Introduction to Jodo

Jodo also known as jojutsu is a type of armed martial arts that uses short staffs called that is called jo which is about 3-5 feet long. This art is focused on Defense especially against sword and not that much on the Attacking side. There are 2 branches of Jodo called Koryu and Seitei Jodo and now this are very famous among Japanese Police and was refered as keijojutsu (police stick art)

Jojutsu is an exclusive martial art of the Kuroda Clan until the early 1900s, then the art was taught to the general public. It started back to the late 16th Century, where assassination and murder is common in Japan at that time. The Founder Muso Gonnosuke was a warrior who had trained in several Martial Arts school as well as a Shinto Priest training in bojutsu or the art of long staff. Gonnosuke is also a legend that is always compared to Miyamoto Musashi (also known as Sword Saint) as both are undefeated in battlefield.

Gonnosuke is believed to challenge Musashi twice which he won the challenge the 2nd time after Gonnosuke took up concepts from spear, halberd, staff and sword he developed what eventually became known as today’s JoJutsu. After Gonnosuke won the match against Musashi his reputation grew overnight and started to teach his art of Jodo. It is also where further refinements came and over the centuries his students added in other weapons and forms to form a complete school of combat.

Image taken from: hugin.demon.co.uk

Jodo also known as jojutsu is a type of armed martial arts that uses short staffs called that is called jo which is about 3-5 feet long. This art is focused on Defense especially against sword and not that much on the Attacking side. There are 2 branches of Jodo called Koryu and Seitei Jodo and now this are very famous among Japanese Police and was refered as keijojutsu (police stick art)

Jojutsu is an exclusive martial art of the Kuroda Clan until the early 1900s, then the art was taught to the general public. It started back to the late 16th Century, where assassination and murder is common in Japan at that time. The Founder Muso Gonnosuke was a warrior who had trained in several Martial Arts school as well as a Shinto Priest training in bojutsu or the art of long staff. Gonnosuke is also a legend that is always compared to Miyamoto Musashi (also known as Sword Saint) as both are undefeated in battlefield.

Gonnosuke is believed to challenge Musashi twice which he won the challenge the 2nd time after Gonnosuke took up concepts from spear, halberd, staff and sword he developed what eventually became known as today’s JoJutsu. After Gonnosuke won the match against Musashi his reputation grew overnight and started to teach his art of Jodo. It is also where further refinements came and over the centuries his students added in other weapons and forms to form a complete school of combat.

Image taken from: hugin.demon.co.uk

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From The Pros - Taijutsu

Name: Graham Clunan

Type of martial arts: currently studying Bujinkan Budo Ninpo Taijutsu, (other arts I've played with include, Karate, taekwondo, jujutsu, aiki-jujutsu, muay thai, taichi, etc.....)

Rank: Shidoshi

Years of training: In the Bujinkan 16 years, in total officially 23 years (unofficially its 28.)

How did you start: it started with family members who did Karate teaching and training me at home because i was officially too young to join a Dojo, when i was old enough i joined a Karate Dojo and it went on from there, i tried a few other arts while continuing to train in and progressing very well in Karate until i was invited to the Ninjutsu Dojo my friends had joined. My first lesson changed my outlook on everything i had previously learn't, as i continued to train i had major personal conflicts between the training and naturally began using my newly learn't Taijutsu instead of the drilled and conditioned 'Style' i had been doing all my life. i made a decision and left all my other martial arts.i still cross train now and again, but my outlook is now from a Bujinkan/Budo point of view, so really i guess i don't actually train in anything else anymore! a butterfly can't become a caterpillar once its changed!

Why you think this art is good: This art is so diverse, We use the bodies natural movement, we don't have rules and if we do we usually break them!, if there ever was a box we think out side of it, when you think you've learn't something from this art...another facet emerges!

Advices for newbies: Don't take advice from anybody, Don't trust anybody who says this Martial art is better than that art, do a martial art that works for you and that you enjoy!

I don't claim to be a pro, I'd be very cautious of any instructor who does.

From a Ninjutsu point of view, be careful with what information is being bounced around, especially on the Internet as a lot of it is incorrect and misleading.

Questions are good, question everything, cross reference things from reliable sources, ask your instructor, senior grades from other Dojo, if still in doubt- directly from the Honbu.

Find a good instructor who is also a student, a teacher who never learns shouldn't be teaching. they should "go to the source" (i.e. train in Japan regularly, trains and shares information with people who go to Japan regularly ,etc)

Budo is all martial arts, but not all martial arts are Budo.

