Xtreme Premier (Inside Pages) Print

8/14/2019 Xtreme Premier (Inside Pages) Print

1/90

Xmag_premiere.indd 2 6/12/09 12:16:


2/90



3/90

PUBLISHERS LETTER

Thank you God. We are honored to present Xtreme Martial Arts Magazine. The time hasarrived to serve this community with a magazine born in the Sunshine state.

Florida State has become the home of many Martial Arts Grand Masters, and it is also a big factory of athletes and

professional MMA ghters that are in the top of their game. X Martial Arts Magazine is the vehicle to get in contactwith the Martial Arts world; to get to know all the different disciplines and their masters; and also get to know all

these fascinating characters and their stories.

Our intention is to provide the nal reader with all the valuable information about tness, nutrition, special

training systems, self-control, mental strength and how to built a solid character.

In the process of making the magazine we had the privilege to work with a very talented team of professionals,

they have been all in from the rst day and you can see it in the nal result you have in your hands.

Our commitment is never-ending improvement so our next issues will be stronger and stronger

Thank you very much for your support

Sincerely yours,

Pedro Hernandez Silva

Publisher

2 www.xmartialartsmag.com



4/90



5/90


6/90



7/90

CONTENT8 | KARATE The Way..............................................................

12 | Luca Valdesi

2008 WKF World Champion..............................................................

16 | SELF DEFENSE

Counterpoint Tactical System..............................................................

20 | NEW GENERATION

Gino Alfonso: The New Generation..............................................................

22 | PORTRAIT

A Portrait of Japan: Introducing Japan

..............................................................

28 | NUTRITIONAn Important Step in your Life

..............................................................

32 | WELL-BEING

Body Sense Holistic Spa & Wellness Center

..............................................................

34 | CHAMPIONSHIP

The 19th World Karate Championship

..............................................................

36 | XSHOTS

..............................................................




8/90

Xtreme Martial Arts Magazine 7

42 | BACKGROUND

Shaolin Temple: Legend and Fact..............................................................

44 | INTERVIEW

Luis Sanchez..............................................................

46 | MMA

The Rise of Americas Modern Gladiators..............................................................

50 | YMMA

Danillo Indio Villefort..............................................................

57 | The Origins of Ninpo..............................................................

65 | XKIDZAlejandro Cepero:

World Promise in Competitive Karate

Tiffany Barbosa Costa:

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu..............................................................

66 | THE X LEGEND

Carlos Quintero

..............................................................

68 | Review of Miyamoto Musashis

Book of Five Rings (Go Rin No Sho)

..............................................................72 | The World Shitoryu Karatedo

Federation in America

.......................................................

76 | XGIRLZ......................................................



9/90

THE WAYBy: Oswaldo PortilloBy: Oswaldo Portillo

KARATE DO




10/90

KARATE

DO

To write about Karate is not as easy as itseems, it is something as simple and deep asart itself; I dont want to be seen as a fanatic,

because in Karate there are no fanatics, thosewho practice Karate fanatically are either notreceiving correct information about it or arenot completely understanding the true mea-ning of the way of the empty hand.

The martial art to which I am referring is Japa-nese Karate; in many parts of the world theywant to say, or rather, they say Karate or mar-tial arts when they mean personal defensetechniques or traditional dances. Nothingcould be further from the truth. There is onlyone Japanese Karate, represented internatio-nally by four main schools or styles: Goju Ryu,Wadu Ryu, Shotokan, and Shito Ryu. The lastone presents the largest variety and number ofregistered katas.

Japanese Karate was born in the southern is-lands of Japan, the island of Okinawa beingthe center of its ourishing and cradle of itsgreat masters. Karate is based on a self-defensesystem against weapons without using wea-pons, hence its name: Karate Do. Kara meansempty, Te means hand and Do means road orway. It is as natural a system as the body itself;it has no age or sex, anybody can practice it

and in a short time begin to enjoy the physicaland spiritual benets that Karate offers.




11/90


12/90


Karate bases its philosophy in defense,the good practitioner of Karate deve-lops the capability of training with hu-mility, as the basis of human growth

and to control adverse situations thatcould end in combat, which we alwaystry to avoid. Of course, if unfortunatelythe situation does not allow for a ne-gotiated solution instead of combat, thekarate practitioner will use his or herknowledge to preserve their own lifeand that of their fellow human beings,even if it is a life or death struggle. Thatis why practicing in class well-executedtechniques is as important as learningto avoid confrontations that most of thetime end up badly.

We can apply the daily learning of Ka-rate to our lives, because acting withcourtesy, discipline, humility, respect,setting goals and achieving merit step

by step, we will become better citizensand we will feel personal satisfaction,beneting ourselves and our fellow hu-man beings.

Training can begin at any age, and re-sults are noticeable after a brief period, ifclass attendance is frequent and orderly.People of both sexes nd in its practicea healthy and enriching way to condi-tion mind and body; it does not requireexpensive equipment, it can be prac-ticed most anywhere, in small spaces,and even alone, you dont need a groupor a companion to do certain types ofexercises.



13/90


KARATE DO



14/90

Luca Valdesi is currently one of the greatest gures in Martial Arts, con-cretely in Shotokan style in Karate. The salient facts of his life are available inhis website www.lucavaldesi.com. Luca was born in Palermo, Sicily, on June18, 1976. His father, Andrea, guided his training in Karate from the time he

was six years old. The Italian Financial Police have a distinguished Karate team,known as the Fiamme Gialle (Yellow Flames), which Luca joined at age 19in 1995. Soon, he began to compete at the national and international levels,rapidly achieving his ascendancy in this martial art. He has won every singleItalian Individual Championship since 1995, and every European Senior Cham-pionship since 2000.

Notwithstanding the demands of his competition schedule, Valdesi managed toattend college, earning a degree in Business Economics. Luca is the rst to pointout that his achievements have only been possible thanks to the unagging sup-port of his family, who are his anchor in life. He married the prominent dancerAda Spinella, a fellow Sicilian from the small town of Gioiosa Marea, in 2001.

Valdesi considers 2004 the best yearof his life: in February his rst son,

Andrea, was born; then in Octoberhe won the gold medal in the WorldChampionship; followed in Novem-ber by his graduation from college.

More recently another son, Fran-cesco, has joined the family. At themoment, the Valdesi family live be-tween Palermo (Lucas hometown)and Gioiosa Marea (Adas home-town). Luca enjoys the benet ofhaving three top-notch trainers: Mr.Claudio Culasso, the General Coachof the Fiamme Gialle Karate Team;Professor Pierluigi Aschieri, theGeneral Coach of the FIJLKAM Na-tional Team; and his father, AndreaValdesi.

Luca was kind enough to give us anexclusive interview at the recent Ka-rate World Championship in Tokio.

Luca, lets talk a little bit about yourlife. We know your biographicaldata, but we would like to knowmore. Where were you born? Atwhat age did you start practicingKarate?

I was born in Palermo and startedpracticing Karate at age six. My un-cle took me to my rst dojo.

How was your childhood?It was very quiet: study, training,spending time with my parents andrelatives...

2008WKFWorldChampion

L

caValdes

i

Who inuenced you to start practic-ing Karate? How did all begin?

As I said before, my uncle Salvo tookme to the dojo and my father alwayssupported me. He is my Sensei.

What do your family, wife, andfriends think of your career in Ka-rate? Being the #1 World Championof all time in competitive Karate...They are all very happy and proud,but in day-to-day life we dont paymuch attention to that. I lead a nor-mal life, I train, spend time with myfamily and friends. What my fatherand I strive for constantly is to bethe best always, therefore we train to

keep winning and increase the gapwith the other rivals.

What do you do in your free time?I spend time with my sons.

Do you like music? What are yourfavorite genres and groups?I like music in general, Italian andInternational pop in particular.

What do you do now? What is yourprofession?I practice Karate full-time. I am an

instructor and I do training and orga-nize seminars all over the world.


ByMa

ximilianoChomiak



15/90


KARATE DO



16/90

How often do you train? I imagine thatit depends on your competition schedule,but this question is aimed at those days inwhich you are not close to a competition.I train 3 to 4 hours a day, twice a day, inthe morning and in the afternoon.

