The Switch

As Seen In Seiryu (12/01/01)

Since I can remember, I have always been involved in physical activities. When I was younger I took Karate, I wrestled in high school, and when I was in University, I achieved instructor status in Muay Thai-Boxing. I studied Thai-Boxing because I thought it was a very effective way of fighting. I spent hours conditioning my elbows, knees, and shins. I was confident that if I continued down this path I would always be able to win in a fight. However, up to this point I had no experience with Budo-Taijutsu.

I knew my cousin Sensei Sukh Sandhu had been training in Taijutsu for many years. One day I was at his house and we started talking about martial arts. He asked me to show him some of my moves. Then he told me to attack him. At first, I questioned his request because I did not want to hurt him. However, I figured that I could show him a thing or two. I threw a kick he moved out of the way and attacked my knee with shikanken. Then I threw a jab and he hit to hoshi and made my arm numb. I threw a right; he hit jakkeen, and created a sharp pain throughout my arm. After all this, I continued to attack. I grabbed him thinking that I could pull him in for a knee shot. However, he covered my grab, moved away from my knee and threw me with omote gyaku. Since I had no ukemi I flopped to the floor. When he had me on the ground I became scared. I was not scared because I thought that he was going to hurt me, I was scared because I had no idea how to defend myself on the ground. At this moment, I realized that Muay Thai-Boxing was not a complete martial art.

Since Thai-Boxing is a sport, it is effective when it is confined to the rules of the sport. However, in a sport when the rules do not apply and your opponent does not attack in the manner that you are use to, then the effectiveness decreases due to variables that the sport can not adapt to. In Thai-Boxing, one is limited to the types of strikes one can make. In addition, Thai-Boxers do not uses weapons as a way of fighting. However, Budo-Taijutsu incorporates many types of weapons that become the extension of ones body. Accordingly, Taijutsu uses many different ways of attacking and defending which adapt to all situations. This is what makes Taijutsu a limitless or complete way of fighting. Since Taijutsu is not a sport, it is not bound by rules. Therefore, using the teachings of the kata of the various lineages’ one is able to fight anyone in any situation and win.

In addition, Taijutsu incorporates ukemi. Ukemi is the ability to keep oneself safe if thrown or pushed to the ground. In many martial arts, there is no concept of ukemi. This is because most martial arts only train to fight people within their own art. For example, if a Thai-Boxer falls to the ground the fight stops until he gets back on his feet again. Therefore, if a Thai-Boxer fights an opponent skilled in Jujitsu and if that Jujitsu player throws the Thai-Boxer; I am sure the Jujitsu player will not wait for the

Thai-Boxer to get back on his feet to continue fighting. Accordingly, once the Thai-Boxer is on the ground he will most likely lose the fight due to his lack of training in ground fighting. In addition, the Thai-Boxer will be not able to soften his fall or negate the Jujitsu player’s throw by using ukemi.

Accordingly, Thai-Boxing is essentially different from Taijutsu because of the of the mind, body and spirit connection. Taijutsu strengthens your mind, body and spirit as you continue to train. In Thai-Boxing, you condition your mind and body to be able to fight, but your spirit is untouched. This may be because Taijutsu developed from kill or be killed situations. Since Thai-Boxing is a sport, it does not have the same intentions. In Thai-Boxing, the goal is to win a particular fight for a prize. The goal of Taijutsu is also to win but accordingly if you win then you have survived.

I have given up Muay Thai-Boxing all together. I have thrown away my instructor’s license and have begun the pursuit of Budo-Taijutsu. There is no need to train in any other martial art since Budo-Taijutsu is so complete.

Aman Brar

Jinenkan-Dayton Dojo