Watch the Fight
19 April 2007-- Aristotle's Animal
Aristotle in his Treatise on the Progression or Gait of Animals wrote 'The animal that moves makes its change of position by pressing against that which is beneath it'. I first read this line nearly forty years ago, and ever since then I have endeavoured to better understand how the animal, including man, organizes the pressing against that which is beneath so as to facilitate those changes in position and action upon which survival depends. I have tried to discover those factors (both internal and external) that are influential upon the successful interaction of a biological system/structure with the ground, gravity, the surrounding environment and the other animal species that share it. And last but by no means least, I have looked for the fundamental patterns of movement that are the consequence of this interaction through a process of natural selection that has gone on for millions of years. Finally, I have studied how these patterns have been tactically and strategically modified for combat as they were passed along from one generation to the next.
S. Higgins wrote, 'Movement is inseparable from the structure supporting it and the environment defining it,' which for me says it all. This is vital information for us as martial artists. But I'm different from many martial artists in terms of what I consider to be important information. From S. Higgins and Aristotle flow many of the subjects that I believe martial artists should strive to understand in order to improve the criteria by which we can objectively judge what is more likely to be essential to fighting and fight training, and what is not. Here's a brief list:
1) The neuromusculoskeletal system, including the ways in which our emotions, thoughts and sensations (extero, intero, proprioceptive) are translated within the integrative action of the CNS
2) Those laws and principles of force and motion that govern the interaction of forces and their effects
3) The various combative situations we might find ourselves in against different psychological, physical and stylistic types (whether on the street or in the arena)
4) Those skills, tactics and strategies that have been shown to have been effective within such situations against the various types of antagonist
5) The most recent advances in sports psychology, physiology, and the current psychological and physical training methods being used by Special Forces
From my experience and observation, the majority of martial artists, and in particular those from karate, haven't a clue what they're talking about, let alone what they're doing. And those whose research and personal experience have afforded them some glimmer of understanding don't seem to have the will to take it forward. Invariably they feed their knowledge back into their systems in accordance to the principle of Shu Ha Ri, where their efforts are a little like trying to give the kiss of life to a rotting corpse.
I was amused at some of the comments over on KU with regard to the cheetah clip, which I included because for me it so obviously dramatically illustrates Aristotle's animal in action. But for many among karate, obviously the clip has little meaning. Don't they know that much of the Okinawan toudi/tode have been derived from the animal fighting traditions of the Fujian Province? The very systems they practice were once animal-based, before the educators and JKA got hold of them. Perhaps if some people took the time to understand these animal traditions of Fujian at least in principle, then they might better understand how the Fujian forms and training methods seek to train and enhance, in tactical and strategic ways, those reflex and behavioural patterns that are the foundation of all human motor skills.
And of course, Aristotle was Greek. He didn't know nothing about 'animal fu.' He was simply investigating the natural phenomena in the world around him.
But leaving animals aside for now, let's look at some human beings in action. The first clip shows two contemporary JKA specialists. The second is an older clip representative of what I call 'Japanese robotics'. And the third is representative of Okinawan robotics.
Dance of the Happy Rapiers (or, I'm So Dangerous)
The Old is always better than the New, right?????!!!
And if it comes from Okinawa, it must be the Real Deal...
This is what I mean by robotics. Natural movement has been supplanted by an imposed, motor-oriented response to fulfill a criteria based upon how something should look, rather than upon what it should accomplish.
I remember reading a comment about the Prussian goosestep, and the writer said it was the most unnatural thing he'd ever seen, 'kicking nature in the teeth'. Karate's not far off; and no wonder, because during the development of modern karate at the height of fascism in Japan, the Prussian military model was deliberately adopted within the educational system of Japan, which included the Okinawan school system. (see Scorpion's Tale for more).
This is a whole lot of robotics. By contrast, I could have picked clips from Muay Thai, Boxing, MMA, submission, sambo--lots to choose from with regard to natural movement. But I've chosen a brief clip of one small boy. I believe that compared to karate, his movement is far more reflective of Aristotle's principle of pressing down against that which is beneath so as to produce a dynamic and effective response. He's producing changes in position and action in response to unpredictable stimuli, again and again, in a variety of ways. This is an example of a combative adaptation of natural patterns bequeathed by evolution.
This little guy is more of a master than any of the other lot. And there are plenty of similar clips to be found on You Tube.
Boxing Super Kids