What inspired you in Karate and in life?I always aspire to win, but any result is ok.The important thing is to do it right and al-ways give your best and maximum effort.

How far do you want to go with Karate?The closest possible to the limit. As far ashumanly possible. I would also like to bethe trainer of an emerging nations nationalteam, in order to be able to share myexperience with the youth and turn theminto champions.

Do you have a dojo where you teach regu-larly? Where?No, I train with my father in Palermo, hehas his dojo and I train with him, I wantto use all my energy to achieve the maxi-mum. After each competition, I give semi-naries all over the world.

Besides Karate, do you practice any othersport?No, I dont have time, after training I spendtime with my family.

How do you train before a major com-petition, such as a World Championship?How far ahead do you begin to train?I begin three to four months before,training twice a day. The work changes

with time, and shifts from physical condi-tioning to a focus on technique.

Which is your favorite kata?UNSU because of the physical skills re-quired and GANKAKU because of themental skills.

Do you consider yourself a good ghter?Yes, of course, I would have to train betterin terms of distances and times, but witha little specic training I would be a goodghter.

What are the most memorable momentsin your life?My wedding day, when I saw my wife en-ter the church. The birth of my rst son, atwhose birth I was present. And my second

world championship win (I dont remem-ber the rst win as well because the stron-gest adversaries were more relaxed.)

We know you have many followers, mostof whom practice Karate. Do you haveany advice to give them?Have fun while training. If you work withjoy, everything turns out to be easier.

How do you feel with this new worldchampionship that you got in Japan in2008?I was very happy for the last world cham-

pionship, because I became a record manlike Sakumoto, but happier than all theothers because we were the team winners.It was very hard for me because I had asmall problem with my back, and so I hadsome problems during the preparation.

Are you planning to go to the next WorldChampionship?I want to do the next world championshipand I would like to win again.

How do you look your future, do youplan to keep teaching Karate for the restof your life as your primary job, or do you

plan something else like your martial artsproduct business?For now my future is karate, as a competitor...

Luca was born in Palermo, Sicily, on June 18, 1976. His father, Andrea, guided histraining in Karate from the time he was six years old. Soon, he began to compete at the na-

tional and international levels, rapidly achieving his ascendancy in this martial art. He has

won eve ry s ing le I ta l ian Indiv idua l Championship s ince 1995, and eve ryEuropean Senior

............................................................................................................................................................................................................

2

008WKFWorldChamp

ion

L

caValdesi




17/90


The Counterpoint Tactical System, or CTS, is a weapon-based, integrated martial art designed for the street with anemphasis on tactical counter offense. The purpose of CTS is to train, produce and certify students and teachers whoare well versed in every phase of civilian armed and unarmed combat. CTS has a survival-based philosophy; it is notintended as a sport. The goal is to produce top-quality martial artists who can hold their own against strikers, groundghters, multiple opponents and weapons. Classes are conducted in a controlled and professional manner, with stu -dent safety heavily emphasized.

COUNTERPOINT TACTICAL SYSTEM

..................................................................................

..................................................................................

..................................................................................

Sparring is an important element in learning how todeal with real-world violence and is a major compo-nent of CTS training. Sparring is one of the best waysto develop strategies and timing, and to learn howto control and manipulate an opponent using range.Modern safety equipment is used, allowing students todevelop their skill while staying healthy and safe. It isvery important for students to realize that it is not ac-ceptable to use sparring as an ego enhancer, or tospar without regard for the safety of others. Sparringclasses should be approached with the intent tolearn more about ones self, and to develop techniqueand strategies.

Some systems teach a multitude of self-defense tech-niques, but in sparring they use a different and muchmore limited set of techniques. In some systems, stu-dents spend the bulk of their training on techniquesthey will never be able to use effectively in sparringor in a real ght. CTS uses only those techniques thatare proven and possible in real-life situations. The tech-niques, tactics and drills are practiced as elements

of sparring, and only proven methods remainas core curriculum.

Students will be introduced to progressive categories oftraining. These categories include empty-hands train-ing, including striking, stand-up grappling and groundghting; weapons tactics, such as single and doublestick, single and double knife, staff, spear, sword; andstick and dagger, also known as espada y daga. In or-der to have students progress in an organized mannerthrough these categories of training, a denitive struc-ture is laid out by belt ranks. Each belt rank consists ofthree categories, or blocks, of training. As the studentprogresses through the CTS system, each block stacks

on top of previous training blocks, allowing thestudent to easily see the connection from one level tothe others.

Beginning students will be taken systematically throughthe basics of stick, knife and empty-hand training,learning how to use the weapon for maximum results.

SELF DEFENSE



18/90




19/90


CTS TrainingThey will also learn how to counter attack, whetherarmed or unarmed. Students will learn what the op-timum targets are on an attacker, both anatomicallyand tactically, as well as specic methods to quicklynish an attacker. The student will also learn how touse natural weapons - empty hands - to engage an at-tacker, putting him or her on the ground with decisivestrikes, locks and throws so the student can success-fully nish and safely disengage from an attack. Most

important, at this level the student will begin to learnhow to maneuver quickly, anking an opponent andpositioning himself or herself to gain the advantage.

In the intermediate stages of training, the student willlearn the nuances of range - its relationship with theweapon and how that applies to combat survival.The student will also become familiar with subtledifferences in the way a weapon is held or wielded,and what adjustments must be made as the situationchanges from instant to instant. The student will alsolearn how to quickly escape from ground submissionsand get back to his or her feet. At this level, throughthe practice of techniques, tactics, drills and sparring,the student will begin to develop the important skillsof countering an attack.

At the advanced level, the student will start to be-come procient at ghting, countering and outank-ing trained ghters. The categories, or building blocks,from earlier training will be revisited, but at this level,tactics and techniques are developed and ne tunedto produce instant results as the student becomes ca-pable of engaging multiple opponents and weapons.

The student will now start to see and realize the inter-connectedness of the system and begin to understandits sophisticated simplicity. Students will also begin todevelop a light, yielding touch that will make it dif -

cult for others to feel the students intent or realize thestudents counters until it is too late for them to react.At the upper end of advanced training, the student getsexposure to other weapons, such as the bolo (sword)and spear, as well as modied weapons designed spe-cically for CTS. At this highest level, espada y daga isfurther developed and practiced.Espada y daga training is very sophisticated not only

..................................................................................

..................................................................................

..................................................................................

SELF DEFENSE



20/90

..................................................................................

..................................................................................

..................................................................................

However, when someone armed with multiple weaponswho is well versed in their application enters the confron-tation, the tactics must change. Ignoring the issues pre-sented when a weapon is involved can get an individualkilled. For example, attempting a common MMA take-down, lock or submission against only an average knifeghter could make for a very bad outcome.

Although CTS includes the tactics of other disciplines fromaround the world, it holds the Filipino martial arts as itsbase. The martial arts of the Philippines have always beena mix of ghting disciplines. Most FMA systems contain

some degree of the various disciplines such as Panatukan,a punching and street boxing method with its roots com-ing from hand-held weapons; Dumog, which specializesin grappling and ground ghting; and Sikaran, which usesthe leg techniques of kicking and stomping. Pangamotdemonstrates how to ght against a blunt weapon withonly your bare - or empty - hands. The single stick, alsoreferred to as Olisi or Baston, is the weapon used mostas a CTS training device. Swinging a stick conditions thestudents arms and body in a way that cant be duplicatedwith empty hands, or even weight training. Working thestick will give the arms new attributes such as enhancedcoordination, exibility, strength and speed- attributeswell worth their weight in gold when the going getstough. When the students exibility, speed and strengthare enhanced punches become faster and stronger, locksbecome tighter, timing is perfected, resistance more pli-able and counters instantaneous. Hidden within the sticktechnique is knife and sword training that will be revealedonly when the student is ready.

The overall goal of the Counterpoint Tactical System isto safely bring students to a physical and mental level ofability and understanding that enables them to deal withlife-threatening situations, whether it be with single ormultiple opponents, standing, on the ground, armed orunarmed. CTS is a living system, with Zach Whitson itsfounder remaining active in the continual developmentand analysis of combative tactics. Because of this, the sys-

tem continues to change and evolve in order to stay cur-rent with the continual evolution of modern day martialarts.

