New t-shirt design

A new design will be available with a kenpo crest on the left chest with "Push here for a live demo" around it. Got the idea from Steve White.
Four shirt colors available and the design is in black ink. Perfect for those discussions of Triggered Salute. Get them in my website store.

The doctor is in

Martial arts training for elderly patients gets the green light


Martial arts could be the key to helping osteoporosis sufferers fall more safely. A study published in the open access journal BMC Research Notes has found that martial arts training can likely be carried out safely.

Brenda Groen worked with a team of researchers from the Sint Maartenskliniek, Nijmegen, to study the effects of fall training in six healthy people. She said, "For obvious safety reasons, this could not be directly assessed using persons with osteoporosis. Therefore, we measured the hip impact forces during the martial arts fall exercises in a group of young adults. Based on our results, however, we believe that fall training would be safe for persons with osteoporosis if they wear hip protectors during the training, perform fall exercises on a thick mattress, and avoid forward fall exercises from a standing position".

Using a force platform, the researchers were able to measure the force of each fall and compare this to known information about the amount of impact a patient with osteoporosis can withstand. The falls taught in this study all involved turning a fall into a rolling movement by bending and twisting the trunk and neck, and it is possible for older people to learn these impact-reducing techniques. Groen concludes, "Since martial arts techniques reduce hip impact forces and can be learned by older persons, martial arts fall training may prevent hip fractures among persons with osteoporosis".

The doctor is in

Dr. Rowe and I are working up an article on common medications and their effect on martial artists. Many people take medications for high cholesterol, allergies, high blood pressure, etc and continue to train in their art. But do you really know what taking some of these does in relation to what you practice? Some of them act as blood thinners; will that mean anything if you get cut? Others affect balance. Still others can cause internal bleeding when struck.
We're making a list of common over-the-counter and prescription medicines as well as some supplements. We think we'll catagorize them by effect and then discuss what the implications are in striking and grappling arts.
Ideas?

Article on stomps

I've posted the May article for those of you who are members on my site at http://www.leewedlake.com/.
This one is a few pages on stomps and stomp kicks; methods, principles and variations. It's has some real-life descriptions, too. Hope you like it.

Kenpo Greece

Here is the link for the studio in Athens and you can read it in English.http://www.kenpogreece.gr./

My e-learning site

It's going to be available for preview in the next few days if all goes according to plan. We are going into beta-test with a few people across the globe to see how they like the navigation. As of last night I have uploaded 500 videos.
Kenpo 101 has 42 self-defense techniques, most of the original yellow/orange basics, short and long 1 instruction, and clips on principles.
Kenpo 201 has 32 self-defense techniques (all the original purple), principles, and basics. The original 32 blue is coming, as are the forms.
Kenpo 301 has 10 two man techniques right now, with the rest of the original green to come.
Kenpo 401 has about 20 extension techniques.
Drills, freestyle and sets includes the star block, two man set, spear set, freestyle techniques and drills.
Instructing for instructors includes principles of instruction, learning theory, and other subjects of value to instructors.
Each self-defense technique has three associated clips; one of the solo technique, the second is instructional and the third has additional related information.
If you are interested in being a charter user send me an e-mail at lee@leewedlake.com.

A follow up

Lessons with Ed Parker is now available on Kindle. You can go to http://www.amazon.com/ and visit the Kindle store.

Lessons with Ed Parker coming to Kindle

If you're unfamiliar with Kindle, it's Amazon's electronic book reader. Many of my students and friends chipped in and bought me one for my birthday recently. There are a half-dozen similar devices out there now by different companies. I have uploaded my book Lessons with Ed Parker to Kindle so it will soon be available in that format.
You can also get the Kindle program on your computer now, so you're not limited to having to have a Kindle. I hope this has some appeal to you "techies". I just won't be able to autograph it for you!

Seminar in Athens

I told some people I was invited to teach in Athens and they said "Athens, Georgia?" Uh, no. I have been invited to Greece on the weekend of 12-13 June. I'm looking forward to it since I have never been there before. My host is John Filippidis, a kenpo instructor there. Contact info is on my website, maybe you can attend if you're in Europe.

The E Generation

One of my black belts and his wife have created something called the E-Generation.com. The E-generation is not their creation, it's a term that's used by many in a variety of ways. However, Brad and Colbi Congress have devoted a lot of time, energy and money into creating a place for people who are concerned about the decline of many aspects of our lives.
The Five Swords concept has been incorporated as a symbol of the five major points they think are necessary to reverse the backslide in quality of life. http://www.the-e-generation.com/index.html
Take a look.