Name: Graham Clunan

Type of martial arts: currently studying Bujinkan Budo Ninpo Taijutsu, (other arts I've played with include, Karate, taekwondo, jujutsu, aiki-jujutsu, muay thai, taichi, etc.....)

Rank: Shidoshi

Years of training: In the Bujinkan 16 years, in total officially 23 years (unofficially its 28.)

How did you start: it started with family members who did Karate teaching and training me at home because i was officially too young to join a Dojo, when i was old enough i joined a Karate Dojo and it went on from there, i tried a few other arts while continuing to train in and progressing very well in Karate until i was invited to the Ninjutsu Dojo my friends had joined. My first lesson changed my outlook on everything i had previously learn't, as i continued to train i had major personal conflicts between the training and naturally began using my newly learn't Taijutsu instead of the drilled and conditioned 'Style' i had been doing all my life. i made a decision and left all my other martial arts.i still cross train now and again, but my outlook is now from a Bujinkan/Budo point of view, so really i guess i don't actually train in anything else anymore! a butterfly can't become a caterpillar once its changed!

Why you think this art is good: This art is so diverse, We use the bodies natural movement, we don't have rules and if we do we usually break them!, if there ever was a box we think out side of it, when you think you've learn't something from this art...another facet emerges!

Advices for newbies: Don't take advice from anybody, Don't trust anybody who says this Martial art is better than that art, do a martial art that works for you and that you enjoy!

I don't claim to be a pro, I'd be very cautious of any instructor who does.

From a Ninjutsu point of view, be careful with what information is being bounced around, especially on the Internet as a lot of it is incorrect and misleading.

Questions are good, question everything, cross reference things from reliable sources, ask your instructor, senior grades from other Dojo, if still in doubt- directly from the Honbu.

Find a good instructor who is also a student, a teacher who never learns shouldn't be teaching. they should "go to the source" (i.e. train in Japan regularly, trains and shares information with people who go to Japan regularly ,etc)

Budo is all martial arts, but not all martial arts are Budo.

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From the Pros - Tai Chi

Name: Michael S. Fuchs

Type of Martial Arts: Five Formed Fist Shaolin Chuan Fa, Tai Chi Chuan, Filipino Kali

Rank / Belt: Chief Instructor

Years of Training: 23 Years

How You Started: always interested in martial arts and related arts, since I can remember, read books and stuff as a child about martial arts, wrestling and sports; saw movies, tv about martial arts (Bruce Lee and David Carradine mostly)...by age 20 was very sick (high blood pressure, arthritis, depression), got going to be healthy, but also wanted to learn all sides of it...luckily I chanced upon a great teacher and was with him for 17 yrs. full-time.

Why this martial art is good: This martial art system is wonderful because it is extremely diverse and comprehensive, it contains various sub-systems and styles, if you stay with it you can become a very complete and accomplished martial artist...from internal to external, long-range to short range, striking to grappling, empty hand to all weapons...also the inner healing and meditative arts it has...principles, concepts, traditional philosophy, etc....very well constructed, and well rounded Shaolin traditional system..

Advice to Newbies: find a good teacher, listen well and practice hard, then live the art and try to use it to help you with all things in your life....be a positive force in life, that is what the arts are for...not destruction...:)....the real art is practiced in life, not just the kwoon or dojo...life is the dojo!

Name: Michael S. Fuchs

Type of Martial Arts: Five Formed Fist Shaolin Chuan Fa, Tai Chi Chuan, Filipino Kali

Rank / Belt: Chief Instructor

Years of Training: 23 Years

How You Started: always interested in martial arts and related arts, since I can remember, read books and stuff as a child about martial arts, wrestling and sports; saw movies, tv about martial arts (Bruce Lee and David Carradine mostly)...by age 20 was very sick (high blood pressure, arthritis, depression), got going to be healthy, but also wanted to learn all sides of it...luckily I chanced upon a great teacher and was with him for 17 yrs. full-time.

Why this martial art is good: This martial art system is wonderful because it is extremely diverse and comprehensive, it contains various sub-systems and styles, if you stay with it you can become a very complete and accomplished martial artist...from internal to external, long-range to short range, striking to grappling, empty hand to all weapons...also the inner healing and meditative arts it has...principles, concepts, traditional philosophy, etc....very well constructed, and well rounded Shaolin traditional system..

Advice to Newbies: find a good teacher, listen well and practice hard, then live the art and try to use it to help you with all things in your life....be a positive force in life, that is what the arts are for...not destruction...:)....the real art is practiced in life, not just the kwoon or dojo...life is the dojo!

