Shisochin

Shisochin means 'four directional battle' and the form seems to take its name from the four palm heel strikes delivered in different directions seen in the video below from 0:28-0:34. The kata covers a lot of ground though and the practitioner is constantly moving in different directions throughout.

As with the other kata found in Goju ryu there is no clear line of descent from any kung fu style in Southern China. The typical school quoted is White Crane, but others have argued for Tiger or Dragon influences and one even for a Mantis / Cricket kung fu influence. Despite orthodox opinions (see The History of Karate by Morio Higaonna) that Kanryo Higaonna brought this form back from China, that is doubted by some. In fact, the kata may even have been being practiced on Okinawa before any of the conventional dates Higaonna is said to have sailed to China. There is a record that Seisho Aragaki publicly performed a kata named Chisaukin or Chishoukiun, both of which names have a similar pronunciation to Shisochin.

Master Morio Higaonna performing Shisochin

Seiunchin

Seiunchin (also sometimes pronounced Seiyunchin) means 'trapping battle' or 'control battle' and these translations refer to the close proximity combatants have to one another and where this form specializes. The kata therefore includes techniques to unbalance, throw and then grapple along with more orthodox karate techniques such as close-quarters striking waza, sweeps and take downs.

The opening moves are performed in a more relaxed, flowing manner than the more typical stop-start techniques seen in the first three kata studied (Gekisai Dai Ichi, Gekisai Dai Ni and Saifa). There is some speculation that this pattern may have its origins in the Chinese internal and Taoist-influenced art of Hsing I. This is in contrast to the more usual Buddhist origins of many of the kata of both Goju ryu and Okinawan karate in general. The movement at 1:21 - 1:22 is certainly highly reminiscent of a basic Hsing I technique.

Master Morio Higaonna performing Seiunchin

Saifa

Saifa is the first classical kata of Goju ryu karate. The first two kata studied (Gekisai Dai Ichi and Gekisai Dai Ni) were created by Goju founder Chojun Miyagi in 1940. The name of the kata means 'smash and tear' and it teaches techniques and concepts related to close quarters combat.

Traditionally it is thought that this kata was learned by Kanryo Higaonna from his teacher Ryu Ryu Ko while the former studied in China in the second half of the nineteenth century. This is the argument presented by Morio Higaonna in his book The History of Karate. At that time however 'things Chinese' carried with them a greater sense of value to Okinawan people and it may have been the case that this kata did not come directly from China but was only said to have done so. Or, that it was introduced from China at a later date by Chojun Miyagi and was not part of the original syllabus. Another idea is that Master Miyagi created the kata himself from his own insight and influenced by other forms.

Recent research has begun to suggest that Kanryo Higaonna may only have learned Sanchin, Sanseiru, Seisan and Suparinpei. Nathan Johnson in his book The Great Karate Myth examines this issue in more detail.

The origins of the form are further muddied by the lack of a reliable insight into the kung fu style it originated from. Accepted versions hold that it is from a Tiger or Crane style, but one researcher has put forward the argument that it may be derived from Lion kung fu.

The techniques in the kata teach the practitioner Folding, Grounding and Whipping. Folding refers to the practice of collapsing an opponent's limb at the joints, allowing it to be controlled. Grounding is the ability to 'sink into the floor' and then rebound up to generate more power. Whipping is the ability to deliver fast attacks with a whip-like motion. In addition, Gavin Mulholland argues in Four Shades of Black that this form is about learning how to break free of all manner of grabs and holds.

Master Morio Higaonna performing Saifa

Gekisai Dai Ni

Gekisai Dai Ni is almost a direct copy of Gekisai Dai Ichi but it introduces open-hand techniques, neko ashi dachi (cat stance) and takes an early look at evasion and gaining a superior angle to your opponent. Mawashi uke is also introduced here, and this block - combined with a grab and pull to unbalance an opponent - used in conjunction with evasion can generate tremendous positional advantage. Mawashi uke was described by Mas Oyama (Kyokushinkai) as being the most important block in karate.

The kata simply means 'to attack and destroy (version two)' (as opposed to Gekisai Dai Ichi, meaning 'to attack and destroy (version one') and it continues to work on the concept of developing an aggressive fighter, though one with a greater range of weapons to select from and one giving more thought to strategy.

This kata was also created by Chojun Miyagi in 1940 and through the process of coming up with this second form the original name of Gekisai Dai Ichi - Fukyugata Ni, as compared to Shoshin Nagamine's Fukyugata Ichi - was renounced and the two Gekisai kata came into being.