The laws of physics

I recently found a line in a Jeep brochure that said " No system, no matter how sophisticated, can repeal the laws of physics or overcome careless driving actions." This immediately brought to mind some memories of my first kenpo instructor who invented his own anatomy and revised the laws of physics.
     It seems that people sometimes think that because they do martial arts that it's magic and that the laws of physics don't apply to them. I thought the line in the brochure was brilliant. All it needs is to delete the word "driving" and it applies to the arts.
    My first instructor told me about extra (non-existent) bones in the body, how Asians were born to be more flexible than Americans and how when you hit a person in the head how the head would actually move in the direction opposite the force applied instead of with it. I was 18 at the time and I knew that wasn't right. This stuff contributed to my deciding to leave the school. He also told me that if you gave a guy a concussion by hitting the head on one side you could fix it by hitting equally hard on the other. There's some pretty grim repercussions to that.
    I my travels I have met many people who really don't have much of a clue how the laws of physics apply and they invent things that simply go against them. And they teach it. That's very scary.
   Like the brochure said; no system, regardless of how good it it, can overcome those laws. You need to have a basic idea of the laws that are taught by competent instructors who take the time to give you the rudiments needed. You have to because you work in the physical environment. Try not to fall into the trap that you know karate and the other guy doesn't and all this "magic" will work to make you victorious. It takes mindful practice and a lot of work.  

The Winner

There's a bit of wisdom in this old country song by Bobby Bare. This was sent in by Tom Baeli.

THE WINNER
The hulk of a man with a beer in his hand he looked like a drunk old fool


And I knew if I hit him right why I could knock him off of that stool

But everybody they said watch out hey that's the Tiger Man McCool

He's had the whole lotta fights and he's always come out winner yeah he's a winner

But I had myself about five too many and I walked up tall and proud

I faced his back and I faced the fact that he had never stooped or bowed

I said Tiger Man you're a pussycat and a hush fell on the crowd

I said let's you and me go outside and see who's the winner

Well he gripped the bar with one big hairy hand then he braced against the wall

He slowly looked up from his beer my God that man was tall

He said boy I see you're a scrapper so just before you fall

I'm gonna tell you just a little bout what it means to be a winner

He said now you see these bright white smilin' teeth you know they ain't my own

Mine rolled away like Chicklets down the street in San Antone

But I left that person cursin' nursin' seven broken bones

And he only broke ah three of mine that makes me the winner

He said now behind this grin I got a steel pin that holds my jaw in place

A trophy of my most successful motorcycle race

And each morning when I wake and touch this scar across my face

It reminds me of all I got by bein' a winner

Now this broken back was the dyin' act of a handsome Harry Clay

That sticky Cincinnati night I stole his wife away

But that woman she gets uglier and she gets meaner every day

But I got her boy that's what makes me a winner

He said you gotta speak loud when you challenge me son cause it's hard for me to hear

With this twisted neck and these migraine pains and this big ole cauliflower ear

And if it wadn't for this glass eye of mine why I'd shed a happy tear

To think of all that you gonna get by bein' a winner

I got arthritic elbows boy I got dislocated knees

From pickin' fights with thunderstorms and chargin' into trees

And my nose been broke so often I might lose if I sneeze

And son you say you still wanna be a winner

Now you remind me a lotta my younger days with your knuckles a clenchin' white

But boy I'm gonna sit right here and sip this beer all night

And if there's somethin' that you gotta gain to prove by winnin' some silly fight

Well okay I quit I lose you're the winner

So I stumbled from that barroom not so tall and not so proud

And behind me I still hear the hoots of laughter of the crowd

But my eyes still see and my nose still works and my teeth're still in my mouth

And you know I guess that makes me the winner

May will be busy

I am off to Chicago to Kurt Barnhart's school on April 30 and May 1 for three seminars. Then I'll do a Professional Development Seminar in the Charleston, SC area on Sat May 8, hosted by Nick Dreiling. Week after I'll be at Brian Price's in Leesport, PA. On June 1 I'll be back in PA at Marc Shay's for a weeknight seminar and follow that with a seminar at Keith Mathew's school in Canton, Georgia on June 5.  I should then be leaving to go to Athens, Greece to work with a group there for the first time. Yasou!

