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ARTICLES AND COMMENTARY
NOW AND THEN THE JOURNEY FROM TRADITIONAL TO PROGRESSIVE.
I haven’t written anything lately, as I feel fewer and fewer people fit into the culture, we do not represent. I have put some earlier articles in mostly for the edification of my newer students, to understand the structure and expectations they will be training under. With that accomplished, I am going to answer some of the inquirers of friends and contemporaries, as to how our transition from traditional Isshin-ryu has gone for us.
From a progressive standpoint, I feel deemphasizing Isshin-ryu and emphasizing Dragon Sen-I Jutsu, was the right move for us. We have changed our training priorities to the total martial arts fighting package. This meant training in stand up fighting, to include clinches, take downs, throws, and ground fighting. It also meant a lot of training for me to stay ahead of my students, while being a student at the same time. That has been the most enjoyable experience of my martial arts training experience. As a result, I am a better fighter today than I have ever been. I have been younger, stronger, faster, and much more durable, but never as prepared as I am now. More importantly, I can say the same thing for my students. I lost personal interest in being relegated to stand up fighting alone, with kata and weapons. They are good for many and many are good at them, but not for me. No one discipline has ever defined me as a fighter. I owe so much to “Harold Long Isshin-ryu.” It and I, served each other well for many years. For me, the time to leave the comfort base I had built myself had come. I could always walk into any tournament, and be Denny Shaffer, 9th dan, with a history of being a good fighter, and training other good fighters. Then take my place in the “older master comfort zone,” and live out my days being important in my immediate circle of friends. There were days when I wondered to myself why I couldn’t be satisfied with just that. Did I really have anything more to prove? Would people not be more comfortable with me if I just conformed and worked within the system? On a personal level, I didn’t want to get old and become a symbol of the past. I have trained all my life and life has been good to me, as well as good genetics. I still have a lot more to do and the physical ability to do it. Why live to be 90 if you are virtually dead at 60.
The transition has been physically very easy. The emotional one has been at time Hell. First, I had to get by being my own traitor for departing from Isshin-ryu. I was always that true believer that abhorred talk of any other style or system. I have not changed my loyalty, but I have changed my direction. I am still Isshin-ryu based, Isshin-ryu born and bread. I have not changed one kick or kata. I have added my own personal touch along with the working techniques of other fighting disciplines. I did not do that and still call it Isshin-ryu. That would have been in my mind, just wrong. The change was not easy or immediate. There are three things that get you in trouble or lose “friends” in Isshin-ryu. They are tournaments, Rank, and association politics. In other words, going against the establishment. I applaud the Traditionalist, as they are keeping the style we all love alive and pure. Unfortunately, some are serving to pollute that purification system with poor teaching and worthless leadership. It is turning Isshin-ryu into an old man teaching kids program. The in between is vanishing. In well run dojo’s this is not the case. Unless, they align themselves with the stale, out of touch leadership, of some associations. Their students experience the sameness of the tournaments, with contact rules that benefit no one, except the insurance companies and the tournament director. The judging gets worse as the years go by, and the same people beat up the same people, tournament after tournament. The fighting in point tournaments has become so sub par, that it predictability leaves no challenge. The last few years we went to point tournaments, we won most of the divisional and grand championships. The truth was, there were only about six or seven actual fighters there. The rest looked like they were being attacked by a swarm of bees. Where have all the fighters gone? MMA, kick boxing and jujitsu. The thing I miss at these events, is the respect tradition.. Not saying it is necessary for a good fight, but a little Isshin-ryu courtesy and respect, would go along way. The culture is different and some have never stepped foot in a traditional martial arts school. One Jujitsu tournament we went to, we all wore our matching uniforms. I wore mine and my belt. We looked like the kid who showed up at a tough school the first day in a suite and tie. Most competitors wore an assortment of apparel and the instructors wore shorts and flip flops. They were a tougher breed too. No make believe points. Just a-holes and elbows for points. They were generally, standoffish, cocky, and geared up. Not the friendly out going good luck wishing Isshin-ryu group we were use to. We knew virtually no one. It is a tougher and less personal activity, but that is who we are in part now and we will lean how to fit in as we go. We are relieved to get away from some of the people we associated with in Isshin-ryu. I am positive they feel the same way. We did ourselves and others a favor by moving on.
The continuous fighting Chuck Reynolds sponsored during his tournament, was worth all the point tournaments we have ever been to. Even in losing, each fighter came away having learned a lot about real fighting. The ones who try points and continuous, pretty much got their tickets punched and should make up their mind which activity they are going to train their minds and bodies to react to. I saw some terrific point fighters lose themselves in the, in between world of both styles of fighting, and wind up confused when the heat was on. Others hit but with no real power due to the muscle memory of controlled point fighting. Conditioning was also a factor.