Zach Whitson, FounderCounterpoint Tactical System

because it requires the use of two weapons simultaneously but it trains the student to quickly recognize the different issuesassociated with each weapon and adjust to the immediate situation. On the street recognizing a threat is very important andespada y daga conditions the student to understand the threat and make split second tactical decisions that mean the dif-ference between success and failure. CTS is not merely self-defense that teaches one to react to a situation after it starts. Atits core, CTS is a tactical ghting system that teaches an individual to use offense and counter-offense in order to strategizeand work three steps ahead of an opponent . CTS is not a sport. The mixed martial arts of sports venues like Pride and the

UFC have changed the face of martial arts and have enormous value as empty-hand methodologies.




21/90

It is always refreshing to have a conversation with ayoung competitor who brings fresh blood and enthusiasm tothe practice of martial arts. Gino Alfonso is one of those upand coming young ghters. We had lunch with him not farfrom his dojo, and this is what he told us.

XMAM: So, Gino, tell us a little bit about your background.When did you start practicing karate?

GA: I am 18 years old. I was born here in Miami, of Cuban

parents. I started practicing karate when I was 10, with senseiJess Costa, who came from Cuba in 1995 and is 4th Dan,Jyoshinmon Shorin-Ryu. Pretty soon I started competingin both kata and kumite, joining the national teams of theAmateur Athletic Union (AAU) and the National Karate-DoFederation (NKF).

XMAM: Then you have had the opportunity to travel abroadrepresenting the US, right?

GA: Sure, I have competed in Germany, Ecuador, and Osaka,Japan. In Japan in 2006, I won the bronze medal in kata inthe 16-year old category.

XMAM: What has been your greatest satisfaction so far incompetitions?

GA: I would have to say that the 2007 Junior Olympics in LasVegas. I won two bronze medals in kata and another bronzein kumite.

XMAM: What is your current routine? How often and withwhom do you train?

GA: I have been training with sensei Kenji Sato over the lastcouple of years. I routinely train 3 times a week when I donthave competitions, gradually increasing frequency and inten-sity as we get near to the event.

We say goodbye to the cheerful Gino as he walks back tohis dojo.

GINO ALFONSO: THE NEW GENERATION


NEW GENERATION



22/90

Shoko Sato Martial ArtsShoko Sato Martial ArtsShito-Ry Karate & JdoShito-Ry Karate & Jdo

FIRST MONTH FREENO - CONTRACT

PH: 786-236-4678

PH: 786-260-3390

9605 NW 79 AVE. BAY 23

HIALEAH GARDENS, FL 33016

Benets Include...

Self-Defense

Self Esteem

Dicipline

Pride

Condence

Stress Relief

Weight Control

Benets Include...

Self-Defense

Self Esteem

Dicipline

Pride

Condence

Stress Relief

Weight Control



23/90

A PORTRAIT OF JAPAN:INTRODUCING JAPAN


PORTRAIT

By Maximiliano Chomiak



24/90

With the launching of our new martial arts ma-gazine, it is almost mandatory to write about Ja-pan. When we hear of martial arts, in one way oranother the Asian continent comes to mind, butmore specically one Asian nation: Japan. For

that reason this article is the rst in a series onthat great country, in which I will write not onlyabout the particular characteristics of Japan, butI will also share some anecdotes and perceptionsfrom my different visits to that country, includingalso information provided by people who havelived or currently live there.

This rst part deals with some basic informationthat we should know about this fabulous country,and will lead us to delve a little more into theirculture and tradition in future parts.

Japan, known in Japanese as Nihon or Nippon,consists of over 3,000 islands at the East of theAsian continent, specically in the Pacic Ocean.Being an island nation, all their boundaries aremaritime. The Sea of Japan separates the coun-try from the Peoples Republic of China, NorthKorea, South Korea, and Rusia. To the South, the




25/90

East China Sea, separating Japan from Taiwan;and the Philippine Sea between Okinawa and thePhilippines.

Of the 3,000 islands, the biggest are, in order,Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, and Shikoku. To-gether they represent 97% of the countrys land

area. The other 3% is composed mainly by Oki-nawa, a 65-island archipelago, of which 45 areuninhabited.

Currently, Japan has a population of over 127million, of whom over 12,800,800 live in Tokyo,the largest city and the nations capital.

The weather in Japan varies, depending on thezone and the season of the year, with variabletemperatures. In Honshus northernmost part thelowest temperatures, registered in January, arearound 30 F while the highest are near 82 F inthe month of July. In Central Honshu the mini-

mum temperatures are 32 F at the beginning ofthe year and 86 F in the summer. On the otherhand, Hokkaido, the northernmost island, cansee temperatures drop to 12 F in the winter andrise to 77 F in the warmest months. In Shikokuscase the lowest temperature could be around 33F and the highest 88 F. Kyushu, the southernmostof Japans 4 main islands, can have temperaturesranging from 35 F to 88 F. Now, in the Oki-nawan archipelago the climate can be conside-red tropical. Its lowest temperatures are around55 F and the highest near 88 F, which makesit an excellent location for the resorts that havebeen built there.

The ofcial language in Japan is Japanese, andalthough many claim that English is widely spo-ken, the truth is that most Japanese dont speakit, not even the most basic words. In the largercities, like Tokyo and Osaka, among others, youcan nd more Japanese who speak it as well aspeople from other countries and continents, suchas Australians, but in the suburbs or not so mo-dern cities it is a bit difcult to nd people whospeak English. Just the same, the courteous Japa-nese will do everything possible to try to helptheir visitors.

The Japanese system of government is very simi-

lar to that of other monarchies in the world, suchas the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden , and o-thers, where the Prime Minister is the head of thegovernment. The current Japanese Prime Ministeris Taro Aso. The monarch is the head of State. InJapan, the current emperor is Akihito, who inheri-ted according to the traditional succession in thiscountry after his father, Emperor Hirohito, passedin 1989.24 www.xmartialartsmag.com



26/90

Japan is considered a very special country forseveral reasons. From my perspective, I think thatJapan is a traditionally modern country. Soundscontradictory, right? Denitely, it is a countrywith many traditions passed from generation togeneration; secrets passed from fathers to sons,something that is very interesting in this 21st cen-

tury. But at the same time, Japan is very modern.You could be in Kyoto and see a person wearingtheir traditional kimono while chatting on theircell phone, or reading a Manga (a very commomJapanese comic book). You nd restaurants withtatamis on the oor and a very traditional decor,but to eat there you have to buy a ticket in anelectronic dispenser machine. Walking down astreet packed with houses, you can nd a ceme-tery in an adjoining lot, next to another row ofhouses. The most common sight, is to see a Tokyojammed with people riding bicycles on the side-walks, as though it was a small town. And that isprecisely what makes Japanese culture so attrac-

tive, how contradictory it is with the mix of thetraditional and the modern.

Something even more common than bicyclesthroughout Japan is the broad commitment tosustainability. Social, economic, and ecologicalresponsibility are present everywhere, you caneven breathe it. The rational use of resources, theuse of products made from waste or recycled,community good ahead of personal good, eco-nomical benet for my environment rather thanfor me alone, speak of the serious commitment ofthe Japanese people to make this planet a betterplace to live and share with our brethren. Thesevalues that in the modern world we call sustaina-bility, are present in each and every one Japa-nese, and they practice them effortlessly; evenmore, these values are part of their culture, oftheir being.

We cannot forget mentioning something to whichI will be coming back frequently in future articlesof this series: the courteousness. I have had thepleasure to travel to several places in the world,but I have never seen any other people treat theirfellow human beings, be they local or foreigners,the way the Japanese do. The love for everythingthey do, the respect for others, the commitmentto do everything with love and giving the best of

themselves. I have commented with other friendswho have had the opportunity to get to know thecountry and compare it to other places and theyshare my opinion. I think that it is a general opini-on of those who have had the pleasure to go toJapan.




27/90


28/90



29/90

By: Leonardo FuenmayorHealth & Physical Consultant

www.t-yourlife.net




30/90

01. NUTRITION: AN IMPORTANT STEP IN YOUR LIFE

We have to keep in mind that nutrition is the most im-portant part in achieving our health goals. The human be-ing can eat almost anything: Fruits, owers, seeds, stems,leaves, plus different types of animals and birds; all theseproducts are more or less processed, giving rise to thou-sands of options sold commercially.

