Home Intrusion on Christmas, and the Martial Arts

Newsletter 844

I was Attacked on Christmas!

HANAKWANMASS!
And a great work out to you!

Yes,
the martial arts killed Christmas.
In fact,
it was me,
with my martial arts
that killed Christmas.
Killed it dead.
Dead a poisoned rat in a trap dropped in a well.
Here’s how it happened.

click on the cover!

Back in 1974,
I had just gotten my Black Belt.
I was in phenomenal shape,
the martial arts had turned on
all sorts of abilities for me.
I had a sixth sense open up,
I could feel when people were going to do things,
I could sense things around me,
I moved through the world
a warrior unbound.

My wife and I lived in a small house in Redwood City.
There was an upstairs and a downstairs.
It was so compact
that the bathroom was under the stairs.

One night I awoke,
felt the need to relieve myself.
Half asleep,
stumbling through the dark,
I descended the stairs.
I turned through the living room
and headed for the bathroom.

Suddenly,
a shape rushed at me!
It was dark,
but I could feel the motion.
I spun into a classical move,
and chopped with perfect form.
The intruder crashed against the wall.
One chop,
and he was down and out!
Now that’s good martial arts,
I thought,
and I turned on the light.

The Christmas tree lay a ruin.
Every ornament was flung from the tree,
little bulbs lay in shards,
scattered across the floor

The lights,
needless to say,
no longer worked.

The cheery, little angel
that had topped the tree
was smacked against the wall
and lay in ruins.

Half asleep,
I had snagged the Christmas tree cord with a foot,
and pulled the ‘intruder’
down upon myself.

Still,
I had defended myself rather adequately,
don’t you think?

I remember a time in an Aikido class,
when the instructor had talked about
using the sixth sense to protect oneself,
but not being so violent,
that Grandma had to worry,
when she walked up behind you
and tapped you on the shoulder.

Well,
I understood that one.
And I understood that I had a lot more to go,
a lot more to learn,
past black belt.

Heck,
getting a black belt is just the start.
That’s like graduating from high school,
and there’s all sorts of college ahead of you,
advanced studies in rare fields.

A lot to look forward to.

Unfortunately,
there are those that quit the martial arts
after getting their black belt.
They have nothing to look forward to.
Or at least didn’t,
until the Matrixing courses came out.

Now,
even if it’s been a few years
since you worked out,
you can jump back in the game,
study those rare fields of knowledge.
Learn Shaolin,
figure out this ‘chi’ business,
study weapons.

And you can do it logically,
without all the mystical bullstuff
that infects most martial arts.

Well,
up to you.
It is Christmas
(HanaKwanMass)
however,
so you might think about getting yourself
a nice present.
A present like a whole martial art.
How about Shaolin?

http://monstermartialarts.com/martial-arts/6-shaolin-butterfly/

Okley donkley,
here’s something you should know…

Got more videos out on the MonkeyBoxingNow site.
Check out the blog there,
and sign up for the newsletter
if you want the blog to come to you.

And don’t forget to be politically correct.
Don’t say Merry Christmas,
it might offend somebody.
Instead,
be socially responsible and say Happy…

BULLPUCKEY!

Say Merry Christmas if you want!
And the heck with people
who object to a well wishing!

In fact,
say
HANAKWANMASS!
Offend everybody!

It’s the only way to go!

Now,
HanaKwanMass to all,
and to all…
A HAPPY WORKOUT!

Al

(And try not to kill the tree, you rabid dogs!)

http://monstermartialarts.com/martial-arts/6-shaolin-butterfly/

http://www.amazon.com/Binary-Matrixing-Martial-Arts-Case/dp/1515149501/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1437625109&sr=8-1&keywords=binary+matrixing

go to and subscribe to this newsletter:
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Google doesn’t like newsletters,
so this is the best way to ensure you get them.

You can find all my books here!
http://monstermartialarts.com/martial-arts/

http://www.amazon.com/Matrixing-Tong-Bei-Internal-Gung/dp/1507869290/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423678613&sr=8-1&keywords=tong+bei

Creating Martial Arts Systems and Styles

Newsletter 818 ~ Sign up at the top left!

A Buddha Crane Matrixing Win!

Got a great win from Timothy G this week!

Check it out ~ Click on the cover!

Hello sir.
It’s going well. Really well. Once I was able to connect Buddha crane with shuri ryu, the pieces began to fall into place all by themselves.
The Buddha crane is the foundation of the kihon waza, ippons waza and came into their own flow drills(taezus naru waza).
Making changes to the Kata isn’t as easy, but I have done the first few Kata. Even crazier, I found someone who has already blended shuri ryu with something. So, it came rather easy.
Upon showing him how I’ve made changes opened his eyes and he’s asking me to give him pointers on how to make his karate be more ‘alive’.
My shuri ryu master is dead and I never got the chance to get my black belt. So, I’ve gone thru these people I’ve run into and just from what I showed them they are willing to bring me to the black belt in shuri ryu.
I’m not sure if that’s even important now, being that I matrixed the whole art, but I do hope to bring this understanding of shuri ryu to the table. Thus, starting a new (sub) ryu to the family.
I couldn’t have done it without you. Osu

Thank you, Timothy,
and well done!

And for everyone,
please take note of a few things here.

The classical is not suffering,
drills and exercises have more flow,
which comes from increased understanding.

Making changes isn’t always easy.
Aside from the fact of understanding
the potentials of the martial arts
enough so that you can make intelligent changes,
you have to force yourself to change something
that you have come to believe in.

Changing a belief system is often the hardest thing
a man can do.

He shows his changes to another fellow engaged in changes,
and he becomes the authority.
Simply,
he isn’t just changing,
he has the knowledge,
and this is something that people really respect
and will adhere to.

Upon showing his changes to others
he is recognized as expert,
or having the ability to be expert.
Osu to you, Timothy.

And,
finally,
here is a very interesting question:
how important is the black belt at this point?
People going through these changes,
are gaining knowledge
and that is senior to black belt.

Maybe one out of a thousand people
that start karate
get to black belt.

But how many have the knowledge
to put together their own system or subsystem?

I encourage everybody to get to black belt,
but I encourage knowledge more.
Understanding is the most important thing you can ever get.
Period.

Thanks, Timothy,
your win is fantastic,
and I hope people understand
the trials and tribulations here,
and the incredible passion you have for the arts.

Here’s how I analyze forms. I do this for every move. Check out video courses at MonsterMartialArts.com. This particular technique is from Temple Karate.

Now,
I know Timothy has other courses and books on Matrixing,
but he mentions the ‘Buddha Crane’ book.
So let me explain something about that book.

That was the last book I wrote,
I believe,
before starting on Matrixing proper,
before doing all the matrixing courses.
As such,
I was using matrixing concepts hard and fast,
and I was developing a whole art
out of what I knew.
You can see me reworking techniques,
reworking forms,
trying to bring everything into a new slant,
or,
to be proper,
a ‘de-slanting.’
A truth.

Here’s the funny thing,
the book was actually just a ‘toss in,’
a bonus,
on the ‘Create Your Own Art’ course.
I wanted to show how I was creating an art,
give an example
to back up the theories I was pushing.
The book is PDF on the Create Your Own Art Course.

You can,
I believe,
get it on Amazon,
if you look around you can find it.
You can also get it here…

https://www.createspace.com/4577595

That’s my publishing company,
so I get a bigger royalty
if you get it there.

That page I just gave you
has a complete write up
on what is in the book.
And,
the Createspace version is paperback,
which most people prefer,
because it’s easier to walk around with the book,
than carrying a computer around
while you practice.

And,
a final word,
the illustrations are most interesting,
I wrote it on an old mac,
and the software was something called Appleworks.
What this means is that I drew the illustrations,
hundreds of them,
one line at a time.
I drew figures,
patterns,
techniques,
everything,
with lines.
Interestingly,
I remember,
at the time,
not being frustrated by the slowness of it all,
but being excited,
because I felt like I was,
by doing the illustrations in this slow and laborious way,
learning something about the human form,
writing what I was doing
in a new way in my mind.
By the time I was done
I felt VERY changed inside.

So,
that’s it.

Again,
thanks Timothy,
I hope people appreciate your win,
and I hope they take the time to look at the book,
and get their own wins,
take a stab at understanding,
and even changing,
their own carefully crafted belief systems.

And everybody,
it’s summer,
have fantastic work outs!

Al

https://www.createspace.com/4577595

go to and subscribe to this newsletter:
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Remember,
Google doesn’t like newsletters,
so this is the best way to ensure you get them.

You can find all my books here!
http://monstermartialarts.com/martial-arts/

http://www.amazon.com/Matrixing-Tong-Bei-Internal-Gung/dp/1507869290/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423678613&sr=8-1&keywords=tong+bei

Matrixing Your Mistakes in the Martial Arts!

