Revamp... ?

Not a hoplological topic...

I am considering revamping this blog. Perhaps I may shift entirely to youtube, where I will get more views.

Will update with verdict.

Respect

Today I wanna talk about the 1st Star, the man. 

For those who don't know, basically in this blog the seven stars are:

• The Man - cultivating a powerful self
• The Survivor - persisting and thriving in nature
• The Warrior - hand to hand combat, armed and unarmed
• The Gunfighter - use of firearms in combat
• The Specialist - specific skills to augment combat skills
• The Captain - being a leader of men
• The Strategist - the art of victory

"Self-control is the chief element in self-respect and self-respect is the chief element in courage."

~ Thucydides

I would like to formulate my own version of that idea. I believe, with Respect, comes almost all the virtuous traits. If you respect yourself, you will push yourself to improve, you will not allow yourself to succumb to vices and activities that will ultimately sabotage your health and mind, you will discipline yourself to be honest, diligent, and relentless, and you will have the esteem to have confidence in yourself. With respect for others, you will have loyalty, you will be reliable, responsible, and honest with them. 

In a survival and martial context, this respect is extremely important. Without the self-respect, you will not have the self-motivation to push yourself further and advance your skills, you will not have the drive to survive despite harsh conditions, and when in a life or death situation you will not have the willpower to say "no, fuck you! This ain't how it's going down, I will live and you will die!" Without respect for others, you will not fully understand how to work with the vegetation instead of trying to hack through it all, you will not cherish the successfully hunted animal as fully, you will not be cognizant of when to hold back, and you may not be aware of what is the appropriate level of response. When a man laughs at you, and you grab his arm, break it, throw him to the ground, and stomp on his neck - that's crazy. So is pulling out a pistol and emptying the mag on a man who flirts with your girlfriend, unless he crosses the line take it as a compliment - maybe your girl ain't half bad looking! Hahahahahaa

I understand between the teenage years and the late 30s we're (by modern lifespan standards) young primates, easily made eager to fight over perceived wrongs and use violence socially in big or small ways. It's in (most) our natures to get heated when another person is tryna get with our partners, or to consider responding violently to confrontations - but with enough respect for yourself and others, and being aware of your environment and situation, you can probably improve your life and seriously cut down on bullshit and drama...

Just some thoughts. 

Education, Training, and Practice...

I personally believe there's subtle but important differences between education, training, and practice. For example, you may have gone to a school, university, or academy of some sort for a certain field to gain education allowing you to be qualified for a task or job or career. This education is mainly intellectual - understanding the subject and its context. Training on the other hand is mainly physical and gets your mind and body used to and familiar with the task or job as well as the environment. However, practice is what makes all this education and training second nature. As I have been taught, it's not practice that makes perfect but perfect practice that makes perfect.

This past weekend I attended a three-part series of workshops held at my martial arts school (Plum Blossom Academy) and these classes were taught by my Shigong (Master Puyot). I learned the 七手 (Seven Hands) form of 八步螳螂拳 (Eight Step Mantis Boxing), gun disarms, and lastly the basics of the 燕青刀 (Yan Qing Dao/Saber). The combination of Master Puyot's and Master Brown's (my shifu) efforts to train and educate me and the others on the context, form, and applications of material contributed to these workshops being very enjoyable and educational for me. Seven hands are an enjoyable insight into a different flavor of fighting, however many of the movements were familiar. The gun disarms I felt were very practical and simple - having had a gun pointed at me and having been shot at in the past, the significance of having these in my "toolkit" was obvious to me. Lastly the dao was a very fun exercise. As some of you may know, I have liked machetes since 3rd grade and used and played with machetes extensively since age 16. The Chinese dao (of which there are many varieties) can vary from a large machete-like blade to a proper saber. While I already had some basics in wielding machetes, the workshop really helped me improve my holes that I had not previously realized were there. I learned many things this past Saturday and have taken notes (as always) to allow me to record things I learned and remember nuances I would've forgotten. And then, of course, practice them...

Ah, practice... That is the main part of mastering anything. You can know something, and be familiar with it, but if it is not ingrained, it will never be a part of you. Now... with even more on my plate... I need to drill in everything as perfectly as possible. As my teachers have said, "fast as you can, slow as you must".

For those following the blog, I've upload a video of me performing the Seven Hands form. Remember however, I am new to it, and I still consider myself pretty lousy at it. For those reading this that study with me, maybe you can tear apart what I am doing and improve your own training. For those seeking to copy me, bad idea. 1, I'm not too good yet, and 2 copying a form, a choreographed fight-scene, or a shadowboxing routine is a very different thing than knowing how to use its techniques in combat.

