![]() |
Martial Arts Information |
|
|
What Can We Learn From What Has Already Been Done?
Pre-WWII Judo was a far different thing than what we see now. The Japanese in particular, being on a global war footing, practiced a type of Judo that has little in common with the "sport" of today. Japanese "bujin" particularly those situated in China during this period had to be the BEST they could be. The Japanese police were renowned for having among their ranks many of the top Judoka. The Japanese presence in Shanghai insured that the quality of Judoka practicing there was of the highest caliber. Shanghai during this period was a volatile, beguiling and dangerous place. Into this mix comes a young Irishman named Dermot Michael O'Neil. He joins the SMP in 1925 at age twenty. He rises in rank, secures a respected position on the SMP Riot Squad, is recognized as a protégé' of W.E. Fairbairn and earns a reputation as a "good" man in a dust up. Besides his recruit training and his assignment under WEF on the Riot Squad, he becomes a dedicated devotee of Japanese and Chinese combatives, especially Kodokan Judo. He becomes an acknowledged expert, a true expert, proven both on the tatami of various "dojo" and on the streets of Shanghai. He trains under some of the BEST native Japanese sensei available. He travels to mainland Japan testing his skill in shiai and randori, often winning against some of Japan's best. He trains diligently at the Kodokan. Becomes a protégé' of the famed Uchijima Sensei, a master of Judo, in particular "newaza" or ground grappling. He gains a working practical knowledge of Judo, Jujutsu, Karate, Chinese Boxing and who knows what else. In 1938 he leaves the SMP after 13 years service and heads up the security detachment for the British Legation in Tokyo. He serves in this position for two years. Living and training in Japan, access to the BEST of his time (and ours too probably)! FAST FORWARD... The world is at war. The Allied powers against the Axis of Evil. O'Neil is now in the US, seconded to the OSS, working under WEF. A new "commando" unit is being formed headed by a man named Fredericks. This composite group of assault raiders matches US and Canadian forces under the banner of the FIRST SPECIAL SERVICE FORCE. They will become LEGEND! Then Colonel Fredericks contacts General Donovan of the OSS and requests WEF's services in training these troops. Fairbairn recommends D.M. "Paddy" O'Neil. O'Neil accepts and goes a step further......He just doesn't "train" these men, HE JOINS THEM! O'Neill gave great thought to the needs of these special troops as it related to close quarters combat. He was instrumental in developing the V-42 Fighting Knife. But it was the "system" of close combat he devised that was his genius! The entire O'Neill system as taught then is little known today. But suffice to say that this method was a blend of tactics, strategy and physical combatives that was astounding, and PROVED EFFECTIVE in REAL COMBAT countless times. Now this isn't about the nuts and bolts of the O'Neil method. The point is this: With ALL of O'Neill's experience and expertise the method he devised for all intents and purposes was devoid of any Judo or grappling like techniques (and remember the Forces initial contact with the enemy was to be the Japanese). JUDO WAS HIS FORTE. Why? Because he perfectly knew and understood what the mission of the 1st SSF was all about. He tailored the training to address needs as would be faced in REAL COMBAT by these troops! O'Neill's logic and genius is evident in the complete method (not just dribs and drabs from various FM's and TM's). But more importantly what lessons are to be garnered from this? What can be learned? WHY did O'Neil chose the methods and tactics (more important than the technique) that he did? Without a doubt O'Neil knew his business and knew it well. So why? That's the question. And what will the answer teach US, now? Copyright 2003 www.thetruthaboutselfdefense.com© Carl Cestari began his study of the martial arts with judo at the age of 7 under the direction of Yoshisada Yonezuka. During the past forty plus years Carl has dedicated his life to studying the martial arts, hand to hand combat systems, history and religion. What makes Carl unique is his combination of martial arts, law enforcement and military and real world experience. Carl has been exposed to a multitude of people with a wide variety experience. The following is a list of some of Carl's ranks and honors.
