The new site,
Monkey Boxing Now,
is going great guns.
Thanks to all.
And,
I should,
before we get back to matrixing,
explain a few things.
Matrixing is the science,
the logic,
the whole martial arts.
Monkey Boxing is the art I developed,
after decades of practice,
for true self defense.
In Matrixing
I go into the real reasons behind the martial arts.
In Monkey Boxing
I go into Monkey Boxing for self defense,
for reality and combat.
In Matrixing
I impart the knowledge of the martial arts.
Monkey Boxing
is for fighting.
But that doesn’t mean Matrixing is not for fighting.
Don’t get that wrong.
Matrixing can be applied to all martial arts,
bring them together,
allow one to see the truth behind their martial arts,
and fix them if need be.
Monkey Boxing is the art I developed for fighting.
It is how I teach,
How I apply myself to combat.
You will find pure knowledge in matrixing
and be able to apply it to any martial art,
and therefore fix that martial art.
Monkey Boxing develops
speed, power and technique,
in the realm of combat applicable martial arts.
Both are real.
You’ll find more drills and exercises in Monkey Boxing,
and the drills and exercises are aimed at improving
speed, power and technique.
Matrixing will give you drills and exercises,
but the drills and exercises are aimed at
building a complete art,
no mistakes or hesitations,
no problem dealing with arts other than yours,
because you understand how all arts work.
Monkey Boxing is the fastest way I know
to take out a suicide bomber,
disarm a Jihadist,
or just handle somebody protesting in the streets
and who got carried away.
I hope this makes sense to you.
Both approaches are valid,
both have fantastic impact.
But they are for different purposes.
Let me put it baldly.
If you want knowledge,
if you want to see the martial arts as a whole picture,
if you want the understanding
of how all arts fit together,
if you want to understand self-defense and fix your art,
go do matrixing.
If you done all the matrixing,
or,
you just don’t give a darn about all that stuff,
and want to learn the fastest,
quickest,
most efficient way of slaughtering an attacker,
of rendering a thug to the mud,
of unconsciousizing a terrorist,
do Monkey Boxing.
Yes,
you can do both at the same time,
but that isn’t the point of this newsletter,
the purpose of this newsletter is just to delineate the arts,
to separate Matrixing from Monkey Boxing.
I will be announcing Monkey Boxing releases
in this newsletter,
but I will probably be putting that info
into a side panel.
Or you will have to periodically check in with
http://monkeyboxingnow.com
The main thrust of this newsletter
is Matrixing.
Monkey Boxers will get their own newsletter.
Here’s the Monkey Boxing site…
http://monkeyboxingnow.com
Okay,
any questions,
you can email me at:
aganzul@gmail.com.
Neutronic Martial Arts and Indian Stealth Skills! part four
Good afternoon. A little wet around here, not wet enough, but it’s a start. And a good, healthy work out is also a start.
This is the fourth part of a five part series. Subscribe to the newsletter to read the other parts
In the first three articles we have discussed how and why the American Indian was possibly the finest light infantry in the world. In this article I want to take a look at something that is very spiritual in nature, not understood, or even talked about by many, and yet is easily understood if you have any idea how Neutronics works.
That the Indians were spiritual is very obvious. They attributed spirituality to everything. The wind was a spirit, the trees, every animal had a spirit, there was even a great spirit over all. This was a very pure look at man’s spirituality, but without the confusion of books, and differing points of view arguing arcane points. It was based on the world as they saw it, as they felt it, as they experienced it.
Now, here is something about Neutronics, something you will have to come to grips with if you wish to have a chance in heck of understanding how the Indian Warrior really worked.
In Neutronics you are considered the center of the universe. You can’t prove the universe exists, all you really have is your awareness of the universe, whether the universe exists or not, you exist, you are your own proof.
Most people are really screwed up. They think the universe is the cause, and they are the effect of the universe. You see this everywhere… somebody else did it! (point your finger at somebody else)
But you are not the movie screen, you are the projector! No matter what the universe does, you are the cause. Whether it rains, whether there is an accident, whether you do or do not get up in the morning… it is your ‘fault.’ You are the cause of the universe.