Master Morio Higaonna performing Gekisai Dai Ni

Gekisai Dai Ichi

Gekisai Dai Ichi was created by Goju ryu founder Chojun Miyagi in 1940 for the purpose of developing an 'introductory' form to help popularize the spread of his art and karate in general among younger students. Up until this time Sanchin had been regarded as being the alpha and omega - the beginning and the end - of Goju ryu karate (and to a great extent, it is still seen in that light) but this kata, along with its sister Gekisai Dai Ni, offered a more immediate entry into Goju ryu with a series of attacks and defenses that were easier to understand and master and which were, from the point of view of a general onlooker, more obviously combative and looked more like what karate 'should' look like.

The name means 'attack and smash (or destroy)'. It was originally called Fukyugata Ni (Master Shoshin Nagamine, also developing an appropriate entry-level kata for use in Okinawa, had in the same period created Fukyugata Ichi) but Miyagi changed the name when he developed a second kata (Gekisai Dai Ni) and wanted an appropriate name that allowed him to both distinguish his two kata while at the same time making sure the names reflected the fact that they were related.

The kata is linear in its approach and teaches the concept of forming an aggressive mentality and series of techniques to deal with an attack at longer range (traditionally Goju ryu kata emphasize close quarters combat).

Gekisai Dai Ichi performed by Master Morio Higaonna

Senjo Kumiuchi

Senjo Kumiuchi is the term used to describe the various battlefield grappling arts of the samurai. In later centuries the art broadly evolved into Ju Jutsu, the techniques of which form the basis of modern day Judo many of which in turn are seen in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

As we see repeatedly with many of the empty-handed arts, a samurai required training in combat grappling should he either find himself weaponless against armed opponents or because he clashed with an enemy and was too close to cut effectively with his sword. Samurai naturally wore armor to battle and this restricted the use of many direct attacks on weak points of the body with the result that few strikes were practiced. With regard to armor, as the manufacture of protective covering improved, as it became stronger and lighter, it allowed greater flexibility. With this development the technique of Senjo Kumiuchi also evolved with combatants enjoying greater freedom of movement. The design and availability of armor in Asian countries is a vital factor in the development of the various arts and not only those in Japan. Not only was the plate armor of the European knights unavailable, it was in any case impractical to wear in the hot, humid climate of Asia (as the knights themselves discovered when crusading in the Holy Land).

Senjo Kumiuchi on the Battlefield

On the battlefield opponents would lock together, grasping each others forearms in order to control any weapon that may have been held. From this position they would struggle to sweep, throw, trip or otherwise unbalance the enemy. Once the enemy was forced to the ground a finishing technique would be employed and another opponent sought. This was, by necessity, a very harsh form of combat. The aim was not to subdue or merely injure, but to kill as quickly and efficiently as possible. The techniques of Senjo Kumiuchi were designed to ensure that the maximum amount of damage could be inflicted, including throws that drove the opponent directly into the ground, preventing him from executing a successful break fall. Compare this to modern day Judo where the throws, many of which have their origins in the battlefield, have been purposely altered to allow competitors to be able to break fall successfully thereby promoting Judo as a safe sport. That isn't to say that against an untrained opponent these throws wouldn't be effective, but it is worth highlighting and considering the differences. Traditionally, the first part of the enemy’s body to come into contact with the ground would have optimally been his head (attempting to break his neck outright). In modern Japanese martial arts, such as Judo and Aikido, the opponent’s body is flipped to a greater extent, allowing him to land across his shoulders or on his back, most of the impact absorbed by the forearm(s) slamming the mat fractionally before the body lands to lessen the impact.

Another successful technique was to dive atop a thrown opponent, forcing the air from the lungs of the unfortunate warrior pinned down to the ground and leaving him severely winded and no doubt with numerous broken ribs. Considering that the aggressor would himself have been wearing armor, thereby increasing his weight, this technique could prove highly effective. Finally, amid the muck and gore, the samurai would either attempt to break the neck of his adversary or draw a dagger that would be plunged into the body of his prone opponent.

To fight in such a manner required great strength and courage. Slipping and sliding, colliding and close enough to smell your opponent's fear and look into his eyes, the battlefield was not for the feint of heart. Such fearsome techniques and the harsh training that went along with their development came to be used less frequently in the years following Japan’s civil war period (that is, from the early seventeenth century on). The techniques of Senjo Kumiuchi changed and evolved and new styles emerged. These styles were collectively called Ju Jutsu.

Unexpected Foods that Build Muscle

Although there are some unexpected foods that build muscle, the basics of building muscle remain the same: increase your quantity of quality protein taken on a daily basis and workout with weights or perform body weight exercises to strengthen and develop your musculature. Avoid bad foods (junk food) that offer no nutrition and spike your insulin and make sure your caloric intake is sufficient to meet your needs without being too high to cause fatty weight gain.