Newsletter 814 ~ Sign up!

Making NO Mistakes in the Martial Arts!

Gonna be a 100 degrees this week!
It’s time to really sweat!
So turn off that air conditioner
and get ready to ROCK!

Release of final volume of Matrixing Karate Series! Click on the Cover!

Let’s talk about matrixing.
In fact,
let’s talk about the big bugaboo of the martial arts…
MISTAKES!

Mistakes are not actually mistakes.
If you block something wrong,
for instance,
it’s not because you made a mistake,
it’s because you made a calculation,
a computation,
based on your current data.
When all the input finished,
when you finished calculating
the trajectory of the fist,
the angle of the block,
and so on,
and got hit in the face,
it is because you did what you trained yourself to do.

You didn’t make a mistake,
you responded according to your training.

This is actually true of everything in life,
but since martial arts are a microcosm,
a small classroom,
let’s look at the martial arts potentials here.

A student is trained to do a block.
He practices and practices,
until it is ingrained.
Until it becomes the intuitive response.
Then an attack happens,
and it is the wrong intuitive response.

This,
incidentally,
is why so many arts fail.
Take Kenpo,
for instance,
two arts,
the art of the technique,
and the art of freestyle,
and they have nothing to do with each other.
The training,
you see,
has left reality.
Then it takes twenty years or so
to make the intuitive work.
Maybe.

So here is the question:
How do you create a correct intuitive response…
EVERY TIME!
And that brings us to matrixing.

In matrixing a mistake is never a mistake,
it is an opportunity to learn something.

So consider this.

A right fist to the face can be blocked four ways.
Use your right hand to push it to the right
Use your right hand to push it to the left
Use your left hand to push it to the right
Use your left hand to push it to the left

I know,
there are lots of potentials here,
lots of other blocks.
But we are keeping it simple.
You can apply what I am telling you here
to other techniques and arts later.

So you practice the first one:
Use your right hand to push it to the right

and you practice it because it is the right one.
It is the one that works best.

And you practice and practice,
and then,
one day,
you are attacked,
and it doesn’t work.

WTF!

The reason it didn’t work might be anything,
a slight curve on the punch,
a delay in timing,
a sneaky distraction,
who knows and who cares.

What we care is the solution.

Instead of practicing just one defense,
you have to practice all four.

And practice and practice.

Sometimes,
if one of the potentials almost works,
you have to practice it a lot.

Sometimes,
if the potential is a disaster,
you just have to practice a little,
every once in a while,
just enough so that you realize…
here it comes…
WHAT DOESN’T WORK!

You see
it’s not enough to know what works,
you have to know what doesn’t work.

Not to make what doesn’t work intuitive,
but so that you can see what doesn’t work in the middle of combat.

This is a different level we are talking about.
We are not talking about being cause and effect,
we are talking about causing the cause and effect.
We are talking about a ‘master viewpoint.’

When somebody punches you shouldn’t react,
you should move with them,
in tune with them,
developing the block or counter or whatever
in the middle of the moment.

This is mushin no shin,
or mind of no mind.

This is when your memories
memories that you might have implanted yourself,
don’t distract you.

This is when you do purely and truly.

And it is really amazing
when you find yourself in the middle of one of these moments.

I was working out with a couple of fellows the other day,
using sticks.
These two fellows had worked out for years,
knew each other well,
knew the material well,
but when it came time to demonstrate,
the teacher turned to me,
because he could feel that I was more ‘in the moment,’
and showed the technique on me.

Simply,
I didn’t hesitate,
or make mistakes,
I just stayed with him,
moving in time with him,
moving in tune,
and even when he started deviating the technique,
there I was,
sticking with him,
making it work.

So you see,
you can’t just practice the martial arts,
you have to understand them.

You can’t just practice a technique,
you have to practice ALL of the techniques,
all variations.

You can’t train yourself to just respond,
because then you are training yourself
to be effect to the other guy’s cause.

Instead,
you have to train all the potentials,
even the mistakes,
then mistakes won’t fool you,
or otherwise trip you up.

The best place to do
what I have told you about here
is the Matrix Karate Course.
The Matrix of Blocks,
which is just one small item on this course,
goes directly to the heart of this.
You will then understand how blocks work,
how they work together,
and how to define what mistakes are
so they never trip you up.

