Happoken no Kata

Shihan Jan de Jong included Happoken no Kata in his jujutsu grading system. The kata is taken straight from Yoseikan Budo. A very good demonstration of this kata is posted on YouTube.

In my The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques, I devote a chapter to the 'core of all learning.' The core of all learning is the identification of similarities and differences. How is the JDJ HnK similar and different to the Yoseikan HnK?

They are similar in that they use the same blocks and strikes, however, they are different in that JDJ uses a staggered stance (zenkutsu dachi) while Yoseikan uses a parallel stance. Insights and understanding arise when analysing those differences.

The first technique is a middle block against a punch from the side. There is no evasive body movement used in the Yoseikan kata, therefore, the purpose of the block is to avoid injurious contact with the body from the attack.

JDJ's initial teaching was to step to the side with the leg closest to the attacker into zenkutsu dachi and block. This means moving across the attack and moving the attacking arm with the block around 45 degrees. An inefficient process at best.

Some of the senior instructors were not happy with this stepping motion and moving across the attack and changed the movement such that the back leg steps in front before turning into zenkutsu dachi and executing the block. This movement is now an evasive body movement as it moves the body off the line of attack, however ... what is the purpose of block? It's not to avoid injurious contact with the body because the evasive body movement took care of that problem.

This is an issue that I continually address in the chapter on blocking techniques in The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques. If a blocking technique of any description is used in conjunction with an evasive body movement, the question always has to be asked: 'What is the purpose of the blocking technique?' It's not to avoid injurious contact with the body because the evasive body movement takes care of that problem.

There are answers to that question. Nakayama provides six possibilities in blocking in Dynamic Karate. One is to use the block as an 'attacking block' or a strike. Another is to physically unbalance the opponent. Interestingly enough, none of the blocking possibilities involves preventing injurious contact with the body. Btw, none of those possibilities would appear to explain this block in these circumstances.

Yoseiken's second block involves the performer turning 90 degrees to execute a low block in response to a punch from behind. JDJ's second block involves the performer turning 180 degrees to the rear, once again stepping across in front of the attack and moving the attackers arm 45 degrees to the side. Also a criticised move but one that no attempt was made to rectify.  There was talk of stepping across with the front leg and turning 180 degrees into zenkutsu dachi, however, the same question re evasive body movements and blocks used in conjunction would then also be applicable.

This low block is followed by a step forward and low punch. This involves stepping into the opponent, unless the opponent stepped backward of course, which would be the only time in the kata that this is assumed.

Why did JDJ change the stance from a parallel stance to a staggered stance? It's because a staggered stance is stronger in terms of stability than a parallel stance when applying and receiving forces from the front. This is a well known fact and is why the staggered stance is the most common stance adopted in fighting activities.

Does this mean the Yoseikan stance is 'weaker' in this situation? Is it less stable and more susceptible to destablising/unbalancing forces (see the chapter on stances and balance/unbalancing in The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques). Yes and no.

Note the stance adopted in the last four techniques in the  YouTube video. This stance and its use is more representative of pasang used by some pencak silat (see right).

Pasang is a wide parallel stance facing the opponent. It is used to gain more stability when friction is less in muddy inland Indonesia. By adopting a wide stance, an evasive body movement is accomplished by moving the body weight over one or the other legs and turning the upper body. Turning the upper body when striking increases range and adds more mass behind the strike. The chapter on injury science and striking techniques in The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques demonstrates that the damage potential of a strike increases in the martial arts by the experienced practitioner knowing how to put more mass behind the strike.

The question then becomes for all the schools currently teaching JDJ's HnK, what do they do with this analysis?

They can keep teaching JDJ's teaching unquestioningly. A not uncommon approach.

They can attempt to shoehorn an explanation if the question is ever raised, as was the case when I raised these questions with senior instructors while I was a student at the school.

They can change the techniques/movements ... there-in lies a valuable lesson.

If you change anything in a technique, defence, or kata, you should always re-evaluate the entire technique, defence, or kata in order to see that it continues to 'make sense.'

Another option is to adopt the original Yoseikan kata with the added understanding and insights provided this analysis with the aid of the theory presented in The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques, which then expands the use of this kata as a teaching tool.

7th Kyu Nage Waza - First Draft

You will recall my previous post described Shihan Jan de Jong's jujutsu grading system as a first draft. I have also argued that it behoves those who now teach that grading system to study that grading system in order to refine it and to deal with possible errors contained within it.

The 7th Kyu (Red Belt) grading includes a section where the grading candidate has to demonstrate four throwing techniques: (nage waza): hip throw (o goshi nage), shoulder throw (ippon seio nage), minor inner reaping (ko uchi gari), and minor outer reaping (ko soto gari; see image with Shihan Hans de Jong executing on myself).

The Shodan revision grading (kime no kata) requires the grading candidate to select and demonstrate, among other things, five different throwing techniques (nage waza) and five different takedown techniques (taoshi waza) for each of five different wrist/forearm holds.

