Making it on a bad day

Before the bout that took place at Snacky Slam Sörnäinen 29.8.2015 I said to StarBuck that over the years I've learned many things; having watched him in the spotlight I know everything he can do while he doesn't have a clue what I'm capable of. I was wrong.

Next stop: dark side of the moon.

To begin with, it wasn't a perfect day for me. It was difficult to get the energy flowing, difficult to find the emotion when I first stepped out to greet the audience and difficult to sharpen my perception when I started forming a game plan. I guess it happens time to time, just had to believe in the routine that I already have and tell myself I'll know what to do when the moment comes. Second, the fact that I kept having problems with getting the upper hand on the mat made me think StarBuck's been paying attention on the trips to Japan; since my comeback I've been known as the ground fighting specialist in FCF, but in Sörnäinen he was definitely faster and more agile than I expected, so all in all it wasn't a day I would have chosen to face someone on his level.

We started the match by scouting each other as usual. You want to hit the opponent like an express train, but to do so you have to know where you're going; you need the rails. After a couple of minutes I'd gotten confident enough to try one of my Lancashire-style takedowns. It felt almost too easy so it actually threw me off balance for a fraction of a second, but I decided to go on - only to find out I had walked straight into a trap set by StarBuck as he tipped me over by using my own hold for leverage. The next thing I knew I was Gerard Gordeau in the end of his UFC final so I had no other option but to grab the rope.
 

They didn't call me La Freccia Distruttice for nothing.

A bit later, when I was trying to counter some of StarBuck's techinques I'm very familiar with, he suddenly had me in a Boston crab in a manner so effortless it surprised even me - like I said, my mind wasn't working the way it should. The good part was he couldn't finish the match with the hold though he did put me through some serious suffering while aiming at it. And after a minute or so it was StarBuck's turn to reach for the ropes; I managed to escape his chinlock and twist his arm behind his back, which not only forced him to hit the apron but to leave the ring. It's psychologically a situation most uneasy when you supress someone, then you do it again and you think you're going to keep doing it, only to end up having your own face shoved to the ground. That's when you want to pull back and rearrange, see what's coming.

It had been warming up for both of us up to this point, which meant it was time to move on, and then came the strikes. In many previous cases of wrestling StarBuck it has been my intention to take the brawler off his feet; hadn't worked on the occasion so I decided to go Chuan Fa. I did have my moments but couldn't really maintain my offence when it came to that, in the tactical sense of the match, whereas StarBuck appeared to know exactly what to do. It felt like he kept breaking pieces from me to eventually cause a collapse, and here lies the importance of my own teaching about having a pyramid-like structure: it cannot be felled with a battering ram. An individual who doesn't comprehend the essence of proper strategy is like a house of cards; lose one piece and immediately head for destruction.
 

Pushing with foot to maximize energy.

For my part the rest of the match was a test of endurance rather than one of prowess. Since I couldn't keep slamming/dropkicking/top rope-head butting StarBuck like it would pop the wax out of his ear canals, I chose to base my offence on technical pin attempts instead. The moves may not seem that dangerous in the eyes of a spectator, but the thing is that every time a person needs to kick out he/she loses a significant amount of energy, not to mention it also increases the knowledge of both parties about the match almost having ended, a matter of seconds. The lesson of the story is this: if you can't hit the guy with a baseball bat, sting him with a needle. As long as you have the strength to keep going and the grit to try to do something - anything - stuff can happen. The opponent may make a stupid mistake, a twist of fate might take place; to me it was neither of those but an opportunity which said "never underestimate the potential of backslide".

At Snacky Slam StarBuck was, without question, more aggressive than me, not to say there was any anger or rage but the will to move straight forward. I, on the other hand, seemed more determined that time. Then again, when there's determination, there's aggression. I understood this after coming back to pro wrestling in 2012, realizing that in the earlier days I had been seeking ways to satisfy people so to speak; I would tend to wonder what the audience's expectations might be, or what sort of vision the promotion might have about the event at hand and so on. Far better than that is to be your own man, ignore the pleas from the outside and grant yourself the freedom to wield your personal power. Only stepping forth from behind the bars of pleasing others allows you to fulfill your destiny, it´s preferable for one to keep in mind it won't always be a pretty sight though. Mishima: "When a captive lion steps out of his cage, he comes into a wider world than the lion who has known only the wilds. While he was in captivity, there were only two worlds for him - the world of the cage, and the world outside the cage. Now he is free. He roars. He attacks people. He eats them. Yet he is not satisfied, for there is no third world that is neither the world of the cage nor the world outside the cage."

Photos by Marko Simonen.

The Matrix percentage reloaded

We've first spoken of the nature of reality being that of a mystery wrapped in a riddle inside an enigma. So it's time to study the fact that by facing the circumstances and being able to copy with them one may begin to truly perceive the essence of the world, unstable in its relativity. This can be achieved through the use of the mind and by the same token learned through tangibleness only; as we know some call it chi, the mind-over-matter practice of performing feats that should initially seem physically impossible.

