A DESCRIPTION OF DRAGON SEN-I JUTSU
AND
ITS CONTRIBUTORS

As a brief statement of clarification; we are not changing styles or replacing Isshin-Ryu with Dragon Sen-I Jutsu. In time, our training will make that decision for us. As for now, we are satisfied just to experiment and enjoy the challenge of a mixed martial arts dojo.We will continue our traditional conduct and approach to order in the dojo. The traditional set up of our classes are critical in preparing the students for class and keeping their perspective during training. Our street fighting will not produce street conduct or attitudes in our Isshin-ryu dojo.

FOREWORD AND DEDICATION:

          Red Dragon Sen-I Jutsu, is the final destination of my martial arts life’s work. It is dedicated to my wife Reese, who has redeemed my faith in humanity, and inspired me to create. Since our first meeting, February, 15^th 2003, my spirit in all ways, has experienced rebirth. She is also the one who chose the name from a list of possibilities. I always recognized the wisdom of her opinions.

          This is a monumental undertaking at my age, that would be impossible were it not for the help of the Red Dragon black belts, who have pushed themselves and me into another realm of training and understanding. This dedicated group has taken every old school thing I have thrown at them and have demonstrated the ability to get “contact real.” If we could not do that then training in Sen-I is irrelevant. There are also some hard working, incredibly knowledgeable, martial artist and supportive friends, who have educated and encouraged me for lo these many years. A special thanks to Master Clyde Stanley, who gave me the idea to do this and Master Willie Wilson who encouraged me when I was having a hard time with the decision. In truth, after forty plus years teaching Isshin-ryu, I was becoming stale. For me, it was like teaching the last twenty years, what I learned the first twenty .I noticed that a lot of the Isshin-ryu bunkai and kumite required skills that I no longer possess. I then began to notice that in the rough and tumble style of street fighting I was gravitating to, I could hang with any of my students. Common sense told me at sixty five years of age, that if it worked for me and extended my ability to physically train on a competitive dojo basis, then it would work for everyone. So the greatest majority of this system is for my enjoyment and a rejuvenation of my passion for teaching and training. And oddly enough, perfect for the older individual.

  There have been many legendary Martial Artists who have worked with me to broaden my scope of knowledge and give me what I could have not acquired by myself. All have had a profound effect on me. Grand Masters; Harold Long, along with Bruce Lee, and Cecil Paterson (Wado-Ryu), have all shared knowledge and leadership. None more of course than Mr. Long. His finger prints will be all over this system. Master’s Willie Wilson, Clyde Stanley, Butch Hill, David Gabbard, Joe Laney, James Ogle, Maurice Msarsa, Doyle Seiber, Renshi Tony Williams as well as Ju-dan’s; Toby Cooling and Phil Little have spent many hours in the “cross training” service of my students and me. Also, the Masters and black belts who have attended the Dragon Jam, have made a positive contribution. It gave me a mirror to hold up in front of myself and immeasurable knowledge for my students. Probably nothing gave me more “up close and personal” experience than the first Nashville group. It was before safety equipment and some of the training was an organized gang war among ourselves. Even Mr. Long commented often on the ferocity of which we fought.  I also owe a debt to my boxing instructor Irish Billy Sellers; and some full contact kick boxing experience from Mike Moore of Athens Ga. The realization of life and death my military experience taught me; and the combat training that is used in my system taught me the value of closing out an attacker. Last but not least, thanks to the three best street fighters, Buddy Shumate, Fred Payne, and Ron Reeves that I have ever known. Watching and participating with them while growing up, taught me more than much of my martial arts training about street fighting. All of this in my background, has caused me to push the envelope and strive to develop a system that I feel a calling to do. I hope it is not perceived as a condemnation of Isshin-ryu its past and present leaders or an insult to those who have made it great. I am also not trying to appear arrogant or indicate that I know something, or more than my counter parts, or earlier sensei’s. I just feel a calling to step outside the box where many others have gone, and create my own concept of street fighting defense. Only time and students will tell if I have made the right decision.

          Dragon Sen-I Jutsu means ”Dragon Spirit Fighting”. I define it as “situational street combat”. The “situation” designation, gives it a totally individualized application. It is not a scripted approach, as it depends on the situation and the individual analysis of the situation. Its approach to individual selection action and reaction, is best defined by Bruce Lee when he said, “absorb what is useful, discard what is not, add what is uniquely your own.” This must be fully understood to learn Sen-I Jutsu from within. This sets up for me as the teacher, another Bruce Lee quote. “A teacher is never just a giver of truth. He is a guide, a pointer to the truth, each student must find themselves. A good teacher is merely a catalyst.” That being said, Sen-I Jutsu is not to be described or assumed to be the best of anything. It is an eclectic, composite of techniques and fighting applications, from other successful styles of combat. No style or systematic form of any martial arts is any better or worse than the person using it. Arguing the latter is for fools and people who need to believe in something other than themselves. It is an irrelevant thinking that flies in the face of progressive change. Through my experience, study, and access to the best martial artist of my time, I would state that some techniques seem to have a better chance of working for the greatest majority. It is these tools I put in your hands to become a craftsman to whatever degree you choose. Once again, “absorb what is useful, discard what is not, add what is uniquely your own.”

