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After
even the briefest of introductions to IKA martial
arts, novices become aware that there are many
benefits above and beyond effective self defense
to be gained from continued training. It is well
known that the study of traditional martial arts
offers many lessons which are an asset to all
phases of our lives outside of the dojo, such as:
physical conditioning; discipline; focus and
mental alertness; self-confidence; and patience,
to name just a few. We all carry these lessons
outside the door of the dojo every time we leave
a class. This article, however, will focus on the
opposite--the less discussed, but very important
question of what we bring into the dojo when we
come to class. Particularly as a result of the
social time at black belt functions and
especially at the national seminars, Kokondo-ka
have become more of a family than at any time in
the past. Consequently, we can all benefit from
the immense diversity of the IKA’s members
by sharing our collective academic, professional,
and life experiences , and by applying them to
our training and beyond.
By
examining briefly the backgrounds and experiences
of a few Kokondo members from around the globe,
one can get a taste of the variety within the
IKA. Personalities discussed are here are not
presented in any specific order, nor have we
exhausted the potential diversity of
Kokondo’s past and current membership. Thus,
many individuals who would add wonderful depth to
this discussion are not represented here,
including many leading sensei. As more people
attend the nationals and stay in contact
throughout the year, the better the general
membership of the IKA will be able to recognize
and identify everyone else’s unique talents
and interests. It is our hope that future
articles from other Kokondo-ka will introduce us
all to the unique backgrounds of more kyus and
dans in the IKA.
 Some of the
IKA’s most well known members, past and
present, are accomplished engineers who bring a
strong methodological, scientific approach to
their karate training and teaching. Well known
for his powerful basics and kata, Master Robert
Longo is an excellent source for scientific
answers concerning the dynamics of karate
techniques. In a reasoned and organized manner,
he can explain the physics of the twist in seiken
chudan tsuki or jodan uke, for example, to a
scientific idiot (such as myself), in a way that
always seems to make sense. Sensei Joaquin
Betancourt is a wonderful example of an
accomplished Ph.D. in Engineering who can clearly
explain the physics of the center line to
Jukido-ka of all ages. For those who remember
Sensei Steve Dunne (Kokondo karate
Godan-retired), he was fond of teaching the
importance of stances and his specialty, keri
waza, in engineering terms. Although his dynamic
and sensational techniques were hard to duplicate
well, his rational and organized teaching style
left an impression on many present Kokondo
sensei.
Although
we in Kokondo prize safety as the number one dojo
priority, some accidents are inevitable in all
forms of hard, physical training. How many of us
have consulted with hombu black belt and
certified paramedic Art Powers after taking a
sudden fall incorrectly, or receiving an
accidental finger sprain during the grueling
Friday evening class at the national seminar? In
addition to patching us all up during workouts,
Mr. Powers has conducted all of the First Aid and
CPR training for East Coast dans on a yearly
basis since 1989. At a recent black belt class, I
personally benefited from some on the spot
traction, compliments of massage therapist and
Kokondo Sensei, Mr. Mike Lewenczuk. In just a few
minutes during a break, he loosened my neck up
enough for me to continue through the rest of the
workout and then drive three hours when it was
over. I highly recommend his services if Mr.
Howard’s yoko wakare ever catches you off
guard.
Several
IKA members with medical school training have
recently given me a lot to think about concerning
the physiology and anatomical implications of
Kokondo and Jukido techniques. Greg Szlyk, Jeremy
Asnes, and Scott Cohen have each brought their
academic preparation into the dojo and explained
such principles as: the reasons why pressure
points work better from certain angles than
others; how the diaphragm works during a kiai to
make a technique significantly more powerful; and
which cuts from a knife will immediately render a
limb useless while others seem to have no
instantaneous effect on the body. The most
fascinating part of these discussions to me is
that the hard sciences consistently reinforce the
basic principles of Kokondo and Jukido
techniques, even though most of us simply
practice as we are taught, without a solid
command of the scientific reasons why our
techniques work so well.
Another popular sensei who brings his
professional skills to the IKA is Rob Robert, who
is largely responsible for the computer layout of
Budo News and other IKA publications.
Additionally, Mr. Robert assists Hombu in
maintaining computerized records of every
Kokondo-ka--including you. Mr. Jim Scanlon, in
addition to being one of the nicest people
you’ll ever meet in an IKA dojo, is an
internet wizard who maintains and updates the IKA
homepage, in addition to running a company that
hosts webpages for other people.
The social sciences are also well represented
among IKA members. Those of you who attended the
1993 Nationals at Brandeis University remember a
lecture given by Dr. Ray Knight, a specialist in
the areas of schizophrenia and its relationship
to sexual violence. His studies of rapists and
victims of rape confirm the Kokondo principle
that fighting back against an attacker using
every means at one’s disposal, offers the
highest probability of escape and the least
likelihood of physical injury in almost all
cases. Dr. Knight was the advisor and mentor to
several Kokondo-ka, including Len Glazer, Melanie
Harris, Alex Goncalves and Adam Garber--all of
whom are working toward advanced degrees in a
variety of psychology sub-disciplines. Mr. Glazer
has already taught Kokondo successfully as a
method of therapy and rehabilitation to youths
rebuilding their lives after involvement in
criminal activities. His program last summer was
so successful that he was asked to repeat it and
offer it to youths in other area facilities.