Okay, if you are still with me, if you haven’t run screaming into the wilderness, then consider this: the Indians believed that if you looked at an animal you were stalking, there would be some kind of ‘light’ (or something) emanating from your eyes.
In other words: they believed the animal could feel ‘awareness.’
This is actually very logical, when you consider, as earlier parts of this article pointed out, that the Indian methods built a higher awareness.
So the Indians would never look at their target when hunting.
THIS DID NOT MEAN THEY RETRACTED THEIR AWARENESS!
It required MORE awareness!
Simply, they did not shine the ‘flash light’ of their awareness, rather they controlled that ‘flashlight,’ and the result was a fed family.
I know there are some that are nodding and going, ‘uh huh, that explains it,’ but there are probably more that are blinking and shaking their heads, and saying, that Al guy is freaking NUTS!
So let me just back off here, except to say one thing,
Check out The Master Instructor Course
Once you understand the truth about how the wind blows, about how the body moves about the reasons behind motion and the martial arts you might be able to understand the concepts I have detailed here, and will definitely be in a position to better manifest them yourselves. Here’s the link…
Were the Indians Masters of Their Own Brand of Zen?
part two
What a GREAT day!
Of course,
if you don’t work out,
you probably don’t really know what I mean.
Grin.
This is the second of a five parts series.
Subscribe to this newsletter to get all five parts.
Last newsletter I made the point
that the American Indian
was probably the finest warrior in the world.
To back this up,
simply consider their attitude towards that great zen concept…
silence.
In zen you create a silence so absolute
that your spirit can manifest,
that the truth of you becomes apparent.
Indians had this zen attitude towards silence.
The mere fact of walking,
as described in the first part of this series,
can be used to create silence.
But that is only the first stage.
Perhaps some of you remember an old adage
that only fools whistle?
A bit harsh,
a happy person should whistle,
but when you are hunting game,
or sneaking up to a battle,
you can’t whistle.
Instead,
you have to master the sounds of nature,
the tweet of a bird,
the call of a wolf,
the actual sound of shifting sand,
or wind in the rushes.
To master such sounds requires an appreciation of silence itself.
Consider this bit of zen:
it is not the sound you must hear,
but the silence.
Or,
as I am fond of telling students,
a candle in a coal mine
is brighter than the sun at noon.
Consider this when you are doing Tai Chi,
and don’t make a sound.
Consider this in Aikido,
and don’t let your circles make a sound.
Consider this in Karate,
or Tai Chi,
or other arts,
and quell the sound of your motion,
of your technique,
it is not just wasted energy,
but it distracts the mind
from the silence necessary
to manifest the spirit.
Here’s a link to Tai Chi,
which is a great art for pursuing silence.
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…
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!
Happy Fourth of July!
When Americans declared freedom.
When a country dedicated itself to liberty.
We are unique,
and it shows in our martial arts.
Click on the cover!
The weapon of choice,
back in 1776 was the Brown Bess.
Brown Bess was a long, heavy
smooth bore musket.
It could fire one big ball,
or a bunch of smaller balls,
which made it into a sort of shotgun.
The name ‘Brown Bess’ was probably derived from the German
“brawn buss” or “braun buss”
meaning “strong gun” or “brown gun”
A dictionary of vulgar terms explained Brown Bess thusly,
“Brown Bess: A soldier’s firelock.
To hug Brown Bess;
to carry a fire-lock, or serve as a private soldier.”
Some say the term was originated by Rudyard Kipling…
In the days of lace-ruffles, perukes, and brocade
Brown Bess was a partner whom none could despise –
An out-spoken, flinty-lipped, brazen-faced jade,
With a habit of looking men straight in the eyes –
At Blenheim and Ramillies, fops would confess
They were pierced to the heart by the charms of Brown Bess.
— Rudyard Kipling, “Brown Bess,” 1911
At any rate,
Americans were required to own and keep a Brown Bess.
Can one image?
Americans being forced to have weapons?
The shame of it!
Accuracy for the Brown Bess was about 100 yards,
and then it was time for bayonet work.
Another weapon,
used by snipers,
was the Pennsylvania rifle.
This was a grooved barrel rifle
with accuracy up to 300 yards.
