Sanrin Mountain Dojo starts every week off with a topic, and/or Principle, that we focus on. Our Mokuroku is followed, and sometimes what we are studying is the training for a specific Principle of our art. Other times, I coin a phrase to make a point on the week’s training. Recently we focused on “Axis”.

Every circle and every spiral has an axis. From a quick computer search, I found “axis” can be defined as any of the following:

• “an imaginary line about which a body rotates”
• “a fixed reference line for the measurement of coordinates”
• “a straight central part in a structure to which other parts are connected”
• “the second cervical vertebra, below the atlas at the top of the backbone.”
• “The skull and backbone of a vertebrate animal.”

When understanding the force continuum, by going to the core (pun intended), we see that the concept of axis is integral to finding out how and where energy travels from and through. So, taking it right into practical from principle, its very easy to look at the definitions above and turn them into throws and strikes.  Conversely, by looking at the opposite of “axis”, we see the path into structure breaking and interactions that take or inactivate reactive capacity and balance from opponents.

The identification of tanden as a place below the stomach in Japanese martial and other physical endeavors identifies the tanden as the center and/or center of gravity of the body. In Nami ryu, without getting too specific or esoteric in looking at the center, we see the tanden as the nexus of the two primary axis points: one vertical and the other horizontal. The distribution of mass is somewhat individual, but most people follow some build basics.

Of course, every other compass point can cross that axis as well, providing for a multidirectional capacity for human energy to travel. We start with the understanding of centerline and then extend that from our own to our opponent(s), as well as the space in between. Where we get multidirectional, is where the lifetime of study and training unfolds for those of us in search of the skills needed to accept a warrior ethos as an operating system of ultimate responsibility.

Our focus on timing, distance, and relationship need us to understand in a practical and applicable process how we can work inside the physics or how mass and energy are affected, and then harness the understanding of physics to apply effective interactions that do not rely on force, power, or other forms of collision to get the job done.

Sanrin Mountain Dojo starts every week off with a topic, and/or Principle, that we focus on. Our Mokuroku is followed, and sometimes what we are studying is the training for a specific Principle of our art. Last week’s classes focused in on “The Movement Itself Facilitates the Outcome”.

Timing, Distance, and Relationship. coming together… triggers autonomic responses. As an example, this is the foundation of basketball and football “plays”. That triggering of autonomic response to delivered stimulus/stimuli can be most easily (at first) realized through understanding the peripheral recognition when using the eyes. This is the most obvious and objective form of “seeing”. This interaction with the eyes goes both ways. Eyes can be fooled! With just about everyone who is not sight challenged, sight is the first focus of information gathering for decision.

Modern man has diminished scent and hearing, yet these are certainly part of the “go to” for many people. Primal practices, like hunting and tracking, still work to develop and use these senses for accomplishment of tasks along with sight.  

An example is the use of pushups for military training. Who has ever done a pushup as part of their combat interaction with an enemy? … and yet every modern military, that I know of, uses pushups in training.

Tactile recognition in grappling and connection with hands or other touching body parts is another way we combatively perceive movement and force. The ability to “read” another person’s “body language” or posture/posturing is where applied psychology ties into the physical. Intuition or spontaneous knowing that delivers subconscious processing to actionable information is where we tap into the psychic realm.  

Psychic realm? Danger Will Robinson! Warning klaxons! Toro!

Well now… faking out an opponent is an everyday practice in the martial and sports world. For the samurai, and other types of armed professionals, past and present, training to perceive deeper into opponents is a skill set to be acquired and used. It’s also the skillset that is easiest to get way off base with. The best test of the psychic realm is physical pressure and duress. This is an area where grappling practice and direct contact prevail. (I believe that claiming one as more conclusive than the other is, well, shortsighted.)

But what about seeing the “chess moves”? How about “reading the battlefield”? These are all standard ideas and trainable practices used in both sport and military science that fuel the higher access of training deliverables.

With practice and deep observation, the use of movement alone, or in cohesive delivery of what is or is felt to be force; is something that can be trained for and used practically. The training exercises are often not practical in form.  (An example is the use of pushups for military training. Who has ever done a pushup as part of their combat interaction with an enemy – and yet every modern military, that I know of, uses pushups in training.)

An example of Williams sensei taking my balance, and “breaking” my posture, in fast paced kenjutsu kata… cutting right through my cut, and taking my center by targeting my eyes.

In Nami ryu Aiki Heiho, we take this training head-on, through the time and pressure-tested medium of kenjutsu kata. Classical and classically derived kenjutsu kata are  prearranged sequences that train the eye, the mind, and the nerves to access reality beyond the use of simple force application. Edged combat is one of the ultimate tests of reality.