Regarding the universe as a constant flow of the particles of reality, navigating skills must be of primary interest in order to avoid drifting aimlessly. A compass for this streaming chaos is found with a simple extension of the word: compassion. In Finnish the term actually means "feeling along," which reminds me of the Baguazhang principle of not trying to stop the opponent's attacks, but letting yourself be moved by them while maintaining strong positioning despite of the changes in conditions. This makes the enemy force superficial as the fighter, by letting things happen without tension (as a contest of who might overcome), allows the guidance to turn into control; from the giving in he or she molds a steering wheel for the situation. It is Baguazhang's spiral movement that surprisingly generates power in a way most natural - a spring-like reserve of energy to explode during the right fraction of a second.

The sensitivity in internal styles of martial arts is far from weakness, although such it may seem for those who lack interest in increasing knowledge. We're not just talking about the flexibility of muscles here, but the flexibility of actions. The strength that enables one to have control over the opponent's attempts is in fact based on a push, a very slight one that would obviously be, nevertheless it's still there, placed within the contact. Calm mind, unrelenting mentality; gentle moves, devastating outcome. Put it this way: have you ever tried punching a rubber band?

It is very much the same in many cases of pro wrestling; a mere display of what has been learned with a specific intention for others to watch will unlikely pass any test of critical view. Then again, once what takes place in the ring is honest, with just the icing on it for the sake of the audience expecting to see something more entertaining than an average representation, it is truthful as well, yet seemingly unreal. To tell a story, impressive as it may be, is inadequate compared to the creator of the drama having become the story itself.

For setting goals I would advise people to first get binoculars. Even if one does not reach a wondrous world after testing the limits of what can be accomplished, the journey will be magical. You'll be taken further than you knew you could, just pull the plug from your mind and look around for starters. No white rabbit to follow, there's still a cave to explore: a mental wormhole through which you may enter the realm where unexpected becomes unbelievable - a passageway for the dragon. Make it real, then astonish all who claim you're not what you say you are.

The Matrix percentage

Hopes and dreams we have tend to work as the fuel for getting results, but they do require an engine to burn within, which is true determination. Sometimes people, in their quest for personal satisfaction, put their trust in a wall of illusion they build around them to block the outside world from disturbing their (false) vision.

Pro wrestling is definitely the best of sports for the audience to realize what goes on during the event. The purpose of the techniques, the rules and the actual essence of the style is to "tell the story" to each and every spectator, whereas in almost any other form of competition, especially in combat arts, one is to have at least some amount of knowledge of what's taking place in order to be able to enjoy the presentation. The criticism pro wrestlers are often faced with has a lot to do with alleged lack of authenticity, but it's really a matter of diversity in the level of skill - properly carried out, wrestling undeniably belongs to the royal family of finest martial arts. So we are talking about dynamics here; a practitioner that's in poor condition or doesn't possess the prowess of a pro will undoubtedly have problems with his or her credibility.

Speaking of life in general it is sometimes said that the greatest stories are those of love and death. Make it everyday: we don't need to go that extreme but can simply talk about states of desire and suffering damage. As far as I've come to know no one has ever proved that affection is anything but the person's attempt to feel joy, yet evidence of the opposite can be found. There may be nothing wrong in such an emotional search, it's just that I value truth more than happiness - virtue at the purest that would be. The importance is even greater in cases of fighting, for the basis of successful strategy lies in gaining control over circumstances by co-operation with the surroundings. One cannot benefit from comfort as it doesn't offer a strong foundation but a feeble one instead, then again "it ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward".

I prefer looking in the mirror to painting a self portrait; the latter too easily becomes an object one may seek to target the hopes and dreams with. It is far better to observe yourself as you are, unpleasant as it might be, and then find the ways to get better. After abandoning the pretty veil of self-satisfaction you bend the limits of what can be done by maximizing the share of reality's iron core in the raw materials of what you're made of. Next step: fuse your own spirit into it and be part of the very dynamics, ride the laws of Nature.

We all wish to be free, but when the strings are cut off we must decide what it ultimately means: falling or flying? Who then remains frozen in the safety of the blue, trapped under one's own ice, and who dares to enter the fire and blood of the gleaming red? Free as the wind they say, just remember some winds only blow in the north of every man's heart.

Arcs vs. right angles

In many cases of martial arts the execution of the moves is often very square-like; this has a lot to do with the tradition of the training of the form having had such importance over the centuries.

When doing some external styles a typical situation would be this: you're blocking the opponent's hand moving in, be it a punch of a grabbing attempt. What we call a block here is really a strike as we change the direction of the attack by hitting with the thick bone of the forearm, uchi-uke that would be. Depending on the distance we may either step in or move one foot back in order to have a stronger basis, and while blocking we also pull the other arm to the side so the fist is ready for an immediate counter-strike. We're talking high-energy techniques here.

The problem might be that to block the attack your arm must be a) stronger b) faster than that of the opponent. One is to realize that an essential part of the external styles is increasing strength and toughness, such qualities should really be taken to the level of an Olympic athlete. Be not fooled by any commercial marketing while seeking practicality in the art; it's one thing to own a gun and another to have bullets in it. Then again you might want to take the force to the extreme anyway, but don't forget that creating distance in that search also creates time, not just for you but for the opponent to react as well.