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Introduction to Shaolin Kung Fu

Most of us have heard of Shaolin Kung Fu, and there are also a lot that has mistaken that there is a typical type of Martial Art by the name of Shaolin Kung Fu. In fact, Shaolin Kung Fu is referring to a vast collection of Martial Arts and served as a base where the modern martial arts evolve from.

There used to be a saying in China back in the ancient days that Martial Arts around the world (the world that it refers to is China only) came from Shaolin. Martial Arts like Wing Chun, Hong Ga are all samples of martial arts that were taught to the Grand Masters from Shaolin.

The most famous Kung Fu Monk from Shaolin that most Chinese might know is “Dat Mo” or Bodhidharma, It was believed that Martial Arts in China is divided into 2 categories, the External Martial Arts and the Internal Practice (Qi Gong) and most of the credits on the internal practice goes to “Dat Mo”. It was believed that while in his stay in Shaolin Monastery, he has been staring at the wall for 9 years and at the end of the 9th year, a hole was found on the wall that he has been gazing but we cannot find further proof of that. Huiguang and Sengchou in the other hand is credited on the growth of the External Martial Arts, Both of them are Martial Artist before they were ordained in the monastery and they were reported to be the first few monks that is in Martial Arts.

Most of us might think, aren’t monks not suppose to fight? Or aren’t monk suppose to be holy schmoly? This is a misconception of a lot of people, monks learn Martial Arts to defend themselves and they take it as a practice to train endurance, focus and for health purpose. It started even back in Tang Dynasty (618 - 907AD), Monasteries are being attack and robbed from bandits and pirates, pushed around by the governments to seize their lands and so on, and these monks are doing nothing more than just defending their place. Therefore the culture stays with the monastery and it has become a daily routine for the monks in Shaolin to practice Martial Arts.

Image taken from topic.chinaa2z.com

Most of us have heard of Shaolin Kung Fu, and there are also a lot that has mistaken that there is a typical type of Martial Art by the name of Shaolin Kung Fu. In fact, Shaolin Kung Fu is referring to a vast collection of Martial Arts and served as a base where the modern martial arts evolve from.

There used to be a saying in China back in the ancient days that Martial Arts around the world (the world that it refers to is China only) came from Shaolin. Martial Arts like Wing Chun, Hong Ga are all samples of martial arts that were taught to the Grand Masters from Shaolin.

The most famous Kung Fu Monk from Shaolin that most Chinese might know is “Dat Mo” or Bodhidharma, It was believed that Martial Arts in China is divided into 2 categories, the External Martial Arts and the Internal Practice (Qi Gong) and most of the credits on the internal practice goes to “Dat Mo”. It was believed that while in his stay in Shaolin Monastery, he has been staring at the wall for 9 years and at the end of the 9th year, a hole was found on the wall that he has been gazing but we cannot find further proof of that. Huiguang and Sengchou in the other hand is credited on the growth of the External Martial Arts, Both of them are Martial Artist before they were ordained in the monastery and they were reported to be the first few monks that is in Martial Arts.

Most of us might think, aren’t monks not suppose to fight? Or aren’t monk suppose to be holy schmoly? This is a misconception of a lot of people, monks learn Martial Arts to defend themselves and they take it as a practice to train endurance, focus and for health purpose. It started even back in Tang Dynasty (618 - 907AD), Monasteries are being attack and robbed from bandits and pirates, pushed around by the governments to seize their lands and so on, and these monks are doing nothing more than just defending their place. Therefore the culture stays with the monastery and it has become a daily routine for the monks in Shaolin to practice Martial Arts.

Image taken from topic.chinaa2z.com

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Introduction to Hong Kuen

Most chinese educated friends might know about the name “Wong Fei Hong” but not much might know that Wong Fei Hoong is the most famous practitioner for Hung Kuen Kung Fu.

Hong Kuen is a Chinese Martial arts style from Southern China that was developed from the roots of Shaolin Kung Fu. Hong Kuen was initially developed for military purposes and by focusing on the value of it’s school which includes courage, perseverance, and discipline this value have not waver since then till now.

The Founder, Master Hung Hei Guen who was a tea merchant by trade who was associated as one of the Ten Tigers of Shaolin developed the style throughout his life, but Hong Kuen started to manifest when Master Hung was being an apprentice of the Abbot of Shaolin Monastery. The most famous fist known till now is the tiger and crane fist that represent both hard and soft energy. Where one is focused to attack and the other focus on defend.

Hong Kuen’s stance is based on the 5 basic animals, which most people that is interested in China’s Kung Fu might know about, the styles are dragon that employs powerful punching techniques, snake focuses on speed and attacks on vital areas to take down their opponents, leopard can attack difficult reachable weak points of the body that are hard to reach, tiger and crane which was mention earlier uses the hard and soft energy.