Here go.

http://monstermartialarts.com/martial-arts/matrix-karate/

HAPPY WORK OUT!

Al

http://monstermartialarts.com/martial-arts/matrix-karate/

go to and subscribe to this newsletter:
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http://monstermartialarts.com/martial-arts/matrix-karate/

http://www.amazon.com/Matrixing-Tong-Bei-Internal-Gung/dp/1507869290/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423678613&sr=8-1&keywords=tong+bei

Opening the Door to Secret Martial Arts

Newsletter 808

Arresting a Thug Using Martial Arts

Good afternoon!
Man,
is it good!
Go on,
work out,
you’ll find out!

Hey,
I received an interesting win.
Here you go…

Click on Cover to find the secret of Matrixing the martial arts.

Last night I arrested a thug at work.  I lost count of how many times I have done this over 25 years, but get this…  We use Aiki-jitsu (the late Bob Koga brought this to us and other law enforcement) as our tactics base.  Very watered down it works OK at best.  Last night I used a straight arm bar take down.  Usually a distraction technique, shuffle pivot hands on and gravity is how the magic starts.  Unfortunately some of these thugs learn through misadventures how to counter what we do.  To make a long story shorter.  I found myself doing a Buddha palm from a natural indexed stance and moved to the side.  My end position happened very fluid and I found his wrist and elbow on the transition of arm positions (during BP), reverse it with a modified arm bar take down stepping back and it was something else.  Not sure what the percentage of luck was but I think all my hours practicing clicked.  Pretty awesome! My partner was in awe! ~ KB
Thank you KB!
I love a good win!

Here’s an interesting little tidbit.
In Karate,
or other martial arts,
I sometimes talk about the space between the techniques.
I talk about this space as being crucial.
This win highlights why.

Put your hands together
in front of your face
as if praying.
Now circle one hand around
until it scoops
and is basically palm up pointing at the elbow
of the still praying hand.
That is the Buddha Palm position.
Now,
as you go back and forth,
circling the hands so that first one hand is praying,
then the other,
you find the ‘hidden’ technique.
But it’s not hidden,
it is one of those ‘spaces’
that you will find simply by doing the form.

Interestingly
there are A LOT of these ‘hidden’ techniques
in classical Karate.
You just pick two moves
and go forward and back
forward and back,
until you see what the motion is trying to do.

Unfortunately,
a lot of these ‘secrets’ are garbage.
They are just motion
nothing to be found in them.
But,
there are also the little gems
that you will find here and there.

Unfortunately,
most people only do the forms one way.
Straight forward,
they never look at the other side,
or going backward from move to move,
and look at what the motions really have in them.

And,
it is really fun to go through these
with a partner,
and look for ‘secrets.’

But,
no partner?
Just do the form forward and back,
forward and back,
move by move,
and you will find them.
Or,
as in the win that started this newsletter off,
they will,
if you throw yourself into the practice,
pop up when you need them.

It’s true.
And this is one of those things I refer to
when I say that
the art will do you.

Thanks again,
KB,

And for everybody,
start looking,
there aren’t any secrets,
there are just people
who don’t look at the forms,
who don’t throw themselves into the art,
until the art does them.

Here’s the link
for the ‘easiest to find’ secrets

http://monstermartialarts.com/martial-arts/matrix-karate/

Have a great work out!

Al

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Remember,
Google doesn’t like newsletters,
so this is the best way to ensure you get them.

http://monstermartialarts.com/martial-arts/matrix-karate/

http://www.amazon.com/Matrixing-Tong-Bei-Internal-Gung/dp/1507869290/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423678613&sr=8-1&keywords=tong+bei

Just How Violent Are You?

Newsletter 758
Just How Violent Are You?

Good evening!
Rainy and cold,
perfect for a work out,
really warm me up!
Isn’t life great?
Great work outs equal a great life!

Got a great quiz for you.
Go to this link and do the quizz,
then come back.

http://www.gotoquiz.com/are_you_capable_of_killing

If you don’t like the results,
check yourself with another quiz of the same type.
See you in a while…

http://www.gotoquiz.com/are_you_capable_of_killing_someone

Fascinating book on how to align keno and make it more powerful.

Welcome back.
How’d you do?
On the first quiz I got 44%
On the second I got 36%
So average of 40% capable of killing people.
Hmmm.
I guess that doesn’t make me too balanced.
But that’s okay.
As long as I take my meds and…
just joking.
I don’t like pills.
At all.