The fact that we can eat all these products, does it meanthat they are all equally apt for daily consumption?Is there an ideal nutrition for people that, besides nouri-shing can preserve health and avoid illnesses?The answer is yes, all foods have distinct nutritional andmedicinal qualities that, if we learn to use them, can favorthe person depending on what they are trying to get out ofthem; human beings have a great capacity to adapt physi-ologically to several types of foods that are essential, suchas fresh fruits and vegetables.

Not all diets can provide a good health no matter howmuch we adapt to less than ideal foods, such as those ofanimal origin; so we still need vegetables, that are healthi-er and better suited. As a clear example, we have the Eski-mos in Alaska, who have adapted to a diet rich in sh andpoor in fruits and vegetables, which leads to a propensityto numerous chronic diseases due to malnutrition.

Fruits, cereals, and legumes, as well as vegetables, areespecially rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals, truenatural drugs. Research and medical discoveries show al-most on a daily basis the power that certain foods have andhow they can be used to achieve a specic goal; therefore,if we apply a smart diet with the synergy of a good andsimple exercise routine, we can achieve all the goals weset for ourselves, our bodies, and our minds.

Lets remember that a constant balanced diet changes ourday in such a way that the difference can be felt within 72hours, which is the time that the body takes to adapt to achange in our eating habits. You will feel increased energy,

more physical and mental agility, and a better emotionalstate.

ANIMPO

RTANTSTEPI

NYOuRLIFE




31/90

SYNERGISTIC COMBINATIONOF WORKOUT AND FOOD

Cardiovacular exercise:

-Moderate- long duration\medium intensity.

Interval - a combination of moderate & shortduration at high intensity (one minute)

Resistance Training with Machines:

- Train in the 8 to 10 repetition range.- Train one body part per week.- Change exercises every 3 weeks.- Use a wide variety of cables, machines & freeweight.

-Set goals to increase weight or repetitions on aweekly basis.

A whole food ( macro-nutrients) nutrition strategy:

- Proteins - use high biological value proteins.- Carbohydrates - choose unrened starchy carbohydrates.

- Choose a wide variety of brous carbohydratesinclude all colors, avoid sugars, dairy products,fruits, fruit juices.

- Choose only food listed in charts.

Fat burning and essential dietary fat:- Hemp & sh oils-Mono unsaturated fats

(Avoid hydrogenated oils and Trans fatty acids)

02.

03.

04.

SYNERGISTICCOMBINATIONOFWORKOuT

ANDFOOD

XNuTRITION




32/90


33/90

When I founded BodySense in 1999,

my purpose was not only to help my clients re-duce their stress level or to provide lasting relief

for chronic pain but also to make them con-

scious of the root of their problems. Almost a

decade later, BodySense has grown to be a Ho-

listic Spa and Wellness Center. We offer com-

plementary and alternative medicine services

like massage therapy, acupuncture, electrothe-

rapy point stimulation, biofrequency therapy,

detox treatments among others. We also offer

classes and lectures in martial arts, meditation,

dance, yoga, pranic healing, spirituality, nutri-

tion, massage and many other topics that em-

power the wellbeing of our clients.

As a Holistic Health Counselor, I amalways educating my clients in how to shift into

a healthier lifestyle. Regardless of the health

condition they may have or they are trying to

avoid, it is very important to understand the

concept of holistic nutrition. In general, when

we think about nutrition, most of us think aboutwhat we eat or drink. When we take a holistic

approach, a broader nutrition comes into the

spectrum. In order to understand this concept,

we need to know the difference between Pri-

mary Nutrition and Secondary Nutrition.

Primary Nutrition is the nutrition thatwe get from all the different aspects of our lives.

We get nutrients from the work we do, from

our relationships with family and friends, from

our spirituality, from exercise, from our sense

of achievement, from the pursue of our goals,

from our vacation or resting time, etc.

Secondary Nutrition is the nutrition weget from the food we eat and drink. What we

eat will become our blood and it will determine

how well our bodies and minds will function.

BODY SENSEHOLISTIC SPA & WELLNESS CENTER

BODY SENSEHOLISTIC SPA & WELLNESS CENTER

WELL-BEING




34/90

There is a direct relationship between pri-mary and secondary nutrition. The more balanced

our primary nutrition is, the better our secondary

will be. This is very important to know when we are

dealing with cravings or we are trying to understand

why we eat in a certain way that we know is nothealthy for us. Let me illustrate so it can be easier

to understand: Lets say Mary is working from 9 to 5

everyday in a job she hates. At 9:10 she might feel

already anxious. She just cannot believe it had only

been 10 minutes since she started. So she gets up

and may go for a smoke, or may offer to get coffee

for everyone in her ofce or get a quick bite. She

is only trying to break from a job she dislikes. On

the other hand, Jill has the same job and she loves

it. At 5 Oclock when is time to leave, she feels her

day went by so fast she even forgot to have lunch. It

is very likely that Mary will eat more food to com-

pensate from the nutrients she is not getting fromher work. This example will also apply for any other

part of our lives where we are not getting those pri-

mary nutrients. We will compensate by eating com-

fort foods where we dont get our primary nutrition.

My job as a holistic health counselor is to help my

clients identify the areas where their life may be off

balance and to set short and long term achievable

goals and help them through the process.

After understanding the concept of primarynutrition, it is easier to concentrate in secondary nu-

trition or in the food we eat or drink. Everything we

put into our bodies has an effect on us. We shouldtry to eat high quality food prepared from scratch

as much as possible. The better the food we eat, the

better our body and mind will function. It creates

the environment inside of us that would promote

either healing or illness. Every meal counts and it

should be rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxi-

dants. It should include healthy proteins, carbohy-

drates and fats. We should build our meals from a

generous array of vegetables, fruits, whole grains,

and beans. We also need to drink plenty of water

(not liquid) since our body needs to be hydrated in

order to function properly.

I always tell my clients that want to loseweight that being overweight means that their life-

style is just not the right one for them . Do not just

go on a particular diet but instead change your life-

style for a healthy one and the excess weight will go

away.




35/90

THE 19

TH

WORLD KARATE


CHAMPIONSHIP



36/90

As is customary every other year, the WorldKarate Federation (WKF), recognized by theInternational Olympic Committee (IOC), or-ganizes the most important world champion-ship of this martial art. In this event hundredsof athletes from more than 170 countries af-liated to the Federation participate. The rstworld championship was held in Tokio, Ja-pan, in 1970. Later, in 1977 the fourth cham-pionship also took place there, and it wasntuntil November of 2008, 31 years later, when

Japan once again had the privilege of beingthe host country for another edition of suchan important sports event.

The 19th edition of the Karate World Cham-pionship organized by the WKF was heldfrom November 13th through 16th, 2008, inTokyos Nippon Budakan. The rst day wasfor the elimination rounds for male and fe-male Kumite events; Kata by teams (maleand female); and the Kata team nals in bothsexes, as well as the female team Kumite -nals. The second day the elimination roundswere held for male Kumite teams, male andfemale individual Kata, male and female in-dividual Kata nals, as well as male Kumiteteam nals. The third date was for elimina-tion rounds and nals for female Kumite un-der 53 kg, under 60 kg, and Open categories,male Kumite under 60 kg, under 65 kg, andOpen. The fourth and last day was for elimi-nation rounds and nals for female individ-ual Kumite over 60 kg, and male individualKumite under 70 kg, under 75 kg, under 80kg, and over 80 kg.

These were days of many surprises as wellas predictable victories. Among the surpriseswe can mention the absence of David San-tana Vega, who had won the world champi-onship in the two previous editions of thisevent, when he got rst place in team Kumiteand second place in individual Kumite un-der 75 kg. in the 18th edition held in Fin-land in 2006; and previously, when he wonrst place in the under 75 kg. category in theworld championship celebrated in Mexicoin 2004. This absence denitely had a sig-nicant impact on the results of the Spanishteam. Additionally, we must dene as un-

expected the performance of the 2006 worldchamp in the male individual kumite under 75Kg category, the Iranian Jasem Modamivish-kaei, who was surprisingly eliminated by the

Japanese Ko Matsushisha in the second round.On the other hand, among the predictable vic-tories we can count the 2006 world championin Kumite in the under 70 kg category, RafaelAghayev, who won in the two individual cate-gories in which he participated, Kumite under70 kg and Open.

