Newsletter 957

The Secret Weapon of the True Martial Arts

You know,
there is a Neutronics principle I never mentioned.
Strongest thing in the universe,
and nobody talks about it.
They just do their forms,
without innovating,
never looking for hidden techniques,
never doing them right side, left side, backwards, upside down.
Never investing them with spirit.
Doing a form like a tiger, a snake, a piano.
Never jiggling,
moving left inside of right,
never questioning the authority of the form.
These people don’t have the secret weapon of the martial arts.
They don’t have…
IMAGINATION!

Some people think muscles are important,
but there is always somebody stronger.
Some people think speed is important.
It is,
but good technique beats speed.
Some people think your will,
your desire, your intention,
is what’s important.
Sure it is,
but imagination is stronger.
A fellow throws the strongest punch in the universe at your face,
you simply imagine yourself sidestepping.
A fellow grabs you and decides to throw you on the ground,
you imagine yourself sinking your weight into a stance.
A fellow points a gun at you,
you imagine somebody behind him,
you point and say, ‘OMG!’
then,
while he turns to look,
you run away.
Imagination,
the strongest thing in the universe.
No matter what faces you,
imagination can beat it.

Of course,
it helps if you practice.
Practice your forms and techniques,
your freestyle.
And,
most of all,
PRACTICE YOUR IMAGINATION!

How do you practice imagination?
Practice doing the opposite.
If somebody says you can’t do something,
you wonder…
Why?
Why not?
Why can’t I?

If a cop says you can’t turn left and leaves…
turn left.

If a parent says ‘go to sleep,’
stay up all night.

If a teacher says you’ll flunk if you don’t get your homework done,
flunk.

If a sensei says to do the form this way…
do it the other way.
The other side.
Backwards.
Like an animal.
Like an angel.
Like a devil.
Like a barking dog.
Like whatever you want.

Whenever somebody tells me that life is this way,
I automatically think of the other way.
Why should I live like a cop,
parent, teacher, boss, preacher, bum, doctor, lawyer, politician
tells me to?

Why should I let somebody else live my life?
Why can’t I make my own mistakes?
After all,
every mistake is a lesson,
so shouldn’t I be able to learn my own lessons?

It’s all possible through imagination.
It’s all possible if you just close your eyes for a moment,
then open them,
and then do the opposite of whatever whoever told you.

I got tired of kids doing push ups with their butts in the air.
So I make them hold ‘downward dog.’
Zingo bingo,
they is larnin’ yoga!
I got tired of them sagging in push ups,
you got it,
‘upward dog.’
more yoga.

I have them do
the gator, the monkey, the rabbit, the frog,
AND THEY LOVE IT!
Now it’s more than a work out,
it’s a game,
it’s play.

So remember,
every mistake is a lesson,
but only if you have the imagination,
only if you open your eyes and look,
only if you do the opposite.

Remember
the Neutronic principle.

For something to be true
the opposite must also be true.

Have imagination,
do the opposite.
Never be bound by someone else.

And whatever you do,
I’m telling you you have to,
if you don’t you will be a bum!
You have to do what I say,
never mind all that imagination stuff,
you have to…
CLICK HERE!

Have a great work out!
Al

2d Create Your Own Art

A WIN!
Hello Mr. Case. I recently purchased the Create Your Own Art course from you. As I have told you in the past I studied Hsing-i quan. Lately I have been having lots of trouble in my practice. At one time I had what I called the Hsing -i “kernal of power” but as of recently I have been unable to do it correctly. The power was bleeding off somewhere in the transitions between stances. I looked at your book Buddha Crane Karate book and I noticed that you have the foot in an elevated position much like the Seven Star stance of Northern Mantis before the step and strike. Well on a hunch I jumped up and ran in the other room and tried it in the Pi quan form and presto! All the power was back.

Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.
Bruce Lee