Anyway,
I found the quizzes interesting.
I study the martial arts,
it’s all about killing.
I had to think long and hard
about some of the questions,
after all,
if I’m practicing a technique where I rip somebody’s head off…
isn’t that thinking about murder?
Hmmm.

Which brings us to an interesting point.
the martial arts are,
by and large,
a fantasy.
Of all the people I know who know martial arts,
probably one in a hundred ever got in a fight.
They all got calmer, smarter,
were in better shape,
were nicer people.

And,
I haven’t been in a fight since high school.
that’s a long time.

So we come to the crux of it all.

It’s not wrong to be capable,
I would count that as a gained ability.
That’s why you are studying.
But,
it’s probably wrong to act on those impulses,
and I would say that martial artists are much more capable,
but much less willing to act on impulse.
Sort of turns that bad feeling you get
from being so capable and efficient and all,
into a nice feeling.

Yeah.
You know martial arts,
and you can hurt people,
but because you understand the consequences of hurting people,
you are more careful not to.

Heck,
and you thought you’d done badly.
Silly you.

Now,
want to know the art that I do,
that would probably result
in the most damage to somebody?
That would really hurt them?
Tai Chi.

Yeah,
that slow stuff.
Loosey goosey slow as molasses.
Much deadlier than Karate.
Maybe not as deadly as Blinding Steel,
but Blinding steel uses weapons.

Anyway,
want to hear about a weird fight?
The guy who got me into the Kang Duk Won,
his brother was a Hell’s Angel
who also studied Karate at the Kang Duk Won.
Don’t be so surprised,
there were a lot of bikers there.

So this brother,
T I’ll call him,
got in an argument with the head of the school,
Bob Babich.
One of T’s favorite weapons
was a primary chain off a motorcycle.
I don’t know what kind of motorcycle,
but T could wrap it around his waist
and pull it out in a fight.
He could swing it and it would wrap around,
or he could turn it 90 degrees,
and it was like an iron bar.

So T told Bob he couldn’t beat a guy
armed with a primary chain.
Bob said he could.
T said he couldn’t.
Bob told him to try it.
T pulled out the chain,
flicked it through the air.
Bob stepped back and let it pass,
and it cut him above the eye,
a thin, little slit that hardly bled.
Then Bob stepped in after the chain
and touched T’s eyeball.
Didn’t strike,
just touched.
T dropped the chain,
end of fight.

The funny thing here
is that T was a killer.
Certified.
Bob was a martial artist.
Bob was more capable of killing,
but he knew the consequences,
and he was careful not to kill.

True story.

Okay,
enough bushwah.
Time to work out a bit more.

So here’s the link to Matrix Tai Chi Chuan.

http://monstermartialarts.com/martial-arts/2ba-matrix-tai-chi-chuan/

This course breaks Tai Chi down,
makes it totally understandable.
Then you can take this course…

http://monstermartialarts.com/martial-arts/five-army-tai-chi-chuan/

Or,
if you’re really feeling good,
get them both and save a few bucks.\Right here…

http://monstermartialarts.com/martial-arts/tai-chi-chuan-package/

Now,
have yourself a cool and awesome workout!

Al

http://www.amazon.com/Matrixing-Tong-Bei-Internal-Gung/dp/1507869290/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423678613&sr=8-1&keywords=tong+bei

A Very Nice Martial Arts Win

Winning in the Martial Arts!

Hey,
I received the following win from Will S in the email.
Wins like this make my day.
It is just guys like you and me
figuring it out,
living good,
and spreading the energy.
Here go.

Find out the truth about real samurai swordfighting

Hi sensei Al

How are you sir? This time, how unusual…I don’t want anything from you. Just to say thanks for everything and I hope you are in great health and your shoulder has healed up well. Of course I practice and teach my matrixing and  duly read and ponder on the newsletters, most of them indeed are very stimulating to deeper thought and research, others are informative nonetheless. Some grind my gears in the best sense of the word, those that make me think and go aha! or even worse, spark and explosion of sudden realization in body and mind. Usually sits quite deep and ends up as something that becomes part of oneself or ones way and to pass on to the postulants…try to define energy? What is energy? I mean really? So I guess, you sowed very well because it seems there is something growing, that encompasses the realm of physical understanding or trying to make sense of a move.
I think this is why I am at the point where I am now. A work in progress, not there yet, but definitely no longer where I once was either. A lot of it was distorted, wobbly and shaky, but in the end, there was coherence, there was sense and there was logic. There was truth. As we know, for something to be true its opposite must also be true. In this case, you pushed me with my nose onto it, gently yet diligent and patiently. Thank you. You are a hell of a martial artist and an amazing teacher.
I am glad you are around, sensei Al. All the best to you my friend,
happy workout, and new videos are coming soon.