In the male individual Kata category, the win-ner by a divided verdict was the Italian LucaValdesi in his competition against the Vene-zuelan Antonio Diaz, who left the audiencespeechless with his impeccable performance,winning the silver medal. Regarding the fe-male category, the Vietnamese H. Nguyenwon the gold medal, while the silver went tothe previous world champion, the Italian SaraBattaglia. In the Kata team category the Japa-nese team dominated the French one, with aperformance that exceeded all expectations.On the other hand, the French team won inthe male category.

For their part, the American team won twomedals, a gold in male under 65 kg Kumite, bythe world champion George Kotaka, and thesilver went to the female over 60 kg Kumitecategory, Elisa Fonseca Au, in a very closelymatched combat against the French T. Fanjat.

In general, we saw a martial arts display of thehighest level, with a few incidents and veryfew sambons. In the medal count, Japan camerst, with four gold medals and a total of nine,followed by France (2 gold) and Italy (also 2gold), both with a total of 7 medals. It is worthmentioning that in the previous edition, Italy

came rst, Japan second, and Spain third.

The twentieth edition of this event will be heldin Belgrade, Serbia, in the year 2010. See youthere!

MAXIMILIANO CHOMIAK

CHAMPIONSHIPS




37/90


XSHOTS



38/90


39/90


SHOTS


XSHOTS



40/90

Xtreme Martial Arts Magazine 55Xtreme Martial Arts Magazine 39



41/90

54 www.xmartialartsmag.com40 www.xmartialartsmag.com

XSHOTS



42/90

Xtreme Martial Arts Magazine 55Xtreme Martial Arts Magazine 41



43/90

The phrase Shaolin Temple became a household term in America (and therest of the world) during the early 1970s, thanks to the phenomenal success of theTV show, Kung Fu. In this show, actor David Carradine played an Asian-Ameri-can, Kwai Chang Caine, who had trained in the Shaolin Monastery during the late1800s, and had to ee to the United States after killing a nephew of the Chineseemperor, the murderer of his mentor, the blind Master Po. During his adventuresin the West, there were numerous ashbacks that showed his training at the mo-nastery, where his mentor called his young apprentice Grasshopper.

What is the truth behind this romanticized vision of the Shaolin monastery?

The real Shaolin Monastery was founded in the late fth century of our era (in477 or 497, depending on the sources), by Batuo, an Indian Dhyana monk, inHenan Province. It is a Chan (in Chinese, Zen in Japanese, or Dhyana in Sanskrit)Buddhist temple, whose name makes reference to Mount Shaoshi. Lin stands forforest or woods, so the name Shaolin Monastery literally means Monasteryon the woods of Mount Shaoshi.

Although many different martial arts have been practiced in China for centuries,and even millenia, before the founding of Shaolin temple, there is a very specialmystique and prestige associated with Shaolin Kung Fu. In reality, Kung Fu inChinese is a term that refers to excellence or an accomplishment as a result ofdiscipline and hard work in any area of life. For example, we could say of a greatpoet that he shows great kung fu in his poetry. Specically, in the context ofmartial arts, Kung Fu is an umbrella term for literally dozens of martial arts andstyles. Shaolin Kung Fu also refers to several combat styles, with or without wea-pons, that have been taught at the Shaolin temple.

From its very beginning, Shaolin monks practiced martial arts, especially usingthe Gun (a long wooden staff), the style for which they are best known. The em-phasis of Shaolin monks on strenuous physical training and martial arts expertiseserved them well throughout the centuries. At many moments in their history theywere called to use their abilities in self-defense or to offer their services to rulingor would be monarchs.

As early as 610, the monks had to ght to successfully defend their temple frombesieging bandits, during the chaos and internal strife of the latter stages of the Suidynasty. Shortly thereafter, they helped in the establishment of the Tang dynasty,through their participation in the Battle of Hulao, under general Li Shimin, son ofLi Yuan, rst emperor of the dynasty.

In the mid-14th century, during a period of great turbulence under the Yuandynasty, known as the Red Turban Rebellion, China was beset by banditry and

SHAO

LINTEM

PLE:

LEG

ENDANDFACT

BACKGROUND




44/90


45/90


46/90

XMAM: Where else have you practiced?LS: Well, obviously here in Miami, where I havehad a dojo, Asaka in Weston, for 6 years now, withover 100 students.

XMAM: Have you competed in the United Statesas well?LS: Yes. I have won national competitions in kumiteas part of the Shito Kai team. In the recent WSKFworld championship our team won the bronzemedal in kumite.

XMAM: So we could say that you have won cham-pionships in three continents: North and SouthAmerica, and in Asia.LS: Yes, you could say that.

XMAM: How do you train for a competition?LS: I am an obsessional trainer. Although I am nowsemi retired (laughs) I do the usual, there are nosecrets: Biometrics, jogging, sprinting, etc.

XMAM: What is the greatest satisfaction of yourcareer in karate?LS: I have had many satisfactions throughout mycareer. As a competitor, my greatest satisfaction waswinning the Venezuelan national championships.Although perhaps not as prestigious, the competi-tion was erce, and I had literally to beat dozens ofopponents in order to get to the top. Another hugesatisfaction was being selected by Master Sato to goto Japan and represent Venezuelan karate. Thank-fully, I did not disappoint him. But I think that there

is nothing comparable to training kids in your dojoand watch them mature and excel.

XMAM: Tell us a little more about your dojo.LS: As I said, Asaka is where I teach and is part ofthe Shito Kai organization in South Florida. Theother four dojos are operated by Oswaldo Portillo,Ronald Browne, Julio Rosa, and Gino Alfonso.

XMAM: Thank you for your time.LS: My pleasure.

ASAKA

KARATESchool

karate do shito ryu

4809 SW 148 AVE. Davie, FL 33330

(954) [email protected]

www.asakakarateschool.com

Our principles are:

Respect Condence Discipline

Mental Alertness Positive Attitude

Teaching self condence and thedevelopment of Character through

self-defense skills by focusing on howwe can resolve conicts peacefully as

a rst alternative.

Our classes are intense workouts andoffer exciting programs for adults,

children, and families.



47/90

From the earliest times, humanity has always neededheroes, be they real or ctional. In antiquity, heroesperformed mythical tasks, like Gilgamesh, Heracles,

or Odysseus; while real athletes achieved recognitionand fame, such as runners, boxers, and wrestlers in theancient Olympic Games. A combination of boxing andwrestling, known as pankration was as close to a no-limits match as there has been in history, and can beconsidered the original mixed martial art. In fact, itwas so violent that it was t for performance in gladia-torial combats in the Coliseum, when Rome adopted itfrom the Greek cities. In modern times, the Internatio-nal Olympic Committee, the IOC, has never recognizedit or accepted it even as an exhibition sport.

Today, we have our heroes, ctional and real. The c-tional ones have continued to do feats of strength andagility unparalleled in real life, like Bruce Lee, Jackie

Chan, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Arnold Schwarzeneg-ger, or Sylvester Stallone; while we look up to the athle-ticism and power of real-life ghters like Mark Cole-man, Josh Barnett or Wanderlei Silva.

Just as old as human combat is the discussion of what,exactly, are the best techniques in combat and which

MIxED MARTIAL ARTS:THE RISE OF AMERICAS MODERN GLADIATORS

.............................................................................................................. is the superior martial art. A lot of ink (and blood) has

been spilled in support of this or that style. In the late1800s and early 1900s, it was common to see events

pitting a boxer against a wrestler in circuses and travel-ing shows, while contact between the East and the Westled to ghts using Western vs. Eastern styles. In Brazil,the vale tudo (anything goes) matches were very popu-lar. In the 1920s Carlos Gracie (of the Gracie family inBrazil, founders of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), issued his famouschallenge, according to which he would face any andall comers, to show the superiority of his martial art. In

Japan, the popularity of these type of competitions ledto the creation of Shooto, a form of shoot wrestling, anda direct predecessor of American mixed martial arts as-sociations.