So the sniper had to steady a ten pound barrel
that extended 48 inches,
take a quick shot at a charging soldier,
and then,
should he miss,
use a little cold steel.
I’m not sure if the Pennsylvania Rifle had a bayonet,
but no self respecting infantryman
would go to war without a cutter.
Let’s talk about bayonets.
They were triangular.
They weren’t designed to cut,
but to tear and rupture.
So,
here is the scenario the founders of this country had to face.
A long line of British soldiers.
British soldiers that had mastered the art
of holding their position
and rapid firing in rows,
so that the colonists were decimated.
The rows would be marched to within 100 yards
and hell’s afire.
Behind the rows of colonists
the snipers used the Pennsylvania Rifle
to pick off British officers,
and thus create confusion in the ranks.
The colonists lined up and died,
and those that were left,
if they hadn’t run
(and they often did),
faced a manic charge of cold steel.
And,
make no mistake about it,
the British soldier of the time
was the absolute best soldier in the world.
He could shoot accurately and en masse.
He stood his ground.
He charged with fire in his eyes.
Interestingly,
until the Americans learned such discipline,
they relied heavily on guerrilla warfare.
They were like apaches.
They were like VC.
They were like ninja,
stealing in,
opening fire,
and running.
They hid behind trees and did their damndest.
Interesting times.
And,
here is the pipper.
The Revolutionary war was NOT popular.
Many people didn’t want to fight the British.
They were loyal to Britain,
and they worked against those fool colonists
who spouted this ‘liberty’ nonsense.
But we made it.
We managed to outlast
the best military in the world,
and then go on to create our own best military.
For over 200 years we have strived,
have risen,
have introduced the concept of liberty
to the rest of the world.
So happy Fourth of July.
It is a holiday that should be celebrated not just here,
but around the world.
And remember,
your ability to know and use violence,
whether it be in the forms of weapons,
or the choice of martial arts,
that is what protects you
and keeps you safe.
Defeating Distractions to Find the True Martial Art
Good afternoon! Special day tomorrow, I’ll tell you about it down the page, but before we get to it, remember this: the only way to celebrate this special day is to… work out!
Okay, hope your interest is piqued, but before we talk about that special day, let’s take a moment to talk about emotion.
Ultimately, you don’t want to have any emotion in your martial arts. You don’t want to cry, or feel fear, or anger, or any kind of emotion.
Emotion is a distraction. It gets in between the thought of what you are going to do, and the reality of what you do.
There is this thing called emotional content, Bruce Lee mentions it in ‘Enter the Dragon,’ but even that, ultimately, is a distraction.
To get to the pure state where you can read the mind of the attacker, see what he is going to do before he does it, and move with perfection, you must get rid of ALL emotion.
There is a problem, however. The problem is that nobody really knows what emotion is.
If you can stick with me through a couple of points I can help you understand, which is to say that I can help you understand something that nobody understands.
Here’s the dictionary definition for emotion: a natural instinctive state of mind deriving from one’s circumstances, mood, or relationships with others: she was attempting to control her emotions | his voice was low and shaky with emotion | fear had become his dominant emotion.
But that doesn’t tell you what emotion is. That is like saying electricity goes through wires, but there is no mention of where electricity came from, what a generator is, or how electricity ‘flows’ through a wire.
It is an inadequate definition.
Here are three more definitions: 1 she was good at hiding her emotions: feeling, sentiment; reaction, response. 2 overcome by emotion, she turned away: passion, strength of feeling, warmth of feeling. 3 responses based purely on emotion: instinct, intuition, gut feeling; sentiment, the heart.
Again, these don’t tell you where emotion comes from, what has generated it, and how it really works.
So, here we go, here is what emotion actually is.
Emotion stems from motion inside the head.
And here is a truth, there are only people in this universe. Everything else in the universe, all the objects and non-living things (or ‘low living’ like animals) are the effect of motion in the universe.
A bug sits on a stalk, a frog sees the swaying stalk and must flick his tongue. A coyote sees the motion of the tongue, and is compelled to eat the frog.
The universe happens like dominoes. And, the ONLY thing in the universe that can upset the dominoes, can change the path of the falling dominoes, can change cause and effect, is a human being.
A human being has choice, and that ability, that decision making ability, is apart from the universe, and can cause the path of the universe to change and change and change.