Sometimes we do not have the time to test our speed to begin with. Say we're taken by surprise and hopelessly late, then we should go Wudang instead. We bring the hand right up and while guiding the opponent's arm rotate our body to avoid the advancing amount of energy. It's not so much about pushing the oncoming attack to the side but moving away from it. And as we turn our shoulder line the free hand's automatically taken nearer to the opponent, so apart from using it to shove the elbow and thus add that to what the blocking hand is doing, we can go straight for the face or the throat. There are two significant matters: the counter-attack coming (almost) at the same time as the block's being done, and not too much force that might "warn" the opponent of what's happening next being directed towards the person in question.

Even Masutatsu Oyama preferred circular movement in creating energy

Let us think of a situation of even greater disadvantage. We've had our back turned, and from the corner of the eye see that someone's there, an attack coming. We don't really have time to rearrange, no formations to be done - so the first thing now is to move in, away from the line of the attack and towards the opponent. We also want to have our head protected of course, but there's not much space for the inner arm as the punch is already on the way. What I would do is use the other arm, bring it up and wrap it around the head, nice and tight, like a constrictor. I think of touching the back of my head with the back of my hand to make it safe for whatever might follow. In case you only choose to cover your face with the forearm and the latter's actually hit you probably end up punching/slapping yourself. You might have a thumb in your eye or the blade of the wrist busting your teeth. And so on.

One important thing to remember is to keep your palm turned away from you. See there's this cup-like shape in it, so if the strike connects and the hand smacks the ear the air inside the cup causes pressure that can be enough to blow the drum. That then may have an effect to the balance.

Once the cover's tight you've actually turned the target into a weapon. What I mean by this is the stepping in; you want to have the tip of your elbow hitting the opponent in the face. In a perfect world we'd obviously be delivering an elbow-strike instead, but this time we must settle for closing in that part first, the arm glued to the head, the body working as a unit. It is the opponent's movement that makes it dangerous for him/her; keep in mind that the enemy's charging. If you're worried about getting yourself in a headlock-type of hold with your arm trapped across your face, it is the aggressive nature of your own technique that gives you the advantage, so you'll be able to make traps out of the opponent's efforts. Never be happy with only making it half-way there, it's no less than the scalp that brings victory.

Being more powerful in the spirit is the essence of being more powerful in the collision, though on the other hand we must keep comprehending the facts that build the reality around us. In comparison, the force of the upper body techniques emerges from the lightness of the feet, speaking of which I'd like to give another example by using a metaphor of walking: going step by step in combat means wasting time and expecting the opponent to make mistakes, striding into the battle and hoping for the best. But when you have the flow it's like placing the heel of one foot to the toes of the other, more things happening within the same period of time. Then again the secret of Wudang is having your feet next to each other and moving either one when it's needed, as far as is needed. Through the perception of space and time make all action take place as simultaneously as possible, through the perception of the dimensions make the process your very domain.

Digesting the knife

The ancient Finns believed that the knife had originally fallen from the sky, a gift from Heaven. So great was the importance of that tool/weapon to those people. Nowadays there's a trace of same kind of mentality behind the expression that someone is "sharp", referring to the person's mind working efficiently.

When describing Adder's fighting style with patterns, there are two that are most fundamental. In order to strike with the hand we swing the arm like we want to draw a loop in the air, creating momentum with total relaxation not muscle tension, and thereby guiding the body to be an essential part of the very movement instead of just staying the source of it. So we want the energy of the strike to be that of a whiplash, or a flail-blow rather. As the other hand moves simultaneously what's actually formed is a double-loop; a coherent stream of action that keeps flowing no matter what the circumstances may be.

The basis of the footwork is an image of a large circle around one's pelvis (or the center of balance to be more precise). Think of it having a sharpened edge of solid metal to be used with every step taken for cutting the opponent. So in that sense moving straight in would not be sufficient, neither would a simple turn of the body - combine these two instead and thus advance with a slash-like motion, that being similar to when one's wielding a katana. It will not only increase the power of your techniques, you'll also be protecting yourself from the opponent's counter-strikes. A snake squirms in for the kill.

The mind too is to function the same way when faced with obstacles: always non-stop, always penetrating, always luminous with grace. In close combat one must possess the qualities of the knife; the smoothness of the cutting, the fierceness of the stabbing, the balance of the throwing. Really absorb the nature of the fine and ruthless blade and make it a part of yourself. Then work with accuracy.

Black list - one name

The team of Stark Adder and Ricky Vendetta has never been a league, merely a high power tool fueled by the co-operation of a teacher and a student. Vendetta has been working as the diamond head and I’ve been working as the machinery, he’s been the blade and I’ve been the hand wielding it. The Constrictors have certainly earned their status as a war party for all to heed, we’ve been moulded into a military unit with a chain of command – but still not a community of warriors with their common code of honour. We share the same interest, not the same goal.
 

Most people today are products of the civilized world, whereas I consider myself native. In order to be brought up to be a sentinel, anyone can become a trained animal the power of which is fearsome only when faced by those who are similar, yet weaker. The real question is this: why be tame when one has a chance to stand alone amidst the crowd, a beast of prey. Perfect unity with the wholeness requires perfect loneliness, that is being different from the superficial on a fundamental level.

I imagine myself in a pool of water completely calm, the surface of it at the height of my dan tian. The colour of the water is deep red, as is the power of aggression within. This doesn’t have anything to do with hate or anger; those are but emotions. Aggression is a form of energy, pure in its nature that’s most primal indeed, the very core. Above the pool there is a layer of mist, violet, hiding the top of my head from the third eye up. It is the light of perception I let myself dwell in, and it too stays as it is, static. "You see, strength without perception is spiritually useless, and therefore of no true value." These two forces in opposite ends, different as they may be, are united in the person that is I. If someone else entered the water it would create ripples; if somebody approached the site the movement of the air would likewise scatter the mist. While balanced mine is the lightning from the third eye, and so is the bedrock-like firmness of the dan tian foundation. Such harmony can only be found in solitude.

Never forget that it is night there. I am surrounded by blackness.

True art, be it poetry, painting, music or combat skills, can never be an instrument of achieving something of secondary value. Art does lie beyond value. Those who are not disciples, but in fact a part of the discipline itself, have come to understand that there is no reward in having what you’ve reached for, the treasure's in the reaching instead. Comprehend this, become the poorest of all living things, be torn apart from the world and – as Ikkyu said – shatter ten million mountains of iron with the tip of your staff.

The "no-art" in unarmed combat

Watching the numerous choices one keeps having in the wide range of self-defence today, it is an inevitable conclusion that much of it has to do with marketing different brands. By saying this I don’t mean it would be intentional from the part of the people behind the various styles, but a fact in the modern day world. In order to move from point A to point B one must have – or go for – the means necessary. Students will not come seeking you, as they used to do in ancient times in distant locations, if only they may have an easier way, such as your rival arriving before them to offer his share of knowledge.

Ridiculous as it may be, this contest between schools of fighting arts is becoming ever more useless, for almost every style with a realistic approach is getting hybrid. All want to unite what’s proven to be effective, while ridding the discipline from anything that should be weak due to lack of practicality. The wisdom of strategy is being spread all over, basically for everyone to use, yet it remains a question of honour for a percentage of practitioners to announce that the truth can be found from under one title.

There isn't anything wrong in the development which has led to combining the good parts; in veiling the workability - as a method of self-satisfaction - there is.

Fighting between men, in the beginning of it, did not emerge from the training in schools of martial arts. On the contrary, at some point it was regarded as needful to systematically practise physical strength and abilities, so as time went by, some styles focused on certain areas, some families had their own traditions, some people learned to utilize their individual qualities etc. In a way we are thus returning to the primary state of self-defence, the meaning of how or why something was named actually decreasing.

There is a zen-story about “having one’s cup empty”. That is to say we should always keep ourselves able to absorb more or new kind of information, challenging the mind in its readiness to learn, not fighting the battle of convincing others that we were right to begin with. There is no value in that. The treasure lies in the beauty of the process, the results are the blooming of the spiritual wealth. One shouldn’t train with the gi only because it is “supposed” to be done that way, but to become familiar with grabbing the opponent’s clothing. For the same reason it would be recommendable, to say the least, to also train without any traditional martial arts outfit; what is the probability of the person you must defend yourself against wearing one? Ignore no aspect, but be aware of all. 

As what I do is really a combination of Japanese-style pro wrestling and Chinese Wudang-school fighting skill I would say the practicality in this case lies in the constant flow. The rules and mode in wrestling are meant for the match to go on even when the circumstances get aberrant, and the goal in arts such as Baguazhang is to let things happen simultaneously, or as close to that as possible – not move by move but the techniques taking place on top of and inside one another with a four-dimensional perception. It is the economy of motion: the less you move the faster you can go. Why choose to play tennis while there’s an opportunity to run directly to the finish?

Be it a situation that requires acts of self-defence of any other incident in your life, my three tips are the following: 1. never trust, 2. never plead, 3. never expect. Say, you’re walking down a dark alley, the weather’s cold and it’s rained, so it’s getting slippery for the moisture on the ground has already started freezing. It’s not a very good idea to keep striding with the attitude that you simply trust it’ll go as usual – that way you’re likely to slip and fall anyway. Should that happen, there is no use for pleading, like fate would then spare you from getting hurt; it is up to you to take care of it yourself. And even if you manage to protect your body the best you can, don’t expect that to be enough, instead of that prepare yourself for anything you may have missed in the dark: stuff lying on the street you might hit your head against, broken glass underneath you that can cause severe damage, a vehicle advancing with great speed and the driver having not seen you… Taking things for granted will not do you any good, much less so in combat.

A long time ago I said: “When the mind is the sword, the body becomes the no-sword of Demon Tesshu.” With the willingness to learn you will not be bound to any narrow point of view and see the upcoming fight as a single route, but a multitude of possibilities. Observe the photos from Porvoo Wrestling Show (taken by Mr Marko Simonen) and note that what might work perfectly in one moment in time can lead to a dead end in another. Then remember it – I will.

Tale from the darkside

The area of fighting arts that Gene LeBell calls ”the dark side of the Moon” is in fact not unknown by most practitioners nor rarely travelled. We’re simply talking about applications that would be regarded as “dirty” tricks in the world of sport for the reason that any competition needs to have a rulebook for it; then again once we start thinking of combat in general we come to understand that such methods are no less than essential. A real life situation is all too many times a question of the attacker's serious attempt to hurt you, which may have a lot to do with his preparations so to speak, like having armed himself, choosing a easy-appearing victim and so on. There is no “fair” to begin with; therefore we are to feel comfortable with the circumstances we might be forced under and must be ready to deal with the (non-existing) rules of the game.