MORE RESOURCES:
Martial-Arts - Google News |
RELATED ARTICLES
COMBATIVES A Rose by Any Other Name?....Part 2 The advent of World War One (the war to END all wars) brought warfare into a new and foreboding era of man to man killing and slaughter. Air power, mechanized warfare, chemical warfare and the general widespread use of machine guns changed the face of battle almost completely. A Great Question! It's a question that we went back and forth with for awhile ourselves many moons ago. The "how" and "why" of our conclusions may be of some interest. Safety Awareness & Self Defense: Circle of Safety Safety Awareness & Self Defense is the responsibility of each individual. Knowing your surroundings and being aware of potential dangers is your first step towards self-defense. The Fallacy and the Myth It's always amusing when "know it alls" dismiss certain methods out of hand as being useless or "unworkable". One "victim" of this line of thinking is the "cross arm" or "X" block (for lack of a better term). Who Created Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Chi Boxing)? I have read a number of books, articles, and novels, and have watched movies and television series that touched on the origins of Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Chi Boxing), and the question, "Who Created Tai Chi Chuan?" made me concern very much!Although knowing the origins or the source of Tai Chi Chuan is not going to have much effects on your learning and practicing of the art, it is my responsibility to share with the masses of what I have found out. And understanding the origins of something that we loved so much about will make us appreciate the understand it better, if not improving our skills. Things to Know About Learning Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Chi Boxing) For Easterners, particularly Chinese, this MAY not be an issue. Tai Chi Chuan is deeply rooted as part of the Chinese culture. Is Aikido a Martial Art ? Sensei Henry Ellis Co-Author of the new book Positive Aikido.- 2005. Samurai Swords - Choosing a Sword to Buy It's undeniable that a well placed and mounted samurai sword or samurai sword set looks fantastic and an ads character to any room of the home, but is it worth spending upwards of $650 on such a sword or sword set? This all depends on your reasons for buying a samurai sword.If you are merely purchasing a samurai sword for display purposes and positioning it as a focal point in a room then you certainly don't need to spend anything like the amount suggested above, you can just go for a relatively cheap manufactured replica with the necessary sword stand. Martial Arts and The Zone On the occasions you delivered the perfect strike; blocked without the need to think or performed a near flawless kata, did it feel difficult? Or did you get the sense it happened by itself? The 'zone' is a place where athletes describe this sort of experience. Studies suggest its a state of 'effortless merging of action and awareness'. Women in the Martial Arts 1st Lady Assistant to Sensei Henry Ellis Ellis Schools of Traditional AikidoI was born in West London in 1963, my father was very involved in the martial arts and a dan grade in Karate he was also a dealer in ancient Japanese arms and armour, although my father has an antiques shop in London's Bond Street, my home was more like a samurai warriors dressing room, with original suits of Japanese armour complete with very frighting face masks that would frighten the life out of my friends when ever they came to visit, there were also very many valuable swords yari and naginata spears.The MastersMy father would travel around the world searching for the best quality weapons, what intrigued me the most as a child was all these strange visitors that would come to my home, the famous Otani family were regular visitors with Sensei Matsuro Otani 7th dan Judo the UK National Coach, Kenshiro Abbe Sensei, Tomio Otani Sensei the UK National Coach for Kendo, his visitors were like the who's who of martial arts, as recently as two weeks ago I was pleased to meet with Sensei Kazuo Chiba 8th dan when he came to see my father. Martial Arts and The Bible As a Christian and a martial arts student, I have often wrestled with the idea of self-defense. Does God expect me to defend my family and myself when physically attacked or am I to "turn the other cheek" and endure it in the name of Jesus? As I considered the many comments I encountered on this topic, I became even more confused. Benefits of Martial Arts Training For Kids Admit it. When the going gets tough at home, we've all plopped the kids in front of the television and breathed a sigh of relief. Content, Are We? I asked a simple question at the last seminar:"How much has everyone improved in the year since we last got together?"I've practiced the same basics everyday for decades.Everyday Rain or shine. Generating More Power from Hip Rotation - Lessons from Martial Arts One of the important lessons of Martial Arts training is the ability to use hip rotation as a way to generate power and speed for maximum impact.Martial artists know that the hips are where the body's 'center of gravity' is located. Martial Arts Traditionally, people trained in Martial Arts in order to utilized their skills as a form of attack and defense in both armed and unarmed combat. Today, people train in Martial Arts in order to keep fit, as a form of meditation, to learn self-discipline and as a competitive sport. The Rebels Guide to Cultivating Vitality Many Taoists recluses and Buddhists monks dwelled in mountains and forests to observe, listen, and meditate in order to gather deeper understanding and greater knowledge of nature than is possible when living in the milieu of human society.Often in search of extraordinary longevity and treasures of life, these extraordinary men (and a few women) moved from observation of nature to experimentation and development of the body. Is it a "Hurt" or is it an "Injury" My father fed me this line every time I felt pain or discomfort. Growing up the coach's son was not without difficulty. How to Select Your Martial Arts and Self Defense Equipment The most common place to buy martial arts or self defense equipment is in the local dojo. Most dojos, training centers, etc. Its Not a Matter of Who is Right "People here may belittle sports arts.. Regular or De-escalated We always stress that NOTHING occurs in a vacuum. There always exists stepping stones or a progression of events that lead up to a "situation". |
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |