Or 'Zen and Shark Kata at Sun Rise over Matagorda Bay

The process of attaining perfection of a given technique or series of techniques (forms, kata, hyung) is the very essence of martial arts. Those that use the excuse "those old style traditional movements are not practical and cannot be utilized on the street" do not understand the "do" of Kara-te do or Taekwon do. I have been fortunate in my up bringing in the martial arts. In 1975 and 76' the U.S. Marine Corps stationed me at Camp Hanson on Okinawa, the largest island in the Ryu Kyu Island chain, I trained under Kichiro Shimabuku, Okinawa-te and Okinawan Kobudo. Back stateside I trained in an Okinawan Kempo school and I studied two years under Master Pugil Gwon of Taekwon Do, Chung Do Kwan. These instructors made one lasting impression on me about "traditional forms" and their applications. You will only understand the movements and their applications when you can perform in a state of "no mind". This constant training, and performing a given "technique or form" over and over and the inner peace that builds is what this article is about.

I have found that performing technique during the AM hours is very satisfying. During the 80's I would allow myself several days off at the end of summer to go to a small Texas town on the Gulf Coast. Over 40 years and there are no chain stores or restaurants of any kind, the town remains un-changed. Even on holiday weekends the beach is desolate, it is kind of secret place for good fishing and lonely beaches.

Working for myself I would take a Friday and Monday off and leave after classes Thursday evening. Arriving after midnight I would build a fire, cook steak, eat, put a line in the surf and then practice whatever form I was thinking of. After several repetitions I would pick up one nunchaku. Facing the wind or moon I would slowly start my figure eight, then start the various strikes, left hand, right hand. Before I knew it I was shifting stance turning, striking, kicking, double strike neck pass, over the back, around the torso pass, hold my stance. Two nunchaku, more movement, I can remember hearing my nunchaku cutting the air over the sound of the wind and surf hitting the sand.

If you listen to the surf while performing "sanchin" you will hear the three sounds that make up the "surf". The constant crash of waves hitting the beach, the constant low level roar that the sheer number of waves creates and the sound of an "individual wave", that your hearing pick ups in an effort to bring order to the over whelming "chaos of the surf".

The moonlight, the sand under my feet, no music, just the surf hitting the beach, usually the nearest camper was a half-mile down the beach. Over and over, performing the techniques slowly, then at full speed. Just the wind, surf and technique. I would stay awake until daybreak fishing and practicing empty hand forms or nunchaku (also a little staff and kama). After catching fish during the early hours until around 9:00 AM, I would head in town and stay in a hotel room until late afternoon and then head to the beach to fish off the quarter mile jetty located at the mouth of the Colorado. Watching my silhouette against the beach when the moon was full and hearing only the wind and surf as I moved in the sand barefoot. There is nothing like it. Usually around 5:00AM the fishing would pick up, red fish or shark, sometimes a school of speckled trout or golden croaker and I would get busy catching fish. Watching the sun rise over the Gulf of Mexico, the "gulls" are everywhere making their lonely call, you wait, feeling the line, a bump, a pull, then something takes off with your line. You breathe, think, set the drag on your reel, pull, set the hook and the fight is on. I have spent over 20 minutes pulling in a 54-inch shark, long, slender, he was very strong. Later that night he tasted very good, plenty went home for a big dinner too.

A form is like fishing and landing a fish. You start off slow, feeling the sand under your feet, slow technique, turn, new stance hear the wind, a little more force and speed, then slow. Because you are by yourself you try out movements at different speeds and you start to understand new things about how you could use "that same old combination". After midnight for several hours I would lose myself in imaginary battles, applying the various combinations to attackers. Trying to understand how any technique or combination can be used against dozens of strikes or kicks, not just "low blocks are for front kicks". Allowing my mind to see the techniques and use them in a way I was not told to use them. I became very aware of the fact that a knife block motion is a strike, an elbow lock, an Aikido trap and throw and a "block".

The words of Master Gwon would rattle around in me, "any technique can be used against all attacks just allow it to happen", this is similar to the "no mind" concept. Even though I am not the biggest fan of Bruce Lee, I compare it more to Bruce Lee's analogy of "emotional content, without anger". When you are away from every one, whether its on a beach at 2:00AM or in your backyard, alone by yourself. When you practice "your form" or weapon from your heart allowing your "heart or core" to control your movement, then you will start to understand your traditional technique. You will start to enjoy the martial arts for both of its two basics reasons for existence.

The martial arts exist for man's two basic needs, survival and enjoyment. When practiced under extreme methods a human being is able to temper themselves into a weapon that can do incredible damage to several attackers. At the same time it can also be practiced privately for one's own enjoyment. This "moving meditation" can be used to release stress and to build or maintain physical and mental health. In many cases everyone that practices forms or weapons does so for the beauty of the movement itself, just like dance, martial art is human movement. All human movement when broken down can be applied to "self-defense" or survival. Back to the survival thing. Then as we practice to be able to defend ourselves we start to enjoy the movement. We understand the deeper "affect" it has in life. Now we are back to the enjoyment aspect.

Look at fishing, most people fish for one of two reasons, for enjoyment, those people that "catch and release". I watch them fish and catch large "good eat'n fish" and "let them go"(some form of insanity). Some fish so they can eat the fish. I fish for both reasons the fish taste good and I like the "whole experience". I remember the 20-minute battle bringing in that shark at 6:00AM that was fun and I also remember enjoying those "shark steaks".

Enjoy the physical movement your particular "style of martial art offers. You might find yourself late some night in your back yard, practicing your "staff" or your new belt test form. Over and over you perform the movements trying to feel your hand position, your stance the tip of your weapon making the strike. Before you know it, you are enjoying martial arts for the sake of the physical movement, not so you can just "hurt" someone. It is quite remarkable.

Most people start martial arts for self-defense reasons, if they are lucky and start to really open themselves up to "traditional forms" a whole new world reveals itself. When you enter it you have deeper understanding and more confidence in yourself. Of course your neighbor might see you practicing your form or "staff" when they come in from the late movie and give you a look like "oh brother, here we go". Don't let it bother you, instead think ahead to your next chance to be alone with your traditional form or maybe of landing that 54-inch shark.

Covert Blackledge
President American Youth Sport Martial Arts Association