I give you one example, a technique I showed Ricky Vendetta a while ago in order to deepen his perception of the true “Constrictor” style. It’s a way of moving into double wrist lock-takedown. First of all, people tend to grab the opponent by the forearm, right above the wrist that would be. This is because of the handle-like structure which makes the part feel suitable for a tight grip. The bad thing is that it’s strong for the opponent as well; he’ll have both the strength of his muscles and the leverage provided by the bones of his forearm to fight the hold with. So in catch-as-catch-can we prefer grabbing the hand or even the fingers (it’s done in many styles of ju-jitsu too). The small joints work as hinges that would consume some of the kinetic energy of any counter-move; they may also be dislocated if the opponent tries to pull away in a very aggressive manner.

The grip should, especially in this case, be also a twist. As you take a hold of the back of the opponent’s hand, try to reach over. It’s best if you can get the base of the thumb to use it as a sort of hilt. Having accomplished that you’ll be able to put on a powerful twist just as the very first phase of the technique. I guarantee it’ll be impossible for the opponent to fight it like he’d normally do. Second, we don’t really want to drag him in but deflect the horizontal line of his shoulders; twist, pull outwards (from his direction) and bring the weight down just a little bit – you’ll take him slightly off balance, which will be the time for the next move.

Pulling an object towards you is the same as pulling yourself towards the object, this is most elementary in science. So when the moment’s come use the force generated for letting yourself step in, or turn slightly sideways I should say. You have the rear leg anchored to the ground and control over the opponent with the hand/arm of that same side, with the same direction. Imbalanced the opponent is probably leaning forwards, not much but sufficiently. Now with the step, swing your free hand up, aiming at the opponent’s face. The movement comes very natural really for the body will try to keep it half-and-half anyway; a manifestation of yin/yang. I would use backhand, the fingers rather, and go for the eyeball: do not focus the energy to hit the surface but drive the whole load inside the socket. It’s not supposed to be a high energy strike of course, but I think of it as lashing someone with a twig instead of bludgeoning a person with a baseball bat – a quick, snappy move. The nose would also be a nice target as the blow comes diagonally from below, hitting the temple would not be bad either. With the eye it’s just that the opponent will instantly have his mind set on the possible damage done to his sight (the most important sense for human being), not any acts of war that might follow from the other person’s side.

Should you choose to do it in a match one useful thing about it is that the referee might not even notice it happen, and if he does you can always say you were just going for the opponent's head. Where's the proof you were not?

From this set-up it is easy to drop your hand down, grapevine the opponent’s upper arm (make sure you wind it up tight; the smaller the angle of his elbow the more unnatural the position for him) and move on to the actual takedown. If you’re able to reach far enough during the procedure and grab your own wrist – the one holding that of the opponent – you can lock the forearm by putting pressure on the radius, already bent across the ulna bone next to it, with the double hold you have. It is possible to even snap it that way, which would create an interesting layout for the following situation of you having the upper hand on the mat from that point on.

The fact about the "dark" side of the Moon is that day and night follow one another on it, as they do down here on the planet. The sun does shine there too. What we can’t see only raises this illusion of darkness before our eyes. Let no such deceit blur your vision, never stray to allow it to weaken the power of your own perception.

From razor to guillotine

A remainder of something known as Occam's razor

In a clip filmed for FCF before the Continuation War wrestling show you can see parts of a training session at which I taught Mr Ricky Vendetta a few facts about grappling. It’s not just about what to do, but what to avoid as well. For instance, after I’ve taken Ricky down – notice the leverage; very catch-as-catch-can style, or martial arts if you will – I “lay back” instead of rushing into a cluster of potential techniques I would try to do. By relaxation and sensitivity I constantly stay alert, know what’s about to happen and turn Ricky’s efforts into traps that’ll work to my advantage. 
 

When Ricky tries to do the same to me – put me down and keep me there – he has problems with the bursts of brute force he uses: they’re not very effective for my defence is pyramid-like, and it's very difficult to flip an object like that to say the least. At one point I do choose to go down, but only to roll through and as he tries to gain control on the mat I’m able to get up, or bring us both up really, by leaning onto him. Using the Occam principle helps me save the fuel so I’ll have more of it left for whatever may come next; more than the opponent anyway.

If you watch(ed) our match against Jami Aalto and Joey Impact you could see that what I kept doing was this: I make my move, go for a pin, can’t get it yet but force the opponent to use a significant amount of his energy for the kickout, then I do the same all over again. This is exactly how a constrictor would work on his pray. (Ricky, the Doberman he is, wasted too much time barking=showing his attitude while he could have moved directly towards finishing either Aalto or Impact.) Why gamble when you can simply have the opponent’s liver on a stick?

It’s like I drive the enemy before me into a canyon that gets more and more narrow offering him less and less room for his actions. Finally there’s nothing but a dead end. Another example of efficient strategy was Jimmy Gavroche’s wrestling in his bout against Valentine at the show; it’s been some time since I saw anybody use headlock as a weapon not only for handling the situation but to make it count regarding the outcome of the whole match.