So a human being can change the universe, but how does he change it? by having a thought first. So he thinks, and does what he thought about, and what he thought about comes to be.
But, in between the thought and the accomplishment, is emotion. Think about it:
A man wants to accomplish something, he sets out on the task, then he gets angry, or fearful, or otherwise emotional, and his ability to make accomplishment is lessened.
He was distracted.
Which brings us to the crux of the matter, why does man create these (his own) distractions? Why does he create emotion and waylay himself? Why?
What happens when you squeeze an lemon? Juice squirts out. Gets in your eye and you cry.
So a man creates emotion when he is squeezed, like a lemon, and ‘things’ squirt out.
things like fear, anger, hate, and so on.
And these things disrupt the mind, cause distraction, and obscure the basic thoughts that one may have.
When I was a child I was spanked, which is to say I was squeezed. I experienced fear, and pain, and anger, and that stuff, because I didn’t know what it is, it stayed with me for a long time.
It would even be fair to say that, like dominoes, certain of those emotions caused me to study martial arts. How weird.
So when you feel pain and anger and all those unpleasant things just say ‘no’ to them. Just refuse them. Refuse to dwell on that emotion, refuse to have motion inside your head, refuse to feel the lingering effects of being squashed (squeezed), and go about your life. Refuse the distraction and accomplish your thoughts.
Of course, it is not always easy to do that. Sometimes what is big in your head is greater than your ability to ignore.
That is where the martial arts come in.
The martial arts train you to accomplish an attack, no matter the distraction, and the heck with emotion.
No other practice on earth does this more efficiently or to greater effect.
You face your partner on the mat. He growls, people yell, you are tired, but because you have endured training, and pain and other distractions, and gotten to your black belt, you are able to ignore the distractions, move forward, and accomplish the thought of the strike, or the lock, or the takedown, or whatever.
You simply train yourself to ignore the motion inside your head, to ignore anything in the universe that tries to stop you, and you accomplish your thought.
Here’s a cruel trap, people who start the martial arts, then quit, were distracted. They let something squeeze them, and they quit. And the cruelty is that if they had kept going they would have found the ability that would have enabled them to ignore distractions, and accomplish their thoughts.
Catch 22. Yes?
One last thing I want to say about this. There are many people who fail, and, there are many people who are studying something thinking it is a martial art, when it isn’t.
You have to study the true martial arts. You have to find forms that work, and you have to make them work. You have to cleanse your techniques so they become pure and can show the thought that created them.
That path creates the discipline.
Just fighting does not. Fighting teaches you to fight. Doing the real martial arts, practicing techniques until you can make them work, that is the discipline of ignoring distractions and getting yourself to the point where you can make your thoughts work.
The best method, because incorrect movements (which are distractions) have been removed, is Matrix Karate.
Okay, that special day I was talking about. For me it is the most important day in the universe, for it is when I decided to have physical presence on this planet. Birthday.
And, if you have been following this blog for the last couple of decades, then you know I always ask for one, specific present.
Forgive me. If I have sent out the wrong order, didn’t answer an email, didn’t answer an email quickly said the wrong thing, didn’t understand something, failed in some way, if i have done ANYTHING that might have offended you, or caused you ANY sort of distraction…
Forgive me.
Help me clean up my universe, help me not have the distractions of bad service, poor communications, or ANYTHING else.
Beat Google!
Sign up for the newsletter at
https://alcase.wordpress.com
Click on the Cover!
Good afternoon!
Good weekend,
and great work out.
Just released a new Martial Arts book.
But,
it is not for everyone.
I recently read a book which claimed that
martial artists are dying young.
It was a very well researched book.
Went over the history of the martial arts,
traced the ages of death
and pretty much proved that
the martial arts are bad for your health.
Well, I can’t have that.
Even if it’s true its a lie.
So I wrote a book
proving that the truth was really a lie,
and that martial artists can live a long life.
If,
of course,
they do certain things.
So this book is about those certain things.
And,
it is not for everybody.
It is not a book of technique nor form.
It is not a training manual.
It is a serious discussion
as to what is wrong with the martial arts
that makes martial artists die young.
