S.O.W. Training Sabers

Types of Flexibility/Stretching
Ballistic – this is a very old method of stretching that had pretty much been abandoned because of safety issues related to its bouncing movements.

Static-passive – this is what most people consider flexibility to be. Static-passive flexibility is the ability to hold and maintain an extended position by using your weight, the support of other limbs or equipment such as a bar. Being able to do the splits is static-passive flexibility.

Dynamic – the ability to use a dynamic movement to bring a limb through its full range of motion. For example, to perform a high kick you use dynamic flexibility.

Static-active – this type of flexibility is the hardest to attain. It requires static-passive flexibility to assume an extended position but also the strength to hold and maintain it without assistance. Being able to raise and hold the leg at the height of the high kick is a good example of this type of flexibility.

Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) – this technique has long been used in physiotherapy and has been found to benefit passive stretching for flexibility and performance in gymnasts. Most of these stretches require a partner (usually a trainer or physiotherapist who knows how to not force the stretch and cause injury) to provide resistance to the stretch.

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Keiko Fukuda was born on April 12 1913 in Tokyo. She began training in Judo in 1935, aged 21, and studied under Jigoro Kano; the founder of judo. Kano invited her to join the school - known as the Kodokan - because of her martial arts heritage, her grandfather (Fukuda Hachinosuke) was a jujitsu master who had taught jujitsu to Kano. Fukuda Sensei is the highest-ranking female practitioner of judo in the world and Kano’s last living student. She is renowned for her expertise in judo kata. She still teaches 3 nights a week at her school in San Fransico, coming onto the mat if students struggle with a technique.

Video time!

1950’s:
In 1951 she reached the highest level then allowed for a female practitioner of judo; 5th dan. Two years later (1953) she traveled to the United States at the invitation of a judo club in Oakland. She stayed there for almost two years.

1960’s:
Fukuda is part of a kata demonstration at the 1964 summer Olympics in Tokyo. In 1966 she returned to the United States to give seminars in California. One of her demonstrations was at Mills College, the school offered her a job teaching judo. She taught there for over a decade.

1970’s:
In 1973 Fukuda releases her first book; “Born for the Mat: A Kodokan Kata Textbook for Women.” In the preface she writes – “Recently many women Judoists, most of them with several years of Judo training, began to come to Japan - the Mecca of Judo - for further study at the KODOKAN. Although they could do some Randori, there were many who had not acquired thorough knowledge of the basic Kata (Forms of Judo). In Judo, Randori and Kata are both of equal importance and both are essential to all Judoists. In Kata, one studies the theories and concepts of defense and attack and, therefore, acquires actual knowledge of The methods of self- defense.” You can read some more here. 1973 was also the year that she moved her school to its current location in San Fransico.

1989 – Travels to France to teach the country's top-ranked judo instructors.

2000’s:
In 2001 the US Judo Federation recognised Fukuda as 9th dan, for lifelong contributions - domestic and international - to the martial art. Only three red belts have been awarded, the other two recipients were men. Four years later Fukuda released another book; “Ju-No-Kata: A Kodokan Textbook.” It is a pictorial textbook guide to performing the Ju no Kata which is one of the seven Kodokan Kata. In 2006, after 30 years at the level of 5th dan in the Kodokan system and aged 93, the Kodokan Judo Institute also awarded her the 9th dan level. She is the only woman to ever hold this high a rank from any recognized judo organization.


Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_judoka
http://www.bestjudo.com/review/1878/born-mat-kodokan-kata-textbook-women
http://judoinfo.com/fukuda.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keiko_Fukuda
http://www.thetaoistcenter.com/Teacher%20-Fukuda.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8UiYo-5vzA
http://www.sanyamabushi-goju.com/images/pict6.gif
http://www.thetaoistcenter.com/Old%20Site%20Archives/images/fukuda-sm.jpg

Slow Twitch:
Slow twitch muscle fibres contain many enzymes involved in oxidative pathways so they are efficient at using oxygen. Fuel is stored in the form of triglycerides. ST fibres contract slowly and are highly resistant to fatigue so are used during aerobic activities. Most daily activities (walking and maintaining posture) rely on ST fibres.