Even when wielding the razor one must never forget what Einstein had as his whetstone: simple is good only as long as you get the results. Not going all the way but preferring to take a shortcut actually cost Vendetta the victory at Continuation War. Always remember to crush the enemy, then make sure he won’t come back with a vengeance.

The Mightiest Adversary

There can be only One. We show the respect, may seem to own similar powers and, when it comes to it, even treat each other in a friendly manner. Nevertheless, there’s no way of being equal. As long as it’s a question of the master besting the apprentice there may be no peace, merely a truce. StarBuck and myself simultaneously walking the Earth is basically a state impossible, which will inevitably lead to an explosion – a calm between two storms. And there can be only One.

Many years ago, in the beginning of it all, he chose to become the father figure. I was pulled in, fate in one hand and destiny in the other. After a long process of upbringing – and I’m not just talking about the actual training that took place but a life of walking the path among others who made the decision - unto me came ultimately the duty of murdering that father; the very pattern that keeps the myth going. And it’s the world of myth we live in, not just the two of us but all those who chose and were chosen.

Apart from the cosmic scale there is the personal level. If people were different styles of combat arts, StarBuck would most likely be heavyweight boxing whereas I’d be represented by something like Tai Chi Chuan. We are climbing the same mountain, on opposite sides of it though, yet there’s been no chance of avoiding the clashes we’ve come to as individuals.

I, as a practitioner of the principle of Tao, understand very well that there’s not much point in fighting only for the fight itself, trying to hammer a square piece through a round hole. There’s a reason for everything, and in most cases of disagreement it’s been that I do not want to let go of the way he brought me up, how I was shaped – although it might not always seem like the smartest thing to do. Determination and acting stubborn are two different things; it’s just that I know where I’m going. We both do.

Success in the eyes of others means nothing as it is my part to overcome StarBuck in areas most spectators are not even aware of: to be a superior athlete, a tougher man, a better human being. This has nothing to do with disrespect. Settling for anything less would be spitting right in his face – he set the standard, the rest is just a test of seeing whether I am worthy or not.

A hundred years from now it will all be over, there will be very little left of what’s been accomplished in Finnish pro wrestling in our time. So what value will any fame, any title, any victory or amount of admiration have then? My goal is simply to be remembered – by those who’ve been involved – as the one who would not kneel. One day I will die too. My life’s been looking up to StarBuck; that day I want to to be the day he finally looks up to me.

To strike at the serpent

Sunzi said: ”If you attack its head, its tail strikes; if you attack its tail, its head strikes; if you attack its middle, both its head and tail strike.”

One peculiar feature in catch-as-catch-can is that when observed in a superficial manner it appears as an art most “external” so to speak; a battle of superior power rather than a quest for sophisticated skill and sensitivity. On the other hand, once we begin to truly understand the techniques and the tactics we come to realize how “internal” it is indeed. We use the spiral movement as they do in Baquazhang, we use grabbing the opponent’s fingers for leverage as they do in Aikido, we use attacks on the nerve pressure points and so on. That combined with the strength and speed essential for athletic prowess makes catch-as-catch-can-wrestling a weapon of destruction whereas many a rival style can merely be regarded as another method with certain emphasis.

In catch-wrestling one must constantly think in terms of turning every part of the body into an instrument of making the opponent suffer: the sharp part of the radius driven across tissues, the shin that’ll work as a cutting tool, the tip of the chin for creating extreme pressure, the crest of the skull in one’s forehead, just to mention a few of the possibilities. On the ground of course such floating upon the target is relatively easy, for gravity will not be your enemy but an ally instead. After this has been learned, go seek applying the principle to striking, in other words fighting while standing in an upright position. Always remember as a student of martial arts that there is a reason for everything. Find the challenge, then become the shuai-ran snake of Mount Chang spoken of in The Art of War.

Watch the clip of Professor Huang Kang-Hui performing a series of Tai Chi moves. To many people it may at first seem like a pile of formal nonsense, but having trained with this man as my instructor I can guarantee he’d be able to crush human bones in an instant with what he does. More so, the flow taken to that extent the opponent will never know what comes next.

On the path of correction

In the previous text I suggested that vortexes may have come into being due to lack of space as the raw material of the universe, infinite that would be, kept bursting out from the explosion of the one point. I’ve since learnt that the diameter of the primordial cosmos mere ten minutes after the Big Bang was already several thousands of light years despite of the fact that nothing in reality is supposed to travel faster than the speed of light. Can it be then that this “vacuum” of existence caused the imbalance which lead to the uneven spread of energy and therefore to the birth of the universe as we know it?

In martial arts we use the spiral; that is to avoid relying on force and also to take away the opponent’s force by causing any direction he might rely on disappear so to speak. The spiral movement always stays one step ahead of the strength of the muscles trying to fight it. So as there is no struggle between two separate parties in contrast with each other but rather a drowning effect emerged from this abandoning, we could as well assume that it was a similar suction – the one described – that created the spiral in the first place: an anti-clash?

The wisdom to allow one to start learning is this: truth can never be altered. Once we let go of the list of demands handed to the universe in a manner most haughty, we’re enabled to step unto the path which inevitably takes us to the source of the primordial light, the universe being the very teacher instead. On the rays we may spread our wings and fly free, infinite.