...and it's about time to sleep. G'night ya'll..

Review: Condor Tapanga

The machete is an extremely useful tool for survival in tropical and sub-tropical forests, as well as an agricultural implement, and a weapon when needed. The machete has a history several centuries long, beginning with the invasion of the Americas by the Spanish and the adaptation of European blade technology for the thick forests of Central and South America. Early swords such as the espada ancha were utilized both for war and work and were gradually developed better and better for the local environments. By the Age of Industrialization, the Espada Ancha was no more, replaced by factory made blades (in local styles) that were exported to Latin America and Africa. Today there are many companies. Names such as Collins, Imacasa, Tramontina, Colima, Ontario, Martindale, and Condor come to mind. Oh, and Cold Steel, which usually make good knives, but soft, overpriced machetes.

Today we're dealing the Condor made Tapanga. Condor is an off-shoot of Imacasa's and they make higher quality blades mainly for the American market. Both are based in El Salvador. Seeing as how Imacasa already has a decent reputation, and hearing of good experiences with Condor, I decided to give 'em a try.

The Tapanga, Panga, and other related styles all have a wide blade 14-20" long generally, and have most of their weight in the front. Supposedly these are popular in the Caribbean as well as south and east Africa - I've never been, I don't know for sure. However, generally this style is known for being a good chopping machete. Condor's version has a 20" blade made of 1075 carbon steel and blackened with a protective epoxy finish. It comes pretty sharp and has a comfortable hardwood(?) handle. It's about 2 and a half lbs. Fullers help lighten the blade and improve its flexibility and strength - this machete has 'em. The sheath is decent (conceptually), but the set up isn't conducive for a quick draw of the blade. The swiveling belt-loop is a great feature. The tapanga feels good and seems to chop, slash, and cut quite well. When compared to the Chinese made Wortools Tapanga, it clearly outshines it. The Wortools machete comes somewhat blunt, has a slightly loose soft wood handle, and seems to have a lower quality steel. Then again, Wortool's Tapanga I got for $8, where-as Condor's was $55.  Yea, DAMN! This ain't your normal cheap 'chete, it's a quality blade.

I can see it getting tiring if hacking at soft vegetation for hours since it's heftier than many other machete-styles, however unless clearing land for trails or agriculture, survival rarely requires you to hack that much. For combat, its 20" chopping blade makes it a fearsome weapon, but it must be used as intended, a tough chopping and hacking blade. You cannot treat it like a fast, thin fighting blade meant for quick cuts and long slashes. Like the Chinese Da-dao, this is best for fierce splitting and hacking attacks, most of which are more vertically oriented, striking downwards at your opponent's head, neck, shoulders, and arms, or even bending your knees to quickly strike low, cutting their quads or knees. The drawback of such a blade in combat would be the lack of stabbing, upward cuts being more difficult, and slower recovery time.

Please enjoy this video to see for yourself the Tapanga in action. It's not very professional, but it does its job. I apologize in advanced for the lousy camera.

Thoughts on "Primitive" Warfare and its Relevance Today

What are the hallmarks of "primitive" warfare? Headhunting, torture, cannibalism, human-sacrifice, ambushes and raids being the norm... Usually conducted by peoples characterized as tribal, aboriginal, bloodthirsty, desperate, impoverished, fanatical, evil, sick, warlike, barbaric and/or backwards. Often people think bows and arrows, clubs and swords... but the weapons are an indication of the culture's technology, not its war practices.. So what is this "primitive" warfare and is it really primitive? (Keep in mind these are very generalized terms.)

Iroquois warrior scalping the defeated 

Unlike the more formalized warfare of so-called advanced countries (with their intensive agriculture, stratified societies, technological advances, and infrastructure built over the generations), primitive warfare tends to be a low-intensity, constantly on-going, and an extremely violent activity. As British colonists described it, it's often a "skulking way of war". The Pilgrims and Puritans were put off by the native inclination to fight with raids and ambushes. In New England, native warriors often shot their bows or guns from behind trees, and constantly moved and dodged to avoid the return fire. When melee combat was engaged, they would charge in to take heads. However, while vicious and not dictated by any formalized codes of conduct, their form of warfare often resulted in fewer casualties than the Europeans (as well as East Asian and South Asian warfare). Rarely, but evidently, wars sometimes led to extermination. Many Pre-Colombian archaeological sites are testament to just how brutal warriors were to opposing villages when they were able to actually overrun the defenses (and when war escalated to such heights). The aboriginal people throughout the Americas, Africa, S.E. Asia, and the Pacific were notorious for their constant and brutal tribal warfare, often involving headhunting, cannibalism, torture, and human sacrifice which are considered so taboo in today's society. Ironically, white colonists have been guilty of scalping, decapitation, quartering, and torture as well while the Chinese were also no strangers to slaughter, cannibalism, and decapitation. But those are older examples of brave warriors using low-tech weaponry to attack one another... what about today?