Fast Twitch B:
FT-B fibres contain many glycolytic enzymes and few oxidative enzymes. Glycogen is their main source of fuel; a by product of breaking down the glycogen is lactic acid. FT fibres contract very quickly but have a low resistance to fatigue. They are used to provide a lot of force in short bursts like jumping.

Fast Twitch A:
FT-A fibres can create energy both aerobically (like ST) and an-aerobically (like FT-2). Because of this they have a moderate resistance to fatigue and are used during prolonged anaerobic activities.


Characteristics of the Three Muscle Fibre Types:

			Slow Twitch (ST)	Fast Twitch A (FT-A)	Fast Twitch B (FT-B)
Contraction time	Slow			Fast			Very fast
Size of motor neuron	Small			Large			Very large
Resistance to fatigue	High			Intermediate		Low
Activity used for	Aerobic			Long term anaerobic	Short term anaerobic
Force production	Low			High			Very high
Mitochondrial density	High			High			Low
Capillary density	High			Intermediate		Low
Oxidative capacity	High			High			Low
Glycolytic capacity	Low			High			High
Major storage fuel	Triglycerides		CP, Glycogen		CP, Glycogen

Force Produced:
If a fibre is in dynamic contraction (either lengthening or shortening) then FT fibres produce more force than ST fibres. However, if the force is tested under conditions where the length of the muscle doesn’t change during contraction (isometric conditions) then both FT and ST fibres produce the same amount of force. Also, a greater percentage of FT fibres produce a greater force and therefore the velocity one can achieve also increases.

Activating Fibres:
ST muscle fibres are always activated first. If the intensity of the activity remains low no other fibres will be activated. But if more energy is required FT-A will become active followed by FT-B if it is required.

Determining Dominant Fibre Type:
To directly determine the composition of fibres in a person a sample must be taken and examined under a microscope. Indirectly one can figure out whether they have more than 50% FT or ST using weights. To do this you must know your 1RM (the greatest amount of weight you can lift only once). Then take 80% of that weight and see how many times it can be lifted. Fewer than 7 reps means that there is likely more than 50% FT muscle fibre. Greater than 12 or 12 itself indicates the muscle group is likely more than 50% ST fibre. There is likely an even proportion of ST and FT fibres if the number of reps lies between 7 and 12.

Performance and Training:
Because the composition of muscle fibre in the body is genetically determined athletes tend to fall into the sports that best support their genetic build. Endurance athletes (eg - marathon runners) have a greater proportion of ST fibres and sprinters, jumpers, shot putters etc have a greater proportion of FT fibres. This is why a sprinter can run faster; their muscles produce a greater force. It has been shown that Olympic sprinters possess about 80 percent FT fibre, while marathon runners tend to possess 80 percent ST fibre.

Training will not change FT to ST or vice-versa. One can however train to increase size of either type of fibre. For example if a person has a 50/50 mix of FT and ST and undergoes strength training the mix is still 50/50 but the FT fibres will hypertrophy (get larger) and the ST fibres will atrophy (get smaller). This changes the cross sectional area of the muscle, from say 60% FT (FT fibres usually have a larger cross-sectional area than ST fibres) and 40% ST, to 70% FT and 30% ST. Strength is increased but endurance is decreased. Similarly endurance training will increase the area of muscle that is ST and decrease the area that is FT; increasing endurance and decreasing strength.

Keep in mind, as mentioned earlier, that elite/Olympic athletes can have a very different genetic composition of fibres than the average person. However, fibre type composition is only part of an athlete's success; by itself it does not equate to good performance. Mental preparedness, proper nutrition and hydration, sleep patterns, and training and conditioning also play a big role in being an athlete and, by following the principles of conditioning, any athlete can improve their performance.

Resources:
http://www.coachr.org/fiber.htm
http://www.topendsports.com/medicine/physiology-muscles.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/factfiles/fastandslowtwitch/soleus.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle
http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/anatomyandphysiology/a/MuscleFiberType.htm

Principles:
Hapkido's main principles are Yoo (flowing like water), Won (the circle, the perfect geometric shape), Hwa (harmony in no resistance). It also considers Seang-Ni-Hak (physiology), Meom (body), Shin (mind) and Shim-Ni-Hak (psychology).