Hawk King

Of the kaishaku teachings

In the beginning there was the singularity, all in one point, the density being infinite and dimensions not existing. This of course could be described as an impossible situation, which led to what we know as the Big Bang, the ultimate cosmic explosion. The substance of the universe sprung outwards from the primal seika no itten so the very first conception was that of directions, forming time and space. The latter just having started expanding could not yet contain enough room for the stuff of everything constantly bursting out, so towards the outer limits the composition was packed into a wall of existence blocking the flow from the core, and what became of that was another impossible situation: an explosion within an explosion. The energy seeking route began to spiral and these vortexes seem to have created matter; the same whirling is still found in atoms, galaxies etc. Origin lies in the unbearable heat of the furnace.

It is said that Truth does not burn in fire, indicating that whatever is authentic by its nature cannot be destroyed even under conditions most extreme. It remains unchangeable instead like the invincible Fudo Myoo standing amidst the flames. I on the other hand would suggest that Truth itself “burns the fire,” meaning its essence holds this quality like a purifying blaze. As such it inevitably is also an affliction to the one experiencing it; on many occasions there is an implication that when a person has to “face the truth” the moment is in some way unbearable.

Based on what we do know of physics we understand that there is a counterpart for each phenomenon taking place, in other words there are two sides in every issue. The same goes with the nine dimensions of space-time continuum. The idea of cosmic “wormholes” is sometimes demonstrated by bending a sheet of paper in a manner that opposite parts of it come to be in contact with one other and the area is then pierced. The hole emerged is thus situated in two different locations at the same time. Keeping Einstein’s model in mind we can think of the dimensions as “side A” of the sheet and the counterdimensions as “side B” of it. In addition to that the conditions inside the opening are equivalent to what surrounds the paper undepicted, the state of untangibility lying beyond space-time that is.

The universe in its duality functions as a curtain hiding the Absolute behind relativity’s veil. A glimpse of the other realm, if anything, is the ultimate trial we must go through when seeking the adjudication of facing reality. From this unbearable situation we are ultimately set free by Truth. Noda Kizaemon: “At such a time first wait a bit and by some means gather your strength. Then if you cut by standing firm and not missing the chance, you will do well.”

Yukio Mishima: "There isn't any fear in existence itself, or any uncertainty, but living creates it."

Frequencies and beyond

There are vibrations in nature, and likewise there is vibrating in the human body. Taking example from the spectrum of light we can observe these different levels or layers and the qualities they incorporate.

The red colour is the “lowest” one, so we start from the centre of the pelvis. It should be the very basis, like the foundation of a pyramid on which everything else is built. As it is fundamental it is also primal; when there is primitive reaction it is often said that one “sees red,” the molten rock of the core that is.

In the stomach we have the orange colour for it is the furnace which turns nutrition into energy. There lies all hunger and that we cannot bypass; when refined though, hunger may be fuel for the will, taking us to the heights we couldn’t reach by only using the wits we have. That is where we also bear the scar from the birth, connecting us to the origin.

The solar plexus is really the centre of how we’ve learnt to work with our bodies, shining yellow as the sun of the system of our physicality. The same way planets orbit stars we use our legs for moving around and our hands to execute all sorts of tasks; between the horizontal lines of the shoulders and the hips there is the plexus. Understanding this is very important in martial arts, especially because we use the muscle to control our breathing, thus moving as well.

The colour of the heart is not pink but green. The heart is to be like the growing of the plants in nature for we want to increase what we have inside. We also hope that the seeds are sown for the spreading of the growth. Circulation is similar to the circle of life, expanding from one point to the extremes by becoming branches and twigs so to speak. And when the movement of blood stops, it turns brown like the plants do when autumn comes. We must remember that the samurai spoke of “the flower of the heart” referring to the natural response.

Between the shoulders we have a point which is similar to the one we have inside the pelvis. This has a lot to do with moving the arms, executing techniques such as blocking and striking, and the lungs are there as well. The area widens and shrinks with the breath. When we breathe in we want the air to be bright and clean, full of oxygen to be taken to the muscles and every organ. While exhaling the air comes out through the larynx and that we use when we speak; the sound of one’s voice can be a very powerful weapon indeed. The colours we’re talking about are blue and indigo.

Then comes the third eye located in the brain; some speak of violet flame. To avoid stepping unto the zone of mysticism I would say that we’re simply talking about perception: immense sight in unseen situations. You can know things in your heart, you can reason in a debate, but what we’re dealing with now is the vision that’s both inner and external. “Strength without perception is spiritually useless and therefore of no true value,” said Ryuken in Hokuto no Ken. We also see the bending of the circle here as the spectrum starts going back to where it began; violet colour is but a combination of red and blue.

Yet there are wavelengths we’re unable to see, we only know of the areas of infrared and ultraviolet. So it is certain that on the outer limits we do meet with the invisible, and as described, that is where the opposites are united. In the same manner one’s body is constantly kept in balance and each part of the physique is led to operate according to one single strategy. All the colours or the qualities together form white light, so we should think of ourselves shining that brightly, without limitations but with acceptance. It does remind me a lot of the Taoist concept of nothingness, for in what way can harmony be described if not by picturing a state in which no shadow is cast?