Thank you, Will.
And,

listen to all of you guys and gals out there.
Yes,
I push matrixing,
but as Will says in the first sentence,
you don’t have to want something.
You can chat,
share win,
gripe if you want
(you just need to do more work outs)
or whatever.

But here’s the thing…
you can’t change unless you seek to go outside yourself.
Yes,
change comes from within,
but that change must be prompted by external forces.
But before the external forces can work,
you have to want.
You have to look for those external forces.
They won’t act on you otherwise.

And,
of course,
if the external force is me calling for more work outs,
that is excellent.

A world of happy,
stable,
doing well
martial artists.

That’s the goal here.

Listen,
when I started,
way back in 1967,
I was involved in an art that I thought
WAS THE BEST MARTIAL ART IN THE WORLD!
Heck,
the instructors said so,
my classmates believed it,
so…?

Then one day I met a fellow,
and he showed me something,
and I changed.
I quit the school
(found out it was sort of a McDojo),
gave up being a teacher,
and started over as a white belt.

The point is that no matter how good you are,
there is something more to be learned,
but you have to be willing to let that learning touch you.
You have to open the eyes and ears,
and be willing to redefine your belief system.
You have to go outside yourself.

The point isn’t to have the best system in the world,
the point is to make logic out of the chaos,
and make the best system in the world. for yourself.
Every person’s system will,
in some way,
be different.
But you have to be willing to seek to find it.
You have to be willing to change things,
you have to be willing to make things work.

Okay,
‘nuff preaching.

Check out Blinding Steel

http://monstermartialarts.com/martial-arts/3a-blinding-steel-matrixing-weapons/

Blinding Steel is not just weapons,
it is a complete progression
from weapons to hands to takedowns.
It has eight drills which encompass all motion,
and which can be adjusted to
hands once you have given up the weapon,
to takedowns once you have closed sufficient to negate hands.

So check it out,
works well with any system,
and really opens the eyes.
Provides the external stimulus to change,
if you get what I mean.

Now…
Have yourself a great work out!

Al

http://www.amazon.com/Matrixing-Tong-Bei-Internal-Gung/dp/1507869290/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423678613&sr=8-1&keywords=tong+bei

Learning Tai Chi Sword Secrets

The Tai Chi Sword Illuminated

As far as swords go, it is a loser. It is skinny and thin, not able to take the bashing of force like a sabre. It only has curve at the tip, not able to slice through armor like a samurai sword.

Yet, in the skinny is the strength. And in the lack of curve is the art. Indeed, the tai chi sword may be the ultimate weapon.

Learn Five Army Tai Chi Chuan

Skinny, it is light and quick, more like a knitting needle than a sword. Yet a knitting needle carves the most beautiful garments. And to watch knitting needles in the hands of a practiced granny is to see the twinkling of art come alive.

Down the length of steel the tip curves, a mere inch of cutting surface. Yet, who among us has not experienced the scratch of needle tip. Indeed, a mere scratch can leave jagged wound that is unwilling to readily heal.

The real point here is that such a delicate instrument is not meant for bashing or massive slicing any more than a doctors scalpel. It is meant for reaching in and tipping. It is meant for the delicate move which slides in under, over and past the basher and the cutter.

A delicate insertion, a quick flick of the wrist, and art is attained. This art is an appreciation of the space around the practitioner. This appreciation of space is at the heart of the art.

Cutters and bashers are fence painters, splashing indiscriminately, and ruling by force. The wielder of the tai chi sword, however, is a an artist, a sculptor, a doctor. He rules by intelligence.

For he who holds the tai chi sword must hold sway by exercising the intelligence to perceive, and thus undo, the force of the basher and the ruthlessness of the cutter. He must undercut brute force with intelligence to prove himself. Therein is the striving, the accomplishment, and the art, for the true artist to behold.

Matrix Tai Chi Chuan is the quickest and most combat ready Tai Chi Chuan art in the world.

Making a world Class Fist Load, or How I chose the Munio

The Munio Fist Load Keychain Martial Arts Weapon

A Fist load is a Japanese term for a hand held martial arts weapon of the small variety. In this classification you would find brass knuckles, possibly saps, and definitely Kubotans.