And there are recommendations
and data concerning things like energy (chi),
how you’re supposed to use the body,
and so on.
So it’s a brainy book.
Strictly for those who like to read and understand.
but it could have fantastic consequences
for those who want to understand
the principles behind adjusting your body
so it works properly.
And,
here’s some other news concerning it.
It is a kindle book, which means you download it and read it
on your kindle or iphone or whatever.
Now,
I am planning to write a few books strictly for Kindle.
The Kindle format is unfriendly to pictures,
so there won’t be tons of illustrations,
just a few.
And,
the books are usually about half as long as a regular book.
That is just the kindle format and problems.
But,
it is a huge market for me,
so I have to gear a few books over to it.
Incidentally,
the most well reviewed book I’ve got
is Outlaw Karate.
Five Five star ratings.
Nothing under five stars.
I recommend the paper version
because the kindle version comes in two parts
and isn’t always easy to read.
Gorgeous day.
Absolutely gorgeous.
And that means it is an absolutely gorgeous day for a work out.
So get going!
Was teaching this morning.
We were doing Promised Fights,
and my partner was grimacing,
and finally backed off.
“Ow,” he said.
And we got into a long discussion.
Heck,
he was hurting,
I had to let him recover,
give him some data,
and then hurt him some more.
Right?
First,
I started out with the old
‘Do it a form a thousand times and you know it.
Do it ten thousand times and you’ve mastered it.’
My student did exactly the right thing,
he said,
‘So if I do it 20 times a day,
then in fifty days…’
“Yep,” I said.
“You could know it.
You could be expert in 2 months.
But you have to do it right.
You have to understand the alignment,
how the feet work and why,
and you have to know the Promised Fights…
otherwise you could do it forever and not know it.”
Second,
we went into proper body alignment,
which is covered on the Master Instructor Course,
and how the feet must align properly,
and how the particular form we were doing had to be done
to make this all work.
I ended up saying,
“align your body,
make it a single unit,
then he won’t hit your body parts,
he will hit a single, integrated unit,
and it won’t hurt you.
Energy flows through a body that is a single unit,
it doesn’t flow through body parts used in individual fashion.
This is especially important in a Promised Fight.”
And,
came the look I had been waiting for.
I had been using the term Promised Fight,
and I knew he would eventually ask about it.
“What is a Promised Fight?”
A Promised Fight,
or a Promise Fight,
is a piece of the form applied.
A form Application.
It is a self defense movement.
It is bunkai.
It is the working part of the form.
But,
it is more.
In fact,
if a person doesn’t understand what I am about to tell you,
he/she is not doing karate.
They are just fighting themselves.
I asked my instructor what a Promised Fight was,
and he said,
‘The Promise of a Fight.’
And,
while the study of PFs gave great abilities,
and the answer he gave me was correct,
it was terribly incomplete.
To understand what a Promised Fight is
I need you to look up the word ‘Postulate.’
Look it up for yourself,
get all the nuances,
where it came from,
and all that,
but for this newsletter,
the short and inadequate version is this:
suggest or assume the existence, fact, or truth of (something) as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or belief
Assume existence,
put forth the truth,
as a basis for belief.
If you understand the hint here,
you should be diving for a big old Oxford Dictionary,
wanting to know why a simple karate move
becomes the basis for truth in this universe.
So let me break it down a bit,
from the viewpoint of 50 years of training.
A postulate is a thought,
which if worked on,
becomes true.
Worked on,
as continually done in a work out.
As in a piece of the form,
practiced again and again and again.
Now,
let me back up a bit,
a form is a circuit,
a pattern of moves that you practice and practice
until you just do it without thinking about it.
You strengthen the body,
you remember the applications,
you get light and quick,
and all those sorts of things.
When you do a piece of the form,
over and over and over,
you condense the circuit,
and you get rid of thought,
and suddenly there is nothing but the move.
Somebody punches,
and you don’t exist,
you just track the incoming,
and the Promise Fight,
the postulate of moves,
pops out of you.
And it works.
You punch him,
and he falls down.
And he doesn’t understand what hit him.
But here is the truth of it all…
a thought hit him.
A Postulate of thought hit him.
A Promise Fight,
clean and simple,
without distractive thoughts,
hit him.