Master Hung had many disciples in this life during the spreading of this martial arts and it spreads widely due to many are trying to rebel during the Ching dynasty in the south part of China. The Legend started when Master Hung had an apprentice by the name of Luk Ah Choi who is a Manchurian based in Guandong, where he refine the style further in reach out to even more practitioner, one of Master Luk’s student Master Wong Kei Ying who is also the father of Master Wong Fei Hong.

Many have said that it was not easy for martial arts to be taught to apprentice during the time of Master Luk, and stories was shared that the masters will be going around together with opera troupes to spread the art. And it was brought to another whole new level when the martial art was passed to both Master Wong Kei Wing and Wong Fei Hong.

Just like Wing Chun, Hong Ka practitioner also practices to use weapons in their practices like Butterfly Knife, Spears, Broad Sword and many other weapons but not all of the branches teaches the same as some are more focus on selected stance or type and the schools up to date is still refining it’s techniques therefore there are also variations like Black Tiger Fist, Taming the Tiger and many more was founded along the way.

Since the founding of Hong Kuen there are also many well known masters and many modified or more refined versions, masters such as Miu Tsui Fa and Fong Sai Yuk are also plays an important role to spread this martial art.

Sorry, as we cannot manage to get a good image for Hong Gar Kuen or Hong Kuen, we have to just pick an image from the net, image taken from wongfeihung.com

Most chinese educated friends might know about the name “Wong Fei Hong” but not much might know that Wong Fei Hoong is the most famous practitioner for Hung Kuen Kung Fu.

Hong Kuen is a Chinese Martial arts style from Southern China that was developed from the roots of Shaolin Kung Fu. Hong Kuen was initially developed for military purposes and by focusing on the value of it’s school which includes courage, perseverance, and discipline this value have not waver since then till now.

The Founder, Master Hung Hei Guen who was a tea merchant by trade who was associated as one of the Ten Tigers of Shaolin developed the style throughout his life, but Hong Kuen started to manifest when Master Hung was being an apprentice of the Abbot of Shaolin Monastery. The most famous fist known till now is the tiger and crane fist that represent both hard and soft energy. Where one is focused to attack and the other focus on defend.

Hong Kuen’s stance is based on the 5 basic animals, which most people that is interested in China’s Kung Fu might know about, the styles are dragon that employs powerful punching techniques, snake focuses on speed and attacks on vital areas to take down their opponents, leopard can attack difficult reachable weak points of the body that are hard to reach, tiger and crane which was mention earlier uses the hard and soft energy.

Master Hung had many disciples in this life during the spreading of this martial arts and it spreads widely due to many are trying to rebel during the Ching dynasty in the south part of China. The Legend started when Master Hung had an apprentice by the name of Luk Ah Choi who is a Manchurian based in Guandong, where he refine the style further in reach out to even more practitioner, one of Master Luk’s student Master Wong Kei Ying who is also the father of Master Wong Fei Hong.

Many have said that it was not easy for martial arts to be taught to apprentice during the time of Master Luk, and stories was shared that the masters will be going around together with opera troupes to spread the art. And it was brought to another whole new level when the martial art was passed to both Master Wong Kei Wing and Wong Fei Hong.

Just like Wing Chun, Hong Ka practitioner also practices to use weapons in their practices like Butterfly Knife, Spears, Broad Sword and many other weapons but not all of the branches teaches the same as some are more focus on selected stance or type and the schools up to date is still refining it’s techniques therefore there are also variations like Black Tiger Fist, Taming the Tiger and many more was founded along the way.

Since the founding of Hong Kuen there are also many well known masters and many modified or more refined versions, masters such as Miu Tsui Fa and Fong Sai Yuk are also plays an important role to spread this martial art.

Sorry, as we cannot manage to get a good image for Hong Gar Kuen or Hong Kuen, we have to just pick an image from the net, image taken from wongfeihung.com

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Dojo – Tai Chi

Country: USA
Town: Newington, CT
Dojo's Name: Butterfly Martial and Healing Arts
Type of Martial Art: Tai Chi Chuan
Contact Person: Sifu Mike
Contact Number: N/A
Email: reikibutterfl1@yahoo.com
Website: www.reikibutterfly.com

Country: USA
Town: Newington, CT
Dojo's Name: Butterfly Martial and Healing Arts
Type of Martial Art: Tai Chi Chuan
Contact Person: Sifu Mike
Contact Number: N/A
Email: reikibutterfl1@yahoo.com
Website: www.reikibutterfly.com

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