Other members of the Gracie family continued thetradition, until in 1992 Art Davie, an American entrepre-

neur, contacted Rorion Gracie with the idea of an elimi-nation match featuring different styles, including box-ing, sumo, savate (a French form of kickboxing), karate,kickboxing, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu, among others. In thatway, the rst Ultimate Fighting Championship wasborn in 1993, featuring their distinctive Octagon andlimited rules, and transmitted as a pay-per-view event.


MMA



48/90


49/90


50/90



51/90




52/90

Danilo was born August 5, 1983 in Brasilia,Brazil. He started training in Judo when he was a childunder his father, world-renowned master FranciscoPereira da Silva. Danillo holds the rank of black belt inJudo, and received his black belt in BJJ from Master Ri -

cardo Liborio in 2007. Danillo is a Mundial Championin BJJ 2002, 3x Rio de Janeiro Judo State Champion, S.American Judo Champ, NYC Open Judo Champ. Da-nillo now ghts professionally in the W.E.C and justsigned with the U.F.C and is a co-owner/instructor forATT Doral.

After two impressive wins in high-proleAmerican MMA events, one by technical knockout andano-ther by submission, Villefort signed with the UFC.While he has yet to set foot inside the hallowed Octa-gon, the one-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world championwas invited to help train Liddell in advance of his UFC97 showdown with Mauricio Shogun Rua.

American Top Team founder Ricardo Liborioconnected Villefort with Liddell.Hes a good friend of Chucks coach, John Hackle-man, Villefort said. John needed someone to helphim on the ground. Liborio invited me, and I acceptedimmediately. Chucks a legend in MMA.

No matter how hard he tries even if he ghts15 times a year for the next 10 years Danillo Villefortwill never catch his father. Not even close. Villefort,who turned pro nearly four years ago, has an 8-2 re-cord. His father, Francisco Silva, used to tally that manyghts in just a few months.

He was a Vale Tudo ghter back in the dayand had like 280 Vale Tudo ghts, Villefort said of his69-year-old father, a former bodyguard who trainedfor years under Helio Gracie and who once protectedpopes, Nelson Mandela, Yasser Arafat and other headsof state on their trips to Brazil. My father was a verytough guy. When my dad used to ght it was 10 rounds-- 10 minutes each with one minute between eachround. It was crazy.


DANILLO

In d io

VILLEFORT

MMA



53/90


Vale Tudo is Portuguese for anything goesand obviously those wild, underground contests inBrazil, which have been taking place since at leastthe late 1920s, bear little resemblance to the sport ofMMA today. Sanctioned MMA is a sport with rulesand weight classes; Vale Tudo had precious few re-strictions such as no biting, no eye gouging and nogroin strikes. Villefort said his father, who has 16 chil-dren, never encouraged any of them to follow in hisfootsteps as a ghter.

Villefort made his decision after meeting and

training with Antonio Minotauro Nogueira, MuriloBustamante and Anderson Silva. Villefort sought hisfathers advice before turning pro in 2005.

Listen son, its not an easy life -- its a hardlife, with hard training, the father said. You have toeat right and take care of yourself. Its not always busyand everybody is not going to be rich. But if you wantto do it, I will help you and support you.

Danillo won his rst four ghts but encoun-tered tough times in 2006, losing two straight. Buthe has rebounded with four straight victories lead-ing up to Sundays clash with Team Sityodtongs Mike

Campbell (6-0). Like his father, Villefort owns a blackbelt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and judo. It is worth notingthat Villeforts WEC debut will be at 170 pounds therst time he has ever fought at that weight (he nor-mally walks at 202 pounds and competes at 185pounds).


I u s e d t o b e

a r e a l l y c r a z y fig h t e r

b u t n o w I'm c a l me r



54/90


I used to eat everything, he said. Now itsjust salad, vegetables, sh and chicken. Twice a weekI eat red meat. I eat almost no carbohydrates. In thebeginning the diet was bad, I felt weak. But now I feelgreat in the best shape of my life. You will see.Villefort said he has studied several videos of Camp-bells ghts and perceives him to be a southpaw who

prefers striking to grappling.

I used to be a really crazy ghter but nowIm calmer, said Villefort, a member of American TopTeam who runs his own jiu-jitsu school in the Miamiarea. I always try to knock people out or submit them.Im very aggressive, but now I use my mind more. Imgonna knock this guy out or submit him. Im in reallygood shape and Im going to make a mess inside of thecage.

Villeforts English is fair and remains a work inprogress, but when he says make a mess he presum-ably means that Campbells blood will paint the canvas

on Sunday night. It might sound harsh, but that kind ofperformance just might make Francisco Master IndioSilva a proud papa.

Danillo Indio Villefort is a professionalmixed martial artist who has competed in organizationssuch as the International Fight League, World FightingChampionships, Pacic X-treme Combat, Harmful In-tent Promotions, Minotauro Fights, Absolute FightingChampionships, Jungle Fight, Gold Fighters Champion-ship, and Conquista Fight.



55/90


DANILLO

In d io

VILLEFORT



56/90



57/90



58/90




59/90


60/90




61/90




62/90

NINJUTSU




63/90



64/90




65/90




66/90

Alejandro was born in Miami on April 12th, 2000. Today,at only 9 years of age he already has won 48 rst places

in Karate championships, of which 4 are state meets, 2

Junior Olympics, 2 US Open, 8 AAU and USNKF cham-

pionships, champion at the Disney Classical J/O Karate

Grand Champions and many more. He began his ca-

reer as a karateka in the style Goju Ryu. Nowadays, Ale-

jandro focuses his training on the Shito Ryu style, with

which he dreams of winning in the near future WKFs

world championship in kata.

Alejandro Cepero: World Promise in Competitive KarateXKidZ

Tiffany Barbosa Costa is 6 years old and has beenpracticing martial arts, specially Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, sinceshe was 4 in the Gym High Energy Physiotraining. Tif-fany started training at about 4 1/2 years old, and today at6 she has already conquered 2 National Championships,winning rst place in her category. She is currently a yel -low belt, which represents the second solid color of pro-gression in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu martial art (for kids).

NAGA (North American Grappling Association) is theentity in which Tiffany has won her championships; it isnationally recognized, and she is even listed on their web-site. She is very serious about her competitions and pre-pares thoroughly with increased training sessions; and shetakes any doubts or questions about her game with her

step-father Giulio Timoteo a black belt with the Boca-DeLa Riva Jiu-Jitsu Team.

Tiffanys instructor is Vagner Rocha, a black belt from Popo-vichs Team, and she has been under his supervision for the2 National Championships in which she participated andwon. Tiffanys aspirations are to become a World Cham -pion and achieve her Black Belt by no later than her 18thbirthday (her own words: She claims to have been born todo Jiu-Jitsu).

Tiffany Barbosa Costa: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu




67/90


68/90

The city of Miami has the privilege of countingamong its residents with Carlos Quintero, alegend in the practice of Karate-do, with threeNational Championships in the United Statesand six National Championships in Venezuela,his native country. Recently, we had the oppor-tunity to get an exclusive interview for XtremeMartial Arts with Mr. Quintero. This is what heshared with us.

XMAM: Carlos, tell us a little about how

you began in karate.

CQ: I was born in the city of Mrida in Vene-zuela. At the age of 11, back in 1975, I movedto Caracas, the capital. At that time, martialarts were beginning to take off in Venezuela,those who practiced then were truly pioneers.So I consider myself as belonging to the secondgeneration of Venezuelan practitioners of ka-rate. I began practicing Shito kai karate shortlyafter arriving in Caracas. At age 14 in 1978, Iparticipated in my rst tournament, the SenseiCup in the city of Mrida, nishing in second

place.

XMAM: What other accomplishments can yo

mention from that period?

CQ: Already at age 18 I was chosen for theVenezuelan national team. Between the years1980 to 1986 I was national champion sixtimes (1980-84 and 1986) and came in secondonce (1985). During those years I trained at theKarate club in the Meli Caribe hotel in Cara-balleda (1980-194), moving later to the city ofSan Cristbal, where I stayed until 1988, whenI moved to the United States.

XMAM: Tell us about your career inthe united States.