Unexpected Foods that Build Muscle

These fundamental rules override anything else (for natural muscle gain, at least…). That is not to say however that other foods don’t offer benefits at the micronutrient level and for variety and optimization of muscle gains you might want to look at these unexpected foods that build muscle.

1. Apples. Apples provide us with a whole range of health benefits. They can also help in muscle growth because they contain a higher level of ursolic acid than other foods. Ursolic acid can help to concentrate the level of IGF-1 in the blood. IGF-1, or Insulin-like Growth Factor-1, consists of 70 amino acids and is most prevalent during the years of puberty. It promotes protein synthesis and encourages the body to burn fat as a source of energy. Best of all from the point of view of muscle gain is that IGF-1 causes our cells to split (hyperplasia). With a nutritious diet and regular training those extra cells can then be developed in size and strength. Once we reach adulthood our muscle cell number is otherwise fixed.

2. Ginger. Again, like apples, ginger offers a diverse range of health benefits. With regard to building muscle, the first thing to note is that ginger helps to burn calories. Fair enough, this isn’t building your muscle as such, but in order to look ripped you need to lower your body fat percentage and ginger will help you achieve this. It can also help reduce muscle soreness by as much as 25%. This aids in recovery and allows you to hit the gym harder. Best of all, it is a strong anti-estrogen food and tests on lab rats have shown that it increases their testosterone production level by double. You may need to look at a supplement here to get the full benefits (unless you really like eating ginger…).

3. Holy Basil. This herb is great for improving the circulation of testosterone in our bodies. Testosterone is obviously vital in making significant strength gains but unfortunately it can become bound up in times of stress. Holy basil helps to unbind that testosterone and make sure it is circulating in our bodies at a higher rate. Holy basil is therefore also great if you are going through a stressful period.

4. Green Tea. Regular readers will already know that this comes up a lot. I have previously mentioned that green tea is just about the best thing you can put into your body for innumerable health benefits. It can help us in our quest for a better physique by increasing our testosterone level for one to two hours. Taken before a workout therefore a cup of green tea can grant us the ability to lift more for longer while also reducing muscle soreness and promoting a quick recovery (allowing you to lift more for longer…and so the cycle repeats itself).

Muay Thai Knee

Muay Thai knee techniques are devastating strikes that can be applied at close range and can easily finish an opponent with one shot.

Muay Thai Knee Notes

* When performing the straight knee technique exhale your breath, keep your chin tucked down and hold your arms out in front of you.

* The power for the technique comes from driving your hips forward into the strike.

* Your supporting foot should pivot in position to open up your hips and ensure the knee strike is being delivered with maximum power. This will also extend the range of your Thai boxing knees and allow you to connect with opponents from a greater distance.

* Once you can perform a single knee strike try using them in combination, clinching the bag as you do so.

* In the clinch keep your head forward and your elbows tucked in and relax. Avoid allowing your opponent to grab your head and twist your from side to side unbalancing you.

MMA

MMA, or Mixed Martial Arts, has become immensely popular in the early 21st century. Dana White, UFC President, describes it as 'the fastest growing sport in the world'. The fundamental concept is simple: take the best elements from the best styles and combine them to create a new hybrid style. Currently the 'core' arts for study are considered to be Boxing, Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai. Well rounded fighters such as Georges St Pierre are able to excel in all disciplines, while others may specialize in just two (usually a stand up art, that is, one striking art, and one for groundwork, or grappling).

The origins of MMA lie in the Ancient Greek art of Pankration which blended what we now separate into Boxing and Wrestling. Although Pankration had its own roots in war it was also an Olympic sport.

The simple notion of mixing different martial arts is not itself new and is and has been a feature of both Western and Asian arts throughout history. Many of the modern martial arts described on this site, such as karate, judo and TaeKwonDo, and even some of the staples of MMA itself, most notably Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, are the end result of a blending of different styles tempered with experience. Where Mixed Martial Arts perhaps differ is that in contemporary society the study of any combative method is much easier, allowing for greater variation, and the emphasis that is placed on covering all the distances of unarmed combat. An awareness of the importance of this latter fact is often attributed to Bruce Lee who, through his concept of Jeet Kune Do, studied the different ranges of combat. While Karate, for example, is a blend of different arts, these arts are for the most part striking arts (such as White Crane and Whooping Crane kung fu blended with indigenous te techniques). Judo, by comparison, is a hybrid of various Ju Jutsu schools, but these again tended to specialize in throwing and grappling movements. A characteristic then of MMA is its intent to be effective at the kicking, punching, clinching and grappling ranges. The term is not commonly used to refer to, say, a blend of Karate and Muay Thai (both of which are for the most part confined to the kicking and punching ranges).