And there is nothing purer in this universe.
Now,
I am always so busy trying to get people to understand,
offering all sorts of methods,
that i sometimes forget to go into this factor.
BUT,
in Matrix Karate there is the Matrix of blocks.
These are like mini-Promise Fights.
Very important to get these,
to understand them,
it is important to learn the small PFs
before you get to the big ones.
The big ones are on Temple Karate.
There isn’t talk of a matrix there,
because it is assumed you have done the groundwork of Matrixing first.
And the form applications are VERY pure Promised Fights.
They REALLY result in a zen frame of mind,
and the ability to hit somebody with a thought.
If you get Temple Karate
and you haven’t done Matrix Karate,
then you are taking the long route.
It will take you years,
and as distractions mount,
you can be knocked off the path
and never get there.
So you should do Matrix Karate,
work on the Matrix of Blocks,
make inroads and discover what a PF is.
And,
you can always take the pieces of the form,
they are pretty obvious,
and work on them to make real Promised Fights.
Then you do Temple Karate,
get into the classical forms,
and really go to town on the Promised Fights.
Matrix Karate is pretty simple,
it presents the movements that are pure karate,
no distractions from other arts.
It aligns you,
and sets you up for the broader moves of Temple Karate.
It is a real Closed Combat System.
You can do it by itself,
or you can do it,
then move into the classical,
and see what kinds of things
the old guys who came before us were into.
Temple Karate is a larger assortment of tricks,
it broadens the education,
and digs you to new depths.
Anyway,
that is the story on Promised Fights.
Dig ‘em…they are the real zen of Martial Arts.
Here’s the link for Temple,
if you have already done Matrix Karate.
You can just go to MonsterMartialArts and find Matrix Karate,
it is one of the first arts presented on the home page.
Newsletter 802
What’s Happening in the Martial Arts!
Good afternoon!
Think I’ll do a Tai Chi workout,
those always make me feel so large.
It’s funny…
large on a peaceful scale.
Got an email today,
asking where the newsletters have been.
Here, read for yourself…
Hey Al,
Haven’t heard from you in a while. Are you okay? I miss your newsletters. I’m sorry you’re catching flak from a bunch of little cowards spouting their worthless and unqualified opinions from the safety of their mother’s basement. I’ve been playing this game for a long time (since 1978), and I see you as nothing less than an innovator (if for no other reason than your unique ability to systemize that which has always been chaotic). We live in a unique time where the sharing of information is easier than ever. It’s easy to put people on a pedestal and idolized those who went before us as more than men. But the truth is, they only had a narrow perspective and worldview, and while they did the best they could with their extremely limited access to information, this doesn’t necessarily mean that they are deserving of worship. Just like grade school, only about 5 people out of a hundred actually studied hard and put in the work. The rest either ostracized them, or agreed with them and parroted their phrases to appear more intelligent. I think this phenomenon is seen in the Bible, with William Shakespeare, & in the martial arts. Five percent actually understand what the hell they’re reading (or have read it at all). Most of us do not understand or have not read it, so we agree with those who have and praise the brilliance of the work. The rest think it’s just a bunch of bullshit. My friend, you are among the 5%… No, you are one of those that the 5% study. The difference, is that we have access to more tools than any of our predecessors have had. There will always be the few that create change, and the lazy masses that first violently oppose, and then blindly parrot. You can’t be extraordinary by being ordinary. Keep on pressing on. I value and appreciate your perspective.
-Sean
I thank you, Sean,
from the bottom of my heart.
So let me explain what,
exactly,
has been happening,
and why I am so slow these days.
When I came down from Monkeyland
I was pretty broke.
No place to live,
no job…
no prospects.
Well,
it’s against the law to whine,
so I took on a bunch of jobs.
I drive Uber in the morning,
tutor kids in the afternoon,
do the martial arts in the evening,
and have a janitorial business on the weekend.
And I make sure I work out every day,
and multiple times a day,
if I can.
So that’s what’s been happening.
Survival on the stupid level.
the need for petty, crass cash.
A couple of things happened because of this,
a person gets tired if he isn’t doing what he loves.
So I’m tired all the time.
Poor me.
Whine…whine.