Let us look at the atrocities in Liberia and Sierra Leone. In this case, warfare definitely turned into a very barbaric activity (notice I did not say degenerate into..). Modern war, with all its firearms, artillery, airstrikes, etc., is extremely deadly, more so than traditional wars fought with primitive ranged weaponry and melee weapons. When so-called "primitive" warfare is combined with "advanced" weapon technology, and under the guiding hand of modern military strategy and doctrines, the result is indeed frightening. The civil wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone are perfect examples. These two countries were once considered some of the more prosperous and stable nations in West Africa, and both became "hell holes" where the barbaric practices of "primitive" warfare was commonplace. Cannibalism, infant sacrifice, child soldiers, decapitations, raids, and guerrilla-style warfare co-existed with AK-47s, RPG-7s, PKMs, DShK machine guns, etc. Had the RUF been better trained and able to neutralize Freetown's air support, they would have definitely overwhelmed the demoralized Liberian forces as well as the complacent UN forces. But rather than dismiss their primitive tactics and practices are evil and barbaric, let us look at why the RUF did what it did.

RUF fighters

War is brutal as is without adding in human sacrifice, cannibalism, massacring enemy civilians, etc. It is my belief that the strategists behind the RUF purposely used these primitive tactics as a form of psychological warfare. Just as many smaller tribes in the American Northeast despaired when they heard the Iroquois were coming their way, so did the residents of Freetown when RUF forces were reported to be only an hour away. Why? If they could expect humane treatment in the take-over, then perhaps they would not have been so demoralized. But like the Iroquois in colonial America (and before), the RUF employed human sacrifice, kidnapping, cannibalism and other practices to scare their enemies shitless; both were also not known for hospitality to the defeated. Now, obviously, there is a thin line between cultural practices producing desired psychological effects, and strategically intended affects leading to widespread barbaric practices. I am not saying the Iroquois were just like the RUF. However there are strategic parallels; the high level of barbarism is useful in war. Sadly, when these tactics are used in conjunction with the more efficient killing tools of today's battlefields, the results are probably much more devastating than our ancient ancestors could have ever imagined. Instead of constantly shifting alliances and boundaries, incessant warfare, and extreme brutality ...you get all out massacres of civilians, widespread rape, looting, and famine - and in the long run: destroyed environments, infrastructures, economies, and societies.

Amputee from Sierra Leone

We all seem to have the capacity for such insane levels of brutality. The white US soldiers that attacked neutral Native American villages and cut down everyone, young and old, man and women - they were people's family members, fathers, son, husbands, etc. back home... The Japanese soldiers that so brutally slaughtered and raped the other Asian peoples they conquered in WW2 were dads, brothers, husbands, sons, etc. The RUF fighters committing heinous atrocities were normal everyday people from the cities and farm fields eking out a living prior to the war. I wonder if, especially in poorer parts of the world, we'll see more and more of these ancient (or primitive) tactics utilized in modern military strategy. Despite being able to see the role and usefulness of such acts on the enemy psychology - I really hope not.




Well, that's all for today... serious thoughts on history, war, blablabla...
       Expect a product review for the next post!

*all images are taken from Google Images and are not mine.

So... what IS combat?

I'd like to look at combat like this...

Firstly, it's a violent physical conflict (usually) between humans.

This can be further divided into Social and Predatory violence. Social violence includes sport fighting, defending one's ego, duels, drunken brawls over petty insults, fighting over a girl (or a man), etc. In contrast, Predatory violence is hunting down a deer, jumping an unsuspecting victim, putting down two bad guys in a firefight, fucking up a mugger who attacks you, hacking up a man with a machete, etc. There are definitely overlaps and grey areas but the dividing line is intent. The intention of Social violence is to ascend rank, assert control, defend honor, express emotions, and prevent the ego from harm via violent means. The intention of Predatory violence or the defense against it is to incapacitate and or kill the enemy. Fuck the pacifists, human beings have both ingrained in our DNA. Man fought, and continues to fight, for glory, money, honor, ego, women, social standing, etc. Man killed, and continues to kill, for food, wealth, protection, offense, etc.