CQ: When I came to the United States in 1988I was already a fourth Dan black belt. I con-tinued to compete, and in 1990 I came in 4thin kumite at the Open in Las Vegas. I won the

national championship 3 years in a row,in 1991 (New Orleans, Louisiana), 1992(Dallas, Texas), and 1993 (Phoenix, Ari-zona). In 1994 I could not compete dueto problems with my citizenship status. In1997 in the Hayashi-Ha World Champion-ship in Ft. Myers, FL, I won in my divisionmaking my delegation win as a team. Atthe late age of 42 I had to compete due to

a team member injury, but our contributionhelped the team to once again nish rst.

XMAM: What are you doing currently?

CQ: I am the head of Kobushi dojos,which are Inoue Ha Shito Ryu Keishin Kaischools. I also own Classic Karate FamilyFitness Centers. I have continued train-ing under the deep techniques taught bysensei grandmaster Yoshimi Inoue, directdisciple of Soke Teruo Hayashi. In Januaryof 2007, I joined the Florida Sport KarateLeague (FSKL) Board of Directors. I am cu-rrently 7th Dan and the Head Coach of the

Kobushi Florida Karate Competition Team,which continues to garner victories at thestate, regional, national and internationallevels.

And on that note, we said goodbye toone of the living legends of karate in theUnited States. Truly, Florida is fortunate incounting with such talent and expertise asMr. Quintero has to offer to the youngergenerations.




69/90

The Book of Five Rings is one of the classic bookson martial arts to come out of Japan during a turbu-lent transitional period of its history. To get a better un-derstanding of the teachings in this book, it is useful tolearn a little about the historical context in which it waswritten. We will talk about feudal Japanese society andculture; then about Musashi, the author of the Book ofFive Rings, and nally deal with the book itself.

FEuDAL JAPAn

Between the 12th and the 19th centuries, Japanese so-ciety resembled somewhat the feudal regime of WesternEurope during the Middle Ages. The Emperor and his

court had lost power to local warlords or daimyos who,at the head of their clans, ruled over signicant land-holdings, attended by their personal armies, composedof the equivalent of Western knights, the samurais, al-though Japanese society did not emphasize horses asmuch as the West. These daimyos were constantly jock-eying for power, trying to achieve the coveted status of

Shogun, or military dictator (ruling in the name of theEmperor, of course).

The samurai lived and died under the strictures ofBushido, or the Way of the Warrior, that emphasizedobedience, military prowess, honor, and loyalty. Thesamurai had to be willing to give their lives to their lordsat any moment, and any action that brought loss of faceto themselves or to their masters led to seppuku or ritualsuicide (better known as hara kiri). Samurai had the ex-clusive use of the long sword, or katana, which togetherwith the short sword, or wakizashi, constituted the mainweapons of the Japanese panoply. However, samuraiwere expected to be able to ght with any available

weapon, be it bow and arrow, spear, lance, or even un-armed. Kenjutsu, or The art of the sword and Kendo,or the way of the sword, refer to the techniques andskills of Japanese fencing. The Book of Five Rings is abook of martial strategy, specically focused on swordghting.

Review of Miyamoto MusashisBOOk OF FivE RinGS (GO Rin nO ShO)By Henry Georget




70/90

If for any reason a samurai lost his master, or wasred from his service to a lord, he became a ronin, ordrifting person. Ronin used to roam the land, lookingfor adventure and glory, and hoping eventually to enterthe service or a daimyo or perhaps even become onethemselves. For many years, Musashi lived the life of a

ronin, before he retired to write his masterwork.

Musashi was born around 1584, during what isknown as the Azuchi-Momoyama period, which cametowards the end of centuries of constant ghting amongfeudal warlords to attain dominance. During this peri-od, political unication was achieved, initiated by OdaNobunaga and his follower, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, buteventually completed by their rival, Tokugawa Ieyasu.Ieyasu would move the seat of power from the imperialcapital of Kyoto to Edo (modern Tokyo), and usher in aperiod of peace and stability that would last from 1603until 1868 (the Meiji Restoration). Ieyasu controlled thedaimyos by forcing them to alternate between residingat Edo and their own lands, much as King Louis XIV ofFrance (Le Roi Soleil) would do later with the Frenchnobility attending the court at Versailles. Another thingthat Ieaysu did was to keep family members of the clansas hostages during the time that they were not forced toreside in Edo, to make sure of their loyalty.

This era of peace and stability would slowly lead tothe decline of the samurai class, although their valuesand ethos have never completely disappeared.

MiyAMOTO MuSAShi

Musashi, whose real name was Shinmen Takezo,was born in Miyamoto, a village in Mimasaka Pro-vince. He was the son of Shinmen Munisai, himself adistinguished martial artist. Around the age of seven,

his father apparently died, so his education was en-trusted to an uncle, Dorinbo, a Buddhist priest. Withhim he learned to read and write, as well as the te-nets of Buddhism.

Musashi fought his rst duel at the age of thirteen,an unusually early age for combat and probablyagainst the will of his uncle. He emerged victori-ous. A couple of years later, he would begin a lifeof wandering, that would lead him to participate insome 60 duels and six battles, including the Battleof Sekigahara (on the losing side), won by TokugawaIeyasu and that gave rise to the Tokugawa bakufu orshogunate. However, Musashi won every single duelin which he participated.

In his combats, Musashi would come to espousethe idea of ghting both with the katana and the wak-izashi. More generally, he was ready to confront hisenemies with whatever he happened to have avai-lable, be it a bokken (a wooden sword used for train-ing), a boats oar, or even his bare hands. His schoolof combat was known as Ni-ten ichi-ryu, or TwoHeavens, One Style.




71/90

Musashi believed that a real strategist had to be awell-rounded person, and not stop at learning howto use his weapons and military strategy (althoughhe believed in constant practice). For that reason, hebecame an accomplished craftsman in several areas,as painter, sculptor, calligrapher, metalworker, even

poet.

He wrote the book Go Rin No Sho after he turnedsixty and nished it shortly before his death at the ageof sixty-two.

ThE BOOk OF FivE RinGS

The edition we utilized was a translation made bya master of karate, Stephen F. Kaufman, althoughthe book is readily available in many editions, andis even online (http://www.samurai.com/5rings andhttp://www.miyamotomusashi.com/gorin.htm, forexample).

Musashis masterpiece is a deceivingly short andsimple book. Besides a brief introduction in whichthe author introduces himself and explains how thebook is organized, The Book of Five Rings is dividedinto ve parts, hence the ve rings: The Book ofEarth, the Book of Water, the Book of Fire, the Bookof Wind, and the Book of Nothing. The four elements,as well as the void, represent metaphorically theteachings presented in each book.

The Book of Earth lays the ground for the entirework. It deals with the general aspects of martialarts, strategy and training, which is seen as buildinga house from the ground up. Musashi discusses thedifferent weapons, such as the Naginata (a type ofhalberd) and the katana. The former is best for theeld, while swords are more versatile and useful bothindoors and outdoors. He also talks of the bow andguns, which had been introduced in Japan by the Por-tuguese. Although the gun is the most powerful, it isnot as accurate as the bow, and is practically uselessin close combat, at least in the case of guns availableat the time he wrote the book.

The Book of Water deals with more intangible as-pects of strategy, such as spirituality, religion, and bal-ance. He stresses the importance of a proper stanceand a penetrating gaze. He then discusses the diffe-

rent attitudes to adopt when ghting: Upper, middle,lower, left, and right. Just like water ows and alwaysnds an opening, the warrior should be like water.




72/90

The Book of Fire goes into the actual mechanicsof combat, and the best ways to take advantage ofspecic situations, or place the enemy at a disadvan-tage. Armor, terrain, the presence of buildings, sunand wind, are all factors to evaluate before initiating

combat. Exploiting the weaknesses of your opponent,such as moving towards his weaker side, or forcinghim to enter difcult terrain are examples of actionsthat the warrior can take to get the upper hand. Ti-ming is very important. An easy way to dictate com-bat is to take the initiative, although sometimes wait-ing for an opening can be equally fruitful.

The Book of Wind has to do with other schoolsthat existed during Musashis time and of the waysto counter them. The main lesson to derive fromthis book is that it is important to know the enemyas much as possible. Knowing the enemy is also away of knowing oneself. A central observation thatMusashi makes is that other schools are concernedonly with sword-fencing, while his Ichi school looksat strategy more broadly and holistically.