We have mooted what exists, and beyond that there is blackness. It is something that the human mind cannot comprehend, the very essence manifested by the light. The black abides around and within the circle of colours, eternal, the All-Mother. Any time it is said that the eyes are the mirror of the soul, “whose soul?” one should ask. When you look in the mirror it’s seldom someone else you see, so the reflection actually tells of who and what you really are, through reactions. This is why retreat is chosen. So there lies the truth of why Adder never turns away from looking into someone’s eyes: he focuses not on the colour of the iris, but gazes to the very centre and through, knowing he will only see himself there, in the blackest of the black.

Terracotta army of Helsinki

Inside the circle of awareness

Christopher Matthews demonstrating the straight-forward strategy of Bushi Kempo

Become one with the surroundings and make circumstances your allies. This is the basis of the strategy of the Ninja, referring to times of war not simply confronting adversaries.

To take a look at the modern day scene let us examine submission wrestling for example. A fine art, in which one is to go for having control over the opponent in order to put him in a submission hold at some point. This on the other hand makes it a form of sport rather than combat; what I mean is the tendecy to prefer a certain kind of layout. In catch-as-catch-can the idea is to place the opponent under a non-stop attack, in other words use every single situation to bring trouble. In sports it is always a competition between two athletes or teams, whereas when waging war one cannot afford competing in the first place. Just “catch a hold” as you can.

Sharpening one’s awareness should be practised everywhere and all the time. By simply having your eyes, ears and mind open the four-dimensional perception eventually becomes an automatic process of calculation: the person will start envisaging the possibilities at hand. Let us say you are trapped within a triangle of three opponents; you decide to make the first move and take the one behind you off balance to gain a couple of extra seconds. The guy on the left sees an opportunity there and throws a punch – you could block it, but realize that by doing so you would make yourself most vulnerable to the third guy’s attack. So you choose to move away from the punch and simultaneously knock down the guy on the right. Then you go on with the flow, rearrange if need be and do what you must. The training of such situations is to make one’s movements an ever-flowing lemniscate-like pattern in which some parts of the body are always ready for defence and others just as ready for counter-attacking.

The more there is tension, the easier the target. Struggling in this context would mean that you submit yourself to a contest of who’s better, stronger, faster and so on, which you may just as well lose. Fighting (efficiently) is nothing but reacting with so little effort that the opponent won’t know what hit him - never give the enemy a chance and you might have one yourself.

The manners of warfare and business can be compared in the sense that both are tightly bound to the phenomena around, you make your moves and get results depending on all else that takes place. This could be described as "slavery of action," yet art - such as poetry, painting etc. - is fundamentally different as it has the power to change the world instead, thus it bears no chain. To succeed in pursuing one’s ambitions is certainly worth respecting, then again artistic essence is a story completely distinct. Therefore it is the very art of war we seek.

By explaining matters from this point of view I am not saying that anyone should alter the teachings of their original discipline, I am encouraging them to dig deep. Embrace every technique, find the aspects and utilize them. Perception itself does not change reality, but it does work as a guidebook. People commonly see the world as a picture they try to fit themselves in; insight helps them understand that it is really a puzzle. Among the pieces you may go as you will.

Simon Latimer lecturing on the razor-like philosophy of his Daishin Ryu

Circle of awareness

On February 7th, at Talvisota (”Winter War”) wrestling show I am to have a match against Joey Impact and H.C. Andersen, two newcomers that are bound to hunger for victory over someone such as myself. My job is to make sure they’ll lose, and due to my martial arts background plus the fact that I train pro wrestling as a martial art my chances of fulfilling the commitment are way better than average.

In sports combat usually takes place in a way strictly controlled. There is one opponent, there are rules that say what must and must not happen, so you know what to expect. In a 3-way bout it’s a different deal: you put a guy in a hold and the other one strikes you in the back, he takes you down only to be attacked by the third party and so on. It does get chaotic, so that is when the higher aspect of wrestler is called to the arena.

Martial arts, especially when studied as military skills, are for one to be schooled in the zanshin state of mind which techniques will follow. In a real life situation there may be multiple attackers, countless of factors, anything can and will happen. Say you’re hit in the back of the head – the more you’re afraid the more tension there will be blocking the movement of your body and making the blow more devastating. Then again, once you let things happen as they come and just go with the flow you start creating influence that actually softens the world around you. The universe is not built of matter but dual directions through which energy moves. When somebody grabs you, do not seek strength to struggle but relaxation; you’ll take away the opponent’s game plan for a split second during which time you make the move to end the fight.

The 360 degree defence is like a circle of troops guarding every route to the capitol. This is not to be thought of as a clock-like plane but rather a shining sphere of awareness. Even in cases when the enemy is not stopped, information will travel. With the addition of “rhyme and reason,” the perception of continuity, you will dive into the magic ocean of 4D. Take the teachings of your art but never forget to apply. Keep in mind that training is not meant for the gym and it is not done for the sake of any contest. “Everything is Kung Fu,” yet I would simplify this by saying that everything is everything. The ring of Talvisota belongs to me, so does the ring of life.

Liu Fengcai