Sensei James Zoubantes: 7/15/1932-9/4/2015

Sensei Jimmy Zoubantes, longtime Judo instructor at Black Belt Academy, passed away last Friday, September 4th at age 83. Jimmy was a student of Joe Turchino, now 8th Dan, and was a sensei to Walter Dean, now 9th Dan and Board member of US Judo Association (USJA). Jimmy was 4th Dan, Bronze Life Member with USJA and 5th Dan, Life Member with National Sport Judo.

Jimmy was a great dojo friend and mentor. We did many self-defense seminars and programs together in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. He was hard-working, usually at work in food services before 7:00am, but very easy-going in nature. He was just as fast with a joke as he was able to throw you. I will miss him. RIP.

I asked others to share information, stories, and anecdotes. Here are some of them:

Lisa Devine Kamhi: That is such sad news. I loved Jimmy. He trained me in Judo on Saturday mornings at Black Belt Academy. Such a kind and funny man. Rest in Peace.

Joe Turchiano: Jimmy was with me for 7 years during my contest years and took many high speed falls. He became a strong judoka. He taught in my old dojo for over 25 years under Black Belt Academy. He was a true brother; the only student who outsmarted me with a combination I taught him – right fake to right kosoto gari. He impacted many young lives, what a good sensei does...

Nick Roseto: I spoke with Jim last year just to let him know I didn't forget about him and thanked him for being such a big part of my childhood. I'm glad I did. May he rest in peace.

Sensei Clifford R Wolff July 1, 1929-August 21, 2015

Two days ago the Judo world lost a quiet giant: Sensei Clifford R. Wolff, age 86. Quiet? He loved to talk, but what he said was worth listening to. He was against ‘kuchi waza’ (mouth techniques), or running off at the mouth, and could back up what he said. A giant because he began Judo training in 1943, at one time headed the largest USJA club in the nation, was a published author, taught/mentored/friended thousands of martial artists over his 72 year martial arts career.

Sensei Wolff was a proponent of ‘shibumi’, simple elegance. An excellent example of this was that in a martial arts world where people crave to be called ‘master’, ‘grandmaster’, ‘soke’, 11th degree black belt, etc. Wolff was simply called ‘Sensei’, ranked 3rd Dan at the Kodokan and 4th Dan with the USJA until 2014. On May 9, 2013 an informal testimonial dinner was held to celebrate his 70th anniversary in the martial arts. ‘Informal’ was Sensei Wolff’s style. Months before the dinner several of us martial artists started the ball rolling to get Sensei Wolff’s 5th Dan with the USJA. It took about a year, but he was awarded Go Dan in 2014. The paperwork and financial responsibilities were taken on by us, as he never cared about rank and would never have put in for promotion himself.

Sensei Clifford R. Wolff will be sorely missed in the martial arts world. Rest in Peace.

-Steve Gottwirt, USJA Patron LM #3070

Don’t Turn Into a Block, Turn Away From It

I often see martial artists make wide, exaggerated folds in kata and when trying to block an opponent’s attack. This usually doesn’t work because a straight-on attack lands before it is perceived, a large fold can be made, and the block comes out. A simple solution is to parry the attack. While an effective defense, parrying doesn’t damage the attacking limb like a good, hard block could.

Another alternative: instead of swinging your block into your opponent, turn away from the attack. You can fold straight on, or at a 90 degree angle, and turn your body sideways in the opposite direction as you block. This gives your block up to 180 degrees rotational power without exposing yourself during much of the turn. The block travels a straighter line while your body twists off the attack line, improving the chance of intercepting your opponent’s oncoming strike. This end position also sets you up to countersink your hips 90 degrees for a forceful counter attack.

Think of the hub and spokes of a wheel. Do the spokes rotate on their own, or does the rotating hub cause the attached spokes to rotate? Your twisting body, the hub, will bring your attached arms around to block more effectively than flailing your arms with large motions. Think back to your geometry lessons. A semi-circle is 180 degrees. The diameter, a straight line, is also 180 degrees, but is much more direct and covers much less distance than a half circle does.

The primary purpose of any block is to protect the individual. A punch won’t harm you if you block it. Makes sense. It also makes sense that smashing the attacking limb with a strong block greatly reduces the likelihood of any more attacks from that limb. A fast, hard, body rotational, 180 degree linear, strong block could even defeat your opponent. An old Okinawan maxim says, “There is no first strike in Karate.” True, we don’t start a fight, but if he strikes first, we’ll block/strike his body. He attacked us first, but we damaged him first.