MMA and the UFC

A key factor in the development of Mixed Martial Arts was the activities of the Gracie family, originators of Gracie (or Brazilian) Jiu Jitsu. While no-holds barred fighting had taken place underground in Europe it was the Gracie fighters who had been dominating Vale Tudo events in Brazil. Vale Tudo was (and is) Brazil's version of no-holds barred fighting. The BJJ of the Gracie's had enjoyed immense success in such competitions and the family felt confident enough to organize the first Ultimate Fighting Championship in the US in 1993. This initial foray into full contact no-holds barred fighting was not yet Mixed Martial Arts. It was more style vs style, with the Gracie's keen to demonstrate that their style was the superior one. Royce Gracie, the family representative, swept away all competition despite his size disadvantage.

The sport at that time was not really a sport as such. There were very few rules and the early UFC tournaments were about fighting, pure and simple. There were no rounds and no weight classes, for example. After some initial interest all but the hardcore fans became less enthusiastic as many matches involved the fighters grappling on the ground with little apparent action for minutes on end. Contrary to expectations, the strikers were not dominant in the sport and it was the BJJ and wrestling experts who claimed victory after victory. While it vindicated the claims of the Gracie family, it was not good entertainment.

As the original business model went into decline the UFC was bought by Zuffa, a company owned by the Fertitta's, at the suggestion and encouragement of their friend, Dana White, who would go on to become UFC President of the new company and direct the growth of the UFC thereafter. Under new management, more stringent rules were introduced that made competition safer and gave some advantage back to the strikers (the referee would stop a fight and stand the fighters back up if there wasn't enough action while grappling and the end of a round also forced the fighters to stand and resume combat at the beginning of the next round). With these new rules it became apparent that to succeed the fighter could not specialize in just one area, or range, of combat, and so the arts began to be mixed, thus creating MMA.

Nowadays full blown MMA gyms are emerging, which combine all the core arts and teach Mixed Martial Arts as a complete package, whereas before fighters would find themselves rushing from one training facility to another to get a well-rounded education in the different styles. Mixed Martial Arts has also found appeal at an amateur level for self-defense and physical health reasons. It is also fair to say that MMA has in turn impacted many of the traditional arts from which it emerged, at least in the West. Karate students will engage in ground and pound practice for example, working on their striking from grappling range or from the clinch. Though their core style itself has not changed as such, they have begun to examine the applicability of techniques from different ranges (which in fact is how Karate was meant to be interpreted in any case, at least according to the 'Bible', the Bubishi).

Malnutrition, Ascites and Love Handles

Love handles are the flabby skin that sticks out above a person's hips, possibly flapping over a pair of tight pants. More formally this condition is known as bulging flanks. The most obvious cause for this condition would seem to be a caloric surplus leading to weight gain. This may not be the case however and in fact the opposite may well be true: bulging flanks may be the result of a severe caloric deficit causing undernutrition and even malnutrition. These conditions are indicative of a major lack of macronutrients and many micronutrients.

One obvious result of undernutrition and malnutrition is emaciation. This is a condition in which the body’s musculature wastes away and is accompanied by overall weight loss. It may be surprising then that a second condition connected with under- and malnutrition is ascites, which is severe edema that results in abdominal swelling. More precisely this is the accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity that causes the belly to distend. It is NOT fat.

Now this is only one explanation. Unfortunately another cause of ascites may be due to liver problems and if you are having problems then you would do well to consult a doctor. That said, if you have been following a severely restricted diet for a prolonged period of time and / or have been working out with intense training then you may be able to lose your love handles by re-examining your diet and increasing your daily caloric intake of healthy, nutritious food that provides you with a balance of macronutrients and a variety of micronutrients. Less severe workouts and more recovery time will also help (but your focus should be on your diet).

As always, there is no way to spot-train specific areas of fat (or, in this case, water weight). You can do as much area-specific training as you like; yes, you will build stronger and larger muscles, but those muscles will remain hidden below your flabby skin. The most common exercise tip to burn fat is to engage in some type of aerobic exercise, such as jogging, walking, cycling or swimming. Such activities, when used in conjunction with a healthy, balanced diet, should lead to success. In the case of ascites and ridding your body of your love handles, this approach will not work and could easily lead to the condition becoming more severe. By reducing your calories further and exercising more you are robbing yourself even further of both macro and micro nutrients, which is what may be causing you all the trouble in the first place.

Fat on your body will be more solid than water weight. Water weight will be softer to the touch and will ‘ripple’ when disturbed. So if you have droopy love handles that act like a balloon filled with water when prodded you may be suffering from ascites caused by under or malnutrition (though you should be aware of more serious causes as well). Hopefully the quickest and easiest solution will be to up your intake of macronutrients and micronutrients via a healthy well-balanced diet.