Complete art, a pivotal time in matrixing ~ click on the cover!

And, you would definitely find Phil Ventrello’s handy, little keychain called a Munio. You can read about the Munio, and of my test of it, here, (https://alcase.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/munio-self-defense-is-great-martial-arts-equipment/)

What you don’t know is that at one time, a few years ago, I decided to make one of these key chain killer devices myself.

First, I went to the lumber store and bought a six inch dowel.

Then, I went to the hardware store and bought a handful of nasty and sharp, little nails.

Then I measured the spread of my finger in a fist, and pounded the nails through the stick at the measured points.

ZOWIE!

I was holding a gnarly stick that fit perfectly into my hand and projected the points of some very, sharp nails between my fingers.

I had a device that could be adapted to carry keys, would fit in my hands, could be used to pound like a hammer, or flail like a small mace, and I pitied the fool mugger who wanted my skinny, little wallet!

And, here is the thing, I could make these suckers and sell them!

I could see it in my mind’s eye, mass produced by some third world country, recommended by police officers and Navy SEALs everywhere, and people would buy them like hot cakes!

Hot cakes with nails in them, but still hotcakes!

Conjecturing over this massive sales bonanza, adding up zeros in my head, I slid my home made fist load into my pocket and—OW!

The nails ripped apart my pants and scored my skin! And when I tried to take it out of my pocket it hurt even more!

I stared at the nasty, little martial arts tool. It bled at me. Darn. It was so perfect, but you couldn’t carry it. Heck, it would defeat any kind of holster, rip apart clothes, and…and if I was caught carrying one of these I would be guilty of intent to maim and all sorts of other stupid laws!

So I tossed it in the trash.

And, several years later, I carry a Munio. And now you can understand why I was so excited when I came across the Munio.

Munio means ’I defend.’ It can be carried into an airport, it won’t zap some poor fool into a heart attack, it won’t spray you in the face, and the darned thing is really cool looking!

Yet you can flail the keys and use the butt of the thing to pound sense into some poor mugger’s face!

Heck, I showed mine to my wife, and though she has NEVER showed an interest in martial arts weapons, she said, “Can I have one?”

So, check it out here…http://www.munioselfdefense.com/munio-workshops/.

Shoot ‘Em Again! It’s Only a Stun Gun!

The Problems of Stun Gun Self Defense

Stun guns became popular for self defense a number of years ago. People touted them as a more humane way of taking bad guys down, and now they have had a number of years to become tried and tested. Unfortunately, their are a few problems with using a stun gun for self defense.

First, let’s address the human angle. No bullets, no surgery, you can zap the hell out of a guy!

Well, not really, shooting somebody with 50,000 volts is rough on the body. If that body has a weak heart, or is even weakened from excess drugs or drinking, it could be killed.

And, having said that, there have been a couple of videos on the net where police sit back and zap the hell out of some poor shmuck. Grinning, and secure in the knowledge that they can torture without worrying about leaving bullet holes.

Humane? No. Dangerous? Yes. Period.

Another point we should take up is the use of a stun gun by Joe or Jane Citizen. Do you know how long it takes to get a stun gun out of holster or purse? And is Joe or Jane a sure shot? They haven’t practiced, so can we be sure they will hit the target first time every time?

So the conclusion is obvious, stun guns are not excellent for self defense, and they do have drawbacks and dangers.

Is it better than shooting somebody?

Maybe, if you actually manage to get a shot off and the bad guy doesn’t have a heart attack.

So what is the alternative?

I personally believe that all police officers should have martial arts training. I believe Tokyo had its police officers all study Aikido, and I think that a study of Aikido, or Tai Chi, or any non-aggressive martial art would be a hundred times better than excessive force and the use of deadly force weapons.

Look, here is the brutal fact, if the police feel they have to arrest somebody they won’t let up. This has the consequence of making police into bullies.

The counter argument is if they let somebody go, and that somebody kills somebody, the police are then responsible.

But martial arts training, especially if it is not aggressive, gives better reactions, and a variety of non-deadly force responses.

So, make the police learn something that will soften their approach, without softening their purpose to arrest bad guys.

And, as for Joe Citizen, maybe if he took a little martial arts he would end up with the self-respect and attitude that drains the bad out of bad guys.