But,
there will come a time when I can shift everything back around,
focus on the martial arts,
and keep going.
After all,
at the end of the road is Monkeyland.
A place where people can go to study martial arts.
Anyway,
it’s not the small people who whine about what I am doing.
There is one common factor in these people:
they have never read what I am doing,
never seen a tape.
They offer opinion without facts.
They think they know everything
based on their own experience,
and they don’t need no durn facts.
So how can I get upset about a bunch of fellows
who offer ignorance as their stock in trade?
It’s sort of like listening to fourth graders
whine about how tough math is,
when the truth is
they just just don’t want to do the work.
And,
the root of the matter,
I’m just stuck in a boring spot,
should be out of it one of these days,
and doing more martial arts.
Then my chi kicks in,
my energy swells,
and life is great.
So that is what is happening.
That is why I am slow in coming out with the newsletters.
It’s my own durn fault,
for putting myself in this situation,
and it continues to be my fault
until I figure out how to right the situation.
So I thank you Sean,
and all the others,
the fifty,
and even the passersby.
Thanks for writing me the email,
encouraging me,
and even chastising me.
I apologize for being a lazy…fellow,
and I guarantee it won’t last forever,
nor probably even long.
In the meantime,
it is up to you.
Work out every day.
Don’t make ignorance your comfort zone,
but delve in,
buy books and videos,
enlarge your cranium with the swell of martial arts.
Put them to work with your friends.
Understand that their is perfection of the spirit
in the study of martial arts,
and that it makes the world a better place.
It calms the spirit,
it undoes undue excitement,
it gives lazerlike insight into the problems of the world.
I’ve been around for a while,
and I will go away,
but the martial arts are your true teacher,
they are the liberator,
the educator,
the enlightenment.
They last forever.
Enjoy.
Now,
I’ll try to work a bit harder,
and stop being a lazy…fellow.
Good Evening! Feel tired after a long day’s work? Go stand in the ready stance. Don’t burst into motion, just wait. Let your body fall into the first move. then the second. Soon you will be working out full bore, and feeling tremendous amounts of energy. Just don’t push it… let it happen.
Okey dokey! I was talking with a fellow this past week end, and an interesting subject came up. Revenge.
I don’t know why. We were just talking, and then…revenge.
Now revenge is very over rated. if you want revenge, then you have already lost. Already been beaten. So get over it.
But, that said, if you are the kind of fellow who dwells obsessively on all the things that people have done to you… the best cure is hard work, attention to details, and dedicating yourself to the goal. In this case, the goal of revenge. Of beating him. Of teaching him a lesson.
And that brings us to an interesting saying.
‘Revenge is a dish best served cold.’
You probably heard it in a Steven Seagal movie, ‘Hard to Kill,’ I believe is the name. The one where he goes through a seven year coma only to wake up and kick ass, and have revenge.
So this old saying an oriental saying and… except it is not oriental. Do a google, and you’ll find it is French!
That’s right. French. And, there is some argument as to which novel it appeared in first.
But, it sounds oriental. It sounds like them evil slant eyes with their insidious plots, said it.
I mean, it even sounds sort of…zen!
But… French.
But here is the trick, it doesn’t really mean what you think it means.
Everybody think it means you take twenty years craft a glorious payback, and laugh evilly over the dying foe.
Nope. That’s downright silly. It’s silly because in 20 years a lot can happen. The guy might die. Your plan might fail. You might evolve and realize that he was right to win, and he isn’t such a bad guy.
But assuming he is a villain of Darth Vader’s stature… why would you want him to enjoy himself for 20 years? I mean, get your revenge and get it while the getting is good! Right?
So here is what the saying REALLY means. Mind you, this really is going to be zen.
Served cold refers to having a calm state of mind.
If you laugh maniacally as he lays dying, then you have become him. You have become the evil. And where is the enjoyment, when the mind is fevered? You aren’t enjoying, you are giving in to your own base urges. But, if you can have a calm mind, then you have beaten him, not just with your revenge, but you have ‘out-evolved’ him.
So, don’t wait, get your revenge as quick as you can, but cool your mind down so you can actually enjoy yourself.
Of course, as for myself, I think I would rather dedicate myself to training before I lost, before I ever needed a revenge. Win the first time. That’s the real key.
