C&S Online
An Online Newsletter For The
C&S Self Defense Association
Spring 2002

Confidence. Fitness. Success.

Views From Around the Association...

Because resorts are filling up very fast for summer bookings, I had to reserve the following dates in August (these differ from my last e-mails). The Estes Park location was fully booked.

The dates are officially:

Thurs. 8/1 - 8/4.

The venue will be Snow Mountain Ranch in Winter Park. I have tentatively reserved a 6-bedroom cabin (that sleeps up to 25 people) with a large living room and 2 lodge rooms that sleep 4 people ea (if we need them). The natural setting will be spectacular & I can promise that this retreat will be memorable, exciting & fun. Snow Mountain Ranch is part of YMCA of the Rockies & is about a 2-hour commute from DIA. Their Website is www.ymcarockies.org.

I will be assigning duties to various black belts that have volunteered to help. I would like to get a fairly accurate head count on who is coming by the end of April. There will be a modest registration fee (in the range of $50-$75) that will have to be accessed but it will include room & board for all 3 days of the retreat. Remember that C&S is donating $1,000 to the cause & Tiger Line programs are donating $250. I would like to have a minimum of 25 participants for this event. C&S instructors, see what you can do to build interest in your school(s).

If there are black belts who are interested in attending a 2-day DART Instructors course, we may be able to offer one either before or after the retreat. The Website is www.dartdefense.org. Let me know if you are interested.

More info will follow shortly.

Cheers,
Master D

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Grandmaster Paul B. Dusenbery, PhD holds a 7th Degree Black belt. He began his studies with Grandmaster Rose in 1972. Dr. Dusenbery is a space scientist, writer, lecturer, and is the Executive Director of the Space Science Institute in Boulder, CO. He oversees the Dusenbery Tiger leg of C&S. Grandmaster Dusenbery can be reached at dusenbery@spacescience.org.

"I Just Want To Celebrate" - Rare Earth (Progressive 1970's Rock Band)

Recently I ran into Rod Wilson, an old ski instructor friend of mine. The last time I saw Rod Wilson was about 10 years ago. I found him sleeping in his van after a night of drinking. Having worked with Rod for three years, and having been a ski instructor myself, I did not give this event a second thought.

However, when I encountered Rod on the slopes, he greeted me very enthusiastically and indicated he had been waiting to talk to me for the last ten years. Rod stated that after I woke him from his slumber in the back of his van 10 years ago, he had checked himself into a detox center and had been sober ever since (I had nothing to do with this. I am sure he was sick and tired of being sick and tired.). Rod stated "Now, every day is a celebration!".

Wow! What a concept! Every day a celebration! As Andre Agassi stated "I wake up every morning and shake myself like a dog, happy to be alive.".

As martial artists, consider the tools we have at our disposal to be excited about each day. San Chin and meditation to cleanse our body, mind and spirit. Basics, Forms and Drills to provide a physical fitness and practical self defense foundation. Finally, a philosophical curriculum that is second to none. And, all of this supported by a network of experienced martial artists. Are we not all in an excellent position to use these tools to learn something new about ourselves and nature every day? And what could be more exciting than learning something new every day!

Rod Wilson suffered through countless years of substance abuse in order to have the epiphany of every day being a celebration. We are blessed with the tools to make this a daily reality.

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Nidan Russ Jones lives in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire where he founded the Sachem Self Defense School. He began studying martial arts under Grandmaster Rose in September, 1985. Nidan Jones is a Senior Software Engineer at RiverDelta Networks in Tewksbury, Ma.. In his spare time, he can be found snowboarding, hiking, playing bottleneck slide guitar or doing kata in the park next to his house. Nidan Jones can be reached via email at: elizibethreed@yahoo.com.

You've all met people who've been described as 'natural-born leaders'. Just what was it that defined them as 'leaders'? What attributes were possessed by those people that caused others to follow them? Were they actually born with these abilities?

By observation, all leaders share certain traits, but not everyone with these traits becomes a leader. Why is that? Leadership, it appears, is an acquired ability. An ability that is developed because of a desire to lead, and a willingness to commit to the training necessary to gain these skills.

This training involves maintaining a level of physical fitness, developing mental toughness, being confident in his/her own skills, being courageous and willing to take risks.

Does any of this sound familiar? As I was reading the aforementioned article, I realized that many of these qualities that were listed as good leadership skills were ones that we are exposed to as students during our martial arts training, and expected to develop to become black belts.

Think about the following qualities (remember these are from a book about military operations):

• Leaders must talk to their troops.
• A leader is responsible for morale, good order , and discipline.
• A leader is responsible for the training of his unit.
• A leader must create within his unit "a healthy environment".

How many brown and black belts can say they embody all of these qualities? How many lower ranks have considered what will be expected of you as you strive towards these advanced ranks? Looking at the list, I know I have to work on a number of these items myself.

Most of us, when we began our training, were looking for a way to defend ourselves. As we advanced a few ranks, were bitten by 'the bug' and elected to become black belts, we changed the focus of our goal. But most of us would be hard-pressed to pinpoint why we were staying. Why we were actually paying someone to make us do pushups, to go out and chase each other around in the mud on a cold, rainy night.

I believe it was because at some level we realized that we wanted to excel, to become leaders.

I have spent time visiting and studying and working out with a number of styles and schools over the years. I have come to realize that the structure of our Association is designed to develop these qualities in our students better than any group I've seen.

Our goal is not to have the biggest or the most trophies in the dojo window. Our Association's ultimate goal is to make available to the student the means to become the best that they can be. We expect that of our instructors and this expectation is passed down through the ranks.

So, do you want to be a leader?

[Information for this article was derived from Appendix II of the book "Shadow Warriors"; by Tom Clancy, with General Carl Stiner, (Ret.)]

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Mr. Parker holds a 3rd degree (Sandan) black belt rank with the C&S Self Defense Association. He began his training with Grandmaster Rose in March of 1978. His study of the martial arts began in the Fall of 1970, while attending college. Because martial arts classes were extra-curricular activities and the available instructors came from the student body on a volunteer basis, he experienced a number of different styles that included shotokan, uechi-ryu, judo, and kempo karate. Following college, he trained in shotokan karate with Sensei Frank Caligeri, where he received a green belt. He is currently Head instructor of the Mountainview Martial Arts Academy of Spokane, WA. and a Senior instructor with the Strike Three Karate-Do Group, of Dallas,TX. Mr. Parker holds a Bachelor of Science degree, in Electrical Engineering from Grove City College. He is employed as a Project Engineer with Cutler-Hammer Engineering Service and Systems, a part of Eaton Corporation. Sandan Parker can be reached at maddogparker@excite.com.

There are two major areas of concern with this joint lock. The first area is grabbing the hand that has grabbed your wrist. The most effective way I have found to control the attackers hand is to place my thumb under the first phalanges of the attackers index finger while placing my ring finger under the first phalanges on the opposite side (the first phalanges of the fourth finger - pinkie). When these two areas are located, press underneath the phalanges to create extremely immense pain. They draw back in using this approach is that attackers with strong hands. To alleviate this challenge create a distraction so the hand loosens up and then apply…it works every time.

The second major area of concern is to remove the attackers hand and gain control of the entire situation. Creating pressure and pain throughout the arm does this. The method used here is to create a wedge between the wrist bones and the forearm by forming a Shuto hand with your open hand, rotate from outside to inside to create a fulcrum. While doing this bend the wrist area and elbow. This creates so much pain that the attacker buckles. Continue through the technique by guiding your Shuto hand downward and toward the belly of your attacker. Please keep in mind that it is essential to keep the grasp of the attackers hand.

1. Attacker grabs wrist on same side (figure 1).
2. Take your free hand and grab the top of the attackers hand (figure 2 & 3).
3. Twist the attackers wrist - outside to inside, toward the center of the attackers body (figure 4).
4. Take your hand (the one that was grabbed) form a Shuto hand and "cut through" the attackers wrist. Continue rotating while pressing downward and inward toward the attackers belly.

   

   

   

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Sandan Tim House has been living the Martial Arts since June 15, 1981 and studies under Sensei Bruce Vinciguerra at Somesworth School of Self Defense. If you would like to contact Sandan his email address is thouse@ttlc.net.