Weapons:
Students learn to defend against a variety of weapons including knives, canes, rope, the staff (short, mid and long length), swords and other bladed weapons. They are also taught how to use everyday items as weapons of their own.

Techniques:
Hapkido uses a wide range of striking, joint lock, pinning and throwing techniques to avoid any narrow specialization. Grappling is also taught but the emphasis is on escaping to regain footing.

Footwork is essential and used with hand strikes and low level kicks when at a further range to bridge the distance. Once at a closer range the practitioner takes control of the opponents balance to apply a joint lock or throw the opponent depending on the situation.

Hapkido makes use of people's pressure points which can be struck to produce unconsciousness or immobility of limbs or manipulated to create pain. Using pressure points allows one to unbalance their opponent more easily.

Strikes and punches with both hands and elbows are taught. "Live hand" strike is also part of the Hapkido syllabus. It is a strike that focuses energy to the hand and allows the practitioner to produce energy and internal strikes to the opponent. Usually hand strikes are used to weaken the opponent's balance before joint locking or throwing but sometimes are used as a finishing technique.

Although Hapkido contains kicks from Karate and Tae Kwon Do the emphasis of these movements is still on Won; the circle. There are many sweeping or hooking kicks and there is greater commitment to the attack than to quick retraction of the leg. As students advance they learn blade kicks which are sweeping kicks that make contact with pressure points on the opponents body.

To get all the way from Japan to the USA the balloons where released in fall and winter when the jet stream across the Pacific Ocean was strongest. Being pulled along in the stream it took the balloons 3-4 days to make the journey across the Pacific. Once all the sand bags ran out two incendiary bombs were dropped the next time the altimeter registered the balloon as to low. Finally the bomb was dropped as, by the Japanese's calculation, it should be over the US by then. At this time a 64 foot fuse connecting the balloon to its cargo was ignited and about 82 minutes later the balloon itself became a flying fireball. Sometimes the balloon descended with the bomb and burnt up or failed to ignite at all.

The Japanese undertook the balloon bomb project in retaliation to the “Doolittle raid” (when American pilots bombed targets in Tokyo in 1942). Though it took 2 years to make the 9000 balloons they finally launched in November 1944. The goal was to cause fear among the public and government by executing such a long ranged attack and to divert the attention of the armed forces from the war by causing forest fires, destroying buildings and causing harm on home soil. Some of the bombs drifted over Canada and even made it near the Mexico border.

Though the bombs caused little damage they had the potential to be very effective and were shot down when sighted before reaching the mainland. There was also a concern that the Japanese might initiate biological or chemical warfare using the balloons. So, to discourage the launch of more balloons, the US applied censorship on the media; asking them not to mention any balloon bomb incidents. It worked rather well, the Japanese didn't hear of many successful bombings and this helped lead to them giving up on the project. Censorship was lifted to alert the public to the danger of the balloons when, in May 1945, six people (five children and a woman) were killed after they tried to pull a balloon from a tree. They are the only know casualties of the balloon bombs and the “only known fatalities on the U.S mainland from enemy attack during World War II.”

In April 1945 two of the three plants producing hydrogen for the balloons were bombed and Japan gave up on the project. Since then 325 remains have been found all over North America and Canada. However it is estimated that 1000 of the 9000 balloons launched made it across the Pacific. In 1955 one was found unexploded but still dangerous even after ten year of corrosion. The most recent discovery of balloon bomb remains was in 1992. There is the possibility that more unexploded bombs or remains lie in the deserts, forests, lakes and mountains of North America and have simply not been discovered yet.

References:
http://www.japaneseballoonbombs.com/
http://39th.org/39TH/hc/fugowarhazzard.htm
http://web.mst.edu/~rogersda/forensic_geology/Japenese%20vengenance%20bombs%20new.htm
http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/on-this-day/May-June-08/On-this-Day--Japanese-WWII--Balloon-Bomb--Kills-Six-in-Oregon.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fire_balloon
http://www.stelzriede.com/ms/html/mshwfugo.htm