Download Student Guide - North Wind Martial Arts & Fitness

Okinawan Karate book, Alexander distinguishes between Jutsu and Do by "art" and "way." Heexplains, "...Do implies a course of action to perfection, while Jutsu is oriented toward thereality of combat." The basic combinations and the Kata are composed of Jutsu set inprearranged patterns of training. These patterns are themselves teachers in the sense that thepatterns, done in order, will provide building blocks to achieve the most perfect techniquepossible. It is only those people who truly understand the patterns who can step out of thepattern and still present a sense of balanced motion to those around them. Thisunderstanding of the pattern is not something that can be achieved in a day.Crows who sit on fences are either perfecting their sitting ability or they are too lazy to perfecttheir flying ability. Like the crow it is human nature to try to perfect our sitting ability. It is ourduty to perfect our flying ability and leave our sitting ability alone!KI (LIFE FORCE)Ki is not the mystical force many of the uneducated Karate Ka would like to make it. It isfashionable for a Karate Ka who is lacking in technique to talk about the flow of power thatcomes out of the body and magically strikes another person or object with force. Ki translatedmeans life force. It is not measurable, nor is it visible. However, without Ki, life would notexist. Everything on earth has Ki. This Japanese word is not religious, nor does it translateinto any great mystery. A person who trains often and is in good health will have strong Ki.Ki does not come out of thin air and touch you with power.A person is born with Ki and as this person gets older and healthier, their Ki will becomestronger. Anyone can have Ki, not just Martial arts students. Ki will allow the advancedstudent to seek the ultimate in perfect technique. That perfection of technique will give theadvanced student more Ki. Strong Ki will mean less time out due to illness and will also meanthat your mind may expand beyond its present limits. Once the body is healthy (has strong Ki),the mind is no longer tied to the body's misery and can then expand to the limits of one'ssenses. The limits of one's senses are set by nature (genetics), health (the strength of one's Ki)and the surroundings of the individual. After examining the three factors governing the senses,it should be apparent that health is the one factor that can be controlled on a daily basis. Thesurroundings may be controlled in a fashion, and genetics are not controllable once you areborn. Therefore the burden of excellence rests strictly with the individual. The stronger theindividual trains, the better will be his Ki, and consequently, his health and ability to cope withhis surroundings.