The Budo Way - Attacking Late, Same Time and Taking Initiative (SEN SEN NO SEN)
At this time in my Military career, I am in the position of being key personnel to Commanders. One of the things I enjoy is having little golden moments of mentorship and learning how these officers approach leadership. I always write little pearls of wisdom shared or ideas of principles that are universal. Each commander that I have been able to work with has gotten to know a little about my Martial Arts background. I always think of the question, "If I only had 10 minutes to teach a Commander Martial Arts because he or she asked me to show a move, what would it be?" Keep in mind, we would not have nice training mats to do ground techniques, yet there is a great chance that the request would be in the Military uniform. So, in the many times this played out in my mind and the few actual opportunities I had to do his with Officers and Chiefs, I taught the Concept of Zero using Judo Grip Fighting called Kumi Kata.
Right now you are thinking, "What does math have to do with Jiu Jitsu/Judo?" Well, with zero you can create something from nothing. The concept of Zero has a rich history in the World. Below is a short video about the power of Zero:
For the 10 minutes with a Commander or with a Chief, they might be linking I going to teach a Judo throw; however, what I am really teaching is how Zero can make them set the tempo, be ahead of the opponent and put oneself in position to successfully attack with a VERY high success right. All of this by learning how to grip fight before doing a throw or moving about on the ground. The concept of Zero in Judo's kumi kata was first introduced to me while stationed at MacDill Air Base. In Tampa Florida, one of the best gripping fighting experts in the world is former US Judo Olympian, Dr. Rhadi Ferguson. At his dojo, I was able to learn, put into practice, and bring with me to Japan the concept of Zero and setting/winning the tempo of a judo match. I have thanked Dr. Ferguson many times for this.
So how does it work? What exactly are these Military officers learning? How I am personally teach has taken me many years of practice and continuous study. This is the first thing that I bring to the situation in starting the 10-minute mini-lesson. The objectives are to teach a Military strategy that is profound, impactful to his or her life, and plants the seed of practicing or at the least becoming a strong advocate of Martial Arts. Most importantly, I need to get the Commander or Chief to practice the skills with the clock ticking down.
In Japan and in the Budo Martial Arts such as Judo, Kendo, Karatedo, and Aikido there is the basic strategy of when to attack your opponent. This is called: Go No Sen (After the attack); Sen No Sen (Attack the attack); and Sen Sen No Sen (Taking initiative). A lot of Martial Arts moves are shown and taught to beginners with Go No Sen. If the opponent punches at you, block it and punch the opponent back. This is simple self-defense. As a student gets more knowledgeable in understanding the magic of distance, timing, and angles, he or she can be introduced Sen No Sen. If the opponent punches you, move while at the same time punching him. This is the idea of attacking the attack yet winning the exchange. Lastly, Sen Sen No Sen is what all the Budo arts teach as a high ideal. This is not just begin able to punch a person in the face. Anyone can punch a person in the face when he or she is not ready. Sen Sen No Sen is under the context and moment that something is going to happen. Yet, to use Sen Sen No Sen, you take the initiative and move first ending the conformation. This is how in kendo (Sword Fighting) one person wins the context with action with perfect timing and the opponent losing at the moment of thinking to attack; too late, it was over before the first thought or in other words right when the opponent thought to take action.
I like to believe that teaching the concept of Zero and winning/setting the tempo in Judo's grip fighting is somewhere in between Sen No Sen and Sen Sen No Sen. To effectively set the tempo and be ahead of your opponent, you need to beat him to step ONE. And, it beat someone to ONE, you need to beat him to ZERO.
Martial Arts takes years of practice and even the most experienced practitioners find stress in making techniques work under stress and resistance. They when it is time to execute, are too late in tempo. They are doing too much because they are behind. All of their throws and strikes don’t work. All of these techniques do not work as planned. Steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... all matter to nothing. Where is the zero in your life? Look at what the concept of zero has done to the history of mathematics; it changed the world. Something from nothing. Put the zero here nothing or put it here instead: it is the start of everything. Begin with zero; set the tempo; finish the cycle of change faster than your predator; reach your position to do all things ...6, 7, 8, 9. This is a masterful way and what is missing from daily practice.
To The Reader
The author will be most happy to receive your comments, including criticisms and suggestions. Noteworthy comments may be included in future editions or books on this series.
– Prof. “little” Tony Pacenski
Yokota Air Base – Tokyo Japan
Gunji Taiho Jutsu (GTJ) | Military Arresting Technique is a system of taiho jutsu that is a progressive way to teach Military or Law Enforcement personnel many of the traditional and contemporary jujutsu techniques of control and arrest while at the same time keeping mindful of secondary weapon systems during training and complementing all of the current and evolving Military Combatives programs in place for the different branches of the Military.