Chapter two in my The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques is about the core of all learning. The core of all learning is the identification of similarities and differences. Nage waza and taoshi waza are similar in that they are techniques which cause the opponent to fall to the ground. How are they different? The lack of understanding about the differences between these two types of similar but different techniques is explored in another chapter in TSBAFT.

When I was preparing to engage in this grading, I asked my instructors what the difference was between throwing techniques and takedown techniques. I was met with silence from all of them except one. He said that a throwing technique involves both of the opponent's feet being forced to leave the ground whereas with takedown techniques do not. This, as I explain in the abovementioned chapter, is the definitive distinction between these two types of techniques, which I demonstrate in mechanical terms.

When, as a prospective yudansha (black belt holder), I applied that theory to the abovementioned 7th Kyu grading, ko uchi gari and ko soto gari would be classified as takedowns rather than throws. When I raised this issue/question with my instructors, I was told that if the technique is performed correctly then both of the opponent's feet will leave the ground. If that is the case, then not one person in the entire history of the Jan de Jong jujutsu grading system has performed those techniques correctly.

That explanation is a classic case of 'shoehorning.' Forcing one thing to fit another, even though it doesn't fit.

These techniques, the way they are performed in the Jan de Jong jujutsu grading system, are technically takedown techiques/taoshi waza. Having come to that (technically correct) understanding, the next question is, what do we do about it?

One option is to continue to teach the grading system as it was handed down by JDJ (the first draft). An option that is mostly being pursued, albeit with the absence of a knowledge of the error.

Another option is to correct the error, however, so much valuable learning is lost in doing so if the error is not incorporated into the learning some way.

How did JDJ make this error? Firstly, there is no definitive distinction, until my book, distinguishing between throwing techniques and takedown techniques (which makes the abovementioned shodan grading an interesting exercise). Secondly, judo includes those techniques in their list of nage waza, specifically ashi waza (leg techniques). Did judo make the same mistake? Firstly, judo was the leader in classifying martial arts techniques. Secondly, judo includes a category for nage waza but none for taoshi waza. This begs the question - does judo teach taoshi waza? As I demonstrate in my book, judo does teach taoshi waza but do not recognise it as a separate class of techniques, instead classifying all techniques that cause an opponent to fall to the ground as nage waza.

Depending on how judo teaches these techniques, they can be either a throw or takedown as the images above show. The direction of the unbalancing determines whether the technique is a throw or a takedown, as I explain in my book, and the direction of unbalancing and the intended effect of the applied forces are fundamental to the execution of this (and all) techniques, hence, this understanding is no mere academic exercise.

What would you do with this identified error in Jan de Jong's jujutsu grading system?

Jan de Jong's Grading System First Draft

I have completed researching and writing The Science Behind All Fighting Techniques. I am currently in the process of completing the first draft of Fear and Fight: Understanding Our Natural and Learned Responses to a Threat. One thing that I have learned that no matter the amount of research, the first draft is always too long and lacking in focus.

Shihan Jan de Jong developed his jujutsu (and aikido and pencak silat) grading system. It was a first draft, and consequently, it is too long and lacking in focus. JDJ was the embodiment of the spirit of kaizen, continuous improvement. It behoves the instructors that follow on from JDJ to reflect on JDJ's work and improve on his grading system; that is providing that they can.

The namesake school continues to teach JDJ's grading system without any major modifications/improvements. I have been informed that they dropped the grading that examined sword use basics, which makes no sense at all. The basis of effective teaching is to teach basics and then progress from there. That is the underlying methodology of the mon grades that JDJ introduced was to introduced the basics before the student attempted the kyu or dan grades. How effective that was is another issue, however, it conformed to the modern, effective way of teaching as JDJ acknowledged in an interview. JDJ modified/improved his grading system accordingly, which the current incumbents have retreated from in this instance.

Another instructor has done away with the mon grades (see 'interview' above) altogether in order, as he says, to return to the original Tsutsumi (Hozan?) Ryu system. This modification is based on an incomplete understanding of the development of the JDJ jujutsu grading system as all of the grades above the first four kyu grades are heavily influenced by JDJ's Yoseikan exposure.

One instructor has significantly modified JDJ's grading system, changing it totally. While I might challenge the basis of the modification(s), I have to applaud his adoption of JDJ's kaizen spirit with regards to the grading system.

Another instructor has implemented an idea that JDJ had been contemplating for at least three years prior to his passing, even though said instructor was not privy to JDJ's contemplations. He has introduced two streams, a practitioners stream and an instructors stream. Not all yudansha will go on teach and therefore, why should they be required to undertake the instructor's gradings. This is something that JDJ wrestled with for a number of years prior to his passing. An issue that we discussed on many occasions without any resolution. JDJ would be very interested in this instructors efforts, which are in the best tradition of JDJ's kaizen spirit.

The original JDJ jujutsu grading system is a first draft. It is a lumbering, behemoth. The current instructors teaching JDJ's jujutsu grading system can continue teaching JDJ's first draft or they can use what JDJ attempted to provide his instructors' with - insight. The insight will provide for redrafts, until finally a sophisticated, efficient, succinct, and focused grading system is developed.