The Book of Nothing is the shortest and perhaps themost difcult to understand, as it refers to the philo-sophical underpinnings of mastering a martial art, ortruly anything. Constant practice is the way to elevateyour awareness until thinking is bypassed and realunderstanding is achieved.

The spirit of the universe is an emptiness which is no-thing. Man can have no understanding of this place. Itexists and is, but yet it is not. If you know something,you know something. If you do not know something,

it does not exist in your world. In the universe, no-thing-ness is not a thing that is true and not a thingthat is not true.

The style of this book is similar to the koans of Bud-dhist masters, short paradoxical tales that are intend-ed to startle the listener and bypass rational thinking,opening the way for a deeper, intuitive understan-ding. The goal is to achieve satori, or enlightenment.

Perfection is all there is and when you come torealize this, you will have understood my Way of stra-tegy and the Way of the warrior, at which time youcan forget about it and just be it. Best to have it put

this way. Simply be!

The Book of Five Rings remains even today a basicwork for those approaching, not only Kendo, but anymartial art, be it as a beginner or as an expert. It is anenduring classic.




73/90

ThE BiG PiCTuRE

Initially organized and established around 1934 by Kenwa Mabuni of Ja-pan, Shitoryu Karatedo is one of the worlds four major training systems.Since the unication of the Japan Shito-Kai in 1993, the growth of theWorld Shitoryu Karatedo Federation (Shito-Kai) has become a world-widephenomenon. Currently over 60 national associations have been establi-shed within four continental regions; Pan-America, Asia-Pacic, Europe,and Russia. In 1993 The World Shitoryu Karatedo Federation announcedthe opening of its world headquarters located in Asaka-Saitama, Japan.The WSKF will celebrate its 6th World Championship August 20-23,2009 in Shanghai, China.

The WSKF has a deep players list, tons of talented coaches, and manymaster teachers. Unlike personality driven organizations, the World Shi-toryu Karate Federation is well nanced, well organized, and has already

survived the death of its founder - Soke Kenwa Mabuni. The short storyis the Shito-Kai organization is alive, well, and growing. Its going to bearound a long, long time.

The WSKF recognizes the USA Shito-Kai as its sole representative inthe United States. Their purpose is to improve the practice of ShitoryuKaratedo, promote interaction between clubs, and eld teams to ma-jor domestic and foreign championships. USA Shito-kai activities arecoordinated through communication with its administrative ofce lo-cated in Belleville, Illinois. Club owners and individual members benetfrom having a central location to direct their questions, access clericalinformation, review scheduling, arrange for examinations and clinics,and coordinate the USA Shito-Kai Teams domestic and foreign appear-ances. Typically, member clubs are run by WSKF athletes and coaches

who progressed towards operating their own clubs. While competent atproducing athletic champions, they also focus on practical, contempo-rary self defense skills while promoting a lifestyle which includes physi-cal, mental, social and spiritual health. USA Shito-Kai members are veryactive in the karate world. Club owners and athletes keep their skillsand knowledge up to date by training, competing, and attending ongo-ing education. USA Shito-Kai clubs follow the standards and protocolsestablished by the World Karate Federation (WKF) and USA NationalKaratedo Federation (USA-NKF) for competition.

An AMERiCAn in ThE Mix...

Jeff Bedard of St. Louis, Missouri is the current US Executive Director.WSKF administrators Tokio Hisatomi, Genzo Iwata, Iwaki Hashimoto,and Shoko Sato have given Bedard a great amount of latitude regarding

WSKF interests in America. They have assigned him the task of develo-ping the WSKF franchise. Their expectation is an independent, workingfederation - minus systemic political conict.

Bedards appointment follows the tenure of two other men. In 1991Leonel Perez of Miami, Florida established the rst USA Shito-Kai dojo.Following his retirement in 2003, Doug Dennis of Springeld, Illinoiswas appointed president, and Bedard was appointed executive director.

The World Shitoryu Karatedo Federation in America




74/90

In 2005, Bedard was assigned the task of establishing a national ofce,and directing member activities. He continues to work in that capacity.

Bedards training in Shito-ryu has been supervised by Kyoshi ShokoSato of Caracas, Venezuela. After a Christmas meeting at Satos homein 1997, Kenji Sato (Shoko Satos son) accompanied Bedard to St.Louis, Missouri to teach him the Shitoryu curriculum. Bedard andKenji Sato trained together daily from 1997 through 2001. Shoko Satovisited Bedard in St. Louis frequently for seminars and personal train-ings. Additionally, Bedard participated in many Shito-Kai activities andtournaments including the 3rd, 4th, and 5th WSKF World Champion-ships in order to gain experience and understanding of the Shito-Kaiorganization. Bedard currently holds a WSKF grade of 4th Dan.

Daisuke Sato, Shoko Satos oldest son and an executive for Chevron-Texaco stationed in Asia, has coached Bedard on Karatedo protocol.

Over the past ten years Sensei Jeff (Bedard) has proven himself to bea competent player, coach, and administrator for the federation, saidDaisuke Sato.

Absent a pedigree in traditional Karate-do he needed time to assimi-late the culture. His knowledge of Karate-do, and his ability to commu-nicate effectively within the Shito-Kai organization, has improved to thepoint that the WSKF and Kyoshi Sato are allowing him to express hisvision more freely.

WSKF senior committee members have closed their eyes to allowBedard to follow his vision to establish the USA Shito-Kai rmly onthe Ame-rican landscape. As noted by WSKF General Secretary IwakiHashimoto Bedard has no sensei watching over him daily. He isworking by the light of his own moon.

Bedards approach, Navigating the American karate landscape will re-quire a balance between old world Karate-do and an American serviceorientated approach. I believe personality driven programs are tenuous- and usually end in chaos when the personality dies. My vision for theUSA Shito-Kai is system driven. It should function and serve membersneeds regardless of leadership changes.

A coersato wt uSA Sto-ka Eecte Drector Jeff Bedardb Pllp Reed

Why you?I wonder that myself sometimes (jokingly). Right now the WSKF needs

someone who can develop the management system for club activitieshere in the States. I have a pretty good track record at organization andgrowth. I suppose the WSKF and Kyoshi Shoko Sato think I can do it.

What is your vision for the USA Shito-Kai?A service orientated association of clubs that use technology to recruit,manage, promote, network, and resolve business issues. And, producewinning teams.




75/90

How do you propose to do that?

Growth takes place internally through the establishment of new clubsby current members. It takes place externally when club owners join thegroup.

Membership in the WSKF/USA Shito-Kai is not for the faint of heart. To bea member you have to do two things consistently; produce players andparticipate in the events. That means possessing the ability to coach a-thletes and manage a business. A high dan grade or association certicatedoesnt guarantee this.

Are you suggesting that athletics and business trumpafliations?Yes, I am. The information to produce players is readily accessible. Thehard part is business and athlete management. Its a shame that many

awesome players and coaches cant seem to put karate and businesstogether well. I hear them blame their woes on their associations. Imthinking, Take responsibility for your own product. But, for some, Iguess the fear of discarding a useless afliation is greater than their desireto build a better mousetrap.

What about the art, history, culture, and lore of Shitoryu?Kenji Sato is the USA Technical Director, and our liaison to the WSKF. Idefer to him on those aspects.

What things are you currently working on?Our current priorities include growth of the association; implementationof the new version of usashitokai.com which includes online manage-ment systems for club owners; and organizing a team for the 2009 WSKFWorld Tournament. We also host an annual Shito-Kai Training Camp

during the month of June in Belleville, Illinois.

We are planning to establish a Shito-Kai National Tournament whichlikely will be organized by Luis Sanchez of Miami, Florida. The particu-lars of that event have not yet been established.

Of slightly lesser priority is our ongoing presence within the USA Na-tional Karatedo Federation.Those efforts include increasing our numbers of certied referees, coa-ches, and the qualication of athletes for the US Team.

Thank you for the conversation.It was my pleasure.


The World Shitoryu Karatedo Federation in America



76/90


77/90

XGirlZ




78/90




79/90


XGirlZ



80/90




81/90


82/90

XGirlZ




83/90


84/90

XGirlZ




85/90




86/90




87/90




88/90



89/90



90/90

Documents

Xtreme Premier (Inside Pages) Print