We are now out in that other world of tomorrow. Not going to the Isshin-ryu Hall of Fame was a huge change. They had promised continuous fighting and changed their minds after I resigned. From all accounts with the exception of a few fights, we didn’t miss anything. Still a lot of going is about the people you will see. The Hall of Fame was a great meeting place. It also gave us a chance to see friends we don’t ordinarily see. It too brings in good fighters from other places. The two years I ran the tournament (2008, and 2009), was an exhausting experience. But I was told I did a good job, so I guess I did. The last year I attended I was promoted to Ju-dan in both Isshin-ryu and Sen-I Jutsu. The promotion police came out and politicized it as usual. Even my first black belt refused to sign my Isshin-ryu certificate. And people ask me why I want to change my playground. I don’t know what the future holds for the HOF. I hope it enjoys years of success. Primarily it is run and controlled by some people my Black Belts considers unfriendly to our dojo. If the rules change and continuous is put in, we will probably return. We know exactly who to keep our distance from and we will. I would advise they do the same thing. We want no trouble at all. Just don’t pee down our legs anymore and tell us it’s raining.
The Isshin-ryu Cross Trainers Association, has found it niche after three years. We have evolved to a simple training group that gets together with like minded people, a couple of time a year, to do serious reality based, cross training. No patches, dues, or formal board. Our board so to speak, is an accumulation of highly qualified martial artist, who like to share their knowledge. We ignore politics and the one trick ponies that have their loyal subjects acting like we are contagious! Actually we are. Knowledge is contagious. Ignorance, envy, complacency, laziness and ego territorialism, are the antidote to progress. We do have our likes and dislikes, but that is individual and does not enter in to who attends the training or whose events we attend. If it does for the other people, then stay your butt away. Otherwise you may like it and learn something new to teach after 30 years of chart one and two, kata, sparring, and imagination bunkai. Which I hasten to add doesn’t have a prayer in Hell of working for 90% of the people. If it does, we would love to have you show it. Seriously, we are learners too and all knowledge is encouraged. As for anything else organizational, we will leave that to the planners and just be doers..
As to our dojo, it is healthy and growing. It took me ten years in Anderson, to come up with the quality of students here in Greenville, in just two years. I am also giving adults what the want. I have three good kids. The rest are young adults and older adults. Our camaraderie is pure Red Dragon. We look forward to new horizons with new and old friends. Our ICA Jams accomplish some of that and our door is always open to our friends.
We still revere our “Dragons Forever” Tab group of leaders and friends. You are held in the highest of esteem by our black belts and are considered an extended member of our dojo. Don’t ever think that you are just given a certificate and tab, then that is it. We are your friends and are always here for you. We know you feel the same. Some previous tab holders were removed in a somber and regrettable manner as that is the last thing that we want to happen. It signifies the end of what once was, a close and valued friendship. We waited a long time before doing that. When it does happen, it makes those of you still with us, even more appreciated and valued.
On the Traditional side, we wear two types of uniforms in the intermediate to beginner classes. We were black gi pants with black tee shirt. The gi top is used for events and some training. We also wear red mma shorts and the black tee. Belts are worn with gi pants, but not shorts. In the advanced class Monday night and Wednesday morning, you wear anything you want to. It is a privilege you have earned by being placed in the advanced class. We do not bow, but come to attention, tap our chest three times (for Dragon Sen-I Jutsu) and say, “Dragons all the way.” We repeat that at the end of class, with a “Dragons Forever.” And of course, a rousing “whoo whaa”. One student ask me why we didn’t click our heals together and go to Kansas instead. I thought it was pretty funny but I hit him in the throat anyhow and said, how does Kansas look now ass face. He isn’t around anymore. He followed the yellow brick road somewhere else. Traditional Isshin-ryu, Harold Long discipline, strikes again. Our rank system is very different. We don’t go by kyu’s or dans. You can see for your self, in the, Sen-I Jutsu explanation on the site. We do not do kata as a group, but I still give Isshin-ryu rank to anyone who runs kata and qualifies. That is a separate issue. With all that I teach, I have a time management consideration, so I had to prioritize. Kata and weapons were a lower priority. There are none in Sen-I Jutsu. Just the knife. I think that about covers it. For those who wish us well, we are very well. For those who do not…Laugh Out Loud…We are very well. Hope you can attend the ICA Jam March 5th. It’s being held at Joe Laney’s dojo. We train from 10 'til 3 pm. Cost 25.00 dollars. You can attend any or all of that time. It will be an informal training day on stand up and ground, with anything else you ask about thrown in. Anyone attending is urged to contribute anything you feel would be of interest. We will try to get people who don’t normally train with each other to do so. We want a social atmosphere with an exchanging of information. We have been experiencing very productive jams and feel this one will be the same.
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