Training in the Past

   I started martial arts training in 1973, just after the death of Bruce Lee. Training through the years was VERY tough indeed. Sensei would walk around the room carrying a "training stick" (strips of bamboo covered by a leather sleeve) designed to make a loud noise and inflict a stinging sensation to the area of impact. Sensei used the "training stick" to help students become aware of the bodily position; i.e. straightened back leg, bent front leg, etc. Many times the "training stick" came snapping down on my leg, across my forearm, etc.  If your stance was not stable enough a good sweep from Sensei would send you crashing to the floor, where your ability to "break fall" would be tested as well. Was your stomach tight enough? Sensei would find out by delivering a quick punch or front kick as a test. Many people hit the floor as a result in weakness of the stances. Did I mention we trained on concrete; painted red of course to hide any blood that might get spilt. Many "Dojo Brothers" lost teeth, spit up blood, broke bones as a result of training. These were expected to a certain degree and were looked upon as weakness, if the student quit or strength building if the student persevered. I chose to persevere. On the VERY first front kick I delivered to the 60lb hanging bag, I broke my toe (the one next to the little toe) even to this day, my toe turns sharply to the left. Sensei once pulled my left arm out of socket with a Jiu Jitsu throw. I worked out with my left arm tucked into my belt for almost 6 weeks. Finally, I could move it enough to begin punching with it again and within 3 weeks, Sensei performed the same technique again and again injured my arm for yet another 6 weeks.  These kinds of things went on all the time and were considered "normal" training methods as passed down from Japan.

   I trained in a satellite dojo of my Sensei in 1973 (began in the Leesburg Dojo and moved to the Eustis Dojo, which was a satellite of the Leesburg location) . There was not enough room to teach and test students at the same time, so Sensei took myself and the 3 other students testing fro Green Belt to a nearby park. As we were testing, we were in a horse stance performing a series of punching drills, Sensei gave the Kiai command and the student next to me did not kiai. Sensei walked between myself and the student, performed a "mule" kick to the student's stomach, to which the student simply collapsed to the ground writhing in pain. Sensei said, "You didn't Kiai loud enough." and walked off. I looked at the student writhing on the ground and got into a lower stance myself not wanting to suffer the same fate...... I passed, he failed.

Nowadays, any of the above mention behavior would be grounds for abuse and jail time would certainly be handed down...... to us, it was simply a part of brutal training required to extinguish ego and become one with our inner being. In my early years of teaching I too used this type of exercises and abusive training methods. My early students still believe I have gotten "soft" over the years and that training isn't as tough as it used to be. This brings a question to mind; Is "traditional Old School" training better than modern methods? I have participated in both methods. The early "blood and guts" methods did NOT kill me. (Although I felt death was inevitable sometimes) I responded well to rough tough training. It made me tougher than most others in Martial Arts without a doubt. At 5'7" 150lbs, I have been hit by competitors over 6'7" 280lbs as hard as they could and survived, even winning in most cases. I have been "Okideshi" for many "Masters" who were also abusive and I am still here.

I trained through all this  "Hard Traditional" training and survived, however, at no time did any of my Sensei abuse my mentally, making me feel less than a person or attacking my confidence or self esteem. In fact, the opposite actually occurred....my confidence and self esteem actually grew as a result of my survival. When 99% of new students in our dojo simply dropped out after 1-2 months due to the brutality of training, I excelled beyond what I believed I could.

IN the end, every student should seek the type of instruction that will bring out the best of the student. Modern methods of teaching and training have replaced older methods. the results of which have proven to exceed the older more "militaristic" methods. Times are different also! A more peaceful world..... and yet the times are changing again. There may become a need once again for such training. Training methods which, by his own admission, helped one of my students become; "Marine of the Year" two years in a row, in the US Marine Corp. And so it seems to me, the necessary training for "Life and Death" martial arts is best done through brutal training. But, this is just my opinion.

Kaicho Adams