SENSEI VINCIGUERRA ASKED ME TO SHARE A FEW WORDS WITH YOU CONCERNING MY RECENT RETURN TO THE SOMERSWORTH SCHOOL OF SELF-DEFENSE. IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO I HAVE ACHIEVED SOME GOALS THAT TOOK ABOUT FIVE YEARS TO ATTAIN AND I WANTED TO THANK ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED ME ALONG THE WAY. SENSEI VINCIGUERRA WAS ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE.

"NEVER FORGET WHERE YOU CAME FROM, DON'T FORGET WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND NEVER, EVER FORGET WHO HELPED TO GET YOU THERE."

THIS IS A QUOTE THAT IS FIVE YEARS IN THE MAKING. MY SIMPLIFIED ATTEMPT AT PHILOSOPHY. I CAN ELLABORATE I ASSURE YOU -HOWEVER- I AM CONFINED TO ONLY ONE PAGE.

I HAD WANTED TO COME BACK FOR SOME TIME. MANY REASONS KEPT ME AWAY LIKE PROCRASTINATION, EMBARRASSMENT, AND FEAR OF NOT BEING ALLOWED BACK. I WANTED TO WRITE MY "THANK-YOU" LETTER FIRST. FINALLY I DECIDED TO JUST SHOW UP AND FACE THE FEAR, UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE WAS A REAL POSSIBILITY THAT I WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE MY TRAINING AFTER SO LONG. I WANTED TO DO THE RIGHT THING EVEN WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF REJECTION. I FACED THAT FEAR, I OVERCAME IT, I LEARNED, I PERSEVERED, I GREW STRONGER. I WAS ALLOWED TO CONTINUE AND MY RESPECT FOR MY TEACHER MULTIPLIED INUMERABLY. I HAVE OVERCOME FEAR BEFORE, IT IS NOT A ONE TIME DEAL. I COULD WAX PHILOSOPHICAL ON THE SUBJECT OF FEAR FOR PAGES BUT I AM HERE TO TELL YOU OF MY RETURN.

EARLIER I MENTIONED THAT SENSEI VINCIGUERRA IS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAS HELPED ME ALONG THE WAY BUT HE IS NOT THE REASON I HAVE RETURNED. I HAVE MADE JOURNEYS MENTALLY, PHILOSPHICALLY, PHYSICALLY, SPIRITUALLY - BUT ON MY OWN THROUGH EXPERIENCE, INTROSPECTION AND WRITING (I READ ONCE THAT YOU NEVER REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING UNTILL YOU WRITE IT DOWN) AS WELL AS FACING FEAR HEAD ON, ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS. I ALSO READ THAT WHAT DOES NOT KILL MAKES YOU STRONGER. HOW MUCH STRONGER COULD I BE, FIVE YEARS LATER, IF I HAD MADE ALL THESE JOURNEYS THROUGH, AND ALONG SIDE TRAINING IN THE MARTIAL ARTS, IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT NURTURES SUCH JOURNYS? NEVER AGAIN IN MY LIFE WILL THE TWO BE SEPARATED

AS I SIGN OFF, BEFORE I MAX OUT MY ONE PAGE, I WANT TO SAY THAT WHEN I STARTED IN THE MARTIAL ARTS I WANTED TO LEARN HOW TO FIGHT, TO ATTACK. NOW I WANT TO CONTINUE LEARNING HOW TO THINK, TO ATTACK. YES, ATTACK.

ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK - GENERAL GOERGE S. PATTON

THIS QUOTE APPLIES ON SO MANY LEVELS THAT IT IS REDICULOUS. ATTACK YOUR ATTACKER RELENTLESSLY. ATTACK YOUR JOB, YOUR CAREER WITH DILIGENCE AND PERSEVERENCE. ATTACK YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH KINDNESS. ATTACK THE UNFORTUNATE WITH COMPASSION. ATTACK YOUR FAMILY AND NEIGHBORS WITH LOVE. ATTACK YOUR GOALS UNMERCIFULLY. APPLY 'ATTACK' TO ANY AND ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE. ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK.

THAT'S WHY I CAME BACK.