Jeff Soltez and Johanna Glazer are examples of
trained school teachers by day- Kokondo sensei by
night. They bring to their respective dojos many
years of training and preparation which greatly
aid their martial arts teaching abilities. Their
ability to connect with students for whom
discipline and concentration do not always come
easily easily translates from the school
classroom to the Jukido tatami. In the recent
past, I taught several advanced undergraduate
courses on American Foreign Policy and the Middle
East. I was able to incorporate into one lecture
information that Tom Miller, Chris Christiansen,
and Jukido-ka Pat Tierney shared with me about
their experiences during the 1991 Gulf War.
For all of us interested in Japan and the many
components of Japanese culture, Mari Sato has
been a wonderful resource, always willing to
share insights with her Kokondo friends about her
homeland. To see some of her contributions to the
IKA we only need look only as far as our Jukido
or karate certificates hanging on the wall. All
of the Japanese Kanji was penned by Mari and her
husband. Speaking of East Asian culture, New
Mexico Sensei Weichu Ridlon is also an
accomplished chef, specializing in various
cuisine of the Far East. After each seminar by
Shihan Arel in New Mexico, he has returned with
stories of the lavish banquets prepared by Sensei
Ridlon for all of the participants.
On the artistic side, those who have attended the
last few East Coast banquets or any outdoor
seminar at Shihan Arel’s home have seen
numerous examples of our Chief Instructor’s
versatility and creativity outside of the
confines of the dojo. A fantastic painter and
drawing enthusiast, Shihan Arel has produced many
artistic works relating to Budo, in addition to
many non-martial arts related subjects. Have any
of you seen Sankosho or Jukido Jujitsu? Many of
the pictures in both of those books and Budo News
come from professional photographer and karate
black belt Peter Dylag. Additionally, one need
only visit the Monson, MA dojo of Sensei Tom Wood
to watch karate nidan and Professional Dance
teacher Liz Wood perform kata. Grace, smoothness,
and economy of movement attained through many
years of hard work are visible even to the karate
beginner as she performs any kata or its self
defense applications.
As the IKA grows stronger and larger, we all
share the responsibility of promoting the system
in which we believe so firmly. Joe Duffy, a
trained historian and professional journalist who
studies karate at Hombu, recently wrote a series
of articles about the IKA and its leaders for
numerous local journals and newspapers. Jukido-ka
Kevin Jacobus is an accomplished professional
journalistic photographer in the Boston area
whose Kokondo pictures appear on this websight
and in National newspapers as well.
One of Finland’s top Kokondo sensei, Vesa
Toropainen, actively applies his training in
business administration to the promotion of
Kokondo and the IKA all over Finland. The Finnish
Kokondo Demonstration Team performs at many
international tournaments all around Europe, and
Vesa uses those opportunities to maximize
Kokondo’s reputation in the Scandinavian
countries, as well as the rest of the continent.
While conducting research last year, I had
contact with martial arts instructors from
Finland representing a variety of well known
karate styles (including Shotokan, Wado-Ryu, and
Shorinji-ryu, among others) who all volunteered
the information that Kokondo enjoys a strong
reputation as a popular and effective style in a
generally competitive country. While we already
know what Kokondo and Jukido offer to its
practitioners, it was refreshing to hear that our
reputation is quite favorable among others who
study different arts.
Keeping in mind that “martial arts” do
relate to military matters, I gained much insight
from extensive conversations and training with
the members of Kokondo in Israel. All of the
Israeli Kokondo-ka, male and female, were either
currently active in, or veterans of, the Israeli
Defense Forces (IDF), at the time of my last
visit to Israel with Shihan Arel. It was
extremely informative to discuss all Kokondo
techniques, but especially disarming, in a
setting where most students had been forced to
employ one or more of the waza they learned in
Kokondo on numerous occasions. The Israelis with
whom I interacted represent to me the duality
that all martial artists in the modern world must
face: while the training was brutal in the dojo,
and the seriousness of their obligations as
soldiers required a completely martial attitude,
their friendliness, hospitality and warmth
throughout our visit made one temporarily forget
the tension which is a part of the national
environment in Israel.
At its core, Budo training is inherently an
individual effort. While our sensei and peers do
have important roles in our training, the
perfection of Kokondo karate and Jukido skills is
primarily a private and personal struggle. In the
final analysis, we are ultimately responsible for
our own successes and failures, and we get out of
our training exactly what we put in to it. Yet,
the IKA itself is a tremendous resource, not only
for its guidance in the martial arts we study,
but also in the diversity of its membership. We
can all learn many important lessons from one
another, and I therefore suggest that we pursue
the social dimensions of our association as well
as the physical. The result will be the
betterment of the IKA as a whole and of each of
us as individuals.
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