Have a great work out and HanaKwanMass!
Al
BTW here’s a course that will help you take control of your hot to trot, fevered, out of control mind.
Go to the Testimonials in the menu and do a search for your martial art!
Hi Sensei Al!
(On the Black Belt Course) Everything is working great! Thank you for the quick responses. I am enjoying the one on one videos. It may be cliche, but I do feel like I'm there. I also like the conversational style and the way you explain how you're teaching and why. You've got a new student for life. Thank you. ~ Daniel
What's interesting about Al Case's writings and teachings is there isn't any emphasis on 'the unknown' or 'mystery' behind martial arts. Al will slam this information in your face! Quite frankly the data isn't hidden, you'll find you're blind. ~ WG
Al Case is a powerful presence to be around, but if you can confront it, then you will not be sorry, for there is no one like him, and it is an extreme privilege and honor.
I used to read your articles in Inside Karate and was excited when I found your web site. ~ RV
As an old timer with thirty-five years of experience I was really bored, but your works have peaked my interest and shown me that there is much more to learn. I Thank You Again, Sincerely ~ CC
Where was this information 24 years ago? This course is one of the best things to ever happen to me. Thank you Al Case for the gift of knowledge!
Be blessed my teacher, ~ Rev. Ernest R
I bought the Infinite Fist tape YEARS ago and you know? I Keep going back to it! ~ KS
You are a master. You have opened me up to things that I have never thought of before. ~ KFM
I purchased your course on "Create Your Own Martial Art" and absolutely love it. I believe that your matrixing system is very unique. ~ DW
In my entire experience twenty years as a student and an instructor since, no one has contributed more to my martial arts education than you have. I started following your works twenty years ago and although I was young then I knew you had the True Art it was obvious to me even then. ~ Charles C
Students will know longer be slaves of poor instructors and practitioners. ~ Lonnie M
Win from Master Instructor Course
Let me start out by saying thank you. Thanks from all the martial artists who asked why. Al, I'm in the Security and Law enforcement field and carry Instructor credentials, so effective methods in combat and teaching them is what I constantly look for.
Win from Matrix Aikido
I just had to write to you to say WOW. Your INSTANT AIKIDO is great!!! ~ SD
My students have started coming up to me after class telling me how much more they are enjoying it, and that the classes have stopped being so ridged and now flow in a kind of give and take between me and them. I have stopped being a task master and started having fun and letting them teach me as well.
I did the Master Instructor Course and it hit me. The Basics that are so concisely communicated in this course including the Matrix principle IS the solution. It doesn’t matter what “style” I call my art, because all styles follow these same principles. It doesn’t matter how hard I train or how many repetitions I do if I don’t train the right way. And I would never become a master if I didn’t know how it all fits together. Now I do! I can honestly say that I am now on the path that I have always sought as a martial artist. Thank you Al!
I conducted a Matrix Aikido training class for a Security Team at a local manufacturing plant. I tailored the training according to their Use Of Force policy. As you know they need control and takedown skills. I knew Matrix Aikido would be the answer. The training plan you shared was boss. The class went so smoothly. The participants learned very quickly. By the end of the class you could see techniques of Monkey Boxing coming through. They were also able to create their own techniques. There was one female officer in the class who asked to become my private student. She was throwing, locking and taking down guys twice her size. The Security Supervisor wants me to come back and with more participants! I'll keep you posted. ~ L M
Have found your books and dvds excellent. My background is mainly in medical qigong but I practice Sun Style Tai CHi, BaGua and HsingI as well as Eagle Claw, Snake Style Kung Fu and several Wudang weapon styles. This is the first time I have had the underlying principles so clearly explained and in a way that they are immediately workable and demonstratable. I have worked through the Master Instructors Course, Aikido and Butterfly Bagua and have started to breakdown the Sun Hsing I using your matrix method. I was even able to teach a 70 year old friend of mine with no martial arts background your instant aikido where she was able to do some very accomplished locks and throws after the first lesson
Search the testimonials for your martial art!
Free Martial Arts Books
HERE'S SOME FREE MARTIAL ARTS BOOKS, MY THANKS FOR DROPPING BY.
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