I Practice Okinawan Shotokan, not Japanese Shotokan

In Summer 2013 there was some talk among Dō Gakuin seniors to change our style name from ‘Shotokan’ to ‘Shoto Ryu’ as a means of separating our manner of movement from that of the world’s largest Shotokan group, Japan Karate Association (JKA) – see blog post “Shoto Ryu”, 9/12/13. Of course we decided not to change. Most Shotokan practitioners are conforming to JKA performance as a matter of international competition, but it is recognized that other variations of Shotokan exist.

Gichin Funakoshi, an Okinawan, studied two Okinawan styles of Karate, blended them into his own Okinawan style, taught it in Okinawa, then introduced it to Japan where it was considered Japanese Karate. All I can say is, “??!? Riiight!” There are distinct differences between most Okinawan Karate and Japanese Karate styles. Okinawan Karate usually has shorter, higher stances. The kata usually has more close-quartered hand techniques, and the motion is more fluid. There is emphasis on effectiveness: what you are doing. Japanese Karate routinely uses longer, deeper stances; techniques are thrown long and deep. Kata moves are often more dramatic, detached and exaggerated, with short bursts of explosive speed and power. The emphasis is on technique: how you do the moves.

Many writers more knowledgeable than I can tell you why and how this schism came about; I can just give you my humble opinion on two major factors that affected Shotokan: Yoshitaka Funakoshi and a little thing called World War II.

Gichin Funakoshi was in his 50s when he brought his Karate to Japan. It is rumored that rather than teach effective empty handed style used in Okinawa against the occupying Japanese, he taught simple, almost folk-dance movements. Gichin was nearing 40 years old when his third son Yoshitaka (or, Gigo) was born. Gigo was diagnosed with tuberculosis at age 7 and began Karate training at age 12 as a means of improving his health, pushing his body hard. He accompanied his father, Gichin, to Japan, where he studied Kendo and Iaido, two distinctly Japanese martial arts. Here is where Gigo Funakoshi gave his father’s Karate a more Japanese ‘flavor’ bringing more dynamic movements, speed, strength, and deep stances. Father Gichin did not teach Karate the same way as son Gigo, but condoned what his son was doing. It was at this point that Shotokan was practiced in an Okinawan manner, a Japanese manner, and assorted blends of the two.

The desire to study Karate was ongoing at the end of World War II, however it would be difficult to convince Allied Powers to allow Japanese and Okinawans to train on skills to kill occupying forces with their bare hands. OK then… it’s physical education… we use it for exercise in our schools… yeah, that’s the ticket! A major impact of public education systems was that Karate was now taught to 50 people in a class, rather than almost one-on-one attention at a sensei’s home or tiny dojo. By necessity, Karate concentrated more on the mechanics of the movements, taking precedence over the purpose of the movements. Many universities started Karate clubs. Being separate and somewhat isolated from each other, different clubs had different takes on their performance of Karate. Tournaments were non-existent; Karate-dō was for self-development, not competition. When tournaments came into being, expressive, stylized performance of kata was used to differentiate one’s performance from the standard ‘cookie cutter’ version others did. Kumite (sparring) was controlled for safety’s sake, with certain techniques ‘off limits’ for your opponent’s welfare. These were often the very techniques you would use on an enemy to be sure you damaged him.

So, what kind of Shotokan do we practice at Dō Gakuin? There’s an easy answer and a not-so-easy answer. Our mission statement says: “... to preserve Shotokan Karate as practiced in Black Belt Academy and by Kenkojuku Association during the 1970s.” While that sounds cut and dried, it’s much more complicated. I’ve seen old movies of Tomosaburo Okano-kancho and various Kenkojuku seniors performing kata somewhat differently. My Florida visit in November, 2014 to train with Tomokatsu Okano-kancho showed me how Kenkojuku is practiced differently in different parts of the country, in different eras, and whether influenced by Miyazaki, Takahashi, Akusawa, Kuriyama, Sugimoto, etc. Even Tomosaburo Okano-kancho occasionally changed his teachings, depending on his changing interpretations of Funakoshi’s Master Text, Karate-Dō Kyōhan. Dō Gakuin Shotokan is taught with deep, low stances and strong movements. This sounds Japanese, but we are fluid and speedy, spending much time on bunkai (application), like the Okinawans. Sadly, because of the way we and Black Belt Academy teach, enrollment is small; we do not offer the ‘popular’ way of study. Sadly for me personally, as my joints stiffen with age, I teach Shotokan, but I practice Shorin Ryu.