Fighting is in our blood.

Let's not shit on the pacifists too much. Yes, we as humans, perhaps only for the better cohesion of social groups, have some beautiful and extremely virtuous aspects to our psyche. Yet, we all have the penchant for violence when pushed far enough - some of us don't need much of a push, and some need to see family and friends in grave danger - but the latent capacity for violence is there. Don't let someone tell you that martial arts is about peace and harmony - its purpose is to give you a set of principles and skills that allow you to be a more effective and efficient combatant - combat being violent. However, many fighting societies and cultures have put in place rules to prevent skilled fighters from going out and selfishly hurting or killing others... be this the Knight's Code of Chivalry, or Bushido, or the Geneva Convention, or whatever... just a thought.

..and another point.

We use weapons. 

I like weapons. They allow anyone to do more damage than normally possible. You'd think if we spent the last 100,000 years ONLY using our bodies for combat, we'd have sharper knuckles, harder temples, and tougher ribs... honestly, since man became man, we used stone tools and sticks... and if you look at today's melee weapons, they seem MOSTLY descended from the stick and the blade. A doubled edged knife is a dagger, a long long dagger is a two edged sword, a long single edged blade is a machete, make it longer it's a saber or some sort of chopper. tilt it downwards and it's a kukri or kopis, curve it down and it becomes a falx or billhook or aruval. Give it a longer handle and its a glaive, or da-dao, or katana. Similarly with the stick, give it a weighted head it's a club - make that weight sharpened and it's an ax. Make it longer, a cane, and longer still, a staff. Give that staff a blade, it's a spear. Give that spear an ax head as well and it's a polearm or halberd. There are myriad variations. At one point, javelins, atlatls, bows, and crossbows were primary ranged weapons - for hunting animals, four and two-legged. Today we also have air-powered and fire-powered guns, for hunting animals, four and two-legged. Artillery, bombs, jets, tanks, and choppers are mostly in government run militaries - which in most cases is a good thing. But anyways, our combat evolved with weapons, and weapons evolved with combat and technology.




Those are my thoughts on combat as a human practice. Much of this was formulated from reading the works of others, and some are connections I made myself. Feel free to comment, or simply to ponder and decide if you agree, disagree, would add more, or whatever...

Introduction to Seven Stars

The Journey
Hi. This is a blog dedicated to my journey in martial arts. This phrase, "martial arts", is to me an enormous field, and is a passion of mine. In its entirety it's comprised of (to me): physical self-improvement and mentality, survival, hand to hand combat, firearms/ranged fighting, certain specialized skills, leadership, and strategy. One could spend their entire lives perfecting one of these aspects, but to me, a complete understanding is most desirable. I hope to be proficient in all of these someday. In the meantime, one can only continue to work hard at it, and take the journey one step at a time.

Seven Stars
The name Seven Stars comes from the "big dipper" constellation. It is said the founder of the Chinese martial art of Mantis Boxing once said that he wished all those who could see the seven stars could learn his style. It obviously was and, when taught/learned properly, still is a very complete and ever-evolving set of fighting principles, famed for its use of "hooking" hands to dominate the stand-up grappling aspect of unarmed combat. While I too hope that all who are interested in my musings will find this blog, I am no master at fighting. But to me the Seven Stars also correspond to the aforementioned facets of the martial way.

What I'll Be Posting
So enough fancy language and introduction... what exactly am I going to post on here? Well, in short, I will mostly be posting martial arts related thoughts such as: reviews on weapons and gear, thoughts on specific techniques, research on different fighting styles, war history, etc.etc. Sometimes it will be in proper, formal language, and sometimes I might get lazier and just type as I talk. Remember, these are my thoughts and opinions.

Why the hell... ?
Good question. Why would I spend the time to do this? I intend to create for myself a training manual. But unlike the old Chinese training manuals which were sometimes cryptic or often understandable only to those who have progressed deeply in the style, this will be an easy to follow, comprehensive manual of the conditioning, mentality, context, skills, principles, gear, weapons, tactics, and strategies of a modern day "warrior". To repeat the jargon above, all "seven stars" with be presented. The creation of this manual is a laborious process of understanding, ability, and note-taking, and I figure if I can gather my thoughts on a blog, I might even get some useful suggestions, criticism, and feedback.



So thanks for reading this blog! Comment if you'd like... but keep it respectful and constructive.