It's almost here

My online learning site is going into test mode with some people around the world very shortly. They will get access to it to see how it navigates and we'll get their feedback and tweak it. As of right now I have almost 500 video clips uploaded for them to look through. Some of you saw the breakdown in the recent issue of my website newsletter (those who didn't, you can register to get it free at http://www.leewedlake.com/).
  I've added some principle clips, segments that describe terminology with action to demonstrate the term. I hope you like it.

Police advisory

Snopes says this is false, however, it came through official channels in Massachusetts.

Subject: POLICE DEPT. WARNING...PLEASE READ
Subject: Passed along by Police Department & Courthouse
Several things to be aware of this year...as gangs and robbers are now plotting different ways to get persons to "stop" their vehicles.
Please send to your friends.

Please note: There is a gang initiation reported by the local police department that gangs are placing a car seat by the road...with a fake baby in it... waiting for a woman, of course, to stop and check on the baby. Note that the location of this car seat will usually be beside a wooded or grassy (field) area ...and the person - woman - will be dragged into the woods- beaten and raped- usually left for dead.
DO NOT STOP. DIAL 9-1-1 AND INFORM THEM.....
IF YOU ARE DRIVING AT NIGHT AND EGGS ARE THROWN AT YOUR WINDSHIELD.
DO NOT OPERATE THE WIPER AND SPRAY ANY WATER BECAUSE EGGS MIXED WITH
WATER BECOME MILKY AND BLOCK YOUR VISION UP TO 92.5% SO YOU ARE FORCED
TO STOP BESIDE THE ROAD AND BECOME A VICTIM OF ROBBERS. THIS IS A NEW
TECHNIQUE USED BY ROBBERS. PLEASE INFORM YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES.

Victoria J. Crapo
Abuse Prosecution Unit
Office of the District Attorney
Bristol District
888 Purchase Street
New Bedford , MA 02740
(508) 997-0711
e-mail: victoria.j.wood@state.ma.us

Happy Birthday!

My student and good friend Bruce Meyer in Columbia, South Carolina just turned 56. Kurt Barnhart in Chicago turns 57 this month. I send them my best wishes (and face the North and bow).
My dad turns 85 this month, too. Tough old guy. WWII/Korea vet. He once told me the first time he saw karate was during the occupation of Japan after WWII. Three Marines were harassing a Japanese man. It turned physical and the three Marines were down. The man straightened his clothes, dusted himself off, bowed and walked away. I guess that's one reason why he supported me in my training. 

Ya think?

March 20, 2010
The U.S. Army is overhauling its basic training program for the first time in 30 years. The military says the change is necessary to keep pace with the new realities of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, but that's not the only reason. Part of the shift is intended to train a new generation of soldiers whose experience with fighting is usually limited to video games.
Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling tells NPR's Scott Simon the military is learning how to mold recruits from the millennial generation. They're "advanced in terms of their use of technology, and maybe not as advanced in their physical capabilities or ability to go into a fight. So we're taking that into consideration as well in doing this holistic review."
You might expect a doctor to use the word holistic more than a military man, but that may reflect a troubling trend that Hertling says the Army's been watching very closely.
"We are seeing a decline across the board in America," he says. "This isn't a decline in our recruits; this is a decline in our American society in terms of their physical capacity. It's just a softer generation.
"But we can't afford to accept that," Hertling says. "We've got to train soldiers to climb the peaks of Afghanistan."
It's not just a fitness issue, either. "We certainly have a generation that is not as disciplined when they enter the military."
"Whereas they might have what they believe is a form of courage or discipline, it's not what we expect of a soldier in very tense and difficult situations," Hertling says.
In some ways, that means basic training needs to get — well, more basic. The new regimen spends even more time on how to fight.
"It's including things like the use of weapons, knives, bayonets, sticks — even the rifle can be used as a weapon without shooting it," Hertling says. Hand-to-hand skills like kicking, punching and holds are preparing recruits for close combat, which, he notes, are the kinds of situations the military is expecting to "be in for a very long time."
They may need to spend more time toughening up, but Hertling says, today's recruits also bring skills and an attitude that the military's not seen before.
"They're different. They have a technology edge. I think they're smarter than any generation we've ever had before," he says. "They certainly ask a lot more difficult questions."
They have loyalty, Hertling says, but he thinks the most important thing about this generation is that they want to change the world. "They want to contribute to something that's bigger than themselves."
"I think they're magnificent."