Goodbye to Jerry Saravia … again

Last night, Monday, we said ‘goodbye’ to our boy, Jerry Saravia as he leaves to start his new job in Boston. Our boy - our ‘boy’ is pushing 30, but he started training with Dō Gakuin at age 10, so he’ll always seem like our boy to me. We reviewed his higher katas and kobudo, making sure he leaves with skills as sharp as possible.

Jerry went to college upstate at Rochester Institute of Technology for six years. During that time he did internships in Oregon and Boston, and did a semester overseas in Paris. After getting his Masters degree, he came back to Long Island for almost a year. His job search included Long Island and NYC, but he accepted a job in Boston that lasted four years. He did come back from college and work occasionally, and he always looked sharp. Jerry returned to Long Island last May for a month before departing on a cross-country bicycle trip that would last four months. Jerry’s trek finished in October, and he trained with us regularly right up until last night.

Statistics show that students who go away to college, who intern in different parts of the country, who study abroad are much less likely to settle down in their hometown. I knew each return would probably be short-lived before Jerry would leave again. I was talking to a coworker late last night and she asked me why his leaving hit me the way it did, especially since he left a few times before. Diligence, dedicated training, apt at teaching others, a gentlemanly manner while sparring, a tournament champion, all make him a pleasure to teach. His day-to-day energy, personality, quirky sense of humor, and frequent chuckling make him a pleasure to be around. His birth date is in January 1986; Dō Gakuin was founded in January 1986. I’ve watched the boy grow and mature into a fine man, and see his life as representative of our dojo. Most Black Belts have their own way of performing techniques depending on their body types, abilities, and personal preferences. Jerry Saravia’s form comes closest to ‘textbook’ Dō Gakuin.

Am I showing favoritism? Our dojo has several fine Black Belts, and a couple would be considered ‘elite’; Jerry Saravia is definitely among the elite. Best wishes on your new job, Jerry, and come back to visit often. You will be missed.

Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao

Had the chance to talk at length today about a great Judo match that occurred late last night/early this morning: Mayweather vs Pacquiao. I thought it was a boxing match. Judo match?!? Yes, Judo match.

Pacquiao was the brawler; tenacious fighter. He would have to give Mayweather a serious beating. It was Pacquiao’s fight to win.

Mayweather (winner by unanimous decision) was the skilled technician. He would have to hold his own, and not let Pacquiao score heavy. It was Mayweather’s fight to lose.

Two main principles of Judo are: ‘Maximum efficiency with minimum effort’ and ‘Mutual welfare and benefit’. Mayweather showed minimum effort slipping Pacquiao’s attacks, while Pacquiao worked like crazy but received little for his efforts. Both fighters showed mutual welfare; neither really hurt the other boxer. Since they’re both basically unscathed, do I smell ‘rematch’ in the foreseeable future for a gazillion dollars?

There is a story famous in Judo circles, and written on the back of Jigoro Kano’s master text ‘Kodokan Judo’: Asked his impression of the match after being defeated by the Master, a ranking judoka once said, “It was like fighting with an empty jacket.”

100 Kobudo Kata Challenge -or- Train like a T-Rex

Today, March 29th, was the '100 Kobudo Kata Challenge', a worldwide event where martial artists would practice Okinawan weapons at the same time. Our dojo did not register or buy the T-shirt, but we did work our kobudo forms on this day.

Some thought went into the difference between our karate (empty hands) training and how we work with weapons in our hands. Shotokan Karate uses low, deep stances and long, full strikes. We do not hit our opponent, we hit through our opponent. Our arms extend as far from the body as our countersunk hips will allow.

Kobudo, for the most part, works on a different premise: keep your hands as close to the body as possible. Use your torso as the fulcrum around which your weapon rotates. Tight, close-handed grip rotates faster than hands farther apart. Let the length of the weapon cover the distance for you. In other words, work like a Tyrannosaurus Rex. This concept is obvious for long 2-handed weapons like bo, jo and eku, but it also applies to short 1-handed weapons like sai, tonfa, and nunchaku. True, you extend your arms for strikes, but the spins, flips, and turns should emanate from your torso. This gives added power from torque while keeping your hands/weapons close to the body for protection.

Want to be a ferocious kobudo-ka? Want to be one of the most feared predators of your time? Train like a T-Rex.