Matrix Kung Fu is a course filled with takedowns and locks. This is a virtual alphabet of grab arts, and it is available at MonsterMArtialArts.com.

Munio Self Defense is Great Martial Arts Equipment!

Munio Self Defense Keychain is a GREAT Martial Arts Product

Munio means ‘I defend,’ and it is the next great martial arts tool designed specifically for self defense.

This is my personal favorite! Click on the picture and you’ll get taken to the store and can choose from LOTS of models!

Once every year or so somebody asks me to do a review, of a book or a martial arts product, and I get very picky. I’m not about to put my name on something just for the heck of it, or to get a free sample, or whatever.

That said, when the honorable and never to be maligned Phil Ventrello pointed to one of my blogs and said that he had a product that was in the spirit of that blog, and would I be interested in reviewing his ‘Munio,’ I jumped at the chance. The product he was talking about, you see, was a self defense key chain, and I have carried one for decades.

I have hung my keys on a Kubotan for a lo-o-ong time, and I have been kicked out of more airports and hospitals than you can shake a keychain at. Simply, I hate being told by those TSA gropers that I have to go back to my car, take my keys off, and then come back.

I mean, what? I’m going to hijack an airplane, or kidnap a kidney patient, using something that looks like a blunt pencil?

Furthermore, I often work late at night. I need a Kubotan, and I am serious about my protecting Mrs. Case’s son’s body.

Phil sent me two of the Munio self defense keychains, and I am glad he did. I tested one, and figured if it didn’t pass my test then I could throw the second one away. And, if it did pass the test, I had a brand, fresh, spanking new one to slip my keys on.

What is the Al Case Munio self defense key chain test? Heh heh! It is fun.

First I went out to the garage and picked up a hammer. Then, using martial arts skills honed over near a half a century, I bashed the holy crud out of the thing.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Aw, no dents.

So I turned it sideways and bashed it some more.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

What? Still no dents?

Then I put it in the vise and hit it sideways, trying to break it in half, or at least bend it a little.

BAM! BAM! BAM!

Darn! Still no dents! In fact, the thing looked like new! So not only did it pass my test, but now I had two keychains that look brand, fresh, spanking new!

Okay, that was the physical part of it all. Lots of fun, but there are some things to consider about this Munio thing.

The card that comes with it says it is legal in all states, and is TSA acceptable. Perfect!

Made of unbreakable polycarbonate. Yup. Al Case tested and vouched for.

No risk of electrical shock or chemical discharge. Sounds funny, but this is important. What this is referring to are the liabilities of using a stun gun, or some sort of pepper spray.

I am not a fan of stun guns. Zap some guy with a heart condition and you will be supporting your local undertaker.

And with pepper spray you have to get it out, aim it, and then it isn’t always effective. When I use a big, old spray can for bugs or paint I always miss with the first shot.

Furthermore, consider the bulkiness or awkwardness of stun guns and pepper spray, and the Munio comes out a clear winner. This key chain is svelte, cool looking (I selected the ‘dragon’ model for my personal favorite), and easy to carry.

Okay, those are the real considerations you have to take into account when using something like the Munio Self Defense tool. But what about the other things that aren’t mentioned?

For instance, how does it compare to a Kubotan?

Mind you, I have carried a Kubotan for more than 20 years, and I swear by them.

First, the Munio is slightly shorter. But do you need a long keychain?

No. Because the Munio is fitted to your fist.

Will it hit as hard as the Kubotan?

It will hit harder, because it has a smaller impact surface area.

The only area the Kubotan is better in is the grab art aspect. But, I have to tell you, being able to do grab arts with a Kubotan does take a certain amount of practice and knowledge. And, to tell you the truth, even with all my experience, if somebody comes up on me late at night while I am fumbling with my keychain…I’m basically a hack and stab kind of guy. I believe in inflicting as much pain as possible, and walking away or calling the cops or whatever. And that, my friends, is why I am putting my name on a recommendation for this product.

The Munio Martial Arts Self Defense Keychain: slicker looking than a painting by Dali, tougher than Chuck Norris’s chin, and the latest and greatest when it comes to fun and neat Martial Arts Self Defense.

About the author: Al Case began martial arts in 1967. He became a writer for the martial arts magazines in 1981, and had his own column in Inside Karate. He is the inventor of Matrixing and Neutronics, and he can be contacted through his website…MonsterMartialArts.com.

The Munio Self Defense Keychain can be found at http://www.munioselfdefense.com. Check it out!