          Its physical dynamics are rooted in close combat conditions or conditions that may become close combat. Close combat is described as anything closer than kumite distance.

Combat readiness must accommodate any altercation that begins the following ways:

1) An unprovoked attack from any side or angle.

2) An argument that develops into an attack.

3) A mutual agreement to go out side (or wherever), and get it on.

4) A life or death struggle.

  A basic boxer’s stance, with open hand forward, is the anchor stance. There are few stances, with the emphasis on transitioning, without always picking up the feet while punching or throwing. Transitioning also applies to the torso and arm placements as much as the feet.  The hips are the directional compass not the stance or feet. Power comes from torqueing of the hips and shoulders. As the general distance between you and the opponent is half an arms length, maximum power, mobility and stability, must be accessed at short range. The hips are the key and the angle they provide. It is recommended that attacks and counters are done to the outside and just off the hip of the opponent. Never straight on. There are reasons discussed in training and techniques practiced that cover this aspect. All this will not be covered in written form. This is for dojo training. Kicks are low and limited to knees, ankles, shins, and groin along with leg sweeps and foot stomps. Kick are recommended as weapons only if you are a good kicker. If not, they are to make openings for your hands. In a close order street fight, picking your foot up off the ground for any reason, is a calculated risk of balance. Kicks will be best used as an interceptor strike or, if you have driven the attacked backwards at kicking distance.  Punches and strikes, are Isshin-ryu, kung-fu and boxing. Hook punches, power shots with the arm close to the body, and sling over the top punches, are found to be more reliable than any other in the street. Most power strikes are followed by elbows or knees or both. Additional strikes come from the head and shoulders. All this, while maintaining a disengagement option. Blocks, are predominantly shuto’s to the arms for injury and control.

          We will attack the arms as much as the head. They are an easier target and vulnerable to injury. Moving the head while blocking and in line with the hips is essential. Slipping punches free up both hands for punching and promotes continues disengagement. Otherwise blocks will be in the vicinity of the head and not the parallel to the floor variety that can be hooked around. Block-strikes will be for creating opening for combinations. Not defensive deflection. There is no Sen- I Jutsu kata; only live practice and technique practice. There is no step one, two, or pre conditioned responses, or kata. Only combat applications from the written syllabus or personal variations are to be practiced. There must be plenty of room for a “you” in your combat responses.

  As stated above Dragon Sen-I is a composite of other disciplines as most styles are. Though there are many influences in our style. We draw from mainly four.

Isshin-ryu: for our basics and fundamental, with the heaviest contribution from the kicks, elbow and knee strikes, breathing and transition stances(Kusanku) Plus some of the tuite and applicable bunkai.

 Kung-fu: six inch punches, rips, gouges, grabs, sweeps ,shin and forearm strikes, and circular strike/ blocks. Also catch blocks and rotation punch and some take downs.

Boxing: slipping punches, punching combinations, stance, hooks, sling punches, left jab twisting hand to a horizontal fist.

Grappling: any and all techniques designed to stay up right or return to feet after take down. Half circle ju-jitsu, Go-Shin, Kung fu, As we are not grapplers in the strictest sense in the word, we concentrate on techniques that make us, stand-up fighters who can grapple if necessary.

You are challenged to make this a better system tomorrow than it is today. It depends on you for its future improvement. You will never be asked to protect the “system” more than yourself. It has to flow with the times. It has to change with the individual and be almost unrecognizable from practitioner to practitioner.

          Do not be a demonstrator of your system beyond the basics, or you will demonstrate your lack of understanding for it. The system is you, creating an individual choice of options. The basics of the system are a brush and canvas of which to paint what lies in your eyes. There are fundamental street combat known’s, but mostly unknowns. Thus the necessity for “situational” combat.

          Simplicity is the key. You must turn a blur into a focused picture. Your mind, if not preconditioned with too much information, can do this. The challenge is to make Sen-I, the yen and yang of combat, with you as the line in the middle. The worst thing any system can do, is to over program you and leave you with more answers than questions. Stop worrying about how to do “It” and be “IT.”

          Ground tactics are for the purpose of surviving the ground with the goal of disengagement and stand up resumption. If it not possible to disengage, the systems basics provides for optional techniques to situational selection. Our basic ground training syllabus, is limited to only two techniques per situation. One, for taking advantage of what your attacker gives you. The other for creating your own advantage. Last but not necessarily least; is the survival mode. This strategy is simply for tiring your attacker out by making him waste energy, and ultimately exhausting himself. Sufficient training will be done in the art of relaxing during a struggle, using patience, positioning and controlled breathing.

          Finishing is one of the more situational aspects of the system. You are expected to show the same judgment here as in your selection of defense techniques. When we speak of finishing we are speaking of ending the fight where no harm can come to you. The better you are the less you have to fear. Fear causes over reaction of force. On the other hand do not under react. As Master Wilson would say, “you have the right to get home safely at night”. Defend this right to the best of your ability.

          This is a very generalized synopsis of a specific approach to situational street combat and training. Do not read and memorize. Train and realize!!!!

Denny Shaffer Chief combat instructor

Dragon Sen-I Jutsu