish I had such a pleasant backdrop to train in - some cherry blossoms would be nice!
But…
I started as a kid with karate (actually in the 70’s with Judo but Karate was my first absolute obsession) , still have my old yellow belt grading certificate somewhere, I still remember how proud I was of it at the time. Maybe I’ll post it some time. All the way from back in the, cough, 80’s.
Hang on… there you go!
In some ways I miss the completely abstracted ritualised experience of violence. You get to theorise and loudly say stuff like” Of course, in real life I would do it this way…”.
Until, sadly that is, real life comes knocking.
It was the 80’s though and rougher than I hear these classes are now. I did a lot of sparring with larger men and that pretty much was the end of all the bullying I was experiencing at that time in school and outside.
I wonder sometimes if I could return to it as a hobby, but the regimented quality of it is impossible for me now, this is not through some lack of self discipline, it’s just that it needs to be mine rather than that of some “Grand Poobah” that I need to deify and bow to.
But I get it, it’s not for me but it is for a lot of others and that’s cool.
It’s nice, to see these guys being pretty chilled out and not just squabbling which is very much the impression of western martial “meetings” like this but it’s probably that you get that stuff everywhere. So it’s a pleasant and respectful exchange to watch.
They’re also happy, which again is a change from the presentation of fake “urban” angst of some trainers here.
Laughter and happiness are very important more so than affected frowns and tattooed flexing. You can still be “reality based” if you lighten up occasionally!
I like this guy’s bone strikes and general chilled way of being and could get with some of the stuff he was saying in terms of isolated ideas within certain contexts. He has a healthy softer form too and also about his place in the food chain as an older man. Okinawa is culturally different as I understand it and he seems more Chinese in his approach. Someone that knows more can correct me on this.
A nice watch and thanks for sharing.
Jeth
Update: I do now have cherry blossoms - at least for a short while!
Got a comment or question?
You don’t need to create public accounts, just drop me an email at info(at)forcenecessary(dot)co(dot)uk
Anything I answer here for you and other readers will be anonymised.
My work is completely reader supported. If you find this content useful, please consider becoming a paid supporter for only £3.50. Thanks, Jeth