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ARTICLES
AND COMMENTARY
BLACK BELT
CHAMPIONSHIPS
Saturday April 10th the tournament was held in Mt. Juliet just outside of Nashville. It was limited to Black belts only. Considering it was in the “you can’t come into my state zone,” it wasn’t well attended. It turned out to be one of those tournaments that was enjoyable and competitive at the same time. Master Bill Pogue isn’t one of those guys who is afraid to try something new. The new (continuous) was fun, entertaining and got everyone on their feet. The old (points) was stale, monotonous, and drug out. The day gave me a chance to evaluate my feelings and that of my guys regarding both. My observations neither changed my mind and further ingrained my feelings that points, is what flag football is to the real thing. I took three competitors; Leon, Darren and Woody. Leon and Darren won first place in their divisions and Leon eliminated Woody who finished third. All the fights were good because all who entered were fighters. This is where the rubber meets the road. Other than my guys the others were point fighters who were willing to go for a little reality. As hard and as well as they fought, I watched some point fighting tendencies get them into trouble. Every physical activity is specific to what it is trying to accomplish over and over again and automatically. Only the very best of fighters (and there are some) can have it both ways. You are either throwing from left field or second base. Same action different motor skills. Point kumite fights at a different and safer distance. It is often cat and mouse. Continuous fights from street distance and uses an ongoing attack of one technique after the other, to drive through and overwhelm the opponent. Points, conditions and trains your muscle memory, motor skills and coordinative combinations, to a specific style of fighting. It also predisposes you to pulling your punches to a degree that prohibits follow through and penetration of the blow. Every exercise physiologist that I have talked to has told me all of this. You do in the game what you do in practice. Most point fighters paw and push their punches to get a point. Their arms are fully extended and their heads are in the knock out zone. In continuous they have a hard time recovering and protecting themselves. Their heads bob in and out, in and out, of the strike zone. Point fighters throw one to two techniques. Anything after that they get called down or get a penalty. There is hot dogging in points.. Try that in continuous and see what happens! Judging in points never satisfies anyone as it is arbitrary and always open for criticism. Continuous has four judges that say at the end who they felt was the winner. Not perfect! But if you are being judged, do you want someone to watch for two minutes or two seconds until he makes a judgment. A judgment that he may or may not have seen correctly. Also, continuous is just that; continuous. With the rare exceptions of posing (just standing in a fighting stance doing nothing), the movements are rhythmic, continuous, and useable in the street. Plus you train your opponent for the street also, as facing what is real out there is sure as hell not points, or one punch and out. Points never have chest to chest action as it is dedicated to distance and catching your opponent by surprise. Some of the point techniques would do damage for sure if you got a chance to use all at a minimum of arms length. I know people say that; Well, we do continuous in the dojo. Yeah I’ve seen some of it and they are right to stay out of the ring. It is continuous mistake after mistake. Get some coaching or grab a bat. I could go on, but you are either going to agree or disagree. I have a bottom line for you. The most prevalent reason people don’t want to, or like to continuous fight is, that they are afraid to. There are some hot shot point people who win and disappear when the continuous starts. Why? Because they know they throw crap and if you are quick, experienced, and have some good point techniques you are going to win and not get clipped in the process. Most point fighters defense is geared to stop only one strike not a series. What did one of our old guard, big fish in her little pond say? “They checked their ego’s at the door”. Well yeah, if I could come in with my chest stuck out knowing that the worst that could happen would be if I got accidentally poked in the eye with a bo. I’d be pretty laid back also. If I had no students to worry about and everyone was paying me to let them in, I’d just check my wallet at the door. If all I was going to be judged by was how nice my gi looked and how many hugs I gave and got, I’d just go to a “Good Neighbor Sam” meeting. Damn, some of us still work in our dojo’s. Our egos are pride in ourselves and our students. We don’t appreciate being judged or controlled by someone playing karate dress-up. You are opening your doors to the public for competition skippy. I hope to hell I don’t ruin what you had planned as a perfect day. And be sure to group together all your cronies and let then know someone has arrived that is not a member of the club. Then insult the hell of them at the bow in and give their students the same treatment. This is more like an old High School reunion with the same people just as asinine as they were years ago. Some of the false bravado reminds me of the first few days of football practice. Everyone is running around in shorts, looking good. Put on the pads and half of them quit before the hitting starts. One session of bull in the ring and out go several more. When there was no equipment, their was no place to hide. The rules were different and so were the fighters. With equipment and now such fear of face contact, it has fostered a lot of puff balls that sashay around like a peacock and don’t have the balls of a month old canary. You may not like me saying this but try to dispute it. There have been two great fighting schools who have mostly dominated the tournaments in the southeast. I have run both of them. Others have had one, but not two. Most have never had one. Look now at who has good fighting black belt adults. So when the talking starts and the suggestions and training begins, be sure you listen to someone who has never had anything to show for all that BS and wisdom. I pulled at a distance from Isshin-ryu because of all this. See you where the action is. Leave your phony crap at the door. Enter with ego and go go and let’s get it on… Below is a picture of some of the hard rock fighters. It was worth the trip to see these old friends and watch them extend themselves. All but my group fought in points too. Tony was inspiring. His point fight against Doyle Seiber was a text book job. He hit Doyle with everything but the scorers clip board and it was over in about 45 seconds. Then he gave Leon a full measure for two minutes in continuous. He is a hero to my people and we love him and all his people. Thank God for Tony’s group, Sandra Strong, along with Kelly Markham’s group and our ICA friends and training partners. It keeps it all real and worth while. There will be no point practice at the Dragon Jam May 1st. I’m not going to waste your time or mine. I think points for a breather are cool but as a practice no way. I will have some interesting news for you later once it has all been confirmed.
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